General RPG DiscussionDiscussion of all RPGs and non-system-specific topics. DM/GM/player issues, settings, etc. Rules discussion belongs in one the forums below.
I also didn't have many modules. The gratis copies of X1 THE ISLE OF DREAD and B2 KEEP ON THE BORDERLANDS (now made confusing by the shift of rules from Dr. Holmes' version to Mr. Moldvay's edit), and a copy of A1 SLAVE PITS OF THE UNDERCITY.
Speaking as somone running B2 with the Rules Compendium - I can agree - there's definitely some "Man, What?" moments....
__________________ el gobierno confiscará sus pollos
Speaking as somone running B2 with the Rules Compendium - I can agree - there's definitely some "Man, What?" moments....
Be aware that there are two distinct print runs of B2 KEEP ON THE BORDERLANDS with regards to rules - and it's one of the rare cases where a module was rule-amended during the pre 2e days.
The edit for the J.E. Holmes basic denotes monster Dex scores (with DX in the stat line). Additionally, there is a half-plate illustration in the back of the module of the minotaur at the end, rendered by Erol Otus.
The edit for the Moldvay/Cook Basic D&D rules features no monster Dex score and different artwork (a new minotaur rendition by Bill Willingham, as well as a medusa). This later printing is probably more compatible with the the D&D RULES COMPENDIUM.
Parenthetically, photostat copies of the manuscript rules were made, and when the commercial game was published, fans not willing or financially unable to expend the princely sum of $10 for the product did likewise, copying the material on school (mainly college/university) machines. We were well aware of this, and many gamers who had spent their hard-earned money to buy the game were more irate than we were. In all, though, the 'pirate' material was more helpful that not. Many new fans were made by DMs who were using such copies to run their games. - Gary Gygax
[font=century gothic]I get the biggest kick out of reading 1e modules, especially those written by Gary (snip)
Two years ago thanks to the efforts of a member on these boards in the Philippines I was able to buy unopened copies of D1-2 and D3 which I believe are Gary's finest. The writing is simply outstanding. His ability to capture the feel of the what is now known as the Underdark and the subtle and overt evil of the drow and their society as made all the more astonishing by the absence of art. Gary did it all by the power of his writing.
Such a shame he wasted time attempting to run a business when he could have been writing instead.
Quote:
After this I hope to send the party to the Lortmils on a run through WG4 THE FORGOTTEN TEMPLE OF THARIZDUN and S4 THE LOST CAVERNS OF TSOJCANTH. Really, those two modules together could have been sold as a boxed set with little more added and been just fine as a sort of GREYHAWK CAMPAIGNS or a set that focused on the abovementioned mountains. They're that good.
The wilderness portions of those two were fantastic. I learnt a lot about building the "en route" part of a campaign from those adventures.
WG4 is one of my favourite sites of all time. I'm not too fond of certain elements of the adventure above ground but the forgotten temple itself is simply outstanding.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ExploderWizard
Hey thanks, but I am in Virginia. That would be a legendary commute for a game.
My commute is a tad longer: 7,000 kilometres from Singapore to Australia just for a game (and sometimes I have done it only for the game).
The edit for the Moldvay/Cook Basic D&D rules features no monster Dex score and different artwork (a new minotaur rendition by Bill Willingham, as well as a medusa). This later printing is probably more compatible with the the D&D RULES COMPENDIUM.
At least, I think it is.
The later edit for B2 is compatible with the Moldvay, and Mentzer editions of Basic. If the full rules from the RC were used additional material such as skills and weapon mastery would need to be taken into consideration.
I've wanted to run ToEE, Slavers, and Queen of the Spiders for some time now. My current group is composed of all post 1E gamers (some post 2E), so they have little interest in *my* nostalgia trip. You see, despite the fact that I've been gaming since 1984, I have never played those particular modules, and I am now bound and determined to do so, in AD&D, the way it should be done.
What I'm going to do, and what may be a farcical trip of the highest order, is to run ToEE across 6 events at Origins 2010. Unfortunately, I didn't come up with this "gem" until it was far too late for this year's show, but on the flip side, I have an entire year to prepare! If it works out, I would then do Slavers at Origins 2011 and Queen of the Spiders at Origins 2012 (the end of the world, dontcha know!)
I like the suggestion about switching up the elemental nodes. I may have to do something along those lines because, from reading ToEE, it seems like it might be difficult to do at a convention.
__________________ He knows the score... he gets the women... and he kills the bad guy. If you hire him to kill the bad guy... better make damn sure the bad guy isn't you! EN World Community Supporter
Currently running "In the Shadow of Giants" [OOC] | [IC] | [RG]
Be aware that there are two distinct print runs of B2 KEEP ON THE BORDERLANDS with regards to rules - and it's one of the rare cases where a module was rule-amended during the pre 2e days.
The edit for the J.E. Holmes basic denotes monster Dex scores (with DX in the stat line). Additionally, there is a half-plate illustration in the back of the module of the minotaur at the end, rendered by Erol Otus.
The edit for the Moldvay/Cook Basic D&D rules features no monster Dex score and different artwork (a new minotaur rendition by Bill Willingham, as well as a medusa). This later printing is probably more compatible with the the D&D RULES COMPENDIUM.
At least, I think it is.
Yep, I've got the first one (with the DEX score).
I mean they are both RC-compatible (enough), but it's the little differences that make you go Hmmmm....
__________________ el gobierno confiscará sus pollos
-Sigh- I LOVE AD&D First Edition. I fondly remember the days as a young teenager, playing AD&D with my older brother and his friends. I keenly remember playing a thief in the Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh modules because my character was the PC the pseudodragon bonded with. I remember being really bummed when a lizardman killed him!
I have continued to play AD&D at every chance I get. It is fun to meet young gamers today that have never played the classic modules - like Keep on the Borderlands and White Plume Mountain - and show them AD&D and run them through the adventures.
I liked AD&D. It will always be my first (edition).
But I loved 2e. I ran my best and longest-running campaign using it.
(Am I about to be pelted with dice? )
Which is to say, while I have opinions on all the editions of D&D I've played (1-4), in the end, what matters most is what my friends and I do with the game, not the game system itself.
I care more about the painting, less about the blank canvass and assortment of paints.
__________________ "We're pimps and killers, but in a philanthropic way." -- Boyd, Dollhouse.
But I loved 2e. I ran my best and longest-running campaign using it.
My AD&D is mainly 1e (with many house rules), but I take stuff from 2e, for example the description of several spells.
__________________ 'Can a magician kill a man by magic?' Lord Wellington asked Strange. Strange frowned. He seemed to dislike the question. 'I suppose a magician might,' he admitted, 'but a gentleman never could.'
Last edited by Nikosandros; 25th June 2009 at 02:19 AM..
I think the attack rolls are, probably, better in 2e than in 1e. They have similar progressions, but it's almost shocking how slowly non-fighters' chance of hitting increases in 1e.
I'm used to 3e (where your chances of hitting are often 95% at higher levels with initial attacks) and 4e (where it usually hovers in the 30%-70% range) nowadays. In 1e, your chances are much, much lower most of the time. Often, it's around 20% or so at low levels.
__________________ 'Can a magician kill a man by magic?' Lord Wellington asked Strange. Strange frowned. He seemed to dislike the question. 'I suppose a magician might,' he admitted, 'but a gentleman never could.'
Last edited by Nikosandros; 24th June 2009 at 06:55 PM..
I think the attack rolls are, probably, better in 2e than in 1e. They have similar progressions, but it's almost shocking how slowly non-fighters' chance of hitting increases in 1e.
Yes, but those classes are doing things other than Fighting, which is the province of Fighters.
But this is sailing dangerously towards "Let's compare 1e AD&D to 2e AD&D" which is beyond (my, anyway) desired scope of the thread.
Parenthetically, photostat copies of the manuscript rules were made, and when the commercial game was published, fans not willing or financially unable to expend the princely sum of $10 for the product did likewise, copying the material on school (mainly college/university) machines. We were well aware of this, and many gamers who had spent their hard-earned money to buy the game were more irate than we were. In all, though, the 'pirate' material was more helpful that not. Many new fans were made by DMs who were using such copies to run their games. - Gary Gygax
Two years ago thanks to the efforts of a member on these boards in the Philippines I was able to buy unopened copies of D1-2 and D3 which I believe are Gary's finest. The writing is simply outstanding. His ability to capture the feel of the what is now known as the Underdark and the subtle and overt evil of the drow and their society as made all the more astonishing by the absence of art. Gary did it all by the power of his writing.
Shrine of the Kuo-Toa is one of my favorite site-based adventures, and introduced one of my favorite monsters to spring on adventurers.
Vault of the Drow was much more than an adventure. It was a campaign setting, filled with the seeds for scores of adventures. The merchant and noble clan rivalries, the unholy war, the denizens of Erelhei-Cinlu - just fantastic stuff.
__________________ On weird fantasy: "The Otus/Elmore rule: When adding something new to the campaign, try and imagine how Erol Otus would depict it. If you can, that's far enough...it's a good idea. If you can picture a Larry Elmore version...it's far too mundane and boring, excise immediately." - Kellri, K&K Alehouse
I love 1st edition AD&D. I do. I think it's a fantastic game system. It is the best D&D I've ever played, and I've played them all. Gary's writing is awesome. The default assumption of GREYHAWK throughout the mainstay of the system's publication is awesome, too.
Once you get the flow of the rules organization, finding things in the rulebooks (on the occasions they're needed) is a snap.
The modules are great, and I really like the artwork.
1st edition AD&D is my favorite RPG. It isn't the only one I play, nor is it the only one I like, but it's the one I like the most, and the D&D I'll play given the chance.
1st edition AD&D rocks.
I like AD&D, not my favorite not the most played, but I really like it.
The modules just totally rocked. Reading the Intro to Ghost Towers of Inverness and the Intro to White Plume Mountain gave me enough inspiration to build a whole campaign (I made the two mages into one and the same). I never got to run it.
And re-reading the PHB last year, I was stunned at an implication that I had always overlooked.
Half-elves and Half-orcs have the same alignment probablities. That resonated with me. WOW, 1/2 elves should be mysterious and not auto-trustworthy.
Thank you for the thread
RK
__________________ Looking for game in Mid. Tennessee area.
So, quick question about D123 I'll ask here, since sadly Gary isn't around to ask anymore...
What gives with those hilariously bad PC names? (No offense intended to the ENWorld posters Philotomy Jurament - the best name among them, fwiw - or Fonkin Hoddypeak. But Fage the Kexy? Beek Gwenders? Really?) My own theory is that they were random keypresses with extra letters added in for pronunciation.
So, quick question about D123 I'll ask here, since sadly Gary isn't around to ask anymore...
What gives with those hilariously bad PC names? (No offense intended to the ENWorld posters Philotomy Jurament - the best name among them, fwiw - or Fonkin Hoddypeak. But Fage the Kexy? Beek Gwenders? Really?) My own theory is that they were random keypresses with extra letters added in for pronunciation.
__________________ On weird fantasy: "The Otus/Elmore rule: When adding something new to the campaign, try and imagine how Erol Otus would depict it. If you can, that's far enough...it's a good idea. If you can picture a Larry Elmore version...it's far too mundane and boring, excise immediately." - Kellri, K&K Alehouse
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