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<blockquote data-quote="Willie the Duck" data-source="post: 8894399" data-attributes="member: 6799660"><p>Here's my thoughts* -- If you are trying to introduce a group to a TSR-era D&D/AD&D-like gaming setup, I would get a couple POD copies of Moldvay-Cook B/X, tell the players that that is the game you are for the most part using, set up the expectation that levels cap at 14 (or 12,10,8 for demihumans) and spells cap at 6th (5th for elves/clerics), and that you want people to read the player sections of the books (not just the character creation section). Then get <u>one</u> copy of RC or BECM (I optional) and mine it for ideas. This will give the players the best presentation of the procedural systems of the game, and at the same time resetting expectations and scale such that a halfling capping out at level 8 isn't a grievous issue because 8 is still frickin' high level and that the magic user doesn't have to have <em>wish </em>or <em>meteor swarm</em> to be high level.</p><p><span style="font-size: 9px">*for no particular reason except not throwing a bunch of parentheticals around, I'm assuming this is in-person gaming. Adjust as needed.</span></p><p></p><p>I'd also suggest that, after you've run a successful campaign or two with this, looking into some OSR games like <em>Old School Essentials, Worlds Without Number</em>, or <em>Beyond the Wall</em>. None of them have the same elegant simplicity and utility as B/X, but many are fountains of creativity and/or have simply-better mechanics for things like thief-like skills or making balanced demihumans or the like. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I think that's a near universal. While it is set up as (in theory) a cohesive* setting, it really is a hodge-podge of disparate ideas and tones. It's obvious that it was built by a group of different voices without a centralized plan going forward (which can be part of the charm). There are physical inconsistencies like the Viking -analog culture and (IIRC) a jungle culture existing in close proximity at the same parallel. More often there are tonal variations, with one book being strongly serious and grounded, another silly, a third serious but ungrounded (airships or winged minotaurs or a city of 1000s of max-level wizards). It is definitely something to take what you want and omit what you don't.</p><p><span style="font-size: 9px">*although not complete. Unlike the AD&D game worlds, this one left quite a bit of territory (somewhat close to the established starting areas) open for DM development. Something I appreciate.</span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Willie the Duck, post: 8894399, member: 6799660"] Here's my thoughts* -- If you are trying to introduce a group to a TSR-era D&D/AD&D-like gaming setup, I would get a couple POD copies of Moldvay-Cook B/X, tell the players that that is the game you are for the most part using, set up the expectation that levels cap at 14 (or 12,10,8 for demihumans) and spells cap at 6th (5th for elves/clerics), and that you want people to read the player sections of the books (not just the character creation section). Then get [U]one[/U] copy of RC or BECM (I optional) and mine it for ideas. This will give the players the best presentation of the procedural systems of the game, and at the same time resetting expectations and scale such that a halfling capping out at level 8 isn't a grievous issue because 8 is still frickin' high level and that the magic user doesn't have to have [I]wish [/I]or [I]meteor swarm[/I] to be high level. [SIZE=1]*for no particular reason except not throwing a bunch of parentheticals around, I'm assuming this is in-person gaming. Adjust as needed.[/SIZE] I'd also suggest that, after you've run a successful campaign or two with this, looking into some OSR games like [I]Old School Essentials, Worlds Without Number[/I], or [I]Beyond the Wall[/I]. None of them have the same elegant simplicity and utility as B/X, but many are fountains of creativity and/or have simply-better mechanics for things like thief-like skills or making balanced demihumans or the like. I think that's a near universal. While it is set up as (in theory) a cohesive* setting, it really is a hodge-podge of disparate ideas and tones. It's obvious that it was built by a group of different voices without a centralized plan going forward (which can be part of the charm). There are physical inconsistencies like the Viking -analog culture and (IIRC) a jungle culture existing in close proximity at the same parallel. More often there are tonal variations, with one book being strongly serious and grounded, another silly, a third serious but ungrounded (airships or winged minotaurs or a city of 1000s of max-level wizards). It is definitely something to take what you want and omit what you don't. [SIZE=1]*although not complete. Unlike the AD&D game worlds, this one left quite a bit of territory (somewhat close to the established starting areas) open for DM development. Something I appreciate.[/SIZE] [/QUOTE]
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