Tell me about these older edition products [old list]

[Man in the Funny Hat]

Of everything listed the 1E DMG is indispensible. And I disagree that you won't get use out of it at the table as I think that many of the tables at least can still have practical use. But you mentioned a desire for seeing the game from a historical perspective. Again, for that it is INDISPENSIBLE. It is, all at the same time, revelatory for both how the game was played, and how it was NOT played. The fact that some things are there demonstrates that they were considered more important then whereas today they may be ignored - and the fact that some OTHER things are there demonstrates only that the better DM's knew better than the rules EVER WILL what was sensible and desireable to include in THEIR game and what wasn't. And the best part is YOU still get to decide what falls into which category.

 

[Thanael]

I've been considering this book simply because I want to have one Ravenloft reference that details the entire setting without taking up too much room. I don't really have a lot of space for more boxed sets; therefore, this book might be what I get. However, I've heard it's not great. Basically, I'd be getting the book for the fluff.

Then this is the perfect book for you unless you want to buy the 3E Core Ravenloft book from White Wolf.

Here's a link to the reviews of it on the FraternityOfShadows site: Ravenloft: Domains of Dread [2e hard cover] (All their reviews)

 

[diaglo]

Eldritch Wizardry
Eldritch Wizardry introduces druids, psionics, demons, more spells, artifacts and relics (THE WAND OF ORCUS makes its first appearance!). And the artwork on the front cover depicts a naked chick on an altar--so you know its got to be good, right?

Well, a lot of the material is rehashed and clarified in AD&D. The only reason I own Eldritch Wizardry is for its nostalgia factor--I've never used it.

just a nitpick: druid already existed before Supplement III.
EW just made the druid a PC class.

 

[Mythmere1]

Originally Posted by Treebore
Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry -- I'd likely get the PDF version Other than from a gaming history aspect, not worth getting. There is a much better written version available on line, in the same way OSRIC is a good way to get the 1E rules. I think Mythmere wrote it and a link is available at Lulu. I think he called it "White Box edition".

Swords & Wizardry doesn't contain much from the actual Eldritch Wizardry supplement.

The "WhiteBox" version of Swords & Wizardry is a retro-clone of the Original 0e rules limited to the first three booklets. So, it's Diaglo's "One True Game," but doesn't include anything from Eldritch Wizardry. It's a complete game, and it's reorganized to be much more readable for gamers familiar with the modern presentation of RPG rules - it's found HERE.

The Swords & Wizardry Core Rules are also Original 0e, also reorganized into modern presentation, but these include some of the material from the 1974-1978 supplements. So there is variable weapon damage, monsters have 1d8 hit dice, cleric spells go up to 7th level and magic-user spells go up to 9th, etc. But no psionics or artifact descriptions, or druid character class. All that is left to the referee for house-ruling, although fan-written materials already cover the druid, and James Malizsewski of Grognardia is working on a psionics supplement. The Core Rules are also a complete game, found HERE (this is the Lulu page for the free download - I don't have the direct link).

There is also a S&W supplement called "Eldritch Weirdness Book One," but this has nothing to do with retro-cloning Eldritch Wizardry; it's just descriptions of 30 new spells for 0e or OSRIC.

 

[rogueattorney]

My comments after each product.

• Bestiary of Dragons and Giants Never found this one to be particularly useful. Much more bland that you'd think a book with its title should be.
  
• Book of Marvelous Magic, the -- This book is definitely available at a used book store here in Edmonton. I like it. But a lot of people don't. It definitely has a goofy sense of humor. Might be perfect for your campaign - might be completely useless if you take your game (too) seriously.
  
• Creature Catalogue Compiles most of the monsters from the B-X-CM-M series of modules and from a few other sources. Great source for new weirdo monsters.
  
• D&D Rules Cyclopedia Mostly complete compilation of the first four Mentzer edited boxed sets, with a few Gazetteer era additions (non-weapon skills, magical research rules, etc.). I'm not as enamored with it as many are, but still think it's a great resource that every D&D fan should have on his shelf.
  
• Dungeon Master's Guide [1e] For the reasons that have been stated already on this thread, every D&D fan should have this.
  
• Fiend Folio [1e] Another collection of kookie monsters. If you like monsters, you want this book.
  
• Shady Dragon Inn Basically, a Rogue's Gallery for B-X-C D&D. Some editing issues and some lackluster NPC write ups. I've never gotten much use out of it.
  
• Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry TSR's wackiest rules supplement. The only thing that really got close to the Arduin stuff. Psionics, demons, and a lot of iconic artifacts were originally intruduced here. Almost all of this was reprinted in substantially the same form throughout the 1e core rules (alhtough the psionic rules were pretty heavily modified). But here, it's undiluted in its strangeness. Fun to see just how way out they could get in the 70's, even if you don't ever use it.

 

[glass]

So, with these two books I'll get pretty much everything I'll need for truly understanding how OD&D works?

BECMI D&D, not OD&D.EDIT: As a couple of people have already pointed out. Should ave read further!


glass.

 

[glass]

Vecna Lives, I don' recommend, because it uses that terrible "lead by the nose" style that a lot of late cycle 2E stuff used.

Vecna Lives was 1e, wasn't it? Or if it was 2e, it certainly wasn't late 2e!


glass.

 

[rogueattorney]

Vecna Lives was 1e, wasn't it? Or if it was 2e, it certainly wasn't late 2e!

Vecna lives was 2e. But, being from 1990, was early 2e.

Vecna wasn't incorporated into Greyhawk canon until 2e.

 

[Knightfall]

Swords & Wizardry doesn't contain much from the actual Eldritch Wizardry supplement.

The "WhiteBox" version of Swords & Wizardry is a retro-clone of the Original 0e rules limited to the first three booklets. So, it's Diaglo's "One True Game," but doesn't include anything from Eldritch Wizardry. It's a complete game, and it's reorganized to be much more readable for gamers familiar with the modern presentation of RPG rules - it's found HERE.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Ariosto]

Vecna Lives -- Horrible as an "adventure." The Oerth Journal and Canonfire! Web sites are good, free sources of Greyhawk info.

1st Ed. DMG -- Delightful DM's miscellany, so packed with various material that even after 30 years I am sometimes surprised at what I find. A sample: Pages 37-38: time in the campaign. Pages 55-57: underwater adventures. Pages 82-84: intoxication and insanity. Pages 106-110: construction and siege. Pages 112-114: sixguns & sorcery, mutants & magic. Page 119 : potion miscibility table.

Marvelous Magic -- A good selection of interesting magic items, although those who take D&D Very Seriously may not appreciate those involving puns.

Creature Catalog -- Interesting creatures that appeared originally in modules, but perhaps you already have most for 2E. The indexes are handy if one uses the BECM rules books, probably not if one uses the RC.