If you started playing D&D with the Basic D&D rules, which edition was it?

dead · Jul 2, 2004

It seems that most people here started D&D with the Basic D&D set in one form or another. So, I'm just curious to see which was the most popular. I started with the Mentzer box (the red box).

If you don't know which box is which, look at the attachments below. From left to right, they are:

Holmes Basic Set 1977-1979
Moldvay Basic Set 1981-?
Mentzer Basic Set 1983-?
Black Box Basic Set 1991
Rules Cyclopedia 1991
Basic box 1996

francisca · Jul 2, 2004

Moldvay

EricNoah · Jul 2, 2004

Holmes, apparently (never called it that myself!).

I would love a copy of the Rules Cyclopedia. I hear it's top notch.

dead · Jul 2, 2004

The final edition on the poll is:

Basic box 1999.

Here's what it looks like:

Doc_Klueless · Jul 2, 2004

Much like Eric, we never called it the Moldvay edition; it was always just D&D for us.

:::Sigh:: Those were some good times. Though I think it's probably just the no-responsibility, play-when-I-want, whenever-I-want with awesome friends that's tickling my nostalgia bones...

MrFilthyIke · Jul 2, 2004

EricNoah said:
I would love a copy of the Rules Cyclopedia. I hear it's top notch.

You heard correctly, love that book, still read it occasionally.

dead · Jul 2, 2004

Now, I know this poll follows quick on the heels of the other poll I posted: "Which edition of D&D did you start with?" and if I were smart I would have included these Basic D&D permutations into that poll. Alas, I didn't however.

Anyway, it's my belief that Basic D&D, if re-released in the present, would not be very successful. I think, back in the old days, the Basic D&D set was just a really handsome and accessable package compared with the, then, 1E AD&D PHB.

With 2E and 3E, I think the rules of AD&D were simplified somewhat which made AD&D (or 3E D&D) more accessible.

It's my sneaking suspicion that it's the first 3 boxed sets (Holmes, Moldvey, Mentzer editions) that sold the best. Then 2E was released and, I think, Basic D&D no longer served the same function as it did alongside the very intimidating 1E AD&D.

Also, TSR/WotC's later attempts to produce new Basic D&D sets were, perhaps, too basic! You see, the great thing about the Holmes, Moldvey, Mentzer editions and the Rules Encyclopedia is that they were still serious, self-contained rules sets. The mentality in later times was: If we produce Basic D&D, then it has to be a launching pad to 3E D&D and thus has to be VERY simple.

I don't know, just some thoughts.

thalmin · Jul 2, 2004

EricNoah said:
Holmes, apparently (never called it that myself!).

I would love a copy of the Rules Cyclopedia. I hear it's top notch.

I'll see what I can do.

RFisher · Jul 2, 2004

Well, yeah! Nobody called 'em Holmes/Moldvay/Mentzer back in the day. We didn't have much call to distinguish between so many different editions then. Once Moldvay was out, lots of people called Holmes the blue book. Mentzer got called the red box. I've seen Moldvay called purple or pink box. By the time Mentzer was out, though, everyone I knew was playing AD&D, so they were just all collectively called "Basic" if we mentioned them at all.

Moldvay rules. 2nd best D&D ever behind OD&D itself. (Or, depending upon my purposes, Moldvay's 1st & OD&D's 2nd.) And I'm not just saying that because it was my first roleplaying purchase.

Still have my copy of B2 & my dice from that set.

I didn't appreciate it as much as I should have, moving quickly on to AD&D. Still, I did appreciate it, because I bought an Expert (Cook edition) rulebook & held onto both all these years.

Geoffrey · Jul 2, 2004

I started with Holmes (we called it the "blue book") back in 1980.

If you started playing D&D with the Basic D&D rules, which edition was it?

If you started playing D&D with the Basic D&D rules, which edition was it?

Holmes edition (1977-1979)

Moldvay edition (1981-?)

Mentzer edition (1983-?)

D&D Game box (1991)

Rules Cyclopedia (1991)

Basic box (1996)

Basic box (1999)

other

dead

Explorer

Attachments

francisca

I got dice older than you.

EricNoah

Adventurer

dead

Explorer

Attachments

Doc_Klueless

Doors and Corners

MrFilthyIke

First Post

dead

Explorer

thalmin

Retired game store owner

RFisher

Explorer

Geoffrey

First Post

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