D&D General A tour of each and every TSR/D&D release

[Stormonu]

Huhn. Never heard of Swords & Spells. Did the later Battlesystem use any of the rules from it?

 

[TerraDave]

Oddly enough, Eldritch Wizardry is the only OD&D booklet I've actually ever had my hands on. The old hobby shop I used to go to (which shut down some time in the 00's) had a copy for sale that was still in the shrink wrap, sitting right next to the regular D&D books (i.e., not protected in one of their many "collectables" display cases). Looking back, I'm amazed no one ever bought it.

All those years ago, I saw it in a toy store.

 

[TerraDave]

So far, so great.

But I wonder what happens when he gets to those hundreds of 2e products? Show them by the shelfull?

 

[GuyBoy]

I have very fond memories of Swords & Spells. It was undoubtedly flawed as a rule set, but our teenage group would often pool all our figures and play out 1:10 ratio fantasy battles, covering a table with a green sheet and using lichen as wooded areas.
A far cry from all the modern scenery from GW and similar, but great fun. BTW, at the time, GW was a tiny store off Shepherds Bush Rd in London, before moving to Hammersmith.

 

[darjr]

From what I understand he does indeed plan to cover each and every product he has. Which I think is almost everything of not everything.

I was about to jump into the TSR release year of 1977, but was alerted to the fact that I was about to skip one final 1976 OD&D Supplement release. So, up today is the Supplement, Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes released in 1976. Here are a few of my copies. Onto 1977 tomorrow!

 

[darjr]

Holmes was the first D&D I ever saw. It was a hand me down to the kids in my class. There was an iconic piece of art within that I couldn’t find until years later looking through a copy. I’ve never owned one.

Oh those dice!

Alright. The year 1977 for TSR. We have some iconic releases to enjoy. Up today is huge one. The Holmes Basic D&D set. Here are my 4 copies ranging from a 1st print to a 5th/6th with one being in original shrink wrap. Here is a great synopsis: Basic Set

 

[GuyBoy]

This has to be my favourite thread right now.
Will be even more perfect if he has early Judges Guild stuff too....

 

[darjr]

This has to be my favourite thread right now.
Will be even more perfect if he has early Judges Guild stuff too....

I dint think he will. I wonder if he collects that too? Huh? It would be cool.

 

[Marc Radle]

I dint think he will. I wonder if he collects that too? Huh? It would be cool.

That box set is where I got my start into D&D
Ah, the glorious good old days …

 

[Hussar]

Very cool. I'll admit, I was too young for D&D in the 70's, but, got my start with Moldvay Basic.

 

[Stormonu]

This was where I came in on the game, though my set didn't have dice, just the chits (and B2, not B1).

I was lucky enough about 10-15 years ago to find a decent-shape copy on the cheap and bring this product back into my library.

 

[TerraDave]

Monster Manual may be up next.

Lots of 1979 versions of this set (check the acaeum link above). B1 actually came and went. So did chits. B2 got their eventually.

 

[Marc Radle]

This was where I came in on the game, though my set didn't have dice, just the chits (and B2, not B1).

Oh right - mine had the cardboard chits as well!!
And a coupon to mail in to get the set of dice.

 

[TerraDave]

So, I think he has updated the twitter feed...

 

[FrogReaver]

There's something about that older art that inspires me much more than the more professional and well done art.

 

[Yaarel]

They don't, though. At least not on the cover as shown here. Swords & Spells literally is miniatures rules. It's a set of battle-scale miniatures wargame rules FOR D&D*, kind of the reverse of how D&D was partially based on Chainmail.

(*Though sadly, not a very good one. I recommend Dan "Delta" Collins' Book of War for anyone in need of a set of miniatures rules for resolving army-scale battles in OD&D).

I want 50e to do something like this.

Make the core Players Handbook strictly for theater of the mind, but have a separate book that fully develops grid and minis tactical style.

 

[Yaarel]

There's something about that older art that inspires me much more than the more professional and well done art.

5e has books with different covers. Maybe 50e can have a version of a ook where all of the interior art too is ink drawings and woodcuts?

 

[darjr]

Sorry about missing so many of these. I'm going to try and catch up. Eventually he'll come to an end and I might but I'll try before that.

Next up is the Monster Manual! Mine is all but falling apart and I got a second one some time later.

Here is what Alex has to say.

Our tour is starting to pick up steam. Up today is a HUGE one. In 1977 TSR released their first hardbound D&D book - the Monster Manual. Here are 3 of my 1st printing copies, one signed by Gary. Another quirk of history that the monster book got published first for AD&D.

And his copies.

twitter link

 

[darjr]

Ope! And I didn't notice that he got ahead a few. Noted in this next one.

I got ahead of myself on our tour in my excitement. We still have a couple of 1976 releases to go. How about the first ever D&D module!! Up today, produced by Wee Warrior, but distributed by TSR, I give you Palace of the Vampire Queen! Pictured are my 2 1st printings and 2 3rds.

twitter link

 

[darjr]

Oh and I'm not embedding the twitter links but putting them behind text. Please if you use twitter go and like these posts of his.