AD&D 1st Edition Books

[Plissken]

I've been wanting to play and collect the 1st edition AD&D books but I noticed that there were different covers. Do certain covers have things like updated errata, or are they just that - different covers?

Edit: Sorry, I just realized this should have gone into the legacy forum. Welcome to move over their admins.

 

[Stormonu]

Checking the Acaeum, it was the 6th printing of the DMG (still with an effete cover) that had some errata put into the book. The ones with the DM opening the doors (which is the version I have) does not have additional errata, only a different cover. I suspect the same is true for the other books - PHB, MM.

Y'know, it's funny that the only book that didn't get a new cover was the Fiend Folio.

The Acaeum

 

[Plissken]

Thanks Stormonu, appreciate it.

 

[the Jester]

Y'know, it's funny that the only book that didn't get a new cover was the Fiend Folio.

As far as I know, neither did the Survival Guides, the MM2 or the late-1e setting books (Greyhawk & Dragonlance IIRC). Oh, or Oriental Adventures.

I could, of course, be wrong.

 

[Philosopher]

As far as I know, neither did the Survival Guides, the MM2 or the late-1e setting books (Greyhawk & Dragonlance IIRC). Oh, or Oriental Adventures.

Those books all came out initially with the orange spine. It was the earlier books (except for the Fiend Folio) that got the redone covers, in order to give them the orange spine. I figure it's because they wanted them all to be easily recognizable on bookstore shelves.

 

[tvknight415]

The only truly major difference in books is the Deities & Demigods - the first printing run had the Cthulhu and Melnibonean mythos, that later printings of the book (and it's orange spine version which was called Legends & Lore) don't have this.

If it were me, I'd go with the original artwork covers for PHB, MM, DMG, and DDG. I'm not a fan of the orange spine. Unless you have to have the Cthulhu/Melnibonean mythos from the first printing DDG, I'd recommend just getting a second or later printing - it will be much easier on your wallet.

Also, I recommend the website Stormonu cited, The Acaeum. It's a wonderful resource for learning about the various printings of original, basic, and 1E AD&D rulebooks, modules, and accessories.

 

[Umbran]

(still with an effete cover)

The efreet's effete?

 

[Almacov]

Unless you have to have the Cthulhu/Melnibonean mythos from the first printing DDG, I'd recommend just getting a second or later printing - it will be much easier on your wallet

Frequenting garage sales and thrift stores can help with this, if you're lucky.
So, so useful, those things...

 

[Filcher]

The efreet's effete?

Such a great cover. Dude hasn't even begun to lay the smack down.

 

[jcayer]

Funny, I always thought he was a fire giant.
Probably because as an 8 year old boy, giants were far more common than efreets.