OD&D Editon Experience: Did/Do you Play B/X? How Was/Is It?

[CleverNickName]

With all of the talk about the Golden Age of Gaming, and all of the retro-clones floating around, it's made me curious about the older editions of the game. I'm curious how many folks on ENWorld have ever played the older editions, and what their level of satisfaction was. Or is, if you are one of the rare birds that are still keeping it Old School.

This week I'd like to examine the B/X or BECM Edition. Have you played it before? or are you still playing it? What do you think about it?

By "played," I mean that you've been either a player or a DM for at least one gaming session. By "playing," I mean you have an ongoing gaming group that still actively plays this version, however occasionally. And for the purpose of this survey, I'm only referring to the 1981 Basic/Expert set, written by Tom Moldvay and David Cook (which was then revised and expanded two years later by Frank Mentzer). These two books, right here:

Note that this edition is different from the revised and expanded "BECM" edition, which came in four different boxes and were published from 1983-1985. And it's not the other "Holmes Basic" edition, that was published in 1977.

Feel free to add nuance in your comments, but let's not have an edition war over this. I'm really just interested in hearing peoples' stories of playing the "Moldvay Basic" rules, and what they remembered (for better or worse) about it.

Next week we will tackle the BECM version. So if that's your flavor of choice, I hope to hear from you next week.

Other Surveys
OD&D
Basic D&D
AD&D 1E
BECMI / Rules Cyclopedia
AD&D 2E
D&D 3E
D&D 4E
Survey Results (24 Apr 2020)

 

[the Jester]

Played it, loved it- Basic was the first D&D I owned.

 

[TwoSix]

I've never played it (I was in diapers at the time) but most of the retro-clones I'm interested in use B/X as their starting point.

 

[Campbell]

I have come to B/X late in life, having only started playing it in the 4e era as a side game. It is my hands down favorite version of the game. In the D&D space only Freebooters and Pathfinder 2e come close.

 

[Shiroiken]

I played it after starting with 1E. I found its simplicity very enjoyable compared with a lot of the complexity of 1E. Honestly, I think that overall the best adventures I ever played or ran came from this edition. Eventually I went back to 1E, but mainly kept to these adventures.

 

[Ace]

I played B/X with my group a while back. It was fine, nothing special though the lethality gave the other players who had come in near the end of 3.5 some pause.

Its not a bad game all in all though I prefer 5th or baring that 2nd edition to it.

 

[not-so-newguy]

At age 10, this the one that started it all for me. I have raided castle Mistamere several times: first as the Dwarf named Dweeny, then several characters named Eagle-Eyes after that (I was ten and fixated on that name because that name is bada$$).

Spoiler! There's a carrion crawler under the door laying in front of the castle walls. I think. Maybe. It's been 35+ years. I could be wrong.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Wait! Where is the "I"??? Did you forget the "I"? It should be BECMI...

I know, I remember playing in the Immortals set.

 

[Tallifer]

Note that this edition is different from the revised and expanded "BECM" edition, which came in four different boxes and were published from 1983-1985. And it's not the other "Holmes Basic" edition, that was published in 1977. Feel free to add nuance in your comments, but let's not have an edition war over this. I'm really just interested in hearing peoples' stories of playing the "Moldvay Basic" rules, and what they remembered (for better or worse) about it.

I am confused. What is the difference between all these different editions of Basic D&D? Anything truly significant with regards to Classes, Races and Monsters? Curious minds want to know.

 

[Koren n'Rhys]

Love it - my goto edition. I'm currently playing in a 5E game, which is fun and I'm all in as a player, but it isn't something I'd run as a DM. BX is where I started back in '81 and for me it allows a flexibility I absolutely love. When I run a game, BX it is!

The recent retroclone Old-School Essentials by Necrotic Gnome is a perfect clone with FAR superior presentation and organization. That's what I actually use to play nowadays.