I got the Rules Cyclopedia
- Thread starter Daiymo
- Start date
ghettognome
First Post
Does it sell well? I have one lying around somewhere in a box that I had been wanting to get rid of, unless I sold it to half-price books before I moved, though I highly doubt it.
trancejeremy
Adventurer
They used to sell pretty well. $25 or so.
Greatest book TSR ever produced.
Greatest book TSR ever produced.
BigFreekinGoblinoid
First Post
trancejeremy said:
Hey TJ:
Give me a quick "no frills" review on the Rules Cyclopedia so I can understand what you guys are talking about!
drnuncheon
Explorer
BigFreekinGoblinoid said:
Well, I'm not TJ, but:
The Rules Cyclopedia was basically a compilation of rules from all the D&D boxed sets from red-box Basic to black-box Masters. (It left out the gold-box Immortals, though.)
It included stuff like the War Machine mass combat system, dominion rules, and stronghold-building rules, as well as a tiny bit of background on the Known World/Mystara and (I think) the Hollow World as well.
J
Please excuse me also for answering when you did not ask me but you may find this helpful:
The Dungeons and Dragon Rules Encyclopedia containes all the old rules that came in the different boxed sets. The system is more basic than 1st edition Advanced D&D (thus that version being called Advanced).
Four classes - all played by Humans only: Fighter, Magic User, Thief, Cleric. Druid and Mystic (monk) are optional.
The demi-humans were both a race and a class: dwarf (like fighter), elf (fighter/magic-user), and hobbit (thief? maybe). You could not play a race and a class in the basic rules.
No multi-classing.
No Pr Classes - except a few special options are available once you become 9th level or above (like Knight, Paladin, etc. - but these depend on alignment)
3 Alignments: Law, Chaos, Neutral.
No feats - each class had the same abilities. It was so simple.
No skills - although an optional but simple system is offered.
Clerics and Magic Users have simple spell lists (the optional class of Druid does too).
All you need to describe your character is the name, your six stats, your Armor class and Hit Points, your saves, and equipment -- and spells if you can cast them.
It is delightfully basic/easy to use and has provided many with hours of great fun because of this simplicity. Character creation is a breeze - with maybe buying equipment being the most time consuming part. But even the equiment lists are more simple (less to choose from).
It is more restrictive and with fewer options than other versions, but still loads of fun for many who may get bogged down with too many rules.
In a nutshell, it is just the bare bones of D&D that made the game great.
The Dungeons and Dragon Rules Encyclopedia containes all the old rules that came in the different boxed sets. The system is more basic than 1st edition Advanced D&D (thus that version being called Advanced).
Four classes - all played by Humans only: Fighter, Magic User, Thief, Cleric. Druid and Mystic (monk) are optional.
The demi-humans were both a race and a class: dwarf (like fighter), elf (fighter/magic-user), and hobbit (thief? maybe). You could not play a race and a class in the basic rules.
No multi-classing.
No Pr Classes - except a few special options are available once you become 9th level or above (like Knight, Paladin, etc. - but these depend on alignment)
3 Alignments: Law, Chaos, Neutral.
No feats - each class had the same abilities. It was so simple.
No skills - although an optional but simple system is offered.
Clerics and Magic Users have simple spell lists (the optional class of Druid does too).
All you need to describe your character is the name, your six stats, your Armor class and Hit Points, your saves, and equipment -- and spells if you can cast them.
It is delightfully basic/easy to use and has provided many with hours of great fun because of this simplicity. Character creation is a breeze - with maybe buying equipment being the most time consuming part. But even the equiment lists are more simple (less to choose from).
It is more restrictive and with fewer options than other versions, but still loads of fun for many who may get bogged down with too many rules.
In a nutshell, it is just the bare bones of D&D that made the game great.
Daiymo
First Post
Re: OD&D game
Bob, your RPG library never fails to amaze me. How many games are you in !?!?
Anyway, Id love to play /caresses Cyclopedia/ I'll get in touch with you later.
johnsemlak- to answer your question, I found my copy in the bottom of a box at my FLGS. They sell on ebay for 24-40 bucks I think.
Bob said:
Bob, your RPG library never fails to amaze me. How many games are you in !?!?
Anyway, Id love to play /caresses Cyclopedia/ I'll get in touch with you later.
johnsemlak- to answer your question, I found my copy in the bottom of a box at my FLGS. They sell on ebay for 24-40 bucks I think.
BigFreekinGoblinoid
First Post
Bob said:
Thanks drnuncheon, Bob & Henry! So basically, this book is all you would need to play the game? Or would you still need a monster book and more?
Sir Osis of Liver
Explorer
Daiymo said:Nothing really further to add I guess. Been craving the nostalgia of the early ODnD days. Ive had the ESD for a while, and been looking for the hardcover book. Finally got it. Nice to see the map of the Known World in all its glory.
Now all I need is a ODnD friendly group
Well if you're ever in Cape Cod mass look me up. I love oD&D.
Similar Threads
