Sing to me, O Muse, of BECMI!

[Enrico Poli1]

BECMI Ruleset:

• Much simpler compared to AD&D
• At Companion level (15+) focuses on Dominions and War, offering simple and solid systems (possibly the best of any edition). Monsters and Magic Items are also a bit different at this point. For me, the Companion addition defines and distinguishes the edition.
• At Master level (26+) focuses on attaining Immortality. After very solid BEC boxes, M is a weaker product, also not supported with interesting adventures.
• Immortal rules are poorly written and unusable, even in their second incarnation.

KNOWN WORLD setting:

• "Kitchen Sink" done well. Highlights (in my opinion): Grand Duchy of Karameikos, Principalities of Glantri, Northern Reaches, Golden Khan of Ethengar, Shadow Elves, Hollow World
• Setting is criss-crossed by several interesting metaplots (the Radiance, the legacy of Nithia, Thanatos ' and Atzanteotl's machinations etc).

ADVENTURES:
- Great adventures! Compatible with 5e. Highlights:
B: Keep on the Borderlands, Palace of the Silver Princess, Lost City, Horror on the Hill, Rahasia, Night's Dark Terror, The Eye of Traldar
E: Isle of Dread, Castle Amber, Master of Desert Nomads, Temple of Death, War Rafts of Kron, Red Arrow Black Shield
C: Test of the Warlords, Death's Ride, Sabre River

ART: Larry Elmore's art was perfect to change the feeling of the game from gritty sword-and-sorcery pulp to High Fantasy

All in all, BECMI is a fantastic iteration of the game, and even today is more playable then AD&D

 

[deganawida]

I did pick up a PDF of the RC a few weeks ago, since it was only $10 at DTRPG, and recent reviews made it sound like PoD options aren’t great due to scan quality. Will say this RC PDF ain’t all that, either, as it looks like straight scans into Adobe. Oh, well.

I really like a lot of what I see here. There is a definite “zero to hero” that in my opinion AD&D has never captured that well. I have to say that the Mystic looks seriously imbalanced to me. Knights kind of get the shaft compared to Paladins, wand especially to Avengers, who can get knight benefits through deception. Still no idea what separates a Magist apart aside from not having a tower. I may be weird, but I found Druid pretty cool.

Still trying to wrap my head around weapon specialization. There are differences with AD&D for sure, and the format of the PDF, along with my issues reading and retaining from electronic media (apart from forums), have me struggling to grok it.

Overall, though, I really like the growth embraced in it, and I want to get the actual BECMI books as I have money (and if in PoD).

 

[Kai Lord]

My group always found it very hard to remember that AD&D spells required components even after years of play due to cutting our teeth on BECMI, lol.

 

[deganawida]

My group always found it very hard to remember that AD&D spells required components even after years of play due to cutting our teeth on BECMI, lol.

If I run this, I'll likely have to remind everyone that BECMI spells don't.

 

[CleverNickName]

If I run this, I'll likely have to remind everyone that BECMI spells don't.

I mean, they can if you want them to. It's easy to house-rule.

I played a Cleric once that couldn't cast spells unless he had his Holy Symbol (this was back before there was a such things as a "Divine Focus"), and he needed holy water, wine, incense, and other sacraments in order to cast certain spells. It was just a little bit of flavor that I wanted to add, and my DM didn't mind.

 

[Blue Orange]

The fact that most OSR products derive from BECMI or B/X rather than AD&D probably tells you most of what you want to know.

I'd probably vote for the Rules Cyclopedia for one-stop shopping; the advantage of BECMI over later editions has always been the simplicity so that's an argument for B/X. (Sounds like you already have OSE.)

 

[deganawida]

I mean, they can if you want them to. It's easy to house-rule.

I played a Cleric once that couldn't cast spells unless he had his Holy Symbol (this was back before there was a such things as a "Divine Focus"), and he needed holy water, wine, incense, and other sacraments in order to cast certain spells. It was just a little bit of flavor that I wanted to add, and my DM didn't mind.

Heh, that reminds me of that cleric in "Another Day, Another Dungeon" by Greg Costikyan (hope I spelled that correctly), who always needed sacramental wine to do clerical magic. Problem was, though, that he was a little too fond of the sacramental wine.

 

[deganawida]

I am seriously considering running this just for a change of pace. My normal DM does heavily-focused story campaigns,. I am more one for sandbox, or at least start with sandbox, see what the PCs do, then develop a story from that (enemies, rivals, allies, political changes, etc.).

What would be the best approach for this type of campaign?

 

[Mannahnin]

I am seriously considering running this just for a change of pace. My normal DM does heavily-focused story campaigns,. I am more one for sandbox, or at least start with sandbox, see what the PCs do, then develop a story from that (enemies, rivals, allies, political changes, etc.).

What would be the best approach for this type of campaign?

Like, how to start a sandbox campaign?

Or are you looking for BECM-specific advice for sandboxing?

 

[deganawida]

Like, how to start a sandbox campaign?

Or are you looking for BECM-specific advice for sandboxing?

More the latter, though I'll always take tips for the former.