Tell me about these older edition D&D products [list updated: Nov 20/10]

[Knightfall]

Freedom: already discussed. Even though it was a TPK I thought it was okay. I think it may actually have helped to set the right mood for Darksun.

Road to Urik: played. The adventure starts with a lot of interesting roleplaying encounters. The pcs have to try to gain allies and support to build an army. The next part involves leading that army into battle. After a couple of encounters on the road, this was supposed to be played using the BattleSystem which I didn't use. Still, the adventure was quite nice.

From what I understand, after reading the TSR Archive, these two adventures can be linked together and linked to Arcane Shadows and Asticlian Gambit. But, how well do they (and the rest of the flip-book adventures) stand on their own?

Arcane Shadows: not played. Basically it's about accompanying a theoretically super-powerful npc preserver that for some inexplicable reason needs the pcs to get somewhere to watch him get transformed into an avangion. Meh - avoid!

Asticlian Gambit: not played. After a couple of encounters on the road, the pcs have a nice chat with the Oba of Gulg in her palace. Then they get imprisoned to be freed later on to be hunted by some spoiled nobles only to get caught again, this time by templars of Nibenay. After meeting Nibenay ... ah, whatever, this adventure sucks big time.

Okay, so not those two. Check.

Dragon's Crown: not played. This one is huge. It also doesn't use the innovative flip books. My feeling is that it's a bit too long to keep the players' interest. If it was condensed into a more focused, shorter adventure using only the really interesting and meaningful encounters and locations, it could be great fun, I guess.

I'm pretty sure I want this one. Its premise sounds pretty epic. Plus, I'm curious to find out how much background it gives on the environs of the Dragon Crown Mountains.

Black Flames: not played. So, there's this dragon (!) who needs the help of the pcs, see? He tricks them into exploring some ruins and get a mcguffin for him. Luckily Abalach-Re shows up to save the day. After believing themselves safe, the mortally wounded dragon returns *shudder* And there I thought Asticlian Gambit was bad...

Another miss. Check.

Merchant Houses of Amketch: played. The pcs are to find the source of nasty anti-psionic bugs and put an end to their trading. So they start their investigation by hiring on as caravan guards. This adventure was quite intriguing and the design makes good use of the flip-book format. A good one!

The premise of this one sounds interesting... but I was worried that the "anti-psionic bug" idea was actually cheesy. It doesn't sound like a typical hack n' slash adventure, which I like.

Marauders of Nibenay: not played. Nibenay tries to destroy the Veiled Alliance chapter in his city, which results in freeing a mysterious entity that wrecks everything. They get to explore the hidden fortress looking for a way to return things back to normal. Naturally, the get to meet Nibenay and find out all his secrets ... Hmpf.

More interaction with Nibenay. Jeez. He's not that great a character. Another one I think I'll pass on.

Black Spine: partially played (outside of the Darksun campaign). The second mega-adventure, also not using the flip-book format. I liked this one better than Dragon's Crown. It's more streamlined and the later part is a pretty classical dungeon-crawl. I think, if you like githyanki, you'll like the adventure.

This is the other adventure I'm seriously considering. I love the githyanki and the thought of them invading Athas is a cool and scary idea.

Hmm, I could throw in a few githzerai that are trying to stop the invasion, which could really confuse the player's characters. Who is a bad guy and who isn't?

Forestmaker: not played. Interestingly, this one's not using the flip-book format. I now know, why I didn't like it. Hint: it involves a sorcerer king in a, umm, prominent role.

Another swing and a miss. (I think we're all in agreement about that.)

So, Freedom, Road to Urik, and Merchant House of Amketch are the good flip-book adventures. Plus, I'm fairly certain I'm going to get Dragon's Crown and Black Spine.

Thanks for all your input, Jhaelen.

 

[Knightfall]

I remember really liking The Endless Stair as a kid. I think it was a little bit more cosmic than some of the other CM adventures, if I recall... And Greenwood's gaming stuff was always up my alley, so having his first foray - why not?

It's a definite "maybe" for me. Actually, I'm leaning towards getting most of the CM Series, if I can find them. They seem to be a little more rare than the other BECMI modules... well, at least in my hometown.

 

[Knightfall]

UPDATE!!!
Well, I traded away my "trade bait" today. I didn't get as much for it as I had hoped, but since I only had to spend $4 of my money to get the "trade bait," I'm happy with the result.

I got two 2 boxed sets and an adventure.

• Dawn of the Emperors
• Halls of the High King [FA1]
• Ruins of Undermountain, the

The main thing, of mine, that I gave up was my 2e FR campaign setting boxed set (*), which became expendable once I had traded for the 1e version. *The box didn't have all the maps in it, so it wasn't a big loss.

The Paladium Fantasy book is gone now too. I just couldn't see myself hanging on to it. After all, it was the Revised Edition and not the first printing. If I ever find that then I'd likely keep it.

The end result was that I paid CAN $54 for 3 items that would have cost me CAN $75 without my "trade bait." So, I'm happy.

I also bought some other books, as well -- Dragons Revisited and two used copies of the DMG v.3.5 and PHB v.3.5. The core books look brand new, however, and I only paid around CAN $50 for both of them together. The used book store also had the MM v.3.5 but mine is still not to bad plus I couldn't justify spending another $25 for it.

Anyway, this means that my old, original copies of the DMG and the PHB are now "trade bait."

Pictures to come in the next post...

 

[Knightfall]

The trade trio...

 

[Knightfall]

The "new" used v.3.5 core rule books...

 

[Knightfall]

FYI... a FLGS here in Edmonton has the Silver Anniversary Collector's Edition boxed set. It's priced REALLY high, however. CAN $89.95. (I think that was the price before tax.)

That seemed really high; however, I think it's brand new. Still, what do people think? Too much? A steal? About right?

I might be going back for it.

They also had a copy of Return to the Tomb of Horrors, which wasn't as much (around $50 to $60, I think). I think it will be a toss up between the two. I can't really afford both.

Hmm...

Decisions, Decisions!

 

[M.L. Martin]

FYI... a FLGS here in Edmonton has the Silver Anniversary Collector's Edition boxed set. It's priced REALLY high, however. CAN $89.95. (I think that was the price before tax.)

That seemed really high; however, I think it's brand new. Still, what do people think? Too much? A steal? About right?

I might be going back for it.

Decisions, Decisions!

If memory serves, the Silver Anniversary box is an 'old-school grab bag'--reprints of the Holmes D&D rulebook, G1-3, B2, S3 (or whatever number White Plume Mountain was) and I6, along with an unpublished 1st Edition module and a retrospective book on the history of TSR.
If those reprints (and they're purely reprints, not updates or adaptations--AFAIK, the only change is the "Silver Anniversary" TSR logo) are worth that much to you, then go for it; if not, pass.

 

[M.L. Martin]

UPDATE!!!
Well, I traded away my "trade bait" today. I didn't get as much for it as I had hoped, but since I only had to spend $4 of my money to get the "trade bait," I'm happy with the result.

I got two 2 boxed sets and an adventure.

• Dawn of the Emperors
• Halls of the High King [FA1]
• Ruins of Undermountain, the

Nice find. <gloat> I found Dawn of the Emperors for $8 US this past December--and someone had stuffed Elves of Alfheim, Dwarves of Rockhome, and The Shadow Elves into the box as well.

 

[Silverblade The Ench]

As note previously, I got rid of a ton of old stuff ot Ebay, through my cousin...I felt violated getting rid of it all...cry...you may get some of it, lol
But I kept Undermountain as it's so damn good you should love it
(and any Dark SUn/Spelljammer items and some precious bits)
Undermountain is one of the few dungeon crawls I like as a DM..cause it's a setting more than a crawl

City State of Tyr is good in laying out the city, but I stick to keeping the Sorceror Kings alive. The Add ons for Dark Sun are good, IMHO, Dune Trader though is my fave.
However the level and stats for NPCs in most of the dark sun stuff is garbage!! it's ATHAS not "Bognor Regis", roflmao!!
so their highest stat is a 15 or 16...they are level 8 AND the fluff is telling me they are some hard ass? Eh? not likely is it!
So the NPC stats are often way out of whack.
I've always seen it that Athasian characters are very damned otugh and levelled, by sheer necessity of survival and experience...though as always, for NPCs, that can mean super saavy trader who's useless in a fight...but his guards aren't!
that's the advantage of 3rd and 4th ed, you can have such folk with high skills, and it's those skills that let them be dangerous, rather than combat ability.

And hell yes they had to run, lol. Cilops (psionic tracking centipede beasties) and rangers were the least of their worries!
Athas is about survival of the least dumbest, and I severely punish stupidity there hehe

 

[Knightfall]

If memory serves, the Silver Anniversary box is an 'old-school grab bag'--reprints of the Holmes D&D rulebook, G1-3, B2, S2 (or whatever number White Plume Mountain was) and I6, along with an unpublished 1st Edition module and a retrospective book on the history of TSR.

Yeah, it has those modules and the rulebook, plus the unpublished L3 Deep Dwarven Delve. This web page on The Acaeum has all the details. The box also includes...

• Story of TSR, a 32-pg book outlining the history of TSR including a retrospective essay by Gary Gygax.
• 8.5" x 11" art lithograph on cardstock by Jeff Easley (1,000 of these -- out the 5,000 total printed -- were signed and numbered by Jeff Easley. Sets that contain this signed print can be identified by a silver sticker on the outside of the box.)

I didn't notice whether or not it has the sticker.

If those reprints (and they're purely reprints, not updates or adaptations--AFAIK, the only change is the "Silver Anniversary" TSR logo) are worth that much to you, then go for it; if not, pass.

I'm not sure if they are all worth it. However, I really want the L3 module as that is considered rare. It is worth US $42 if in 'NM' condition while the box is worth US $90 'NM'.

From The Acaeum
Near Mint (NM): There may be a few light stress lines on the spine, but otherwise the spine is strong and intact. Corners are sharp, but can have a little bit of “bumping” or other very minor wear. In general, no creases should be present, though a slight “bend” that does not create a noticeable stress crease may be allowed. The edges may have a few very tiny “bumps” or “nicks”. A few light stress lines are acceptable on the surface, but they should NOT break the color. Surface colors should be bright with at most a few “color flecks” or some very minimal “color fading” (as usually occurs along the spine). Any spots of discoloration or staining would be extremely minor (no more than a few pencil-tip sized dots). In addition, the inside booklet should be complete with no marks, no rust on the staples and all inserts/maps still attached. At most, a few very light marks may be allowed – such as a pencil note next to a creature’s stats or (possibly) and small price written in pencil on the inside flyleaf (as from a used book store). Even though, the above flaws are acceptable in Near Mint condition, an item should not contain any more than a few such defects. An accumulation of several of the above will likely drop the item down another grade. Note: nearly all items described as "mint" in the marketplace are in fact Near Mint. In keeping with this philosophy, we do not offer Estimated Values for any grade higher than Near Mint.