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

[Knightfall]

This is a compact repackaging of the 1991 Big Black Box, with the Dragon Cards folded into the rulebook, IIRC.

How's it differ from the original D&D Basic Set? I already have that boxed set, so I'm curious if there is any real difference between the two boxes.

 

[Knightfall]

Another Great Day Today!

Well, I got three older boxed sets today...

• DARK SUN The Ivory Triangle
• FORGOTTEN REALMS Campaign Set
• MAZTICA Campaign Set

I managed this through the trading away of old novels [mine and my sister's (*)] and some RPG books and references that never really grabbed me or weren't in good enough condition (i.e. the worn out innards of a WoG box). I flipped two old school modules (EX1 and EX2) and a Paladium book (called Old Ones) that I traded for simply to use as trade bait at Whyte Knight. I "owned" it for less than an hour.

It was another great day of wheeling and dealing!

I'll be doing more on Friday too. I have come into possession of some novels (they were free) that I hope to be able to sell/trade away to one of the Wee Book Inn's here in Edmonton. If I'm lucky, I'll have more trade bait books to trade at WK.

Anyway, I just thought I'd share.

Cheers!

KF

*My sister said I could keep the money/trade value. She just wanted her books gone.

p.s. RE: More opinions on my Master List are always welcome.

 

[Knightfall]

I forgot to mention...

The owner of WK pointed out something cool to me today. He showed me something he had under the glass counter.

WK has a copy of Eldritch Wizardry: Supplement III for CAN $45!!!

I'm SOOOO getting that when I have money again.

 

[amethal]

Birthright

Cities of the Sun and Rjurik Highlands are gazeteers of other regions of the Birthright map, in the same way that the Birthright boxed set included a gazeteer of the original region (whose name escapes me).

Cities of the Sun is the "Arabian" part, whereas the Highlands are much wilder and uncivilised.

I'm fairly sure Cities of the Sun includes naval combat rules.

Both products are very pretty.

 

[meomwt]

Rary the Traitor

I've got it, and, to be honest, it's fairly uninspired. The map is colourful, but lacks a scale or a grid , the writing is pedestrian, and there isn't much about Rary, Robilar, et al at all.

Most of the book centres on Father Eye and his duergar (hhiding on the edges of The Bright Desert) and the Scorpion Men living in the desert (remnant of a powerful civilisation, and hiding an artifact Rary is after).

Rary's tower is mapped, though the map of one level is missing.

It's pre-Sergeant Greyhawk, and lacks the energy and innovation of his From the Ashes re-invention. One for Greyhawk completists only, I fear.

 

[amethal]

Journey to the Rock

I used to have Journey to the Rock, a very long time ago.

According to my B1-9 In Search of Adventure PDF (not available for sale at all good on-line stores), it was a tournament adventure with 3 possible ways to get to the Rock in question.

The PCs are recruited by a mysterious wizard, and asked to travel to the Rock and bring back its secret. No one knows what the secret is.

The condensed version in B1-9 gives the PCs only one way to get to the Rock, but fortunately they chose my favourite way. Thus PCs get to encounter a bunch of gnomes pulling a ship on rollers (in search of an ocean, naturally).

There is also an encounter with some chameleon men, and other weirdness. It concentrates on puzzle solving and role-playing rather than combat.

When they arrive at the Rock there is one more challenge, and hopefully they can put what they (the players, not the characters) learned on the journey to good use.

B1-9 doesn't have a picture of the damsel in distress they meet at the end, but (assuming I'm not getting it confused with something else) it was right up there with the female cleric in the Basic Set in the attractiveness stakes (and wearing quite a bit less clothing).

 

[Knightfall]

I've got it, and, to be honest, it's fairly uninspired. The map is colourful, but lacks a scale or a grid , the writing is pedestrian, and there isn't much about Rary, Robilar, et al at all.

Most of the book centres on Father Eye and his duergar (hhiding on the edges of The Bright Desert) and the Scorpion Men living in the desert (remnant of a powerful civilisation, and hiding an artifact Rary is after).

Rary's tower is mapped, though the map of one level is missing.

It's pre-Sergeant Greyhawk, and lacks the energy and innovation of his From the Ashes re-invention. One for Greyhawk completists only, I fear.

Hmm, it doesn't sound like it's a book I'd want.

I knew about the missing map, which is available on WotC's web site, but I figured this book was the "best" resource regarding Rary and his minions.

And, I love From the Ashes! It's one of my favorite Greyhawk products. Now, if I could just find an intact version of The City of Greyhawk boxed set, I'll be prime.

 

[Knightfall]

Cities of the Sun and Rjurik Highlands are gazeteers of other regions of the Birthright map, in the same way that the Birthright boxed set included a gazeteer of the original region (whose name escapes me).

Cities of the Sun is the "Arabian" part, whereas the Highlands are much wilder and uncivilised.

I'm fairly sure Cities of the Sun includes naval combat rules.

Both products are very pretty.

Birthright stuff makes me nervous. I remember liking the several of the novels when it came out, but I felt the RPG books were uninspired. I stopped buying Birthright books early on.

Still, I like Arabian-based RPG material, so I could see getting Cities in the Sun to incorporate into my homebrewed version of Land of Fate.

Hmm... possibilities.

 

[Knightfall]

I used to have Journey to the Rock, a very long time ago.

According to my B1-9 In Search of Adventure PDF (not available for sale at all good on-line stores), it was a tournament adventure with 3 possible ways to get to the Rock in question.

The PCs are recruited by a mysterious wizard, and asked to travel to the Rock and bring back its secret. No one knows what the secret is.

The condensed version in B1-9 gives the PCs only one way to get to the Rock, but fortunately they chose my favourite way. Thus PCs get to encounter a bunch of gnomes pulling a ship on rollers (in search of an ocean, naturally).

There is also an encounter with some chameleon men, and other weirdness. It concentrates on puzzle solving and role-playing rather than combat.

When they arrive at the Rock there is one more challenge, and hopefully they can put what they (the players, not the characters) learned on the journey to good use.

B1-9 doesn't have a picture of the damsel in distress they meet at the end, but (assuming I'm not getting it confused with something else) it was right up there with the female cleric in the Basic Set in the attractiveness stakes (and wearing quite a bit less clothing).

Thanks for the overview, amethal. Very informative.

I have/had the option of getting B1-9, but I think I'd rather have the individual modules for the B Series.

 

[Knightfall]

Added to the list: Arena of Thyatis [DDA1]; Earthshaker! [CM4]; Dark and Hidden Ways [2019S]; Descent into the Depths of the Earth [D1-2]; Legions of Thyatis [DDA2]; Midnight on Dagger Alley [MV1]; The Bane of Llywelyn [C5]; The Endless Stair [CM8]; The Lost Island of Castanamir [C3]; To Find a King [C4]; Warriors of the Gray Queen [IQ3] [InQuest (1999)]; Wild Things [2020S].

EDIT: I also reorganized and added to the Role Aids listings. Some of that stuff looks really cool.