* * * Wizards Community Thread * * * -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Thread : what version/edition rules are these? Started at 03-29-04 07:28 AM by goldpick Visit at http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=210322 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 1] Author : goldpick Date : 03-29-04 07:28 AM Thread Title : what version/edition rules are these? Hi,i recently posted a similar topic in the general forum, but someone told me i should try this board too, so i am. here is my question: Does anyone know what edition/version of the D&D rules these are? Here is its description: It is the beginners rule set.It is red, paperback, published when wizards were TSR. The D&D logo is different to now: it is "dungeons & Dragons" in a fantasy font where the ampersand is a dragons head breathing fire. It contains both the Players and DMs rules. copyright dates: These are 1974,1977,1978,1981,1983,1986. Also, it says above these "3rd Edition, Revised by Frank Mentzer" presumably this means the books edition, not the rules, as it is not 3rd edition rules. Earlier I said it was the beginners rules, sorry, mistake. They are as you say the Basic rules, for characters from Lv.1-3, then in this series of rulebooks comes the expert(lv.4-14),companion(lv.15-25),masters(lv.26-36) and finally the immortals set. It says nothing about "Adult Fantasy Role-Playing Game" or "Ages 10 and up", just "Fantasy Role Playing game". Also, it is just the book on its own, its not part of a box set or anything I don't think. But when this was published, AD&D did exist, it is mentioned within the book. only four human classes (cleric, fighter, magic-user,thief) and three demi-human classes (dwarf,elf,halfling) Just checked the acaeum, the books illustration matches the boxes illustration description for twelth, thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth, seventeenth prints, but some of these were done by different artists, and some have different background colours. Also the fact that I don't think this was ever part of a boxed set, due to something written within the book. Plus the fact that the number of pages in the "players manual" and "Dungeon Masters rulebook" does not match those given, and that they are both in the same book, rather than seperate makes me even more confused than before... If anyone knows what version of the rules this is please reply Thanks -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 2] Author : Yorlum Date : 03-29-04 07:57 AM Those are "Basic" D&D, as opposed to 'Advanced D&D'. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 3] Author : vader42xx Date : 03-29-04 08:16 AM I'm not sure if you're looking for what printing that came from or what version of the game. Version I can help you with, printing I can't sorry. The problem it sounds like you're running into is that the "Basic Rules" were printed several different times and in various formats. Sometimes they were part of a boxed set and sometimes they weren't (sounds like the ones you're talking about were a boxed set of two paper-backed books by the way). Either way, it's the basic version of the game where you had only three alignments, no races ("class" took care of race and class), and a few less character classes (no ranger for example). By itself the "red book" of D&D didn't do much for you but it gave a great start that the other 4 boxed sets finished off nicley. If you're looking to play that version of the game I suggest you pick up a copy (whether you buy a pdf or actual hard copy, etc) of the Dungeons and Dragons: Rules Cyclopedia. It combined all the boxed sets as well as several suppliments into one handy book. Hope that helps. :) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 4] Author : NeutralNeutral Date : 03-29-04 03:20 PM Go back and read the Acaeum website thoroughly. Check the foreign editions of the Basic set as well: http://www.acaeum.com/DDIndexes/SetPages/Foreign/Basicfor.html If its one 272 page book, the size of a normal paperback then you have a quite rare UK 5th printing, third version of Basic D&D, worth a few bucks. If you really cant identify it after thoroughly examining the Acaeum then let them know, they will be pleased to have found another version... -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 5] Author : RobertFisher Date : 03-30-04 03:27 PM Thread Title : Re: what version/edition rules are these? Originally posted by goldpick Also, it says above these "3rd Edition, Revised by Frank Mentzer" presumably this means the books edition, not the rules, as it is not 3rd edition rules. First there was D&D, three booklets in a boxed set. Then there was the D&D Basic Set. A book edited by J. Eric Holmes that served as an introduction to both D&D (the three booklets) and the contemporaneous AD&D. It came in a boxed set with an adventure & some counters or dice. Then there was AD&D. Published as three hardback books (MM, PHB, DMG). It was a new game that evolved out of the original three booklets and the supplements. Then there was another D&D Basic Set (edited by Tom Moldvay) along with an Expert Set (edited by Dave Cook with Steve Marsh). These two sets were the successor to the original three booklets. It took some things from the supplements, but it was really trying to reorganize and simplify the original game as an alternative to the more structured/evolved AD&D. A "Companion" Set was promised. (I don't mean "evolved" to mean "better".) Then there was a third Basic Set, a second Expert Set, a new Companion Set, and a new Masters Set. (And Immortals as well.) These were edited by Frank Mentzer. The Basic & Expert sets were rewritten and tweaked to "make room" for the Companion & Master sets. Like AD&D, these sets evolved the D&D game, but (intentionally) in a different direction. You have this third edition of the Basic Set edited by Mentzer. (The differences between the different editions are probably less than my descriptions may suggest.) Edit: I never had a Mentzer Basic Set, but I know it had a player's book and a DM's book. I thought they only came in the box set, though. I do now that the Moldvay Basic & Cook Expert books could be bought separately from the box sets, because I bought my Expert that way. (Plus they are listed that way in the old TSR catalog that came with my Basic Set.) Hope that helps. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Downloaded from Wizards Community (http://forums.gleemax.com) at 05-10-08 08:21 AM.