* * * Wizards Community Thread * * * -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Thread : Basic D&D? Started at 01-25-06 04:37 PM by Kheti sa-Menik Visit at http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=575233 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 1] Author : Kheti sa-Menik Date : 01-25-06 04:37 PM Thread Title : Basic D&D? Hello all. Perhaps those with more experience having played the game in question can answer this one. In the original "Basic" D&D..that is, the Basic (red)/Expert (blue)/Companion (brown/tan)/Masters/Immortals boxed sets edition of D&D (not sure what to call that edition), there were many many modules....I compiled a list. For the red box Basic, there were 12: B1 In Search of the Unknown B2 Keep on the Borderlands B3 Palace of the Silver Princess B4 Lost City B5 Horror on the Hill B6 Veiled Society B7 Rahasia B8 Journey to the Rock B9 Castle Caldwell and Beyond B10 Night's Dark Terror B11 King's Festival B12 Queen's Harvest For the blue box Expert, there were 13: X1 Isle of Dread X2 Castle Amber X3 Curse of Xanathon X4 Master of the Desert Nomads X5 Temple of Death X6 Quagmire! X7 War Rafts of Kron X8 Drums on Fire Mountain X9 Savage Coast X10 Red Arrow, Black Shield X11 Saga of the Shadow Lord X12 Skarda's Mirror X13 Crown of Ancient Glory Now, my question is how many modules was one supposed to be able to play before their characters "outgrew" the edition and graduated to the next? How many of the 12 Basic modules did a group need to play through before attaining 4th level and pass into Expert territory? I ask because it seems you would only go through one or two B series modules before you would move to the X series. How fast would the modules push you through levelling? There's more room for exploration in the X series...the Expert rules go from 4-14th level. But what if you wanted to play through the entire B series? Wouldn't the rate at which your PCs get XP preclude this? I never played this edition of D&D but I own a lot of material for it...I admire its simplicity and some of the more nostalgic elements but I don't know what expectations were for advancement, what the thinking was at the time regarding modules vs XP rewards. Can someone who has some experience in this field assist? -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 2] Author : shadowelf Date : 01-25-06 05:54 PM The compilation B1-9 (which didn't have all the modules complete) gave 3 different adventure routes through these modules at the end of which you were expected to be ready for 4th level ie X adventures. These routes suggested that 3 modules would generally be sufficient, but allowed for a little flexibility in either playing another if you hadn't quite made it (perhaps because some PCs had died in the process), or just if you wanted to play a bit more in Karameikos before venturing further afield. So the answer is that about 3-4 would let the PCs outgrow the B series, but maybe a few more for the players to outgrow it. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 3] Author : caeruleus Date : 01-25-06 07:37 PM the Basic (red)/Expert (blue)/Companion (brown/tan)/Masters/Immortals boxed sets edition of D&D (not sure what to call that edition) It's referred to either as BECMI (sometimes just BECM), or as the Mentzer rules. Either is less of a mouthful. :) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 4] Author : weasel fierce Date : 01-25-06 07:52 PM I dont think it was ever really intended to work through all of them, in the same campaign. But 3-5 adventures sound about right for the Basic level. Keep in mind that casualties will be fairly frequent. At Expert level, there's a huge gap (levels 4 to 14.. yikes) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 5] Author : JohnJohn Date : 01-25-06 09:59 PM I actually DM'ed B2 way back when (keep on the borderlands). Between that module and making my own encounters for the group the party was level 5 when we finished that one module (or they were very close to being level 5). Those beginer modules were to help get the PC's feets wet on how to play but really were to help DM's create and prepare adventures of their own. A new DM could use the modules to see how an adventure should go then could make their own. Now that was for lvls 1-4. Levels 5-36 (or whatever the max was, I forget) took a lot longer. I remember running Isle of dread and a couple other modules around those expert levels and it took a lot to outgrow the expert levels. I vaguely remember the companion levels... I dont think we ever made it to master. If you are really interested in the D&D game look into the D&D rules Cyclopedia.. there's copies floating around out there somewhere. It had all the rules for the game in one big book. I keep hoping that it will be rereleased one day and/or that system will be brought back. It was a blast to play and a lot easier to learn then 1st ed. AD&D. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 6] Author : Tenzhi Date : 01-27-06 04:29 AM If you are really interested in the D&D game look into the D&D rules Cyclopedia.. there's copies floating around out there somewhere. It had all the rules for the game in one big book. I keep hoping that it will be rereleased one day and/or that system will be brought back. It was a blast to play and a lot easier to learn then 1st ed. AD&D. I just have to second this. I can't endorse this book enough. Despite the fact that I've moved on to more current editions, this is still my favourite D&D book ever. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 7] Author : Cab Date : 01-27-06 07:06 AM You missed a few modules, XL1, the DA and DDA series, and a few others... Not to worry :) Most of the modules will be worth at least a level of experience, sometimes more. X1 can be worth a few, X4 and X5 can stretch into entire adventuring careers, etc. B1, 2 and 3 would be more than sufficient to get you to expert level (4 and above). -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 8] Author : Edgewaters Date : 01-30-06 09:00 AM Generally speaking, a module should be good for about 1 level more or less. Some less, some might get you a level up and halfway to the next. If you wanted to play the whole B series in a campaign I suppose there are things you could do, like lowering the treasure found so as to reduce XP or increasing the difficulty of the encounters so that a party beyond 3rd level would still be challenged. A few of the modules were designed to take players beyond 3rd level and into expert level play (levels 4-14), for instance B4, which could almost be a small campaign in itself if you wanted. X1 was similar. These modules feature suggestions for additional adventures and leave room for optional expansion and some general ideas. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 9] Author : chatdemon Date : 02-14-06 12:36 AM In the original "Basic" D&D..that is, the Basic (red)/Expert (blue)/Companion (brown/tan)/Masters/Immortals boxed sets edition of D&D (not sure what to call that edition), That edition is usually referred to as BECMI, for obvious reason. there were many many modules....I compiled a list. Not to nitpick, but you missed a couple :P BSOLO - The Ghost Of Lion Castle XSOLO - Lathan's Gold (which is an interesting "return to the isle of dread" scenario) XS2 (aka XSOLO2) - Thunderdelve Mountain MSOLO1 Blizzard Pass (Basic level, despite the M code later used for Masters Level mods) MSOLO2 Maze of the Riddling Minotaur (Expert level, again, despite the M code) Now, my question is how many modules was one supposed to be able to play before their characters "outgrew" the edition and graduated to the next? All depends on the DM really. Using the standard XP rules and assuming little character death, I'd guess the party will hit level 4 and move to Expert rules after 2 of the modules. I personally try and slow XP down (mainly by ditching the GP=XP rule) and string a couple of the modules together into a mini-campaign (B1, B2, B3 and B5 usually, with plenty of added mini-encounters and side treks. This takes them well into Expert levels, 6th to 7th usually. As for Expert modules, X1 is the only one I ever use as published. The others I use as sources for some encounters and whatnot, ignoring the plots. I've also used Castle Amber, with the plot tweaked extensively, to fit it into my B1-B2-B3-B5 mini campaign, using it as the crossover when they're ready to move on to Expert level magic and monsters. EDIT: Oh, and I mentioned the solo mods for a reason, that being their usefulness as one on one (1 player and a DM) one or two nighter adventures to bring a new player's pc up to speed, and teach them the basics of the game if need be, when they join the campaign after the others have 2 or 3 levels under their belt. If you buy the PDFs from RPGNow or Paizo, the "magic text" stuff is revealed, so no worrying about the magic highlighter pens or red plastic viewers. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 10] Author : Kheldren Date : 02-15-06 05:09 AM If we are nit picking, people have gotten slack... There are the one-one-one modules O1 and O2 - The Gem and the Staff and can't remember the second name. DA1-4 - the Blackmoor sequence. XL1 - the Quest for the Heartstone. Then later on (but the same edition of D&D) has WotI which has something of a campaign module in it, and the 3 Hollow World Modules. Also the Gazetteer range a lot of which included a fair number of adventures in varying detail inside them. As did the Creature Crucible range. Just to add counfusion, B10 was renumbered B1X1 as a cross-over module so they are the same thing. And B1-9 in search fo the unknown missed out sections of some of the included modules. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Downloaded from Wizards Community (http://forums.gleemax.com) at 05-10-08 08:18 AM.