Basic Dungeons & Dragons - Revision history

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2023-06-17T21:58:12Z

57 revisions imported

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69.30.162.128: /* Basic Set */

2023-01-10T16:48:54Z

Basic Set

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:48, 10 January 2023
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	Moldvay, like Holmes, had an unfinished adventure of his own: the Haunted Keep. Top floor detailed; lower floors... narrated, in part, and then sketched in side-view.		Moldvay, like Holmes, had an unfinished adventure of his own: the Haunted Keep. Top floor detailed; lower floors... narrated, in part, and then sketched in side-view.

	Mentzer proposed instead an unfinished epic - a ''revenge'' story. The initial tutorial is conducted and mostly-narrated by NPC cleric waifu Aleena, hunting a magic-using bandit Bargle. Aleena goes LEEEROY on Bargle and gets needlessly killed; you then track Bargle in the solo [[Endless Quest]]-style tutorial through his dungeon. This was beneficial if you lacked players, and also inspired adventure gamebooks and invisible ink adventures like [[M1: Blizzard Pass]].[[File:Aleena-the_cleric.jpg\|356px\|thumb\|right\|Aleena, take out by Bargle.]] The DM book proposes a three-tier dungeon in stages: level one is fully described, level two has a dungeon-map mostly without monsters, level three is totally up to the DM to map and populate with only a few pointers. This wiki author considers Mentzer to have done better at mentoring ten-year-old DMs than Moldvay did, since this author was able to script out Mentzer's dungeon and never could figure out how to do the same for Moldvay. Your mileage may vary.		Mentzer proposed instead an unfinished epic - a ''revenge'' story. The initial tutorial is conducted and mostly-narrated by NPC cleric waifu Aleena, hunting a magic-using bandit Bargle. Aleena goes LEEEROY on Bargle and gets needlessly killed; you then track Bargle in the solo [[Endless Quest]]-style tutorial through his dungeon. This was beneficial if you lacked players, and also inspired adventure gamebooks and invisible ink adventures like [[M1: Blizzard Pass]].[[File:Aleena-the_cleric.jpg\|356px\|thumb\|right\|Aleena, before take out by Bargle.]] The DM book proposes a three-tier dungeon in stages: level one is fully described, level two has a dungeon-map mostly without monsters, level three is totally up to the DM to map and populate with only a few pointers. This wiki author considers Mentzer to have done better at mentoring ten-year-old DMs than Moldvay did, since this author was able to script out Mentzer's dungeon and never could figure out how to do the same for Moldvay. Your mileage may vary.

	Some printings had 3 hole punch in the books to allow people to keep them in a binder easily. It also included a set of [[Crayola Dice\|inexpensive dice that you colored in with a crayon.]] The books only printed material relevant for characters from levels 1-3 and so were much smaller than the average RPG book. This allowed them to be sold cheaply.		Some printings had 3 hole punch in the books to allow people to keep them in a binder easily. It also included a set of [[Crayola Dice\|inexpensive dice that you colored in with a crayon.]] The books only printed material relevant for characters from levels 1-3 and so were much smaller than the average RPG book. This allowed them to be sold cheaply.

1d4chan>Zimriel at 02:40, 10 May 2022

2022-05-10T02:40:40Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:40, 10 May 2022
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	While often derided as "kiddie D&D", sales of the basic version exceeded those of the Advanced version for a few years. The system was a stepped system, meaning you could just buy the Basic book at a relatively low cost (around $7) and if you wanted to advance your character past level 3, you could buy the Expert books and so on. Each book in each set was available separately.		While often derided as "kiddie D&D", sales of the basic version exceeded those of the Advanced version for a few years. The system was a stepped system, meaning you could just buy the Basic book at a relatively low cost (around $7) and if you wanted to advance your character past level 3, you could buy the Expert books and so on. Each book in each set was available separately.

	==Frank Mentzer BECMI==		=Frank Mentzer BECMI=

	A few themes in Moldvay / Mentzer as against the (Holmes-compatible) [[Monster Manual]] and ensuing AD&D are evident.		A few themes in Moldvay / Mentzer as against the (Holmes-compatible) [[Monster Manual]] and ensuing AD&D are evident.
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	Once Mentzer got into the higher-levels, he couldn't avoid the AD&D Planes, as they were getting fleshed out in (say) [[Q1: Queen of the Demonweb Pits]]. He went halfsies: yes Elemental Planes, no [[Great Wheel]]. Instead he went [[Michael Moorcock]], with a multiverse, under influence from five philosophic "Spheres": Entropy (or Death), Thought, Time, Energy (often fire-themed), Matter. Usually Entropy is the baddie here but some evil Immortals, like [[Zugzul]], might be aligned with others - Energy in his case. [[Planescape]] will kick against the Great Wheel too but not as strongly, which its authors regretted, so: [[Beyond Countless Doorways]].		Once Mentzer got into the higher-levels, he couldn't avoid the AD&D Planes, as they were getting fleshed out in (say) [[Q1: Queen of the Demonweb Pits]]. He went halfsies: yes Elemental Planes, no [[Great Wheel]]. Instead he went [[Michael Moorcock]], with a multiverse, under influence from five philosophic "Spheres": Entropy (or Death), Thought, Time, Energy (often fire-themed), Matter. Usually Entropy is the baddie here but some evil Immortals, like [[Zugzul]], might be aligned with others - Energy in his case. [[Planescape]] will kick against the Great Wheel too but not as strongly, which its authors regretted, so: [[Beyond Countless Doorways]].

	====Basic Set====		==The Boxes==
			===Basic Set===
	[[Image:BasicDnDBox.jpg\|thumb\|Basic]]		[[Image:BasicDnDBox.jpg\|thumb\|Basic]]
	This had everything you needed for characters level 1-3. It included a rulebook and - for Moldvay - an adventure: [[Keep on the Borderlands]]. Mentzer dumped the module and split the rulebook into a Players book and a DMs book, in parallel with AD&D. He also deliberately wrote to a (reasonably-intelligent) ten-year-old's level, structuring the Player book especially as a tutorial.		This had everything you needed for characters level 1-3. It included a rulebook and - for Moldvay - an adventure: [[Keep on the Borderlands]]. Mentzer dumped the module and split the rulebook into a Players book and a DMs book, in parallel with AD&D. He also deliberately wrote to a (reasonably-intelligent) ten-year-old's level, structuring the Player book especially as a tutorial.
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	Character classes - and races - were Fighter, Cleric, Magic-user, Thief, Dwarf (fighter with infra-vision and badass saving throws), Elf ([[gish\|fighter/magic-user]]) or Halfling (proto-[[Ranger]]). Mentzer and his padawans will bend this.		Character classes - and races - were Fighter, Cleric, Magic-user, Thief, Dwarf (fighter with infra-vision and badass saving throws), Elf ([[gish\|fighter/magic-user]]) or Halfling (proto-[[Ranger]]). Mentzer and his padawans will bend this.

	====Expert Set====		===Expert Set===
	[[Image:ExpertDnDBox.jpg\|thumb\|Expert]]		[[Image:ExpertDnDBox.jpg\|thumb\|Expert]]

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	Moldvay, based [[Xenos]]-despiser, wouldn't let [[demihuman]]s (Elf, Dwarf, and Halfling) advance in level past this set, although by the end of their respective paths they had impressive saves and fair hit points. Mentzer post-Expert will relent and allow their fighting ability to improve - which leads into . . .		Moldvay, based [[Xenos]]-despiser, wouldn't let [[demihuman]]s (Elf, Dwarf, and Halfling) advance in level past this set, although by the end of their respective paths they had impressive saves and fair hit points. Mentzer post-Expert will relent and allow their fighting ability to improve - which leads into . . .

	====Companion Set====		===Companion Set===
	[[Image:CompDnDBox.jpg\|thumb\|Companion]]		[[Image:CompDnDBox.jpg\|thumb\|Companion]]

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	New rules: running your own settlements (and what happens when you Louis XVI at it); and the War Machine, for waaugh against your enemies (or rebels, if you're Louis XVI).		New rules: running your own settlements (and what happens when you Louis XVI at it); and the War Machine, for waaugh against your enemies (or rebels, if you're Louis XVI).

	====Master Set====		===Master Set===
	Levels 26-36.		Levels 26-36.

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	Box set came with ''yet another'' set of the cheap, easily destroyed [[Crayola Dice]] (one hears in the legends at least).		Box set came with ''yet another'' set of the cheap, easily destroyed [[Crayola Dice]] (one hears in the legends at least).

	====Immortals Set====		===Immortals Set===
	[[Image:ImmortDnDBox.jpg\|thumb\|Immortal]]		[[Image:ImmortDnDBox.jpg\|thumb\|Immortal]]

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	Another set of dice in this box, along with write ups on classical gods of mythology.		Another set of dice in this box, along with write ups on classical gods of mythology.

	====The Adventures====		===The Adventures===
	Frontloaded. The B series got at least 12 of these in the end (including one that semi-compiled the first 9 into one adventure). The X series of adventures had up to 13. By contrast CM went only to 9, and M got 5 (most of those were awful). Immortals had 3 modules (did anyone even play those?).		Frontloaded. The B series got at least 12 of these in the end (including one that semi-compiled the first 9 into one adventure). The X series of adventures had up to 13. By contrast CM went only to 9, and M got 5 (most of those were awful). Immortals had 3 modules (did anyone even play those?).

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	[[Image:Rules Cyclopedia Cover.jpg\|thumb\|Rules Cyclopedia]]		[[Image:Rules Cyclopedia Cover.jpg\|thumb\|Rules Cyclopedia]]

	====Rules Cyclopedia====		===Rules Cyclopedia===

	In 1991, TSR was looking to wind down the Basic line in favor of the newest edition of [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] but recognized the need to end it on a bit of a high note. As such, they took much of the rules from the Mentzer BECMI line and compile them into one book, the Rules Cyclopedia, with additional rules brought in from the various Gazetteers as they saw fit. While the RC focused mostly on the Basic to Master line of rules, it did touch on the Immortals rules but didn't go too deep with them, favoring instead to release an update to the Immortals rules in its own box set called ''Wrath of the Immortals'' later on.		In 1991, TSR was looking to wind down the Basic line in favor of the newest edition of [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] but recognized the need to end it on a bit of a high note. As such, they took much of the rules from the Mentzer BECMI line and compile them into one book, the Rules Cyclopedia, with additional rules brought in from the various Gazetteers as they saw fit. While the RC focused mostly on the Basic to Master line of rules, it did touch on the Immortals rules but didn't go too deep with them, favoring instead to release an update to the Immortals rules in its own box set called ''Wrath of the Immortals'' later on.

	The Rules Cyclopedia was out of print for years and for a while would cost you quite a bit of money to buy (some copies were selling up for $300 dollars) so Wizards of the Coast (seeing some people begging for reprints of the older D&D works) put the Rules Cyclopedia up for Print-on-Demand in 2018. The PoD version is a surprisingly good copy of it. The only major changes between the reprint and the original is the cover was slightly tweaked with the image now being somewhat smaller than the original and the new paper being of a different quality which makes the reprint the same page count but slightly thicker. It is sold in a softcover version for around $25 and a hardcover for around $30.		The Rules Cyclopedia was out of print for years and for a while would cost you quite a bit of money to buy (some copies were selling up for $300 dollars) so Wizards of the Coast (seeing some people begging for reprints of the older D&D works) put the Rules Cyclopedia up for Print-on-Demand in 2018. The PoD version is a surprisingly good copy of it. The only major changes between the reprint and the original is the cover was slightly tweaked with the image now being somewhat smaller than the original and the new paper being of a different quality which makes the reprint the same page count but slightly thicker. It is sold in a softcover version for around $25 and a hardcover for around $30.

			=The Worlds To Play In=
			Mostly this stuff was designed for The Known World, later expanded to Mystara - or got [[retcon]]'d in't. Where action occurs elsewhere there's usually a Known World connexion. Arneson's Blackmoor, D&D before D&D, in the 1980s ended up shoehorned into Mystara's past. Maybe [[CM6: Where Chaos Reigns]] (written by Brits) is an exception although autistic fans have been known to treat its world as Mystaran too.

			One separate oldschool D&D setting is [[Pelinore]], for those who've heard of it. But the Mystarans want this one too: https://www.thepiazza.org.uk/bb/viewtopic.php?t=54

	[[Category:Roleplaying]][[Category:Dungeons & Dragons]][[Category:Game Books]]		[[Category:Roleplaying]][[Category:Dungeons & Dragons]][[Category:Game Books]]

1d4chan>Konrad13 at 02:52, 25 March 2022

2022-03-25T02:52:32Z

Show changes

1d4chan>Zimriel: /* Companion Set */

2021-09-12T02:47:11Z

Companion Set

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:47, 12 September 2021
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	If you bought the box set you got another set of dice as well, say some people, but I never got any.		If you bought the box set you got another set of dice as well, say some people, but I never got any.

	Higher level magic (and restored ''5th-6th'' level magic, for Mentzer), more monsters and such (''e.g.'', [[Beholder]] and [[Ghost]]). Rules for tricking out your Lawful Fighter as a Paladin, your Chaotic Fighter into a sort of anti-paladin named an Avenger, your Neutral Cleric into a Druid, etc. [[Demihuman]]s get to progress in fighting ability but not along the same numerical level track, because reasons. The DMs' book included two mini "adventures" which are both just gladiatorial combats; Mentzer had done ''much'' better in his Expert revision. If you wanted to stay in Karameikos you had to wait for the [[Known World Gazetteers]]. Speaking of: the continent Brun is sketched, in the Players book, boxed for the X line of modules extant so far plus CM1.		Higher level magic (and restored ''5th-6th'' level magic, for Mentzer), more monsters and such (''e.g.'', [[Beholder]] and [[Ghost]]). Rules for tricking out your Lawful Fighter as a Paladin, your Chaotic Fighter into a sort of anti-paladin named an Avenger, your Neutral Cleric into a Druid, etc. [[Demihuman]]s get to progress in fighting ability but not along the same numerical level track, because reasons. The DMs' book included two mini "adventures" which are both just gladiatorial combats; Mentzer had done ''much'' better in his Expert revision. If you wanted to stay in Karameikos you had to wait for the [[Known World Gazetteers]].

			Speaking of: the continent Brun is sketched, in the Players book, boxed for the X line of modules extant so far plus CM1. Looks familiar...

	New rules: running your own settlements (and what happens when you Louis XVI at it); and the War Machine, for waaugh against your enemies (or rebels, if you're Louis XVI).		New rules: running your own settlements (and what happens when you Louis XVI at it); and the War Machine, for waaugh against your enemies (or rebels, if you're Louis XVI).

1d4chan>Zimriel: /* Master Set */

2021-09-12T02:46:27Z

Master Set

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:46, 12 September 2021
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	The largest and nastiest monsters, the most powerful spells. The players' book added about 20 overpowered polearms with pictures of every one, so you had no excuse for not knowing what a Lochaber Axe is. The "Roll to Hit" tables were extended out to show what was needed to hit AC -20 (of all things), and some of them had printing errors. Hope you packed your magical bonuses! There were rules for making a Thief into an Assassin, which you could then never play, for it was Evil (tm). ''Although some people can't find those rules in their copy, only finding "Headsmen" and "Thug" monster-type NPCs for the DM to use.'' There were epic quests to become the greatest of your class, including one called "the Polymath", where your Magic-User had to advance to level 36 in each of the other classes to become a 36/36/36/36 everything.		The largest and nastiest monsters, the most powerful spells. The players' book added about 20 overpowered polearms with pictures of every one, so you had no excuse for not knowing what a Lochaber Axe is. The "Roll to Hit" tables were extended out to show what was needed to hit AC -20 (of all things), and some of them had printing errors. Hope you packed your magical bonuses! There were rules for making a Thief into an Assassin, which you could then never play, for it was Evil (tm). ''Although some people can't find those rules in their copy, only finding "Headsmen" and "Thug" monster-type NPCs for the DM to use.'' There were epic quests to become the greatest of your class, including one called "the Polymath", where your Magic-User had to advance to level 36 in each of the other classes to become a 36/36/36/36 everything.

	DM section: [[artifact\|artifacts n' relix]], taken from our real world, like the Armet of Wayland. The War Machine is expanded for sieges. The monsters bring in the [[lich]] at last; and introduce the [[awesome]] [[Nightshade]]s. ~~Cover~~'s ~~inside is~~ a ~~massive~~ map ~~of ALL~~ the continents. "Southold" was probably intended as another Alphatian colony but it's about to get MERLED in [[X9: Savage Coast]].		DM section: [[artifact\|artifacts n' relix]], taken from our real world, like the Armet of Wayland. The War Machine is expanded for sieges. The monsters bring in the [[lich]] at last; and introduce the [[awesome]] [[Nightshade]]s.

			As with Companion, there's a map in the cover's inside, except bigger. We get ''all'' the continents. "Southold" was probably intended as another Alphatian colony but it's about to get MERLED in [[X9: Savage Coast]]. "Thonia" is to get its retcon in [[Blackmoor\|the DA quartet]].

	Box set came with another set of the cheap, easily destroyed [[Crayola Dice]], unless you were me.		Box set came with another set of the cheap, easily destroyed [[Crayola Dice]], unless you were me.

1d4chan>Zimriel: /* Frank Mentzer BECMI */

2021-09-02T13:29:12Z

Frank Mentzer BECMI

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:29, 2 September 2021
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	For all three, your alignment choices were Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic. This authorial trio assumed that religion shouldn't depend on what specific gods are worshipped - beyond the obvious, that "Chaotic" gods will have wicked clerics. Holmes and Moldvay perhaps did this for simplicity's sake; but Mentzer ''argued the point'': a stark break from Gygax, who had insisted (in ''Deities & Demigods'') that ''weak'' gods will have ''weak'' clerics. For Gygax, that was a role-playing opportunity for an ambitious cleric of a weaker god to raise that god's profile.		For all three, your alignment choices were Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic. This authorial trio assumed that religion shouldn't depend on what specific gods are worshipped - beyond the obvious, that "Chaotic" gods will have wicked clerics. Holmes and Moldvay perhaps did this for simplicity's sake; but Mentzer ''argued the point'': a stark break from Gygax, who had insisted (in ''Deities & Demigods'') that ''weak'' gods will have ''weak'' clerics. For Gygax, that was a role-playing opportunity for an ambitious cleric of a weaker god to raise that god's profile.

	Mentzer was more flexible than his predecessors generally, allowing even [[Demihuman]]s to progress in level, of a sort. He also may have come around to Gygax's opinion on divinities as the Master Set developed into the [[Mystaran ~~Immortals~~\|Immortals]], whose whole point is that Immortals start out as weak gods and might progress like mortals do.		Mentzer was more flexible than his predecessors generally, allowing even [[Demihuman]]s to progress in level, of a sort. He also may have come around to Gygax's opinion on divinities as the Master Set developed into the [[Mystaran Immortal\|Immortals]], whose whole point is that Immortals start out as weak gods and might progress like mortals do.

	On the other side of The DM Screen, none of these guys liked [[Gotcha Monster]]s. There's no [[Roper]] in the Sets; and [[X4-5-10: Desert Nomads series\|when Zeb Cook will moot]] the [[Dusanu]] and the [[Geonid]], Mentzer will give the HELL NO to any of that. All this, despite that they let in that probably-originally-a-typo [[Thoul]].		On the other side of The DM Screen, none of these guys liked [[Gotcha Monster]]s. There's no [[Roper]] in the Sets; and [[X4-5-10: Desert Nomads series\|when Zeb Cook will moot]] the [[Dusanu]] and the [[Geonid]], Mentzer will give the HELL NO to any of that. All this, despite that they let in that probably-originally-a-typo [[Thoul]].

1d4chan>Zimriel at 13:29, 2 September 2021

2021-09-02T13:29:00Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:29, 2 September 2021
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	For all three, your alignment choices were Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic. This authorial trio assumed that religion shouldn't depend on what specific gods are worshipped - beyond the obvious, that "Chaotic" gods will have wicked clerics. Holmes and Moldvay perhaps did this for simplicity's sake; but Mentzer ''argued the point'': a stark break from Gygax, who had insisted (in ''Deities & Demigods'') that ''weak'' gods will have ''weak'' clerics. For Gygax, that was a role-playing opportunity for an ambitious cleric of a weaker god to raise that god's profile.		For all three, your alignment choices were Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic. This authorial trio assumed that religion shouldn't depend on what specific gods are worshipped - beyond the obvious, that "Chaotic" gods will have wicked clerics. Holmes and Moldvay perhaps did this for simplicity's sake; but Mentzer ''argued the point'': a stark break from Gygax, who had insisted (in ''Deities & Demigods'') that ''weak'' gods will have ''weak'' clerics. For Gygax, that was a role-playing opportunity for an ambitious cleric of a weaker god to raise that god's profile.

	Mentzer was more flexible than his predecessors generally, allowing even [[Demihuman]]s to progress in level, of a sort. He also may have come around to Gygax's opinion on divinities as the ~~Masters~~ Set developed into the Immortals, whose whole point is that Immortals start out as weak gods and might progress like mortals do.		Mentzer was more flexible than his predecessors generally, allowing even [[Demihuman]]s to progress in level, of a sort. He also may have come around to Gygax's opinion on divinities as the Master Set developed into the [[Mystaran Immortals\|Immortals]], whose whole point is that Immortals start out as weak gods and might progress like mortals do.

	On the other side of The DM Screen, none of these guys liked [[Gotcha Monster]]s. There's no [[Roper]] in the Sets; and [[X4-5-10: Desert Nomads series\|when Zeb Cook will moot]] the [[Dusanu]] and the [[Geonid]], Mentzer will give the HELL NO to any of that. All this, despite that they let in that probably-originally-a-typo [[Thoul]].		On the other side of The DM Screen, none of these guys liked [[Gotcha Monster]]s. There's no [[Roper]] in the Sets; and [[X4-5-10: Desert Nomads series\|when Zeb Cook will moot]] the [[Dusanu]] and the [[Geonid]], Mentzer will give the HELL NO to any of that. All this, despite that they let in that probably-originally-a-typo [[Thoul]].
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	====Rules Cyclopedia====		====Rules Cyclopedia====

	In 1991, TSR was looking to wind down the Basic line in favor of the newest edition of [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] but recognized the need to end it on a bit of a high note. As such, they took much of the rules from the Mentzer BECMI line and compile them into one book, the Rules Cyclopedia, with additional rules brought in from the various Gazetteers as they saw fit. While the RC focused mostly on the Basic to Master line of rules, it did touch on the Immortals rules but didn't go too deep with them, favoring instead to release an update to the Immortals rules in ~~it's~~ own box set called ''Wrath of the Immortals'' later on.		In 1991, TSR was looking to wind down the Basic line in favor of the newest edition of [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] but recognized the need to end it on a bit of a high note. As such, they took much of the rules from the Mentzer BECMI line and compile them into one book, the Rules Cyclopedia, with additional rules brought in from the various Gazetteers as they saw fit. While the RC focused mostly on the Basic to Master line of rules, it did touch on the Immortals rules but didn't go too deep with them, favoring instead to release an update to the Immortals rules in its own box set called ''Wrath of the Immortals'' later on.

	The Rules Cyclopedia was out of print for years and for a while would cost you quite a bit of money to buy (some copies were selling up for $300 dollars) but WotC, seeing some people begging for reprints of the older D&D works, put the Rules Cyclopedia up for Print-On-Demand in 2018, the POD version being a surprisingly good copy of it. The only major changes between the reprint and the original is the cover was slightly tweaked with the image now being somewhat smaller than the original and the new paper being of a different quality which makes the reprint the same page count but slightly thicker. It is sold in a softcover version for around $25 and a hardcover for around $30.		The Rules Cyclopedia was out of print for years and for a while would cost you quite a bit of money to buy (some copies were selling up for $300 dollars) but WotC, seeing some people begging for reprints of the older D&D works, put the Rules Cyclopedia up for Print-On-Demand in 2018, the POD version being a surprisingly good copy of it. The only major changes between the reprint and the original is the cover was slightly tweaked with the image now being somewhat smaller than the original and the new paper being of a different quality which makes the reprint the same page count but slightly thicker. It is sold in a softcover version for around $25 and a hardcover for around $30.

	[[Category:Roleplaying]][[Category:Dungeons & Dragons]][[Category:Game Books]]		[[Category:Roleplaying]][[Category:Dungeons & Dragons]][[Category:Game Books]]

1d4chan>Zimriel: /* Master Set */

2021-09-01T22:19:22Z

Master Set

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:19, 1 September 2021
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	====Master Set====		====Master Set====
	Levels 26-36.		Levels 26-36.

	~~This was for super high level campaigns~~. We haven't deemed it worthy of its own page yet.		Since AD&D over there ended at Level Twenty this territory is wholly uncharted - what later editions will consider [[Epic Levels]]. We haven't deemed this particular Set worthy of its own page yet.

	The largest and nastiest monsters, the most powerful spells. The players' book added about 20 overpowered polearms with pictures of every one, so you had no excuse for not knowing what a Lochaber Axe is. The "Roll to Hit" tables were extended out to show what was needed to hit AC -20 (of all things), and some of them had printing errors. Hope you packed your magical bonuses! There were rules for making a Thief into an Assassin, which you could then never play, for it was Evil (tm). ''Although some people can't find those rules in their copy, only finding "Headsmen" and "Thug" monster-type NPCs for the DM to use.'' There were epic quests to become the greatest of your class, including one called "the Polymath", where your Magic-User had to advance to level 36 in each of the other classes to become a 36/36/36/36 everything.		The largest and nastiest monsters, the most powerful spells. The players' book added about 20 overpowered polearms with pictures of every one, so you had no excuse for not knowing what a Lochaber Axe is. The "Roll to Hit" tables were extended out to show what was needed to hit AC -20 (of all things), and some of them had printing errors. Hope you packed your magical bonuses! There were rules for making a Thief into an Assassin, which you could then never play, for it was Evil (tm). ''Although some people can't find those rules in their copy, only finding "Headsmen" and "Thug" monster-type NPCs for the DM to use.'' There were epic quests to become the greatest of your class, including one called "the Polymath", where your Magic-User had to advance to level 36 in each of the other classes to become a 36/36/36/36 everything.

1d4chan>Zimriel: /* Frank Mentzer BECMI */

2021-08-25T03:20:47Z

Frank Mentzer BECMI

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:20, 25 August 2021
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	M&M against Holmes agreed "henchmen" were creepy and unworkable; but they did find a role for paid [[retainer]]s and, at higher levels, specialists-for-hire.		M&M against Holmes agreed "henchmen" were creepy and unworkable; but they did find a role for paid [[retainer]]s and, at higher levels, specialists-for-hire.

	This ~~whole~~ trio assumed that religion shouldn't depend on what specific gods are worshipped - beyond the obvious, that "Chaotic" gods will have wicked clerics. Holmes and Moldvay perhaps did this for simplicity's sake; but Mentzer ''argued the point'': a stark break from Gygax, who had insisted (in ''Deities & Demigods'') that ''weak'' gods will have ''weak'' clerics. For Gygax, that was a role-playing opportunity for an ambitious cleric of a weaker god to raise that god's profile.		For all three, your alignment choices were Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic. This authorial trio assumed that religion shouldn't depend on what specific gods are worshipped - beyond the obvious, that "Chaotic" gods will have wicked clerics. Holmes and Moldvay perhaps did this for simplicity's sake; but Mentzer ''argued the point'': a stark break from Gygax, who had insisted (in ''Deities & Demigods'') that ''weak'' gods will have ''weak'' clerics. For Gygax, that was a role-playing opportunity for an ambitious cleric of a weaker god to raise that god's profile.

	Mentzer was more flexible than his predecessors generally, allowing even [[Demihuman]]s to progress in level, of a sort. He also may have come around to Gygax's opinion on divinities as the Masters Set developed into the Immortals, whose whole point is that Immortals start out as weak gods and might progress like mortals do.		Mentzer was more flexible than his predecessors generally, allowing even [[Demihuman]]s to progress in level, of a sort. He also may have come around to Gygax's opinion on divinities as the Masters Set developed into the Immortals, whose whole point is that Immortals start out as weak gods and might progress like mortals do.
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	Other authors will continue to resist the monster design-decisions. Thus how we got the dusanu, the geonid, and even the roper in various modules. And Alphaks manifests as a [[Balrog]] in [[M1: Into The Maelstrom]].		Other authors will continue to resist the monster design-decisions. Thus how we got the dusanu, the geonid, and even the roper in various modules. And Alphaks manifests as a [[Balrog]] in [[M1: Into The Maelstrom]].

	Once Mentzer got into the higher-levels, he couldn't avoid the AD&D Planes, as they were getting fleshed out in (say) [[Q1: Queen of the Demonweb Pits]]. He went halfsies: yes Elemental Planes, no [[Great Wheel]]. Instead he went [[Michael Moorcock]], with a multiverse, under influence from five philosophic "Spheres": Entropy (or Death), Thought, Time, Energy (often fire-themed), Matter. Usually Entropy is the baddie here but some evil Immortals, like [[Zugzul]], might be aligned with others - Energy in His case.		Once Mentzer got into the higher-levels, he couldn't avoid the AD&D Planes, as they were getting fleshed out in (say) [[Q1: Queen of the Demonweb Pits]]. He went halfsies: yes Elemental Planes, no [[Great Wheel]]. Instead he went [[Michael Moorcock]], with a multiverse, under influence from five philosophic "Spheres": Entropy (or Death), Thought, Time, Energy (often fire-themed), Matter. Usually Entropy is the baddie here but some evil Immortals, like [[Zugzul]], might be aligned with others - Energy in His case. [[Planescape]] will kick against the Great Wheel too but not as strongly, which its authors regretted, so: [[Beyond Countless Doorways]].

	====Basic Set====		====Basic Set====