Thoughts on a simplified SRD game.

[Geoffrey]

BD&D = Basic D&D.

So that's OD&D, too, eh?

I mean, as far as I can recall at this late date, there were basically two versions of D&D before AD&D. And I've just generally thought they were lumped together in most discussions. Am I wrong? Are BD&D and OD&D different beasts? Which one had 8.5 by 11" box with the art of the red dragon on the pile of treasure flanked by an armored bowman and a wizard seen from behind (the version I cut my teeth on*)?


* I didn't really cut anything on that box -- when I said that, I was just teething.

Different things.

OD&D = the 1974 boxed set and the four supplements published in 1975 and 1976

BD&D= the rulebook edited by Holmes in 1977 (and which has the art you mention), and/or the 1981 rulebooks edited by Moldvay and Cook, and/or the 1983 rulebooks written by Frank Mentzer.

Go here: http://www.acaeum.com/ddindexes/rulebooks.html

The middle grouping of items is all BD&D.

[goodmangames]

Now, we're playing a rules set that I shall not name, for fear of denigrating the game, (but it rhymes with "North Perdition") and it is just not a good fit for our style and uh, age? It's much too fiddly. If updating a character takes the better part of an hour (or two if you're slow like me), and you're sorting through stack's of "Powers", "Feat", "Skills" and "Abilities" just to figure out how you might influence an AoO or tactically change the face of the battle, then it's a game that's probably not for us. Just too much paper work and statistics and too little "playing". It has sort of killed that basic "joy" in us.

I couldn't agree more. Even 3E required too much of a time investment in "character management."

The good news about DCC RPG is that you can roll up new characters almost as fast as the DM can kill them off.

Almost.

[GnomeBoy]

...I'd like to become a more permanent poster on the boards here. I hope you don't mind. Heck, if you think what I'm saying is complete drivel, and comes from extreme left field then politely ignore my ramblings...

If I'm any evidence, drivel won't get you kicked out...

Welcome.

[Sunsword]

So, an elf with a non-elf class would be, maybe, a half-elf kind of thing?

No. You can be, say, a 0 Level Elven Sage who becomes either a 1st Level Elf (class) or a Fighter or Wizard or Thief or Cleric who happens to be an Elf. If you don't pick a Race as Class you got your initial special abilities & Attribute Mods but won't gain anything further, basically like any Elf from AD&D 1E through 4E.

[mythfish]

So, an elf with a non-elf class would be, maybe, a half-elf kind of thing?

No. You can be, say, a 0 Level Elven Sage who becomes either a 1st Level Elf (class) or a Fighter or Wizard or Thief or Cleric who happens to be an Elf. If you don't pick a Race as Class you got your initial special abilities & Attribute Mods but won't gain anything further, basically like any Elf from AD&D 1E through 4E.

Apparently that's my own house rule I inadvertently made up.

[finarvyn]

BD&D = Basic D&D.

So that's OD&D, too, eh?

Different things.

OD&D = the 1974 boxed set and the four supplements published in 1975 and 1976

BD&D= the rulebook edited by Holmes in 1977 (and which has the art you mention), and/or the 1981 rulebooks edited by Moldvay and Cook, and/or the 1983 rulebooks written by Frank Mentzer.

What it comes down to is this: most of the pre-3E rules sets (OD&D, BD&D, B/X, AD&D, etc) are somewhat compatible if you are willing to tweak numbers a little, so philosophically the exact rules set won't matter to most gamers. Some of us are "gamer snobs" who choose to discuss particular editions, but many players just grab the dice and play. I've used the AD&D monster manual to run C&C games and nobody really realized what I was up to, and it didn't really affect the game one bit.

When you get to 3E the philosophy changes somewhat, and statblocks of "orc, hp 3, sword, chainmail" become half-page essays that include stats like a character would have, skills, and so on. The 4E rules set does much the same thing. As such, running those games can be very different from pretty much any of the older editions. It's possible to take a 3E module and run it using older rules. (I've run stripped-down 3E DCC modules before, and they can play a lot like AD&D.)

What C&C does is to take the 3E rules and throw out the junk and leave only the best parts behind. Short monster stat-blocks, short spell descriptions, get rid of feats, and so on.

The DCC RPG is supposed to follow this general strategy, but also changes the magic system, some of the character stats, and some other details along the way.

[bholmes4]

Wow, the more I read about this game the more I want it. I have to know if it's my new RPG-of-choice or my new heartbreaker.

If you let the pre-orders get in on the playtest I will buy it in a heartbeat.

[goodmangames]

Wow, the more I read about this game the more I want it. I have to know if it's my new RPG-of-choice or my new heartbreaker.

Years ago, I worked for Heartbreaker Hobbies & Games...anybody remember them? It was so-named because the owner was the first employee of Grenadier (remember them?) and in order to found Heartbreaker he had to break ties with his boss at Grenadier, who also happened to be his brother-in-law. And now, many years later, I can finally apply that little bit of trivia to something constructive.

If you let the pre-orders get in on the playtest I will buy it in a heartbeat.

Don't worry, everybody will get to playtest the game in mid-2011! Pre-order or no.

[mshensley]

Don't worry, everybody will get to playtest the game in mid-2011! Pre-order or no.

I certainly hope this happens before Gencon this year. I'd love to get into some games of this there.

[bholmes4]

Don't worry, everybody will get to playtest the game in mid-2011! Pre-order or no.

I certainly hope this happens before Gencon this year. I'd love to get into some games of this there.

Agreed. I will be going to my first ever convention this year and chose GenCon. Really hoping I can find something about this game there. If I could get in a game that would make my trip!