IC: BX / Old School Essentials (Basic/Expert D&D)

Be sure to read and follow the guidelines for our forums.

Aug 17, 2020 5:23 pm
I'm currently running a game of 5e here, and am really enjoying the system, though it's certainly been a learning process so far.
I have more history with running the old Basic/Expert (Moldvay) D&D rules, and would be curious to know if anyone would like to give a on old school game a shot. I still intend to run my 5e game every day, but as a bunch of games I was playing in/running have ran their course and come to their conclusions, I have the spare time to run some new ones. What I have in mind:

1. We would be using the B/X (Moldvay) D&D rules. If you don't have the Basic/Expert D&D rules that's fine, you can get them for free as Old School Essentials (OSE). I'm actually using the physical copies of the Old School Essentials books because I like them more than the old B/X D&D rulebooks, and if you have the OSE books, you have the B/X D&D books and vice versa; the author of the OSE designed his books to be a 100% rules clone of the original B/X rule books, simply reformatting the information and cutting out the useless fat to make everything more concise and easier to find, which makes my job as a DM easier to do.
The one exception to the B/X books would be the use of Advanced OSE Classes. Basically the original OSE books, with the intention of staying true to B/X, only offered the core classes (Cleric, Fighter, Magic-User, and Thief in the human category; and then Dwarf, Elf, and Halfling in the race-as-class category). We would have access to the OSE Advanced classes, which incorporate more human and non-human classes more commonly found in AD&D (acrobat, assassin, barbarian, bard, druid, illusionist, knight, paladin, and ranger for humans; drow, duergar, gnome, half-elf, half-orc, svirfneblin for race-as-class characters). These "Advanced" classes, though not available in B/X rules, have been designed to work with the B/X rules.

2. We would have two options of what our campaign will be, based on the interests of those that want to join the game. Our options are:
a) We run a traditional long campaign module. For this option, there are a number of D&D adventures that I have always wanted to try out, most of which would be AD&D modules, but converting them shouldn't be too much of an issue. Using a prewritten AD&D module, I think our options would be T1-4 Temple of Elemental Evil; N1-5, beginning with Against the Cult of the Reptile God; or the AD&D 2e module Night Below.
b) We run a megadungeon. If a megadungeon sounds more interesting, I was thinking I would run Barrowmaze.

Running any of the prewritten modules of Option A will, I suspect, result in a more roleplaying-focused style. Running through the megadungeon, will certainly have some roleplaying, but I suspect it will be more of a loot-and-scoot style of game, with heavy focus on combat.

Any interest or suggestions?
Aug 17, 2020 6:22 pm
I'm already playing in a couple old school D&D games. One uses Basic Fantasy RPG rules and the other uses OSRIC which is AD&D 1E. Don't know if there are any openings. If you want to run an old school game yourself, I would be interested. I would prefer option a. I'm vaguely familiar with Temple of Elemental Evil but it's been decades since I've read it or played it. The Reptile God and Night Below are both completely new to me. I'll keep my eyes open for additional interest here and will take a look at the rules if I see more people post their interest. How many players were you thinking of using? The prewritten modules usually suggest an appropriate number of characters.
Aug 17, 2020 6:35 pm
Probably 5 or 6 players would cover any module we use and can make a decent party without getting overwhelming, but I'd be willing to go as low as 4 or as high as 7.
Aug 17, 2020 7:45 pm
I'm with Tuatete. Sign me up.
Aug 17, 2020 8:29 pm
@Tuatete and GeneCortess: Do you have a preference for either the D&D module option or the megadungeon?
Aug 17, 2020 8:31 pm
I don't been so long ago I can't possibly remember them. I never played much basic/expert D&D. I went up to AD&D fair fast.
Last edited August 17, 2020 8:32 pm
Aug 18, 2020 3:09 am
Sign me up! I would like the module approach. Those old school ones tend to be pretty awesome.
Aug 18, 2020 7:22 am
I’d be up for this. I’m grabbing the OSE now to have a look. Modules is good for me, but I’m intrigued by the mega dungeon (for future, I want to get a couple of games under my belt first)
Last edited August 18, 2020 7:23 am
Aug 18, 2020 9:28 am
funfungiguy says:
@Tuatete and GeneCortess: Do you have a preference for either the D&D module option or the megadungeon?
I think I like the modules but am keen as to get into it!

Gawsh! So many, many fond memories of Basic and Expert! Tee hee!
Aug 18, 2020 3:38 pm
Alright, I think that makes five players, so we should definitely have enough. I'll get a game set up and send out invites.

It seems that the unanimous decision is for a module.
Aug 20, 2020 8:27 am
I got the free OSE. Looks good. Would it be worth paying out for the actual player core book and the advance OSE book too?
Aug 25, 2020 5:39 pm
Are we gonna play this game?
Aug 25, 2020 9:18 pm
On a side note, in case anyone is interested, I am looking for 2 more players for a AD&D 1e game that has not started yet. Its called AD&D 1e Terinitar and I have 1 player so far. Check it out if you are interested thanks.
Aug 26, 2020 4:04 pm
@Aldrusian: Yes I'm very much interested in running it. For the last week or week and a half I've been repairing some roof damage on my house after a tree fell on it, and am in the process of reshingling the entire thing. I expect to be done with the reshingling process in the next few days. Hopefully three or four more days tops. I usually come down off the roof after I lose daylight at around 9pm-ish Mountain, shower and eat some dinner and go to bed.

In the meantime, I've purchased a copy of Temple of Elemental Evil through Drivethru. The physical copy of the book is being printed and sent in the mail, but I've read enough of the pdf in the evenings to have a pretty good grasp of the start of the adventure (hopefully)

I haven't sent out the invites for players yet because I didn't want it too look like I invited you all to a game and bailed on it before we started, and figured it would be better to wait until my roof is done, but if you prefer I can set up the game, send out invites to the interested players, and we can go through the character creation process now. I'm just afraid I won't be able to post or reply to questions in as timely manner as we might hope.
Aug 26, 2020 4:26 pm
Sorry to hear about the tree, get your home sorted, we can wait
Aug 26, 2020 9:44 pm
It's all good. I just wanted to make sure you hadn't forgotten about us. There are so many games that never get off the ground because the GM finds out he/she has taken on more than they can handle. Tough to hear that you're having to do all that work yourself. I took on a job of tearing the old shingles off a house of mine some 25 years ago and can still remember how big a job it was and that didn't include putting up the new shingles.
Aug 27, 2020 5:48 am
Sorry to hear about that. We can wait. It's good to wait for good things. Looking forward to it but your house is a clear priority. Take care and see you soon!
Aug 28, 2020 7:32 pm
If you end up with an extra spot I would be interested.
load next

You do not have permission to post in this thread.