Anyone for D&D Basic: The Keepers?

If by "run it", you mean "be a player in", then yes :)

I'm not familiar with it enough to run it at this point (though it seems pretty simple)

No, i think I got this one. Though I may need tutoring.

Looks like we have four people right now? cmbrian, szemely, valdus, and I?

I hate my NEED to DM, I'm seriously considering starting a game of this as well...

Being only exposed to 5e I'm willing to try one of the originals

Got ahold of the Rules Cyclopedia. Has all of the rules contained in the original set of D&D Books. I'm actually falling in love with this book, there's SO MUCH in it to devour.

I know you guys are going with basic, but is there a chance it could evolve into 1st ed AD&D at some point? Perhaps at the point where you might want to expand the game a little and go past 3rd level? Personally, (my opinion here, not putting Basic down) I just feel like Basic will get boring at some point. I'm very interested, and playing a half-orc thief sounds pretty stellar right about now. This thread has me pretty nostalgic for some classic dungeon crawl RPing.

Keep on the Borderlands was awesome, an absolute classic in every sense of the word. Really gives you that classic dungeon crawl feel. Still have that one, along with some of my other favorites like White Plume Mountain, the Saltmarsh series. Those old modules are fantastic.

1st edition AD&D is a totally different game. Also, Basic only goes to level 3, but then you Have Expert, which is the same rules, but for higher level characters (4-14), then you have Companions (level 15-25), then Masters (26-36), then Immortals, which is basically becoming a god.

I do love me some 1e AD&D too though!

Basic isn't totally different, just far more limited in scope. One could very, very easily adapt a Basic game to Advanced.
Absolutely. The Dungeon Master's Guide (guide meaning all the info within is totally optional, mind you; it's not a 'rule book') gives the DM simple mechanics to resolve things in the game (rather than arbitrary decision making by the DM).

Ah well, to each their own. Not putting it down, Basic just has to many blank spaces for me. If someone does decide to play an AD&D circa 1980 rules, let me know. That would be an absolute blast.

Has my game (which has not started) been coup d'tated by an AD&D game? It seems so much like the 80's, when everyone wanted to play AD&D and no one wanted the basic stuff. I like vanilla, vanilla is tasty.

I will say this, I think I MIGHT switch to the rules cyclopedia, which is can be found here
Rules Cyclopedia
or you can get it over on Drivethrurpg, like everything else on the rpglanet.

Along with the basic and expert set by Moldvay, I grabbed a physical copy of the RC. So either are the same to me. When I get them I plan on writing the very strange relationship/odyssey I have with those basic rules.

Ezeriah, I never saw D&D and AD&D as basic and advanced as far as skill. Like graduation or something. AD&D is just much much more crunchy, and as I evolved in my rpg I found myself pulled towards gaming that made me rely less on the book. Thus I went from being a die-hard AD&D, thinking I was the cleric's symbol to, wow, D&D is nice, easy flowing and imaginative. At the time I saw AD&D as having a rule for everything, and I wanted something that was just, well, less. High School was bad enough.

Also, Ill be honest, D&D was cheaper- soft cover and easier to find.

BUT, ALAS YE SCURVY DOGS, I will tell you this, that this cover holds a very large part of my brain.



It is a deep dark place, of promise and treasure.

I hope it hasn't been hijacked! That was certainly not my intention! I am still hoping to play in this game. I've never gotten a chance to play it :)

Nope. Your mentioning Basic and 80 Modlvay got me thinking about classic AD&D.
It's not about skill, or like graduation, even though the designers, imo, created all of those boxed sets beyond basic and expert as a money grab, because in the end, AD&D was meant to be the 'final' tier of the game (no doubt there are plenty of gamers who progressed on the path from Basic to AD&D, viewing Basic as the beginner game). The naming of the sets even lends itself toward a marketing intention of getting the gamer to 'graduate' to AD&D (FFG does the same things with their Star Wars 'Beginner' games).

And I'm not sure how AD&D is so 'crunchy'. Remember, everything in AD&D is a guideline, hence the Dungeon Master's Guide. The preface of the DMG goes on and on for an entire page about how the DM should consider everything within the DMG as guidelines, and use and change whatever he sees fit.

I guess what I'm getting at is this: When the DM gets to that situation where there's an issue that needs to be resolved, like diseases, poisons, psionics, creating a sentient enchanted weapon, whatever said DM chooses to include in the game, there's a well made mechanic there for them to use if they see fit to do so. And, personally, I like to let the dice help decide how things turn out. It adds another level of fun to the game (e.g., "look, man, I didn't just decide to kill Borg off... you caught that disease in the swamps after the fight, and the group just couldn't afford the cleric").

The things is, without the dice and the mechanics provided by AD&D, I would feel to arbitrary as a DM just repeatedly deciding what happens to the characters.Having a reference with some well thought out mechanics designed around reasonable odds is nice; combined with some experience, an index, and a DM screen, and you're set. In sum, it's nice to have a great set of guidelines to use.

But again, to each their own. If simpler is your cup of tea, go with it. I'm only here because all that talk about '80 Moldvay got me thinking about '79 AD&D. And, honestly, I thought you guys might actually come to a point where Basic left you hanging too.

Nor was it mine. Again, all that talk about '80 D&D got me all nostalgic, and got me to remember the game that opened up an entire world of RP good times for me.

I did, however, invite you to my game for Temple of Elemental Evil in 1e, if you're interested!

Hey I didn't mean that WAAAAH someone is stealing my show! I am just happy that old (high) school is making a comeback here. More power to the geezers I say (myself included in that slur!)

Now let's see if Keleth can get us an old style D&D sheet.

So any thoughts- Moldvay I may wind up hosting the expert set, if we get that far OE move to the RC and have all the rules here

Rules Cyclopedia

Yeah, it's pretty cool. For those that haven't had the chance, it's a great way to see the roots of every RPG ever made. D&D is the source from which the rest of the RPG world drew from.

It has come! I am in posession of my childhood once again. I have the Keep on the Borderlands. I am thinking that we can begin a group of adventurers coming out of the keep and it becoming a center for adventures. Let me know one final roll call and I will make the group.

One thing I noticed looking over the rules. Alas, I am rusty, veeeery rusty on the whole dmness. I am much more about story and fun than rules, so I beg for your patience. I was never a rules- lawyer.

I'm still in!

Thanks Naatkinson- those others, roll call!