#becmi — Public Fediverse posts

I had no interest in old #DnD versions before encountering the #OSR which settled on #BX as a base. (This is the version of Basic D&D that came before the famous "red box" BECMI one that was the first one I saw IRL.)

This led me on a journey to explore other versions - #HolmesBasicDnD, the #3LBB books, the supplements to those, retroclones like #SwordsAndWizardry and #WhiteBoxFMAG, and now I think I've done my exploration and ended up back where I started, with B/X. The difference being that I can explain _why_ now.

(Short version: it's more coherent and finished than Holmes and earlier, yet still without the complications and level/power inflation of #BECMI or #ADnD.)

I had no interest in old #DnD versions before encountering the #OSR which settled on #BX as a base. (This is the version of Basic D&D that came before the famous "red box" BECMI one that was the first one I saw IRL.)

This led me on a journey to explore other versions - #HolmesBasicDnD, the #3LBB books, the supplements to those, retroclones like #SwordsAndWizardry and #WhiteBoxFMAG, and now I think I've done my exploration and ended up back where I started, with B/X. The difference being that I can explain _why_ now.

(Short version: it's more coherent and finished than Holmes and earlier, yet still without the complications and level/power inflation of #BECMI or #ADnD.)

BECMI Binders
I saw this post on Facebook a bit ago, and I thought it was rather great. So some DriveThruRPG pdfs and Prime Day binders later, I have a full set of my own.
#dnd #becmi #80s
https://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/2026/06/becmi-binders.html

BECMI Binders
I saw this post on Facebook a bit ago, and I thought it was rather great. So some DriveThruRPG pdfs and Prime Day binders later, I have a full set of my own.
#dnd #becmi #80s
https://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/2026/06/becmi-binders.html

Ah yes, the two genders: evil, or reclusive scholar.

#DnD #BECMI #RulesCyclopedia

Me?

Oh, nothing. Just completely revamping the damage progression for #BECMI Weapon Mastery.

You know, because I have a new campaign starting so I have to immediately tinker with the system I'm using instead of writing game content.

🤣

Me?

Oh, nothing. Just completely revamping the damage progression for #BECMI Weapon Mastery.

You know, because I have a new campaign starting so I have to immediately tinker with the system I'm using instead of writing game content.

🤣

Now available for Print on Demand on DriveThru RPG.

#DnD #OSR #BX #BECMI

Now available for Print on Demand on DriveThru RPG.

#DnD #OSR #BX #BECMI

In my YouTube channel, I only review or mention products or game rules that I've played or at least own and read cover to cover. I've been a big fan of Old-Schoo Essentials for 2+ years, and recently got Shadowdark (and love it). I'm also a BECMI grognard who cut his teeth on the purple box Basic Set (Moldvay) and AD&D.

Should I get Dolmenwood and add that to the mix? Is it different enough to be worth the time/expense?

#dnd #osr #ttrpg #Dolmenwood #Shadowdark #BECMI #ADND #OldSchoolEssentials

In my YouTube channel, I only review or mention products or game rules that I've played or at least own and read cover to cover. I've been a big fan of Old-Schoo Essentials for 2+ years, and recently got Shadowdark (and love it). I'm also a BECMI grognard who cut his teeth on the purple box Basic Set (Moldvay) and AD&D.

Should I get Dolmenwood and add that to the mix? Is it different enough to be worth the time/expense?

#dnd #osr #ttrpg #Dolmenwood #Shadowdark #BECMI #ADND #OldSchoolEssentials

An old player reached out to me over the weekend. During our chat he brought up that time his thief rolled a nat 1 (99 on percentile, actually!) on a "move silently" check inside a hobgoblin lair (BECMI, "Keep on the Borderlands").

I laughed and said, "I made a YouTube video about that!"

WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab7aNB3RE-Q
READ: https://ruckerworks.com/2026/02/perfect-plan-dice-fail/

#dndstories #rpg #dungeonmaster #becmi #dnd5e #dndmemories #tabletopgaming

A "Memorable" #ttrpg session isn't always the same as a "Successful" one. :-)

WATCH: https://youtu.be/Ab7aNB3RE-Q [3 min 13 sec]
READ: https://ruckerworks.com/2026/02/perfect-plan-dice-fail/

#dndstories #rpg #dungeonmaster #becmi #dnd5e #dndmemories #tabletopgaming

In this true table story, a group of first-level D&D adventurers plan a stealth mission into a hobgoblin lair. What follows is an epic failure in the most memorable way. It's a perfect example of why the chaos of bad dice rolls create the most unforgettable moments in tabletop RPGs.

WATCH: https://youtu.be/Ab7aNB3RE-Q [3 min 13 sec]
READ: https://ruckerworks.com/2026/02/perfect-plan-dice-fail/

#dndstories #rpg #dungeonmaster #ttrpg #becmi #dnd5e #dndmemories #tabletopgaming #epicfail

In this true table story, a group of first-level D&D adventurers plan a stealth mission into a hobgoblin lair. What follows is an epic failure in the most memorable way. It's a perfect example of why the chaos of bad dice rolls create the most unforgettable moments in tabletop RPGs.

WATCH: https://youtu.be/Ab7aNB3RE-Q [3 min 13 sec]
READ: https://ruckerworks.com/2026/02/perfect-plan-dice-fail/

#dndstories #rpg #dungeonmaster #ttrpg #becmi #dnd5e #dndmemories #tabletopgaming #epicfail

Can failure in your D&D game be more fun than success?

My next video drops tomorrow (THU Feb 11) where I describe a table-top D&D game that went horribly wrong in the most memorable way.

Stay tuned.

https://www.youtube.com/@ruckerworks/

#dndstories #rpg #dungeonmaster #ttrpg #becmi #dnd5e #dndmemories #tabletopgaming

#dungeonsAndDragons #becmi

#dungeonsAndDragons #becmi

Number of spells for "magic user/wizard" (equivalent) in core rulebooks (excluding sorcer, warlock, illusionist, etc.):

1. OSE Basic Fantasy – 12
2. Mentzer Basic Set – 14
3. Shadowdark – 16
4. OSE Advanced Fantasy – 27
5. AD&D 1e PHB – 34
6. 5e 2014 PHB – 49
7. 5e 2024 Core – 61

#ttrpg #dnd #shadowdark #becmi #dnd5e

Number of spells for "magic user/wizard" (equivalent) in core rulebooks (excluding sorcer, warlock, illusionist, etc.):

1. OSE Basic Fantasy – 12
2. Mentzer Basic Set – 14
3. Shadowdark – 16
4. OSE Advanced Fantasy – 27
5. AD&D 1e PHB – 34
6. 5e 2014 PHB – 49
7. 5e 2024 Core – 61

#ttrpg #dnd #shadowdark #becmi #dnd5e

Combat between four 1st level characters and four hobgoblins, assuming no grid-heavy tactics, and rules used mostly as written:

1. Shadowdark – About 15 to 25 minutes.
2. BECMI – About 20 to 30 minutes.
3. OSE Basic Fantasy – About 20 to 30 minutes.
4. OSE Advanced Fantasy – About 25 to 40 minutes.
5. AD&D 1e – About 30 to 45 minutes.
6. 5e 2014 – About 40 to 70 minutes.
7. 5e 2024 – About 40 to 70 minutes, possibly toward the higher end early on.

#ttrpg #dnd #shadowdark #becmi #dnd5e

Combat between four 1st level characters and four hobgoblins, assuming no grid-heavy tactics, and rules used mostly as written:

1. Shadowdark – About 15 to 25 minutes.
2. BECMI – About 20 to 30 minutes.
3. OSE Basic Fantasy – About 20 to 30 minutes.
4. OSE Advanced Fantasy – About 25 to 40 minutes.
5. AD&D 1e – About 30 to 45 minutes.
6. 5e 2014 – About 40 to 70 minutes.
7. 5e 2024 – About 40 to 70 minutes, possibly toward the higher end early on.

#ttrpg #dnd #shadowdark #becmi #dnd5e

Complexity of leveling up a character from 1st to 3rd level:

1. Shadowdark – Few choices, minimal calculations.
2. BECMI – Simple procedures, limited advancement options.
3. OSE Basic Fantasy – Same simplicity with clean tables.
4. OSE Advanced Fantasy – More features added during leveling.
5. AD&D (1e) – Multiple lookups and procedural steps.
6. 5e 2014 – Many decisions and subclass choices.
7. 5e 2024 – Additional early features increase decisions.

#ttrpg #dnd #shadowdark #becmi #dnd5e

Number of race/class combinations for a first-level character (assuming core rulebooks only):

1. BECMI: 7
2. Old-School Essentials Basic: 7
3. Shadowdark: 24
4. AD&D 1e (PHB only, single-class only): about 30
5. Old-School Essentials Advanced: 67
5. D&D 5e 2014 PHB: 108

#ttrpg #dnd #shadowdark #becmi #dnd5e

Number of race/class combinations for a first-level character (assuming core rulebooks only):

1. BECMI: 7
2. Old-School Essentials Basic: 7
3. Shadowdark: 24
4. AD&D 1e (PHB only, single-class only): about 30
5. Old-School Essentials Advanced: 67
5. D&D 5e 2014 PHB: 108

#ttrpg #dnd #shadowdark #becmi #dnd5e

Comparing complexity of standard character sheets between editions:

1. Shadowdark: simplest to read and use during play
2. BECMI: almost as simple, but with a few extra legacy elements
3. OSE Basic Fantasy: essentially the same complexity as BECMI
4. OSE Advanced Fantasy: similar to AD&D
5. AD&D: noticeably denser sheet
6. 5e 2014: most complex sheets of the group
7. 5e 2024: most complex sheets of the group

#ttrpg #dnd #shadowdark #becmi #dnd5e

Comparing complexity of standard character sheets between editions:

1. Shadowdark: simplest to read and use during play
2. BECMI: almost as simple, but with a few extra legacy elements
3. OSE: essentially the same complexity as BECMI
4. AD&D: noticeably denser sheet
5. 5e 2014/2024: most complex sheets of the group

#ttrpg #dnd #shadowdark #becmi #dnd5e

Average time to roll-up a new 1st level character, assuming basic familiarity, no digital tools used, rolling abilities at the table (with real dice), and ordinary choices w/o optimization-shopping:

BECMI: 5–10 minutes
OSE Basic Fantasy (B/X-style, race-as-class): 5–10 minutes
Shadowdark: 5–15 minutes
OSE Advanced Fantasy (race + class): 10–20 minutes
AD&D 1e (PHB only): 10–20 minutes
D&D 5e 2014 PHB: 20–40 minutes
D&D 5e 2024: 20–40 minutes

#ttrpg #dnd #osr #becmi #shadowdark #dnd5e

Average time to roll-up a new 1st level character, assuming basic familiarity, no digital tools used, rolling abilities at the table (with real dice), and ordinary choices w/o optimization-shopping:

BECMI: 5–10 minutes
OSE Basic Fantasy (B/X-style, race-as-class): 5–10 minutes
Shadowdark: 5–15 minutes
OSE Advanced Fantasy (race + class): 10–20 minutes
AD&D 1e (PHB only): 10–20 minutes
D&D 5e 2014 PHB: 20–40 minutes
D&D 5e 2024: 20–40 minutes

#ttrpg #dnd #osr #becmi #shadowdark #dnd5e

I'm genuinely surprised no outraged Antepodean ever wrote a "Animals of Australia" article for Dragon Magazine. (Looks like @ambreville did a few for #BECMI, though, because the Princess Ark went everywhere.)

I'm genuinely surprised no outraged Antepodean ever wrote a "Animals of Australia" article for Dragon Magazine. (Looks like @ambreville did a few for #BECMI, though, because the Princess Ark went everywhere.)

Fantasy Fridays: Aventuras en español
I have been neglecting my Fantasy Fridays. But I am still enjoying my AD&D 1e Forgotten Realms game. But what I want is to play a D&D BECMI/BX game in Spanish!
#Español #ttrpg #dnd #becmi
https://theotherside.timsbrannan.com/2025/12/fantasy-fridays-aventuras-en-espanol.html

@DM_Zeppelin @Kuro #DnD #ttrpg #ADnD #BECMI

@DM_Zeppelin @Kuro #DnD #ttrpg #ADnD #BECMI

The #redditors are all wrong, of course. #THACO was in the 1979 #ADnD Dungeon Masters Guide, its first definition (in a 1983 #BECMI module) was definitely subtraction, and their brain issues are doubtless pre-existing.

The #redditors are all wrong, of course. #THACO was in the 1979 #ADnD Dungeon Masters Guide, its first definition (in a 1983 #BECMI module) was definitely subtraction, and their brain issues are doubtless pre-existing.

Fantasy Reborn Magazine, created by me, converts old #BECMI #D&D to #Cyphersystem. Every month there will be a new one, but the old one will vanish! So get the conversion of B1 In Search of the Unknown. Proceeds help the Dead Unicorn Club. Thanks Everyone! #TTRPG @ttrpg https://www.patreon.com/posts/fantasy-reborn-135579222?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

D&D is designed for combats with a handful on each side. So how do you scale that up to larger numbers? Here are various suggestions for mass combat in D&D, from the #DMG, @slyflourish, @LouAnders, #TalesOfTheValiant from @koboldpress, and the #BECMI Companion set, plus my personal strategies

https://melestrua.net/2025/07/30/how-do-you-run-mass-combat-in-dd/

From the Minrothad Gazeteer: "lerendi port authorities can't be bribed and arrest those who try. Thyatians expect to be bribed, and won't clear a ship until they are." #TTRPG #BECMI

From the Minrothad Gazeteer: "lerendi port authorities can't be bribed and arrest those who try. Thyatians expect to be bribed, and won't clear a ship until they are." #TTRPG #BECMI

NOW IN PRINT! The Left Hand Path!
My LAST "Basic-Era" Witch book.

#osr #witch #dnd #basic #becmi #magic

An 3D-Tabletops hat sich TSR übrigens schon in den 80ern versucht

#ProjectSigil #BECMI #DnD

An 3D-Tabletops hat sich TSR übrigens schon in den 80ern versucht

#ProjectSigil #BECMI #DnD

I really want to play some old school #dungeonsanddragons like #becmi or #adnd 2nd Edition. But I am a 46 year old man with few nerdy friends. I really wish I hadn't been so shy when I was younger and surrounded by fantasy nerds and people were begging me to play tabletop #rpg games with them.

It's #BECMI D&D Time!

No electronics. Just books, paper, pencils, dice, and some friends (pending arrival), as the Olde Gods intended. 🤣

Old-school #DnD like #BECMI and AD&D is far from perfect, but the added complexity of 5e doesn't "add" to its value in my personal opinion.

Interestingly, the views of the players in the tweens group I run through the local library agree -- they are happy with the simpler rules we're running with Old-School Essentials Advanced Fantasy. #ttrpg #ADnD

@DM_Zeppelin I have seen that the players themselves being smart or non-smart generally (but not always) has a bigger impact on party success than the rules-set they're playing.

It's arguably easier for a character to die in BECMI rules than in 5e, but if the players are smart, they can be very successful. #DnD #ttrpg #ttrpgs #BECMI

Someone here on Mastodon said, "If WotC disappeared today, I'd be just fine."

I agree! The rules I use are circa 1980, refreshed and currently in print by a wonderful company called Necrotic Gnome (Old-School Essentials), and even the group of tweens at the #DnD group I DM through my local library have wholeheartedly endorsed our #BECMI slash #OSR rules over the bit of 5e they've played. #ttrpg

Death to WotC, long-live D&D!

Un bellissimo video che celebra la nostalgia e l'amore per chi, come me, negli anni 80-90 scoprì da ragazzino il #BECMI di #DungeonsandDragons #DND :

Ecco la storia di #Aleena il #chierico (o la chierica?)

Io sono tra quelli che ha amato questo personaggio, non lo nascondo. Iniziai l'avventura nei #GdR con lei. E volevo essere un #chierico

Come la vita ci trasforma: oggi non vorrei mai essere un chierico, e infatti sono un #Ladro 😉 (Mistificatore Arcano nella 5ed)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsJc7LWiUCM

A comparison Between 5e D&D and OSR

https://ruckerworks.com/2024/03/a-comparison-between-5e-dd-and-osr/

#dnd #5e #OSR #ADnD #BECMI