#whiteboxfmag — 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.)

Because it was rainy this morning I went through a list of differences between #whiteboxFMAG and #whiteboxcyclopedia #osr #ttrpg which you can find here https://daisychase.net/blog/2026/02/15/white-box-differences-between-fmag-and-cyclopedia/

Because it was rainy this morning I went through a list of differences between #whiteboxFMAG and #whiteboxcyclopedia #osr #ttrpg which you can find here https://daisychase.net/blog/2026/02/15/white-box-differences-between-fmag-and-cyclopedia/

I've been looking into more #ttrpg #odnd retroclones recently. I've been quite an #OSE fan but reading #whiteboxFMAG got me interested, and then I started going down the "differences between using some books but not others" rabbit hole.

The thing that I found interesting, apart from the massive difference in monster power before and after Greyhawk, is how extremely similar OD&D with all books is to #ADnD. The latter has expanded detail and some extra rules but the structure is almost identical.

I've been looking into more #ttrpg #odnd retroclones recently. I've been quite an #OSE fan but reading #whiteboxFMAG got me interested, and then I started going down the "differences between using some books but not others" rabbit hole.

The thing that I found interesting, apart from the massive difference in monster power before and after Greyhawk, is how extremely similar OD&D with all books is to #ADnD. The latter has expanded detail and some extra rules but the structure is almost identical.

The kickstarter for the White Box Cyclopedia is just over a week from completion and I am looking forward to it myself. I'm fond of #whiteboxFMAG as an #OSR #ttrpg that cuts down on a lot of unnecessary fluff and this looks like it will not only add options but also tools for using it as a toolbox across settings and genres. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/barrelridergames/white-box-cyclopedia

Also thinking of writing my own #OSR system to go along with it because, really, are you in the OSR if you've not written your own hack? Thinking about basing it vaguely around #whiteboxFMAG, but with firearms and lower and more interesting magic.