Some notes and thoughts on the "sixth alignment" in Holmes.

Some notes and thoughts on the "sixth alignment" in Holmes.
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/07/holmes-alignment-is-six-point.html

Posting Jeff's Holmes+Expert+Companion "what-if?" musing here for future reference.

Posting Jeff's Holmes+Expert+Companion "what-if?" musing here for future reference.
http://jrients.blogspot.com/2013/07/i-wonder-if-this-ever-happened.html

It seems Keep on the Borderlands: The Expansion (part of Usherwood Adventures' High Adventure From Middle-School...

It seems Keep on the Borderlands: The Expansion (part of Usherwood Adventures' High Adventure From Middle-School series) has Dex in the monster listings, suggesting the author was playing Holmes at the time!

Check it out, it's free.

http://www.rpgnow.com/product/117295/Keep-on-the-Borderlands-The-Expansion
http://www.rpgnow.com/product/117295/Keep-on-the-Borderlands-The-Expansion

Nice score over the weekend - rescued a small lot of Classic D&D books from the dusty corner of a vintage toy store:

Nice score over the weekend - rescued a small lot of Classic D&D books from the dusty corner of a vintage toy store:

B/X Basic rulebook
Mentzer Basic Player's rulebook
Mentzer Expert rulebook
Mentzer Companion - both rulebooks plus smashed box
Some dude's green folder with a single blank character sheet.
Some random maps torn from B1-9 In Search of Adventure

Unfortunately no homemade adventures or other notes. Looks like the previous owner didn't get too much use out of these.

This works well for me since I sold my Mentzer books years ago but now am glad to add them back to the collection for reference.

I did a side-by-side analysis of Holmes and Moldvay.

I did a side-by-side analysis of Holmes and Moldvay. Holmes should be every magic-user's preferred version of classic D&D.

Query about Holmes Expansions on the K&KA Holmes Forum.

Query about Holmes Expansions on the K&KA Holmes Forum. Falconer pointed to my Holmes Rules Expansion page, which I just happened to update last week.

rules expansions | zenopusarchives
http://knights-n-knaves.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=11561

There may be some fans of Lawrence Watt-Evans here - he is best known for the Ethshar series that began in the 80s...

There may be some fans of Lawrence Watt-Evans here - he is best known for the Ethshar series that began in the 80s with The Misenchanted Sword and is still ongoing. This is his first Kickstarter, to publish a science fantasy novel he has already written. Ends in 5 hours with $7 to go for the top stretch goal ($12 K).

Cover and interior artwork for the novel will be by Bradley W. Schenck, formerly known as Morno, and the artist who illustrated the very first module for Dungeons & Dragons, the Palace of the Vampire Queen. He runs www.webomator.com these days.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/217993880/publish-lawrence-watt-evans-vikas-avenger?ref=email

The secret bookstore's name is Brazenhead, which is historic name for the type of talking magical head found in...

The secret bookstore's name is Brazenhead, which is historic name for the type of talking magical head found in Holmes' Sample Dungeon.

http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2012/03/brazen-head-of-zenopus.html

Originally shared by James Aulds

There is a gameable idea here.  wish i was closer to NYC to visit a secret bookstore 

Erik Tenkar  
http://www.messynessychic.com/2013/07/24/the-secret-speakeasy-manhattan-bookshop/

In Warlock (1975), a non-TSR D&D supplement, a 40th level Wizard gains a single 10th level spell.

In Warlock (1975), a non-TSR D&D supplement, a 40th level Wizard gains a single 10th level spell. No examples of 10th level spells are given, unfortunately - the spell lists stop at 7th level. #completewarlock

Any folks who want to get into this game on Friday, feel free.

Any folks who want to get into this game on Friday, feel free.

Originally shared by Wayne Rossi

Playtest of the second level of the Xenopus dungeon for Dungeon Crawl #3. The game will be played via hangout using the Holmes rulebook. Pre-generated characters will be provided.

If you don't have a Holmes rulebook but want to get a feel for the rules, you can download the FREE Blueholme simulacrum:
http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/109409/BLUEHOLME-Prentice-Rules
events/cua69bi44ctqif5tfhtsc0p1fao?authkey=CLGK2fmYh-u-rQE

The eternal question. Reboot of a thread from 2007.

The eternal question. Reboot of a thread from 2007.
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=23330&sid=f31d92058af5e82682de11d6f2c5fa26

Hi folks!

Hi folks! I need to playtest an adventure using Holmes D&D for my zine, Dungeon Crawl. The game will be in a hangout this Friday at 9 PM EST. Pregen characters will be provided. Reply if you're interested in playing.

I wrote about using Holmes with the Cook/Marsh Expert book.

I wrote about using Holmes with the Cook/Marsh Expert book. I'd love the thoughts of Holmes fans here on the ideas here, or their own concepts of how to combine the two.

Mazes & Perils RPG, a Holmes clone, has been nominated for an ENnie for Best Free Game:

5-page thread about Holmes Basic on ENworld.

5-page thread about Holmes Basic on ENworld.
http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?338458-Basic-D-amp-D-Holmes-Edition-a-review

Here are some pages to stick in your Holmes Basic Set.

Here are some pages to stick in your Holmes Basic Set. Kent has transcribed and reformatted Gygax's 1975 article from an obscure Diplomacy zine (Europa) describing how to set up a D&D campaign. Especially nice is the paragraph describing the 13 levels of Old Castle Greyhawk.
http://somekingskent.blogspot.com/2013/07/gygax-1975-how-to-set-up-your-dungeons.html?showComment=1374467151386#c1739276123014207380

Bob Jester (Robert Weber), one of our newest members here, wrote today on Dragonsfoot:

Bob Jester (Robert Weber), one of our newest members here, wrote today on Dragonsfoot:

"one of my favorite WWII submarine warfare novels "A Tale of Two Subs" by Jonathan J. McCullough; one of the key figures in this account is of Jasper Holmes, J. Eric Holmes' father, and J. Eric himself gave interviews to J. McCullough in the course of the writing of this book. I would not have known that this was the same "Eric Holmes" that went on to become a successful neurosurgeon and author."
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1392507#p1392507

Cost is one of the few statistics actually provided for weapons in the LBBs.

Cost is one of the few statistics actually provided for weapons in the LBBs. I had an idea today for using cost to differentiate weapons when they all do d6 damage:

On an attack roll of 1 (natural), a weapon must make a saving throw to avoid being broken. The score for the save is 16, which is extrapolated from the saving throw tables in Monsters & Treasures, where a +1 weapon saves with a 14, +2 with a 12, etc. Each weapon can add its initial cost per Men & Magic as a bonus to the save. So a club (not listed with a price) would get no bonus, a spear (1 gp) would get a +1, a battle axe a +7, a sword +10, etc. This would give an incentive to buy more expensive weapons if possible because they would less likely to break, and also to have back-up weapons. I like the idea of weapons breaking and needing to be replaced after a while, so this would simulate the wear on weapons - the more times used, the more chance for eventual breakage.

[cross-posted to OD&D Discussion]

"I played a Balrog in three different campaigns, including Greyhawk itself.

"I played a Balrog in three different campaigns, including Greyhawk itself. "Chaotic" does not have to mean "Psychopath." (This was in the days of the simple Law-Neutral-Chaos split)."

- gronan (Michael Mornard)
http://odd74.proboards.com/post/123009

Mentzer DM Guide Map Key

The first page of the sample file for Mentzer DM book is this cool map KEY. The sample file is downloadable, so this is something to possibly grab even if you don't want to buy the pdf.

Mentzer Basic is now available on dndclassics.com.

Mentzer Basic is now available on dndclassics.com. Two pdfs, one for Players book and one for DM's. If you buy either one, there's also a coupon for 50% off a B-series adventure. I'd imagine the rest of BECMI will follow in the coming weeks. So we've got the revisions (Moldvay and Mentzer) but are still waiting for the original Basic!
http://www.dndclassics.com/product/116619/D%26D-Basic-Set---DMs-Rulebook-%28BECMI-ed%29-%28Basic%29?filters=0_0_44699

A great post from 2010:

A great post from 2010:
http://cyclopeatron.blogspot.com/2010/03/gary-gygaxs-whitebox-od-house-rules.html

All Gygax adventure path as suggested by Gygax himself:

All Gygax adventure path as suggested by Gygax himself:

Keep on the Borderland
Village of Hommlet
Temple of Elemental Evil
Dungeonland
Land beyond the Magic Mirror
Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth
Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun
Steading of the Hill Giant Chief
Glacial rift of the Frost Giant Jarl
Hall of the Fire Giant King
Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure
Tomb of Horrors
Descent to the Depths of the Earth
Shrine of the Kuo-toa
Vault of the Drow
Isle of the Ape
(Necropolis, final portion)
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=178291#p178291

Anybody else besides Shawn Sanford read Holmes' book (Fantasy Role-Playing Games, 1981) back in the 80s?

Anybody else besides Shawn Sanford read Holmes' book (Fantasy Role-Playing Games, 1981) back in the 80s? I didn't get a copy of it until this past decade after I started delving into his bibliography.
http://tomeoftreasures.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1877

Dragonsfoot thread with lots of guidance for someone new to Holmes Basic.

Dragonsfoot thread with lots of guidance for someone new to Holmes Basic.
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=62100

The original #Sharknado - the 1977 Air Shark by Dave Hargrave

The original #Sharknado - the 1977 Air Shark by Dave Hargrave
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-original-sharknado.html

Part 2 of an 11 (!) part series on the B/X Blackrazor blog.

Part 2 of an 11 (!) part series on the B/X Blackrazor blog. This one focuses on the guidance (or lack thereof) on how to role-play in OD&D and Holmes. This post is crying out for some historical context by Jon Peterson
http://bxblackrazor.blogspot.com/2013/07/on-role-playing-part-2-of-11.html

Two different takes on B1 today...

Two different takes on B1 today...

http://codexapocrypha.blogspot.com/2013/07/into-cytheron-by-way-of-north-ave-in.html (blog by member here)

http://joyfulsitting.blogspot.com/2013/07/adios-caverns-of-quasqueton.html

A fan-made translation of the Holmes Basic Set is now available as a PDF on the site of the french OSR community

A fan-made translation of the Holmes Basic Set is now available as a PDF on the site of the french OSR community 
http://newddd-site.echo-webdesign.fr/component/content/article/38-traductions/2366-donjons-dragons-r%C3%A9vision-j-e-holmes.html
http://newddd-site.echo-webdesign.fr/component/content/article/38-traductions/2366-donjons-dragons-r%C3%A9vision-j-e-holmes.html

Survey of early character sheets for OD&D. All suitable for Holmes...

Survey of early character sheets for OD&D. All suitable for Holmes...
From the Playing at the World blog:

Now with more Holmes.

Now with more Holmes.
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/07/random-names-one-sheet.html

Red, White and Blue of the OSR

Just saw this.

Originally shared by Chuck Thorin

Time to salute the red, white and blue of the OSR.

This has a high cool factor: Tolkien's map of Middle-earth rendered ona Judges Guild hex map. By kent.

This has a high cool factor: Tolkien's map of Middle-earth rendered on a Judges Guild hex map. By kent.
http://odd74.proboards.com/thread/8993/middle-earth-judges-guild-wilderlands?page=1&scrollTo=122244

An rpg.net thread that begins, "Most influential gaming book ever published; one volume only; one vote only.

An rpg.net thread that begins, "Most influential gaming book ever published; one volume only; one vote only. I personally think there are only two credible candidates: Holmes Basic D&D (the obvious choice, based on units sold and 'gateway drug' status for a generation) and the 1st Edition AD&D Monster Manual, which is my pick for the top dog..."
http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?694292-Most-influential-game-book-ever-(and-why)&p=16938778

Rules Cyclopedia pdf up on dndclassics as of yesterday. Unfortunately, this doesn't bode well for a reprint.

Rules Cyclopedia pdf up on dndclassics as of yesterday. Unfortunately, this doesn't bode well for a reprint.

The product history mentions Holmes Basic twice.

"The Rules Cyclopedia was the result - and it also offered somewhere for the Black Box players to go when they finished with fifth level. Ironically, this was reportedly the exact same setup that Gygax had planned for the J. Eric Holmes Basic Set and also for AD&D, way back in 1977."
http://www.dndclassics.com/product/17171/D%26D-Rules-Cyclopedia-%28Basic%29?it=1&filters=0_0_44699

Using the dice....

Using the dice....

Newest dndclassics pdfs are X2 Castle Amber and X3 Curse of Xanathon. Added 6/24.

Newest dndclassics pdfs are X2 Castle Amber and X3 Curse of Xanathon. Added 6/24.
http://www.dndclassics.com/product/17088/X2-Castle-Amber-%28Basic%29?it=1&filters=0_0_44699

Daztur on The RPG site writes:

Daztur on The RPG site writes:
"Since last year I've run 1 hour-ish D&D (roughly Holmes Basic) mini-sessions with eight different classes of Korean 5-6 graders. They're great lab rats for testing rules and GMing styles since they have no idea what tabletop role playing is and are very enthusiastic (beats doing grammar lessons)."

Read the rest here:
http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=27019