A discussion of 'Expert' modules to use with Holmes, started by Paleologos, a long-time Holmes fan on DF and ODD74...

A discussion of 'Expert' modules to use with Holmes, started by Paleologos, a long-time Holmes fan on DF and ODD74 who isn't here on G+. His map of Portown is linked under "About This Community".
http://odd74.proboards.com/thread/10216/holmes

Part 35, covering magic weapons & armor. Holmes included the Vorpal Sword!

Part 35, covering magic weapons & armor. Holmes included the Vorpal Sword!
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2014/07/part-35-potent-weapon-in-hands-of-dwarf.html

A bunch of vintage horror/fantasy paperbacks, including DAW, in the Holmes auctions right now.

A bunch of vintage horror/fantasy paperbacks, including DAW, in the Holmes auctions right now. 460 auctions currently running by Billy Galaxy. I need to be recording more of what he owned but there is so much it is daunting & hard to keep up with.

Link to Holmes auctions, sorted by 'Newly Listed'.
http://www.ebay.com/dsc/m.html?item=351131870989&pt=US_Fiction_Books&_from=R40&hash=item51c117270d&_ssn=www.billygalaxy.com&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=1&_nkw=%22j.+eric+holmes%22&_sop=10
http://www.ebay.com/itm/YEARS-BEST-HORROR-STORIES-II-2-Christopher-Lee-Robert-Bloch-1970s-DAW-books-/351131870989?pt=US_Fiction_Books&hash=item51c117270d

New long article by Jon Peterson.

New long article by Jon Peterson. The Basic Set is mentioned a few times, including "Gross sales of around $300,000 in 1976 doubled the following year, thanks in no small part to the release of the revised “Basic Set” of Dungeons & Dragons edited by Eric Holmes."
https://medium.com/@increment/the-ambush-at-sheridan-springs-3a29d07f6836

Discussion of Holmes clones started by Michael Pfaff

Discussion of Holmes clones started by Michael Pfaff

Originally shared by Michael Pfaff

What's the Holmes D&D clone?

Interesting list.

Interesting list.
http://www.medievalists.net/2014/07/24/top-10-medieval-places-dont-exist/

Just noticed that my most recent post made it on to the new 'OSR Today' a few days ago.

Just noticed that my most recent post made it on to the new 'OSR Today' a few days ago.
http://osrtoday.com/2014/07/19/many-monsters-carry-treasure-a-continued-look-at-holmes-basic

Zenopus at Charm City Game Day 2014

Playing DCC with David Brawley

An '80s mash-up - the Gelatinous Rubik's Cube, brought to you by Desert Scribe on his blog.

The next installment is posted, covering the first section on Treasure.

The next installment is posted, covering the first section on Treasure. As we might expect, Holmes' Treasure Table is the one from OD&D with a few simplifications. Holmes also intended for Basic to only have silver and gold coins, and simple values for gems/jewelry.
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2014/07/part-34-many-monsters-carry-treasure.html

Much thanks to Guy Fullerton for the info about Spartan 10 in this post. #completewarlock

Much thanks to Guy Fullerton for the info about Spartan 10 in this post. #completewarlock
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2014/07/tsrs-response-to-warlock.html

If you are new here, I'm in middle of a long series of blog posts going through J.

If you are new here, I'm in middle of a long series of blog posts going through J. Eric Holmes' manuscript for the Basic rulebook. I'm about 2/3 of the way through, having just finished the Monster List and about to start on Treasure.  The updated index of all posts can be found here: http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/11/at-long-last.html
(I'm in the process of going back and adding links to the post of each post so it's easier to navigate back and forth through the series).
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2013/11/at-long-last.html

We added about 85 new members here in the last week. Welcome!

A D&D article by Ethan Gilsdorf in the NYT today includes a photo of the low-impact Holmes Basic dice.

A D&D article by Ethan Gilsdorf in the NYT today includes a photo of the low-impact Holmes Basic dice. See also commentary by Roger G-S: http://rolesrules.blogspot.com/2014/07/d-meets-literary-bigtime.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/14/books/dungeons-dragons-has-influenced-a-generation-of-writers.html?_r=0

Holmes was huge fan of the pulps.

Holmes was huge fan of the pulps. The seller billy galaxy on ebay currently has 400+ (!) listings of books & magazines from Holmes' estate, inc many issues of the magazines Wayne mentions here.

Originally shared by Wayne Rossi

Today's post focuses on a great web project where you can find seminal pulp magazines in PDF. I focus on Weird Tales, Amazing Stories and Planet Stories.

Seems like the quick start rules for Lejendary Adventures is still up at Troll...

Seems like the quick start rules for Lejendary Adventures is still up at Troll Lords. http://www.trolllord.com/downloads/pdfs/la_quickstart.pdf
I was interested in seeing what the default task resolution mechanic was in Gary Gygax's games that he did later on in life. Seems he went with Ability Scores = percentages. Skills based on ability scores. Roll under with d00
http://www.trolllord.com/downloads/pdfs/la_quickstart.pdf

A few years ago I finally acquired a copy of the Holmes rules - haven'thad the chance to play yet, but it's a great...

A few years ago I finally acquired a copy of the Holmes rules - haven't had the chance to play yet, but it's a great little read, I'm still really fascinated by the different options in combat (my early playing was BECMI and AD&D). I printed out Meepo's Holmes Companion to make it more "complete" - I like imagining campaigns for simple compact systems, like T&T5 and S&W Wb (I've played the former, but not the latter), especially for new players. Do people generally home-rule their way with Holmes' or are there other expansions people like to use?

This OSR logo I drew is inspired by the same TSR Wizard logo

This OSR logo I drew is inspired by the same TSR Wizard logo from the last post - here the wizard is firing his wand. If you click on the logo on my blog, you'll go to the OSR Search site by Brendan S. Feel free to use this logo for anything OSR related.

Useful advice from OS FRP: "Simple rule of thumb: the early printings [for Holmes Basic] have the wizard logo with...

Useful advice from OS FRP: "Simple rule of thumb: the early printings [for Holmes Basic] have the wizard logo with more art by Otus and Diesel, and the later ones [for Moldvay Basic] have the rectangular TSR face logo with some new pictures by Dee and Willingham."
http://oldschoolfrp.tumblr.com/post/91469092527/wizard-logo-from-a-second-printing-of-d-d-module

Last of the monsters!

Last of the monsters!
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2014/07/part-33-their-appearance-is-as-spectral.html

Dyson's DCC-ified Mad Hermit Tree. Fantastic illustrations, killer bees!

Dyson's DCC-ified Mad Hermit Tree. Fantastic illustrations, killer bees!
http://rpgcharacters.wordpress.com/2014/07/08/tuesday-map-the-hollow-tree-some-dcc-toys

Dyson Logos scanned all of the art from TSR's Monster Cards Set 1 (1981), by Roslof (RIP), Dee, Otus, Willingham,...

Dyson Logos scanned all of the art from TSR's Monster Cards Set 1 (1981), by Roslof (RIP), Dee, Otus, Willingham, Laforce & Holloway. The art is of a piece with TSR module covers of the era - I love the vivid colors. Well worth checking out if you have never seen them before.
http://rpgcharacters.wordpress.com/2014/07/03/add-monster-cards-set-1

Wayne Rossi featured my reference sheets in his new community. Join up if you like lots of free RPG Tables & Charts.

Wayne Rossi featured my reference sheets in his new community. Join up if you like lots of free RPG Tables & Charts.

Originally shared by Wayne Rossi

Zach H does some great stuff - this contains excellent "Holmesian Random Names" (a brilliant name generator) and "One Hit Point Monsters." Additionally, his Monster Reference Sheet is designed to let you roll up new creatures using the Holmes monsters as ingredients. Check it out!
https://sites.google.com/site/zenopusarchives/home/holmes-ref

This may be the first time I've linked to a YouTube video here:

This may be the first time I've linked to a YouTube video here:
"A neutral territory live role-playing game using an old game, Holmes D&D. These are the rules. I DM and four players play one of each race/class type. A non-player hosts the game on his/her YT channel. A one-off proving the system doesn't matter for great role-playing and we are all created equal so let's have some fun and close some gaps/arguments."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWL4Qo5hgyg

Is anyone aware of an attempt at re-doing the typeset of the Holmes edition?

Is anyone aware of an attempt at re-doing the typeset of the Holmes edition? I dig reading this stuff from time to time, but as far as the actual book goes, the typesetting makes my OCD-ness cringe.

Paleologos on DF corrects a common misconception about Jean Wells original version of B3 (the orange-cover free pdf...

Paleologos on DF corrects a common misconception about Jean Wells original version of B3 (the orange-cover free pdf version):

"Actually - I'm running it now and I think the original B3 is quite a blast. I need to correct a common misconception, though. There are no missing stairways on the original map. I think the source of confusion is John Rateliff's review:

John D. Rateliff wrote:
"The area map was deleted, along with all the accompanying wilderness encounters. Several areas of the castle are redrawn, adding or deleting rooms, while the entire Tower Level vanishes from the revised version. More significantly, Moldvay fixes a significant flaw in the original, explaining how the princess got upstairs in her own castle by adding a main staircase (area 22 in the "green cover" edition)."

There are actually TWO ways between the two main levels in Wells' version - a stairway in the southeast corner (shows up on maps of both levels) and a trap door in a tower to the west. There are also stairs to a separate tower.

Moldvay didn't add a main staircase in area 22 of the green cover version - he added a stairway to the outside. I have no idea what Rateliff was thinking, but he was totally confused and his error regarding the absence of stairways shows up all over the internet.

Always remember to check your sources..."

From here:
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1528791#p1528791

Quote from Rob Conley's series.

Quote from Rob Conley's series.
"Like the Basic DnD Holmes Blue Book there are references to the larger rule set embodied by the 5e PHB, DMG, and MM. I am fine with that as obviously one purpose of this FREE PDF is to be a very large brochure to sell the core rulebooks."
http://batintheattic.blogspot.com/2014/07/breaking-down-dnd-basic-part-3.html

Dyson Logos expands the Mad Hermit encounter.

Dyson Logos expands the Mad Hermit encounter.

Originally shared by Dyson Logos

Due to Cuba and Bluesfest tonight's game is going to start later than usual and be minus one player. So we're pulling out DCC and I'm going to run a twist on one of the most classic of D&D encounters - the Mad Hermit from the Keep on the Borderlands - involving endless stairs, matryoshka trees, and a bee hive of insanity.

Here are a few covers you may use, for your new 5ed !

Originally shared by Mark Hunt

Here are a few covers you may use, for your new 5ed !

DM David points out the old school module references in the humorous disclaimer on the first page of the new Basic...

DM David points out the old school module references in the humorous disclaimer on the first page of the new Basic D&D. One is a reference to the Bugbear Lair (Cave H) in the Caves of Chaos in B2.
http://dmdavid.com/tag/dungeons-dragons-fifth-edition-basic-bules-an-annotated-page-1

Some wicked World of Greyhawk minis that I've heard of but never seen before. Photo by Allan Grohe

Some wicked World of Greyhawk minis that I've heard of but never seen before. Photo by Allan Grohe
http://knights-n-knaves.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?p=186322#p186322

Meet the New Basic...

Meet the New Basic...
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/basicrules

Anybody in the UK remember this article?

Anybody in the UK remember this article? "An Introduction to Fantasy Wargames" by Steve Jackson (the UK fellow of Games Workshop /Fighting Fantasy, not the American of SJG). The article, which may be a flier or torn from a magazine/book, was spotted recently in an Ebay auction for a UK Holmes Basic Set. Google didn't turn up any hits except for a much later GW book by a different author.