For those of you who haven't seen this simplified redo of the B1 map.

For those of you who haven't seen this simplified redo of the B1 map.

Originally shared by Dyson Logos

Thanks to the Dragonsfoot forums, I just discovered this awesome redraw of the map for B1 - In Search of the Unknown.

The standard map is problematic in some ways for me - namely that I don't use pencil-thin walls in my maps and it honestly gets fucking confusing for no particular reason, resulting in the potential of a lot of game time being spent wandering around through corridors instead of finding the cool rooms.

Sometimes that's cool (the lots of wandering and exploring), but some players just don't have the patience for it.

This map... this map is awesome.

Caves of Chaos mug

Caves of Chaos mug by Eric Hoffman via Zazzle.

Originally shared by Eric Hoffman

About to enjoy a cup of joe out of my new mug. Yep, that's the map of The Caves of Chaos! Zazzle will let you put a picture of anything on just about anything...

Well folks, just bought my pass to this year's Gary Con in Lake Geneva, WI (runs 26-29 March).

Well folks, just bought my pass to this year's Gary Con in Lake Geneva, WI (runs 26-29 March). I went three years ago, and it was a great time. Anyone else from the group going? Would be cool to meet some of y'all in person : )

PS. Posting this to several of the old school gaming groups I belong to on G+, so you may see this a few times..

Well-done character sheets by Goodman Games for their reprint of the original Metamorphosis Alpha.

Well-done character sheets by Goodman Games for their reprint of the original Metamorphosis Alpha. As Wayne Rossi has noted they are turning it into a well-supported game, almost 40 years after it was first published!

Originally shared by Mighty Eroc

New MA character sheets are available over at Goodman Games Homepage!

Human, Mutant, and Robot!  Go check them out!

"Terrain Effects Chart" from TSR's Battle of the Five Armies game.

"Terrain Effects Chart" from TSR's Battle of the Five Armies game. I believe the art is by David Sutherland, who also drew the cover art. I found this scan here, where you can also see a picture of the game: #dcsIII
http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/miscellanea/games/battleof5armiestsr.htm

The later history of the Battle of the Five Armies game is tangled up with the removal of Tolkien references from...

The later history of the Battle of the Five Armies game is tangled up with the removal of Tolkien references from OD&D and Holmes Basic. As Jon notes in his article, it was published in a box similar to Holmes Basic in the same year. The first print of Holmes Basic in mid-77 includes it in the product listing. But by the time of the second printing it is gone from the product listing, along with all of the references to 'hobbits' in the rulebook.

Originally shared by Jon Peterson

A few notes on the battle between rights holders and fans, between hobbies and commercialization, with a dash of corporate intrigue, that plays out as gamers adapt their favorite stories - focused on gaming the Battle of the Five Armies.

I've been reading a bit about the concept of 'Five Room Dungeons' recently: http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Five_Room_Dungeon

I've been reading a bit about the concept of 'Five Room Dungeons' recently: http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Five_Room_Dungeon
It seems a useful concept for brainstorming one-off sessions, particularly if running an impromptu game. The general outline is:
1. Guardian
2. Puzzle or other challenge
3. Trick or Setback
4. Big Showdown
5. Reward, Revelation
http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Five_Room_Dungeon

The last section of the manuscript before we enter the Sample Dungeon!

The last section of the manuscript before we enter the Sample Dungeon!
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2015/01/part-45-roll-number-and-see-what-happens.html

Happy New Year (to those who wish to have one!)!

Happy New Year (to those who wish to have one!)!

A few days ago on Tumblr the login page image was this illustration of some warrior and his friends exploring a place of large mushrooms - Mike Carr's B1 In Search of the Unknown. Strange and interesting at the same time.

A new Holmes Reference Sheet - Third Level Spells!

A new Holmes Reference Sheet - Third Level Spells! A single pdf sheet with the Level 3 spells from the original list in the rulebook, but with  descriptions added. I sourced the effects from OD&D but re-wrote them for brevity. The page is numbered 16a if you want to tuck it in the right place in your rulebook. Let me know if you come across any typos/errors. For fun, I also included my illo of Monster Summoning I (wizard summoning G. Cube from the 1st level monster table). #holmesref

Find this on the Holmes Ref page: 

https://sites.google.com/site/zenopusarchives/home/holmes-ref

Random thought on Holmes initiative.

Random thought on Holmes initiative.. DEX in D&D can be something of a dump stat, since the bonuses to missile attack and initiative aren't huge in earlier rules sets; if you use group initiative, it becomes even more of a dump stat if the players can use the PC with the highest initiative to roll.

The Holmes method of doing initiative in DEX score order makes DEX much more important - a 9 DEX guy has a substantially less chance of going before foes than even a 12 DEX guy. Similarly, items and spells which increase DEX would have a greater effect than when DEX just gives a bonus to initiative rolls; and on the flip side, items / spells / conditions that reduce DEX would have an outsized effect compared to versions where DEX just gives a bonus to init. 

Has anyone who's run the Holmes rules as written noticed any changes in how players look at DEX when it is used directly for initiative rolls?

A MU is threatened by an Ogre, and casts OD&D's Monster Summoning I,which summons a single Gelatinous Cube.

A MU is threatened by an Ogre, and casts OD&D's Monster Summoning I, which summons a single Gelatinous Cube.

Did you know....there were multiple printings of B2?

Scott Mob wrote:

Did you know....there were multiple printings of B2, and the earlier prints had added art that ended up getting dropped in more common later printings?

A dungeon-delving poll by Scott Moberly.

A dungeon-delving poll by Scott Moberly.
http://odd74.proboards.com/thread/10680/delving-gear-bring

This looks to be an interesting, thoughtful series on playing rpgs solo.

http://tabletopdiversions.blogspot.com/2015/01/solo-role-playing-series-part-1.html

[Mystara] The Original Known World

Lawrence Schick, one of the early designers of Dungeons & Dragons at TSR, has revealed some interesting maps that detail the Original Known World that he and Tom Moldvay used in their Kent, Ohio Dungeons & Dragons campaign.

The cover of Imagine #12(March 1984) by Rodney Matthews

Zhu Bajiee at the Realm of Zhu speculates that the cover of Imagine #12 (March 1984) by Rodney Matthews is related composition-wise to the Holmes Basic cover.
http://realmofzhu.blogspot.com/2015/01/imagine-dragons.html

Three Spikes Knight

Three Spikes Knight

The Keep done in Dwarven Forge

A portion of the Keep done in Dwarven Forge by T Yawningportal
Many more pictures if you follow the link.

https://yawningportal.blogspot.com/2015/01/keep-on-boarderlands-dwarven-forge.html

Keep on the Boarderlands- Dwarven Forge

Just a mock up I did of the lower left portion of the Keep from B2.

Part 44, covering more DM guidance, and the Example of play, which the manuscript confirms was written by Holmes.

Part 44, covering more DM guidance, and the Example of play, which the manuscript confirms was written by Holmes.
http://zenopusarchives.blogspot.com/2015/01/part-44-knights-talk-in-flowery-phrases.html

The oldest TSR shirt that I've seen.

The oldest TSR shirt that I've seen. A ringer tee with the Dragon #1 cover dragon on the front and the TSR "Lizard Logo" lizardman on the back. Has the "Come Visit My Dungeon" slogan also spotted on a sticker from the time period. Ernie Gygax do you remember selling this shirt at the Dungeon Hobby Shop?
http://2warpstoneptune.wordpress.com/2015/01/14/dungeons-dragonstsr-t-shirt-circa-1978

Deities & Demigods trivia.

Deities & Demigods trivia. When the Cthulhu & Melnibonean mythos were removed, one new piece of art by Erol Otus was added, a fantastic full-page depiction of the Egyptian judgement of the dead - which I don't think actually appears in the description of the mythos itself.

Hey Holmesians!

Hey Holmesians! I'm curious to find out what you guys do with Strength. Do you use any Strength modifiers to hit, to damage, for encumbrance, or for opening doors? Do you do ability checks based on it? Or do you play by the book and just have Strength as the prime requisite of Fighting-men?

In the latter case, what does the Strength spell do in your games?

Basic D&D 5E online in html.

Originally shared by Brendan S

Basic D&D 5E online in html.

http://dnd.wizards.com/products/tabletop/players-basic-rules

Alien Explorer

Alien Explorer

Star Wizard

Star Wizard

Neat homebrew minimalist character sheet

Neat homebrew, minimalist character sheet found by Chad Thorson and posted over on the Holmes FB page, newly revived by Michael Thomas. The "B T P K G" abbreviation remains a mystery.
https://www.facebook.com/holmesbasic/photos/a.1000723809941814.1073741827.123540330993504/1003567206324141/?type=1&theater

Happy New Year, Holmes-onites.

Happy New Year, Holmes-onites. Apologies for the radio silence, but I am working on the next installment of the Holmes Manuscript and hope to have it posted in the next few days.