On page 14 of Holmes we learn that Zombies can be poisoned with salt.

On page 14 of Holmes we learn that Zombies can be poisoned with salt. Of course that piece of information is neither reflected in the monster description nor on the equipment list. Does anyone know what the good doctor intended? I now imagine "Holmes-ian zombie hunters" carrying kegs of salt and little shovels for throwing it at their quarry... :-)

I wrote another thing about movement rates.

I wrote another thing about movement rates. Feedback welcome! http://nilisnotnull.blogspot.com/2015/11/justifying-exploration-movement.html

This may not be news to the illustrious members of this community, but I only noticed it the other day...

This may not be news to the illustrious members of this community, but I only noticed it the other day...

Gary's "original" version of B2 (the one for Holmes) has almost all the "regular soldiers" in the keep as 0-level humans. The later "revised" version of B2 (the one for Moldvay/Cook/Marsh) uses 1st-level fighters instead. That's a pretty huge change in my book: Suddenly all of these people are highly trained professionals, not mere conscripts from the surrounding homesteads.

I went through and totaled up: 247 level 1 fighters, 4 level 2 fighters, 4 level 3 fighters, 1 level 6 fighter. Plus a spattering of clerics, wizards, and a level 3 elf. The Keep could have taken out the Caves of Chaos any time it wanted.

I am certainly glad that I have the earlier Holmes-era printing of B2, there's more adventuring to be had here... :-)

Thoughts on classes, inspired by Zach H.

Thoughts on classes, inspired by Zach H. Happy Holidays! http://nilisnotnull.blogspot.com/2014/12/mixing-and-matching-classes.html

More European Basement Delving. http://nilisnotnull.blogspot.de/2013/12/basement-delving-french-connection.html

More European Basement Delving. http://nilisnotnull.blogspot.de/2013/12/basement-delving-french-connection.html

The Japanese B2 in my basement. http://nilisnotnull.blogspot.de/2013/12/basement-delving-japanese-borderlands.html

The Japanese B2 in my basement. http://nilisnotnull.blogspot.de/2013/12/basement-delving-japanese-borderlands.html

Not my blog, not my article, but fascinating reading:...

Not my blog, not my article, but fascinating reading: http://swordandshieldrpg.blogspot.com/2011/07/holmes-compares-his-basic-d-boxed-set.html

I hope I won't get skewered for this, but here are my impressions of Holmes.

I hope I won't get skewered for this, but here are my impressions of Holmes. http://nilisnotnull.blogspot.com/2013/04/holmes-ian-surprises.html
http://nilisnotnull.blogspot.com/2013/04/holmes-ian-surprises.html

You are probably going to be much less excited about this than I am: I just got my copy of Holmes Basic, complete...

You are probably going to be much less excited about this than I am: I just got my copy of Holmes Basic, complete with B1 and the original box. The box is a little beat up, but what else can you expect? A little staple rust I guess... :-)

What came first, Appendix N in the Gygax's AD&D DMG or the list of "inspirational reading" in the Moldvay's D&D...

What came first, Appendix N in the Gygax's AD&D DMG or the list of "inspirational reading" in the Moldvay's D&D Basic Set? I am asking this here because the Holmes experts (I don't have a copy, shame on me!) should be able to tell me if there's a list of literary sources in Holmes' Basic Set already? (Maybe I should also ask the OD&D crowd since I don't own a copy of that either, more shame on me I guess.)