12 August 2023

#RPGaDay2023 - 12 - Old game you still play

 

RPGaDay2023 official graphic

Last time I did this, it was very predictably Traveller, and the prompt was play/read. I can’t really write that at this moment as I haven’t run or played that game in a while; as I mentioned previously, the pandemic and other impacts on TravCon really pulled me away. I guess I’m also starting to get annoyed with Mongoose retreading and rewriting the core books so often (I’d hardly due into the 2017 version of 2nd Edition when the 2022 updated rules shipped); I’ve not really been buying the books for the new edition as a result.

The cover of Old-School Essential Classic Fantasy Tome which shows a weird creature in blue with lots of eyes on the left, a river of lava through the middle and a wizard casting a spell to the right.
The OSE B/X core rules (but not the cover I have)

These days, I think the answer would fall back to D&D. I picked up and ran Old-School Essentials (which is a new perfect retro-clone of B/X that also has all the AD&D options available dependent upon which version you buy) during the pandemic era. I ran some sessions and want to get this back to the table.

Now, this isn’t the old edition of B/X D&D, but mechanically, it’s the same and it’s so portable and well organised that I’d use this up any time in preference. If I didn’t have OSE, then I’d probably be using the Blueholme  rules (which take Holmes Basic D&D to high level). 

The cover of Castle Xyntillan, showing adventurers cross a bridge over a moat at night, facing the glowing yellow portal of the Castle gatehouse
The cover of Castle Xyntillan

The specific project that I have is to build up Castle Xyntillan on Roll20, then run this as an open table every now and again. Xyntillan is a slightly weird three level mega-dungeon set in an abandoned manor house in a setting that feels adjacent to the Averoigne setting. I believe there’s a Castle Amber vibe, but I’ve never read that module.

So my answer in 2023 is B/X Basic D&D!

12 August 2023

 

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