BX is technically the 3rd Edition of D&D, with Original D&D in 1974 being first. The next edition was Holmes Basic, which TSR wrote as an onboarding tool for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Seeing a need for a more basic version of D&D, TSR then tapped Moldvay to create the Basic/Expert line of D&D, which is what OSE is based on. If you want to play Original Dungeons & Dragons using a clone, find a copy of Wight-Box or Delving Deeper. Wight-Box is a complete game, integrating Chainmail into the pages, rather than suggesting you find a copy yourself. Delving Deeper is OD&D without Chainmail, requiring you to find Chainmail to run the game in it's entirety. If you want to play Holmes Basic in a clone, you want to find Blueholme. It is a carefully crafted and written reconstructed retro-clone that only goes up to level 3, just as the original Holmes Basic did. If you want to play 1E in a clone, DON'T. There is no good clone of AD&D. People will recommend OSRIC to you, but that is a trap. OSRIC removes many of the rules that make AD&D the game that it is, such as timekeeping. OSE is great if you want to play Basic/Expert, but even that clone is not entirely accurate. For example, in the original B/X the DM rolled all damage.
Thank you for this insightful dive into history. I don't think I've ever heard of Wight-Box before. OSE just has a somewhat special place for me, because it's the game that originally got me into OSR games - Nowadays I play a lot of Into the Odd likes, mostly Cairn.
@@DungeonMasterAcademy Wight-Box is the creation of Jon Torres, aka TheBasicExpert. He's an artist and game designer. One of his games was reviewed by Tim Kask, "the best designed game I have read in the last 30 years."
I started playing D&D in 1978, I usually as a DM gave first level characters max HP, since a wizard would only get 4 HPs and was very likely to have to avoid any combat
It's a good overview. I agree the thief could use an overhaul, and some other OSR games do that. I played this in middle school so it shouldn't be to complex for an adult
The thief was a low hanging fruit, I think most people agree that the thief could be better. I love the OSE for its simplicity, and I can't wait to review some other rules light games like Cairn soon.
Nice video! The Thief was overhauled in a zine (Carcass Crawler #2 I think) so that all the skills are a 1-in-6 chance and you can choose to put points into the skills from the start. So you might bump up climbing to 3-in-6 etc. It makes the thief...awesome.
Sounds awesome! I've used the thief skills rules from knock#1 in the past - That also worked great! Right now I play most Cairn, but OSE is still a special game for me. It was the thing that got me into OSR play :)
Thank you! I'm planning to do more OSR adjacent stuff in the future, but I'll do some general GM advice first, trying to find the right balance. I'll defenitely make a review for Cairn 2e, once I get the physical books!
The PDF's of B/X are available on DTRPG. There are instructions online to take these PDFs to format these PDFs for print using services like Lulu. While I enjoy using OSE as a quick reference at the table, nothing beats the original words of Moldvay/Cook.
@@Nobleshield The only thing I can think of is that OSE might be updated and clarified, errata, so to speak, whereas B/X won't be. If that matters, then OSE. Plus, as the video mentions, some adjustments to mechanics were made. It may be a clone, but it's not an exact clone. I can also find OSE for VTT, but not B/X, at least not from the commercial channels.
We're getting into deep nerd territory here! Chainmail is quite different from what we know as D&D nowadays, though if I'm not mistaken. Would you be interested in an actual D&D history dive?
![[DRIP] ‘BILLIONAIRE’ PREVIEW](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/m0eXQD0gIeE/mqdefault.jpg)
Big fan of OSE! Easy to use.
The great usability is what really convinced me to start OSR.
BX is technically the 3rd Edition of D&D, with Original D&D in 1974 being first. The next edition was Holmes Basic, which TSR wrote as an onboarding tool for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Seeing a need for a more basic version of D&D, TSR then tapped Moldvay to create the Basic/Expert line of D&D, which is what OSE is based on.
If you want to play Original Dungeons & Dragons using a clone, find a copy of Wight-Box or Delving Deeper. Wight-Box is a complete game, integrating Chainmail into the pages, rather than suggesting you find a copy yourself. Delving Deeper is OD&D without Chainmail, requiring you to find Chainmail to run the game in it's entirety.
If you want to play Holmes Basic in a clone, you want to find Blueholme. It is a carefully crafted and written reconstructed retro-clone that only goes up to level 3, just as the original Holmes Basic did.
If you want to play 1E in a clone, DON'T. There is no good clone of AD&D. People will recommend OSRIC to you, but that is a trap. OSRIC removes many of the rules that make AD&D the game that it is, such as timekeeping.
OSE is great if you want to play Basic/Expert, but even that clone is not entirely accurate. For example, in the original B/X the DM rolled all damage.
Thank you for this insightful dive into history. I don't think I've ever heard of Wight-Box before. OSE just has a somewhat special place for me, because it's the game that originally got me into OSR games - Nowadays I play a lot of Into the Odd likes, mostly Cairn.
@@DungeonMasterAcademy Wight-Box is the creation of Jon Torres, aka TheBasicExpert. He's an artist and game designer. One of his games was reviewed by Tim Kask, "the best designed game I have read in the last 30 years."
I've just seen it's available in itch.io, thanks for the tip!
yes i do. DnD was actually around since the 70s ;)
I started playing D&D in 1978, I usually as a DM gave first level characters max HP, since a wizard would only get 4 HPs and was very likely to have to avoid any combat
I knew it would happen! :D
I think giving max HP at level 1 is pretty sensible even nowadays.
It's a good overview. I agree the thief could use an overhaul, and some other OSR games do that.
I played this in middle school so it shouldn't be to complex for an adult
The thief was a low hanging fruit, I think most people agree that the thief could be better.
I love the OSE for its simplicity, and I can't wait to review some other rules light games like Cairn soon.
Nice video! The Thief was overhauled in a zine (Carcass Crawler #2 I think) so that all the skills are a 1-in-6 chance and you can choose to put points into the skills from the start. So you might bump up climbing to 3-in-6 etc. It makes the thief...awesome.
Sounds awesome! I've used the thief skills rules from knock#1 in the past - That also worked great!
Right now I play most Cairn, but OSE is still a special game for me. It was the thing that got me into OSR play :)
good vid, yes OSE is one of the best re-interpretations of the OG game. cheers Keep 'em Rollin'
Thank you, doing my best!
Good review. OSE is a decent substitute for B/X D&D, which is long out of print. Liked and Subscribed.
Thank you!
I'm planning to do more OSR adjacent stuff in the future, but I'll do some general GM advice first, trying to find the right balance. I'll defenitely make a review for Cairn 2e, once I get the physical books!
The PDF's of B/X are available on DTRPG. There are instructions online to take these PDFs to format these PDFs for print using services like Lulu. While I enjoy using OSE as a quick reference at the table, nothing beats the original words of Moldvay/Cook.
B/X is print on demand, so I really can't see any reason to get an imitation clone when you can get the real thing.
@@Nobleshield I see this video made it into your recommendations as well. I agree, get the original and use OSE to supplement for ease of tables.
@@Nobleshield The only thing I can think of is that OSE might be updated and clarified, errata, so to speak, whereas B/X won't be. If that matters, then OSE. Plus, as the video mentions, some adjustments to mechanics were made. It may be a clone, but it's not an exact clone. I can also find OSE for VTT, but not B/X, at least not from the commercial channels.
This is not first ediction, basic D&D is actually 2nd edition, chainmail is 1st edition, Greyhawk is before basic
We're getting into deep nerd territory here!
Chainmail is quite different from what we know as D&D nowadays, though if I'm not mistaken. Would you be interested in an actual D&D history dive?
THACKKK- OHHHH… not THAC-zero, mein Freund.
I can make my own words :D
Thanks for the correction though, maybe I'll look a bit less stupid in the future ;)