I was  a medic in the Army in Iraq (a  long time ago).....that was a trip alright.
Ground Ambulance!

Two seasons there,
Dust bowl and mud hole!

That's too funny Berta, and Alton we have something in common. I too served in Iraq. I was an Army Military Police Combat Medic.

Ah the good old days, hopefully your tour of the US does not become like other tours you may have been upon!!!

I ran out of time this morning, but I'll update my games later today. Thanks for understanding!

Welcome to Applicant2 -  who is hoping to GM some games for us all.

Welcome!

Thank you! :)

Welcome.

Welcome Mr. NewGM :D

Can anyone remind me what the abbreviation BECMI stands for?

I first thought it was Big eyes small mouth but i believe its actually the old skool starter set for Ad&d so the really old stuff that feels more like math that an rpg.

I don't know what it stands for -  But I downloaded the document that was linked in The Games Offer thread.  It appears to be a modern version of the earlier Red Box and original sets, updated for D20 rules.  The game mechanics look like a simplified version of 3.5 / PF -  with races, classes, feats simplified as well -  there appears to be less opportunity to really optimise a character.

It looks like it needs an imaginative approach to things.  I quite liked it, from my quick look through

yes the context is it is from the old song..."Becmi, becmi mucho"

BECMI refers to Basic/Expert/Companion/Masters/Immortal sets = Red, Blue, Green, Black, Gold boxes, respectively.

 According to dragonsfoot.com

It's an expansion of the early, three-level boxed starter set put out by TSR in the late 70s, under the name "Dungeons & Dragons," and the original rulebook had blue-and-white covers, although the same image appeared on the cover of the box in full color.  The original set came with sufficient rules to play from first through third level of experience with a limited set of character options (fighter, cleric, thief, and magic-user were all human, and demi-humans were as much a race as a class with elves (fighter/wizards), halflings (short fighters), and dwarves (grumpy, short fighters with some stone-related abilities)), some chits for randomization, and an introductory adventure ("B1: Into the Unknown", if I recall correctly).

The set was expanded into Basic (red box, character levels 1-3) and Expert (blue box, character levels 4-14) sets by Tom Moldvay in the early 1980s, due to demand from consumers, and several modules were published to go with them, including the seminal "X1: The Isle of Dread" and "B2: The Keep on the Borderlands".

Just a year or two later the series was revamped under Frank Mentzer, and included Companion-level rules (levels 15-25), Master-level rules (levels 26-36), and Immortal-level rules (actually immortal characters, with a tiered system of advancement that was wholly different from the prior leveling setup).  Even more modules were produced, although, as is normal, the highest level modules were rarely played, since most characters were never played for long enough to go through them.

Numerous retroclones exist, although PDF copies of the originals are available for relatively little money on DriveThruRPG.  It wasn't AD&D, but held some similarities, and was a generally simpler game.

I see, thank you that clarifies a lot. I did start with the old AD&D books (the DMG cover had a green cloaked wizard IIRC), but I did like the customization options of 2e and fell in love with 3.5e because it allows an enormous number of options far away from the old THAC0 system where every fighter was predictable and limitations placed on the races and genders were too restrictive - after my tastes evolved ;)

I have one of those interesting questions.  I know of at least a little cross-referencing between our Pathfinder and our 3.5 PC's

It is my understanding we are doing those cross-overs on a case by case basis.

Es, is an herb witch under Pathfinder, yet knows a single 3.5 spell...(Vigor, lesser )....b/c I asked and..per GM approval.



So if it comes up do we just ask?  Am I correct it is case by case?  Not automatic approval, even if it is the "same thing"?
This message was last edited by the player at 00:11, Thu 23 May.

*Grin* that makes me wonder what you are going to ask me for next :P

One of the problems, and beauties, of having a more than one DM is that we will all have different approaches to things like this -  and there isn't a one size fits all answer.  In my games, I am not bound by decisions Chronicler or Artifex make in their games.  Likewise, they are not bound by any in-game decision that I make.  However, we talk together, and come to agreement, about things that affect Netherworld directly.

As a Planar Nexus, The Netherworld concept makes that work well indeed, as most of the games are played in different Worlds -  they may well be in the same plane, but probably in different parts of it.  Technically, I suppose, both Artifex and I have games in the same Paizo world, but set far apart from each other geographically. Even so, it is probably best to think of them as being in parallel universes, as we take slightly different approaches to our DMing - and we all know that no two parallel universes are exactly the same.  We also have games that mix PF and 3.5 characters in the same party -  but, again, that is a decision for the GM running the game.  *shrug*  It lets us run more varied games, and gives us all more choice of where we play.

In my own case, it is very much case by case. In Esmerelda's case, she has a couple of non-standard tweaks  which don't seriously affect gameplay, but do add individuality and RP opportunity AND fit in with the character concept.  Esmerelda is a unique character, and I might not have let a different character have those particular tweaks.  However, there is (very probably) not another character in the whole (real) world with her build.

In Short -  each GM will make their own decisions on things that affect their game  :)

As for Esmerelda -  when we have finished playing in Al Qadim, I expect to take you off to my homebrew world (Look out Tusk), and then (perhaps) into Paizo's world, possibly close to where my Skulls & Shackles party are playing (although you probably won't meet them).  In each world, you will find different people, different languages, different cultures -  and perhaps even different spells, herbs, weapons and items - and that we may find all sorts of new, and unusual, abilities and spells -  that don't appear anywhere else.  You guys will become some of the best travelled characters in Netherworld :)

Just a heads up that today is the last day of school and my daughter's promotion day. I haven't the time to get my updates in today but will get them done tomorrow morning. Thanks for understanding.

BECMI = Basic, Expert, Companion, Master, Immortal

Basic (levels 1-3):


Expert (levels 4-14):


Companion (levels 15-25):


Master (levels 26-36):


Immortal:


Strictly speaking, this is not the original, first edition of D&D, but almost. It can be arguably said that it is the edition that made D&D a big thing around the world.
If you are familiar with D&D3.5 and PF, you will find relatively simple, with relatively little space for customisation and with rules explained in a relatively open and, somehow, unscientific way. This is the ruleset that initiated so many people all around the world to roleplaying and that will always have its place in their hearts, as it is a "first love" that will always be remembered.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:11, Sat 25 May.

And there's even the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...ons_Rules_Cyclopedia) which combined all five into one coherent whole !  ;>

In reply to Berta Roth (msg # 706):

This retroclone https://www.drivethrurpg.com/e...177410/dark-dungeons somehow retroclones the Rules Cyclopedia. In fact there is a single volume covering the whole range of levels.

Just a reminder that as of tomorrow morning the family and I will be on the road for our 30 days of USA touring. Woo-hoo! I will try to post when I can, and hopefully that will at least be within every 3 days if possible.

Welcome The Director - a new DM to the fold :)  You may know him as Applicant 2, and will have seen advertisements for the game.  I'll get him to set the game up in an open thread, so you can see the intro and rules sets - and you  will be able to see if it appeals to you.   However, we will move it to a private thread when the game gates started.

In reply to The Librarian (msg # 709):

Thank you! :)