Hail and well met!

[Irda Ranger]

As this is my first post, I guess the first thing I should say is: Thanks, Bill, for inviting me to join the DD! This looks like a classy place and I see I have months worth of reading materials just going through the old posts. There's some amazing content here. Looking forward to it reading through it.

So, I do have a question for the community, but to really understand where I'm coming a little background may be in order.

I have no idea what ruleset my first experience with D&D was, but I'm pretty sure it was some flavor of B/X. I never saw the rulebooks, just my character sheet and some handouts from the adventure (B1-9: In Search of Adventure compilation). That only lasted a couple sessions though. I never forgot it, but it was several years before I found another group to play with. By that time it was the AD&D 2E era and that's what we played. To this day AD&D 2e is the ruleset I have the most experience with. Since then I've played some White Wolf, D&D 3.x and 4E and quite of bit of Iron Heroes, but none of them ever resonated with me the way AD&D did.

Thus, in order to get the fun back, I have decided to "return to my roots", but after reading around on the various boards (EN World, Dragonsfoot, etc.) and gauging the level of enthusiasm and engagement demonstrated by various edition's players, I've decided to play AD&D 1E from here on out (perhaps house ruled to taste, but Gygaxian at heart).

So here's my first question: Should I use the AD&D PHB or OSRIC as my "core" rulebook? My understanding is that OSRIC is just a clarified restatement of the rules without any differences. That being the case I'm leaning towards OSRIC as I see no benefit to using "the same rules, just more confusing". Am I correct in that? Are there any benefits I'm not seeing to the AD&D PHB?

Thanks so much for your thoughts.

[thedungeondelver]

As this is my first post, I guess the first thing I should say is: Thanks, Bill, for inviting me to join the DD! This looks like a classy place and I see I have months worth of reading materials just going through the old posts. There's some amazing content here. Looking forward to it reading through it.

So, I do have a question for the community, but to really understand where I'm coming a little background may be in order.

I have no idea what ruleset my first experience with D&D was, but I'm pretty sure it was some flavor of B/X. I never saw the rulebooks, just my character sheet and some handouts from the adventure (B1-9: In Search of Adventure compilation). That only lasted a couple sessions though. I never forgot it, but it was several years before I found another group to play with. By that time it was the AD&D 2E era and that's what we played. To this day AD&D 2e is the ruleset I have the most experience with. Since then I've played some White Wolf, D&D 3.x and 4E and quite of bit of Iron Heroes, but none of them ever resonated with me the way AD&D did.

Thus, in order to get the fun back, I have decided to "return to my roots", but after reading around on the various boards (EN World, Dragonsfoot, etc.) and gauging the level of enthusiasm and engagement demonstrated by various edition's players, I've decided to play AD&D 1E from here on out (perhaps house ruled to taste, but Gygaxian at heart).

So here's my first question: Should I use the AD&D PHB or OSRIC as my "core" rulebook? My understanding is that OSRIC is just a clarified restatement of the rules without any differences. That being the case I'm leaning towards OSRIC as I see no benefit to using "the same rules, just more confusing". Am I correct in that? Are there any benefits I'm not seeing to the AD&D PHB?

Thanks so much for your thoughts.

My answer, as always: use both. There are many subtleties in Gary's writing that you'll miss with the otherwise excellent OSRIC. It was never the stated intent of OSRIC to "rewrite" what Gary had created, so rules wise, you've got the same stuff. What I would recommend is use your PHB, DMG and MM and when you hit a snag, a point of misunderstanding, and a message board post is going to lag too much (like you're at the table) and it's something you can't immediately ajudicate yourself - go with OSRIC.

[genghisdon]

Hi Irda Ranger, we met above. I have only scanned OSRIC, but I noted differences. Which is better for you I couldn't say. I'd rather play 1e AD&D, especially if you have the actual books. DD is right though, whatever works best for you is what matters.

It's off topic but Holmes, B/X or the later Frank Mentzer version of D&D are all good, playable fun too. Moldvay/Cook B/X is where I cut my teeth & I still like it about as much as AD&D1e. It has a cleaner,more free feel for when I want a little less complexity.

[Drohem]

My answer, as always: use both. There are many subtleties in Gary's writing that you'll miss with the otherwise excellent OSRIC. It was never the stated intent of OSRIC to "rewrite" what Gary had created, so rules wise, you've got the same stuff. What I would recommend is use your PHB, DMG and MM and when you hit a snag, a point of misunderstanding, and a message board post is going to lag too much (like you're at the table) and it's something you can't immediately ajudicate yourself - go with OSRIC.

This. Every time I crack open the 1e AD&D DMG I find some little gem buried away, or rediscover a gem.

[Irda Ranger]

My answer, as always: use both. There are many subtleties in Gary's writing that you'll miss with the otherwise excellent OSRIC. It was never the stated intent of OSRIC to "rewrite" what Gary had created, so rules wise, you've got the same stuff. What I would recommend is use your PHB, DMG and MM and when you hit a snag, a point of misunderstanding, and a message board post is going to lag too much (like you're at the table) and it's something you can't immediately ajudicate yourself - go with OSRIC.

This. Every time I crack open the 1e AD&D DMG I find some little gem buried away, or rediscover a gem.

Wow, blast from the past!

I have come to agree about the AD&D DMG. I got a copy off Ebay some months ago (in fairly good condition too) and it's been a real treasure. The rule set I actually ended up using was Labyrinth Lord (gasp! horror!), but Gary's DMG is still always at my side.

[Drohem]

Muwahahahahhaha!! Necromancy is alive and well!

I didn't realize that I necro'd an old thread.

Oh well, my point still stands, and LL is cool by me.