Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Holmes Expert Rules

Every so often I see someone online has created their own homebrew version of "Holmes Basic past level 3" (and even a couple of guides on how to cap a whole Holmes campaign at level 3). Well, didn't you know the Cook/Marsh expert rules were designed for use with Holmes???

I didn't.

I think I kind of always glossed over that little section, or assumed it was referring to the Moldvay basic book; yet it clearly states it is for the D&D book that "has a blue cover with a picture of a dragon on it".

Did anyone ever do this? I mean: start at 1st level with Holmes and move naturally from there to the Expert rules? If so, how did it go?

I know one thing, I shall never refer to Holmes D&D as "Holmes D&D" ever again. From now on it shall be known as "the D&D book that has a blue cover with a picture of a dragon on it".



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5 comments:

  1. Timothy S. BrannanMarch 17, 2010 at 4:45 AM

    While I loved my Moldvay Basic/Expert sets, at the time the thing to do was to start with Holmes and then move up to AD&D.

    Even though they were not 100% compatible I always felt that the Holmes D&D was a proper intro to the AD&D rules.

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  2. TimeshadowsMarch 17, 2010 at 6:18 AM

    When I had read that, I didn't own 'Holmes'.

    Good catch. :)

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  3. JamesMarch 17, 2010 at 4:29 PM

    When I was introduced to D&D, I was forced to play that AD&D thingamajig, thus missing out on Moldvay, Cook and Holmes. I feel cheated. :(

    Word Verification: Homation - I wouldn't touch that one with Your 10' Pole.

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  4. bdfiscusMarch 25, 2010 at 10:29 AM

    Yes, in fact I started with holmes and then went to the expert book... later getting the moldvay basic.. and after that "moving up" (??) to ADnD !

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  5. Hobo OgreJanuary 11, 2012 at 12:55 PM

    "Well, didn't you know the Cook/Marsh expert rules were designed for use with Holmes???"

    They weren't.

    Cook/Marsh was very clearly designed for Moldvay's Basic; all the tables and lists line up exactly.

    I'd always taken the blurb above as a "How to covert" the Holmes Basic so that it would fit with the "new" Expert set.

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