History TabletopGame / BasicDungeonsAndDragons

* ''Master Rules (Mentzer)'' (1985)
* ''Immortals Rules (Mentzer)'' (1986)

*** As part of preventing the game from getting too complicated, different levels of gameplay are broken up into different boxed sets; Basic (levels 1-3), Expert (level 4-14), Companion (15-25), Master (26-36) and Immortal (Godhood, beyond 36th level). Nowadays, modern [=DMs=] would fret having to dish out another copy of the game because one player reached a level beyond the current set being played. Modern gameplay allows players to continue playing the same game regardless of level.
*** Nonhuman races are considered their own class, so one is simply a 2nd level Elf rather than Elf Fighter or Thief. Though later {{sourcebook}}s do implement the idea of "race plus class" as variants, allowing for players to play things like Dwarf Clerics or Elf Shamans.

* CirclingVultures: Module B8 ''Journey to the Rock''. When the {{PC}}s reach the Cave of Sanctuary they will see sinister vultures circling lazily overhead: they're about to snack on the body of a recently killed gnome.

*** As part of preventing the game from getting too complicated, different levels of gameplay are broken up into different boxed sets; Basic (levels 1-3), Expert (level 4-14), Companion (15-25), Master (26-36) and Immortal (Godhood, beyond 36th level). Nowadays, modern DMs would fret having to dish out another copy of the game because one player reached a level beyond the current set being played. Modern gameplay allows players to continue playing the same game regardless of level.

* MonsterMunch: Basic supplement [=GAZ1=] ''The Grand Duchy of Karameikos'', adventure "Toys of the Madman". The {{PC}}s and a few {{NPC}}s are kidnapped and placed in a dungeon. Some of the {{NPC}}s are there to be killed and eaten by monsters to show the {{PC}}s what they're up against.
* NoCampaignForTheWicked: From the ''Immortals'' boxed set, player controlled {{PC}} Immortals are forbidden to be from the Sphere of Entropy, because creatures from that Sphere are all evil. All Entropy Sphere Immortals are {{NPC}}s.

* TheWarJustBefore: Basic D&D module [=CM4=] ''Earthshaker''. In recent years the country of Stamtral has raided the {{PC}}'s country Vyolstagrad several times, but the two nations are currently in an uneasy peace. If the {{PC}}s don't play their cards right another war could break out as a result of their actions.

TabletopGame/{{Original|DungeonsAndDragons}} | '''Basic''' | [[TabletopGame/AdvancedDungeonsAndDragons1stEdition 1E]] | [[TabletopGame/AdvancedDungeonsAndDragons2ndEdition 2E]] | [[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragonsThirdEdition 3E]] | [[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragonsFourthEdition 4E]] | [[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragonsFifthEdition 5E]]-]]]]]

** 5 g.p. = 1 p.p..

The first revision was published in 1981, edited by Tom Moldvay. It simplified the game further, making it a distinct game system and product line. The most notable simplification is that Dwarf, Elf, and Halfling are counted as ''classes'', not races that could choose a class separately the way humans did; so only humans could play anything but a standard version of their species – i.e. classes are ''archetype''-based. An ''Expert Set'' expansion edited by David "Zeb" Cook accompanying the 1981 version let players advance with these simpler rules up through 14th level. This is often referred to as '''Moldvay Basic''' or '''B/X'''.

''Basic Dungeons & Dragons'' (1977 - 1991) was originally introduced in 1977, and edited by brain surgeon John Eric Holmes.[[note]]Not joking; Holmes was a polymath who, in addition to being a neurosurgeon and lecturer, wrote fantasy/sci-fi novels in his spare time and first came up with the idea for the Basic Set as a new players guide for his home campaign.[[/note]] Originally it was a starter set for new players to more easily learn ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' (which was considered rather difficult to learn from [[TabletopGame/OriginalDungeonsAndDragons the original set]]). The first release only covered levels 1-3, and players were intended to move on to ''TabletopGame/AdvancedDungeonsAndDragonsFirstEdition'' after this. It is commonly called '''Holmes Basic'''.

[[folder:Sets for this line]]

The next revision was the BECMI series of boxed sets by Frank Mentzer (Basic, Expert, Companion, Master, and Immortal, respectively), begun in 1983. This version made the line its own complete game, which extended character levels up to 36th and beyond with the ''Immortals'' set. The rewrite also turned the Basic set into an excellent tutorial for players and [=DMs=] completely new to role-playing games. The rules from the first four of the BECMI series were later compiled in 1991 into the ''Rules Cyclopedia'' written by Creator/AaronAllston, which is still considered a classic.[[note]] I(mmortals) was a separate book/boxset, ''Wrath of the Immortals''[[/note]] A revision of the Basic Set was published in the same year, now covering levels 1-5. This is usually referred to as '''Mentzer Basic''' or simply '''BECMI''' (usually pronounced "beck-mee", although there are a few "bess-me" holdouts!)

[[folder: Sets of this line:]]

!!Tropes in this game include:

* TheWarJustBefore: Basic D&D module [=CM4=] ''Earthshaker''. In recent years the country of Stamtral has raided the {{PC}}'s country Vyolstagrad several times, but the two nations are currently in an uneasy peace. If the {{PC}}s don't play their cards right another war could break out as a result of their actions.

* WanderingCulture: BECMI D&D module CM1 Test of the Warlords: Nomadic barbarian tribes wander the land of Norwold year round. As long as dominion leaders allow them free passage, the barbarians won't cause any trouble. If the dominion leaders do try to block them, they could go to war.

''Basic Dungeons & Dragons (1977 - 1991)'' was originally introduced in 1977, and edited by brain surgeon John Eric Holmes.[[note]]Not joking; Holmes was a polymath who, in addition to being a neurosurgeon and lecturer, wrote fantasy/sci-fi novels in his spare time and first came up with the idea for the Basic Set as a new players guide for his home campaign.[[/note]] Originally it was a starter set for new players to more easily learn ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' (which was considered rather difficult to learn from [[TabletopGame/OriginalDungeonsAndDragons the original set]]). The first release only covered levels 1-3, and players were intended to move on to ''TabletopGame/AdvancedDungeonsAndDragonsFirstEdition'' after this. It is commonly called '''Holmes Basic'''.

'''Basic Dungeons & Dragons (1977 - 1991)''' was originally introduced in 1977, and edited by brain surgeon John Eric Holmes.[[note]]Not joking; Holmes was a polymath who, in addition to being a neurosurgeon and lecturer, wrote fantasy/sci-fi novels in his spare time and first came up with the idea for the Basic Set as a new players guide for his home campaign.[[/note]] Originally it was a starter set for new players to more easily learn ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' (which was considered rather difficult to learn from [[TabletopGame/OriginalDungeonsAndDragons the original set]]). The first release only covered levels 1-3, and players were intended to move on to ''TabletopGame/AdvancedDungeonsAndDragonsFirstEdition'' after this. It is commonly called '''Holmes Basic'''.

* BloodyHorror: Module X2 ''Castle Amber''. One of the castle's features is the Blood-Stained Arch. A steady patter of blood flows from the underside of the arch, with no apparent source. The blood is in atonement for all of the bloody crimes committed by the Amber family.