Countdown to Superman: Superman (1978)

 I would not call myself the biggest Superman fan in the world, but I am a huge fan.  He was one of the first superheroes I ever knew about, right along with Batman and Wonder Woman, the "holy trinity" of DC Comics. I knew him from the comics, the cartoons, and the very fondly remembered TV series, "The Adventures of Superman" (1952-1958) starring George Reeves, Phyllis Coates, and later Noel Neill. This established something of a tradition where cast members from a previous version of a Superman film or TV adventures would appear in a newer one. Cases in point, George Reeves and Phyllis Coates appeared in Superman and the Mole Men (1951), and Noel Neill, who had previously played Lois in the film serials Superman (1948).  It's something I always look forward to seeing when a new Superman movie is released.

Given that we have a new Superman coming up and the very first from the newly minted DC Studios, I thought a feature would be nice. So I am re-watching all the Superman movies till July 11 when the new one premieres. 

But tonight, I want to discuss the first feature film of Superman's modern era. The epic 1978 Superman: The Motion Picture starring Christopher Reeve, who would define the role so solidly that many even today have trouble thinking of him in anything else or other actors playing Superman. It also gave us performances by Marlon Brando as Jor-El and Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor. Both of whom also had given their Academy Award best acting for these roles. Brando would go on to be such a pain in the asses for the Salkinds (producers) and Donnor (director) that it would become Hollywood mythology and change the course of the second movie. But I am getting ahead of myself.

Superman (1978)

Unless you were alive then, I can't really describe to you what this movie was like. The hype was through the roof. We had just seen Star Wars and Jaws in the theaters, and the "Blockbuster" was something new and something expected every summer now. I remember seeing this in the theatres and then again right before Superman II was released in a Drive-In. "You'll believe a man can fly" was the teaser, and it was very effective. 

Directed by Richard Donner and produced by Ilya and Alexander Salkind, it was the template for all modern superhero movies to follow. And it was big. Full color, special effects, and that sweeping epic score by John Williams. You almost forget how kinda campy the movie is at times. 

The movie is really three movies. The first is Brando at his scene dominating best. Say what you like about him, the man could act. His Jor-El was so deeply embedded into our collective subconsciousness that they were still making fun of it in Mega-Mind for an audience that wasn't alive when it first aired. 

Our second movie is Clark as a kid. I don't think Jeff East gets enough credit for his portrayal of Clark, but I see his Clark in David Corenswet now.

The third movie is Superman, Lois, and Lex.  Gene Hackman is not best Lex Luthor, but he was a great one. And Christopher Reeve. Honestly, what can you say about him? Rare is the actor who could pull off Clark Kent and Superman. He was great here and even better in Superman II. Margot Kidder was also a much better Lois Lane than I really could recall. 

Some of the scenes are hokey. Clark is a little too much of a dork. The whole "flying date" with Superman and Lois' voice over was really corny then, as it still is now. Ned Beatty's Otis was there as comic relief, and neither Ned Beatty's acting nor Otis' history in the comics can make me look past how mismatched he is with Luthor. 

The much-maligned "Superman rewinding the Earth" seemed less hokey now, if (and only if) I pretended he was flying faster than light and going back in time. He just stuck around near the Earth. But it does show something that later movies/TV shows would almost always touch on at some point: An angry Superman is terrifying. 

Cameos

This is an important factor of Superman media. Here Kirk Alyn and Noel Neill, who played Superman and Lois in the movie serial Atom Man vs. Superman, make a cameo as the parents of young Lois Lane. They are the couple and the little girl on the train. Lois sees 17-year-old Clark running at super speed. 

Future Cameos

Marc McClure, who played Jimmy Olsen, would go on to play Dax-Ur, a Kryptonian scientist living on Earth, in the seventh season of Smallville and a security guard who befriends Lois Lane in Zack Snyder's Justice League and as a different police officer in the Snyder cut. 

Up next, two different versions of Superman II. 

Monstrous...Tuesday? Ghost Lights for Daggerheart

 I am still trying out Daggerheart and having a lot of fun with it. I thought I might try to make a new monster. So here is yesterday's "Ghost Light" as a Tier 2 Solo monster.

Ghost Light, Phantom of the Hills
Tier 2 Solo

A flickering orb of luminous energy born of sorrow and storms.

Motives & Tactics: Drift, defend territory, confuse intruders, escape through fog

Stat Block

Difficulty: 15 | Thresholds: 11 / 21 | HP: 8 | Stress: 4

ATK: +3 | Arc Lightning: Close | 2d10+3 magic

Experience: Local Lore +2, Lightning Affinity +2

FEATURES

Luminous Shock (Action)

Make a standard attack against a target within Close range. On a success, deal 2d10+3 magic damage and the target is Dizzied until they make a successful Knowledge or Instinct Roll.

Shockburst (Action, 1/scene)

Spend a Fear to unleash a radiant electrical burst. All targets within Very Close range must make an Agility Reaction Roll (14). On a failure, take 4d6+4 magic damage. On a success, take half damage.

Beckoning Light (Passive)

While the Ghost Light is in the spotlight, all PCs within Far range must make a Presence Reaction Roll (15). On a failure, they are Entranced until they mark 1 Stress or are attacked. Entranced PCs cannot target the Ghost Light or move away from it.

Confusion Pulse (Reaction)

When the Ghost Light takes Severe damage, you may spend a Fear to trigger a sudden psychic surge. All targets within Close range must make a Knowledge Reaction Roll (15) or become Confused (disadvantage on next 2 action rolls and unable to move away from the Ghost Light without passing another Presence check).

Born of Storms (Passive)

The Ghost Light is resistant to magic and fire damage, and immune to lightning. It ignores terrain penalties due to storms or fog.

Flickerform (Reaction)

Once per scene, when the Ghost Light would be reduced to 0 HP, it can instead mark 2 Stress to vanish in a crackle of light, reappearing at Far range. PCs lose a Hope unless they succeed on an Instinct Roll (14).

Momentum (Reaction)

When the Ghost Light makes a successful attack against a PC, you gain a Fear.

--

I like it and it is a one-to-one conversion really, maybe not the best way to do a conversion, but I am still getting the hang of this system.

Monstrous Mondays: Ghost Lights (Happy Birthday Mom!)

 It's Monstrous Monday again, but more importantly, it is my mom's birthday. Long-time readers will know that my mom was always very supportive of my D&D years, and she was the one who introduced me to horror.  She watched Dark Shadows and told us all the most blood-curdling stories when we were little kids. 

Here is one she loved, and based on some old Appalachian folklore. She told us stories of these things coming into homes and "dancing" around.

Ghost Light
Phantom of the Hills

Frequency: Very Rare
No. Appearing: 1–3
Armor Class: 4
Move: 12", Fly (24")
Hit Dice: 5+5
% in Lair: 5%
Treasure Type: D (found only at rest sites)
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 3d6 electrical
Special Attacks: Shockburst, Confusion Aura
Special Defenses: +1 or better weapon to hit; immune to lightning, fire, charm, sleep, and hold
Magic Resistance: 20%
Intelligence: Low to Average (6–9)
Alignment: Neutral
Size: S (2'–3' diameter sphere of light)
Psionic Ability: Nil
Level/XP Value: V/500 + 6/hp

Description: The Ghost Light is a mysterious, hovering ball of luminous energy, found in remote hills, haunted valleys, and fog-choked hollows. Tales of them span the misty ridges of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Ozarks, and deep forests across the continent. Known by many names, hill lanterns, haint-lights, the watching eyes, they are most common where tragedy, battle, or disappearance has occurred.

A ghost light is softly radiant, its color ranging from blue-white to yellow or even reddish hues. It flickers and pulses with life-like motion, trailing across the air just above the ground, often seen at night but sometimes glimpsed at twilight or during storms. Locals say they are the souls of the lost, trapped between worlds, or elemental forces given wandering thought.

Combat: Though not malevolent by nature, ghost lights are territorial. If followed, disturbed, or attacked, they defend themselves with bursts of raw electrical force. Their touch lashes out in a 30-foot range and causes 3d6 damage (save vs. spells for half).

Once per day, a ghost light may unleash a Shockburst, a radiant electrical discharge in a 10' radius, dealing 5d6 damage (save vs. breath weapon for half). It uses this ability only if severely injured (below 50% hit points) or to escape.

Confusion Aura: Anyone within 30 feet of an active ghost light must save vs. spells or suffer mild confusion (as the confusion spell, but only for 1d4 rounds). Victims may wander off, become dazed, or follow the light against their will. This effect is subtle and described as a “pulling” or “beckoning” sensation.

Ghost lights feed on ambient magical energy, emotional residue, and lingering trauma. They are most active in areas associated with strong sorrow, betrayal, or storm-related deaths. Some say they are formed when a person dies alone in wild country and no proper rites are spoken.

They are neither wholly spirits nor elementals nor 1sae but a strange fusion of all, anomalous phenomena that exhibit traces of intelligence. A ghost light may guide, warn, or even protect travelers if approached with respect. On rare nights, multiple lights dance together like fireflies in some ancient, unknowable rite.

Legends

Old folk claim that if you follow a ghost light, it may lead you to:

• the grave of someone forgotten
• a lost treasure or hidden glen
• your own doom, if your heart is false

Some witches, wise women, and druids seek them out to divine omens or bottle their essence in storm glass lanterns. Others fear them utterly.

--

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Witchcraft Wednesdays: New Witches, Daggerheart & Tales of the Valiant

 I got both Tales of the Valiant and Daggerheart for my birthday. And now both have Witch classes on the way.

I've already discussed the Tales of the Valiant Witch, which is part of their current Kickstarter. 

There is a great overview of this new witch class from Nerd Immersion. I am more excited about it now than before. Give him a watch.

I like how the Witch powers are basically "Bell, Book, and Candle."

I am really looking forward to it. Sucks I have to wait till 2026 for it. 

Of course, Daggerheart has me covered right now!

Over at The Void, there is a new Witch Class. I also really like this one. I am going to have to give them all a try, of course. It's what I do.  I really like that the Witch and Warlock share the "Dread" domain. Really works well for me.

Since my kid and I spent the night last night playing around with Daggerheart instead of our Forgotten Realms game, I figured I'll convert one of our characters.  So here is Moria Zami. 

I have not typed up a Daggerheart character before. This could be fun.

Moria Zami

Level 1
Class & Subclass: Witch (Hedge)
Ancestry & Heritage: Slyborne Human/Infernis
Pronouns: She/Her

Agility: 0
Strength: 0
Finesse: -1
Instinct*: +2
Presence: +1
Knowledge: +1

Evasion: 10
Armor: 3

HP: 6
Minor Damage: 7 Major Damage: 14

Weapons: Dagger. Finesse, Melee, d8+1 phy

Armor: Leather 6/13 +3

Experience
Not so Innocent (Cult) +2 (knows things that an innocent would not know)
Don't Make me Angry +2 (add when angry after taking damage)

Class Features
Hex
Commune

Spells
Blightning Strike, Level 1 Dread
Umbral Veil,  Level 1 Dread

Moria is a young witch. Her mother is a witch, and her father is some sort of devil (Infernis). She doesn't know this yet. All she knows is that she has some magic, which allowed her to kill a goblin who attacked her, and (and maybe more disturbing) she liked killing it. 

Daggerheart is very flexible, so I am saying that when she uses her "Don't Make me Angry" experience, her Umbral Veil becomes black flames. 

I like this build. She doesn't have her little dog, "Mephisto Fleas," as her familiar. She can choose a familiar like power at level 2, so I'll say she has the dog at first level, but no-one else can see it yet. Maybe he is real, maybe he isn't. We won't know till level 2.

I'll see if my son wants to convert his other Forgotten Realms characters to Daggerheart. He ordered the game, so we will see.  In any case, this has been a good time.

Mail Call: Daggerheart is Mine!

 I was supposed to get this as a Birthday/Father's Day gift, but it was backordered. It finally came in the mail on Monday.

The game is gorgeous. Production values are top-notch.

I can easily see this game replacing D&D 5.5 on many people's game tables. My oldest, after flipping through mine, went and ordered his own copy as well. We may give it a run soon. 

But yeah, I am rather excited for this one!

Monstrous Mondays: Rulers of Dragonkind

 Last week I posted about the D&D Rules Cyclopedia, and in it, it had the rulers of Dragons, Diamond, Pearl, and Opal. 

As an aside, I asked. "What if the Dragons were divided like this: Pearl = Chaotic, Opal = Neutral, Diamond =Lawful, Bahamut = Good, Tiamat = Evil?"

Since I already updated and redid Tiâmat for my Left Hand Path book, I thought, why not update the others as well?

I have been working on a Dragon book off and on forever, so I have already figured out various mythological dragons and dragon-like creatures to add. To take inspiration for a Lawful Neutral, Chaotic Neutral and True Neutral rulers of dragons was a matter of going through some material I have already written...and cleaning it up a little. 

So here are the five rulers of Dragon kind, minus Tiâmat. She is already in my book along with Leviathan. 

Note: I consider my Tiâmat to be Chaotic Evil.
Note 2: These dragons are scaled to match my LHP version of Tiâmat.

I'll most certainly redo these over time, like I did with Tiâmat.

Vritraxion

The Star Dragon, Lord of Law

FREQUENCY: Unique (Very Rare)
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: –4
MOVE: 9” / 24” (fly)
HIT DICE: 32 + 256 (400 hp)
% IN LAIR: 80%
TREASURE TYPE: H ×4, I ×3, N, O
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 or by breath/spell
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2–16 / 2–16 / 6–60
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weapons, spells, aura of command
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Magic resistance, immune to illusions, charms, hold, or mind-affecting spells
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 75%
INTELLIGENCE: Supra-genius
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Neutral
SIZE: L (75’ long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

CHANCE OF:
Speaking: 100%
Magic Use: 100%
Sleeping: 1%

Vritraxion is the embodiment of cosmic order, the radiant Star Dragon who codified the pacts that bind dragonkind. His body is a lattice of luminous crystal and stellar fire, and he enforces balance with absolute resolve.

Breath Weapons (3/day each):

• Stellar Disjunction – Cone 8", dispels all magic and slows chaotic creatures for 1 turn
• Law Pulse – 40' radius; chaotic creatures save vs. spell or be banished for 1d6 turns
• Prismatic Flame – Line 10", 90 hp radiant/fire damage, save vs. breath for half

Spells: Casts 3 spells per level (1st–8th); chooses spells related to binding, banishment, light, and planar control.

Aura of Command: All dragons within 240’ must save or be affected as command or geas, lasting 1d4 turns.

Summoning: May summon 2d6 lawful dragons or planar creatures from the planes of Law once per day.

Lóngzihua

The Moon Pearl, Dragon of Chaos and Storms

FREQUENCY: Unique (Very Rare)
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: –2
MOVE: 12” / 30” (fly) / 18” (swim)
HIT DICE: 30 + 240 (375 hp)
% IN LAIR: 70%
TREASURE TYPE: H ×4, I ×3, N, O
NO. OF ATTACKS: 6 (3 bites, 2 claws, 1 tail) or by breath/spell
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3–18 / 3–18 / 2–16 / 2–16 / 3–24
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weapons, illusions, spells
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Displacement aura, blur effect
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 65%
INTELLIGENCE: Genius
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Neutral
SIZE: L (70’ long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

CHANCE OF:
Speaking: 100%
Magic Use: 100%
Sleeping: 10%

Lóngzihua is a brilliant, serpentine dragon whose every movement paints the sky with color and thunder. Her coils shimmer like pearl and stormcloud, and her presence warps fate and form alike.

Breath Weapons (3/day each):

• Prismatic Mist - Cone 8", causes confusion, mirror image, and color spray effects
• Storm Spiral - Line 10", 10d10 lightning + concussive force (save vs. breath for half)
• Moon Pulse - 40' radius; all within must save or go berserk for 1d6 rounds (chaos effect)

Spells: 2 spells per level (1st–8th), focused on illusion, weather, charm, transformation.

Special: Can polymorph at will, and once per day can reshape terrain within 120’ (as hallucinatory terrain + move earth).

Displacement Aura: 50% miss chance from melee attacks.

She can also cast illusions, mirror image, polymorph self, and feeblemind once per day each. 

Anantanatha

The Opaline Coil, Dragon of Deep Time, and Balance

FREQUENCY: Unique (Very Rare)
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: –3
MOVE: 6” / 21” (fly)
HIT DICE: 31 + 248 (390 hp)
% IN LAIR: 85%
TREASURE TYPE: H ×4, I ×3, N, O
NO. OF ATTACKS: 5 (2 bites, 2 coils, 1 tail) or by breath/spell
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3–18 / 3–18 / 2–20 / 2–20 / 3–30
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weapons, dream magic, entropy field
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Time suspension aura, magic resistance
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 70%
INTELLIGENCE: Supra-genius
ALIGNMENT: True Neutral
SIZE: L (80’ long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

CHANCE OF:
Speaking: 100%
Magic Use: 100%
Sleeping: Never

Anantanatha, the World Coil, slumbers beneath the roots of all reality. His voice echoes in dreams, his coils define time, and his presence ensures the turning of the Great Cycle. He is impartial, inexorable, and eternal.

Breath Weapons (3/day each):

• Entropy Cloud – 40’ radius; creatures age 1d10 years (save negates), magic items must save or be destroyed
• Balancing Breath – Line 12", 10d8 damage to all summoned/extraplanar beings (save for half)
• Chrono Pulse – Cone 8", save or be suspended in time for 1d4 turns (temporal stasis effect)

Spells: 3 spells per level (1st–8th), typically divination, abjuration, or dream magic (e.g. legend lore, astral spell, time stop, foresight)

Special: Aura of Stillness: Spellcasting within 60’ requires a save or is delayed 1 round

Dream Gaze: Once/day, forces target into a dream-vision for 1 turn. Target is incapacitated for the duration while they see visions of their past and possible futures.

May commune with any spirit, even across time.

He may also cast legend lore, commune, astral projection, and dream once per day each.

Bahamūt
The Platinum Dragon, King of Lawful Good Dragons
The Silent Pillar, The World-Serpent of Light

FREQUENCY: Unique (Very Rare)
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: –3
MOVE: 9” / 24” fly / 6” swim
HIT DICE: 30 + 240 (375 hp)
% IN LAIR: 75%
TREASURE TYPE: Special (H ×4, I ×3, R, S, T, V)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 or by breath/spell/special
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2–16 / 2–16 / 6–72
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weapons, divine spells, shapechange, fear aura
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Magic resistance, immunity to evil magic
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 75%
INTELLIGENCE: Supra-genius
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Good
SIZE: L (72’ long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

CHANCE OF:
Speaking: 100%
Magic Use: 100%
Sleeping: 1%

Bahamūt is the Platinum Dragon of Heaven, a radiant being of sublime peace and immense power. He dwells in the Citadel Behind the East Wind, said to drift between the Elemental Plane of Air and the Seven Heavens. His vast form gleams like a storm of pearl and silver light; when he breathes, stars flicker and silence falls.

He is the immortal foe of Tiâmat, whom he cast into the Deep in ages past. Though he rarely intervenes directly, his arrival signals the end of great evils and the restoration of cosmic harmony.

Bahamūt may choose between physical attacks, divine spells, or breath weapons each round.

Physical Attacks: 2 foreclaws (2d8+6 each), 1 massive bite (6d12+8), Tail sweep possible if airborne (3d10+6, 180° arc, save or fall prone).

Breath Weapons: (3×/day each), Freezing Wind Cone (8" length, 3" base), 10d8 cold damage, save vs. breath for half.

Celestial Vapor Cloud (40' radius). Save vs. breath or become gaseous (as gaseous form) for 12 turns

Voice of Disintegration (12" line), 10d10 force damage, save for half. Structures suffer full effect.

All saving throws vs Bahamūt’s breath weapons are made at -3.

Special Powers

Fear Aura: All evil creatures within 120' must save vs. spell or flee in panic (as fear).

Shapechange: Can assume the form of any creature or object at will (as shape change).

Summon Allies: Once per day, summons 1d6 gold dragons or 7 celestial canaries (each a disguised ancient gold dragon of max age and HD).

Aura of Grace: Allies within 60' receive +2 on saving throws, protection from evil, and regeneration 1 hp/round.

Spellcasting

May cast any spell (arcane or divine) of levels 1–8

Spells per day: 3 per level

Casts as 20th-level spellcaster

No verbal/somatic/material components required

Most often chooses dispel evil, true seeing, heal, blade barrier, holy word, gate, and wish.

Fantasy Fridays: Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia

 While my Fantasy Fridays are overtly about featuring fantasy RPGs other than Dungeons & Dragons, I feel a pretty solid case can be made for this as a different game. The truth is that the 1991 edition of the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia is worthy of more love and attention. Well, at least more love and attention by me.

June, after all, has traditionally been my month to celebrate all things Basic-era D&D, and this is a perfect choice. 

Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991)

Edited by Aaron Allston and based on the work of Frank Mentzer, Dave Arneson, and Gary Gygax.

There’s something magical about the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia. It’s not just a book, it’s a time capsule. Released in 1991, this single volume condensed the sprawling BECM,  Basic/Expert/Companion/Master (excluding Immortals, which I'll address later) sets into one massive, 300+ page tome. When the standard was established and continues to be three-volume sets for AD&D/D&D, the Rules Cyclopedia broke the mold, providing everything in one book.

I have already gone on record stating that I didn't pick this up at the time, despite my initial interest in it. I was heavy into AD&D, and as a broke college student, and my drinking spending money was limited. 

One Book to Rule Them All

Sort of. The Rules Cyclopedia was certainly an ambitious project. Take the well-loved BECMI pentalogy and try to rearrange it into a cohesive whole. By this point, we had already had the Original D&D game, which was reorganized into the Holmes Basic game, which was in turn re-edited into the B/X Moldvay/Cook/Marsh books, and then finally those gave rise to the Mentzer BECMI. There was a lot of play and a lot of history here to try to gather together.  The DNA of all of those works is still visible here.

If you are familiar with Basic D&D in its many forms (Basic, B/X, BECMI) you have four basic human classes: Cleric, Fighter, Magic-user, and Thief, and the three demi-human races (races was still used here, so let's stick with that) Dwarf, Elf, and Halfling. Human classes go to an impressive 36 levels. Demi-humans have level limits, but still have ways to improve with experience. There are a LOT of things characters can do in these 36 levels, too. Neutral Clerics can become Druids, Lawful Fighters can become Paladins, and there is more. Magic-users at 36th level get 81 total spell levels. There is a lot more like this. There is also a Mystic class, sorta like the D&D Monk. 

I also still feel that BECMI and the RC have some of the best high-level play advice in D&D. In truth, there is a lot of great "D&D" advice here that is great for any D&D edition, but obviously the best translation is to AD&D 1st ed. Some of this advice does exist in different wording in the DMG. But without all the High Gygaxian. And better organized. 

The trick here is, of course, not how the rules are the same, but how they are different. A great example is how dragons are handled. There are small, large, and huge sizes for starters. Something we would not see in AD&D until 2nd edition. Plus all sorts of Gemstone dragons which include the rulers of Dragons, Diamond, Pearl, and Opal. (An aside. What if the Dragons were divided like this: Pearl = Chaotic, Opal = Neutral, Diamond =Lawful, Bahamut = Good, Tiamat = Evil?)

Lots of fun monsters here and despite the lack of art (or maybe because of) there is a lot of intersting entries. The entry on Monster spellcasters is uniquely BECMI/RC and something I wish I had adapted more back in my AD&D games. 

The D&D planes are covered, similar to the AD&D planes. But only the inner planes are covered. 

Some of the best bits are cover the D&D Game World, Mystara, and the Known World. Here we see a departure from BECMI, where the game world was called Urt and was a living world. The map from the Expert Set is back for the Known World, which we learn on later maps is just a small section of the world. AND the Known World is Hollow, which was a revelation to me when I first read it. I rather love it. 

Appendix 2 covers conversions to and from AD&D, which is rather fun. 

The character sheets are rather plain, to be honest. 

Immortals

I call this one out specifically, because it is one of the main differences between the Basic and Advanced games. In the D&D Rules Cyclopedia, Immortals are discussed, but specific Immortals are rarely mentioned.  Ka, Odin, and Atzanteotl, are mentioned by name and have appeared in other BECMI products over the years.  The conversion notes for D&D to AD&D 2nd Ed in the Cyclopedia gives us this little tidbit:

The Immortals of the D&D system and the deities of the AD&D system should not be converted between the game systems.

They were really set on the whole Immortals ≠ Gods thing. But this works for me since it is possible and even desirable for characters to become immortals. 

The most interesting parts cover the PCs' acquisition of immortality. We would see this again in D&D 4e, though in a different form, the idea is the same. 

Summary

I have not covered this book in detail and certainly not in the detail that it deserves. This is a masterpiece really. 

Larina Nix for D&D Rules Cyclopedia

Larina got her start as a witch in Glantri (the Country) and wanted to move to Glantri City to attend the city's magic school. Of course, this was before I picked up the Glantri Gazetteer. Who knows what I would have done with her had I bought that Gazetteer back then? 

For this I am going to use my "The Witch." While not exactly for the Rule Cyclopedia nor BECMI, but for "Basic-era games" going to level 36. It does work for this and honestly the book was created largely based on Larina as my major play-test character.

"Larina" by Jeff Dee

Larina Nix
36th Level Witch, Classical Tradition
Human Female

Strength: 10 (+0)
Intelligence: 18 (+3)
Wisdom: 18 (+3)
Dexterity: 12 (+0)
Constitution: 12 (+0)
Charisma: 18 (+3) * (+15% XP)

Death Ray or Poison: 2
Magic Wands: 2
Paralysis or Turn to Stone: 2
Dragon Breath: 2
Rod, Staff, or Spell: 2

THAC0: 6
Movement: 120 (40)

Occult Powers
1st level: Familiar ("Cotton Ball" Flying Cat)
Herb Use
7th level: Temporary Magic
13th level: Permanent Magic
19th level: Witch's Blessing
25th level: Ability Bonus
31st level: Timeless Body

Spells
Cantrips: Black Flame, Chill, Dancing Lights, Inflict Minor Wounds, Object Reading, Quick Sleeping
First Level: Bewitch I, Black Fire, Burning Hands, Charm Person, Endure Elements, Fey Sight,  Glamour, Read Languages, Concentration (Ritual)
Second Level: Alter Self, Candle of the Wise, Enhance Familiar, Ghost Touch, Hold Person, Produce Flame, Scare, Suggestion, Calling the Quarters (Ritual)
Third Level: Bestow Curse, Bewitch III, Clairvoyance, Danse Macabre, Dispel Magic, Fly, Scry, Tongues, Imbue Witch Ball (Ritual)
Fourth Level: Analyze Magic, Arcane Eye, Divination, Ethereal Projection, Intangible Cloak of Shadows, Mirror Talk, Phantom Lacerations, Spiritual Dagger, Drawing the Moon (Ritual)
Fifth Level: Bewitch V, Blade Dance, Death Curse, Dream, Endless Sleep, Eternal Charm Person, Hold Person, Primal Scream, Telekinesis
Sixth Level: Anti-magic Shell, Death Blade, Eye Bite, Find the Path, Greater Scry, Mass Agony, Mirror Walk, True Seeing, Legend Lore (Ritual)
Seventh Level: Ball of Sunshine, Breath of the Goddess, Death Aura, Etherealness, Greater Arcane Eye, Insanity, Wave of Mutilation, Widdershins Dance, Vision (Ritual)
Eighth Level: Astral Projection, Bewitch VIII, Damming Stare, Discern Location, Mystic Barrier, Prophesy, Wail of the Banshee, Descent of the Goddess (Ritual), Protection of the Goddess (Ritual)

Immortal Sphere: Energy

This is a good build. This is Larina right before her ascension to Immortality. If I review Wrath of the Immortals, then that is where I will go next.

Who Should Play This Game?

Honestly, anyone who has ever played AD&D or played any version of D&D after this should give this a try. The rules are different enough to be a new experience and familiar enough to make it easy to get into. The Race-as-Class will feel odd to most other veterans of D&D, but it is such an important piece of D&D history that everyone should try out. 

The newer Print on Demand version is reasonably priced and easier to read than the previous versions, but it makes for a great choice for people who do not want to pay eBay prices for it. 

Links

The Known World

Print on Demand Review