BECMI Binders

 I saw this post on Facebook a bit ago and I thought it was rather great. This guy, Vinnie Notabartolo, had taken his BECMI books and placed them all in binders. Frankly, I loved the idea.  I had already done something like that for my BX books. Giving me "table" copies so I could put my boxed sets out of reach of the UV light from the office/game room. He looked great, and I wanted to do something similar. So thanks to Prime Day sales, I grabbed some binders, took out my old DriveThruRPG printouts and now I have a complete set.

I also did the backs and the spines.

I didn't get into BECMI until much later in my gaming life. I began with Holmes Basic and moved quickly to Modvay Basic/Cook & Marsh Expert and then on to AD&D.  So BECMI has been a "new" thing for me. But like all recent converts, I am a zealot.

The interiors are from DriveThruRPG PDF printouts, so that is good. This also allows me to put my boxes into the lower shelves, where they are more protected from the light. Also my Masters box set is in terrible shape. 

I'll add more color-coded character sheets, like I have with Raven Swordsmistress of Chaos, back when I did her stats for BECMI.

The binders are 1½" so there is a lot of room left over. I might pick some materials for each to add. I might throw in my B/X Basic and Expert into their respective binders too since I have so many copies of B/X. 

The one I don't have filled yet is the Green Rules Cyclopedia Set 6.

I have an old, beat-up copy that has been missing a cover. I could take it apart and put that into the binder. Might be cheaper and easier than printing one out here at home.

I am happy to have a complete set of these.

Mail Call Wednesday: D&D Basic & Expert in Print

 The BEST version of Dungeons & Dragons in back in print now. The Moldvay Basic book and the Cook/Marsh Expert book are now available in Print-on-Demand formats from DriveThruRPG.

While maybe not as crisp-looking as the originals from 1980/81 are, they are still easy to read and great to have.

The books do compare well, and they allow me to keep them on my desk without worrying about ruining what I call my "museum pieces." 

The Expert book even has a nice little bonus.

A reprint of the 1981 Gateway to Adventure TSR Product Catalog. Though I suppose if I am being nit-picky, this is the one that came with the Basic set, since the one with the Expert set had a picture of Isle of Dread. 

The Dungeons & Dragons Basic and Dungeons & Dragons Expert books will run you $15.99 each. More expensive than 45 years ago, but I guess that is to be expected.

I just got these last night and have not shown them to my kids yet. I am sure my oldest will now want his own copies.

Dice not included.

Now, let's see the BECMI books in print!

New Release Tuesday: Labyrinth Lord, Revised & Expanded

 Not mine, but I am excited for it. Labyrinth Lord: Revised & Expanded, aka Labyrinth Lord 2nd Edition, is now out from Daniel Proctor and Pauli Kidd.

Labyrinth Lord didn't start the OSR, but it certainly propelled forward. 

I have gone into this edition in detail yet, but there are some fun additions.

What does the book have?

For starters, this is Labyrinth Lord. Not Advanced. This is a good take, I think, with the recent announcement of Old-School Essentials favoring their "Advanced" variant. So this is for people who want a true B/X experience. Proctor mentions that the design goal of is really now an extension of the B/X rules, with First Edition material, "while making those rules closer to how we all played anyway." This has always been the appeal for me since the start. 

There is no OGL here. This is released using the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. 

Classes are the classic B/X race/species as class. There are some new ones and revised ones. Brownies and Cyclops are new classes. Burglers, Hobfolk, and Wizards are revised. Clerics, Elves, Dwarves, and Fighters are closest to their B/X forbearers. 

No new spells as far as I can tell. Some druid spells are added to the cleric lists.

There are some fun new monsters. Among them are: Baboon (Higher), Banther (love this guy!), Booglin, Cyclopean and Cyclops become two distinct but related types, Glastig, Goadt (love these guys too), Goat of Calamity, Hawkbear, and more. I won't list them all here, save the surprises.

The monster stats are presented in tables while their corresponding write-ups are separate.  It reminds me a little of how OD&D did things. It saves space on the page for certain.

There are still plenty of wandering monster tables and treasure. 

The biggest addition is the adventure from Pauli Kidd, "The Heart of Traviya" a min-campaign for 1st level characters. Not to give too many spoilers, but the idea the village has been split into three separate but connected worlds is a really fun one. 

We also have our map of the Known Lands from LL1 and a good index.

The layout is clean and sharp. It evokes B/X more than say OSE or ShadowDark does, and at least in terms of esthetics, it works as a successor to the B/X line. Not 100% a fan of the monster layout, but I can also see how it would work well in game play. 

I think Proctor's insight is spot on. A new retro-clone is a step backwards. To move forward the "clones" must evolve and provide something new. This new Labyrinth Lord is the platform for Proctor (and hopefully more Kidd) to do just that. 

Looking forward to seeing what is next.

Fantasy Fridays: Adventurer Conqueror King System

 Getting back to the real purpose behind the Fantasy Friday posts, helping you to find that perfect Fantasy RPG and showing that there is more than just D&D out there. Though today's post doesn't stray very far from D&D.

Adventurer Conqueror King System

The Adventurer Conqueror King System, or more often ACKS, was released in 2012. It was one of the biggest OSR titles released and met with a lot of critical acclaim. I have already talked about it quite a lot here, so instead of treading over well-trodden ground, I'll link out those posts here. 

• A is for Adventurer Conqueror King System
• Tale of Two Games
• ACKS B/XC Or How I commit heresy with Adventurer Conqueror King
• Review: ACKS Player's Companion
• Skylla: Adventurer Conqueror King & Players Companion

I like ACKs. The system is B/X with some add-ons to give me some of the things I miss from AD&D. Plus the Witch class from the Player's Companion is based on my OGC and material I shared with the authors/designers back in their early days. 

Adventurer Conqueror King - Imperial Imprint (ACKS II)

by Alexander Macris, Autarch 2025

The WotC/Hasbro OGL scandal caused a lot of folks, myself included, to re-think their reliance on the OGL. So Autarch opted to revise their core rules into three new books they are calling Adventurer Conqueror King - Imperial Imprint AKA ACKS II.

The books feel familiar:

• ACKS II Revised Rulebook
• ACKS II Monstrous Manual
• ACKS II Judges Journal

I like how the new Revised Rulebook looks like the next scene of the original rulebook.

This system is largely the same, with some of the OGC removed and revised. We are still not deviating far from the D&D B/X standard of 14 levels and some "race as class" ideas, but all in all it is still a very playable system. Converts from OSE or D&D B/X will drop right in, maybe even using the same characters they already were. Converts from D&D 5 or Pathfinder might find themselves wonder where all their "kewl powerz" are.

Where ACKS II shines is in its scope and depth. Autarch has taken what was already a very crunchy, very ambitious game and doubled down. The Revised Rulebook is a beast of nearly 550 pages, the Judges Journal piles on another 350k words of domain rules, economic systems, alchemy, and advice. If ACKS I was about building dungeons and kingdoms, ACKS II is about running empires.

The proficiency system deserves a call-out. It’s the same idea as before, but cleaned up and standardized to cover a wide variety of “skills.” In my opinion, this is one of the better OSR takes on non-combat abilities, and something I’d happily import into other B/X-derived games.  The systems here feels like the feats of 5e (but not 3e if that makes sense) so there is a solid rhyme and reason to them all. Plus the need to spend money and time for training keeps it solidly in the old-school camp. 

The GM's book is filled with great advice. With the vast majority of if compatible with whatever OSR or old-school game you are currently playing. 

The monster book is well organized with one monster per page, art, and plenty of information on each monster. Again, compatible with most OSR games, but especially anything with B/X DNA. Even if you don't play ACKS or ACKS II, this book would be useful. Note, there are no demons or devils in this book so if you need demons, devils or creatures from the "lower planes," may I recommend my own The Left Hand Path - The Diabolic & Demonic Witchcraft Traditions.  Given ACKS compatibility, you could add this as another type of witch tradition.

The overall vibe? If Hyperborea is AD&D wearing a B/X mask, ACKS has always been B/X pretending to be AD&D. ACKS II leans further into that identity. It’s a game that lets you start with kobolds in a hole and end with fleets, armies, and dynasties, something most OSR titles only sketch at. 

A note about AI art. There is a lot of art in this book, and unlike the previous edition, it is all color art. The vast majority is human made, but some of it is AI art. This is according to Autarch themselves. I am not going to moralize on this at all. But you will need to figure out for yourself it this is a deal-breaker or not.

Larina Nix for ACKS II

So a D&D-like system with a native witch, based on my own witch materials? Of course, I am going to try out Larina. In ACKS Witches are a type of Divine Caster, so they use the same spells as do Priests/Clerics.

Larina Nix
Witch (Antiquarian), Level 14 Witch Queen
Human (Rorn) Female, Neutral (Lawful Neutral)

STR 9 +0, Witches are a type of Divine Caster, so they use the same spells as do Priests
INT 18 +3
DEX 11 +0
WIL 18 +3
CON 11 +0
CHA 18 +3

Hit Points: 30
Initiative +0
AC: 1 (Bracers of Defense AC 1)

To Hit AC 0: 16

Paralysis 9
Death 9
Blast 11
Implements 7
Spells 8

Movement
Exploration 120 Feet/Turn
Combat 40 Feet/Round
Charge/Run 120 Feet/Round
Expedition 24 miles/day

Class Features
Traditional Medicine, Brew Potions, Minor Magical Research, Second Sight, Scribe Scrolls, Magic Mirror, Major Magical Research

Proficiencies
 Lore Mastery, Knowledge Occult (x2), Healing, Familiar, Arcane Dabbling, Alchemy, Mystic Aura, Adventuringt 

Spells (Divine)
First Level: Allure, Counterspell, Cure Light Injury, Kindle Flame, Sanctuary, Word of Command
Second Level: Augury, Dark Whisper, Halt Humanoids, Magic Lock, Righteous Wrath, Spiritual Weapon
Third Level: Bewitch Humanoid, Clairvoyance, Dispel Magic, Lightning Strike, Remove Cure, Winged Flight
Fourth Level: Divination, Inspire Awe, Lightless Vision, Skinchange, Smite Undead, Spirit of Healing
Fifth Level: Boil Blood, Communion, Fiery Pillar, Healing Circle, True Seeing
Sixth Level: Arrows of the Sun, Bewitch Monster, Home Ward, Phoenix Armor, Spellwarded Zone

Rituals Known: 7

All in all, not a bad version of Larina. Reminds me a bit of her AD&D 2nd Edition counterpart from my Complete Netbook of Witches & Warlocks. I would like to have pumped up her language skills a bit more. 

Who Should Play This Game?

ACKS is a fine game, it does some things rather well, but it only brings a few new things to the table already crowded with Hyperborea, Old-School Essentials, and original B/X D&D. Mind you, the things it does bring are really great. The organization is wonderful as is the presentation. The monster book is worth grabbing if you play any OSR game, just because it has a great presentation and some new monsters. The new classes are a great addition and I am certain someone out there is using the new classes here in their OSE game or even in B/X. I admit I would roll up a Bladedancer or Elven Nigthblade in a heartbeat. Come to think of it, Taryn, Larina's Half-elf daughter, would also make for a good Elven Nightblade.

Reading the rules will not help you decide if this game is for you over some other OSR game. You will need to play.

What makes ACKS II unique in the OSR landscape is that it doesn’t stop at the dungeon door. It’s not just about slaying dragons or clearing hexes, it’s about what happens next. You claim land, raise armies, chart trade routes, and maybe even crown yourself emperor. The rules don’t just hand-wave these things; they give you the numbers, the systems, and the tools to run them at the table.

I don't think ACKS or ACKS II will replace D&D 5e at someone's table, but who knows, I could be wrong. There is enough here to make it someone's perfect game.

The physical books, especially the limited edition black covers, look fantastic. I am content with my PDFs for now.

For me, it will be a game I reference a lot, but one I likely won't actually play. Though I think I would like to come up with the three Witch Queens (one for each tradition) of the Auran Empire on the continent of Aurëpos on the world of Cybele.

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

It's June! Time for some Summer Gaming

Bowing out of a Monstrous Monday post for today since it is the start of June. 

Historically, around here, June has been my time to devote to D&D, with a particular focus on B/X and BECMI D&D. This year, I was going to focus on FRPGs that were not D&D, but I am going to bend my own rules a little here. I do have a few non-D&D Fantasy RPGs I'll cover this month (3 or 4, looking over my notes), as well as some D&D-related content.

Another theme coming up for me is "1985." Including a few projects I am working on that have that as a connecting theme. One you already know about, you just didn't know that was a theme of it yet. My 1357 DR Forgotten Realms campaign is taking on a solid "1985" feel to it.  Since the campaign setting came out in 1987 and is assumed to be 1357, I am setting by "game feel" for how I was playing in 1985-1986. 1987 was a very different sort of year for me, gaming-wise, so I opted for something more mid-80s in feeling. Plus, my son and I were talking a lot about music from that time (he is really getting into the Talking Heads), so I made a new 1985 playlist for background noise. 

June, of course, always reminds me of summers playing D&D (and some Chill, and some DC Heroes). It was a great time. Yeah, I was also working all the time. I started saving for college in 1984, but it was still a great time. 

Posts this month are going to be around this loose theme and moving me closer to completion for a couple of new projects. Among these are a new OSE "Classic Classes" release, a couple more "Myths & Monsters" for 1st Ed. And a few ideas I have been mulling over that are not really ready for the light of day. This is all still part of my efforts to finish up some of the started, but never completed, projects sitting on my hard drives. 

I am rather looking forward to it all.

New Release Tuesday: The Left Hand Path in Print

I am happy to announce that my newest Basic-Era witch book is now available in print-on-demand.

The Left Hand Path - The Diabolic & Demonic Witchcraft Traditions

https://legacy.drivethrurpg.com/product/519741/The-Left-Hand-Path--The-Diabolic--Demonic-Witchcraft-Traditions?affiliate_id=10748

It looks great with all my other Basic Era books and it is the thickest one yet.

Available in softcover print and PDF.

Witchcraft Wednesday: The Left Hand Path - The Diabolic & Demonic Witchcraft Traditions

 Tonight is Walpurgis Night. Witches fly to their sabbats on the Brocken to drink, dance, and make pacts with the devils and demons. It is a night of evil revelries and will not end until the cock crows at the first light of dawn. 

Sounds like a party! 

Sounds like the perfect day to release my long-awaited The Left Hand Path - The Diabolic & Demonic Witchcraft Traditions.

The Left Hand Path - The Diabolic & Demonic Witchcraft Traditions

Evil!

“Live ... Deliciously.”

There are creatures out there, beyond reality, beyond understanding. 

Mortal kind fear them. Clerics of law and light preach against them. Holy warriors fight against them.

Witches and warlocks seek them out for power over all!

Inside, you will find the witches and warlocks of the Left Hand Path.

• Four witchcraft Traditions
• Three warlock Lodges.
• Evil options for other classes.
• 400 witch and warlock spells. Including 40 witchcraft Rituals.
• 55+ warlock invocations.
• 130 demonic monsters, including Dæmons, Demons, Devils, Eodemons, Lilim, and Yaoguai.
• New magic Items.

Fully compatible with other witch books from The Other Side.

--

At 188 pages, this is my largest witch tradition book. 

It is also, as far as I can tell, the most complete collection of demons, devils, and other creatures from the lower planes for any "Basic-era" book.

There is a print version on the way. I have no end of troubles with Affinity Pro. Basically if I could have done something wrong in my set up, I did. Hope to get it sorted out today.

Until then, Happy Walpurgis Night and Joyous Beltane! 

New Releases Tuesday: The Witch Finder Class

 Walpurgis Week continues.  I have a new release for fans of the Old-School Essentials game (and any Basic Era game).

I mean, someone has to keep all these witches in line.

The Witch Finder Class

I have been tinkering with this one for a while now. Finally came together for me while working on my most recent witch book (spoiler, out tomorrow).

From the DriveThruRPG page:

“We are the fire. We are the silence. We are the last prayer between damnation and the soul.”

- Creed of the Order of Saint Ossian.

In a world where magic and witches are real and pose a threat to law, light, and good, there will be Witch Finders.

Inside, you will find:

- The Witch Finder Half-Class for Old-School Essentials (compatible with other Basic-era games).
- New spells for witch finders (and for clerics if you choose).
- New magic items, including the infamous Malleus Maleficarum.
- Two Witch Finder Orders, The Orders of St. Ossian and St. Werper. United in purpose but divided by methods. 

Requires Old-School Essentials Core Rules.

--

Classic Classes

I am calling this series "Classic Classes," though some are not "classic" per se, save for how long they have been languishing on my "to be completed" lists. I do not have a projected timeline for them all yet, but I plan on completing the Healer, the Sun-Priest (I just need to give it a new name), and a few more. For now, the plan is only to complete my own unfinished work. 

What is a Half-Class?

The Witch Finder is a "Half-Class" that is it is designed to be used along with another class that is the character's primary class. A quick look at the various Witch Finders and Witch Hunters shows they began as something else and continued that.  Cotton Mather (Salem Witch Trials) was a "cleric" first and foremost. Mathew Hopkins (England) was mostly a charlatan ("thief") and even in modern times Robin Sena, aka Witch Hunter Robin, was also a witch herself. 

So by this logic, I created a "Half-Class" for the Witch Finder. This also helps me preserve some of the flavor of my old 3.x era Witch Finder Prestige Class. 

Will future Classic Classes be Half-Classes? No idea yet, but it will be fun to find out.

Monstrous Mondays: Duke Bartzabel

Photo by Alessio Zaccaria on Unsplash

 Progress continues on the Left Hand Path witch book. This is going to be my biggest one yet.

While conducting further research over the weekend, I couldn't help but notice that almost every occult road leads to or from Aleister Crowley. Either he was involved, or he adopted (aka stole) elements for his own use. One such element was the demon Bartzabel.

My oldest and were talking about D&D's Bel and Zariel and how they are fun and all, but they don't really fit with the cosmos we have going in our games. So, Bartzabel came to me at exactly the right time. 

Here he is, as he will appear in the monster section of The Left Hand Path.

Bartzabel

Warlord of Hell, Duke of the Battle Planes

Armor Class: –3 [22]
Hit Dice: 20+80 (170 hp) ******
Move: 120' (40'), fly: 180' (60')
To Hit AC 0: 6 [+13]
Attacks: Flaming greatsword (2d8+8 + 1d8 x2), tail lash (2d4), command (see below)
Special: See below
No. Appearing: 1 (unique)
Saving Throws: Monster 20
Morale: 12
Treasure Type: V, Z (plus magical war trophies)
Alignment: Chaotic (Lawful Evil)
XP: 13,300

Intelligence: Exceptional

The ruler of the battle planes of Hell and the Emissary of War is the great Duke Bartzabel, also known as Barzabel and Bartyabel. He commands Hell’s armies and lays claims to Hell’s Battle Plane. This puts him in direct conflict with Archduke Astaroth, who makes a similar claim. Bartzabel has little time to pursue his vendetta against Astaroth due to his constantly fighting in Hells wars.

Bartzabel appears as a large goat-headed Aeshma, his large horns coming out of the top of his skull. His features are bestial, and he is constantly in a rage. His skin is blood red, and there is an aura of fire and fear about him at all times. On his forehead is a pentagram that burns with a bright internal fire. His lower half is like that of a goat. He appears as a massive red-skinned satyr. 

This devil can attack with his great flaming sword +3 (+8 due to his strength) twice per round, lash with his tail, or take command of any devil lesser than 18 HD. He also has the following powers:

Astral Legion (1/day): Summons 2d6 Spectral Legionnaires (HD 6, AC 2, wielding force glaives). They last for 6 rounds, are immune to non-magical weapons, and follow his commands flawlessly.

Infernal Conscription: Once per round for 3 rounds, Bartzabel may inscribe a glowing war sigil in the air. All creatures of 5 HD or fewer in a 30' radius must save vs. Spells or act under suggestion-like orders (typically: "kneel," "drop weapons," "march into the fire").

Rally: All allied troops within 90' gain +1 to hit, +1 to saves, and are immune to fear. Enemies within the same radius must save vs. Spells or suffer –1 to hit and damage due to strategic intimidation and tactical pressure.

Additionally, once per day, Bartzabel may reroll any failed save, attack, or damage roll—his mind bends fate toward efficiency. This is in addition to the powers all devils have.

When not at war, which is rarely, he can be found in The Fortress of Endless Iron, on the blasted war plains of Hell’s first level. In addition to the legions of lesser devils he commands, he commands the Legion Occultum, a host of infernal soldiers who wield both weapons and spell-etched armor, bound by unholy contracts of obedience. They cast spells and have the powers of Warlocks of level 15 or higher.  He knows all the secrets of war and will impart them to those who can summon him. This includes the knowledge of wars to come.

Bartzabel as a Patron: Bartzabel is very open to warlocks, teaching the arts of war, much like the Grigori did in aeons past. This has led some scholars to believe that he, too, is a member of the fallen, not one of the lower orders of devildom. Scholars point to the Angel Graphiel and how he has not been seen since Bartzabel ascendance. Instead of a normal familiar, the warlock summons a Red Hellfire Imp, a tiny horned figure with parchment wings bearing Bartzabel’s sigil. It grants a +2 bonus to the warlock’s initiative and to hit rolls. Damage-causing spells always inflict an extra +1 point of damage.

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Find Duke Bartzabel along with 125+ other demons, devils, and more in The Left Hand Path, the Diabolic & Demonic Witchcraft Traditions.

Witchcraft Wednesday: The Left Hand Path

 It's been a bit since I last did this. So, let's get it going. I have a NEW Witch book coming out!

What can I say about this one?

Well, I think this will be my last "Basic-era" witch book. Yeah, I have said that before. 

You can see on the cover that the "banner" is for "Basic-Era Compatible," so not specifically Labyrinth Lord, Blueholme, Old-School Essentials, or ShadowDark. But rather a Basic system that can support them all (most of all) including a BECMI game I have been playing off and on for a bit.

All my witch books have a ruleset focus, as well as what I call a playstyle focus. This one is for all Basic rules, and the playstyle is how I was playing in 1985-86.  A time when the games I ran still had a bit of Basic & Expert in them, but I using AD&D.  This one is written from a point of view that we got that B/X Companion rules we had been promised. In the 1980s I wasn't playing BECMI yet.

I am also writing this from the perspective of the two major outbreaks of the Satanic Panic. The First was obviously the Witch Craze in Europe from the 15th century to the 18th. Witches in this book engage in activities that people believed witches did back then. I am also using notions from the 20th century Satanic Panic. D&D and Witches have always had a lot in common. 

And this one is huge. Here is a breakdown of the monsters and spells.

One of the reasons this has so many monsters in it is the notion that where there are witches, there are demons and devils. Additionally, I have many demons that I've posted here on The Other Side; this was an opportunity to collect them. Yes, I still want to complete my Basic Bestiaries; I just lack enough artwork.

As far as demons and devils go, I'll say I have the Usual Suspects here and lots of my own.

"The Usual Suspects" Demon Line-up JE Shields art

I am certainly going to be talking about this one a bit over the next month.

My target release date in Walpurgis Night, April 30, which is five weeks from right now. Yikes!

All the writing is done. I am in heavy edit mode now.

I am on "pink" pages now

Did I mention that this thing is huge? No idea on total page count yet. That will change a lot between now and then, but this is crazy. 

I really hope you enjoy this one. I have had a blast working on it. 

New Releases Tuesday: The Swan Maiden Class

 I have a new release for fans of the Old-School Essentials game (and any Basic Era game).

The Swan Maiden Class

Whether you are a fan of Poul Anderson's "Three Hearts and Three Lions," or old Welsh myth and tales of the Gwragedd Annwn, or the Swanmay from AD&D, this is the class for you.

From the DriveThruRPG page.

The swan maiden has appeared in the pages of literature and tales of legend. Many of which were the foundational tales of the Fantasy RPG hobby.  In this new supplement, you can now play as a member of this shapeshifting sorority of protectors of the natural world.

Inside, you will find:

- The Swan Maiden Class for Old-School Essentials (compatible with other Basic-era games).
- New spells for the swan maiden (and for rangers and druids if you choose).
- New magic items, including their fabled Cloak of Feathers.
- Alternate swan maidens including the Gwragedd Annwn, Crane Wives, and the evil Strix.

Requires Old-School Essentials Core Rules.

One and Two-page spreads are offered.

Classic Classes

This class came about while I was going through all of the material I was bequeathed from my late friend and former DM R. Michael Grenda. He had so much unfinished work here that it reminded me of my own oft-mentioned unfinished classes I have. So, I resolved to finish them up this year. This is the first.

I am calling this series "Classic Classes," though some are not "classic" per se, save for how long they have been languishing on my "to be completed" lists. I do not have a projected timeline for them all yet, but I plan on completing the Healer, the Sun-Priest (I just need to give it a new name), and a few more. For now, the plan is only to complete my own unfinished work. Grenda had his reasons for not wanting his published, and I have to respect that. However, some, like the Swan Maiden here, will get pushed up the line because of material of his I have read. 

Though there is a "Classic" in another sense. I have been going through and rereading all the Appendix N works and many of the "Further Reading" mentioned in the D&D Basic book from Tom Moldvay. So, my opinions on what those classes will do will be informed by those readings.

I am most likely to publish these for the Old-School Essentials RPG. I like the rule set, and the levels 1-14 are a nice sweet spot. But I leave myself open to whatever system works the best. 

Most of these classes will be classes I was working on at the same time I first developed my witch class. Some might even have some cross-over, but for the most part they will be non-witch classes.

I could not find the option to list this when I set up the title, so I'll state it here. 

This product has no AI art, and no AI/LLM was used to generate text. 

Why would I need AI to generate more text? I have hundreds of notebooks and files filled with notes. The last thing I need is a new way to generate MORE.

The Fearless Five vs Bargle: Basic Characters for ShadowDark

 My foray into the ShadowDark RPG did not begin or end with The Witch. Last week, I was chatting online with someone about my idea for a time travel adventure called "They Keep Killing Aleena," where the premise is a bunch of high-level adventurers go back in time to try to save her life, and the results of that interference. It is not an adventure I have ever finished since a few ideas in it have never jelled right for me. BUT in my research, I did uncover the 3.5 Edition adventure from Dungeon Magazine #150 (2007, Paizo era) called "Kill Bargle" from Pathfinder's own Jason Bulmahn.  The idea has stuck with me for years. It would make for a great convention game. It is a low-level dungeon crawl where you need to, well, what it says on the tin, Kill Bargle.

When I ran T1 Village of Hommlet, I included Aleena, Morgan Ironwolf, Rufus, Burne, and yes, Bargle. I did their stats in 4e Essentials, but ended up running it in 5e. In that adventure, Bargle still kills Aleena and gets away. 

I could not help but think revenge would be nice and maybe someone gathered everyone up to go get him.  

Enter the Fearless Five!

Given the "Women in Refrigerators" treatment of Aleena, I thought it might be fun to grab all the "Basic-era" heroines and send them on a quest to kill Bargle. 

Premise: Skylla, wanting something from Bargle's trove of magic (likely his spellbooks) decides that the only way to get it is to assemble a group of adventures who have a personal grudge against him. Knowing they will never follow her or do what she asks, she gets the one person she knows they will follow. It's just too bad that person, Aleena, is dead.

So, Skylla gets Aleena resurrected (she still has contacts in the cult underworld). She gets Morgan Ironwolf to find her, and then she gathers the Sorceress, Duchess, and Candella together to go after Bargle. Five heroines to kill one villain. Easy peasy.

While I could run an adventure like this in nearly any system, it seems fitting to me to run it with ShadowDark.

Aleena

Ancestry: Human
Class: Cleric, 2nd level
XP: 20 
Alignment: Lawful
Deity/Patron: Madeera
Background: Noble

Str: 11
Dex: 14
Con: 10
Int: 10
Wis: 16
Cha: 16

HP: 9
AC: 15

Weapon: Mace
Gear: Chainmail, holy symbol, backpack, torches, 1 week of rations, wolf 'sbane

Languages: Common, Elvish

Talents
Human: +1 to melee attacks
1st level: +1 to Cleric spellcasting checks

Spells
Tier 1 (3): Cure wounds, Light, Shield of faith

Aleena is a cleric. She was brought back to life by Skylla's intervention but has no memory of the time between then and when Bargle killed her. 

She feels Bargle is a threat to all that is good and lawful, and he must be stopped.

Morgan Ironwolf

Ancestry: Human
Class: Fighter, level 3
XP: 34
Alignment: Lawful
Deity/Patron: None
Background: Soldier

Str: 16
Dex: 13
Con: 14
Int: 7
Wis: 9
Cha: 8

HP: 21
AC: 14

Weapon: Longsword
Gear: Chainmail, bow and arrows, quiver, 5 silver arrows, 50' rope, 10' pole, 6 torches, 1 week rations, 1 qt wine, large sack

Languages: Common, Goblin

Talents
Human: +2 to Strength
1st level: +2 to Constitution
3rd level: +1 to melee and ranged attacks

Morgan thinks of Aleena as a little sister who needs protecting; as such, she blames herself for Aleena getting killed. She would go after Bargle for free just to have the pleasure of killing him herself. 

The Sorceress

Ancestry: Human
Class: Wizard 3rd level
XP: 35
Alignment: Lawful
Deity/Patron: Ord
Background: Wizard's Apprentice

Str: 10
Dex: 14
Con: 12
Int: 18
Wis: 10
Cha: 13

HP: 10
AC: 13

Weapon: Staff
Gear: 6 torches, 1 week rations, large sack, spellbook, bag of spell components

Languages: Common, Elvish

Talents
Human: +2 to Intelligence
1st level: Advantage on one Spell: Magic Missile
3rd level: Advantage on one Spell: Burning Hands

Spells
Tier 1 (4): Magic missile, Mage armor, Light, Burning hands
Tier 2 (2): Detect thoughts, Invisible

The Sorceress knows the group is getting played by Skylla. She is friends with Morgan and wants to make sure everyone comes out of this alive. The chance to rummage through Bargle's collection of magic is an added bonus. 

Duchess

Ancestry: Human
Class: Thief, 5th level 
XP: 55
Alignment: Neutral 
Deity/Patron: None
Background: Thieves Guild

Str: 11
Dex: 16
Con: 18
Int: 12
Wis: 15
Cha: 15

HP: 17
AC: 14

Weapon: Longsword
Gear: Leather armor, short bow and arrows, quiver, thieves tools, 50' rope, 10' pole, 6 torches, 1 week rations, 5 qts wine, large sack

Languages: Common, Dwarvish

Talents
Human: +2 Charisma
1st level: +1 to melee and ranged attacks
3rd level: +2 to dexterity
5th level: +1 (+2 total) to melee and ranged attacks

And her partner in crime:

Candella

Ancestry: Human
Class: Thief, 5th level
XP: 56
Alignment: Neutral 
Deity/Patron: None
Background: Urchin

Str: 12
Dex: 17
Con: 15
Int: 15
Wis: 13
Cha: 14

HP: 14
AC: 14

Weapon: Short sword
Gear: Leather armor, short bow and arrows, quiver, thieves tools, 25' rope, 7 torches, 1 week rations, 3 qts wine, large sack

Languages: Common, Goblin

Talents
Human: +2 to Dexterity
1st level: +2 to Strength
3rd level: +1 to melee and ranged attacks
5th level: Backstab +1 dice of damage

Bargle hired Duchess and Candella to retrieve an item for him. He meant for them to get killed, but they ended up in jail instead. Worse, he never paid them for the item. They are in it for the money and revenge, but mainly for the money.

Skylla

Ancestry: Human
Class: Witch, 6th level
XP: 64
Alignment: Chaotic
Deity/Patron: Baba Yaga
Background: Cultist

Str: 9
Dex: 11
Con: 10
Int: 12
Wis: 11
Cha: 15

HP: 16
AC: 11

Weapon: Staff
Gear: 3 torches, 1-week rations, large sack, bag of spell components

Languages: Common, Diabolic

Familiars: Raven, Owl (+1 to Wisdom checks)

Talents
Human: +1 to occult spellcasting checks
1st level: +2 to Charisma
3rd level: one additional witch spell (T2)
5th level: additional familiar (special)

Patron Boon: Learn 1 Tier 1 Wizard Spell: Magic Missile 

Spells
Tier 1 (3): Charm person, Disguise self, Mage hand, 
Tier 2 (3): Call lightning, Light as feather-stiff as a board, Turn Undead (Ritual)
Tier 3 (2): Hag's Illusion (Baba Yaga), Bestow curse

Our "sixth" member of the Fearless Five is the mastermind behind all of this. Well...sort of, she is discovered rather quickly, but her intuition that these women would all do this to get back at Bargle is spot on. Have to figure out who gets the best magical loot between her and The Sorceress. 

--

I love the idea of a distaff "Usual Suspects" or "Reservoir Dogs." I really want to run this sometime. I would love to see how a witch (Skylla) and a wizard (The Sorceress) work together in an adventuring party run by someone other than me. 

And more to the point, I just want to see Bargle get curb-stomped by a bunch of women.