![]() Thus TSR decided to compile all of the rules into one hardcover book. Though the BECMI set of Basic D&D rules had always been well received, everyone thought it was quite troublesome to go through seven booklets totaling 368 pages when trying to track down a specific spell or magic item. This limitation dovetailed nicely into TSR's other major plan for Basic D&D in 1991. Unfortunately, the Black Box had one problem, the same problem that D&D "Basic" sets always had: it was limited in level, though it actually went up to 5th level, a bit higher than Basic's 3rd-level standard. It was also supplemented by a set of adventures that were almost boardgame-like with their colorful dungeon maps and figures. Approximately a half-million copies were purchased worldwide. The Black Box is reported to have sold quickly and well. The Black Box used cards to teach the game, something that had been advocated by Lorraine Williams based on the SRA reading programs (1957). It was a boxed D&D set that TSR described as "the first truly introductory version" of the game (as they had with every other "Basic" version of the game). The first was The New Easy to Master Dungeons & Dragons Game (1991), called alternatively the "Black Box edition," the "fifth edition," and "ten-seventy" (its product code, 1070) internally at TSR. TSR tried to revive Basic D&D one last time in 1991 with a pair of new rules releases. The "GAZ" line of Known World setting books then stumbled to a halt in 1991, with just one book published in each of the last years.Īlthough there were some new efforts like the "DDA" adventures (1990-91) and the Hollow World Setting (1990-92), it was clear that Basic D&D's flame was quickly fading.Ī Black Box and a Hardcover Book. The rest of the BECMI coded adventures finished up in 1987 other than the production of two final introductory adventures, B11: "King's Festival" (1989) and B12: "Queen's Harvest" (1989) a few years later. The B-series ("Basic") adventures largely ended in 1985. By the mid-80s, when popular books like Unearthed Arcana (1985) and Oriental Adventures (1985) were released, AD&D was clearly in ascendency, and Basic D&D was increasingly becoming the unwelcome relative who'd overstayed its welcome. Unfortunately for Basic D&D, the pendulum began to swing toward AD&D as time went on. That interest was in large part what led to the creation of the B/X and BECMI editions of the game, each of which expanded Basic D&D to allow for even more long-term play. Thanks in large part to the extensive publicity that D&D received from the James Egbert affair, new players were flocking to try out the game, and most of them went to TSR's introductory game - Basic D&D. It had since undergone two major revisions: the Tom Moldvay D&D Basic Set (1981), which was part of the B/X release, and which kicked off Basic D&D in its modern form and the the Frank Mentzer D&D Basic Rules Set (1983), which was the first book in the BECMI revision.īasic D&D had sold incredibly well at first, back in the late 70s and early 80s. Eric Holmes Basic Set (July 1977) - appeared five months prior to the release of AD&D's Monster Manual (December 1977). Even if you don't count that, the first game labeled as Basic D&D - the J. TSR traced the history of the game back to the release of the original D&D (1974). By 1991, Basic D&D was TSR's longest running roleplaying line. The Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991), compiled and developed by Aaron Allston was the triumphant finale to the BECMI edition of D&D (1983-85). Now, more than ever, the DUNGEON & DRAGONS game is ready and waiting for you. ![]()
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