Chainmail

Rules for Medieval Miniatures

Writers: Gary Gygax, Jeff Perren

Illustrator: Don Lowry

Version Reviewed

Scanned PDF of 3rd Edition, 7th Printing. The PDF includes bookmarks.

History and Trivia

Chainmail was originally published in March, 1971 by Guidon Games. Starting with the 3rd edition, it was being published by TSR and is now part of Wizards of the Coast’s library of products. Chainmail was the precursor to the original edition of Dungeons & Dragons. In fact, players of OD&D were referred to Chainmail for combat rules. A Print on Demand softcover version is also available.

Is it Pretty?

Chainmail is only sparsely illustrated with black and white art and a couple of what appear to be photographs of terrain. The photos are difficult to make out and may have lost something in the translation to PDF. The font is a bit difficult on the eyes and makes reading a chore. No stars in the pretty department.

Is it Professional?

Looking back on this through a modern lens, the layout is adequate and the writing is well done, if a bit cerebral at times, with only a few editing errors and spelling errors. 1 star.

Is it Useful?

The introduction has some notes on constructing terrain to play out your miniature battles. I have never been one for minis, and don’t have the crafting skills to create playing surfaces regardless.

There seems to be an assumption that players will have a modicum of experience with both miniature wargaming and the historical conflicts which are often simulated with such games. Chainmail doesn’t take much time to explain settings and context and I think the game suffers for it. The rules are also a bit…muddled at times. The types of dice to be used aren’t explained, but most tables indicate numbers ranging from 1-6. The man-to-man rules are even more arcane, with very little in the way of explanation.

This is definitely a game that, at least for me, I would have to see someone play in order to grasp how the game is supposed to play out. The rules just don’t do a very good job of explaining how to play. No stars here.

Is it Affordable?

If this historical artifact is something you want to add to your collection, it will only cost you $4.99 to do so, or $8.24 for POD (Print On Demand). Getting both is the real money saver, though, as you essentially get the PDF for free. Definitely a good price for what you are getting. Original printings go for $300 or more on ebay and other sites. 1 star.

Is it Fun?

Chainmail is a chore to read and certainly not a game I’d ever consider playing on its own. Its ties to D&D are most noticeable in “The Fantasy Supplement” section that comprises the last 20 pages. Several races, monsters, and spells are mentioned that would carry over into D&D. The last few pages are tables that make absolutely no sense to me. No stars.

Conclusion

The main appeal for this book nowadays is its historical value. As a standalone game seen through modern eyes it is incomplete and virtually unplayable unless one already has familiarity with the precepts of historical and fantasy wargaming.

Two out of five stars.

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Swords & Spells

Credits

Written by Gary Gygax

Development by Dave Arneson and Rob Kuntz

Graphics and graphic design by Dave Sutherland

Editing & Layout by Tim Kask

Version

The PDF is a scan of the 6th printing from November, 1979. The PDF has bookmarks

History and Trivia

Swords & Spells is the fifth supplement for Dungeons & Dragons, though it is not called out as such, instead being described on the cover as “For use with Dungeons & Dragons.” S&S is an alternate take on miniatures battles from Chainmail.

Is it Pretty?

The cover, at least for this scanned version, is a sepia shade with artwork depicting two armies coming together centered on a scroll. The interior art is infrequent and lower quality, being a bit cartoony in style.

Zero stars in the prettiness category

Is it Professional?

The layout is good enough though there are no chapters, just various section titles. The scan quality gets blurry on pages that have diagrams. There are a couple of typos here and there. Overall, the book is fine for what it is.

½ star for professionality.

Is it Useful?

While designed for use with D&D to simulate large (ish) scale battles, Swords & Spells’ compatibility with D&D rules is a bit sketchy. And, like Chainmail, Swords & Spells assumes the reader knows things about miniatures wargaming that isn’t exactly common knowledge these days. It certainly isn’t written for beginners.

The game itself seems to involve a lot more bookkeeping and number tracking than I, personally, would enjoy during a fantasy game. The example of play at the end of the book puts the over-complicated nature of the rules on full display.

We’ll go with ½ star for usefulness.

Is it Affordable?

While not as pricey as the core original D&D game and its supplements, Swords & Spells is still $30 or more on the secondary market, making its price on drivethrurpg of $4.99 for the PDF, $8.50 for print on demand, and $10.50 for the PDF/POD bundle definitely the better deal.

One star for affordability.

Is it Fun?

As an adjunct to a D&D campaign Swords & Spells seems clunky and boring. Perhaps played on its own, separate from a campaign, it might be fun for miniature wargame enthusiasts.

While I’m not the target audience for Swords & Spells, I’ll still give it ½ star for fun factor since miniatures gamers might find it a fun distraction.

Where to find it

You can get the PDF (and print on demand) on drivethrurpg listed as Swords & Spells (0e). You can also find original print copies on ebay and similar sites.

Conclusion

As with Chainmail, Swords & Spells is mostly an historical curiosity these days, though I imagine there’s still a few folks out there that might actually play it.

Prettiness: 0, Professional: ½, Useful: ½, Affordable: 1, Fun: ½

Total: 2½ out of 5 stars.

Outdoor Geomorphs Set One: Walled City

Credits

Designed by Gary Gygax

Version

This is a scanned PDF of a 1977 printing. The PDF has bookmarks

History and Trivia

The ancestor of map tiles, flip-mats, and similar products, geomorphs were dungeon or wilderness map sections you could cut out and piece together to make your own maps. This particular product, Outdoor Geomorphs Set One: Walled City, was released in June, 1977. The first printings of the Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set included some geomorphs before they were replaced with adventures.

Is it Pretty?

Since this is primarily a set of maps, there isn’t any artwork per se. The maps look like they are hand-drawn on graph paper and don’t include many embellishments or artistic flourishes. Still, for the time, the maps are well done.

So, we’ll give it ½ star for prettiness.

Is it Professional?

Though hand-drawn, the maps look professional for the time and serve their intended purpose well. The brief text sections are layed out and edited well. It does appear that some of the sample locations at the end of the product are missing, though I don’t know whether thats because of a faulty scan or they were missing in the original print version.

Still, one star for professionality.

Is it Useful?

In addition to the map sections, there is a brief overview on creating towns and cities for fantasy settings. There’s also an extensive list of various occupations, townsfolk, city locales and sample location descriptions for a city gate, a fish market, and a tavern to populate your city with.

The maps are basic but functional. There’s no labels on the buildings but since these maps are intended to be pieced together in multiple configurations, that makes sense and allows individual DMs to sort out what buildings are where. Though not as pretty or detailed as modern map products, this certainly gets the job done and is still perfectly usable today.

One star for usefulness.

Is it Affordable?

$3.95 for 16 pages is not too bad, especially when compared to what the old print copies are going for on the secondary market - $100 at least with some listings going for more than $400.

One star for affordability.

Is it Fun?

I love maps even though I rarely use them. This map set has a lot of possible ways to put the individual sections together and you could have fun just making cities up with them. They are not as visually appealing as modern maps but they still add an extra dimension to the game for DMs and players who like to be able to see the city they are playing in.

One star for fun.

Where to find it

You can pick up the PDF on drivethrurpg under the listing Outdoor Geomorphs Set One – Walled City (OD&D & Basic). Finding an old print copy on the secondary market is going to be a bear. Good luck.

Conclusion

Perfectly useable in modern day games, Outdoor Geomorphs Set One: Walled City may not be as pretty or detailed as modern map products, but it definitely has a certain old-fashioned charm.

Prettiness: ½ Star Professionality: 1 Star Usefulness: 1 Star Affordability: 1 Star Fun: 1 Star

Total: 4 ½ Stars out of 5.

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Dungeons & Dragons Supplement IV: Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes

Credits

Written by Rob Kuntz & James Ward

Illustrations are not credited

Version

This PDF is taken from the original edition premium reprint and is thus titled “Book VII” instead of “Supplement IV.” This version omits the Hyborea and Melnibone sections that were present in the original book. The PDF has bookmarks

History and Trivia

Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes was originally released in July, 1976 and was the last supplement for the original edition of Dungeons & Dragons.

Is it Pretty?

The cover art is new for the premium reprint and replaces the Egyptian themed cover art for a depiction of Thor. Interior art is almost non-existent, consisting only of a few symbols and section division embellishments. What is there is decent enough but the overall lack of artwork makes the book rather bland in appearance.

Zero stars.

Is it Professional?

Unlike previous supplements, this one does not follow the section divisions aligning with the core set booklets. Instead, it is organized by pantheon. This makes navigating the book fairly simple and allows the Dungeon Master to easily reference a single pantheon during play if needed. Despite the general lack of artwork, the layout of the book is functional and, unlike monster entries in previous supplements, statistics are provided with each deity and monster entry. This book is definitely a step up from previous supplements in the professionality of presentation department.

One star.

Is it Useful?

Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes offers stats and brief descriptions for gods and monsters from Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Celtic, Norse, Finnish, Mexican/Central American, and Chinese mythologies. Since it was written in the 1970s and adapted for use in a game, the descriptions are not really accurate to the mythologies, stories, and folk tales from which they are derived.

Each god entry consists of a stat-block, and a brief description of their appearance and powers. Personality, history, and other details are left to the DM to research or invent. There are also some monsters and magical items described as well.

The Norse pantheon get the most detail with several gods having expanded descriptions of their magical weapons, artifacts, and companions.

The Finnish section details heroes who have a variety of powers and items and are equal in power to the gods of the other sections. Mothers get a special entry and a variety of powers, oddly enough.

DMs will find quite a bit of useful and interesting information in this book, though they will need to flesh out a lot of the details themselves.

One star.

Is it Affordable?

With a price of $4.99 for the PDF and $8.50 for the print-on-demand option (or $10.50 for the print/PDF bundle), this is definitely worth the money compared to the $60+ you’ll be spending for an original print copy.

One star.

Note, however, that if you want the omitted sections, you’ll have to pay the extra for an older print copy.

Is it Fun?

Though the details are a bit sparse, there’s plenty here for DMs to add some divine influence into a campaign.

One star.

Where to find it

The PDF and print-on-demand versions of this book can be found on drivethrurpg, listed as OD&D Supplement IV: Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes (0e). Original printings can be found on ebay and similar sites.

Conclusion

Other than the lack of art, this book is a gem sure to enhance an OD&D DM’s campaign. 4 out of 5 stars.

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Dungeons & Dragons Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry

Credits

Written by Gary Gygax & Brian Blume

Illustrations by Dave Sutherland, Tracy Lesch, & Gary Kwapisz; Cover by Deborah Larson

Version

This PDF is from the original edition premium reprint. As such, it is titled “Book VI” instead of Supplement III. The PDF has bookmarks.

History and Trivia

Eldritch Wizardry was originally released in April, 1976. The original cover art was a bit risqué, depicting a nude woman about to be sacrificed.

Is it Pretty?

The cover is new for the premium reprint. Unlike the covers of the core set booklets and Supplements I and II, which are homages to the original cover artworks, this one is a fairly generic wizard. As noted above, the original art was controversial so I imagine Wizards of the Coast wanted to play it safe with the reprint.

The interior art is a bit hit and miss with some being good and some cartoony, particularly the various demons. The succubus and the Type V demon (what would later be known as a Marilith) are portrayed nude, which is not terribly surprising for these particular creatures. Still, it follows the trend in the early D&D products to be a bit on the racy side in their depictions of female creatures.

½ star.

Is it Professional?

As with the first two supplements, this one is divided into three sections corresponding to the booklets in the core set – Men & Magic, Monsters & Treasure, and Underworld & Wilderness Adventures. There are very few glaring typos and the layout is passable.

One star.

Is it Useful?

One of the major new elements in this book is psionics. Psionics definitely adds to the science-fantasy flavor the game has flirted with throughout the core set and the first two supplements. Psionic characters sacrifice some element of their class or even ability scores in order to develop their psionic abilities. Determination of psionic abilities is random and, at least for me, a bit difficult to wrap my head around. The percentage chances of having psionics or when and how powers are acquired are an arcane mess.

We also have druids, which are a sub-class of clerics. They have a few special abilities, most notably shapeshifting, which makes them a bit unbalanced compared to other classes. They have a level cap as a balancing factor but that becomes irrelevant in campaigns that never reach high levels.

There’s a new tweak to combat regarding movement, spell casting, and missile fire that is completely indecipherable. I have no idea what they were trying to achieve with this.

Psionic combat is even worse. Complicated, math heavy, and not something I could even attempt to understand or use in play. Psionics would be improved (and easier to understand) in later editions so I don’t feel too bad about saying this version is utterly unusable as written.

The psionic abilities themselves mostly replicate the effects of spells with only a few exceptions. As such, they seem like an unnecessary and overly complicated addition to the game.

The monsters section introduces several types of demons and a variety of psionic monsters, as well as adding psionics to a few monsters from the core set and the previous two supplements. There’s also some clarifications about how certain monsters interact with ethereal and astral creatures and characters.

The demon princes Orcus and Demogorgon are also introduced. These two powerful entities would go on to have long histories in the D&D game.

The treasure section is all about artifacts. Unfortunately, the DM has to determine the powers of these powerful items, which means it’s a bit of work to get them ready to use in a campaign.

The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures section simply contains new and updated encounter tables.

Overall, Eldritch Wizardry is a disappointment. Only the druid has any real use and that isn’t enough to redeem the head-scratchingly obtuse psionics rules and the incomplete artifacts.

Zero stars.

Is it Affordable?

The PDF is $4.99 which is pretty darn cheap. There’s also a print-on-demand option for $14.99 ($16.99 for both PDF and POD) which is a bit pricey compared to other POD products with similar page counts. Still, compared to the second-hand market prices for original printings, its pretty good, though not as good as it probably should be.

½ star.

Is it Fun?

While the druid would be fun to play and some of the new monsters are intriguing, the psionics system is far too complicated and confusing to be any fun. The artifacts could potentially add interesting elements to a campaign, but the DM is going to have to put in some work before they can be used.

Zero stars.

Where to find it

The PDF and POD for this book can be found on drivethrurpg listed as OD&D Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry (0e). Original printings and the premium reprint can be found on ebay and other second-hand sites.

Conclusion

This product is definitely the low point for the original D&D line. An unwieldy psionics system and DIY artifacts make Eldritch Wizardry a book really only of use or interest to collectors and historians. Three stars out of five.

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Dungeons & Dragons Supplement II: Blackmoor

Credits

Written by Dave Arneson

Illustrations by Dave Sutherland, Mike Bell, & Tracy Lesch

Edited by Tim Kask

Version

The PDF is from the original edition premium reprint released in 2013. As such, it has updated cover art and is titled “Book V” instead of “Supplement II.” The PDF has bookmarks. Note that the product listing on drivethrurpg displays the original covert art.

History and Trivia

Dave Arneson’s Blackmoor setting was one of the original pre-D&D settings along with Greyhawk. As with the Greyhawk supplement, however, this book doesn’t actually provide much detail on the setting itself. Gaming historians have noted that while Arneson gets sole credit for this book, a lot of the material had to be heavily edited and/or rewritten. Supplement II: Blackmoor was originally published in September, 1975.

Is it Pretty?

As with the other books in the premium reprint, the new cover art is well done, depicting a floating castle. The interior art is hit and miss, however. Some of it is excellent and some of it is cartoonish. ½ star.

Is it Professional?

The presentation is reasonably well done and the book is divided into Men & Magic, Monsters & Treasure, and Underworld & Wilderness Adventures sections, to align it with the organization of the core set. The maps for the Temple of the Frog scenario are difficult to read and generally unhelpful. If one wants to run the scenario, alternative maps would be a necessity. ½ star.

Is it Useful?

Blackmoor introduces two new classes (sub-classes actually) – the monk and the assassin. The monk is presented as a sub-class of the cleric which…really doesn’t fit. The monk is its own beast and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons would recognize this by making its own full class. The assassin is a sub-class of thief which makes a lot more sense.

Monks seem a bit overpowered in comparison to other classes, particularly fighters. The monk possesses a variety of special abilities that, even disregarding power levels, make them far more interesting to play than the boring old fighter.

Assassins likewise have several special abilities, though theirs are only a bit better than a standard thief’s (and they have all of the thief’s abilities, albeit at two levels lower).

There is a small balancing factor with these two classes in that they have level caps beyond which they cannot advance. In campaigns that never progress to that point, however, that becomes entirely irrelevant.

Blackmoor introduces a hit location system that would not carry over into future editions. It’s a bit of a mess, really, and can be safely ignored unless you really want to further complicate combat.

Most of the new monsters in Blackmoor are aquatic types so if you are planning on running an OD&D undersea campaign, you will definitely want to have this book. The monsters have much more in-depth descriptions than the monsters in the core set. There’s enough information, in fact, that an entire undersea ecology and setting could be crafted with minimal effort.

Magic items are similarly mostly focused on aquatic themes, with various items suited to underwater breathing and movement.

The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures section is entirely devoted to a mini-setting/adventure scenario entitled The Temple of the Frog. The scenario embraces the science fantasy weirdness hinted at in the core set. There’s quite a bit of detail given, enough to set a short campaign in the area. Given how well protected the temple and its adjoining town are, it would certainly take several levels worth of adventuring to explore the place and clear it out.

The book rounds out with some rules for underwater adventuring to complement the monsters and magic items as well as sections on sages and diseases.

Other than the wonky hit location rules, the book is fairly solid, offering both plentiful material for undersea adventures and a reasonably complete scenario. One star.

Is it Affordable?

At $4.99, the PDF is a steal compared to the $110 or more you’ll pay for an old print copy on the secondary market. One star.

Is it Fun?

The addition of aquatic and undersea creatures, items and rules opens up a new realm of play. The Temple of the Frog offers a ready-made adventure site, though it does require a bit of tweaking from the DM. And, as noted before, the maps are nearly useless. The new classes are potentially fun, but possibly at the expense of the fun of players who choose fighters and thieves. Overall, though, there’s plenty here to keep a group occupied. One star.

Where to find it

The PDF is available on drivethrurpg, listed as OD&D Supplement II: Blackmoor (0e). Print copies can be found on ebay and other sites.

Conclusion

Unlike Supplement I: Greyhawk, this book is entirely optional. That said, it does have some fun material, particularly if you want to run an undersea campaign. 4 out of 5 stars.

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Dungeons & Dragons Supplement I: Greyhawk

Credits

Written by Gary Gygax & Bob Kuntz

Illustrations by Greg Bell

Version

This PDF is from the Original Dungeons & Dragons Premium Reprint. As such, the title is “Book IV” instead of “Supplement I” and the cover art is a new piece done specifically for the reprint. The PDF has bookmarks.

History and Trivia

Supplement I: Greyhawk was released in February, 1975. While one might think this book contains details about Gygax’s personal campaign setting, Greyhawk, it doesn’t. It does, however introduce various elements that would become iconic to D&D as a whole.

Is it Pretty?

The cover art is an updated interpretation of the fighter facing a beholder from the original printing’s cover. As with the other reprint covers, its quite well done and adds a modern flair to an old product. The interior art is from the original printing and is quite a bit better, in my opinion, than the interior art of the core set. As with the core set, there is a piece depicting a bare breasted woman (she actually appears to be completely nude). You won’t find that sort of thing in modern D&D products. The art of the bugbear offers a glimpse of how D&D monsters have evolved over the decades and editions. The bugbear’s head looks like a carved pumpkin, a far cry from the hirsute goblinoid of later versions. One Star.

Is it Professional?

The premium reprint spruced up the appearance of Supplement I as it did with the core game set. As such, its more in-line with the professional standards of modern games than a game of its time. There are a few odd typos here and there which could potentially confuse someone, such as “detect magic” being misnamed as “direct magic.” The book is organized to match up with the booklets from the core set. That is, a section on Men & Magic, a section on Monsters & Treasure, and a section on Underworld & Wilderness Adventures. While it doesn’t have chapters per se, it is reasonably easy to navigate.

There are three issues that must be noted. In the description of the meteor swarm spell, the name Jim appears in parentheses twice next to the descriptions of its fireball effects. I imagine this was done to call out Jim Ward on the power of the spell. Still, it is quite odd and would likely be very confusing for anyone who doesn’t have any knowledge of D&D’s history and creators. The second is simply an error, albeit one that could cause a great deal of confusion. A table noting the powers of flesh, stone, and iron golems appears at the end of the monsters section, right after the description of the giant slug. There’s no descriptions of golems, however, to accompany the table, which might lead one to think the table is somehow related to giant slugs. The third is a much more glaring issue. While describing dragons, the text refers to there being only one Queen of Chaotic Dragons (the being who would become Tiamat in later editions). Next to that is the following statement – “Women’s lib may make whatever they wish from the foregoing.” A completely unnecessary callout to the issues of the time and indicative of Gygax’s generally low opinion of women. That alone is reason enough for me to say zero stars for professionality.

Is it Useful?

Greyhawk rounds out the classic four adventuring classes with the thief. A skills based character could have been called a variety of things and a character suited to adventure-archaeology in the vein of Indiana Jones or Allan Quartermain would have been more appropriate to the dungeon-delving genre of fantasy that D&D focused on. However, the thief is what we ended up with and it has endured through the editions, morphing into the rogue from 3rd edition onward.

Greyhawk also introduces paladins and half-elves and rounds out the existing classes and races with more details. More spells, clarifications on core set spells, new monsters, clarifications on core set monsters, and new magic items round things out.

Combat is updated and improved and varying hit points for characters (d4, d8, etc instead of the universal d6) and varying weapon damage are introduced. Basically, Greyhawk brings the game much closer to resembling AD&D 1st Edition.

The last page of this version is a list of errata. Among other things, it corrects the golem issue noted above.

Greyhawk is absolutely essential if one intends to play the original edition of D&D. It really does complete the game, filling in the gaps left in the core game set.

One star.

Is it Affordable?

$4.99 for a PDF as opposed to $75.00 or more for a print copy on the secondary market? Sold! One star.

Is it Fun?

The thief class adds immeasurably to the party dynamic and the other added details and options really round out the game as a whole. This book makes the original game more fun, or, put another way, makes the original game itself fun to play. One star.

Where to find it

You can find this little gem on drivethrurpg.com listed as ODD&D Supplement I: Greyhawk (0E). Finding a print copy for a reasonable price in good condition is going to be decidedly more difficult. E-bay and other sites usually have copies starting at around $75 and going up from there.

Conclusion

Greyhawk completes the original edition of Dungeons & Dragons and is a must-have for both the collector and at the table for OD&D players. 4 out of 5 stars.

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Dungeons & Dragons

3-Volume Set

Credits

Written by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson

Art by Keenan Powell, Greg Bell, C. Corey, D. Arneson, T. Keogh, and David Sutherland

Version

The product listing on drivethrurpg includes four PDFs – Book I: Men & Magic, Book II Monsters & Treasure, Book III: The Underworld & Wilderness Adventures, and a set of reference sheets with the various tables and such in the booklets. The PDFs for the booklets include bookmarks. The reference sheets do not. The three PDFs for the main booklets are from the Original Edition Premium Reprint released in 2013 by Wizards of the Coast. The reference sheets PDF appears to be a scan from an early printing, but it’s impossible to tell which one.

History and Trivia

The one that started it all. Originally released in January, 1974 by TSR (Tactical Studies Rules), the original version of Dungeons & Dragons was an outgrowth of miniatures wargames like Chainmail. Its history has been extensively covered elsewhere, most notably by Shannon Appelcline in his Designers & Dragons series. The premium reprint that these PDFs are taken from was packaged in a gorgeous wood box along with the four OD&D supplements and a set of dice. I very much regret selling my copy.

Is it Pretty?

The cover art for the three booklets is new for the 2013 reprint and thus has a decidedly more modern flair to it than the original cover art from the ‘70s. The interior art from the original printings is preserved (including a topless amazon) in this edition and is a bit, well, less professional looking than the new covers.

½ star.

Is it Professional?

The layout of all three main booklets was completely revamped for the reprint. I don’t have any interior pages of older printings to compare it to, but it was quite well done. The reference sheets are a bit less polished but still look pretty decent.

The organization of the booklets sets up the Player’s Handbook (Men & Magic), Monster Manual (Monsters & Treasure), and Dungeon Master’s Guide (Underworld & Wilderness Adventures) triad of core books that most later editions would follow. That said, the organization of the booklets themselves is scattershot, making it difficult to create a character or find a certain rule during play. The list of monsters isn’t even alphabetical.

½ star.

Is it Useful?

Its clear from the onset that this game is not beginner friendly. Like Chainmail (which is listed as one of the required items for play), this game assumes some level of familiarity with wargames. There are no patient explanations as the game dives right in from the get-go.

The original edition only included three classes – Fighting Men, Magic-Users, and Clerics. Races include dwarves, elves, halflings, and humans. The non-human races are limited in their advancement, making them a bit less appealing to play.

Monsters are presented in a large table with descriptions following. That isn’t exactly user friendly compared to the monster formats of later editions. The descriptions are mostly limited to game details and composition of forces, offering little to no explanation of what the monsters actually are, what they look like, etc.

Dungeon design, at least according to the advice given in the third booklet, borders on the bizarre. I guess the idea of coherent ecosystems and logical reasons for dungeons to exist hadn’t emerged, yet.

The rules are unclear in most places and/or involve difficult math. I’m not exactly stupid, but, for example, calculating experience points looks like a nightmare with this version. It should also be noted that the original D&D was not a complete game. Chainmail is referenced in several sections, as is Outdoor Survival, a board game published by Avalon Hill in 1972.

So, would I play it? Nope. Zero stars.

Is it Affordable?

Given that original printings of OD&D are often several hundred dollars or more and the premium reprint, also now out of print, is now just as pricey, getting this historical artifact for $9.99 in digital form is an absolute steal. One star.

Is it Fun?

I have tried to run this version of D&D a couple of times and it was a bit of a disaster. I imagine it was fun for folks playing it in 1974 but to a modern audience there just isn’t much fun factor. That said, it is interesting to see D&D’s roots and, from that perspective, it’s a fun read. One more fun little sidenote – the game includes references to Mars as portrayed by Edgar Rice Burroughs, as well as to robots and androids. There was very much a science fantasy element to the original D&D. So, we’ll go with a ½ star here.

Where to find it

The PDF version of Original Dungeons & Dragons 3-Volume Set can be found on drivethrurpg.com as OD&D Dungeons & Dragons Original Edition (0e). Print versions (both original and reprint) can be found on ebay and similar sites but prepare to pay a bucketload of money for them.

Conclusion

Very cool to have as a historical artifact but not really a playable game. 3 ½ out of 5 stars.

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Monster Manual (1st Edition)

Credits

Written by Gary Gygax

Illustrations by David C. Sutherland III, D.A. Trampier, Tom Wham, Jean Wells

Cover by David C. Sutherland III

Version

This PDF is of the premium reprint released in July, 2012. The credits page indicates that this is the 4th edition (of the book, not the game), published in August, 1979. The PDF has bookmarks, though they may be confusing at first glance since they are simply the letters of the alphabet (expanding into the monsters featured in that heading).

History and Trivia

The Monster Manual was the first book released for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, a massively updated and expanded version of D&D. Released in December, 1977, about six months before the Players Handbook, one might wonder what D&D fans did with the book back then while waiting for the PHB. It was likely used as a monster supplement for OD&D and the first Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set, released in July, 1977. Sadly, that basic set is not available in PDF and so won’t be getting a review any time soon.

Is it Pretty?

The cover of the premium reprint is done in a soft brown “old book” style reminiscent of the covers of 3rd edition books. The red dragon art from the original cover is framed in the middle of the cover. Many of the creatures get illustrations which range in quality from cartoony to stunning. Of particular note are the succubus (I imagine a fair number of parents of young gamers were taken aback by that picture at the time), the frost giant (looking rather Nordic), the groaning spirit (nice spectral take on a banshee), the leprechaun (an early example of fourth wall breaking as one leprechaun rides the giant leech and another is taking down the page header for leucrotta at the top of the page), the lizard man (a particularly well done and realistic looking depiction of a humanoid lizard), and the night hag (a rather frightening depiction showing the hag’s face emerging from darkness).

½ star for prettiness mainly due to the inconsistent tone and quality of the interior art.

Is it Professional?

Monster entries follow a consistent format throughout and an alphabetized index of all entries and sub-entries in the back makes finding a particular critter fairly easy, particularly with the bookmarks of the PDF.

One star for professionalism.

Is it Useful?

The first few pages offer explanations of the various terms appearing in the stat blocks of the monster entries.

Most of the monster entries are fairly short, with only a paragraph or two of description accompanying the stat block. Some entries provide stat blocks for multiple different types, such as the six varieties of beetles. Most entries for humanoid type monsters include information on leaders and spell-casters and note the arms and armor typically used.

Some of the more notable critters include…

Demons and devils. I really enjoy this take on lower planar beings. They are restricted from entering the material plane and the heavy hitters have amulets or talismans to which their spirit is bound that serve as a major adventure hook should the DM wish to include them in their campaigns.

Dragons. Being in the name of the game means they get a decent amount of page space. Dragons as presented here are fairly different than those of later editions, having only 8 age categories and having an additional categorization by size. All of the classic chromatic and metallic dragons are here, though, along with Tiamat and Bahamut. There’s a section on subduing and essentially enslaving dragons which, honestly, I’m glad didn’t appear in later editions.

Giants. Drawing from Norse mythology primarily, the giants presented here are the classics that would show up throughout D&D’s history going forward. Cloud giants appear to draw their inspiration from the tale of Jack and the Beanstalk.

Golems. The clay golem is clearly inspired by the golem created by Rabbi Loew in Jewish folklore. The flesh golem, on the other hand, finds its origins in the novel, Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley.

Men. Although they’d be listed as humans these days, later editions often skimped when it came to stats for human adversaries. So, in that regard, the 1st edition Monster Manual reigns supreme, offering a variety of different “men” for players to encounter.

Portuguese Man-O-War. I only note this one because it always struck me as odd to have a creature in a fantasy setting have a name that references the real world. You’d think they would be called Nyrond Man-O-War or something similar. Likewise, the rakshasa’s description indicates they were “known first in India” which seems like an odd thing to put in a fantasy game book.

One thing notably lacking in the monster stat blocks are experience point values. These must be derived from formulas presented in the Dungeon Master’s Guide which is a rather annoying bit of hassle for the DM.

Because of the missing XP, I’m going to give the MM ½ star for usefulness, with the caveat that the monster entries are otherwise perfectly usable at the game table for the most part.

Is it Affordable?

The PDF of the Monster Manual is only $9.99. POD hardcover options are available for standard color and premium color at reasonable prices and both are available bundled with the PDF for an even better deal. Used original printings go for $50 or more on the secondary market and the premium reprint from which this PDF is derived goes for anywhere between $90 and $200 or more. So, $9.99 is definitely worth the investment.

One star for affordability.

Is it Fun?

The creatures in the Monster Manual are drawn from a variety of real world mythologies and folklore, works of fiction (the Lord of the Rings most notably), as well as some original creations and some relatively normal animals and humans.

The variety of critters means the DM will be able to provide players with varied and challenging encounters at every level.

One star for fun.

Where to find it

The PDF, along with standard color and premium color print on demand hardcovers can be found on drivethrurpg listed as Monster Manual (1e). Original printings (with the original, orange spine, or premium covers) can be found on ebay and various other secondary market sites on the internet. Finding an older printing in good condition may be a bit difficult, however.

Conclusion

The Monster Manual in every edition is part of the “holy trinity” of core rulebooks for D&D along with the Dungeon Master’s Guide and Player’s Handbook. In short, the Monster Manual is an essential part of the AD&D 1st Edition experience.

Prettiness: ½ star

Professionalism: 1 star

Usefulness: ½ star

Affordability: 1 star

Fun: 1 star

Total: 4 out of 5 stars.

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