Everything is playing, even if it’s just trying to find a system or generating a character and moving on.
-Geek Gamers, Solo Game Master’s Guide

I’m working on an online character sheet for BECMI. It will save to the web browser’s cache, so be careful not to delete your cache, or at least print out your saved character to make sure you don’t lose your stats if you do clear your cache. I’ll add the link to this post when I have the page available.

UPDATE: BECMI Character Sheets

That link will take you to the BECMI Character Sheets page. You can store multiple characters in the browser cache and switch between them quickly. If you want to back up an important character, create a PDF out of it with the button at the bottom.

I threw this Character Sheet together around 20 years ago. Now that I have time to get back into Role-playing, I’ve tracked it down. Feel free to copy it and pass it around.

becmi_character_record_sheet_v2

BECMI D&D took center stage in the TSR universe with the publication of the red Basic box set in 1983. The Basic Dungeons and Dragons box set was followed up by the Expert, Companion, Masters, and Immortals box sets. Thus the name BECMI D&D. However, it took decades before people started referring to that series of box sets as BECMI. Those of us that played it at the time simply referred to it as D&D, as opposed to the unnecessarily complex AD&D.

TSR ended its support of BECMI D&D in or around 1994-1995, with the end of its support for Mystara (the BECMI realm) in 1995. During that time, many rulebooks, adventures (modules), and supplements were published. Also, three magazines (Dragon, Polyhedron, and Dungeon) occasionally featured articles or adventures for BECMI D&D under the name of “D&D”.

Adventures and articles for AD&D could also be adapted for D&D. It took some guess work to do the conversions. Most of us players and dungeon masters of D&D would not take on the effort to convert AD&D to D&D.

Most players of BECMI D&D adopted the adventures and supplements from the older BX D&D and even older original D&D. We mostly considered BX D&D to be the same game as our favored D&D, just slightly outdated. So many Basic and Expert D&D modules and supplements from 1981 and before were adopted by BECMI D&D enthusiasts. Commonly, you’d see BX rulebooks at the same table as BECMI rulebooks during sessions. No one thought that was strange.

I’m moving closer to hosting some BECMI D&D and Pathfinder 2e Remaster games. I’m planning to host some private one-shots over the next month or two, and depending on how that goes, I’ll decide if the time is right for listing a game or two on Start Playing.

Here is my “About Me” profile from Start Playing.

About me

I first cracked open the BECMI D&D “Red Box” in the early 80s. Magic and excitement hid around every castle, crypt, and dungeon corner. The “Known World” of BECMI eventually gave way to the expansive “Golarion” of Pathfinder 2e Remaster and the endless universe of Starfinder Second Edition.

I love teaching new players the thrill of RPGs, and keep the atmosphere playful, respectful, and comfortably PG. I ask players to do the same. Expect moments of meta-humor, a dash of the “rule of cool,” and an occasional behind-the-screen dice “adjustment” to keep the adventure exciting.

New to BECMI D&D or Pathfinder? No problem! I walk you through character creation, rules, and table etiquette—so you can jump right into the adventure without feeling overwhelmed.

Editor’s note: I ran into a reference to the R-series being created for D&D back in 1982, but knew that BECMI never had an R-series. I asked ChatGPT to research it for me. The following is the result of that research. Remember to check all sources, because LLMs often hallucinate and give made up information. The rest of this article is from ChatGPT’s research.

I’ll dig into whether the ‘R’ series of modules for higher-level D&D players, mentioned in The Polyhedron #005 from around 1982, were ever officially published or developed by Gary Gygax for the RPGA. I’ll also look for any information on unpublished drafts, playtest materials, or whether these ideas evolved into other known modules. I’ll update you with my findings soon.

The RPGA “R” Series Modules – Plans, Publications, and Fate

Origins and Plans for the “R” Series in 1982

In early 1982, TSR’s RPGA (Role-Playing Gamers Association) announced a special series of AD&D modules, code-named the “R” series, intended for experienced or higher-level players. In Polyhedron #5 (April 1982), RPGA coordinator Frank Mentzer (with Gary Gygax’s oversight) revealed that two new tournament scenarios from Gen Con South 1982 would be released to RPGA members as modules R-5 and R-6 by that fall (Full text of “Dungeons & Dragons World – Magazines – Polyhedron Magazine”). This was part of a broader plan by Mentzer – who founded the RPGA under Gygax’s guidance – to create a whole lineup of exclusive RPGA modules. Gygax and Mentzer envisioned using the R-series to expand the World of Greyhawk setting with a new continent (Mentzer’s home campaign world of “Aquaria”). In fact, Mentzer initially intended the R-series adventures to take place on a distant Greyhawk continent called Aquaria (or “Aqua-Oeridian”), potentially forming the basis of a new Greyhawk boxed set (List of Dungeons & Dragons modules – Wikipedia) (Frank Mentzer | Dungeons and Dragons Wiki | Fandom). This ambitious plan had the blessing of Gygax at the time, but it was only partially realized. (more…)