- Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set
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Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set 
Author(s) Tom Moldvay Genre(s) Role-playing game Publisher TSR Publication date 1981 The Expert Set is an expansion boxed set for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It was first published in 1981 as an expansion to the Basic Set.
Contents
Publication history
1981 printing
The D&D Basic Set saw a major revision in 1981 by Tom Moldvay.[1] With the revision of the Basic Set, discrete sets of increasing power levels began to be introduced as expansions for the basic game.[2] The Moldvay Basic Set was immediately followed by the accompanying release of the Expert Set edited by Dave Cook, supporting character levels 4 through 14.[3] The revised Basic (Moldvay) rules can be distinguished from the original (Holmes) ones by the color of the covers: the Holmes Basic booklet had a blueprint-style pale blue cover, while the Moldvay Basic and Cook Expert booklets had bright red and blue covers, respectively.[4] The Isle of Dread was included in every copy of the 1980 version of the D&D Expert Set as an example of an outdoor adventure and setting.[5]
The concepts in the Expert Set were drawn from the original D&D set by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.[6] The Expert Set was edited by Dave Cook, and was published by TSR in 1980 as a boxed set with cover art by Erol Otus; the set included dice, and two books—a 64-page book and a 32-page book—with an outer folder.[6]
1983 printing
The Basic Set was revised once more in 1983 by Frank Mentzer, this time as Dungeons & Dragons Set 1: Basic Rules. Between 1983 and 1985 this system was revised and expanded by Mentzer as a series of five boxed sets, including the Basic Rules, Expert Rules (supporting character levels 4 through 14),[7] Companion Rules (supporting levels 15 through 25),[8] Master Rules (supporting levels 26 through 36),[9] and Immortal Rules (supporting Immortals - characters who had transcended levels).[10] The first four sets were later compiled as a single hardcover book, the Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (1991).[11]
This revised version of the Expert Set was revised by Frank Mentzer, with art by Larry Elmore, and published in 1983 as a boxed set with dice and two books—a 64-page book and a 32-page book—with an outer folder.[6]
The 10th Anniversary Dungeons & Dragons Collector's Set boxed set, published by TSR in 1984, included the rulebooks from the Basic, Expert, and Companion sets; modules AC2, AC3, B1, B2, and M1, Blizzard Pass; Player Character Record Sheets; and dice; this set was limited to 1,000 copies, and was sold by mail and at GenCon 17.[6]:147
Contents
The Expert Set rulebook covers character levels 4-14, and details wilderness adventures, placing an emphasis on running a long-term campaign.[6] Players who want further expansion are directed to the Companion Set.[6]
Reception
Additional reading
Reviews: Different Worlds #12 (1981), The Space Gamer #38 (1981)
References
- ^ Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson [1974], edited by Tom Moldvay. Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (TSR, 1981)
- ^ Gygax, Gary (December 1978). "Dungeons & Dragons: What Is It and Where Is It Going?". The Dragon #21 (TSR) III (8): 29–30. ISSN 1062-2101.
- ^ Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson [1974], edited by Dave Cook. Dungeons & Dragons Expert Set (TSR, 1981)
- ^ "D&D Clones!". White Dwarf (Games Workshop) (24): 29. April/May 1981.
- ^ Winter, Steve (2007). "Designer Tom Moldvay". Wizards of the Coast. http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/news/20070424a. Retrieved 2007-10-04.
- ^ a b c d e f Schick, Lawrence (1991). Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games. Prometheus Books. p. 133. ISBN 0-87975-653-5.
- ^ Gygax, Gary, and Dave Arneson [1974], edited by Frank Mentzer. Dungeons & Dragons Set 2: Expert Rules (TSR, 1983)
- ^ Mentzer, Frank. Dungeons & Dragons Set 3: Companion Rules (TSR, 1984)
- ^ Gygax, Gary, Frank Mentzer. Dungeons & Dragons Set 4: Master Rules (TSR, 1985)
- ^ Mentzer, Frank. Dungeons & Dragons Set 5: Immortal Rules (TSR, 1986)
- ^ Allston, Aaron, Steven E. Schend, Jon Pickens, and Dori Watry. Dungeons & Dragons Rules Cyclopedia (TSR, 1991)
Categories:- Dungeons & Dragons books
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