Welcome to Mystara: Rules Cyclopedia 

a note on Demi humans limited level, Chapter 19 page 266 variant rules has options to allow demi-humans to rise to 36th level.

Rules Cyclopedia was such a good book. I am lucky enough to have gotten one when they first came out.

Probably the best RPG book ever published

I still have my copy. Best book I ever bought. And yes it does have options to take demihumans up to 36th level. To take classes. For PCs to dual or multiclass, even has the gnome. All tucked away in the back of the book. Ad&d is backwards compatible to BECMI and there you can take missing monsters and bring them to bear. Miss a spell or want to make a new one? PC's have that option as well worked up just as easily as the mass combat BR's is. So it's nothing to invent a new spell or bring in a spell from ad&d, or any edition really with some mathing and a die roll. It's super easy to just take a spell from later editions and throw it into the mix. Miss feats or want any character to learn say, backstab? Use the weapon mastery as guidelines and work it up. It is really the only book you'll ever need and is easy to tweak to add or take away options at your game's need. Grab a PDF of AC9 and between the two books you'll want for nothing, keep in mind you can simply bring in monsters from the ad&d with little to no changes and you'll be overloaded with things to use. I know people love to look back on B/X as the "oldschoolyist oldschool" version of the game but Mentzer made it cool.

Veteran 21st-century rules DM here, gearing up to run BECMI/RC D&D in Mystara for the first time. Your videos are an invaluable resource. Hyped to see what the old school is all about.

One book, and it contains everything you need. Better deal than the three books needed today. I love it, still have the copy I got for Christmas (from my parents) in either '91 or '92 (more likely '91). It's a bit worn, and the keel had to be taped years (20, maybe?) ago, and even though I've not played for a few years, I still keep in on the shelf and occasionally read something in it. I remember arguments (arguments like only 12-14 year old nerds can have...), with my friends going on about how much better AD&D (2nd Ed.) was. "Look, they even have the price for various spices, food, even rice!" they'd say. "And look at all the weapons and the stats for each! This is so much better, so much detail!" And I said "Yeah, but this one is so much simpler! You just play it! You don't have to look up all this stuff! Don't have to stop every round to check the rules!" We never got to an agreement. All I agreed on was how it was "unfortunate" that demihumans couldn't pick classes. That was better in the other editions.

The first D&D book I personally bought upon my introduction to the hobby in the early 90's and still to this day probably my favorite and most used book.

Looking to snapping this up.again Thanks Drivethru for bringing it back. Waiting for Duchy Of Karamikos to hit P.O.D Was glad to see Hollow World and the Monster Companion book Plus the reprint of The Inn with all those pre gens.

Not sure why, but seeing a pic of Trump holding a DM's Guide just seemed SO funny to me! Thanks for the laugh. Also, good video.

Thinking about making my own setting for D&D: Rules Cyclopedia! :)

I still guard my copy. This was my introduction into Dungeons and Dragons

Yes it was/is the ultimate book! The weapons mastery was so welcomed back then. I allowed my players to do a supervised retcon of their characters because it was sooo good.

I regret all the notes and scribbles I made in my copy back in the 90's while campaigning a group from 1-36. I still have it in great condition, aside from my lists of expanded weapons and weapon skills scrawled inside the cover...🤔 Nah, I don't regret it because I'm never selling this book to anyone. It's one of my favorite treasures. It's mine!

well will say drive thru does have it available for print on demand so that's nice if you want a new copy and not pay a crazy markup

been watching a lot of Mystara vids lately for the memories, but i gotta admit i clicked this one for the thumbnail alone! LOL, all your Mystara vids are great dude, bringing me way back! i started with the BECMI softcovers, the rules cyclopedia was my first hardcover book of any kind that I purchased

Was a time you could pick one up for $7.00 on eBay.

Look at this dragon, just tremendous. You gotta believe me when I say I've got the biggest dragons. And who wouldn't want to see 'em? They're just enormous. The biggest dragons. I dig that Uriah Heep cover Cyclopedia.

Your breakdown of the editions was top notch and on point!

Excellent video! The best review I've seen about the book. By far the deepest. Keep the hard work

amazing thank you. these have really enticed me to continue working on my BECMI collection.

Years later. I really want to thank you for doing this.

It's worthwhile pointing out that the Cyclopedia does leave out one quite important rule - natural healing.

Great, GREAT video. I've owned a copy of this since it came out, and it's the most treasured RPG book I have.

Great thumbnail. "Strength:19, Dexterity 19...." "That's a natural 21 to hit..."

Yeah this book was amazing.

FYI, ordered a hard cover PoD, and got the PDF. I showed the PDF to a friend who always plays elf spellcasters (usually Wizards, but she has played a Druid once). I thought it might amuse you to know that she felt really torn having on the idea of having to choose either Elf or Magic User. ...that said, when she actually looked at them, she found both Elf and Druid appealing, but was unimpressed by the BECMI Magic User.

Great series of videos! subbed and liked

I think the RC left put that in combat you need to declare what you are doing THEN role initiative. Great job you are doing Mr. Welch. I just started a new group and we are running RC. So nice and simple. I love the quickness of combat and we are not using skills. Goes fast.

@15:25 Love that Uriah Heep cover one! ;)

Just got this book. I had an original copy but it was lost to time. Looking forward to having it back in my collection.

I started singing along to the dare to be stupid reference before I even knew what was going on and then I just started laughing

I'm interested in the RC digest of the skills, because that was my problem with the skill system as I encountered it in the Gazetteers, that, like the Gazetteers in general, they were written without reference to each other, and therefore as well as there just being too many, there was no equalization of the skills in terms of value for skill point.

Good vid. Just a minor correction: 2nd edition AD&D came out in 1989 not 1992 and there was another basic ( 2 actually ) product set. The " Black Box " starter set which gets good reviews to learn the game. And there was a hardcover called classic dungeons and dragons.

Love the thumbnail. 😂

When you broke out with Dare to be Stupid" I nearly lost it from laughter.

GREATEST FUCKING GIFT TSR EVER GAVE US

Really good video! Well done very well done

that's good boy....now hold my beer,!

On p.25 of the Moldvay B/X basic book a full days rest will recover 1-3 Hp. Any interruptions to that rest would cancel it.

Never regretted getting rid of any RPG more than Rules Cyclopedia. Love my new POD copy even with the sight cover damage on the back cover. No idea what happened with that. The rest of the book is perfect. Towards the end of the video you show an old copy of RC and the new hard/soft cover reprints. WHAT version of RC is that in the middle and how do I get a copy? I WANT THAT BLACK COVER!

Would you be willing to do a how to play series on "BECMI"/"RC"/"B/X"? Anything from combat to skills etc?

On what page does it cover player potion crafting?

I know it's 5 years old... Man now I understand what old guys mean that the years flew by, but I think by reprinting that Wizards had admitted that the community doesnt like any of the newer ed. that were printed at this point. Yes they are still printing 5th and going onto 6th but I wouldn't be surprised that 6th would look more like adnd.

Is there a print on demand place online that has the creature catalogs? Drive-thru RPG doesn't have it. Just got my hardcover Cyclopedia from them for $25.

@15:45, what version is that in the middle?

Lol at Trump as a DM

Wait...can't wizards get domains as well?

4:25 what is this hideous creature? it looks lumbering and dull-witted but still capable of great evil.

Question: I've found in the past that retroclone rules tend to be more readable (ie I have a friend who will only play 2e, and I have For Gold and Glory so I don't have to read the ramblings of 2e books), but you mention this book being well put together. Would getting the Rules Cyclopedia PoD be preferable to getting Old School Essentials or another retroclone?

The changes I would make to a RC campaign is Ascending AC, Advantage/Disadvantage and Pushing Skill checks (from CoC)

4:22 wait Trump plays D&D!?

Why did you have to insult the game by showing thumbnail of Trump holding the DMG? Gary deserved better. lol ;)

did you HAFTA use trump as a thumbnail we are really trying to forget him down under lol

Love your vids! , But Trump should be no where near D&D.