The Companion Rules - War and Dominion in Old School BECMI Green Box Dungeons and Dragons

[@koboldhelper]

The tie of alignment to actual game mechanics and options is flavor that I miss in latest D&D.

[@solomani5959]

I’m watching this as I sit drinking a coffee in my Companion tshirt with that fantastic green Elmore dragon. 🐉

[@Jackalblade9]

In two....let's be honest, they're not books, in two pamphlets bordering on magazines we have massive expansions to the four core classes, a cursory bone or two thrown the demi-humans' way (not that my nonhuman-playing heart is bitter or anything...), a full war system, kingdom building, monsters, planar travel....and all explained in very clear and comprehensible terms. One has to stand in awe in of that kind of efficiency. There's a definite magic in BECMI.

[@DavidHands]

I still have my 80's castle designs built with defenses for burrowing and flying creatures, as well as my hired staff and their wages. I loved how every box set was a major new stage in a characters life.

[@steveyoungwork]

Wonderful! I will be watching this again!

[@solomani5959]

17:07 this is still the best mass combat system for d&d without playing a war game.

[@becmiberserker]

I also do a video specifically on the War Machine.

[@solomani5959]

@@becmiberserker nice. I’m slowly working through your BECMI content. So will get to it eventually. BECMI was the first d&d product I owned, though I started playing with the previous basic, so this all brings back fond memories. More importantly it’s refreshing my memory of how good this ruleset was. I am currently using OSE Advanced but already seeing things I can take from BECMI and implement into my game thanks to you.

[@Dread-Gazebo]

Man, I never got high enough in BECMI to play the Companion Rules and I feel as if I missed out. 2E came out and that's all anybody I knew played, and then I became a forever DM. Thanks for taking me on a trip down memory lane. I kind of hope that Old School Essentials does a Companion Edition or something. That sounds like a blast.

[@midnightgreen8319]

OSE is just B/X. You can buy the PDF of the Companion boxed set and run it as is

[@ejaedike]

I've always changed the modules over the years to show strongholds and new growing settlements. Used Harn Manor, and Chivalry & Sorcery for economics. Or Kingdom Builder anything to give a living world rather than the increase of remedial game mechanics over time. When you run the option to build strongholds and improve them, someone will jump in with both feet. Then you develop a GM you can be a player in their game.

[@dobo9150]

Omg rules to accommodate the fighter becoming a playable government that helps them become a better fighter. YEEEEEESSSS! This makes my desire for combat mechanics to agrees with Sun Tsu very happy.

[@johndoucette6085]

Adventure X10, "Red Arrow, Black Shield", uses the War Machine rules. The Companion Set checked off both my RPG and Wargamer niches. I loved it.

[@midnightgreen8319]

Domain management is a very underrated part of the game. It's awesome

[@Tabletop_Epics]

My god, that artwork really enhances the flavor of this era of D&D. It was such an incredible representation of the feel of the game, it looked competently and authentically rendered, and it inspired so many ideas for adventures. As one progresses through BECMI it becomes more and more apparent that the neophyte's dismissal of classic D&D is absolutely a foolish move borne entirely out of ignorance. To the uninitiated the base classes seem like boring turn offs, but once you realize where you can go with those classes through the entirety of the BECMI rules, BECMI classes blow those of newer editions clear out of the water. Sure, you can begin with a prestigious Paladin at 1st Level, in 5th Edition, who has probably been given a novel-sized character backstory, but in BECMI you can build your seemingly insignificant fighter into a righteous warrior of legendary renown and play out adventures which will result in a tale worth telling, page count and amateurish writing skills be damned. To create a 5th Edition 1st Level, "Legend" is like someone who buys a chintzy costume store crown and considers themselves a princess. Meanwhile, some seasoned matriarch who has reared a brood and loved and supported her husband for years looks on with amusement and pity. Such is the experience of a Paladin of BECMI as they look on at the silly dabbling of a 1st Level 5e Paladin.

[@becmiberserker]

Love this comment. 🙂

[@stevefugatt7075]

I can imagine it would be a difficult video considering the scope of the ruleset. I bought this years ago and don't ever recall using it with players, however it was a very good tool for ideas and how a game world actually works in a political and economic sense.

[@johnharrison2086]

Companion level play is awesome! I love how you could build a stronghold or choose to wander.

[@johncartwright3130]

Congratulations you opened my eyes to the war machine all over again. As I have said to you in a nother one of your videos, BECM is just your world it's your calling. You just keep on knocking it out of the park. Between you and the Dungeon Minister and Mages Musings and Hexed Press And Bandits Keep, I'm able to get the best B/X and BECM fix on all of KZbin! Also I like the short's with the Conan sound track you have been doing. I truly hope you give those modules the same treatment very soon. All of you guys have inspired me to break open those box sets, grab some graph paper, some pens and pencils and some lovely dice and once again create. Thank you.

[@westmjwm]

Well done on the channel. I haven't ;played DnD for a long time, but this does take me back :)

[@robslide3466]

An epic discussion of the CM rules and all the fun packed into so few pages.

[@Imustscream]

My grandmother had a birthday cake made for me with the cover of this set on it for my 13 birthday the year it came out...Love your stuff!

[@TKFKU]

This was always a fun box to get in to. War MAchine is still one of the best mass combat systems for easy use. You've stopped wandering the world and started shaping it. Instead of clearing out one orc clan, you raise forces and cleared the land of them. Frank has also gone on to clarify you could begin play as druids, paladins, knights, and avengers just keep in mind their powers are levels behind clerics in power levels. Mystics build monasteries. The issue they had with these class options that they were printed later. The down side of not putting it all in one book.

[@CaptCook999]

The Test of the Warlords was the last module that I played in. I finally got 2 of my characters to get their Fanatical Followers. They each fought for lands to rule as did the other players. And we each had to raise armies to hold those lands and encourage citizens to come to our Baronies and settle there. Not an easy task when you are in the cold North of a continent. Towns, villages, settlements, roads, river traffic and patrols to keep it all safe. A monumental task indeed. And don't let people tell you how their characters are so rich... Playing my 2 highest level characters, who were not rich by any means, we were going broke raising and equipping these armies and building our strongholds. And in order to encourage settlers to come you had to give incentives like "tax free" the first year so no income base from citizens. It was the best campaign that I ever played in! More challenging than any dungeon crawl.

[@allenyates3469]

My favorite bit of home brew is that elves gain access to only the druidic spell list. This both helps balance elves and puts the druid class features to an actual interesting use lol.

[@ForeverYoungKickboxer]

Damn, I've been playing 40 years and never even thought of this. Initially, I really like it.

[@solomani5959]

14:46 test of the warlords is my favorite BECMI module.

[@danbrauch4174]

You’re videos are great. If you are having any doubts about your videos, don’t, your crushing this. And you have a great speaking voice to boot. The red box was my first RPG, handed down to me by my older brother to me, aged 9. Loving this trip down memory lane.

[@becmiberserker]

Thank you! I really appreciate that.

[@sunsin1592]

Of all the BECMI boxed sets, this is probably my favorite. I started with Moldvay/Cook B/X, and picked up the Mentzer basic set, but not the expert one, which my best friend bought, so we shared. We both got this and absolutely loved it. Really expanded the games and in general, I think the Companion modules are pretty good. Levels 15-20 are pretty much the sweet spot for me. The Master Boxed set just wasn't as interesting, though we loved the weapon mastery rules.

[@williammoore9794]

This was probably my favourite of the original BECMI sets for a number of reasons. It was the first time we got really powerful spells: Meteor Swarm; Power Word Kill; Earthquake; Raise Dead Fully; Barrier etc etc The cool fighter options (Smash etc). The Name level sub-classes. The Dominion Rules including jousts and mass combat. Some great magic items (+5 swords!). Fantastic high level Undead - the Druj my personal favourite. And finally: some properly powerful dragons! It's a shame neutral travelling fighters don't get a Paladin alternative. I seem to remember Bruce Heard in Dragon Magazine suggesting an alternative (the Defender?) to fill the gap. It's also a bit weird that most of the Dominion Rules seem to be focussed on Western medieval feudalism yet none of the Known World states meet that archetype. Not that this is a criticism of these rules. Look forward to the next video and the paths to immortality!

[@andrewhaldenby4949]

Your explanations are really bringing these rules to life - thank you. I can now see the fun of having a little dominion and growing it

[@PaladinDusty]

Subscribed. You're just casual, pleasant, and informative. Very nice.

[@jeffreymoynagh5439]

This is my favorite part of the game

[@lanir9543]

When I first started playing I mostly transitioned to AD&D 2e rather than follow the BECMI line. A few years ago I even ran a 2e campaign for younger players who got their start with 3.x and this transition from normal adventurer to having a greater role in the world is where I lost them. Some PCs were moving toward to a more freelance travelling adventurer style and others had ties that were becoming more important. I didn't have the sort of structure the Companion Rules provide so I was winging it. 2e suggests this style of play exists but it can all be summed up as "some classes can make strongholds and get followers but your followers won't die for you." And that's about all it has to say on the topic.

[@becmiberserker]

Yeah, it’s a shame. It’s so strange that there was no official dominion rules since the Companion set. The demand is there if the third party market is anything to go by.

[@lcronovt]

Long video? Man, I listen to podcast of 2 hours +, this is not a long video for me. And thank you for sharing your knowledge. So, it is the precursors of Pathfinder Kingmaker.

[@becmiberserker]

Glad you enjoyed it! I understand anything over 15mins doesn’t get clicked on as much as shorter videos, hence the comment. Attention spans getting shorter unfortunately. Thanks for the comment.

[@khublaklonk4480]

A very good look at one of my all time favourite products to come from the D&D game, in any iteration. I love that set, just packed full of useful stuff.

[@Rashman101]

Awesome job Berserker! I really appreciate your summation.

[@HavardBlackmoor]

Excellent video! One of my favorite boxed sets expanding the concept of what D&D can be like never before or since.

[@Ducknuck84]

while out of the normal scope of BECMI I could see the warmachine rules being used for quickplay of mass combat and if someone really wanted more crunch implementing something like Oathmark rules if the group wanted to go turn based for a battle. would be interesting

[@michaelcaudron9883]

I was running a Birthright Campaign on Fantasy Grounds using the Castles and Crusades ruleset. All your talk about BECMI, I may try that system. I'll add that the art in the old BECMI books are fantastic compared to the RulesCyclopedia. cheers

[@RJ3040]

The magic item generation charts are still the best the system has ever come up with

[@cmleibenguth]

I think Birthright's system for kingdom management may have been based on this

[@treborschafer3945]

Rodney Trotter suddenly appearing mid video was brilliant.

[@becmiberserker]

Thank you. ☺️

[@eliasferdinandsson1719]

I read the dominion rules in RC and for the first time did I feel like a RPG product answer my question of how does the game wold tick? Great video

[@markbertenshaw3977]

I loved all the new spells and improved combat options for fighters. I also loved all the new dominion and mass combat rules. However, I had bought the Moldvay Basic and Cook Expert set, and was intrigued by the mention of the "Companion Supplement" which would have new Thieves skills. Unfortunately, we didn't get this, and worse, Thieves abilities were made worse between 4th and 14th level just so the existing skills would progress slower up to the 36th level!

[@becmiberserker]

Every edition’s got one. In BECMI, the broken class was the Thief. No use denying it. I think Vaults of Pandius (fan site) has a fixed Thief somewhere.

[@nexionaut]

I wish I could find a group to play BECMI up to Master. Great video, man.

[@KAM1138a]

I just discovered that Companion Rules were planned and advertised for the 1981 Moldvay/Cook B/X. I never knew that. I wonder if anyone has any information on whether that information just ended up in the BECMI version of Companion rules or if it was something different.

[@twilightgardenspresentatio6384]

I love this type of play

[@daelusraine2989]

I'm mixing a good bit of BECMI into my Shadowdark sandbox and this sounds like a must

[@villiamkarl-gustavlundberg5422]

This video warmed the cockles of my heart.

[@progettorazzia9260]

this was a fantastic set of rules

[@becmiberserker]

My favourite.

[@carlocorarelli637]

There are also rules for new weapons like bolas, blackjack, whip, trident, bastard sword and blow gun. D&D BECMI is the edition I started play and is still the best edition for me. Sometimes I incorporate others editions ideas in new campain , like path of immortality of the 4th edition for example

[@rollwight5228]

Awesome, thank you! I understand this rule set better now than I ever did before :) Where does one find BECMI games now?

[@becmiberserker]

You’re welcome! You can buy originals on eBay, or obtain PDFs of the boxed sets on drivethrurpg.com. I recommend the Rules Cyclopedia for an amalgamated version of the game. Thanks for commenting.

[@rollwight5228]

@@becmiberserker Thank you! Sorry, I wasn't very clear - I meant where do people fiind tables playing BECMI (or RC) to join :)

[@becmiberserker]

@@rollwight5228 Oops! No worries. You could try the BECMI Facebook group which is managed by Bruce Heard and frequented by Frank Mentzer. Or if looking for an online VTT game, try the Discord groups of the specific VTTs. Failing all of that, they’ll be generic D&D Facebook groups for your locality (e.g. UK, Ireland etc) that may offer insight to games in your area. It’ll take a bit more digging than looking for 5e, but we’re out there. 🙂

[@ITSaTRAP0001]

Showing me just a little bit of the mass war mechanics makes me hunger for reading all the rest in full detail.

[@becmiberserker]

My work is done. 🙂

[@montyhedstrom1356]

I just purchased test of the warlords to check it out!

[@yonchi__]

Thanks, another great entry in the series. I really wish I had known about this back in the day when these boxes were available. Naively thought this version was stripped down from what AD&D was. I'm reading through the PDF versions now.

[@becmiberserker]

A lot of people though that. That word Advanced has a lot to answer for. 🙂

[@MarkGoldfine]

Great video on the Companion set, Berserker 🤘 Your examples make, what seems like a complicated and confounding ruleset, very clear and easy to grasp. 👍 If it weren't for the fact that purchasing the PDF's of this would support WOTC, I would recommend people to go get the individual BECMI rulebook PDF's, or the Rules Companion.

[@becmiberserker]

It’s unfortunate things are the way they are at the moment and people may feel they don’t want to purchase the game due to who owns the rights.

[@MarkGoldfine]

@@becmiberserker Indeed. It breaks my heart, as I truly do love the BECMI version of D&D. To think, the ramification of their actions not only affect the creator community, but also the earlier editions of the game they claim stewardship of... If only purchasing older editions of the game would change their point of view. This is why, in my opinion, rpg's should be handled by creators who love the game, play the game and care about the community. Not in the hands of a faceless corporation. I don't blame them for wanting to make money off their product, not at all, but the way they are trying to suddenly "corner" the market and remove something that has been in effect for over 20 years, that was supposed to be forever? Bad form. Bad form indeed.

[@MarkGoldfine]

@@becmiberserker and my apologies if bringing up the whole debacle undermines the video in any way. Say the word, and I'll remove my comment 🤘

[@becmiberserker]

@@MarkGoldfine No no! Perfectly free to express your feelings. I’m not a WotC fanboy either, but they own my favourite version of the game. Nothing I can do about that without a spare $100m. I look at it like the many products I buy that I know I really shouldn’t because of where and how they’re produced. Unfortunately, the world of consumer ethics is difficult to navigate. If I exercised all the options I wanted to I’d likely live in a mud hut surviving off subsistence farming. That was a long way of saying it’s all cool, man. 🙂

[@MarkGoldfine]

@@becmiberserker Haha, good point. I'm currently looking to find the red and blue boxes, myself, as I only have the Norwegian translations of them. But, picking up the PDF's for $5 each isn't really that bad. $30 for the entire BECMI line, and if you have a good printer, or know someone, it's well worth it. Le Sigh, that our hobby and interests should see such days. Keep up the great work, Berserker 🤘

[@DavidShepheard]

I saw a link to this video in the Classic D&D forum at The Piazza. I don't play BECMI (my preferred system is 3rd Edition) but the class options listed in the Companion Set remind me very much of 3e's Prestige Classes. But the way you tell it, instead of being "the dude who can do cool stuff" the Companion options have a built in story to them. I've always liked the PrCs with a story a lot more than the ones that just add abilities, for the sake of it. And, I've seen Classic D&D fans talking about the War Machine, but you make it sound fairly easy to learn. I might have to buy myself a Print on Demand copy and do a comparison between War Machine and 3e's Chainmail system.

[@becmiberserker]

Thanks for the kind comment. If you do buy anything, get the Rules Cyclopedia. It’s the amalgamation and tidying up of the first four boxed sets, or BECM. Ot contains everything from the Companion Rules, except the cool art. I just with they’d kept the original artwork.

[@davidbrennan660]

Eternal glory to the system........ and Peckham of course.

[@brochj42]

Awesome video keep up the great work

[@agilemonk6305]

Excellent video. And a great blast from the past.

[@johnstuartkeller5244]

All hail Lord Rodney, lord of fools and horses!

[@valasdarkholme6255]

I would love to see your comments comparing it to An Echo Resounding and ACKS and any other domain play rules, but these sound pretty great.

[@andrewhaldenby4949]

Really outstanding series,ty😊

[@becmiberserker]

You’re welcome!

[@gmc6790]

Going to admit it. As an accountant I absolutely love the dominion aspects. DnD & Spreadsheets ... what more can a nerd ask for. 😂 Seriously, though. Drop into an automated spreadsheet, and you're good.

[@SMunro]

20,000lb of timber from an acre of forested (light wood) means that light wood 8-mile hex of 56 square miles × 640 acres = 716,800,000lb firewood. 716,800,000lb Firewood @1cp/20lb = 358,400gp. Note: 1× 24-mile hex = 9× 8-mile hex Sustainable regrowth takes 50+ years and a woodsman can clear fell an acre a day and wood chip 20,000lb in a week, so that makes it sustainable for a logging camp of 16 woodsmen in a single hex to clear a square mile a year and maintain that hex as light forested generating 6,400gp firewood annually. Standard rations at 5gp/week or 20gp/month increases wages to 25gp/month? A logging camp of 16 woodsmen can sustainably forest a hex of light forest for firewood for 400gp/year in wages. That provides the Lord of a light forest hex with 6,000gp in income from firewood (not including taxes and tithes). A wagonload of 2,240lb firewood is worth 1.12gp. An individual needs 10,000lb firewood per year so your logging hex supports 555 people with firewood beyond the domestic needs of the logging camp. Round that off at 500 fuel units (5,000 wagon loads/year) so the Lord can support 50 servants (including soldiers), and family.

[@danacoleman4007]

nerd

[@SMunro]

@@danacoleman4007 :-) no soup for you.

[@danacoleman4007]

@@SMunro 😁

[@SMunro]

@@danacoleman4007 A DM needs books on Agricultural yields (for the production economy of agricultural societies), mining and subsidence (for better dungeon design and costs), Anthropology (the rules of civilization building), Geography (why settlements are located in specific locations), gemstones (because most are poisons if ground into fine silicon), sociology (for civilizations and why military participation lifts people out of serfdom) maths for volumes (how to calculate volumes of stone in castle structures, or the removed volumes in dungeons and mines). Mining Anything cost (76 ton per 10'×10'×10', min cost 1 ounce gold per ton mined/excavated/quarried).

[@SMunro]

@@danacoleman4007 i got attacked in D&D forums back around 2012 for doing just this because the other nerds didnt like being out Dungeon Mastered.

[@whitleypedia]

Cool mini game

[@solomani5959]

Have you had a look at Adventurer, Conquerer, King? It’s probably the closest thing to a spiritual successor to BEC (no MI).

[@becmiberserker]

No, but then if I’m not playing D&D then I’m playing a completely different system, like CoC or Traveller. CoC is the game I never knew I needed.

[@solomani5959]

@@becmiberserker nice. I’m D&D player (ie D&D is my hobby, not RPGs) but always happy to try other systems.

[@daelusraine2989]

ACKS does intrigue me quite a bit as well

[@stillmattwest]

Are reviews of the Gazetteers in our future?

[@becmiberserker]

Quite possibly. 🙂

[@stillmattwest]

@@becmiberserker can't wait! I'm already subscribed but if I wasn't I go subscribe now.

[@stuartivins7846]

I'm not trying to re-open an editions war, BUT there is so much, pre-5e, excellent 3rd party content that is still in peril, unless OGL 1.0a is made 'irrevocable' not just 'preserved.' It strikes me that this is the sting in the tail of this WotC announcement. My point, is that 5e is now CC, but 3.5e is still under the OGL and only the OGL... "OSRIC, we're here for you, buddy!"

[@midnightgreen8319]

How different are the domain rules here and the ones from the Cyclopedia? Are they the same?

[@becmiberserker]

I think they’re identical. If not, the difference would be small.

[@midnightgreen8319]

@@becmiberserker Thank you! Subbed, by the way. BECMI was the first version of the game I ever played, and it's absolutely amazing today.

[@rafibausk7071]

Here's a question. I've been looking over the "war machine" rules. And one thing I've had a hard time figuring out. Is when determining the Leadership Factor. When it asks for Average Level of Officers & and Average Level of Troops. Do you add those all together? For example let's say you have a force of 200 lv2 troops led by five lv3 officers. What I'm asking is, is the score for the officers 3x3 or 15x3? And for the troops is it 2x2 or 400x2? I know I should probably be able to get this but I figured I'd ask someone who knows opinion. Thank you

[@becmiberserker]

Hi. I think you are referring to Experience Factor. It would be (3x3) + (2x2). Hope this helps. 🙂

[@rafibausk7071]

@@becmiberserker okay thank you.

[@rafibausk7071]

@@becmiberserker But doesn't that technically mean that an army with 1 leader, 1 officer, and 40 troops. Would have the same BFR as a army with 5 officers, and 200 troops? (Assuming all levels were the same between them)

[@becmiberserker]

An army would always have a leader, otherwise it’s a mob without a Leadership Factor. If just using officers, then surely one would assume leadership. Okay, let’s assume a leader of an army of 150 troops is a 15th level fighter with 13 Int, 10 Wis, and 12 cha. Two members of the army are 10th level officers. Leadership Factor = Leader’s level (15) + Leader’s Int, Wis, and Charisma modifiers (+1, +0, +0 = 1) + 2 for every 1% of the force that is name level (Leader plus two 10th level = 2% = 4). Leadership Factor = 16 + 4 = 20. Experience Factor: A force must have one officer for every 40 troops. So a force of 150 troops would have 4 officers. This force has 2 officers of level 10 (the two name level troops) and two of level 5. Work out the average experience level for all officers (30/4 = 7.5) and multiply this average by 3. 7.5 x 3 = 22.5, or 22 when rolled down. We now acquire the average troop level, omitting the leader and officers. We will now assume the rest of the troops are 1st level. We are told to multiply this average by 2. So, 150 troops at 1st level averages 1. 1 x 2 = 2. We add the officer rating to the troop rating to obtain the Experience Factor. 22 + 2 = 24. So, without accounting for wins/losses and before adding what else is needed for the BFR, we have a total of Leadership + Experience = 44 If you had a larger army, you’d need more officers, which could potentially drive down the BFR if the average officer level is lowered. This is relatable in terms of elite troops vs larger cohorts. Where things get interesting is during combat resolution and troop ratios. I hope this helps.

[@rafibausk7071]

@@becmiberserkerOk I think it did thank you very much.

[@AXSLA3]

The War Machine. Is not a little like D&D going back to its origins with Chainmail?

[@becmiberserker]

Not really. It’s far more simplistic. Check out my video specifically on the War Machine for a deep dive into it.

[@AXSLA3]

@@becmiberserker I started to listen to some terms that ran a bell but I take it that I started comment a little too soon. (Before hearing that everything was solved by rolling 1d100).

[@ummahmuhammad9755]

Do these rules apply 2 5e??

[@becmiberserker]

I don’t think they would take much tweaking.

[@pccleric]

This boxed set did not give you dice.

[@Rich_H_1972]

What a plonker. 😁

[@evilufo7300]

again same bs who was first to reach max lvls of evrything without guide and trainer

[@becmiberserker]

@@evilufo7300 Thank you for watching.