B2: KEEP ON THE BORDERLANDS!

Greetings!

I have always loved this module, from way back in the day. The module back then contributed hours and hours of fun play for several groups I played in, and the module has endured the test of time very well. Gary Gygax was simply brilliant in his writing and layout of the module. At different points, the module is humorous and fun. At every page, the module is useful, engaging, and inspiring, especially for nubs and beginners. The module is generally straightforward, and simple in design, and yet, also making room for and inspiring additional creativity and expansion.

So, I have recently spent some time working on B2: Keep on the Borderlands, to integrate it to the 5E rules. Then, I threw some of my players into the module. *laughs*

What suggestions and ideas do you have for integrating B2: Keep on the Borderlands with 5E rules? Have you used the module with 5E? How have your players dealt with going through the module? What changes or expansions have you made to B2: Keep on the Borderlands for your campaign?

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Quote from: SHARK;1115838B2: KEEP ON THE BORDERLANDS!

Greetings!

I have always loved this module, from way back in the day. The module back then contributed hours and hours of fun play for several groups I played in, and the module has endured the test of time very well. Gary Gygax was simply brilliant in his writing and layout of the module. At different points, the module is humorous and fun. At every page, the module is useful, engaging, and inspiring, especially for nubs and beginners. The module is generally straightforward, and simple in design, and yet, also making room for and inspiring additional creativity and expansion.

So, I have recently spent some time working on B2: Keep on the Borderlands, to integrate it to the 5E rules. Then, I threw some of my players into the module. *laughs*

What suggestions and ideas do you have for integrating B2: Keep on the Borderlands with 5E rules? Have you used the module with 5E? How have your players dealt with going through the module? What changes or expansions have you made to B2: Keep on the Borderlands for your campaign?

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Buy the updated 5E statted version from Goodman Games and it includes B1. They have answered these questions for you.

https://goodman-games.com/store/product/original-adventures-reincarnated-1-into-the-borderlands/

Pretty sure that one of the playtest packages had B2 in it.  You can probably still find it online somewhere.

Quote from: MonsterSlayer;1115848Buy the updated 5E statted version from Goodman Games and it includes B1. They have answered these questions for you.

https://goodman-games.com/store/product/original-adventures-reincarnated-1-into-the-borderlands/

I just saw this, along with the 5E Isle of Dread. Both looked like they were about 5x the size of the originals. Is this due to extra/expanded content, or is it because 5E is that much more fiddly and complicated than BX?

The playtests came with the Caves of Chaos part of Keep on the Borderland. I still have it. That said it is a bit off kilter here and there as they were still hammering out things along the way.

Quote from: Joey2k;1115880I just saw this, along with the 5E Isle of Dread. Both looked like they were about 5x the size of the originals. Is this due to extra/expanded content, or is it because 5E is that much more fiddly and complicated than BX?

Content. The Borderlands book has scans of 2 versions of each module for reference. So that alone doubles the page count from about 70 to 140. 16 page art gallery. So now up to 156 or so. Then there are several pages of interviews with Mike Carr, and interviews with Luke Gygax, Mike Mearls and I believe Harley Strogh(sp?). Then the conversion versions. So at least another 70+ pages so that brings us up to at least 230 pages of a 380+ page book. But we aren't done yet as there is also totally new material fleshing out stuff mentioned in the modules. And brings in some monsters that were not part of BX. Probably also a monster/npc/item section like in most 5e modules. So 250 pages maybee. But I'd lay good odds that the 5e versions take up more pages than the originals due to formatting, font or other factors. Especially if there is a-lot of art or splash page art.

Quote from: Joey2k;1115880I just saw this, along with the 5E Isle of Dread. Both looked like they were about 5x the size of the originals. Is this due to extra/expanded content, or is it because 5E is that much more fiddly and complicated than BX?

I have the X1 book here.  Introduction, which includes essays by David "Zeb" Cook, Paul Reiche III, Lawrence Schick, Michael Curtis, and Harley Stroh, is 15 pages.  Then you get scans of two classic editions of the module, 36 pages each.  Then the 5e conversion starts on page 92 and is 230 pages long.

It's not all just expansive 5e statblocks though.  The conversion is worth reading regardless of system.  It's got more background info on the island, pronunciation guides, more rumor and encounter tables, a section that gives notes on what the various creatures of the island are likely to be doing and how they react when encountered.  There is some other expanded material and new encounters on the island.  About 50 pages of new maps and handouts, which are quite good (work by William McAusland).

I don't run 5e but I'm quite happy with the book and keep meaning to pick up the B2 conversion sometime, and will likely grab S3 as well.  These books seem to be made with a genuine appreciation for the classics, not just as new edition cash grabs.

There's also a "Classic Modules Today" update on DTRPG. It's not very long, so I'm not sure it's worth the $3 price tag, but ymmv. It gives equivalencies for the things presented in the original module for 5e.

Link

I own the "into the borderlands" and have enjoyed reading it. I look forward to running the updated B2. It is a huge tome so it might be a bit unwieldy at the table but I think I can have the maps and monster stats printed separate and make it easier.

Right now I am running the updated "Ghost of Saltmarsh." (Aka Sinister Secret of Salt Marsh series) That was not published by Goodman but does much the same treatment.

***Spoilers*******

 The players have gotten gang pressed under the old mansion and are being forced to deliver weapons to the lizard folk. I like running these old modules with updated rules.

Also like the updated ship rules


Highly recommend the Goodman and WOTC update books.

Quote from: MonsterSlayer;1115848Buy the updated 5E statted version from Goodman Games and it includes B1. They have answered these questions for you.

https://goodman-games.com/store/product/original-adventures-reincarnated-1-into-the-borderlands/

Greetings!

Good suggestion, Monsterslayer! I have it ordered and on the way in the mail as we speak.

However, have YOU run the module with your group? Did you make any changes or add additional material? How did the module go for your group?

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Quote from: MonsterSlayer;1115928I own the "into the borderlands" and have enjoyed reading it. I look forward to running the updated B2. It is a huge tome so it might be a bit unwieldy at the table but I think I can have the maps and monster stats printed separate and make it easier.

Right now I am running the updated "Ghost of Saltmarsh." (Aka Sinister Secret of Salt Marsh series) That was not published by Goodman but does much the same treatment.

***Spoilers*******

 The players have gotten gang pressed under the old mansion and are being forced to deliver weapons to the lizard folk. I like running these old modules with updated rules.

Also like the updated ship rules


Highly recommend the Goodman and WOTC update books.

Greetings!

Excellent! I see, my friend! I have the Ghost of Saltmarsh as well. I think that is a good book, too. While the creatures and ship rules are all cool and useful, I also enjoyed the various NPC's and their stats and contexts within the module. Good stuff!

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

I  don't really have any suggestions. It's just that B2 was the only module that I ever ran, although I mined some for ideas and bought others and read them for pleasure. It was also the last D&D campaign I ever ran, and the rules I used were barely D&D, even then.

Hi SHARK!  A bit off topic here, but I'm curious as to why you chose D&D 5e over other games.  What are the things in 5e that appeal to you?  Is it the popularity, or do you actually prefer certain 5e mechanics over those from other games?

To get more on topic, B2 was my first RPG experience ever.  My buddy DMed it for myself and two other kids in our neighborhood back in the early 1980's, using Moldvay Basic.  I have not tried to convert or run it in 5e, however.

Quote from: SHARK;1115939Greetings!

Good suggestion, Monsterslayer! I have it ordered and on the way in the mail as we speak.

However, have YOU run the module with your group? Did you make any changes or add additional material? How did the module go for your group?

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

No I have not run either the original or reworked versions of B2. I bought it a about the same time as "Ghosts of Saltmarsh" and decided to go with "Saltmarsh" because it reminds me of a Scooby Doo episode.

I was going to double back but this group of players have proven "resourceful". I half expect them to take the Sea Ghost and head off to sea (and Isle of Dread). I want to eventually run B2. When I was a kid we had B5 Horror on the Hill but never B2. I'm struck by the similarities.

I would also like to see updates to Drums on Fire Mountain and maybe the Pharoah series.

Quote from: Crusader X;1115949Hi SHARK!  A bit off topic here, but I'm curious as to why you chose D&D 5e over other games.  What are the things in 5e that appeal to you?  Is it the popularity, or do you actually prefer certain 5e mechanics over those from other games?

To get more on topic, B2 was my first RPG experience ever.  My buddy DMed it for myself and two other kids in our neighborhood back in the early 1980's, using Moldvay Basic.  I have not tried to convert or run it in 5e, however.

I can't answer for Shark but I personally would rather be running these with BECM but I am running them at a library and 5E is the common tongue so to speak. I have been thankful to be able to run some classis style adventures and the players can readily get the rule books. The libraries even keep copies of the 5E core.