🎲🐉Moldvay Basic D&D (1981): The Edition That Made D&D Fun Again

What if the best version of Dungeons & Dragons came out in 1981? Tom Moldvay’s Basic Set rewrote the rules, stripped out the bloat, and gave us a game that was fast, deadly, and endlessly fun. In this video, I dive into what made Moldvay Basic D&D—and its Expert Rules companion—such a massive leap forward from OD&D, Holmes, and even Advanced D&D, and why it still holds up over 40 years later. 📦 What's inside the famous "magenta" box? ⚔️ How did Moldvay streamline the game for new players without dumbing it down? 🎲 What makes B/X D&D so different from AD&D—and why does it matter? Whether you’re a long-time OSR fan, a 5E refugee looking for something simpler, or a collector of classic RPGs, this is the edition you need to know about. 💬 Let me know in the comments — what are YOUR thoughts on this classic D&D edition? *BECOME A SUPERFAN* Click on the $ in the 💌 symbol to join other fans of Daddy Rolled A 1 to say "thanks" for this video. I really appreciate your support! *SUBSCRIBE* 🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe for more deep dives into D&D history, edition comparisons, and old-school RPG reviews. *QUESTIONS ABOUT D&D HISTORY? IT'S PROBABLY ANSWERED HERE:* https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX6jue56rzl0uAZIFwywJXIMXWVULmTqh&si=wnLQpJd6BpRpLGsJ *SUPPORT MY CHANNEL* Shirts, hoodies, posters, mugs, and more, all with unique and exclusive TTRPG related designs at the links below. *Shop: https://bit.ly/DaddyRolledA1Shop* ➡️ *NEW DESIGN!!! Classic Classes* https://daddy-rolled-a-1.creator-spring.com/listing/classic-classes ➡️ Ability Scores https://daddy-rolled-a-1.creator-spring.com/listing/dnd-ability-scores ➡️50th Anniversary Original Collector's Edition: https://daddy-rolled-a-1.creator-spring.com/listing/dndoriginalcollectors ➡️Dice & Dragons Design: https://daddy-rolled-a-1.creator-spring.com/listing/new-dice-dragons ➡️D20 Patent: https://daddy-rolled-a-1.creator-spring.com/listing/d20-patent-drawing-white or https://daddy-rolled-a-1.creator-spring.com/listing/d20-patent-drawing-black ➡️D4 Patent: https://daddy-rolled-a-1.creator-spring.com/listing/d4-patent-drawing-white or https://daddy-rolled-a-1.creator-spring.com/listing/d4-patent-drawing-black ➡️D8 Patent: https://daddy-rolled-a-1.creator-spring.com/listing/d8-patent-drawing-white or https://daddy-rolled-a-1.creator-spring.com/listing/d8-patent-drawing-black ➡️D10 Patent: https://daddy-rolled-a-1.creator-spring.com/listing/d10-patent-drawing-white or https://daddy-rolled-a-1.creator-spring.com/listing/d10-patent-drawing-black ➡️D12 Patent: https://daddy-rolled-a-1.creator-spring.com/listing/d12-patent-drawing-white or https://daddy-rolled-a-1.creator-spring.com/listing/d12-patent-drawing-black ➡️Pen & Paper & Dice & Minis: https://daddy-rolled-a-1.creator-spring.com/listing/pen-paper-dice-minis ➡️Not Entirely Stable: https://daddy-rolled-a-1.creator-spring.com/listing/not-entirely-stable *TIMESTAMPS* 0:00 Introduction 5:40 Moldvay Boxed Set 7:40 Why Was the Moldvay Edition Published? 14:10 Cover Art 19:07 Creators 23:41 Ability Scores 36:34 Classes 45:26 Alignment 49:27 Equipment 50:44 Spells 52:11 The Adventure 54:51 Encounters 1:03:15 Combat 1:07:22 Monsters 1:08:38 DM Advice 1:11:39 Expert Boxed Set 1:31:14 Wrap-Up 1:33:44 Bonus Content *SCROLL DESIGN FOR THUMBNAIL* Courtesy of Vecteezy.com. *MORE DADDY ROLLED A 1* ➡️Blog: https://bit.ly/DaddyRolledA1 ➡️Shop: https://bit.ly/DaddyRolledA1Shop ➡️Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/daddyrolleda1.bsky.social ➡️Instagram: https://bit.ly/DRA1Instagram ➡️Facebook: https://bit.ly/DRA1Facebook ➡️Twitter: https://bit.ly/DRA1Twitter ➡️TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thedaddyrolleda1 ➡️Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tartinm/ *THE B/X FACEBOOK GROUP* https://www.facebook.com/groups/bxdnd/ *FERRARI COCKTAIL* (As a shot) ➡️0.5 oz Fernet-Branca ➡️0.5 oz Campari (As a sipping drink) ➡️0.75 oz Fernet Branca ➡️0.75 oz Campari ➡️Garnish: an orange peel ➡️Glassware: Either a stemmed cocktail glass or a rocks class with a large cube. ➡️Prepare: Stir ingredients over ice until well-chilled, then strained into your prepared glass and garnish. *"THELONIOUS MONK - LIVE AT THE IT CLUB" BY THELONIOUS MONK, 1982 (2025 Reissue)* https://www.discogs.com/release/33678417-Thelonious-Monk-Live-At-The-It-Club If you're into vinyl, you can follow me on Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/user/tartinm