I'm a bit late to the party here, but I've been using the Deepearth setting that is in the DM section of the book. It's been super fun to turn into a massive sandbox to run my DCC campaign. And the extra rules provide some cool flavor for underground adventuring. I'd say pick it up or get a PDF of it!
I loved this book back in the day. Every time I run across stuff like this it makes me wish I could run games more often. I've been playing since Gary was still in charge of TSR in the early 80s. 🙂 I'm told the gaming world has a shortage of DMs...here in rural Missouri/Arkansas I seem to have the opposite problem, finding players who can appreciate stuff like this.
Hey JE. This seems to be a common problem for those of us that play Old School stuff. And online play just isn't the same. I hope you find some players.
That book actually was relevant in my last session. The players wanted to explore a mine so i busted it out; not much mechanical help but the information made inside really helped me flesh out the mine and the adventure around it.
In (quite open) shade caves, we found lots of packrat droppings and some little bones. I could imagine finding lots of cacti and an occasional rare item in D&D left by packrats...
PLEASE keep the content coming! You guys are one of the few things that keep me from losing my mind at work (I play it in the background while I do the rigamarole). I love all the insights and can’t wait for the Old Warlock to start publishing things (if you guys do). Keep your sword arm free!
Thanks, Mardigan! We appreciate the feedback! We’re thinking about publishing some fun stuff (at least we think it is) soon. We’ll talk about it on the channel as things progress. KYSAF!
I picked this up at a PX in Germany back in '91, while experiencing a resurgence of interest in AD&D. I did like the 'Wilderness' guide, but enjoyed the 'Dungeon' one quite a bit more, especially on the heels of picking up 'Ruins of Undermountain'. The ABUNDANCE of TSR material surprised me- besides a half-dozen or so of my fav modules and my old Dungeon Masters Guide, I did pick up a Players handbook to round out my 'needs' with a modest bag of random dice. I knew about 'Forgotten Realms', 'Dragon Lance', and 'Dark Sun', but never saw too much material at my local hobby stores. Had a weekly campaign (at LEAST one game a week) for nearly a year using (mostly) 2nd edition rules. I picked up at least 8 more source books and a couple box sets in the next few months- I had no idea that the 'sandbox' had gotten so big. 'Spell Jammers' made it even bigger- sure, it had flaws, but it still was fun to get my feet wet in it. Great seeing folks my age (I'm 55) passing the game on to their kids, nieces, and nephews. I was in 'the Bible Belt' during the Satanic Panic so many kids I rolled with couldn't even let their folks find so much as a character sheet in their possession. This is my first visit to the Channel- Thanks for the insight!
Glad you stopped by! Agreed - there were loads of things pumped out by TSR back in the day and we managed to enjoy most of them. (Still do, I guess.) Regarding The Panic - We were lucky in that we were in early college when it really got underway. The responses we got to the Satanic Panic videos we did were real eye openers. Very sad to hear what a lot of kids went through.
I loved the DSG back in the 80s and early 90s. I never used the "extra" rules that it provided but it was a fun read. Thanks for the AD&D content. I like 5e but recently realized through OSR that for me AD&D was all I ever needed.
I agree these guys do a great job of expressing the fun of AD&D to a modern audience. I love the OSR and run all my AD&D games using OSRIC AD&D rules which is 1st Edition AD&D cleaned up and fully compatible with all 1st Edition AD&D products and then buy reprints on Drivethrurpg of classic AD&D modules. I think this channel is a fun and entertaining medium to learn about what the older system has to offer.
I own this book and the wilderness one, but since I mostly played with 2nd edition, most of the material presented by those books was already present in a more compact and revised version in either the Player's Handbook or the DM's Guide. I made extensive use of the proficiencies, which already included all the relevant text and rules from both books. The parts about the environments were probably the ones I used the most back then, but today I probably know more about those arguments than the authors knew at the time.
Hey Jim & Alex... Once more you two have an excellent video. I’m beginning to think you’re raiding my bookshelves 😂. I agree about the WSG but this one made my cavern explorations more interesting & mapping isometric rather than flat. I truly wish my players could go caving (spelunking) like I did on a small scale in my twenties. Doing this in Eastern KY helped me describe on underground exploration & combat. Keep up the great work.. NiX
Excellent review gentlemen! Dungeoneers Survival Guide was one of the 1E books I never picked up thanks to my Starving Student Years (tm). Having heard your review I think I'm going to have to hunt this one down!
Thanks as always for sharing your thoughts on things! I think when I transition to an earlier D&D edition, I'll definitely pick up both the Wilderness and Underground guides.
Being an abandoned mine explore fan on YT, I was surprised to see that wet rotting wood can deplete O2 levels. Never thought about that before, as can concentrations of Bats and build up of Guano. Ammonia levels can be nasty underground.
I liked the Guide, actually. It helped us out when we decided to expand on the G and D series, especially Descent Into the Depths of the Earth and Vault of the Drow.
The overwhelming mundanity of the Survival Guided always bugged me. They'd be more use to a real woodsman or spelunker than they would would in an AD&D game. Heroic fantasy is not about sweating the small stuff. Definitely two of the non-essential 1E hardbacks to me.
Concerning underground temperatures: Sub-surface, it does indeed get colder, but only for a certain distance. 800 to 1600 feet below surface is generally similar in temperature. Ice can be present year-round in damp areas, replete with ice stalactites and stalagmites where dripping. Icy fog is always present where warmer air converges with cold. After about 1600 feet the trend reverses and caves/excavations begin to heat up. It's the rock temp. that does it. Millions of tons of rock weigh a lot, and the pressure heats up the rock below it. Near surface rock has expended that heat as the mountains that once rose above it has long ago eroded away. Ventilation has its effect as well. Faster flowing air cools (instantly; consider wind chill), stagnant air warms over time. Stagnant areas collect gases, stagnant water areas will displace oxygen. Either way, each is toxic. The underdark is its own environment, somewhat alien to what we experience topside. I know; I've a lifetime of mining experience.
Hey....nice job! I liked both of these books for a few little mechanical clarifications or additions, but especially for the inspiration stuff! 👍Ebay or Abe books and Thrift books may be your only options for this.
Fun video! Btw, I mentioned that I shared your Satanic Panic video with a friend who has no idea about D&D, but had heard about the SP. He thought he wouldn't watch the whole video because it was long, but he said he finished it because it was fascinating.
Hey guys! We're glad you enjoyed the video. Regarding the SP - first, thanks for letting us know about your friend. That kind of feedback is always good to hear. Second, we had so many comments and anecdotes on the Satanic Panic we're probably going to do another video on viewer comments. There were some really interesting stories forwarded to us.
I'm listening to you guys while doing a round of revisions (mostly adding new artwork, but also clarifying some things ) in my own campaign world. Total agreement - the dungeoneers guide was far and away the better book (between that and the wilderness one). The wilderness guide struck me as being geared more toward people whose only exposure to the great outdoors was...watching Grizzly Adams reruns? lol Anyway, again, great stuff!
Hey guys you (and everyone else) has mentioned that some content from ad&ds unearthed arcana is especially unbalanced. Considering im looking to play ad&d and I only have the GMs guide and unearthed arcana (thrift store finds for $1 many years ago) can yall do a video about what you do and dont like in it?
I'm a huge fan of Unearthed Arcana, and one of the problems i faced was the WEAPON MASTERY & # of ATTACKS, a lot of the players and other DMs frowned upon it. Plus side, you get BARBARIAN class & CAVALIER class.👍👍
If y'all ever get on discord and wanna try to do a D&D campagin, count me in. I havent been able to play in a long time, most the guys i played with locally, dont have time, no longer interested, or have moved away.
@@theoldwarlocki didnt ask a question. I was just simply stating, if y'all ever decided to get on Discord, look me up, I'm a fellow gamer.😎✌❤ Before that i did ask a question on a different video, ( if y'all were on discord) .. The statement that confused you, was just a follow up or heads up so to speak, sorry for the confusion 😁
But GOOD crampons, pickaxes, rock hammers, etc. matter. If everyone's at war all the time, the blacksmith knows how to forge swords, but not mining/caving/geology gear.
I'm a bit late to the party here, but I've been using the Deepearth setting that is in the DM section of the book. It's been super fun to turn into a massive sandbox to run my DCC campaign. And the extra rules provide some cool flavor for underground adventuring. I'd say pick it up or get a PDF of it!
Thanks for the recommendation!!! Keep your sword arm free!
I loved this book back in the day. Every time I run across stuff like this it makes me wish I could run games more often. I've been playing since Gary was still in charge of TSR in the early 80s. 🙂 I'm told the gaming world has a shortage of DMs...here in rural Missouri/Arkansas I seem to have the opposite problem, finding players who can appreciate stuff like this.
Hey JE. This seems to be a common problem for those of us that play Old School stuff. And online play just isn't the same. I hope you find some players.
I have the same problem.
1st edition players are so rare nowadays.
That book actually was relevant in my last session.
The players wanted to explore a mine so i busted it out; not much mechanical help but the information made inside really helped me flesh out the mine and the adventure around it.
That's the way it works for us. It's more the relevant information in one place as opposed to the new mechanics.
I like that book
I’ll have to see if I still have it
Those cave pictures are beautiful.
Before watching am answering Yes! DSG was awesome
In (quite open) shade caves, we found lots of packrat droppings and some little bones. I could imagine finding lots of cacti and an occasional rare item in D&D left by packrats...
Was one of the last three books I purchased way back when which also included wilderness survival guide and manual of the planes.
Speaking of mines, i remember a gold vein on the Isle of Dread. If i recall correctly, it talks about making a mine.
PLEASE keep the content coming! You guys are one of the few things that keep me from losing my mind at work (I play it in the background while I do the rigamarole). I love all the insights and can’t wait for the Old Warlock to start publishing things (if you guys do). Keep your sword arm free!
Thanks, Mardigan! We appreciate the feedback! We’re thinking about publishing some fun stuff (at least we think it is) soon. We’ll talk about it on the channel as things progress. KYSAF!
I picked this up at a PX in Germany back in '91, while experiencing a resurgence of interest in AD&D. I did like the 'Wilderness' guide, but enjoyed the 'Dungeon' one quite a bit more, especially on the heels of picking up 'Ruins of Undermountain'. The ABUNDANCE of TSR material surprised me- besides a half-dozen or so of my fav modules and my old Dungeon Masters Guide, I did pick up a Players handbook to round out my 'needs' with a modest bag of random dice. I knew about 'Forgotten Realms', 'Dragon Lance', and 'Dark Sun', but never saw too much material at my local hobby stores. Had a weekly campaign (at LEAST one game a week) for nearly a year using (mostly) 2nd edition rules. I picked up at least 8 more source books and a couple box sets in the next few months- I had no idea that the 'sandbox' had gotten so big. 'Spell Jammers' made it even bigger- sure, it had flaws, but it still was fun to get my feet wet in it. Great seeing folks my age (I'm 55) passing the game on to their kids, nieces, and nephews. I was in 'the Bible Belt' during the Satanic Panic so many kids I rolled with couldn't even let their folks find so much as a character sheet in their possession. This is my first visit to the Channel- Thanks for the insight!
Glad you stopped by! Agreed - there were loads of things pumped out by TSR back in the day and we managed to enjoy most of them. (Still do, I guess.)
Regarding The Panic - We were lucky in that we were in early college when it really got underway. The responses we got to the Satanic Panic videos we did were real eye openers. Very sad to hear what a lot of kids went through.
I bought the Dungeoneers’ Survival Guide 2nd hand back in the early 1990s. I’ll be reading it eventually… before I die of old age… hopefully….
I have way too many books that fit in the "I'll be reading it eventually" category.
I loved the DSG back in the 80s and early 90s. I never used the "extra" rules that it provided but it was a fun read. Thanks for the AD&D content. I like 5e but recently realized through OSR that for me AD&D was all I ever needed.
Thanks, Ryan!
I agree these guys do a great job of expressing the fun of AD&D to a modern audience. I love the OSR and run all my AD&D games using OSRIC AD&D rules which is 1st Edition AD&D cleaned up and fully compatible with all 1st Edition AD&D products and then buy reprints on Drivethrurpg of classic AD&D modules. I think this channel is a fun and entertaining medium to learn about what the older system has to offer.
I own this book and the wilderness one, but since I mostly played with 2nd edition, most of the material presented by those books was already present in a more compact and revised version in either the Player's Handbook or the DM's Guide.
I made extensive use of the proficiencies, which already included all the relevant text and rules from both books. The parts about the environments were probably the ones I used the most back then, but today I probably know more about those arguments than the authors knew at the time.
Went through your back catalogue looking for similar videos, saw the wilderness guide one and now I NEED a series going over the supplemental books.
Glad you liked it. We're working on doing that over time.
Yup, drivethruRPG has it available as pdf, along with the Wilderness Survival Guide.
Thanks!
Hey Jim & Alex... Once more you two have an excellent video. I’m beginning to think you’re raiding my bookshelves 😂. I agree about the WSG but this one made my cavern explorations more interesting & mapping isometric rather than flat. I truly wish my players could go caving (spelunking) like I did on a small scale in my twenties. Doing this in Eastern KY helped me describe on underground exploration & combat. Keep up the great work.. NiX
Excellent review gentlemen! Dungeoneers Survival Guide was one of the 1E books I never picked up thanks to my Starving Student Years (tm). Having heard your review I think I'm going to have to hunt this one down!
I own the Survival Guides... never used them as-written... but I did mine them for ideas. Like you said, they are good imagination fuel. :-)
Thanks as always for sharing your thoughts on things! I think when I transition to an earlier D&D edition, I'll definitely pick up both the Wilderness and Underground guides.
Thanks for the thanks! Always nice to hear our meager efforts are appreciated.
I love Dungeoneer's Survival Guide I find it useful many a time and great content. I use it in my Greyhawk campaign thanks for covering this.
Its in mine. I've used it quite often, i read that wrong i meant the wilderness lol
Great review. I'm running OSE and may pick this one up just for the extra flavor.
Glad you liked it!
Thank you for highlighting this book. I own it and will now revisit it
Being an abandoned mine explore fan on YT, I was surprised to see that wet rotting wood can deplete O2 levels. Never thought about that before, as can concentrations of Bats and build up of Guano. Ammonia levels can be nasty underground.
That's definitely something worth considering! That's an aspect of underground adventuring we have seldom considered! Keep your sword arm free Marcus!
I liked the Guide, actually. It helped us out when we decided to expand on the G and D series, especially Descent Into the Depths of the Earth and Vault of the Drow.
The overwhelming mundanity of the Survival Guided always bugged me. They'd be more use to a real woodsman or spelunker than they would would in an AD&D game. Heroic fantasy is not about sweating the small stuff.
Definitely two of the non-essential 1E hardbacks to me.
Yes. Yes it should be in your collection. It gets a lot of use to this day
One of my all time favs. That book was a game changer for me with the 3D maps among other things. 🤘🏼
Thanks for the comment! Keep your sword arm free!!!
Concerning underground temperatures: Sub-surface, it does indeed get colder, but only for a certain distance. 800 to 1600 feet below surface is generally similar in temperature. Ice can be present year-round in damp areas, replete with ice stalactites and stalagmites where dripping. Icy fog is always present where warmer air converges with cold. After about 1600 feet the trend reverses and caves/excavations begin to heat up. It's the rock temp. that does it. Millions of tons of rock weigh a lot, and the pressure heats up the rock below it. Near surface rock has expended that heat as the mountains that once rose above it has long ago eroded away.
Ventilation has its effect as well. Faster flowing air cools (instantly; consider wind chill), stagnant air warms over time. Stagnant areas collect gases, stagnant water areas will displace oxygen. Either way, each is toxic.
The underdark is its own environment, somewhat alien to what we experience topside. I know; I've a lifetime of mining experience.
Good information David, thanks a lot!!
Do you DM? You could put that experience into a wicked survival horror delve!
Hey....nice job! I liked both of these books for a few little mechanical clarifications or additions, but especially for the inspiration stuff! 👍Ebay or Abe books and Thrift books may be your only options for this.
Hey RDMR - someone mentioned they're both available as pdfs on DriveThruRPG.
@@theoldwarlock Oh cool.... hadn't seen that. 👍
Fun video!
Btw, I mentioned that I shared your Satanic Panic video with a friend who has no idea about D&D, but had heard about the SP. He thought he wouldn't watch the whole video because it was long, but he said he finished it because it was fascinating.
Hey guys! We're glad you enjoyed the video. Regarding the SP - first, thanks for letting us know about your friend. That kind of feedback is always good to hear. Second, we had so many comments and anecdotes on the Satanic Panic we're probably going to do another video on viewer comments. There were some really interesting stories forwarded to us.
@@theoldwarlock I'll be here to watch it!
I'm listening to you guys while doing a round of revisions (mostly adding new artwork, but also clarifying some things ) in my own campaign world.
Total agreement - the dungeoneers guide was far and away the better book (between that and the wilderness one). The wilderness guide struck me as being geared more toward people whose only exposure to the great outdoors was...watching Grizzly Adams reruns?
lol
Anyway, again, great stuff!
Grizzly Adams reruns! Love it. Thanks
The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams! I remember catching that on TV a a kid.
Just found you guys, love the 2nd Edition content.
Glad you enjoy it!
Absolutely. Roll the end credits!
Hey guys you (and everyone else) has mentioned that some content from ad&ds unearthed arcana is especially unbalanced. Considering im looking to play ad&d and I only have the GMs guide and unearthed arcana (thrift store finds for $1 many years ago) can yall do a video about what you do and dont like in it?
I'm a huge fan of Unearthed Arcana, and one of the problems i faced was the WEAPON MASTERY & # of ATTACKS, a lot of the players and other DMs frowned upon it.
Plus side, you get BARBARIAN class & CAVALIER class.👍👍
That may be part of a video we'll be doing about all the rules we use (and those we don't use) from the early D&D systems.
I’d love for you guys to do a review on Alloyed RPG sometime!
Thanks for the recommendation, we'll have to try and check it out!
@@theoldwarlock there are links to the Core Rules and a demo campaign here: www.youtube.com/@Alloyed-RPG/about
If y'all ever get on discord and wanna try to do a D&D campagin, count me in.
I havent been able to play in a long time, most the guys i played with locally, dont have time, no longer interested, or have moved away.
Did we already reply to this Chuck - we're all confused here? We may get a game going at some point. We'll try to contact you if we do. Thanks!
@@theoldwarlocki didnt ask a question. I was just simply stating, if y'all ever decided to get on Discord, look me up, I'm a fellow gamer.😎✌❤
Before that i did ask a question on a different video, ( if y'all were on discord) ..
The statement that confused you, was just a follow up or heads up so to speak, sorry for the confusion 😁
@@chuck971 Not a problem Chuck. Confusion is our normal state.
"Placer" is generally pronounced as though spelled "plasser", FYI.
Good point!
That's easy - no. it was shit when it came out and it's still shit today. Better than the wilderness book, though.
Are they father and son?
Yes we are.
So, did he ever have a TV. Play then have to break up?
But GOOD crampons, pickaxes, rock hammers, etc. matter. If everyone's at war all the time, the blacksmith knows how to forge swords, but not mining/caving/geology gear.
FSAFS! (For Sword And For Spells!)
Hey, that's a good one! We'll add it to the list!
@@theoldwarlock YEAH!!!
"Series of maps," shows picture of two lovely young women laying on a rock without explanation, refuses to elaborate.
We try to keep things G rated here at The Old Warlock. Therefore, I disavow all knowledge of said images.
Where is the D&D guide to Economics?