Blueholme
At-a-glance: Holmes Basic D&D lineage • d20 attack/saves • 3-6 players + GM • Four classic classes • Unified d6 damage • Levels 1-20 • Low prep • 2-4h sessions
Theme and Setting
Blueholme recreates the distinctive atmosphere of the 1977 Holmes Basic D&D edition—a transitional moment in roleplaying history when the original OD&D boxes were distilled into a single accessible rulebook. The game embraces what designer Michael Thomas calls "the path not taken": what if Holmes Basic had received a complete Expert companion instead of the game splitting into the Basic/Expert and Advanced D&D lines?
The implied setting is classic sword-and-sorcery fantasy with a liberal dusting of Lovecraftian horror. The monster sections include Great Old Ones, Deep Ones, Mi-Go, and Yithians alongside traditional fantasy creatures. The artwork by Jean-Francois Beaulieu and others deliberately evokes the early TSR aesthetic—black and white line art with a colorful cover depicting adventurers confronting a dragon lurking in shadowy caverns.
Core Mechanics and Rules
Blueholme simplifies Holmes Basic while preserving its essential character. All weapons deal 1d6 damage (2-handed weapons get +1), eliminating the complexity of variable damage dice. Combat uses five phases per round—surprise, spells, missiles, melee, and movement—with Dexterity determining initiative within each phase.
The four classic classes (Fighter, Cleric, Magic-User, Thief) advance with Holmes's signature experience modifiers: prime attributes grant ±20% XP adjustment. Magic-Users can craft scrolls from first level, making them more versatile than in many retroclones. Clerics gain spellcasting at 2nd level and can create healing potions once they learn appropriate spells.
Multi-classing is elegantly handled through combination classes—players may blend any two or more base classes, with clear guidance on saving throws, hit dice, and experience point costs. Species (called "race" in older editions) are separated from class and handled through the monster entries, allowing any creature type as a PC with GM-determined modifiers.
What Makes It Unique
Blueholme's spell research system stands out for its pulp fantasy flavor: spending 2,000gp and a random number of months yields a base 10% chance of successfully creating a custom spell. This can lead to magicians spending years and fortunes pursuing unique magical effects—a process that feels authentically Vancian without complex rules overhead.
The Enchant Item spell provides straightforward magic item creation, while the dominion rules for high-level characters offer simplified stronghold construction and management inspired by Expert D&D but trimmed of excessive bookkeeping. Firing into melee hits random targets, creating genuine tactical tension for ranged characters.
The two-tier release structure offers flexibility: the Prentice Rules (free) cover levels 1-3 in the style of the original Holmes Basic, while the Journeymanne Rules ($15 PDF) expand this to a complete 1-20 campaign framework. Both include forewords from Chris Holmes, son of the original editor Dr. J. Eric Holmes.
Target Audience and Player Experience
Blueholme excels as an introductory RPG for new players and younger gamers. Its slim 112-page Journeymanne volume contains everything needed for months of campaign play, while the Prentice Rules make an ideal zero-cost entry point. The streamlined mechanics emphasize rulings over rules, encouraging creative problem-solving and GM interpretation.
OSR veterans appreciate Blueholme as a faithful recreation of a specific moment in D&D history—before the proliferation of splatbooks and mechanical complexity. The game works seamlessly with classic D&D, AD&D, and modern OSR adventures. Groups seeking character options, tactical depth, or genre innovation may find Blueholme too minimalist, but those wanting pure exploration-driven dungeon fantasy will find it refreshingly focused.
As one reviewer noted: "You could hand this to a kid alongside a bag of dollar store dice and see them just take off and soar."
