Dungeons & Dragons Set 3: Companion Rules, also called the Companion Set, is a 96-page sourcebook for Basic Dungeons & Dragons released in April 1984. It is part of a series of five rulebooks unofficially referred to as BECMI.
The Companion Rules take the players from level 15 to 25.
Official synopsis[]
This is the third boxed set of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® game series. The first, the D&D® Basic Set, introduced the game and explained the rules for 1st-3rd level characters. In the D&D Expert Set, character levels 4-14 were detailed, along with notes on the fantasy world in which the characters live.
If you started with a 1st character, and have enjoyed the wilderness expansion of Expert level play, then you are ready for this set.
You can also use this set if you'd like to discover what it's like to own a medieval castle. You can rule a land, bring civilization to the wilderness, and cope with all the threats to your territory, while facing monsters and magic of all kinds.
Your adventures will be different than ever before. Lower level characters must keep busy surviving and learning; but when you find the challenges lacking, or treasure too easily found, you may start to wonder—"Is there anything more?"
There certainly is! Read on!
Content[]
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Development and release[]
Development[]
The book was written by Frank Mentzer. Art was provided by Larry Elmore and Jeff Easley.
The idea of a sequel to the Expert Set (B/X) (1981) was first pitched to TSR in 1980, but would not be produced until Frank Mentzer's revision of those rules.[2]
Doug Niles and Garry Spiegle contributed the War Machine mass combat rules, since Mentzer lacked the necessary wargaming experience. Carl Smith and Mark Acres assisted in developing these rules, and other TSR design staff were involved in thorough playtesting.[2]
Mentzer's three design goals for what became known as the BECMI five-product series were to make it fun, playable, and true to the spirit of Original D&D. The Companion rules sought to explore much grander concepts expanding on the low-level concepts, such as larger scale battles, and developments of spells and magic. The book also developed the concepts of building strongholds, and planar adventuring.[2]
Announcement and previews[]
The Companion Set was announced as under development in A new game with a familiar name, Dragon #77 (Sep 1983), p.26-29.
The Companion Set was previewed in And then there were three, Dragon #84 (Apr 1984), p.38-42. A second preview article was announced, but not released, perhaps due to the release of the product before a second preview could be produced.
Release[]
The Companion Rules was released by TSR in April 1984 for $12.00.[1]
The first printing is dated April 1984. A second printing raised the price to $13.50. A third printing increased the price to $15.00, and a fourth printing printed the price on the box.[1]
International translations were printed in Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japan, and Korean. The Finnish translation was unusually named "Mestarisäännöt", "Master Set", with the resulting Master Set named "Sankarisäännöt", "Hero Set". The Italian release included the AC7 Master Player Screen (1985), but not the adventure The Spindle.[3]
On August 2, 2016, it was re-released in digital format. It is currently available on DriveThruRPG and Dungeon Masters Guild for $4.99.
Reception and influence[]
Sales[]
The initial run of the Companion Rules reportedly sold out very quickly, "almost before they hit the shelves", necessitating further print runs.[4]
The Companion Rules sold 536,903 copies in total between 1984 and 1990. Sales dipped in 1986, but made a unique resurgence in 1987, the peak year for the book's sales. In all other TSR D&D sourcebooks from 1984 onward, the initial release year was the peak sales year. It was more successful than the subsequent Master Rules (BECMI) (1985) and Immortals Rules (BECMI) (1986).[5]
| Year | Sales |
|---|---|
| 1984 | 124,847 |
| 1985 | 65,184 |
| 1986 | 20,620 |
| 1987 | 132,187 |
| 1988 | 67,478 |
| 1989 | 66,431 |
| 1990 | 60,156 |
Critical reception[]
As of 2023, the Companion Rules reached the rank of Platinum seller on DriveThruRPG.
Influence on other works[]
The Companion Rules were supported by a set of nine adventure modules.[6]
- CM1 Test of the Warlords (1984)
- CM2 Death's Ride (1984)
- CM3 Sabre River (1984)
- CM4 Earthshaker! (1985)
- CM5 Mystery of the Snow Pearls (1985)
- CM6 Where Chaos Reigns (1985)
- CM7 The Tree of Life (1986)
- CM8 The Endless Stair (1987)
- CM9 Legacy of Blood (1987)
The D&D Expert adventure module X10 Red Arrow, Black Shield (1985) included an expansion of the War Machine mass battle rules. Three challenges in one, Dragon #104 (Dec 1985), p.22 also referenced the Dominion rules from Companion. Additional War Machine modifications by Garry Spiegele were released in War Machine revisited, Dragon #109 (May 1986), p.38-43. The rules also influenced GAZ3 The Principalities of Glantri (1987).
Sage Advice sections for the Companion Set appeared in {{DragonMagazine|120} and Dragon #122 (Jun 1987).
External links[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 High-Level D&D Sets - The Acaeum
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 And then there were three, Dragon #84 (Apr 1984), p.38-42.
- ↑ Set 3: Companion Rules Foreign Editions - The Acaeum
- ↑ From the Sorceror's Scroll, Dragon #90 (Oct 1984), p.16.
- ↑ https://twitter.com/BenRiggs_/status/1554130556639748097/photo/1
- ↑ Companion Series (CM1 - CM9) - The Acaeum