Released in 1984 as a follow-up to the Expert Rules, the Companion Rules is a bit of an oddity that lacks the clear conceptual framework of the previous two boxes. Where the red box tackled dungeons and the blue box tackled the limitless wilds, the teal box tackles…property ownership? Not exactly the stuff of high adventure.

Companion covers levels 15-25, five more than are available in AD&D. Yet all the demi-human races – elves, dwarves, halflings, all of which are treated as classes unto themselves – max their levels out by 12. To solve this, the attack ranks system was devised to allow them to continue honing their martial capabilities past the max, though one wonders why they didn’t just ditch the level cap. Also introduced is the Druid, as a sort of prestige class for high-level neutral clerics.

In the DM’s book, the focus is on the world and the over-arching campaign. The multiverse is introduced while a large portion of the new rules is dedicated to running castles and other holdings players might come to own, as well as a system for large scale combat to use in defending them. In essence, the Companion Rules are about the transition from adventurer to king, mirroring the fortunes of Conan, but it never comes right out and says it, perhaps because the designers were worried that responsibility is a drag. If that was the case, they weren’t wrong. This is an inherent problem in level based rules systems. Eventually, the characters get so powerful, it is difficult to envision how they live in the game world. In most cases, I’d counsel retirement before roleplaying a king.

The art in this box is still great. Despite recycling some spot illustrations from the red box, Elmore and Easley continue their defining run of fantasy art with some fantastic full-page illustrations and interesting character designs.