Core and Classic: Conversion or Combination?

[0.5 Elf Bard]

I've happily played RotR for a while, and now got the new Core Set. Going to get CotC too, where it's explicit what to do. Add-ons are also very straight-forward. A small amount of cards that're supposed to fit equally with any adventure.

If I wanted to get say Mummy's Mask, how do I go about it? Do you buy the Base set, convert it, and then buy the individual expansions from there on? Do you buy only the expansions? Do you buy the Base set, and add in additional cards from the Core set? I haven't seen any official link on how to combine everything. It's being updated so you can use the old cards like the new, but what cards can go in what boxes?

Basically, what effect does owning the Core set have on my decisions when I am going to buy Mummy's Mask?

[Brother Tyler]

Short answer - the Core Set is separate from the Mummy's Mask AP (i.e., the Mummy's Mask AP is played without the Core Set - there's no need to convert it into the Core Set rules).

The Core set doesn't help you with the legacy adventure paths (Rise of the Runelords, Skull & Shackles, Wrath of the Righteous, and Mummy's Mask). If you want to play any of those legacy adventure paths, you'll need the appropriate base set (the big box with the B and 1 adventures) as well as each of the related adventure decks (2-6 for each AP). If you can find them, I also recommend getting the Character Add-On deck for the AP(s) that you get. You can also use each AP with one or more of the organized play "Season of" adventure paths.

I've listed all of the adventure paths just in case you consider them, but you can just skip down to the Mummy's Mask listing if that's all you're interested in.

RISE OF THE RUNELORDS Base Set
B - Perils of the Lost Coast (included in the base set)
1 - Burnt Offerings (included in the base set)
C - Rise of the Runelords Character Add-On Deck (optional)
2 - The Skinsaw Murders
3 - The Hook Mountain Massacre
4 - Fortress of the Stone Giants
5 - Sins of the Saviors
6 - Spires of Xin-Shalast

You'll also need this AP for the following organized play adventure paths:

Season of the Runelords
Season of the Goblins

SKULL & SHACKLES Base Set
B - Plunder and Peril (included in the base set)
1 - The Wormwood Mutiny (included in the base set)
C - Skull & Shackles Character Add-On Deck (optional)
2 - Raiders of the Fever Sea
3 - Tempest Rising
4 - Island of the Empty Eyes
5 - The Price of Infamy
6 - From Hell's Heart

You'll also need this AP for the following organized play adventure paths:

Season of the Shackles
Season of Tapestry's Tides

WRATH OF THE RIGHTEOUS Base Set
B - Into the Worldwound (included in the base set)
1 - The Worldwound Incursion (included in the base set)
C - Wrath of the Righteous Character Add-On Deck (optional)
2 - Sword of Valor
3 - Demon's Heresy
4 - The Midnight Isles
5 - Herald of the Ivory Labyrinth
6 - City of Locusts

You'll also need this AP for the following organized play adventure path:

Season of the Rigtheous

MUMMY'S MASK Base Set
B - Cross the Pharoah's Land (included in the base set)
1 - The Half-Dead City (included in the base set)
C - Mummy's Mask Character Add-On Deck (optional)
2 - Empty Graves
3 - Shifting Sands
4 - Secrets of the Sphinx
5 - The Slave Trenches of Hakotep
6 - Pyramid of the Sky Pharoah

You'll also need this AP for the following organized play adventure paths:

Season of Plundered Tombs
Season of Faction's Favor

CORE SET
(You'll need this set for all future adventure paths, starting below)

CURSE OF THE CRIMSON THRONE

You'll also need the Core Set for the following organized play adventure path:

Year of Rotting Ruins
(and presumably any future organized play APs)

The Core Set is only going to help you with the Curse of the Crimson Throne and future APs.

All that said, you can convert the Mummy's Mask rules using the Core Set Conversion Guide if you want, but it's not necessary. The only reasons I can see to do this are (1) if you decide to use characters from the Core Set or the Curse of the Crimson Throne AP in the Mummy's Mask AP, or (2) if the members of the playing group only know how to play using the Core Set rules. Converting can create some areas of confusion, though. My personal opinion of the conversion guide is that it's really for when you want to use legacy decks (e.g., the various class/character/add-on/ultimate decks) when playing through the Core Set, Curse of the Crimson Throne AP, etc. If you're only using legacy cards/characters, though, converting is probably more trouble than it's worth in most cases. YMMV