/tg/ Old School Renaissance General Additionally, there are numerous systems available that closely emulate the mechanics of TSR era D&D but allow for game settings outside of the fantasy genre. What is the OSR? The Old School Renaissance focuses on systems, modules and Science-Fiction: gameplay based around the early TSR era editions of Dungeons • Stars Without Number & Dragons, namely OD&D (LBB or 0e), D&D Basic/Expert • Mechanations of the Space Princess (B/X), the Rules Cyclopedia (RC) and AD&D (1e and 2e). Horror/Occult: From Wikipedia: “The general ethic of OSR-style play emphasizes spontaneous rulings from the referee, or Game • Silent Legions Master, over set rules found in a book. The idea is for the players • Dark Places & Demogorgons to engage with the fantasy as much as possible, and have the referee arbitrate the outcomes of their specific actions in real Post-Apocalyptic: time. • Mutant Future The idea of game balance is also de-emphasized in favor of a • Other Dust system which tests players skill and ingenuity in often strange or • Ruinations unfair situations. The players should expect to lose if they merely pit their numbers against the monsters, and should instead Feudal Japan: attempt to outwit or outmaneuver challenges placed in their way. • Ruins and Ronins Keeping maps comes highly recommended.” Stone Age: OSR games emphasize dungeon and wilderness exploration, with • Wolfpacks & Winter Snow resource management (in the form of rations, light sources and spells) and time-keeping being vital to proper gameplay. Steampunk: • Engines & Empires Superhero: • Hideouts & Hoodlums • Mystery Men Western: • Boot Hill What retroclone should I use? There are dozens of systems available, with most staying fairly true mechanically to their original D&D inspiration. There is no right answer, as each one may have aspects you prefer over another, such as race & class options, saving throw mechanics, descending or ascending armor classes, encumbrance tracking, magic usage, etc. Some of the more popular retroclones include: OD&D: Is _______ considered OSR? • Sword and Wizardry: White Box Many systems often lumped into the OSR hold contention • Whitebox among enthusiasts due to differing mechanics and core gameplay emphasis. These include: B/X and RC: • Labyrinth Lord • Dungeon Crawl Classics • Basic Fantasy RPG • Mutant Crawl Classics • Lamentations of the Flame Princess • The Black Hack • B/X Essentials • Into the Odd • Adventure Conqueror King • Torchbearer • Dark Dungeons • Dungeon World • Sword & Wizardry: Complete • Low Fantasy Gaming AD&D: • Gamma World • Labyrinth Lord: Advanced Edition Companion • Retro Phaze • OSRIC • Knave • Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers Of Hyperborea • Maze Rats • For Gold and Glory • Searchers of the Unknown What is a good module to run? What are the agreed upon OSR aspects? Some of the most commonly suggested in /osrg/ include: • Rulings over rules. Adventures: • Rule simplicity. • B1: In Search of the Unknown (B/X) • Heroics, not superheroes. • B2: Keep on the Borderlands (B/X) • Quick character generation. • B4: The Lost City (B/X) • De-emphasis on character stats. • UK4: When a Star Falls (AD&D) • High lethality. • T1: Village of Hommlet (AD&D) • Role-playing over roll-playing. • S1: Tomb of Horrors (AD&D) • Resource management. • S3: Expedition to the Barrier Peaks (AD&D) • Time keeping. • I6: Ravenloft (AD&D) • Vancian magic. • Shadowbrook Manor (LL) • Tower of the Stargazer (LotFP) • Death Frost Doom (LotFP) What are some recommended GM tools & resources? • The God That Crawls (LotFP) • Tomb of the Iron God (S&W) • 1e Dungeon Masters Guide • Lost City of Barakus (S&W) • Vornheim • Operation Unfathomable (S&W) • Veins of the Earth • Tomb of the Serpent Kings • d30 Sandbox Compendium • Craft Dungeon of Reynaldo Lazendry • Tricks, Empty Rooms & Basic Trap Design • Grizzly Graveyard of Grimgortha • The Dungeon Alphabet • Gone Fishin’ • Random Esoteric Creature Generator • Grimtooth’s Traps Megadungeons: • Wonder & Wickedness • Barrowmaze (LL) • Hack! Issue 1: Firearms • Stonehell (LL) • Cityographer (PC Application) • Dwimmermount (LL) • Dungeonographer (PC Application) • Anomalous Subsurface Environment (LL) • Hexographer (PC Application) Hexcrawls: • World of the Lost (LotFP) What are some OSR style video games? • X1: Isle of Dread (AD&D) • JN2: Monkey Isle (BFRPG) • Legend of Grimrock I & II • Eye of the Beholder • Wizardry • Caves of Qud • Darkest Dungeon • Vaporium • Dungeon Master • Bard’s Tale • Delver • Most “Roguelikes” What are some OSR based podcasts? • Hobbes and Friends of the OSR • Roll For Initiative • Save or Die Podcast • Fear of a Black Dragon • Gaming and BS • Spellburn/Glowburn (DCC) What are some useful OSR websites? • Trove #1 • Trove #2 • OSR Sandbox • OSR Tools and Resources • OSR Blogs.