D&D-ish systems that combine old school with modern rules

[Doug McCrae]

I'm considering trying my hand at running a D&D-ish game in the old school style but I don't think I want to use pre-3e D&D or a retro-clone. (If I did, I'd most likely use B/X or a derivative thereof.) What's out there? I know about Castles & Crusades, Old School Hack, DCC rpg and 13th Age. Is there anything else?

 

[grodog]

This may help, Doug: Retroclones and Older D&D Editions - EN World: Your Daily RPG Magazine

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Old school is more of a game style -- I think you can achieve your intent with any modern rules system. Pick up a classic adventure for the flavor and run it using something you are familiar with.

 

[mkill]

I'm considering trying my hand at running a D&D-ish game in the old school style but I don't think I want to use pre-3e D&D or a retro-clone. (If I did, I'd most likely use B/X or a derivative thereof.) What's out there? I know about Castles & Crusades, Old School Hack, DCC rpg and 13th Age. Is there anything else?

What's your definition of "old school"? Different gaming styles have evolved as early as the late 70ies. You could do pretty much anything at the table and claim "that's how we did it back then".

- minis yes/no
- dungeon vs plot vs sandbox
- high / low lethality
- "strictly core fantasy" vs. wild crossover
- rules light/heavy
- high/low magic
- serious/comedy

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Honestly, in your position, I'd use the toolbox system that you and other players feel most comfortable with and then you can freely mix & match the elements you want.

I did it with HERO- combining classes & mechanics across 1Ed-3Ed- and I'm sure you could do likewise with GURPS. Or M&M2...especially with the Books of Magic and W&W sourcebooks.

Then you could grab all your favorite stuff from D&D, Pathfinder, Midnight, Arcana Unearthed/Evolved...Ars Magica...Stormbringer...whatever.

 

[chaochou]

Have a look at Dungeon World at Dungeon World :: Home

It started as a hack of Apocalypse World but has since been published in its own right, and pretty much exactly fits your criteria - very modern rules being used to emulate an 'old school' feel.

 

[Nellisir]

Swords & Wizardry is about as stripped-down as you can go, which makes it incredibly easy to add things back in. AC is dual statted (up and down), so if you prefer "3e-style" AC (I do), it's already built in. You can add feats and skills from any edition without any difficulty that I can think of. Land of NOD blog has mountains of custom tweaks and additions to S&W, both in the NOD ezine or spread throughout the blog.

To be honest, I've liked S&W for awhile, but seeing it "in use" was what really sold me.

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

Swords & Wizardry is about as stripped-down as you can go, which makes it incredibly easy to add things back in. AC is dual statted (up and down), so if you prefer "3e-style" AC (I do), it's already built in. You can add feats and skills from any edition without any difficulty that I can think of. Land of NOD blog has mountains of custom tweaks and additions to S&W, both in the NOD ezine or spread throughout the blog.

To be honest, I've liked S&W for awhile, but seeing it "in use" was what really sold me.

Swords & Wizardry is my favourite, too. And it is available as a Word document so you can add your house rules into the manuscript and then circulate it to your players.

 

[Libramarian]

Old school is more of a game style -- I think you can achieve your intent with any modern rules system. Pick up a classic adventure for the flavor and run it using something you are familiar with.

This is basically true. Although I don't think you can do old school D&D with *any* modern system. You should use something at least descended from D&D. But the important point is that it depends more on the design of the adventure than whether AC goes up or down or what dice you roll when you want to pick a lock.

I suggest using Castles & Crusades with Gabor Lux's free C&C adventures here: Judges Guild -

 

[DMKastmaria]

Swords & Wizardry is about as stripped-down as you can go, which makes it incredibly easy to add things back in. AC is dual statted (up and down), so if you prefer "3e-style" AC (I do), it's already built in. You can add feats and skills from any edition without any difficulty that I can think of. Land of NOD blog has mountains of custom tweaks and additions to S&W, both in the NOD ezine or spread throughout the blog.

To be honest, I've liked S&W for awhile, but seeing it "in use" was what really sold me.

1. Swords & Wizardry - It also has the single save, as an alternative to the five categories, if that's something you might prefer. It's my own favorite of any D&D save system. Free PDF.

http://www.lulu.com/shop/matthew-finch/swords-wizardry-core-rules-pdf/ebook/product-15718826.html

2. Swords & Wizardry Whitebox might suit your purposes, as well. You could take either one, put in an evening or two of work and have a nice, old school variant, with as much d20 influences as you would like. Free PDF.

http://www.lulu.com/shop/matthew-finch/swords-wizardry-whitebox-rulebook-pdf/ebook/product-14956259.html

3. Ah. The Microlite family of games might do the trick! Microlite 20, et al:

The Microlite20 RPG Collection | RetroRoleplaying

Microlite 20 is an ultra lite, stripped down d20 variant. Again, even if its too lite, it might make a useful starting point, for you to take and go as far as you would like. Free PDF.

4. James Bobb's World of Onn. I have an earlier version of this, which uses ascending AC, the d20 saves, a small list of feats, etc. Haven't read this version, but I suspect it's along similar lines. Might want to check with the author.

http://www.lulu.com/shop/james-e-bobb/1001-world-of-onn-core-rules/paperback/product-6500536.html

5. Have you checked out Basic Fantasy?
http://www.basicfantasy.org/downloads.html

It's along B/X lines. Ascending AC. Plenty of support. PDF's are free.

6. The Myth & Magic Player's and DM's Starter Guides are available for free PDF download here:

http://www.newhavengames.com/

Kind of a 2e & 3e mashup, I think. Or a 2e, with some d20 mechanics. Or, something. Haven't done more than glance at this one.

As for non D&D derived stuff:

7. Barbarians of Lemuria - Here's a link to the free version. An expanded for-pay version is also available:

http://www.1km1kt.net/rpg/barbarians-of-lemuria

I've got the expanded print version of this. Itching to run it. I think BoL and the Hyborian Age, may well make for an excellent campaign!

8. Maybe ZeFRS? http://www.lulu.com/shop/the-zefrs-collective/zefrs/ebook/product-17399766.html

PDF is free. Hardcopy also available from Lulu. It's the clone of TSR's old Conan game system by David "Zeb" Cook. All REH Intellectual Property stripped out, leaving what many consider to be a fine Swords & Sorcery RPG.

9. Dungeonslayers! Available for free download:

http://www.dungeonslayers.com/

10. Warrior, Rogue & Mage - The name of the game and of a Character's three stats. Also Free:

http://www.stargazergames.eu/games/warrior-rogue-mage/

11. And Mazes & Minotaurs! All free with tons of support!
http://mazesandminotaurs.free.fr/