Best way to run 1st edition Forgotten Realms? (That isn't AD&D)

[Nikosandros]

It seems that a lot of the advice is geared toward retroclones of various kinds. That's cool- I love them. But if that's the case, just choose the retroclone or OSR game that you like the best. But if your issue is not just with AD&D (as you state, you don't like OSRIC because of the system), then maybe you just don't want to play that style of game? In which case, see the paragraph I wrote above.

The OP asked about getting an "AD&D experience" so I assumed that a similar, but simpler game, might be appropriate. If it only about the lore, I - of course - agree that it can be used with a different system.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I am with Snarf on this one... surely the rules system DOES have an effect on the mood of the game, but I would not be afraid to simply choose a system I like and a fantasy setting I like and combine the two. Especially a ruleset like 5e works quite well as a 'toolbox' where you can leave stuff out if it gets in the way of the setting, and is not too difficult to create new material for.

Not sure mood is a word I would use, I think the rules are more than that. Greybox FR with Warhammer 1st edition rules would be one thing and on the (or at least an ) opposite would be 5e Greybox FR. Though obviously a flavour of D&D would be easier to translate as much of the work would already be done.

 

[RuinousPowers]

Mythras, using the Classic Fantasy book seems like a good fit to me.

 

[Yora]

I downloaded OSRIC 2nd edition (didn't know there was such a thing) and it's

...not horrifying?!

It doesn't even look that complicated as a game. The modifiers for high and low attributes could have been streamlined and the way to determine hits is ass-backwards as always, but it looks like a fairly simple and straightforward game. I even understand initaitve segments now with just reading one paragraph once.

Is this still AD&D?

 

[Nikosandros]

Yes, it is still AD&D, but written in a more clear and coherent way. Except for initiative. No one understands the rules in the DMG. Not even Gary.

 

[overgeeked]

Over the last years, I've come to really appreciate the originally released version of the Forgotten Realms before it got a pretty major overhaul for the new sanitized 2nd edition of AD&D. And occasionally I find my self seriously considering to running a campaign using the Grey Box and various of the FR sourcebooks.

However, I really don't want to touch AD&D with a ten foot pole. That system is such a convoluted and incomprehensible mess. OSRIC is better organized, but still basically the same game. There are plenty of other editions that cover the most important classes and races of AD&D 1st edition and all of them would probably "work".
But what do you all think would be the best pick to get a campaign close to an AD&D 1st edition experience without actually being AD&D?

Old-School Essentials. It’s a retroclone of B/X. The basic chassis is fantastic. The Advanced Fantasy version includes AD&D races, classes, spells, monsters, etc modified to fit the B/X chassis. The numbers are slightly different but the rules are smooth as silk.

 

[Andvari]

Check out Castles & Crusades. The 7th printing Player's Handbook is free as a digital download. It's d20 based and it's supposedly quite easy to convert AD&D modules to it. I own the books but haven't had a chance to play. But people do say it feels a lot like playing AD&D, although saving throws feel different at higher levels as DCs scale.

There are also some really cool tribute cover versions of the core books based on the old AD&D book covers.

Castles & Crusades (C&C) is a fantasy role-playing game published in 2004 by Troll Lord Games based upon a stripped-down variant of the d20 System by Wizards of the Coast. The game system is designed to emulate the play of earlier editions of the Dungeons & Dragons game while keeping the unified mechanics of the d20 System.

 

[bulletmeat]

Check out Castles & Crusades. The 7th printing Player's Handbook is free as a digital download. It's d20 based and it's supposedly quite easy to convert AD&D modules to it. I own the books but haven't had a chance to play. But people do say it feels a lot like playing AD&D, although saving throws feel different at higher levels as DCs scale.

My longest C&C game was FR 1e (a little greyhawk mixed in) using the C&C phb, grey box, & monster manual primarily w/minimal issues but the same AD&D feels.

 

[Yora]

Old-School Essentials. It’s a retroclone of B/X. The basic chassis is fantastic. The Advanced Fantasy version includes AD&D races, classes, spells, monsters, etc modified to fit the B/X chassis. The numbers are slightly different but the rules are smooth as silk.

I know, big fan of it myself.
But even though it has all the classes, it goes only to 14th level and has only about half the spells that are in AD&D. Which is absolutely fine for most campaigns, but I think in Forgotten Realms with its many archmages and high priests, it would alter the internal logic of the world in meaningful ways.

 

[timbannock]

I know, big fan of it myself.
But even though it has all the classes, it goes only to 14th level and has only about half the spells that are in AD&D. Which is absolutely fine for most campaigns, but I think in Forgotten Realms with its many archmages and high priests, it would alter the internal logic of the world in meaningful ways.

I'd argue that makes it a stronger contender, because IME the Realmsian archmagi and mythal-based magic (as well as Spellfire and all sorts of oddities that are probably not in the Grey Box, to be fair) rarely follow the established rules. Therefore, they seem to beg "NPC exceptions" or more realistically just non-player facing stat blocks and spell descriptions. YMMV of course, but the protagonists are rarely exceptionally high level PC types. Even Drizz't doesn't really follow the established rules, but is also clearly not exceptionally high level at the beginning of his series. (High level meaning 10+ in this case.)