OSR If you were going to commit to one clone of older edition D&D going forward, what would it be?

[jdrakeh]

If you were going to commit to one clone of older edition D&D going forward, what would it be? And why? Because that's what I'm looking at doing due to my limited financial resources. I'm just looking for some guidance in that regard.

 

[darjr]

Old School Essentials.

It’s based off my favorite and it has decent expansions for more of an AD&D style. Plus right now it has a ton of support.

Also I think that version is the easiest to port too.

Also also I think basic and specifically Moldvey has been a bit of a standard already.

 

[reelo]

Definetly OSE. The rules themselves are perfect, and 3pp support is massive.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

So, a non-WotC version of D&D?

Given my favorite edition is 3.5Ed, it would have to be one of the major clones. While I love some of the aspects of several of them, like FantasyCraft, Midnight, True20, Arcana Unearthed and others, the key feature of 3.5Ed that makes me love it so much is it’s flexibility of character design. Because of that, there’s only 2 I’d consider: Pathfinder or Warriors & Warlocks.

Pathfinder approaches the depth and variety of options 3.5Ed. But Warriors & Warlocks, as a supplement of Mutants & Masterminds, has the systemic flexibility to design PCs as I see fit, mimicking the options across 3.5’s myriad sourcebooks.

…and in other editions of D&Ds well.

 

[aia_2]

I would go with LotFP... The reason is simple: it has the best adventures...

 

[jdrakeh]

So, a non-WotC version of D&D?

Specifically a clone, so yes. Pathfinder 1e mostly falls into that category. Not sure about Warriors & Warlocks. Is the latter a stand-alone game?

[Edit: I see, after a bit of research, that it's not a clone of any edition of D&D or a stand-alone game.]

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Technically, it‘s the fantasy ruleset for Mutants & Masterminds.

 

[jdrakeh]

Technically, it‘s the fantasy ruleset for Mutants & Masterminds.

Yup, I saw that. Interesting, but not what I'm looking for in this thread. A "clone" is specifically a mostly faithful recreation of a previous edition of D&D, sometimes with minor improvements (e.g. better organization, ascending AC, unified Saving Throws, etc). It is also, especially for the purposes of this thread, a standalone game (not a supplement and certainly not a supplement for a game other than D&D).

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Then my choice would be Pathfinder.

 

[jdrakeh]

Then my choice would be Pathfinder.

Totally valid choice (and one I had not considered)!

 

[darjr]

There is this thing out there which exists in a murky area.

OD&D Single Volume Edition.

I own a couple copies of OD&D and a licensed copy of the PDFs.

It’s a re-edit of the first three books. And by many, apparently good.

I’d like something like that to try a go at OD&D.

 

[overgeeked]

I voted Old-School Essentials. It does everything I want an old-school game to do and none of what I don’t. The OSE Advanced Fantasy rules are a great synthesis of B/X and AD&D.

You can get the main book for OSE Classic for $1 in this Humble Bundle. You can get the Advanced books for a bit more. The modules are amazing. And so is the 3rd-party support.

Humble RPG Bundle: Essential Classic Fantasy RPG Collection

Our latest role-playing book bundle features Old-School Essentials Classic and Advanced Fantasy rulebooks, plus campaigns, adventures and more. Pay what you want & support Children's Miracle Network Hospitals!

www.humblebundle.com

 

[Malmuria]

OSE feels like a true evergreen edition of the game. It’s always going to “feel” like dnd and you can add to it and hack it until it gets to adnd levels of complexity.

 

[Zardnaar]

Either Castles and Crusades because I own it or look into OSE.

 

[Zardnaar]

I voted Old-School Essentials. It does everything I want an old-school game to do and none of what I don’t. The OSE Advanced Fantasy rules are a great synthesis of B/X and AD&D.

You can get the main book for OSE Classic for $1 in this Humble Bundle. You can get the Advanced books for a bit more. The modules are amazing. And so is the 3rd-party support.

Humble RPG Bundle: Essential Classic Fantasy RPG Collection

Our latest role-playing book bundle features Old-School Essentials Classic and Advanced Fantasy rulebooks, plus campaigns, adventures and more. Pay what you want & support Children's Miracle Network Hospitals!

www.humblebundle.com

Might go shopping...

 

[SJB]

Blood & Treasure Complete. John Stater’s retroclone is free. It runs off the SRD but identifies the edition from which each element, e.g. spells derives. Thus it’s possible to turn the wick up or down: if you want AD&D just avoid the stuff from later editions. The Monster Tome and NOD Companion (short campaign articles) are also free.

 

[delericho]

If I absolutely had to choose, it would be Pathfinder.

But I suspect if that were the case my actual answer would be "none".

 

[schneeland]

Right now, it would be OSE for the reasons others have already mentioned. I want to take a look at Castles & Crusades at some point, though.

 

[deganawida]

Castles & Crusades for me. C&C scratches the itch that I have more than any other retro clone, while also feeling like a continuation of the AD&D line. In fact, C&C scratches that itch so much that I have 0 desire to play any modern D&D system.

If expense is a concern, the 7th printing of the PHB is free in PDF from the TLG store.

 

[Cruentus]

Old School Essentials, hands down. With a close second to Beyond the Wall, some elements of which I may combine with OSE.