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

[Dreamscape]

[...] For example, the retro that I want to play is BECM/Rules Cyclopedia, and it's available electrinically on DriveThruRPG for $10, or Print-On-Demand for $21. [...] The point I'm trying to make is: if you want to play an older edition of D&D, you can play that older edition. You don't need to house-rule the latest edition, you don't need to sell your group on a completely new game. The older editions are still there, still playable, and still just as fun as you remember.

The one outlier is Holmes Basic D&D, which for some reason hasn't been added to the D&D Classics catalogue in PDF or PoD. That's the main reason I first wrote a retroclone for it (well, it started out as an errata document, and then it snowballed). I and fellow admirers of Dr J. Eric Holmes's gaming still regularly petition WotC to correct this oversight, but no luck so far.

 

[Dwarf 007]

Ok, now that I've had time to process this a little more; I think this is simply their announcement that D&D is going to transition to a digital gaming environment in a much bigger way. They don't see the future of printed hardcovers being as big of a money maker for them, as the online gaming environment. They can also make rules changes that are implemented throughout the entire player base, much more easily and more universally; if they do so via the online gaming experience platform.

WOTC is going to control how people play D&D; by controlling what D&D is, in the online gaming environment. If they make it look great; people will play it in mass, regardless.

The one outlier is Holmes Basic D&D, which for some reason hasn't been added to the D&D Classics catalogue in PDF or PoD. That's the main reason I first wrote a retroclone for it (well, it started out as an errata document, and then it snowballed). I and fellow admirers of Dr J. Eric Holmes's gaming style regularly petition WotC to correct this oversight, but no luck so far.

If you are the author of the Blueholme Prentice Rules, thank you. I own a copy, and I really like it.

 

[Bladesinger]

Although I missed the poll, I found Chromatic Dungeons to be fairly good. That would be my choice.

 

[teitan]

I can't. I keep looking at them and I can't do it. I have the old books already so if I wanted to play those older games I would grab those. IF I were to play an older edition it would be 1e, I like the grimy, dingy feel of it, seat of your pants, skin of your teeth survival feel. Even as a DM and with all those classes that you actually have to qualify with good rolls to play. I like that character creation has no agenda but that applies to all of them but it's the extras to it and I have like 5 PHBs. I would scrap Unearthed Arcana and the survival guides. Just the original three, the MM I&II, Fiend Folio and Deities & Demigods and start chuuuucking. Roll 4D6 down the line, swap two, pick your race and class and let's go.

But my game of choice is Dungeon Crawl Classics. It scratches the Old School itch with more coherence. It has even less of an agenda to character creation with the funnel and still emphasizes all the things that 1e carried with the dingy, grimy adventuring feel, the idea that you could die at any moment while also being a great adventurer. Magic is mysterious and no one will ever, ever cast a spell the same as anyone else ever. Everything is a seed for adventure and not fixed by a spell, even casting a spell can be the seed for an adventure. In actual play all the charts aren't as imposing as they seem and the funktastic dice are no more intrusive than the already present dice available. Thief abilities operate more functionally at low levels. Henchman are a must. It's everything I love about old school without the barnacles and giving me max grimdark, fun fairy tale shenanigans.

Plus almost all the premade adventures are awesome and DCC Lankhmar is the best city supplement ever published.

 

[reelo]

I mean no disrespect to OSE (which is free, and is an excellent product, and everyone should have a copy in their library). The point I'm trying to make is: if you want to play an older edition of D&D, you can play that older edition. You don't need to house-rule the latest edition, you don't need to sell your group on a completely new game. The older editions are still there, still playable, and still just as fun as you remember.

Just wanted to chime in regarding this.
Of course original B/X is still available, in digital form and possibly (I haven't checked) POD. What OSE has going for it is the excellent layout, print quality, and format.
Even if I had original B/X copies or a POD veraion, I'd still choose OSE. It's "pure" BX, but far easier to use. That's all.

 

[TGryph]

Another vote for Castles & Crusades. Been running it for years, and my players still love it. Moves very fast, very few looking up of rules during the game, and with its hackability plus its really cool Class and a Half system, it has enough character combinations for a huge variety. Plus it is super compatible with not only the AD&D but any other retroclone I have ever looked at.