Interested in checking out non-D&D fantasy "old school" ttrpgs

[Voadam]

Also be aware that if you go for the Mongoose Runequest interim editions (which have SRDs) know that lorewise it is set in a prehistory of the other Runequest Glorantha settings with a major Dragon empire and god learner ones heading to catastrophe conflict. The current RQ:AIG has huge statless lorebooks that would be useful whatever edition you were checking out.

There are a bunch of non Glorantha things built off of the Mongoose Runequest rules sets as well, Clockwork and Chivalry, Raiders of Ryleh, and Mongoose had an Elric series. Mythras has also done a bunch of non-Glorantha setting stuff.

 

[dbolack]

When I say "old school," I'm mostly thinking of the 70s to 80s, but at its broadest I can extend this to pre-2000s games.
Fans of 'old-school' non-D&D fantasy, sell me on your favorite systems! What does it offer that D&D and other RPGs don't have? What's the coolest stuff from their lore?

The only things that pop into my head after hitting the end of this list are a little weirder/off the path, like Swordbearer or Bushido.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I finished reading Tunnels & Trolls Deluxe Edition. Overall, I like it and would be open to playing it. I like how it has a less serious feel than D&D, but not outright parody like pre-4e HackMaster. The spell names are not entirely to my liking, though. I like the streamlining of combat into combining damage dice values where both sides roll off against each other, although I am concerned that rolling bucketfuls of dice can get cumbersome unless someone uses a VTT macro for calculating results. Given how important dice values are, to my initial reading it does look like it favors using bigger and bigger weapons like two-handed swords and such. I dunno if using smaller weapons such as daggers and shortbows would be suboptimal to continue using past low levels.

Tunnels and Trolls is a lot of fun. But yeah, some of those spell names have not aged well. The way it abstracts combat works, but requires a different way to approach the game conceptually.

As for rolling buckets of dice, I feel like for some games it's a feature, not a bug (see also Shadowrun).

1. Arduin Trilogy: not solely fantasy in genre, but most of the content is geared towards that genre. Could be interesting to see how someone's set of D&D house rules developed into its own game. The most complete version looks to be this one in collecting all three books of the trilogy.

Arduin is wild. It's got a unique flavor that in a lot of ways flies in the face of the standardization of fantasy that followed in the wake of D&D's release.

I do really like the optional rules in it that flatten HP acquisition. You get more at the start, but gain very slowly from there on out as you level up. It makes lower level characters sturdier while decreasing HP bloat.

 

[Voadam]

The spell names are not entirely to my liking, though.

Take that you fiend!

 

[The Soloist]

I've learned to appreciate and love the Tunnels & Trolls system via The Lair of the Leopard Empresses RPG by Mindjammer Games. It's very well written and explained. The setting is detailed and rich. Very good for soloing, which I'm doing with a fighter on a quest from a mysterious woman wearing a silk veil.

 

[The Soloist]

The Fantasy Trip: the fact that the game is split up into shorter, simpler rulesets before moving on to the fuller product should make for some speedy reading. I imagine it'll be easier to digest the rules than Chivalry & Sorcery or Arduin.

Melee and Wizard is fun as an arena gladiator combat game. While the rules are short, it's a rather complex combat system that takes time to master and play well. I found that the granularity of possible combat actions slowed down the RPG too much for my taste.

 

[darjr]

I had this until I gifted it to a friend. Funny thing is I think it was originally brought over from England and as a gift it went back!

Half of it is indeed a wargame, the other half is the rpg.

 

[Parmandur]

Seems thisnthread has mostly focused on fantasy old school games, but one of the elder games of the medium, Traveller, has the original old school rules available for free st DriveThru, which has everything needed for tons of play:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/355200/classic-traveller-facsimile-edition

And if that appeals, the current edition from Mongoose is pretty dang Old School still, very compatible with older material.

 

[aramis erak]

I finished reading Tunnels & Trolls Deluxe Edition. Overall, I like it and would be open to playing it. I like how it has a less serious feel than D&D, but not outright parody like pre-4e HackMaster. The spell names are not entirely to my liking, though. I like the streamlining of combat into combining damage dice values where both sides roll off against each other, although I am concerned that rolling bucketfuls of dice can get cumbersome unless someone uses a VTT macro for calculating results. Given how important dice values are, to my initial reading it does look like it favors using bigger and bigger weapons like two-handed swords and such. I dunno if using smaller weapons such as daggers and shortbows would be suboptimal to continue using past low levels.

So with a little over a week left in October, the time is coming where I can afford to pick up another ttrpg. Here are the ones I'm gravitating to at the moment, in order:

1. Chivalry & Sorcery: I talked about it before, and as time goes on the more I want to check out how it handles "feudal simulation." One of my friends and frequent gaming buddies is a medieval history buff, so it could be fun to share my findings with her while reading.

Tables aplenty in all the editions I have three - red cover FGU edition, another that I can't check because it's burried, and Rebirth which asserts itself as 4th edition.
I know a lot of SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) folk who swear by it, and a another few who swear at it.
Note that the FGU is optically reduced from typewritten pages at 50%, so it's small print. I can't even read it anymore without magnification, and preferred magnification even then.

Rebirth is uncomfortably small print, too... even on the computer. Lots of tables. I got only one one-shot session in.

1. Monsters! Monsters! The Tunnels & Trolls spin-off game where you play as monsters raiding human/goodkin settlements. I am a sucker for supplements that put you in more monstrous shoes, so it's a high choice for me.

Mechanically, it's T&T sans encumbrance. And ranged weapons work slightly different.
MR works mostly the same.

1. RuneQuest: Chaosium's other long-running ttrpg!

BRP has been continuously in print since 1980 in various editions...
RQ starts in 1978, went out of Chaosium to Avalon Hill (and to Games Workshop - same rules, relayout)... then went out of print in the mid 90's.
In 1998, AH, who was about to run into non-use loss of trademarks, was going to press with RQ Slayers, but HasBro bought AH, and cancelled the print run.
HeroWars was only available starting 2000...
MRQ was only in 2006.
So, sure, it's their oldest IP, but it was fallow for about 8 years without a percentile version. If you count HW/HQ, about 4 years.

 

[Libertad]

If you pick this one up and dig it, there's also another game that uses the same system called Lair of the Leopard Empresses. It's billed as a "superheroic sword & sorcery" RPG and it's by Sarah Newton of Mindjammer Press. There are some changes and updates to the mechanics. I'm not well-versed enough in both to go into detail. But it looks fantastic.

I've learned to appreciate and love the Tunnels & Trolls system via The Lair of the Leopard Empresses RPG by Mindjammer Games. It's very well written and explained. The setting is detailed and rich. Very good for soloing, which I'm doing with a fighter on a quest from a mysterious woman wearing a silk veil.

While I have looked into it and heard good things about the system, the Drive-Thru RPG page notes that it contains AI-generated content, which is something I don't go for for a variety of reasons. Sorry to be a bummer, but that's a personal line for me for my purchasing decisions.

Just be aware that while technically none of the direct RQ derivatives are lightweight, you'd likely find Mythras the heavies of the three (Mythras, RQ Classic and RQ:AIG). It made some serious attempts at tactical engagement, and for better or worse that has a price.

Thank you for the tip; I tend to go for lighter systems if possible, although I do make exceptions at times.

Also be aware that if you go for the Mongoose Runequest interim editions (which have SRDs) know that lorewise it is set in a prehistory of the other Runequest Glorantha settings with a major Dragon empire and god learner ones heading to catastrophe conflict. The current RQ:AIG has huge statless lorebooks that would be useful whatever edition you were checking out.

There are a bunch of non Glorantha things built off of the Mongoose Runequest rules sets as well, Clockwork and Chivalry, Raiders of Ryleh, and Mongoose had an Elric series. Mythras has also done a bunch of non-Glorantha setting stuff.

I have heard that Mongoose's RuneQuest takes quite a lore detour, but thank you for the advice. Chances are I'm going to look at both 2nd Edition and the current Roleplaying in Glorantha ruleset.

Clockwork and Chivalry sounds the most appealing of the spinoffs if going by name. Do you have any experience with that one?

The only things that pop into my head after hitting the end of this list are a little weirder/off the path, like Swordbearer or Bushido.

I am definitely down for weird RPGs, too! Feel free to share!

Tunnels and Trolls is a lot of fun. But yeah, some of those spell names have not aged well. The way it abstracts combat works, but requires a different way to approach the game conceptually.

As for rolling buckets of dice, I feel like for some games it's a feature, not a bug (see also Shadowrun).


Arduin is wild. It's got a unique flavor that in a lot of ways flies in the face of the standardization of fantasy that followed in the wake of D&D's release.

I do really like the optional rules in it that flatten HP acquisition. You get more at the start, but gain very slowly from there on out as you level up. It makes lower level characters sturdier while decreasing HP bloat.

Buckets full of dice are the least of my problems with Shadowrun lol. It will take a lot for me to bounce off T&T like I did with SR.

Seems thisnthread has mostly focused on fantasy old school games, but one of the elder games of the medium, Traveller, has the original old school rules available for free st DriveThru, which has everything needed for tons of play:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/355200/classic-traveller-facsimile-edition

And if that appeals, the current edition from Mongoose is pretty dang Old School still, very compatible with older material.

I dunno when/if I'll dive into sci-fi, but I do know that Stars Without Number was heavily influenced by Traveller, so that helps elevate it in my eyes. I tend to like the Star Trek "explore the unknown/wagon train to the stars" feel, along with traditional "defeat the evil empire" space opera sci-fi. I imagine Traveller does the former well, but how about the latter?

Tables aplenty in all the editions I have three - red cover FGU edition, another that I can't check because it's burried, and Rebirth which asserts itself as 4th edition.
I know a lot of SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) folk who swear by it, and a another few who swear at it.
Note that the FGU is optically reduced from typewritten pages at 50%, so it's small print. I can't even read it anymore without magnification, and preferred magnification even then.

Rebirth is uncomfortably small print, too... even on the computer. Lots of tables. I got only one one-shot session in.

I'm not a fan of small font either, so that version will be a pass for me.