Looking for the Old School: Tell my group what to play

[tylerthehobo]

So, my buddies and I all started during the 1e and 2e days, played a TON of 3.5 and have recently converted to 4e. We keep coming back to "wow, I wish we could play something that was more like first edition..." It may just be that we play 4e with some of the "first edition feel" modules and support materials out there, and a sandbox campaign of my own design, but what late 70s/early 80s nostalgia games might you recommend as a change of pace?

Anybody playing Mongoose's retool of Rune Quest?

How about Harp?

How about OSRIC?

What are you all enjoying playing these days that has that old school feel to it? And why?

 

[Mark]

My group jumps around a bit. We're finishing up a chunk of a 3.5 homebrew campaign, then doing five weeks of one-shots including 4E, 1E, Paladium, 3.5 Eberron then a night of board games and card games. After that, I am not positive but probably 3.5 or a d20 variant. You might want to just pick up the old 1E books and see if you can even run it any longer.

 

[tylerthehobo]

1e/OSRIC is definitely on the table. We're just curious about other games we could give a shot.

Just found two good links re: mongoose's retooling of runequest here:
RPGnet : Review of RuneQuest (Mongoose Edition)
RPGnet : Review of RuneQuest and RuneQuest Companion

What do you think of Palladium?

And yes, we've played Warhammer Fantasy RPG.

 

[Mark]

1e/OSRIC is definitely on the table. We're just curious about other games we could give a shot.

Just found two good links re: mongoose's retooling of runequest here:
RPGnet : Review of RuneQuest (Mongoose Edition)
RPGnet : Review of RuneQuest and RuneQuest Companion

What do you think of Palladium?

And yes, we've played Warhammer Fantasy RPG.

I'll probably try C&C when I am up at GaryCon in early March. I haven't tried Paladium but I understand it has similar sweet spot problems like a lot of RPGs. I've tried Warhammer FRPG and it is a fine enough system. You might want to give it a whirl. Do you have a decent gamestore nearby where you could put out some feelers to try various systems?

 

[Mark]

Some are discussing Paladium here -

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/250449-palladium-system-question.html

 

[Reynard]

What do you think of Palladium?

The Palladium Fantasy RPG, 1st Edition revised is a gem, if you can get past KS's writing (he's got all EGG's wrath and none of his style IMO). There's actually a few number of ideas in there worth stealing for AD&D, and the first few supplements are first rate for setting and adventure hooks. However, it requires a lot more prep (closer to 3E's level of prep than 1E's) and in some places it's even less clear than those opaque AD&D rules. But definitely worth trying, if the GM in question doesn't mind digging into it to find all the good stuff buried in there.

2nd Ed. isn't quite as good -- it's a little cleaner presentation wise and more consistent, but the introduction of the RIFTSy rules kind of ruined it.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

What are you all enjoying playing these days that has that old school feel to it? And why?

Well, I'm running an underworld dungeon using Original D&D. I also recently played in a Swords & Wizardry game run by Mythmere, and a couple months ago I played some Stormbringer (1e rules from Chaosium).

Original D&D is my preferred edition (that link, and the info on my site explain why), but if you're after "1e feel," my advice is to run 1e. Nothing delivers "1e feel" like 1e. OSRIC works just fine if you don't have the 1e books at hand, or want to avoid wear and tear on them.

As far as Runequest goes, I'm not a fan of the Mongoose version; I prefer RQ2. If that's not around, I'd probably go with Chaosium's new release of Basic Roleplaying. But my favorite BRP/Chaosium fantasy game is Stormbringer. I love the random PC generation (what will you get -- can you hack it?), the art in the 1e edition, and the setting. I think the BRP rules + the Stormbringer magic system and setting just ooze old school swords and sorcery feel.

I did recently pick up Mongoose Traveller. It's pretty good; very close to the original. However, it's a bit pricey; I think you can probably get reprints of the original Classic Traveller books for cheaper.

I haven't played HARP, but I think I'd just go with classic Rolemaster, if I was heading in that direction.

 

[armorclass10]

I can second C&C, I really enjoy it myself. The learning curve is very small too especially if you have played 1st and 3rd. And it's not too hard on the wallet.

Here are the FREE quick start rules to whet your appetite

http://www.trolllord.com/cnc/ccqs.html

 

[Treebore]

Castles and Crusades, especially if you still have books from all the editions, like I do. Converting them to C&C is the easiest of all, and C&C is also easiest to house rule out of all of them because the SIEGE system at its core is so freakin versatile.

You can even adapt Paladium to it pretty easily. Haven't really looked at using Runequest though.

 

[Aus_Snow]

But my favorite BRP/Chaosium fantasy game is Stormbringer. I love the random PC generation (what will you get -- can you hack it?), the art in the 1e edition, and the setting. I think the BRP rules + the Stormbringer magic system and setting just ooze old school swords and sorcery feel.

Yes, same here, and yes, just so.

Although I've been doubtful in the past, regarding the whole point of 'retro clones' (and C&C), I've recently come around to their way of thinking. Well, not the games' perhaps, but anyway. If I was going to run an old school campaign of specifically a D&D style (as opposed to something like Stormbringer [see above] or Dragon Warriors) these days, I'd certainly consider Castles & Crusades, or possibly something like Swords & Wizardry. One of those, anyhow.