OSRIC, do I need the book?

[nightraven]

Greetings all, first post from an oldschooler/1E AD&Der. Anyway, I'm curious as to what people know about this OSRIC product (its website says its a publishing tool) yet it now comes as a 400 page book in print form from lulu (with everything you need to play AD&D from scratch!). Link from the First Edition Society lulu site. Is it worth buying as a table aid perhaps? Or is it still just a publishing tool? Also, has anyone gotten a copy yet from Lulu? I'd like to know what the difference is between the economy for $10+ and the paperback for $15+


And what is Monsters of Myth, it also appears alongside OSRIC, showing up just below (is this a core rule book? Are these new monsters, or adaptations of the old?)

To an oldschooler, and someone who lived "threw it", its great to see the original rules come back to us after so many years (new and in print)! I'm hoping to see this book make it to real world bookstores, that would be like Christmas.

 

[JimLotFP]

The book is the same as the free pdf download, so download that first and decide for yourself if it would be useful/cool to order the physical version. It is a complete game these days (in addition to being a publishing tool), completely with a big boatload of monsters. It's a one-book system, all you'll ever need (but of course you'll want more ).

Monsters of Myth is a book of all-new monsters with no duplication from the original sources.

 

[Mythmere1]

It started as a publishing tool, but lots of people were downloading the prior edition to use at game tables. Right now, it's sort of in a strange half-half territory between a publisher's resource and an actively used ruleset. Lots of people use it because it's organized in the more familiar 2e/3e method, so it's easier to learn and assimilate than the original books.

(btw, I'm not sure the OSRIC link in my sig is still the right link - it might only be at lulu at this point in time).

Supplements for it are in brick-and-mortar stores (Expeditious Retreat Press).

Monsters of Myth, as Jim said, is simply a book of completely new monsters. It's not an "official OSRIC supplement" or anything like that. It's a resource book.

I think the difference between the cheaper and the more expensive softcover is due to paper quality. I haven't seen either one in my hands yet, so I can't comment on the relative quality, but lulu does good work.

 

[nightraven]

Thanks so much for the info. I've ordered the soft cover, its a heck of alot cheaper then printing it out ($15 very reasonable for 400 pages).
I did look threw more of it and noticed some things missing. The monk for one. I think this is to keep it legal, which is smart. Is there a supplement out that faithfully recaptures the 1E monk then?

I'll probably buy Monsters of Myth as well, it seems to be like a Monster Manual 2 (are there any reviews for it, didn't see any googling?)

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

There's a review thread for Monsters of Myth on Dragonsfoot.

Monsters of Myth is definitely worth getting. I got it in softcover, and after reading and using it for a bit, was kicking myself for not getting the hardcover. It's full of good stuff. I find myself picking it up all the time when I'm prepping.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

There's also a review on Grognardia.

 

[st'ranger]

I am aware of 3 more reviews for MoM. 2 on rpg.net and one on Lulu. I will dig up the links later if nobody else gets there first.

As for the difference in the two paperbacks, Myth is right, they use different grades of paper.

 

[nightraven]

Does anyone (Jim maybe) have a complete list of whats missing in OSRIC (from the original PH and DMG (and the Monster Manual if possible)?

It sounds like the only real negative directed at Monsters of Myth was it being a little light on art (but given the number of monsters and page count, I can't see sticking that much more in). Also, are there any interior examples of art floating around (the reviews didn't show any)?

Monsters presented today by WOTC and others are for the most part hokey (with bodies that couldn't really move). Any of that in Monsters of Myth?

Assuming I don't here any negatives, I'll probably pick this up at the end of the month.

 

[st'ranger]

When I put OSRIC up at Lulu I also made the pdf of MoM free. You can download it and decide for yourself. If you liked the older art more than the new you should be happy with it.

 

[nightraven]

Has anyone recieved OSRIC from Lulu yet? If so, let us know how the printing and binding quality turned out, and if possible take some photos and post them (or link). I've ordered stuff from Lulu in the past, and have been happy (same as what you'd buy at a book store), but nothing close to 400 pages.