What are the characteristics of an "olde school game"?

[Alzrius]

There's obviously a lot of interest in old-school style games (just look at OSRIC), but having missed that era myself, I'm curious about what it entails. I'm not sure if there's a particular play style, but from what I've been able to gather, there are certain tropes that are old-school in flavor. Off the top of my head:

You need a ten-foot pole with your adventuring gear. Don't ask why, you just need it.

If a beautiful woman ever so much as smiles at you, kill her. It's obviously a succubus or vampire or lamia, etc. waiting to kill you.

Doppelgangers replace party members at regular intervals.

Party order should always consist of the thief up front to check for traps, then the fighter for when the monsters appear, then the cleric to lend support and healing, and the mage in back of the others so he can cast his spells without being threatened.

Absolutely everything you kill is worth some experience points.

Any others?

 

[Doug McCrae]

If a beautiful woman ever so much as smiles at you, kill her. It's obviously a succubus or vampire or lamia, etc. waiting to kill you.

In our last 3.5 game we started to suspect every beautiful woman we met of being a hag. The DM had a slight tendency to overuse hags, which we were kind of mocking.

As to old school, you're right, the beautiful female captive who turns out to be a succubus, assassin or vampire is very Gygaxian.

Also old school: dungeons, traps, puzzles, randomness, cursed magic items, secret doors, taking their stuff more important than killing things.

In many ways, 3rd ed is more old school than 2nd ed.

 

[Nifft]

It evokes the feeling that stuff evoked when I was 12. That's about it. Good luck writing one.

Cheers, -- N

 

[PapersAndPaychecks]

My opinion about the characteristics of an old school game:

1. The role of a DM is NOT to tell a story to his or her players. The DM provides an interesting and challenging environment for the players to explore and then administers that environment impartially. Players ought to be able to create a character-driven, interactive story from these raw materials, and neither the players nor the GM can tell where the story is headed.
2. Characters are disposable; it's easy to roll up a new one. All they've normally got in terms of personality, at level 1, is a name... it might be worth investing effort in some background if they live to higher level.
3. Some monster attacks are basically incurable. Undead drain levels and getting them back is a major problem (requiring the help of an 18th level cleric of a Greater God with 18 wisdom who ages several years, irrecoverably, each time he or she cases restoration).
4. Many of the things you meet are poisonous. Poison kills you two times out of three regardless of how many hp you have. Other things turn you to stone, rust your gear or otherwise seriously ruin your day.
5. Killing things gets you XP but taking their stuff gets you three times as much XP. Sensible players avoid fighting.
6. Players aren't heroes. They might become heroes if they win, but the game isn't about players and they aren't entitled to succeed.
7. Imprudence gets you killed.
8. Prudence gets you killed too, but, less often.
9. Traps kill you. Sometimes you get a save, sometimes not.
10. BBEGs are optional.

 

[Mycanid]

Ya know Alzirius ... I know this may sound as a cop out, but the introductory material written for the Castles and Crusades Players Book really gives a STUPENDOUS summary (IMO) of all that is "olde school".

If you do not have the book I think it would be worth your while to get it, even if only to read it as "orientation" material.

 

[Warren Okuma]

You need a ten-foot pole with your adventuring gear. Don't ask why, you just need it.

Now it's an eleven foot pole for that three square reach.

____

When you're in an old-school dungeon YOU'RE IN F***ING VIETNAM. Check EVERYTHING. Clear out EVERYTHING. Don't take ONE STEP MORE than you have to until you're COMPLETELY SURE it's clear. Check EVERYTHING for traps. Search EVERYTHING. Keep the overall tactical layout in mind because THE GM WILL USE IT TO F**K YOU OVER. Be PROACTIVE: set traps and ambushes for the monsters before they do it to you. Find a position of tactical advantage and DUMP FIREBALLS, FLAMING OIL, AND BARRAGES OF ARROWS on your enemies. Mercy is for fools. The DM is not your friend.




Ahhh! Kobold flashbacks! Ahhh!




Monsters think. Monsters react. They do not come from the elemental plane of stupid. They will patrol and if they think that you are weak they will pursue you until you are dead. The monsters do not have a death wish. They will plan and prepare, and if you let them they will use the terrain to eat you alive. Paranoia is a serious and necessary survival trait. One of these days I'll post my tac notes.

 

[Lidgar]

Olde School = No Challenge Rating/Encounter Level.

That is, the dungeon (or whatever) you are exploring is not a statically derived set of encounters that is designed to advance you precisely 2 levels by the end of it, and each encounter uses roughly X% of your resources. While the dungeon will not simply be a horde of unkillable monsters, it certainly will not be a set stage of small, isolated rooms containing just the right mix of encounters to perfectly challenge a group of 4.

It means that you should really think twice about using "kick down the door" tactics. There is a strong chance you will need to run from things. Repeatedly. There is also a strong chance you will encounter a reward that is vastly more powerful than what you would expect in v3.5 based on your level, assuming you successfully sneak pass many horrors and uncover the illusion that hides it.

It means having a 7th level character is really saying something.

 

[Fifth Element]

and the mage in back of the others so he can cast his spells without being threatened.

Or at first level, his spell. Singular.

 

[Lanefan]

1. Assume all adventure designers want you dead. Act and play accordingly.
2. There are character "classes" not available as PCs e.g. whoever builds all the magic items.
3. At low level, everything in the world is bigger and badder than you. Play accordingly.
4. At high level, you are bigger and badder than most things in the world. So go off-world.
5. When things go bad, they stay bad. Curses, poison, level loss, death-raise...
6. Base stats are relatively static. Stat-boost items are *rare*.
7. Fireballs expand to fill volume. Lightning bolts rebound. Spells don't have effect caps.
8. The DM has to make rulings on the fly and needs to keep good records.

Good system, good game. Can't understand why they keep messing with it.....

Lanefan

 

[Simm]

Man, my 3.5 games are really old school and I never even realized it, I thought I was just designing a world the way a world would exist. Some things ar bigger than you some things are smaller than you, both can kill you pretty easily if you aren't careful.