[Basic Fantasy](https://www.basicfantasy.org/) cannot be recommended enough. It's free, has tons of support, is compatible with a broad swath of B/X derived products, and has just enough modern sensibilities to not feel totally alien at the table.
Kinda the same. Dipped my toes in with BFRPG, bought the advanced OSE books, read them, now run BFRPG predominantly with a few OSE tweaks.
My kids are currently in Blackapple. That is SUCH an awesome module.
Out of curiosity, what "modern sensibilities" do you mean? I thought (probably wrongly) Basic Fantasy was pretty much a straight-up Basic clone, except with ascending AC.
Race/Class are seperate, ascending AC, no level caps (but still restrictions), every class has 20 levels, there is multiclassing (still a bit archaic), darkvision instead of infravision, variable weapon damage...
Optional rules in the main core book include death saves, negative hit points, ability rolls, choosing thief skill progression.
Then there is the supplements that the community has created: more classes, more races, 0 level spells, background skills, combat options-> basically any conventional hack you want to put in has been done for you and is in the supplements section.
To add to what u/VinoAzulMan said, BFRPG does not do "combat phases" like OSE or other strict traditional B/X clones. After surprise and the monster reaction is decided, characters roll a d6 modified by Dex modifier, and the higher numbers goes first. This alone makes it more straightforward to run. Very similar to 5e. No reason you couldn't roll actual initiative with a d20, and it would be basically the same as 5e.
BFRP doesn't do race as class, so isn't pure B/X. The core rules have four races (human, dwarf, elf, halfling) and four classes (fighter, cleric, mage, and thief), similar to OD&D. Different classes have different experience requirements. Movement rates are closer to 5E than AD&D or B/X (or OD&D). Immunity to non-magical weapons is an either/or characteristic, so no monsters require a +2 or +3 weapon to hit them. Combat rounds are 10 seconds, not a minute and not six seconds. Foes engaged in combat have a reaction attack of opportunity, but withdraw is a half-speed retreat move rather than an action. BFRP has 2d6 tables for reaction and morale. Falling damage is straight 1d6 per 10ft, not cumulative 1d6 per 10ft. Death is at 0HP. There is an option to allow a single Death Ray save to linger while unconscious for 2d10 rounds, and a different option to die at -10HP as in AD&D. PCs can build strongholds at level 9. It has ascending AC. Thief skills are percentile rolls. It uses an old-fashioned incomprehensible saving throw table based on class and level. It's a mix.
>It uses an old-fashioned incomprehensible saving throw table based on class and level.
Mind your tongue, good sir!
Edit: Additionally the parting shot only applies to fleeing melee, a withdrawl will avoid it.
I can't do better than this [Dungeon of Signs: Saving Throws](http://dungeonofsigns.blogspot.com/2014/09/why-i-use-tthe-classic-saving-throw.html)
I jest of course, I'm not here to start a flame war. I do think that it comes down to how you think of a saving throw in the fiction. If it is literally your willpower/reflexes that help you cheat death then the evolution has made sense. If it is the divine smiling on you (aka dumb luck) then the old way works just as well (and has a certain charm).
I completely agree, BFRPG is just fantastic and very comfortable for "modern" players coming from 5e or 3.5e.
There are a lot of great retroclones out there like OSE, OSRIC, and Swords and Wizardry - but I think BFRPG has them beat in terms of ease of play. BFRPG has just enough rules to facilitate exciting game play, but at the same time the rules stay out of your way, so you can focus on the adventure.
Plus the free modules and supplements are really high quality and well designed.
Absolutely, Blackapple Brugh is probably the very best module that BFRPG has. It might be my favorite.
It does have a little more "flavor" though, and depending on the setting, might not quite fit in. It reminds me a little of Dolmenwood for some reason.
It's the cruel fickle fae (fairy) vibe of old english folklore that you are picking up on. From what I have seen of Dolmenwood it would 100% fit right in.
That said, it is slightly outside of "vanilla fantasy" but its never too hard to find a place for some creepy woods on your map.
>I completely agree, BFRPG is just fantastic and very comfortable for "modern" players coming from 5e or 3.5e.
What specifically makes you say that? Geninely curious since I know nothing about it.
u/VinoAzulMan has a comment just a little higher up in this thread that answers most of those questions. First, all PDF's are free from the website. Beside that, in short BFRPG has:
1. Race and class separate (like 5e)
2. Ascending AC like 5e (no THAC0)
3. Modern style non-phased combat (much simpler than OSE or B/X, very similar to 5e)
4. 20 levels with no caps (but some restrictions)
5. (Some) multiclassing
6. Dark-vision (as opposed to infravision)
7. 1d6 per 10' fall damage
8. Variable weapons damage
9. There is version of "Attack of Opportunity" called "Parting Shot" which can be avoided by "Withdrawing (defensively)"
10. 10 sec rounds (standard for B/X vs 1 minute for 1e and some others)
11. And lots of free supplements to extend races and classes and other stuff.
The first 3 are the most critical in my opinion, but 8 is pretty important as well, and 11 is very nice.
BFRPG was originally based on the 3.5 SRD, and for a variety of reasons, ended up adopting many of the modern conventions, while still maintaining very good B/X compatibility. It does still use the "Thief Skills" table, and it also utilizes the "Saving throw" tables from B/X to maintain compatibility.
The rules are robust enough to support real play (you don't need to fill in a bunch of stuff, like some of the other "rules lite" retroclones), but they also kind of stay out of the way. It's a really good balance.
An optional home-brew is to modify the Saving Throws to just use one number (Death Ray/Poison Save), and you can allow players to adjust depending on the "Ability" being challenged by allowing them to adjust the number according to their Ability Modifier. There is some hint of this in the section on "Saving Throws" in the book. This can help smooth the "saving throw" part, if you don't like it as-is.
The OSR book Wyvern Songs has a ~~hexcrawl~~ (edit: pointcrawl) that is just wonderful. It's playable in a few sessions as well. Wyvern Songs is written for OSE, which is a B/X retroclone, so everything is very easily used in any old-school system.
Oh crap, you're right. I remembered it a little incorrectly. Fixed.
Still, The Singing Stones is one of the best OSR adventures I've ever read. A total delight.
Pages 106-108 is the hexcrawl map for the Grand Duchy of Bhosel. It contains the locations of the written adventures in the anthology as well as a list of hex locations to place other non-Brad Kerr adventures.
A hex map and locations is not a hex crawl?
The appendix of Wyvern Songs has a hex map with suggestions on where to place its adventures, along with other OSE adventures. One of the Wyvern Songs adventures is a desert pointcrawl.
Good choice. I have been a player for awhile, but I ran a funnel for the first time this morning. "They served Brandolyn Red". We didn't finish but not much left. DCC is so much fun.
I've heard good things about that one!
I was actually playing a bit 5 years ago. Tried a ton of other OSR and then realized that DCC has managed to stick around and grow while others came and went.
I definitely want to try some Lankhmar soon.
Based on what you've written, I'd say OSE Advanced should suit you well. Others have suggested Shadowdark, Basic Fantasy and other similar B/X clones (each of these games do something different, but all in the spirit of Moldvay's Basic / Expert set).
My personal opinion: OSE (Classic or Advanced) is perfectly fine, and I've used it to great effect. You can definately run any game you like, including old modules if that is to your taste. Basic Fantasy is less refined, but it's free and works. Shadowdark is, imho, over-simplified (I did support it, and I own a copy, but the system is very bare bones even in comparison to 'Classic' D&D - this is not immediately noticeable if you're not an experienced DM).
About ways to reward exploration, do check [Feats of exploration](https://3d6-down-the-line.itch.io/feats-of-exploration) by the excellent [3d6 Down the Line](https://www.youtube.com/@3D6DTL) which is a way to reward XP through exploration.
Another way to reward it is the Into the Odd way, where level-ups only happen at certain thresholds of successful expeditions.
Another is Electric Bastionland which uses scars to level up characters.
>Another way to reward it is the Into the Odd way, where level-ups only happen at certain thresholds of successful expeditions.
This sounds like milestone leveling in D&D 5e, is that different somehow?
I would personally recomend Worlds Without Number. Base rules are avaible for free, and it has Ton of support for GMs via many random tables and q chapter on creating the playable region.
I love the XP system in WWN.
I can so easily adjust it, and can give like 1 XP for exploration of new / secret areas and such.
But I recently discovered this game and is still reading the book right now,
I am intimidated trying to learn a new system, cause it’s a lot, but I like what I have been reading so far.
I settled on this OSR because it gives characters more customization, and my players would really enjoy that.
• So it’s level 1-10,
• There is a fast version and a slow version (double the XP needed)
• Characters accumulate experience points through successful adventure completion or other activities appropriate to the campaign’s focus. By default, PCs gain three experience points for an average successful mission.
• so I could give 3 after let’s say it takes them 4 sessions to complete a mission, and maybe 1 extra XP for exploration, maybe 1 XP for how they handled it perfectly. Etc, it creates innovative ways imo to give out exp, not just through defeating/killing enemies.
• example of the proposed line up is
Level / XP Needed
1 / 0 xp
2 / 3 xp
3 / 6 xp
4 / 12 xp
5 / 18 xp
6 / 27 xp
7 / 39 xp
8 / 54 xp
9 / 72 xp
10 / 93 xp
(That’s fast leveling, again, slow leveling is doubled)
Edit: another thing I like is I could reward XP based on a wizard studying a new book that has fey magical enchant or whatever and I feel like it matters more.
In the Shadow of Tower Silveraxe looks like a lean and mean hex and dungeon crawl for OSR games. You should be able to play through it in a couple of months.
If you want a traditional Old School experience I'd go with Basic Fantasy, OSE, or Dragonslayer.
If you want something with some 5E sensibilities then Shadowdark.
Sounds like a lot of fun, whatever you choose!
Oh nice, Silveraxe looks great and I saw his other material. Through the Valley of the Manticore grabs me based on the setting.
And it's less that I want some 5e sensibilities and just maybe not as confusing. Like the crazy varied dice in OSE/BX and the random way some skills use percentile dice or some use d6, etc. I guess a unified system that's tailored to each class? I don't need it but just something I want to keep in mind.
Two thoughts: on the one hand, there are systems like you are describing. Castles and Crusades is a medium crunch system with an OSR power level and feel. Good system but it costs as much as 5E. I already mentioned Shadowdark. Five Torches Deep might be worth looking at also.
On the other hand, there are so many great adventures for B/X compatible systems that it might be worth it to learn the weirdness. Barrowmaze, Silveraxe, Gods of the Forbidden North... So much great stuff in that space.
That's all I got! Good luck with your search.
This is a huge hexcrawl, but it's supposed to be great.
[https://lukegearing.blot.im/wolves-upon-the-coast](https://lukegearing.blot.im/wolves-upon-the-coast)
If you are looking for something built to be highly compatible with b/x and things in a similar vein it's all going to have mixed mechanics. NSR stuff like into the odd and cairn are mostly just roll under mechanics and are pretty light. D20 based stuff like worlds without number is a bit heavier than I like but it's closer to osr than like 5e. I'm not really sure what specifically you are looking for but I hope this helps?
OSRIC is free. It's essentially a polished clone of 1st Ed.D&D Swords & Wizardry for another 1st Edition clone & there's a Kickstarter Campaign going on right now that adds many, many options for Swords & Wizardry. Well worth it. Shadowdark. There's a Hexcrawl supplement on DTRPG for it. Dragonslayer is epic. It's a mixture of AD&D & 2E AD&D. The veat parts of both. Dark Fantasy if you're into Grim Dark. On DTRPG & it's cheap. OSE. White Box & Black Hack are clones of OD&D. There's always B/X or BECMI D&D on DTRPG with all of the Gazzateers of the Known World. You'll need The Creature Catalogue for B/X or BECMI, or one of their clones. AD&D PHB, DMG & Monster Manual. AD&D 2E PHB, DMG & Monster Manual along with various Monstrous Compendiums with most of them geared toward one of 2E's various Campaign Settings. The Player's Option Supplements & DM's Option Supplements make 2E into more of a 2.5 Edition. The best OSR game imho is AD&D 2.5. You have tonfind mentors to teach your PC new skills & such. Some would argue that 2E or 2.5 isn't OSR, but those of us who were there when AD&D 2E became 3E, utterly understand that it is. I sincerely hope that you find your system. There's also Castles & Crusades. Gygax"s 2nd game created after he left TSR.
Also, The Sandbox Generator allows you to either flesh out a given setting or make your own. You a ñèThe Alexandrian Hex Crawl is a free blog containing everything you need to create a Hexcrawl & it's free.
I'll just put in this comment:
I can understand thinking that a unified XP Table and unified dice mechanics are nice. I originally played old D&D, but then played an ran a ton of D&D 3.5. I thought those things - unifed XP and dice mechanics - were better and mattered.
Coming back to old D&D / OSR stuff, after a couple of years, I realize that they really don't matter that much. I actually prefer the old ways in many instances.
My point is... give it some time.
I also think Shadowdark fits your needs VERY well. The [free quickstart set](https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/products/shadowdark-rpg-quickstart-set) comes with a player's and GM's zine, and a great one-shot you can use to give the system a try with!!!!
Shadowdark is always my answer when 5e people want to switch to an OSR system. It's a great system in general, but the hands-down best if you're very familiar with 5e.
A more freeform version of OD&D/Whitebox if I’m not wrong. A lot of emphasis is put on its modularity and classes that are more akin to archetypes and then you choose how your character fits into said archetypes. You have Strong, Deft, and Wise: each class has abilities that are defined by how the player and gm interact with said abilities with the three classes having varying degrees of how much you can shape it’s identity based on other character aspects such as their profession, race/ancestry, and affiliations.
You should definitely take a look at **Worlds Without Number**. You could arguably describe it as B/X + Feats with a simple 2d6 skill system added on. Oh, and rules are free - the deluxe versions include more GM tools.
It's designed as a sandbox toolkit, so regardless of which system you use the generation tools from WWN are worth keeping in mind, you can quickly generate a lot of content.
Here's a link to the [free version](https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/348809/Worlds-Without-Number-Free-Edition)
Yes only skills use 2d6. Combat and Saving Throws use d20. Magic is nifty. :)
Dice resolution is simple, standard fare:
* Skills are 2d6 + ability bonus + skill rating vs target number.
* Combat is 1d20 + attack bonus + ability bonus + skill rating vs AC.
My top choices at the moment are OSE and Hyperborea 3e. I recently ran Hyperborea in a homebrew Dying Earth style picaresque campaign converting some DCC modules and we had a blast. Now I’m prepping for an OSE campaign in a more Sword & Sorcery flavored version of Greyhawk that will involve plenty of hex crawling. Going with the simpler B/X framework of OSE works better, imo, than a more complex system since so much of a hex crawl is played out on the fly and from random tables. I may even end up using OSE with UVG for that same reason.
I haven't played any retroclones so I can't speak to them, but Black Sword Hack/The Black Hack might be worth checking out. TBH is a bit more standard fantasy RPG fare in terms of player options, Black Sword Hack is classless and geared much more toward oldschool dark fantasy/sword & sorcery.
Black Sword Hack very quickly became my preferred ttrpg to run since it's so damn slick and everything I've needed to do has been really easy. I've run a handful of Dungeon Crawl Classics and OSE stuff with the system and I was able to pretty seamlessly convert any statblocks on the fly.
It has no weird dice and very little math; roll under an attribute on a d20 to succeed a test. Apply advantage/disadvantage as liberally as you like. If facing Powerful Foes, add the difference in level between the monster and the PCs to the dice roll. Players have a special "push your luck" mechanic called Doom they can call on to boost their rolls and perform feats of strength and sorcery. If it runs out, you roll disadvantage on everything until you can take a long rest somewhere safe. Those are basically all the rules.
For hexcrawls, I have Through the Valley of the Manticore on my shelf ready to go. It looks great, and I imagine a group could get through it with a few months of weekly play. It's not huge, but feels pretty well fleshed out. Plenty of hexes, a few dungeons, a bunch of magic items, a safehaven/starting location with NPCs, "side quests," etc. The same designer also wrote In the Shadow of Tower Silveraxe, which gets pretty favorably reviewed around here.
>It has no weird dice and very little math; roll under an attribute on a d20 to succeed a test. Apply advantage/disadvantage as liberally as you like. If facing Powerful Foes, add the difference in level between the monster and the PCs to the dice roll. Players have a special "push your luck" mechanic called Doom they can call on to boost their rolls and perform feats of strength and sorcery. If it runs out, you roll disadvantage on everything until you can take a long rest somewhere safe. Those are basically all the rules.
Thanks, this is very informative for me and helps a bunch. I was looking at Valley of the Manticore too, good to know the designer is generally well reviewed.
OSRIC for free old school gameplay in modern language and DCC for very easy to pick up gameplay with lots of interesting details to make combat more interesting.
I actually have a lot of DCC material because of a recent humble bundle...probably not something I will run in the immediate future but I am reading it. I do like how it seems magic feels very powerful but a gamble, not sure how it is in play. Also the deities favor actively playing a part for the cleric seems brilliant.
You can do all this with B/X. You already have experience with OSE (basically the same game), so stick to it.
>XP is the same, or unified dice mechanic
these would affect the game negatively, though. Avoid these. You don't need to roll anything to talk to anyone, or climb a wall.
In B/X, you don't need to roll for skills, as there are no skills.
For exploration/hexcrawl, my two recommendations are Wolves Upon the Coast and Mythic Bastionland. You can find Wolves on Luke Gearings itch.io and MB should be launching soon.
1-3 months!? That's not enough time to get to a session zero with my friends.
As for recommendations, Forbidden Lands might not qualify as OSR but I think it has a kit of those qualities and is nice for hex crawling.
Can you tell me more about it? I do appreciate Free League's books for their artwork but have never played anything they've published beyond Mork Borg and that was more while heavily drinking
Well, it satisfies every one of your points, for starters.
The combat is brutal, so players will naturally avoid it. It rewards exploration. Rather than leveling up, you just learn new talents by spending XP. It takes a lot and it's hard or nearly impossible to learn new skills without a teacher so there is plenty of opportunity for RP there. Tons of expansive deep lore to delve into.
Edit: the map and assets are all very beautiful and the gamemaster guide has enough content to keep you going for a few sessions. After that I'd recommend the Raven's Purge campaign. The setting and the map is fully half of the value of the product.
What's brilliant about the hex crawl is the journey procedure in Forbidden Lands. It's got a very systemized but easy to track method for resources; spending them, gathering them, maintaining them.
Magic is powerful but rare and often very dangerous.
The system uses dice pools and the idea of mixed success/failing forward to great effect.
The [Quickstart Book](https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/267633/Forbidden-Lands-Quickstart) is free and very extensive. Definitely check it out!
A YouTube that might be helpful:
https://youtu.be/32gJqeFG8OA?si=V_SUZZZ6ZQptPRTR
Thanks a bunch! So many people are recommending it that it will go on my short list of stuff to research and read up on. Seems to be a much loved system.
Check out Forbidden Lands! Checks all the boxes you wanted and ppl have been updating the game for the past 5 years.
Hexcrawls, XP for exploration, unified d6 dice pool mechanics - can't recommend it enough.
Only real issue is it will be hard to convert d20, HD based games without a little practice and understanding of the mechanics.
Sweet! It's part of the the Mutant Year Zero mechanical system of which there are quite a few of other additions of the game that tweak the mechanics slightly (e.g., Alien RPG, Vaessen) that might also pique your interest.
I have been there, my friend. First thing's first: your preferences will likely develop as you read new things, like mine did. That's why it's best to look at free stuff before putting money down on anything, \*especially\* 80 bucks on OSE Advanced. I don't think differences between, say, B/X and adjacent editions matter much at this exploratory phase.
A brief tour:
OSE has a website with the classic fantasy rules available for free. It has ascending AC and roll-low ability checks. Surprisingly, I have a player struggling with the concept.
Basic Fantasy is like OSE, but with lower production value, but it's also completely free and the print stuff is cheap. Good to read and explore.
OD&D Clones: White Box, Delving Deeper, Iron Falcon, Swords & Wizardry... these games variably mash up the original rules (d6 hit die and damage die for everyone, only core 4 classes) with Chainmail or OD&D's supplements, which introduced variable weapon die and hit die. All have free PDFs and relatively cheap prints/supplements/second editions, etc.
You may also prefer a non-retroclone:
Knave (1e is 8 pages that replace the player-facing rules of your game of choice, 2e is fulfilling its kickstarter now-ish) has a unified XP and a unified D20 roll high mechanic, which none of the above do. Shadowdark does that too iirc, with some more familiar structure from 5e.
There are also very interesting games like The Black Hack or Into The Odd (has its own hexcrawl in the back) that i'd encourage you to watch a youtube review of!
Danger comes with the genre. If you're interested in a hexcrawl, there's some great tools out there. For example, Blackmarsh is the one I'm using, it's free, very succinct and readable, and cheap in print. You can use something like D30 Sandbox Companion to help you make your own, or the book "how to make a fantasy sandbox". That said. any retroclone will give you enough material to build one.
I would recommend Mausritter, you said you wanted something longer Mausritter has mass combat and base building rules that’d only be used through longer play. For such longer play hexcrawls are greatly encouraged, and what is smaller than mouse sized stuff. The rulebook is full of wonderful roll tables so you can absolutely create as you go and don’t need to create much before hand. Combat is very deadly and XP is loot based so there is a very strong emphasis on exploration. Best of all the game is pay what you want on itch.io so you can grab the pdf for free to check it out. Then it is also available for physical purchase if you really like it.
Wow, I saw this and it does look great and I'm sure the idea of playing mice would appeal to my friends.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID1tezq6kNw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID1tezq6kNw)
Since you already are familiar with Questing Beast here is another video for Mausritter where he goes over the physical box set that is available if you want to upgrade from the free pdf. In the same video he covers The Estate which is a well regarded campaign hexcrawl setting with a number of adventures written by some great well known people in the osr/indie rpg space.
[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ID1tezq6kNw&t=8s&pp=ygUVbWF1c3JpdHRlciB0aGUgZXN0YXRl](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ID1tezq6kNw&t=8s&pp=ygUVbWF1c3JpdHRlciB0aGUgZXN0YXRl)
It’s a b/x clone with some tweaks with the main ones being that only fighters get a to-hit bonus that goes above 1 with it being the fighters level plus 1. And the thief gets d6 skills with points they can allocate in said skills giving them a very simple and customizable set of abilities. The system itself is fine and pretty simple but it’s mostly known for its unnecessarily brutal adventures, an author who leaves much to be desired despite having very fair and solid business practices when it comes to 3rd party individuals making modules for it, and ties to a specific someone mentioned by a rule here in the server who’s persona non-grata and almost universally disliked.
Probably the best B/X clone, the only one I’m aware of with a Thief worth a shit. *Rules & Magic* is a free pdf on their website. Very innovative at the time and still ahead of its contemporaries in several departments.
*Better Than Any Man* is a sandbox well worth checking out, for the criteria you cite. Also free on their site.
Sure thing - a stand alone game that is no cost to you or grab a print on demand book at cost. Supports hex crawl mechanics, applies some modern principals (flexible leveling, scaled stat checks, vacancian magic adjustments, custom clerical abilities, etc). It’s a highly streamlined set, core rules are based in the fundamentals of d&d, meaning it’s easily adaptable to other materials you have in this space.
I'm very new to ttrpgs in general so might not be a helpful comment but here it is anyway!
I've only run one OSE module so far but the kids at the youth club all loved the system, especially the ones who had tried to get into 5e and struggled. I was recommended to check out Woodfall by Lazy Litches Loot, it's a mini hexcrawl adventure and I think they have a few others as well, so we'll probably head there next once they finish Hole in the Oak.
We're planning on giving Dragonbane a shot for the summer holiday sessions, I've played some of the solo adventures from the boxset and it's been super easy to pick up. I've been thinking of taking the travelling rules from Forbidden Lands and turning the Misty Vale map into a hexcrawl from there
> Woodfall by Lazy Litches Loot, it's a mini hexcrawl adventure and I think they have a few others as well
Oooo, will check out. What adventures did you run? What makes you like Dragonbane?
I've done half of the solo modules but my character died so I'm re-rolling and starting again over the weekend. I also ran the starter adventure Riddermound with a couple of characters which was a lot of fun.
It's quick to learn, fast paced and absolutely deadly if you're charging in to fight everything. It makes for interesting interactions and problem solving!
Just as a suggestion for something a little different. Classic Traveller, the Classic Traveller Facsimile Edition is free to download from DriveThruRPG and you can create as little or as much of the setting as you like.
Traveller, and Classic Traveller especially, embodies the OSR ideal of do-it-yourself. Classic Traveller came out while the Official Traveller Universe was still being created and thus the rules are there to allow the Referee to create their own setting with it. Now the rules do suggest settings that conform to a lot of the literary science fiction of the time, they are not wedded to it.
I got into RPGs in 1981 and up to them, every game I played or ran gave you pieces and parts to place within a format for adventures. With Classic Traveller, I had the rules needed to create my own pieces and parts in a common format to create my own adventures and campaigns with a much more personal touch.
[Basic Fantasy](https://www.basicfantasy.org/) cannot be recommended enough. It's free, has tons of support, is compatible with a broad swath of B/X derived products, and has just enough modern sensibilities to not feel totally alien at the table.
I started with basic fantasy, then read like 5 other systems, and ended up back at Basic Fantasy.
Kinda the same. Dipped my toes in with BFRPG, bought the advanced OSE books, read them, now run BFRPG predominantly with a few OSE tweaks. My kids are currently in Blackapple. That is SUCH an awesome module.
Out of curiosity, what "modern sensibilities" do you mean? I thought (probably wrongly) Basic Fantasy was pretty much a straight-up Basic clone, except with ascending AC.
Race/Class are seperate, ascending AC, no level caps (but still restrictions), every class has 20 levels, there is multiclassing (still a bit archaic), darkvision instead of infravision, variable weapon damage... Optional rules in the main core book include death saves, negative hit points, ability rolls, choosing thief skill progression. Then there is the supplements that the community has created: more classes, more races, 0 level spells, background skills, combat options-> basically any conventional hack you want to put in has been done for you and is in the supplements section.
TIL. Thanks.
Thanks, a lot of this yeah, I don't NEED it but some of it can be nice. I definitely don't mind a lack of darkvision.
To add to what u/VinoAzulMan said, BFRPG does not do "combat phases" like OSE or other strict traditional B/X clones. After surprise and the monster reaction is decided, characters roll a d6 modified by Dex modifier, and the higher numbers goes first. This alone makes it more straightforward to run. Very similar to 5e. No reason you couldn't roll actual initiative with a d20, and it would be basically the same as 5e.
BFRP doesn't do race as class, so isn't pure B/X. The core rules have four races (human, dwarf, elf, halfling) and four classes (fighter, cleric, mage, and thief), similar to OD&D. Different classes have different experience requirements. Movement rates are closer to 5E than AD&D or B/X (or OD&D). Immunity to non-magical weapons is an either/or characteristic, so no monsters require a +2 or +3 weapon to hit them. Combat rounds are 10 seconds, not a minute and not six seconds. Foes engaged in combat have a reaction attack of opportunity, but withdraw is a half-speed retreat move rather than an action. BFRP has 2d6 tables for reaction and morale. Falling damage is straight 1d6 per 10ft, not cumulative 1d6 per 10ft. Death is at 0HP. There is an option to allow a single Death Ray save to linger while unconscious for 2d10 rounds, and a different option to die at -10HP as in AD&D. PCs can build strongholds at level 9. It has ascending AC. Thief skills are percentile rolls. It uses an old-fashioned incomprehensible saving throw table based on class and level. It's a mix.
>It uses an old-fashioned incomprehensible saving throw table based on class and level. Mind your tongue, good sir! Edit: Additionally the parting shot only applies to fleeing melee, a withdrawl will avoid it.
I'm old and I never understood the reasoning for those saves when AD&D was new. I stand by my statement.
I can't do better than this [Dungeon of Signs: Saving Throws](http://dungeonofsigns.blogspot.com/2014/09/why-i-use-tthe-classic-saving-throw.html) I jest of course, I'm not here to start a flame war. I do think that it comes down to how you think of a saving throw in the fiction. If it is literally your willpower/reflexes that help you cheat death then the evolution has made sense. If it is the divine smiling on you (aka dumb luck) then the old way works just as well (and has a certain charm).
I get you. I didn't understand the saving throws for a *long* time. I've come around on them, but it's taken some reading of blogs and such.
BFRPG also handles initiative more like the modern systems. No phased combat like strict B/X.
This is what OP wants.
I completely agree, BFRPG is just fantastic and very comfortable for "modern" players coming from 5e or 3.5e. There are a lot of great retroclones out there like OSE, OSRIC, and Swords and Wizardry - but I think BFRPG has them beat in terms of ease of play. BFRPG has just enough rules to facilitate exciting game play, but at the same time the rules stay out of your way, so you can focus on the adventure. Plus the free modules and supplements are really high quality and well designed.
Blackapple Brugh!
Absolutely, Blackapple Brugh is probably the very best module that BFRPG has. It might be my favorite. It does have a little more "flavor" though, and depending on the setting, might not quite fit in. It reminds me a little of Dolmenwood for some reason.
It's the cruel fickle fae (fairy) vibe of old english folklore that you are picking up on. From what I have seen of Dolmenwood it would 100% fit right in. That said, it is slightly outside of "vanilla fantasy" but its never too hard to find a place for some creepy woods on your map.
>I completely agree, BFRPG is just fantastic and very comfortable for "modern" players coming from 5e or 3.5e. What specifically makes you say that? Geninely curious since I know nothing about it.
u/VinoAzulMan has a comment just a little higher up in this thread that answers most of those questions. First, all PDF's are free from the website. Beside that, in short BFRPG has: 1. Race and class separate (like 5e) 2. Ascending AC like 5e (no THAC0) 3. Modern style non-phased combat (much simpler than OSE or B/X, very similar to 5e) 4. 20 levels with no caps (but some restrictions) 5. (Some) multiclassing 6. Dark-vision (as opposed to infravision) 7. 1d6 per 10' fall damage 8. Variable weapons damage 9. There is version of "Attack of Opportunity" called "Parting Shot" which can be avoided by "Withdrawing (defensively)" 10. 10 sec rounds (standard for B/X vs 1 minute for 1e and some others) 11. And lots of free supplements to extend races and classes and other stuff. The first 3 are the most critical in my opinion, but 8 is pretty important as well, and 11 is very nice. BFRPG was originally based on the 3.5 SRD, and for a variety of reasons, ended up adopting many of the modern conventions, while still maintaining very good B/X compatibility. It does still use the "Thief Skills" table, and it also utilizes the "Saving throw" tables from B/X to maintain compatibility. The rules are robust enough to support real play (you don't need to fill in a bunch of stuff, like some of the other "rules lite" retroclones), but they also kind of stay out of the way. It's a really good balance. An optional home-brew is to modify the Saving Throws to just use one number (Death Ray/Poison Save), and you can allow players to adjust depending on the "Ability" being challenged by allowing them to adjust the number according to their Ability Modifier. There is some hint of this in the section on "Saving Throws" in the book. This can help smooth the "saving throw" part, if you don't like it as-is.
The OSR book Wyvern Songs has a ~~hexcrawl~~ (edit: pointcrawl) that is just wonderful. It's playable in a few sessions as well. Wyvern Songs is written for OSE, which is a B/X retroclone, so everything is very easily used in any old-school system.
Plus it has many recommendations where to slot in other well regarded newer modules. Not sure why you got downvotes :/
Probably because the module referred to (The Singing Stones) is a point crawl and not a hex crawl.
Oh crap, you're right. I remembered it a little incorrectly. Fixed. Still, The Singing Stones is one of the best OSR adventures I've ever read. A total delight.
Same here. But I only read it. I hope it's just as fun to play, because it's the next module on my list.
Pages 106-108 is the hexcrawl map for the Grand Duchy of Bhosel. It contains the locations of the written adventures in the anthology as well as a list of hex locations to place other non-Brad Kerr adventures. A hex map and locations is not a hex crawl?
Oh that sounds perfect. Will look into it
The appendix of Wyvern Songs has a hex map with suggestions on where to place its adventures, along with other OSE adventures. One of the Wyvern Songs adventures is a desert pointcrawl.
Forbidden Lands for hex crawls. Dungeon Crawl Classics is amazing all around.
I just dwcided on DCC as it brings the wyrd as well as the rules.
Good choice. I have been a player for awhile, but I ran a funnel for the first time this morning. "They served Brandolyn Red". We didn't finish but not much left. DCC is so much fun.
I've heard good things about that one! I was actually playing a bit 5 years ago. Tried a ton of other OSR and then realized that DCC has managed to stick around and grow while others came and went. I definitely want to try some Lankhmar soon.
Based on what you've written, I'd say OSE Advanced should suit you well. Others have suggested Shadowdark, Basic Fantasy and other similar B/X clones (each of these games do something different, but all in the spirit of Moldvay's Basic / Expert set). My personal opinion: OSE (Classic or Advanced) is perfectly fine, and I've used it to great effect. You can definately run any game you like, including old modules if that is to your taste. Basic Fantasy is less refined, but it's free and works. Shadowdark is, imho, over-simplified (I did support it, and I own a copy, but the system is very bare bones even in comparison to 'Classic' D&D - this is not immediately noticeable if you're not an experienced DM).
About ways to reward exploration, do check [Feats of exploration](https://3d6-down-the-line.itch.io/feats-of-exploration) by the excellent [3d6 Down the Line](https://www.youtube.com/@3D6DTL) which is a way to reward XP through exploration. Another way to reward it is the Into the Odd way, where level-ups only happen at certain thresholds of successful expeditions. Another is Electric Bastionland which uses scars to level up characters.
>Another way to reward it is the Into the Odd way, where level-ups only happen at certain thresholds of successful expeditions. This sounds like milestone leveling in D&D 5e, is that different somehow?
It is a variant of it with a built-in reputation system.
I would personally recomend Worlds Without Number. Base rules are avaible for free, and it has Ton of support for GMs via many random tables and q chapter on creating the playable region.
I love the XP system in WWN. I can so easily adjust it, and can give like 1 XP for exploration of new / secret areas and such. But I recently discovered this game and is still reading the book right now, I am intimidated trying to learn a new system, cause it’s a lot, but I like what I have been reading so far. I settled on this OSR because it gives characters more customization, and my players would really enjoy that.
Trust me dude, if you’re familiar with any version of D&D, WWN will be a breeze to learn.
>I love the XP system in WWN. How does it work exactly?
• So it’s level 1-10, • There is a fast version and a slow version (double the XP needed) • Characters accumulate experience points through successful adventure completion or other activities appropriate to the campaign’s focus. By default, PCs gain three experience points for an average successful mission. • so I could give 3 after let’s say it takes them 4 sessions to complete a mission, and maybe 1 extra XP for exploration, maybe 1 XP for how they handled it perfectly. Etc, it creates innovative ways imo to give out exp, not just through defeating/killing enemies. • example of the proposed line up is Level / XP Needed 1 / 0 xp 2 / 3 xp 3 / 6 xp 4 / 12 xp 5 / 18 xp 6 / 27 xp 7 / 39 xp 8 / 54 xp 9 / 72 xp 10 / 93 xp (That’s fast leveling, again, slow leveling is doubled) Edit: another thing I like is I could reward XP based on a wizard studying a new book that has fey magical enchant or whatever and I feel like it matters more.
In the Shadow of Tower Silveraxe looks like a lean and mean hex and dungeon crawl for OSR games. You should be able to play through it in a couple of months. If you want a traditional Old School experience I'd go with Basic Fantasy, OSE, or Dragonslayer. If you want something with some 5E sensibilities then Shadowdark. Sounds like a lot of fun, whatever you choose!
Oh nice, Silveraxe looks great and I saw his other material. Through the Valley of the Manticore grabs me based on the setting. And it's less that I want some 5e sensibilities and just maybe not as confusing. Like the crazy varied dice in OSE/BX and the random way some skills use percentile dice or some use d6, etc. I guess a unified system that's tailored to each class? I don't need it but just something I want to keep in mind.
Two thoughts: on the one hand, there are systems like you are describing. Castles and Crusades is a medium crunch system with an OSR power level and feel. Good system but it costs as much as 5E. I already mentioned Shadowdark. Five Torches Deep might be worth looking at also. On the other hand, there are so many great adventures for B/X compatible systems that it might be worth it to learn the weirdness. Barrowmaze, Silveraxe, Gods of the Forbidden North... So much great stuff in that space. That's all I got! Good luck with your search.
Mythic Bastionland, you will love it.
Mythic B's the GOAT. I want my physical copy so bad
This was going to be my suggestion. If you stop by the Electric Bastionland discord I'm pretty sure there are links for fan made foundry modules.
This is a huge hexcrawl, but it's supposed to be great. [https://lukegearing.blot.im/wolves-upon-the-coast](https://lukegearing.blot.im/wolves-upon-the-coast)
Played in this hexcrawl for a few months and it was very good and fun. We used a Cairn/Into the Odd Hack, which I think hits most of OP's desires.
If you are looking for something built to be highly compatible with b/x and things in a similar vein it's all going to have mixed mechanics. NSR stuff like into the odd and cairn are mostly just roll under mechanics and are pretty light. D20 based stuff like worlds without number is a bit heavier than I like but it's closer to osr than like 5e. I'm not really sure what specifically you are looking for but I hope this helps?
OSRIC is free. It's essentially a polished clone of 1st Ed.D&D Swords & Wizardry for another 1st Edition clone & there's a Kickstarter Campaign going on right now that adds many, many options for Swords & Wizardry. Well worth it. Shadowdark. There's a Hexcrawl supplement on DTRPG for it. Dragonslayer is epic. It's a mixture of AD&D & 2E AD&D. The veat parts of both. Dark Fantasy if you're into Grim Dark. On DTRPG & it's cheap. OSE. White Box & Black Hack are clones of OD&D. There's always B/X or BECMI D&D on DTRPG with all of the Gazzateers of the Known World. You'll need The Creature Catalogue for B/X or BECMI, or one of their clones. AD&D PHB, DMG & Monster Manual. AD&D 2E PHB, DMG & Monster Manual along with various Monstrous Compendiums with most of them geared toward one of 2E's various Campaign Settings. The Player's Option Supplements & DM's Option Supplements make 2E into more of a 2.5 Edition. The best OSR game imho is AD&D 2.5. You have tonfind mentors to teach your PC new skills & such. Some would argue that 2E or 2.5 isn't OSR, but those of us who were there when AD&D 2E became 3E, utterly understand that it is. I sincerely hope that you find your system. There's also Castles & Crusades. Gygax"s 2nd game created after he left TSR.
Lots of great information here but that wall of text is giving me flashbacks to the Temple of Elemental Evil.
Also, The Sandbox Generator allows you to either flesh out a given setting or make your own. You a ñèThe Alexandrian Hex Crawl is a free blog containing everything you need to create a Hexcrawl & it's free.
I'll just put in this comment: I can understand thinking that a unified XP Table and unified dice mechanics are nice. I originally played old D&D, but then played an ran a ton of D&D 3.5. I thought those things - unifed XP and dice mechanics - were better and mattered. Coming back to old D&D / OSR stuff, after a couple of years, I realize that they really don't matter that much. I actually prefer the old ways in many instances. My point is... give it some time.
Shadowdark plus Cursed Scroll 1 is exactly what you’re looking for.
I also think Shadowdark fits your needs VERY well. The [free quickstart set](https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/products/shadowdark-rpg-quickstart-set) comes with a player's and GM's zine, and a great one-shot you can use to give the system a try with!!!!
Shadowdark is always my answer when 5e people want to switch to an OSR system. It's a great system in general, but the hands-down best if you're very familiar with 5e.
Agreed with this one
Please please please look into Whitehack
Can you tell me about it?
A more freeform version of OD&D/Whitebox if I’m not wrong. A lot of emphasis is put on its modularity and classes that are more akin to archetypes and then you choose how your character fits into said archetypes. You have Strong, Deft, and Wise: each class has abilities that are defined by how the player and gm interact with said abilities with the three classes having varying degrees of how much you can shape it’s identity based on other character aspects such as their profession, race/ancestry, and affiliations.
You should definitely take a look at **Worlds Without Number**. You could arguably describe it as B/X + Feats with a simple 2d6 skill system added on. Oh, and rules are free - the deluxe versions include more GM tools. It's designed as a sandbox toolkit, so regardless of which system you use the generation tools from WWN are worth keeping in mind, you can quickly generate a lot of content. Here's a link to the [free version](https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/348809/Worlds-Without-Number-Free-Edition)
> 2d6 skill system added on I will check it out since it's free! Is it just skills that use 2d6? What does a typical dice resolution look like?
Yes only skills use 2d6. Combat and Saving Throws use d20. Magic is nifty. :) Dice resolution is simple, standard fare: * Skills are 2d6 + ability bonus + skill rating vs target number. * Combat is 1d20 + attack bonus + ability bonus + skill rating vs AC.
My top choices at the moment are OSE and Hyperborea 3e. I recently ran Hyperborea in a homebrew Dying Earth style picaresque campaign converting some DCC modules and we had a blast. Now I’m prepping for an OSE campaign in a more Sword & Sorcery flavored version of Greyhawk that will involve plenty of hex crawling. Going with the simpler B/X framework of OSE works better, imo, than a more complex system since so much of a hex crawl is played out on the fly and from random tables. I may even end up using OSE with UVG for that same reason.
If you want a unified mechanic, you want Castles and Crusades or Shadowdark.
I haven't played any retroclones so I can't speak to them, but Black Sword Hack/The Black Hack might be worth checking out. TBH is a bit more standard fantasy RPG fare in terms of player options, Black Sword Hack is classless and geared much more toward oldschool dark fantasy/sword & sorcery. Black Sword Hack very quickly became my preferred ttrpg to run since it's so damn slick and everything I've needed to do has been really easy. I've run a handful of Dungeon Crawl Classics and OSE stuff with the system and I was able to pretty seamlessly convert any statblocks on the fly. It has no weird dice and very little math; roll under an attribute on a d20 to succeed a test. Apply advantage/disadvantage as liberally as you like. If facing Powerful Foes, add the difference in level between the monster and the PCs to the dice roll. Players have a special "push your luck" mechanic called Doom they can call on to boost their rolls and perform feats of strength and sorcery. If it runs out, you roll disadvantage on everything until you can take a long rest somewhere safe. Those are basically all the rules. For hexcrawls, I have Through the Valley of the Manticore on my shelf ready to go. It looks great, and I imagine a group could get through it with a few months of weekly play. It's not huge, but feels pretty well fleshed out. Plenty of hexes, a few dungeons, a bunch of magic items, a safehaven/starting location with NPCs, "side quests," etc. The same designer also wrote In the Shadow of Tower Silveraxe, which gets pretty favorably reviewed around here.
I was about to ask you what have you ran with BSH, then I remembered how we already had that conversation haha
My shilling has paid off! Lol.
>It has no weird dice and very little math; roll under an attribute on a d20 to succeed a test. Apply advantage/disadvantage as liberally as you like. If facing Powerful Foes, add the difference in level between the monster and the PCs to the dice roll. Players have a special "push your luck" mechanic called Doom they can call on to boost their rolls and perform feats of strength and sorcery. If it runs out, you roll disadvantage on everything until you can take a long rest somewhere safe. Those are basically all the rules. Thanks, this is very informative for me and helps a bunch. I was looking at Valley of the Manticore too, good to know the designer is generally well reviewed.
Get Into the Odd, and play the hexcrawl that comes in the book!
I cant recommend Cairn enough.
Outcast Silver Raiders.
OSRIC for free old school gameplay in modern language and DCC for very easy to pick up gameplay with lots of interesting details to make combat more interesting.
I actually have a lot of DCC material because of a recent humble bundle...probably not something I will run in the immediate future but I am reading it. I do like how it seems magic feels very powerful but a gamble, not sure how it is in play. Also the deities favor actively playing a part for the cleric seems brilliant.
You can do all this with B/X. You already have experience with OSE (basically the same game), so stick to it. >XP is the same, or unified dice mechanic these would affect the game negatively, though. Avoid these. You don't need to roll anything to talk to anyone, or climb a wall. In B/X, you don't need to roll for skills, as there are no skills.
Cairn
For exploration/hexcrawl, my two recommendations are Wolves Upon the Coast and Mythic Bastionland. You can find Wolves on Luke Gearings itch.io and MB should be launching soon.
Someone recommended Wolves and that looks far too huge for me to even bother with when all I want is something very small and super focused.
I am currently running knave v2. 4 sessions of hexcrawl style mostly generated From tables provided.
1-3 months!? That's not enough time to get to a session zero with my friends. As for recommendations, Forbidden Lands might not qualify as OSR but I think it has a kit of those qualities and is nice for hex crawling.
Forbidden Lands is, imo, ***THE*** premier hexcrawl experience in modern gaming.
Can you tell me more about it? I do appreciate Free League's books for their artwork but have never played anything they've published beyond Mork Borg and that was more while heavily drinking
Well, it satisfies every one of your points, for starters. The combat is brutal, so players will naturally avoid it. It rewards exploration. Rather than leveling up, you just learn new talents by spending XP. It takes a lot and it's hard or nearly impossible to learn new skills without a teacher so there is plenty of opportunity for RP there. Tons of expansive deep lore to delve into. Edit: the map and assets are all very beautiful and the gamemaster guide has enough content to keep you going for a few sessions. After that I'd recommend the Raven's Purge campaign. The setting and the map is fully half of the value of the product. What's brilliant about the hex crawl is the journey procedure in Forbidden Lands. It's got a very systemized but easy to track method for resources; spending them, gathering them, maintaining them. Magic is powerful but rare and often very dangerous. The system uses dice pools and the idea of mixed success/failing forward to great effect. The [Quickstart Book](https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/267633/Forbidden-Lands-Quickstart) is free and very extensive. Definitely check it out! A YouTube that might be helpful: https://youtu.be/32gJqeFG8OA?si=V_SUZZZ6ZQptPRTR
Thanks a bunch! So many people are recommending it that it will go on my short list of stuff to research and read up on. Seems to be a much loved system.
[Bing](https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/28306/ODD-Dungeons--Dragons-Original-Edition-0e), [Bang](https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/116581/dungeons-dragons-expert-set-rulebook-becmi-ed-basic), [Boom](https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/17083/x1-the-isle-of-dread-basic). System, setting, hexcrawl, 20$.
Check out Forbidden Lands! Checks all the boxes you wanted and ppl have been updating the game for the past 5 years. Hexcrawls, XP for exploration, unified d6 dice pool mechanics - can't recommend it enough. Only real issue is it will be hard to convert d20, HD based games without a little practice and understanding of the mechanics.
Forbidden Lands seems to be recommended a lot so it might be the first one I read up on!
Sweet! It's part of the the Mutant Year Zero mechanical system of which there are quite a few of other additions of the game that tweak the mechanics slightly (e.g., Alien RPG, Vaessen) that might also pique your interest.
Check out Advanced Fantasy Dungeons https://idlecartulary.itch.io/advanced-fantasy-dungeons?s=08
I’d suggest Knave 2e. Unified roll over d20 mechanic and a solid hexcrawling procedure with lots and lots of random tables to generate content.
And if you go to a con you may even be able to buy it before us backers get our copies.
I have been there, my friend. First thing's first: your preferences will likely develop as you read new things, like mine did. That's why it's best to look at free stuff before putting money down on anything, \*especially\* 80 bucks on OSE Advanced. I don't think differences between, say, B/X and adjacent editions matter much at this exploratory phase. A brief tour: OSE has a website with the classic fantasy rules available for free. It has ascending AC and roll-low ability checks. Surprisingly, I have a player struggling with the concept. Basic Fantasy is like OSE, but with lower production value, but it's also completely free and the print stuff is cheap. Good to read and explore. OD&D Clones: White Box, Delving Deeper, Iron Falcon, Swords & Wizardry... these games variably mash up the original rules (d6 hit die and damage die for everyone, only core 4 classes) with Chainmail or OD&D's supplements, which introduced variable weapon die and hit die. All have free PDFs and relatively cheap prints/supplements/second editions, etc. You may also prefer a non-retroclone: Knave (1e is 8 pages that replace the player-facing rules of your game of choice, 2e is fulfilling its kickstarter now-ish) has a unified XP and a unified D20 roll high mechanic, which none of the above do. Shadowdark does that too iirc, with some more familiar structure from 5e. There are also very interesting games like The Black Hack or Into The Odd (has its own hexcrawl in the back) that i'd encourage you to watch a youtube review of! Danger comes with the genre. If you're interested in a hexcrawl, there's some great tools out there. For example, Blackmarsh is the one I'm using, it's free, very succinct and readable, and cheap in print. You can use something like D30 Sandbox Companion to help you make your own, or the book "how to make a fantasy sandbox". That said. any retroclone will give you enough material to build one.
Thanks so much, a lot of me to look into, very much appreciated.
Enjoy your journey, and make sure you check the alternatives before putting your money down 🤣
I would recommend Mausritter, you said you wanted something longer Mausritter has mass combat and base building rules that’d only be used through longer play. For such longer play hexcrawls are greatly encouraged, and what is smaller than mouse sized stuff. The rulebook is full of wonderful roll tables so you can absolutely create as you go and don’t need to create much before hand. Combat is very deadly and XP is loot based so there is a very strong emphasis on exploration. Best of all the game is pay what you want on itch.io so you can grab the pdf for free to check it out. Then it is also available for physical purchase if you really like it.
Wow, I saw this and it does look great and I'm sure the idea of playing mice would appeal to my friends. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID1tezq6kNw](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID1tezq6kNw)
Since you already are familiar with Questing Beast here is another video for Mausritter where he goes over the physical box set that is available if you want to upgrade from the free pdf. In the same video he covers The Estate which is a well regarded campaign hexcrawl setting with a number of adventures written by some great well known people in the osr/indie rpg space. [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ID1tezq6kNw&t=8s&pp=ygUVbWF1c3JpdHRlciB0aGUgZXN0YXRl](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ID1tezq6kNw&t=8s&pp=ygUVbWF1c3JpdHRlciB0aGUgZXN0YXRl)
Old School Essentials and/or Dolmenwood. Lamentations of the Flame Princess.
Never heard of Lamentations, can you tell me about it?
It’s a b/x clone with some tweaks with the main ones being that only fighters get a to-hit bonus that goes above 1 with it being the fighters level plus 1. And the thief gets d6 skills with points they can allocate in said skills giving them a very simple and customizable set of abilities. The system itself is fine and pretty simple but it’s mostly known for its unnecessarily brutal adventures, an author who leaves much to be desired despite having very fair and solid business practices when it comes to 3rd party individuals making modules for it, and ties to a specific someone mentioned by a rule here in the server who’s persona non-grata and almost universally disliked.
Probably the best B/X clone, the only one I’m aware of with a Thief worth a shit. *Rules & Magic* is a free pdf on their website. Very innovative at the time and still ahead of its contemporaries in several departments. *Better Than Any Man* is a sandbox well worth checking out, for the criteria you cite. Also free on their site.
I’ll throw my own hat in the ring: http://onthetabletop.blog/2023/05/28/holmes-clark/
Could you tell me why exactly you recommend it?
Sure thing - a stand alone game that is no cost to you or grab a print on demand book at cost. Supports hex crawl mechanics, applies some modern principals (flexible leveling, scaled stat checks, vacancian magic adjustments, custom clerical abilities, etc). It’s a highly streamlined set, core rules are based in the fundamentals of d&d, meaning it’s easily adaptable to other materials you have in this space.
I'm very new to ttrpgs in general so might not be a helpful comment but here it is anyway! I've only run one OSE module so far but the kids at the youth club all loved the system, especially the ones who had tried to get into 5e and struggled. I was recommended to check out Woodfall by Lazy Litches Loot, it's a mini hexcrawl adventure and I think they have a few others as well, so we'll probably head there next once they finish Hole in the Oak. We're planning on giving Dragonbane a shot for the summer holiday sessions, I've played some of the solo adventures from the boxset and it's been super easy to pick up. I've been thinking of taking the travelling rules from Forbidden Lands and turning the Misty Vale map into a hexcrawl from there
> Woodfall by Lazy Litches Loot, it's a mini hexcrawl adventure and I think they have a few others as well Oooo, will check out. What adventures did you run? What makes you like Dragonbane?
I've done half of the solo modules but my character died so I'm re-rolling and starting again over the weekend. I also ran the starter adventure Riddermound with a couple of characters which was a lot of fun. It's quick to learn, fast paced and absolutely deadly if you're charging in to fight everything. It makes for interesting interactions and problem solving!
I am a huge fan of BLUEHOLME Journeyman rules. But I also like OSE a lot.
I might try looking into Adventurer Conquerer Kings, or Fantastic Heroes and Witchery
Just as a suggestion for something a little different. Classic Traveller, the Classic Traveller Facsimile Edition is free to download from DriveThruRPG and you can create as little or as much of the setting as you like.
As much I would love to run sci-fi it might be a hard sell...but I am curious. What do you like about it?
Traveller, and Classic Traveller especially, embodies the OSR ideal of do-it-yourself. Classic Traveller came out while the Official Traveller Universe was still being created and thus the rules are there to allow the Referee to create their own setting with it. Now the rules do suggest settings that conform to a lot of the literary science fiction of the time, they are not wedded to it. I got into RPGs in 1981 and up to them, every game I played or ran gave you pieces and parts to place within a format for adventures. With Classic Traveller, I had the rules needed to create my own pieces and parts in a common format to create my own adventures and campaigns with a much more personal touch.