I ran a couple of OSR games and sessions over the years. Usually for people who are only then coming into contact with this particular playstyle. And we start playing, they get into the dungeon and then. A door. A locked one mind you. And things stop for a while, as they frantically look over their character sheets to see which skill they should roll. "GM, is there a Perception or Sleight of Hand equivalent, I can't seem to find it?".
And that is where I realize my mistake. Because it is expected for the GM to built up the expectations for a session, for a game, especially when they present it to a new audience. And I got stuck on the onboarding details, "oh, it's basically like an older version of D&D, you will pick it up in no time, look how quick and easy character creation is" and forgot the important stuff, the fact that ignoring onboarding talk, this game, and OSR games in general, aren't just a stripped down version of D&D. And the transition between modern D&D and the OSR games who emulate, either in mechanics or in feelings, the older editions, more specifically B/X, has to come with a change in mindset as well. Cause suddenly, you won't roll for anything, you won't have an extensive character sheet to fall back onto. And you should make that clear to the players, they should pay attention to your descriptions, ask questions and immerse themselves into the character: you don't roll for perception, rather you take the hand mirror and use it to check corners, you look up and check the ceiling, down under the various pieces of furniture.
In short, this is what this article is about. How to better explain and understand that change of mindset, both as a GM and as a player and how that is the key ingredient in understanding what OSR is truly about! I hope you will enjoy the read!
The Deathmarked Wight is a CR 12 variant of the classic wight, created for campaigns where undeath feels tied to a greater power. Instead of being only a hateful remnant of a former life, this wight has been chosen by a death god, ancient lich, or powerful necromantic order, carrying a mark that gives it purpose, authority, and far more dangerous abilities.
It can place a deathmark on a victim, weaken enemies with necromancy, drain life, raise the creatures it kills into temporary undead servants, and unleash pulses of necrotic power. I wanted it to feel like an undead enforcer or emissary, the kind of creature sent to crush rebellions, retrieve escaped undead, punish enemies of a death cult, or prepare the way for something much worse.
The Wight entry also includes expanded lore and optional traits to customize the base creature, such as memories from life, empowered zombie servants, or extra necrotic damage against untouched victims. Together, the two statblocks give you both a classic undead threat and a much deadlier champion of death for higher-level encounters.
These creatures are from Undead & Undead: The Ultimate Undead Handbook for 5E and the 2024 Edition available on DriveThruRPG!
Undead are more than shambling corpses and skeletal minions. Undead & Undead is your complete guide to raising the dead, commanding their power, and unleashing them in terrifying new forms - from restless spirits and cursed warriors to spectral lords, zombie dragons, and necromantic abominations.
What’s Inside?
I’m also working on Mythological Items for 5E and 5.5E, an upcoming Kickstarter featuring 300+ magic items inspired by myths and legends from around the world. It includes weapons, armor, relics, artifacts, and scaling items that can grow with the characters over the course of a campaign. You can subscribe to our newsletter to get updates and download a free 30-page PDF preview. We only send emails occasionally, and only when there’s a new release, important news, or exclusive free content and discount codes to share.
You can find more of my creatures and manuals on DriveThruRPG, my Linktree, or by visiting r/JonnyDM!
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My Pokémon-inspired Weapons and Items of the Day, with a fusion of Absol, Metagross, Alolan Ninetales, and Umbreon for a greatsword of starry steel!
This item was created as a Tier Reward for Patron Terrence Lash! Thank you for your support!
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Weapon (Greatsword) – Very Rare (38,395 gp, requires attunement)
This gray +2 greatsword has a large, broad blade with a gold edge, a blue cross with a yin yang in the center, and gold Xs coming out the top and bottom of the cross. The black handle and guard have blue rings around them, and the pommel is a deep blue gem.
While attuned to this sword: attacks with this sword have an improved critical of 1, where your range on critical hits increases by 1, ie from critical hits on 20 to critical hits on 19 to 20.
This sword has 6 charges, regaining 1d2+2 (or 1d4+2 if you are also attuned to F239 - Cloak of Snow Covered Darkness) after a long rest, and can be used to cast the following spells:
Night Slash (1 or more charges): As part of an attack with this sword, you make the blade glow with dark energy, giving the attack an additional 3d6 necrotic damage. You can use additional charges to increase the damage by 1d6 per charge.
Iron Slash (2 charges): As part of an attack, the sword glows with steely energy, doing an additional 4d8 slashing damage and the target must make a DC 17 Constitution save or be Stunned until the end of their next turn.
Radiant Cross (3 or more charges): As an action, you shoot a beam of energy from the sword at a target you can see within 60 ft. Make a sword attack against the target, and on a hit they take 2d6 radiant damage sheds bright light in a 5 ft radius, giving attack rolls against it advantage and it can’t benefit from being invisible. The light lasts for 1 minute, until the target enters magical darkness, or you are rendered unconscious. You can use additional charges to increase the damage by 1d6 per charge.
This item was created as a Tier Reward for Patron Terrence Lash! Thank you for your support!
If Karl Urban is Bane, the Lord of Tyrranny...
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Who is Bhaal, the Lord of Murder?