I'm not looking for a rules heavy system or anything like Pathfinder. I think OSE is great! But I sometimes wish there was a bit more systems in play. The freedom that OSR offers DMs is amazing, but sometimes I just want an example of a rule to use. I think I want something with a bit more clarity about its rulings and a few extra rules, but nothing that goes overboard.
Any ideas?
Sorry for any poor grammar and formatting, I am on my phone.
I find the setting very intriguing. In fact, I'm rather inclined to pick it up. However, there is no dearth of titles I find intriguing or interesting in the OSR space. So! Sell me on it! Tell me your experiences with it and whether it's worth purchasing and running for my table, which very much enjoys OSR play.
In particular, I as a GM find settings that set my imagination on fire for adventure and allow me to play with the ideas presented by the author to be particularly appetizing. Those that allow for varied styles of play and encourage the players to engage with the world, rather than being opaque in presentation, tickle my fancy. Strong thematic elements in a setting don't hurt either.
For reference, I am very fond of Wolves Upon the Coast, Mythic Bastionland, Dolmenwood, and so forth. I am looking for something slightly more generic to scratch that classic old-school feel without the preliminary effort necessary to build a region as vast as the Northern Marches myself. Working two jobs as I am won't allow me the energy to develop that myself.
I've been seeing it talked about recently as we play draw steel and I after hearing it I got to say this sounds amazing. It seems more nusr then osr but still cool. It's doing a lot of unique things like base building and dungeon turns.
A wild and ferocious one-eyed creature, untamed, always seeking to cause damage and harm to anything that stands before it.
High Resolution Jpg & Png- 3805 x 5367
When last I wrote about removing the to-hit roll from the game, it was hugely controversial here on Reddit. But, removing the to-hit roll lets us play much faster, makes battles more exciting, creates drama, and lets us fight more battles.
I GM online through livestream where my players are the people in the chat. They create characters and then send them commands about how to fight. That means I run a lot of fights. I put a total of 48 characters through four "bloodcage" fights every night. I can play a single turn in an average of 19 seconds - eat that 5e.
But for those of you who LOVE missing in combat - it is still possible to miss, but only because of the active defenses of the players. Players can block attacks with shields and dodge out of the way completely. And let me tell you, players love it SOOO MUCH MORE when a monster misses them because of something active on their player part, rather than just because the monster failed a to-hit roll.
To me, it is a better game all around. What do you think?
Hey, I know some of you are tired of these (I see a small but noticeable number of downvotes every time I post here, lol), but I made yet another collage map! Get it here (itch).
As always, no AI, public domain art only, all artists listed on the itch page.
This map, as all the other ones in the collection, should be used like a visual spark table. I have some setting ideas for it, but I haven't published anything yet. I feel it should work for Into the Odd or custom settings in other games.
While the collection this map is a part of is now paid -- 6 collage maps are a lot of work -- free community copies are available at the bottom of the page if you are in a tight spot or want to take a better look first.
So yeah, it is essentially still free.
Alright I have an openish table tonight, normally we play Stonehell w/ Shadowdark and are about 70 sessions in w/ players level 3-5. For reasons I won't be running that tonight.
Anyone have any recommendations for fun interactable dungeons that I could drop my players in instead? Ideally smn generally suitable for SD levels 2-4. Xyntillan is exactly what I'd want but I'm in another game running it. Anomalous subsurface is another I'm reeaalllyyy thinking about but don't know quite how hard it is to run. Funhouse is fine, I like surprises and twists and ideally something that won't be super super heavy roleplay wise.
Any heroes with the cure to what sickens me?
I just kick started this - thought I would share this with the OSR group
I'm sure someone will take offense - as this is the modern internet - but wanted to try and recommend what looks to be an awesome Indy project
After nearly three years of Megadungeoneering (Arden Vul), I need some fresh air 🙂
I‘m just about to launch an OSE (Advanced) campaign for our open table set around the town of Saltmarsh (World of Greyhawk, only using the 1983 boxed set as setting material). After running the Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh (U1) as an opener, the campaign will branch out in a Westmarches-style. That’s the plan.
For „my“ Saltmarsh, I‘m still looking for small (!) adventure modules / locations, especially small dungeons to be placed around the town.
Please throw your suggestions at me!
Thanks
I drew this up earlier because I like OD&D and B/X, as well as lots of other skirmish games like Frostgrave. I want to find a way to bridge the gap between the two.
If you have any questions, please let me know! By necessity, this has to be done a little fast-and-loose but it should be a workable framework. I looked at Whitebox FMAG, OSE and Delving Deeper and these rules should be compatible with them without much issue. Some balancing matters will be ironed out with time.
In future, I'd be happy to develop this to encompass more of OSR adventuring, including non-violent encounters/downtime, base building, wilderness, etc., if people find it worthwhile.
Is there anything within the OSR sphere that would scratch the Game of Thrones itch?
I know there is Birthright as a setting but is there anything within the new OSR that might also fill the GoT gap?
How do I get my hands on the random dungeon generator published by Gary Gygax in Strategic Review 1?
This system was developed for my home game that is based on the chassis of Cairn, for martial characters (and monsters) to have a little extra to do in battle. Thoughts?
Looking for suggestions, I've got a few long drives ahead and would like to listen to a party have some fun in a dungeon...
A Pound of Flesh flipping Mothership from a game about dying alone in space to dying on a dystopian space station with a population of millions is what made me finally fall for the game that's now my current favorite. Vaults of Vaarn hosts its own faction-heavy urban sandbox, Gnomon, and one of the coolest things about the imminent new edition is that all that material has become core. I'm fiending for The Tiger Princess of Treacherous Tripura and Junk City, upcoming books that I hope will finally sell me on OSE and Mausritter, respectively.
So with that in mind... what am I missing? What are the coolest cities around and the best procedures you've seen for urban adventures? If it's got a wealth of downtime-related stuff, all the better.
Currently, 5 of the top 10 "hot" posts are advertisements for revenue-generating content. They might look like art posts or questions, but they are marketing copy that is being shared to encourage you to click a link to a vendor or monetization platform. I'm sure your new thing on DTrpg is amazing! But I am frankly so bored of wading through all these marketing promotions. There are plenty of subreddits to cover every product line out there. - this is the only "generic" OSR forum for the free, unbranded creations that make the movement different from anything else in ttrpgs.
Can we have a day of rest from the relentless advertisements? A day to talk about playing the games we already own and sharing the content we made for our table and friends, not for juicing the personal brand?
On Sunday, let's say, no "buy my stuff" links, no shares with monetized YouTubes and podcasts, no "OSR-adjacent" $100+ backerkits.
Just game discussion on the game discussion forum.
I just finished putting together the latest issue of The International Player’s Review, my humble little old-school rpg magazine inspired by stuff like Dragon, The Space Gamer, and Alarums & Excursions etc.
It's supposed to look like a zine from the past that some how time travelled to 2026.
Issue no 6 features interviews (Ewen Macalister, Tony Tran and Johan Nohr), a bandit generator, totally real letters from totally real readers, mutants, etc. I’ve had a ton of fun making these.
Available here: https://golden-achiever.itch.io/the-international-players-review-6
Its getting harder and harder to put money into these backerkit projects when the business side of these creators seems to be a joke.