I think this game has been discussed previously, but some people missed it and were curious, so as requested…

Beyond the Wall by Flatland Games

The creators describe it as an OSR attempt at emulating young adult fiction, such as the Earthsea novels by Ursula K Le Guin or the Prydain books by Lloyd Alexander.  Still, at first glance, it’s another in a sea of OSR/D&D clones.  What makes it different?  And what’s the same?

 You’ve got the standard six attributes.  You have the five category-saving throw range (but there is an option for using a 3E-style three-save system.   AC, HP, and BAB all make an appearance.  Three classes (Warrior, Rogue, Mage), characters are human but there are optional rules for Elves, Dwarves, and Halflings.

Task resolution is roll-under Ability Score, with Skills giving a small bonus to your ability score.  You get two skills to start with (Rogues get 4 I think).  There is no official list of Skills, they give a couple of examples, but you are supposed to come up with your own (but see the next paragraph).

You can create characters the normal D&D way (they do 4D6 drop lowest, arrange to suit), picking your own skills and what have you.  But the more fun option comes in the form of character playbooks.  Basically a lifepath system, you choose from several archetypes suitable for YA fantasy (self-taught mage, untested thief, would-be knight, etc), and you answer questions about your character’s past (either choosing from or rolling randomly for choices on several charts), which establishes both your character’s attributes, Skills (you can build a skill list by going through the playbooks and pulling them out of the entries), equipment, and special abilities, but your relationship with other PCs and NPCs and your background.  Each archetype’s lifepath questions are customized for that archetype.

An example entry from the Would-Be Knight playbook:

Where did you practice your skill at arms? Roll 1D6

1. Raiders from the north sometimes reach the village, and you were always the first volunteer in the forces which defended against them.  Gain +3 Str, Skill: Command

2..You are truly untested, but often boast otherwise. Gain +3 Cha, Skill: Deceit

3. You spent long days riding and practicing alone. Gain +3 Con, Skill: Riding

4. A real knight came to town and you rode with him for a time. Gain +3 Cha, Skill: Etiquette

5. When traders from the south came to the village, you found an old warrior’s training manual and you studied it every day thereafter. Gain +3 Int, Skill: Military History

6. You first saw action with the archers in the levy. Gain +3 Dex, Skill: Drinking

(that's actually one of the less interesting entries, I just pulled it at random)

The other big difference is the magic system.  Three different types of magic (NOT three different types of casters, any magic user can use all three):  Cantrips, Spells, and Rituals.  

Cantrips require an attribute test, but you can cast them all day, until you fail a test.  At that point, you may choose to run out of magical energy for the day or to miscast and lose control of your cantrip.  

Spells are more powerful, but more limited.  You can cast a number equal to your level each day.

Rituals are the most difficult and most powerful.  Each has a character level requirement, and also requires an attribute test and ingredients and components. Each also takes a number of hours equal to its level to complete.

There are other neat little features, like jointly creating the village from where your characters are from.  Certain entries in the playbooks let you insert a new location (as mundane or interesting as you like) or NPC into the village.

Overall, I like the mechanics (especially the magic) and the character playbooks add interesting flavor.  This has become my favorite reimagining of D&D.

This sounds great! I promised to introduce some friends to D&D this summer, and this may well be the thing I'm looking for as a basic set-up...

This has my attention. I wish I had more time to read it right now.

I became intrigued and googled it, and then couldn't resist and downloaded not too long after reading about it here.

It really looks great. And the life-path mini-game can be used to get a group rolling up characters that fit together and have great, hook-filled backstories straight away....

I'm still reading, but I really like the tone and the simplicity of it, especially for new players. The text is well written and flavourful too, and evokes the mysterious and magical tone they were going for very well ... Hell, any game that claims the Earthsea Trilogy as a primary influence is okay in my book. I don't see those novels as "Young Adult" so much as "Timeless", and there is that slightly numinous echo to the magic system here in particular (albeit with a good chance of spell misfires too).

There's a lot to like about this version of the D&D rules, and the choices made are really streamlined and feel just about right for an entry-level of complexity.

It's interesting that with the character builder "playbooks" and the "scenario books", part of the aim that's stated in the material is for more experienced but busy players, who can use these to generate a cohesive adventuring party and a pick-up-and-play scenario that the GM creates as she goes along!

Not to want to open a can of worms on this, but with character creation this fun and seat-of-your-pants improvisation of a scenario with lots of randomness to it (that you hook into the characters' backstories as they come up with them), might this not be an ideal counter-example to the upcoming 5thEd Starter Set?

That is to say, for new players, if you want to introduce them WITH a very nice version of chargen, could this be the game for you?

The improvising and quick thinking required of the GM for the scenario pack might imply a GM with some experience under the belt, but not necessarily. Smart kids would pick this up and run with it, I'm sure.

I seriously love the ideas in this game, especially because I love Prydain so much, and the tone they're setting is like some of my favorite books. Still, I wish the playbooks weren't so tied to class (though there's a good reason they are, IMO). Definitely a game I'd love to play or DM sometime.

Every game has something to it to recommend it, just as every woman has something about her that is beautiful. I wonder: are these recommendations the best the system has?  Even if they are, it seems like a sporty little philly, and I should look forward to reading more.

Thank you Technomancer!

I love this game, and the source material it emulates.  That said, I'd love to see a version that covers grim and gritty sword and sorcery stories (Howard, Leiber, etc).  Some S&S-appropriate character playbooks if nothing else.  

Any volunteers?

I am definitely looking forward to playing this one. Great ideas and an Earthsea RPG would be fun.

Wow, yes swords and sorcery playbooks would be made of awesome. If only I had the time.... I can actually see them now, that shit practically writes itself... Want to write and suggest it to the creators?

Bought this yesterday after seeing this thread. Great game, and the source material is really my thing. Now considering what playbooks one would need for a Garth Nix Abhorsen//Old Kingdom game.

In case you haven't seen, there's a free pdf on rpgnow/drive-thru with six additional playbooks for playing characters of noble birth, and another (also free) for playing dwarves, elves, or halflings.

Yep, I hoovered those up as well - but thanks!

Quote from: Technomancer;757344I love this game, and the source material it emulates.  That said, I'd love to see a version that covers grim and gritty sword and sorcery stories (Howard, Leiber, etc).  Some S&S-appropriate character playbooks if nothing else.  

Any volunteers?

For whatever it is worth, this is something that we have talked about numerous times but haven't gotten around to.

I absolutely think that the game can easily switch genres with a new set of Playbooks and Scenario Pack. I hope we can explore that in the future.

Hey thanks for dropping in! Really hope you guys get around to it, it would be awesome. Well done on some great atmospheric work with the game so far. I think it could make the perfect introduction to D&D for some friends.