Returning TTRPGer trying to learn the OSR community

[Rayer]

I suppose a final question I might have for today is does any Discord exist that's friendly to the non-woke OSR community?  I quite like Discord as a communication medium and it would be nice to find a server.

[danskmacabre]

I recently bought the Old School Essentials Player's book (and PDF ) online, so there's still some about. Have a look on Ebay as well.
I ordered the referee book too recently, although not arrived yet.

They're a fun read and an easy to use.
I'm already running OSE online on Roll20 and Discord. Very smooth to use.

[Klytus]

You can pick up Old School Essentials in print from Exalted Funeral.

https://www.exaltedfuneral.com/collections/necrotic-gnome

[ForgottenF]

Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers is a great game, but I should give a slight consumer warning on it. If you buy the second edition, only the player's guide is currently available in hard copy, which does not include the gazetteer or bestiary. If you buy the 3rd edition, the books are some expensive ($100 for the players and GM's guide bundle), and they are on a long lead time. I ordered mine a few weeks ago, and was told the delivery would be sometime "late" this year.

Based on the quality of the previous releases, it'll probably be worth it, but not super useful if you want to start playing with it right now.

[Jam The MF]

Since you mentioned BX, and asked about Old School Essentials:

Games and Stuff, in Maryland, United States

They have the OSE Classic Fantasy Rules Tome hardcover, in stock for $40.  It's a complete BX clone in one book.

They also have several different books for OSE Advanced Fantasy.

[weirdguy564]

The OSR also goes in directions you may not expect.  There are other things than swords and elves you know. 

White Star: Galaxy Edition.  It's Star Wars.  With some other sci-fi bits added in as well.  Transformers, Star Trek, and Dr Who in particular.  Based on White Box/0-D&D.  It's default is Vancian magic powers (use power once, then forget it from your brain slot).

Star Adventurer.  This is also Star Wars, but it has replaced the Vancian magic with skill check based powers.  Leveling up is a random table of bonuses, so two people of the same class will likely diverge in different directions as you play.  It's also cheap.  However, it has no NPCs stated out.  Not even a poorly trained storm trooper.  In fact it has no GM tools of any kind.  Not even a glossary of terminology.  I recommend an experienced GM only run this game.

Dungeons and Delvers Dice Pool Edition.  Replaces the D20 with a dice chain system.  Stats and skills all start out as a 1D4, then you upgrade/replace each with a D6, then D8, D10, then end on a D12 at max level.  Dice rolls are a stat and a skill, and often additional dice from class and racial abilities, like dwarves get a free D4 when using axes or hammers.  Pick the best 2 dice and add.  It's also kid friendly with Chibi/Cutesy art, minimal math, and not a lot of record keeping.

***  There is another Dungeons and Delvers Black that is more traditional D&D.  It mainly replaces the Vancian magic with mana point system. 

Deathbringer.  Written by Dungeon Craft YouTube channel's Professor Dungeon Master.  This is a super rules lite game that trims down the rules to fit on just a few pages.  Brutal and grim, where players die easily.  However, experienced GM is needed since without all the explanations for anything you may be lost or confused.  No monster stats or spells are included.  It does have a unique Deathbringer Dice system where you get some D6 dice to add to any die roll at any time.  You can even use all you have to pump up a single die roll like damage, letting you 1-shot somebody. 

Pocket Fantasy.  Another free game.  Replaces ALL the dice with just a 1D6.  Very rules lite, yet has a monster list and dungeon builder.  There are no levels.  Instead you get points that you can use for re-rolls, or to get more uses for you class abilities.  Magic is six known combat spells, with wizards able to cast two per battle.  However, out of combat magic is anything the GM will allow, set by a difficulty check between 2-6.   Two out of combat spells per session.   Or trade in re-roll tokens to get more.  Like I said, it's free so just check it out for yourself.  I do recommend getting the extra classes and the magic item pages too. 

Operation White Box.   It's D&D rules, but the setting is World War 2 in France.   Guns and grenades, Maquis agents, and special forces commandos.  Yeah.  It's not magic and dragons. 

Starships and Spacemen.  It's original series Star Trek.  It uses a roll under your skill system.  Armor is applied as a penalty to the other guy's skill number.  To be honest, it's the same thing as D&D, just inverted.  Also, psi powers use psi points, so this is another game that ditches the Vancian magic system of spell slots that are forgotten after use. 

[rkhigdon]

I suppose a final question I might have for today is does any Discord exist that's friendly to the non-woke OSR community?  I quite like Discord as a communication medium and it would be nice to find a server.

You could try the Tenkar's Tavern Discord, which covers pretty much the gamut of the OSR.

I also like the Autarch Discord channel.  Technically it supports Adventurer, Conqueror, King, which is a pretty awesome flavor of B/X D&D, but I find that Alex Macris (the owner) and many of the members to be both smart and super-helpful so I enjoy hanging out there. 

[Jam The MF]

White Box, Fantastic Medieval Adventure Game is a neat game, and is a clone of original edition D&D.  It's a clone of the three little brown booklets, plus the Thief Class from Greyhawk.

White Box is a lot of fun, and simple; but it doesn't have the girth of content in a single volume, that OSE Classic Fantasy has.

White Box is less than $5 for the softcover.

[Zalman]

I was more concerned over whether I might be supporting a publisher I might not want to

If you haven't seen it, it sounds like The Consumer's Guide to TTRPGs might be of use to you.

[Zalman]

I might be better off looking at one of the alternative 1e OSR core books with that in mind.

I really enjoy Advanced Labyrinth Lord for an OSR take on a 1e style game.

[weirdguy564]

My choice for OSR would be Basic Fantasy.  It's B/X with modernization fixes to use ascending armor class, and separating class vs race.  Races as classes was a thing back in the day.

You really only need the core book.  It has monsters in it for you.  Also, it's stupidly cheap.  Free PDFs and the book is only $5. 

[Palleon]

Mmm...  Ok this is helping me clear up some stuff then.  I might be better off looking at one of the alternative 1e OSR core books with that in mind.  And while I don't mind paying a fair price for a nice product I'm seeing some stuff for upwards of $300 USD and that's not really what I'm looking to spend starting out.  Thanks.

OSRIC is mostly the same a 1E's core rules.  Finch and Marshall left of out some of the stuff no-one used anyway and some appendix stuff.  https://www.lulu.com/shop/stuart-marshall/osric-22-hc/hardcover/product-1yz9kqmm.html?q=osric&page=1&pageSize=4  I think Black Blade Publishing also has an offset press printed version that's around the same price.

[Rayer]

Hey thanks for all these great replies.

Some excellent information in all of those I'm definitely going to use.

Following looking into most of this I was taking a look at OSRIC and I know that has a free PDF version so that will at least let me learn what it's all about.  I am also looking at the Hyberborean 2E Player book because that might mesh well with some other Advanced 1e style stuff.

[estar]

Some excellent information in all of those I'm definitely going to use.

To add to the list you may find some useful material from my blog here

https://batintheattic.blogspot.com/p/stuff-in-attic.html

Along with my offerings from DriveThruRPG
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/2993/Bat-in-the-Attic-Games

Also a lot of folks found my How to Make a Fantasy Setting series of posts useful.
https://batintheattic.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-to-make-fantasy-sandbox.html

And there is a shorter Traveller one
https://batintheattic.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-to-make-traveller-sandbox.html

[sombodystolemyname]

Ever tried Lamentations of the Flame Princess? Some of the adventures are pretty NSFW, but the core rules are pretty solid and you can get the art free version on drivethrurpg for free.  If you were going to make your own campaign and not rely too much on pre made adventures then the NSFW aspects wouldn't even be a factor.  There are some pretty cool adventures made for it as well if you are into a more weird horror vibe or maybe Troma movies.