OSRIC is a fantastic game. It is the best AD&D-like game out there. It was written as a reference work for the original game but with enough slight differences to be a partial copy. This started before copies of AD&D were out there to buy, and it still sits as the better version of the DTRPG print-on-demand copies that are filled with errors.
OSRIC is not just a game; it's a platform that empowers AD&D players. Its superior organization and the opportunity to contribute to the game's content provide a flexible and empowering gaming experience. This is further enhanced by a wealth of indie adventures and supplements, making it the ultimate choice for AD&D enthusiasts.
Also, you are not putting wear and tear on your collector's items.
But using OSRIC as your +1 game for Dungeon Crawl Classics is an interesting choice since the game is very detailed, has the OG vibe, and gives the experience a gritty AD&D-like feeling and hardcore atmosphere. There are a few points worth remembering in the conversion, such as DCC not using magic resistance. Also, this conversion for AC is handy:
DCC AC = 20 - ORSIC AC
The AC conversion is straightforward. For instance, an AC 6 equals a DCC AC of 20 - 6, which equals 14. Remember the 'subtracting a negative number rule' for cases like an AC of -2, which becomes a DCC AC of 20 - (-2), resulting in 22.
You could also set the "target number" for your to-hits to 20 and add the OSRIC (descending) AC (and any other attack modifiers) to the roll. Don't believe me? That OSRIC AC of 6 is a DCC AC of 14, and an attack modifier of +1 gives a 13+ on a d20, or a 40% chance to hit. The OSRIC AC of 6 with that attack modifier of +1 nets a +7 chance to strike against a target number of 20 or a 40% chance to hit.
Also, in DCC, hit dice are not always d8s. If a monster is big enough, you could bump the hit die up the dice chain to get one that works, and going down works as well. The same goes for damage or any other die the monster may use; use that die chain!
One area of trouble with OSRIC where S&W does not have it is in monster saving throws. In S&W, every monster has a single saving throw. Since DCC uses the 3.5-era Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves, having one saving throw for all is simple. You can always modify the single save number if a monster is agile and should have a higher save in that category. In OSRIC, all monsters use fighter saving throws from the five standard categories of saving throws. You must constantly reference the fighter save chart and pick the best saving throw for the attack.
Also note DCC's saves are modifiers versus a floating target number. Old-school saves are typically a number to roll higher than on a d20. If a save versus an effect is a DC 5, you must figure out a bonus to give a monster versus a DC 10 or even DC 15. I would give a +5 for DC 5 and a -5 for DC 15.
DCC Save = (OSRIC HD / 2) + Ability Mods
Or, use the above formula to calculate the DCC Fort, Ref, and Will save. A level 10 character typically has an average of a +5 save (plus ability modifiers), so this will get you in the ballpark, and you can modify them up or down based on the monster's statistics. If you feel a monster has an 18 DEX, add +3 to their Reflex save, and so on.
Why OSRIC? I felt Swords & Wizardry was my go-to +1 game, but S&W is such a good game that it deserves to be played independently. This is nothing against OSRIC, either, and OSRIC is amazingly playable and worth being a standalone. S&W has some over-the-top pulp elements that DCC does, so the games feel "closer." OSRIC is farther away and will contrast better with DCC. In some ways, OSRIC is the better +1 game since the charts and tables in this book are some of the best in tabletop gaming.
A summary:
DCC AC = 20 - ORSIC AC
DCC Saves = (OSRIC HD / 2) + Ability Mods
DCC Hit Die Size = OSRIC HD, d6 to d12 (based on size)
DCC Attack Bonus = OSRIC HD (as a base)
S&W is a zero-edition game, too. This is more of the 1970s calling, where there were few rules for everything, and most were made up on the spot. OSRIC is more the 1980s version of the game, where playing the game felt more serious, many rules were set in stone, and there was an "official" way of playing the game. For this reason, OSRIC feels like the more "serious" game to use with DCC, and it will color the experience in a harsher, more realistic light.
Tone matters! When the fantastic happens in DCC, it will contrast more with OSRIC than with S&W. Some groups may want the lighthearted and humorous S&W combo, while others will prefer the more grounded and realistic OSRIC combo. I would use OSRIC for DCC horror games.
There is also a difference between the funky van party record's 1970s tone (which DCC embraces) and the deadly dungeon ritualistic seance 1980s tone (which it also does). Swords & Wizardry is more the former, while OSRIC is more the latter.
What I love about OSRIC, when used with DCC, is it turns the entire game into a "serious" affair, whereas S&W feels more "fast and loose," like a pulp game. OSRIC's treasure tables go into depth, and you can find a gold comb worth 8,000 gold pieces due to a treasure roll. The magic item tables have hundreds of items, with options for intelligent swords and other classic AD&D-style items. The monster lists are long and filled with the classics. There is a dungeon generation system with dungeon levels and encounters. There are random tables for both tricks and traps. You even have wilderness encounters and travel rules. One book has it all.
If DCC is the "old school tribute game" and OSRIC is "the best AD&D-style game," these two go together like peanut butter and chocolate.
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