OSRIC 3.0

OSRIC 3.0 is a milestone release. This is a gold standard implementation of 1E, and the best books you can buy to teach and learn the game. Unlike the earlier reference document versions of the game, this edition has been expanded with examples and organization ideal for learning and teaching the game. The original AD&D books aren't always easy to follow or learn, and this edition is the best of the best for playing the OG 1E game.

This is an amazing release, with free PDFs, beautiful art, and hardcovers. Even the single-volume softcover is a beautiful "table copy" of the game, and a worthy gift to those into 1E and the original, more survival-focused game.

I love the "dungeon survival" elements of 1E, and this reminds me of modern, co-op crafting and survival sandbox games that are insanely popular today. The classes are easier than their 5E co
unterparts, which feel like superheroes overloaded with so many powers and rules that they become unplayable and not always easy to figure out "what they can do" during a turn. Modern 5E classes are a confusing mess, whereas 1E classes are straightforward and easy to manage.

If I have an NPC Paladin, in 5E, I usually have no clue what they can do unless I design them in a character creation tool. In a 1E game? I know what they can do right away. The whole point of a class-based game is to simplify and aggregate abilities and powers, and 5E is completely backward in this regard. With 1E, a thief, wizard, fighter, cleric - I know what they can do.

Compared to Adventures Dark & Deep, OSRIC is the easier game, with far fewer additions and extra features that weigh it down. While I appreciate ADAD's completeness and expansions, there are times all I want is "basic 1E" without all the new additions. You could play both and pull in elements from both games into one, and use ADAD as the expansion, or you could just play OSRIC and keep things simple and basic.

Both are amazing games.

ADAD is the more "all the stuff plus more" edition of the game, with some amazing expansion books. For some, ADAD will be too much game, and OSRIC is the better choice. For others, ADAD will be an abundant cornucopia of 1E ideas and new content. Both have that meaty, wonderful, deep, and rich survival-based, old-school game that lives through the blood, soul, and essence of the game.

Everyone is a winner with these games, and they are both highly recommended.

DCC: OSRIC as the +1 Game

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.

DCC: What's Your +1 Game?

 

From the Dungeon Crawl Classics rulebook, page 393:

Consequently, this work does not include detailed rules for assigning treasure to monsters or encounters. The existing volume of D&D work includes several such systems which are robust and well defined, and which can be easily adapted here. The author suggests you adapt an existing treasure system of your choice, but carefully and deliberately evaluate the randomized results. Always ask yourself: “Where did the monster acquire such wealth? And what happened to the local economy in the process?”

I didn't realize this, and I may have read it, but the weight of this did not hit home until I started to think of what this paragraph means. DCC requires you to use another game to fill in the missing pieces, especially for the treasure system.

This begs the question: What game with DCC gives you the best results? Well, here are my picks:

I would go with OSRIC if I were considering magic items. This grandaddy reference guide gives you everything in the AD&D sphere in an open and accessible format. This provides a perfect "old school" flavor and retains the authenticity of a "primary source" for your games. The magic item tables here are ideal, with so many options and combinations, and it is a treat to roll them on.

OSRIC falls short on monsters since the traditional AC system is used, and you would need to convert descending AC to ascending. It is easy, but it gets a little tedious. Most of the other monster stats work fine in DCC, though.

OSRIC is the best "1e" game out there, even better than the AD&D DTRPG reprints since it has far fewer errors, and the organization and presentation are far better than my well-loved but flawed AD&D books. Don't play with your collector's AD&D books; get this, and don't look back.

If I were including monsters as a sample bestiary for my game? I would 100% use Revised Swords & Wizardry, a gem of a game with several simplifications that will make using the monsters in S&W for DCC games a breeze. First, the hit die numbers are compatible with DCC and serve as the monster's attack bonus. Done. Next, we do not use Fort, Ref, and Will saves; we get one save number, a d20-roll-or-higher one. This is good enough for most monsters, and you could always modify it if an exceptional circumstance applies. One save? Simple. Finally, S&W uses ascending AC in the same range as DCC, so we are not converting anything; we can use the AC numbers as-is.

There is also a morale system here for all monsters, so your foes may break if they are getting spell-burned and mighty-deeded off the face of the planet.

The book is excellent if you need orcs, gorgons, traditional dragons, golems, giants, or any other classic monster from the original game to appear and cause havoc. I know this is DCC; all monsters are unique! But even I occasionally like my comfort food, and seeing DCC characters thrash a cloud giant is fun.

The treasure tables here are good enough. They are less in-depth than OSRIC but are more than satisfactory for 95% of situations in a DCC game. Given the game's heroic, pulp, over-the-top, and insane feel, I would prefer a less-detailed treasure system for DCC (and more of my imagination). Also, there are guidelines for generating treasure hordes here based on monster XP, so creating treasures based on monsters is very simple and can be used for any creature. We are not messing with treasure-type tables, and that is a plus.

Since 90% of the game can be used directly with DCC as-is, Swords & Wizardry is my go-to "+1 game" for DCC. The monsters seal the deal here with how simple they are to convert, with almost no conversion needed. The things you won't be using? Classes and spells, but we have plenty of those in DCC. We are just here looking for "stuff," and S&W has tons of it, ready to use.

S&W also released two companion guides, one for options and another for foes, greatly expanding the game. The options book is mostly classes but includes new magic items, referee advice, the old-school primer, and many encounter charts. The wilderness encounter charts here make this a worthy addition.

This is a must-have book for playing S&W as a standalone game since it includes several more modern classes, such as "old school classes," for your game and fills in many of the holes of OSR systems regarding player options.

The monster book is full of monsters, over 300 and includes guidelines for creating your own. There are also fun "monster name" random charts that fit within the DCC mantra of "DIY everything!" This three-book set is an excellent game but utterly usable as a "DCC expansion" if you want more old-school content and flavor in your games.

Swords & Wizardry is one of the best-kept secrets in gaming these days. Old School Essentials is the standard-bearer, and Shadowdark is the 5E entry into the genre. DCC fills the gonzo need. Castles & Crusades is the "2.5E" we never knew we needed. But S&W is unique. It is simple. The systems are straightforward and highly optimized, with a single genius-mechanic saving throw number making everything simple (yet also highly modifiable). S&W is AD&D without all the useless and pedantic parts.

S&W is a "0e" style game and the best in class; it is all pre-AD&D but presented and organized so well that it becomes instantly playable. Alongside OSRIC, you only need to buy or worry about any other old-school game if you seek a niche or specialized experience (DCC, OSE, Without Number, etc.).

If you are coming from Shadowdark and want old-school without the complexity and an experience that is a bit more "on the metal," give S&W a try. If you have DCC and want to "spice it up" with classics from an excellent "+1 book" that adds to the game and is 90% usable, S&W is also one of your best bets. There is nothing wrong with using OSE or even Labyrinth Lord, but I find both OSRIC and S&W to be my best "+1 games" alongside DCC and excellent games as stand-alone.