Tenkar's Tavern: The Tavern Chat Podcast - Episode 49 - The Beginning of the OSR

Wednesday, July 4, 2018

The Tavern Chat Podcast - Episode 49 - The Beginning of the OSR - A Look Back

Thanks to this post at the Multiverse blog: http://multiverse.world/blog/2018/07/02/what-is-the-osr-old-school-revival/ (well worth the reading( I've been inspired to do a series of podcast episodes covering various OSR ruleset. In the first episode of the series, I look at the beginning of the OSR.

The first in what will become an (ir)regular series of episodes. Hackmaster 4e to Castles & Crusades to OSRIC to Labyrinth Lord and finally to Swords & Wizardry, its the birth of the OSR.

Link to Episode #49 - https://anchor.fm/tavernchat/episodes/Episode-49---The-Beginning-of-the-OSR---A-Look-Back-e1of91

1 comment:

bad wolfJuly 4, 2018 at 1:46 PM
Nice, i always got the feeling i was alone in crediting Hackmaster 4e for (a rebirth of something that became) OSR.

Does anyone else remember another notable point-the "Lunchtime Dungeon Crawl" articles from the old Wizard website? In the middle of 3e that was the first time i saw someone consciously emulate an OSR type game.

http://archive.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/cg/cg20010323a
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Why "Swords & Wizardry?"

Believe me when I say I have them all in dead tree format. I have OSRIC in full size, trade paperback and the Player's Guide. I have LL and the AEC (and somewhere OEC, but I can't find it at the moment). Obviously I have Basic Fantasy RPG. Actually, I have the whole available line in print. Way too much Castles & Crusades. We all know my love for the DCC RPG. I even have Dark Dungeons in print, the Delving Deeper boxed set, Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea. BOTH editions of LotFP's Weird Fantasy and some dead tree copies of the Greyhawk Grognards Adventures Dark & Deep

I am so deep in the OSR when I come up for breath it's for the OSR's cousin, Tunnels & Trolls

So, out of all that, why Swords & Wizardry? Why, when I have been running a AD&D 1e / OSRIC campaign in Rappan Athuk am I using Swords & Wizardry and it's variant, Crypts & Things, for the second campaign? (Actually, now running a S&W Complete campaign, soon to be with multiple groups)

Because the shit works.

It's easy for lapsed gamers to pick up and feel like they haven't lost a step. I can house rule it and it doesn't break. It plays so close to the AD&D of my youth and college years (S&W Complete especially) that it continually surprises me. Just much less rules hopping than I remember. (my God but I can run it nearly without the book)

I grab and pick and steal from just about all OSR and Original resources. They seem to fit into S&W with little fuss. It may be the same with LL and the rest, but for me the ease of use fit's my expectations with S&W.

Even the single saving throw. That took me longer to adjust to, but even that seems like a natural to me now. Don't ask me why, it just does. Maybe it's the simplicity of it. At 45 52, simplicity and flexibility while remaining true to the feel of the original is an OSR hat trick for me ;)

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Wednesday, July 4, 2018

The Tavern Chat Podcast - Episode 49 - The Beginning of the OSR - A Look Back

1 comment:

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