Tenkar's Tavern: 2024-12-22

Sunday, December 22, 2024

OSR Christmas Day 3 - Three French Hens....urh?

Yep, it is OSR Christmas Day 3, and we have some more goodies goodness for all to partake in. I want to thank the generosity of this year's sponsors and remind folks to keep them in mind when you are seeking to spend some post-holiday gift money ;)

Note: Short turnaround on this one - to be considered for a gift, comments must be made below by 6 PM, Tuesday December 24th - Christmas Eve. Gifts will be awarded later on Christmas Eve, and Day 4 gifts will be posted on Dec 25th.

Gift 1 - Dragonlock Lost City of the Dwarves: Master Set FDG0411 ($25.00)

Gift 2 - Frog God Games 50% Off Coupon

Gift 3 - The New Adventures Dark and Deep Core Rulebook and Core Bestiary in pdf from BRW Games (back in the mix is the original recipient offered to let another be gifted)

Gift 4 - 1 Barrowmaze Patch (ships anywhere in the world) and issues 1-4 of Wizard Funk Zine in PDF

Gift 5 - $10 DTRPG Gift Certificate

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. The Tavern DOES NOT do "Paid For" Articles and discloses personal connections to products and creators written about when applicable.

DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern. You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Rumble or YouTube - Tenkar

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 ;)

Swords & Wizardry Light - Forum

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Sunday, December 22, 2024

OSR Christmas Day 3 - Three French Hens....urh?

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