Old-School Essentials
Published by Necrotic Gnome
A faithful retro-clone of the 1981 B/X D&D rules, with modern organization and layout.
Official Site →What is OSR?
Old School Revival, sometimes called the Renaissance, represents both a style of play and a community creating games inspired by the earliest editions of tabletop role-playing games. OSR emphasizes player skill over character abilities, encourages creative problem-solving, and typically features deadly combat that players are encouraged to avoid through clever thinking. Many OSR games work perfectly with classic campaign settings or encourage creating unique worlds that capture the spirit of early D&D.
Core Principles
Rulings Over Rules
GMs are encouraged to make quick, fair rulings rather than searching for specific rules. Consistency and common sense trump complexity.
Player Skill > Character Sheet
Success depends more on player creativity and smart decisions than character abilities or optimal builds.
Deadly But Fair
Combat is dangerous and often lethal. Players should think carefully before fighting and seek alternative solutions.
Information is Key
Careful observation, asking questions, and gathering information are crucial for survival and success. Simple dice rollsoften determine outcomes rather than complex mechanics.
Getting Started with OSR
New to old-school gaming? Here are a few practical starting points.
Pick a Rules-Light System
Old-School Essentials, Knave, or Cairn are good entry points. The rules are short enough to read in an afternoon, and they're compatible with decades of published adventure modules.
Run a Classic Module
Keep on the Borderlands or Tomb of the Serpent Kings (free online) are designed for new groups. They teach OSR play through the dungeon itself.
Roll Characters Fast
Use 3d6 in order and don't agonize over stats. OSR characters are shaped by play, not by builds. Our character generatorsupports OSR/B/X ability score rolling.
Embrace Lethality
Characters die. That's part of the game. Keep chargen fast so a replacement takes minutes, not hours. The stories that emerge from high stakes are what make OSR memorable.
Popular OSR Game Systems
OSR games range from faithful recreations of early D&D to inventive designs that push the style in new directions. Most share compatibility with classic modules and a preference for streamlined rules.
Basic Fantasy RPG
Published by Basic Fantasy Project
A free, open-source retroclone that modifies the B/X rules with some modern conventions.
Official Site →OSRIC
Published by Knights & Knaves Alehouse
A reference document recreating the first edition AD&D experience, complete with extensive GM guidance.
Official Site →MÖRK BORG
Published by Free League Publishing
An award-winning doom metal album of a game. Rules-light and apocalyptic dark fantasy with striking art direction.
Official Site →Dungeon Crawl Classics
Published by Goodman Games
A d20-based RPG that recreates the feel of 1970s adventure gaming. Features a funnel system where players start with multiple zero-level characters and see who survives.
Official Site →Knave
Published by Ben Milton
A classless, level-based toolkit designed for compatibility with OSR modules. Characters are defined by their inventory rather than class abilities.
Official Site →Cairn
Published by Yochai Gal
A rules-light adventure game for one facilitator and at least one other player. Draws from Into the Odd and Knave, with a focus on exploration of dark and mysterious woods.
Official Site →Into the Odd
Published by Free League Publishing
A stripped-down RPG where combat has no attack rolls. Characters are defined by their Arcana (strange magical items) and the choices they make in a weird industrial fantasy setting.
Official Site →Additional Resources
Blog
Principia Apocrypha
A primer on old-school gaming principles and philosophy.
Visit Blog →YouTube
Questing Beast
Reviews and analysis of OSR products and gaming philosophy.
Visit YouTube →Blog
The Alexandrian
Justin Alexander's writing on game structures, hexcrawls, and pointcrawls has shaped how many OSR referees prep and run games.
Visit Blog →Blog
Necropraxis
Brendan S. writes about OD&D procedures, hazard dice, and dungeon design with a focus on emergent play.
Visit Blog →