Long List of Old School Games and Clones
The following in the initial revision of the list of major old school fantasy RPGs and retroclones for Microlite74 Version 3.0. Please let me know if I am missing any major games. I haven’t found a list on the Internet that seems more complete than this one, but I still think I am missing a game or two. If you know of any I’m missing, please comment (please include a link to the game’s site if you have it)
Old School Games and Retro-Clones
Microlite74 is designed to be an introduction to “old school” gaming for players more familiar with the 3.x version of the world’s most popular fantasy roleplaying game. While I’ve tried to design Microlite74 for long running campaigns, if you find the “old school” style of play espoused by Microlite74 fun you may want to move to one of the original games or one of their retro-clones.
What is a retro-clone? The OGL has allowed fans to recreate the rules of older, out of print editions of the world’s most popular fantasy roleplaying game. These are usually called “retro-clones” because they are “clones” of the rules to older (“retro”) editions of the world’s most popular fantasy roleplaying game. Most retro-clones have free PDF versions and most have nicely bound printed copies available for a very reasonable price. Retro-clones allow play of an older, out-of-print game system without the trouble and expense of tracking down a copy of an out-of-print game. While no retro-clone is an exact copy of an earlier game, they generally are close to identical in play.
0e and Retro-Clones
0e: The Original Game
The original 0e booklets and supplements can be found at auction on eBay or RPG Marketplace or at specialists like Noble Knight Games, but they are generally very expensive collectibles. Some excellent third party 0e adventures (and an excellent campaign setting) from the late 1970s are also available in PDF format. These adventures could easily be used with Microlite74 or a 0e retro-clone – and converted for use with any other early edition/retro-clone with only a little effort.
Original Edition Characters (for Labyrinth Lord)
Original Edition Characters is a supplement for Labyrinth Lord (see the B/X and Retro-clones section below). It modifies the Labyrinth Lord rules to emulate the 0e game.
Swords & Wizardry
Swords & Wizardry is an OGL retro-clone of the 0e version from the mid-1970s, the same edition Microlite74 is loosely based on. Sword & Wizardry is handy for complex spell and monster descriptions for use with Microlite74 as well as a great game itself. The spell lists and monsters can be used as drop in replacements for those listed in Microlite74. There are three versions of this game. One uses just the material from the three LBB and the other two also use selected material from the 0e supplements.
B/X and Retro-Clones
B/X: The Original Game
The original B/X boxed sets and the revised version of this edition, the five box BECMI edition, can be found at auction on eBay or RPG Marketplace or at specialists like Noble Knight Games, as can a very large number of excellent adventure and campaign modules. Many of these modules could be used with Microlite74 or other B/X retro-clones with little modification — and converted for use with any other early edition/retro-clone with only a little more effort.
Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game
The Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game is loosely based on the so-called B/X edition of the world’s most popular fantasy roleplaying game from the early 1980s. There are a number of minor tweaks like ascending armour class and separation of races and classes.
Dark Dungeons
Dark Dungeons is based on the single volume RC version of the BECMI edition from the early 1990s. The rules are fairly close to the original but some chances have been made, especially where setting specific material is concerned.
Labyrinth Lord
Labyrinth Lord is more closely based on the so-called B/X edition of the world’s most popular fantasy roleplaying game from the early 1980s. While some minor changes have been made for compliance with the OGL and copyright law, many people have a hard time finding any truly major differences between Labyrinth Lord and the original.
1e and Retro-Clones
1e: The Original Game
The original 1e rulebooks and adventures can be found at auction on eBay or RPG Marketplace or at specialists like Noble Knight Games – often at good prices if you do not need collectible condition. Also, some excellent third party 1e adventures are available in PDF format. 1e adventures and campaign settings could be converted for use with Microlite74 or any other early edition/retro-clone without much work.
Advanced Edition Companion (for Labyrinth Lord)
The Advanced Edition Companion is a supplement for Labyrinth Lord(see the B/X and Retro-clones section above). It modifies the Labyrinth Lord rules to emulate the 1e game – or at least those parts of it that most players actually used.
OSRIC
OSRIC (Old School Reference & Index Compilation) is an OGL version of the first “advanced” edition of the world’s most popular fantasy roleplaying game from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The first edition of OSRIC was designed to be just something that would allow publishers to legally publish OGL materials compatible with 1e. This attitude is also responsible for the boring name. The second edition of OSRIC is much more complete and is written with both players and publishers in mind.
2e and Retro-Clones
2e: The Original Game
The original 2e rulebooks and adventures can be found at auction on eBay or RPG Marketplace or at specialists like Noble Knight Games – often at very good prices if you do not need collectible condition. Also, some excellent third party 2e adventures are available in PDF format. 2e adventures and campaign settings could be converted for use with Microlite74 or any other early edition/retro-clone without much work.
For Gold & Glory
For Glory & Glory is an attempt to create a close adaption of the 2e rules, or at least those in the three 2e core rulebooks.
Other Games
Adventurer Conqueror King System
Adventurer Conqueror King takes the end game (ruling a domain) assuming in early editions of the world’s most popular fantasy RPG and rebuilds the entire game around it, with special attention to a simple but functional economic system.
Adventures Dark and Deep
This game is not a retro-clone, strictly speaking. Instead, it is an attempt to create an alternate universe version of 2e. 2e as it might have been if it had been written by the author of 0e and 1e.
The Big Brown Book
The Big Brown Book takes the rules of 0e and gives them a new spin — What would the world’s most popular fantasy role playing game look like had it continued its wargame roots?
Dragons at Dawn
This game is an attempt to recreate the rules of the original Blackmoor campaign from the early 1970s. “Dragons at Dawn is a retro tribute to the very first fantasy gaming system pioneered by Dave Arneson, the man who later went on to co-author the worlds most popular roleplaying game. The result of years of careful historical research, Dragons at Dawn is entirely consistent with Arneson’s original, largely forgotten methods of play developed roughly in the period 1970-1973.” (No Free PDF version.)
Forward to Adventure!
This game is not a retro-clone, but a modern game that was designed with “old school” dungeon adventuring in mind. While not an “old school” game by any stretch of the imagination, it would be relatively easy to use FtA! to run a campaign in the old-school style. Unlike most modern RPG designs, there is little designed into FtA! that would interfere with this which makes it a system those who like the “old school” style of play but dislike the “old school” style of rules might wish to consider. (No free PDF version.)
Spellcraft & Swordplay
Spellcraft & Swordplay is an OGL redesign of the 0e version from the mid-1970s. The designer decided to rewrite 0e based on the original combat system (from the miniatures rules 0e grew out of) instead of 0e’s “alternative combat system.” The alternative combat system quickly became the standard combat system of the world’s most popular fantasy roleplaying game. This is sort of a retroclone from an alternate universe where the original combat system was the most-used. (No free PDF version.)
ZeFRS
David “Zeb” Cook’s 1985 rules for the TSR Conan roleplaying game returns as a generic sword-and-sorcery RPG complete in one volume. Trample the jewelled kingdoms of your own world beneath your sandals!