The Old School Renaissance (OSR) is a vibrant and enduring movement within the RPG community, characterized by a return to the roots of tabletop gaming. This movement seeks to capture and rekindle the essence of the early days of roleplaying, drawing inspiration from the foundational systems and ethos of the 1970s and 1980s. At the heart of the OSR is a deep appreciation for the simplicity, challenge, and imaginative potential that marked the dawn of RPGs.
The origins of the OSR can be traced back to the early editions of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) and other pioneering RPGs that laid the groundwork for the genre. These games, with their rudimentary mechanics and vast open worlds, encouraged a style of play that was both freeform and deeply immersive. Players were invited to explore vast dungeons, engage with rich narratives, and create stories limited only by their imagination. The rules served as a canvas, not a constraint, fostering an environment where creativity and player agency were paramount.
The OSRs movement’s focus is on recapturing the spirit of exploration, creativity, and freedom found in these early roleplaying games. OSR games often emphasize a “rulings, not rules” philosophy, where Game Masters (GMs) and players prioritize storytelling and imaginative solutions over strict adherence to complex systems. This ethos reflects a desire to return to the adventurous and collaborative spirit that originally defined roleplaying games, where the stories and worlds come alive through shared imagination and the unpredictable outcomes of player choices.
OSR is not just a nostalgic look back at the origins of the roleplaying hobby but a dynamic and ongoing effort to preserve and evolve its core principles. It represents a commitment within the RPG community to foster a gaming culture that values simplicity, creativity, and the endless possibilities of the imagination.
How OSR Blends Classic RPG Mechanics with New Innovations
The OSR is not merely a tribute to the past but a bridge to the future of tabletop roleplaying games, marrying the foundational elements of classic RPGs with modern design philosophies. This unique fusion creates systems that resonate with players across the spectrum, from those seeking the nostalgia of the games they grew up with to newcomers drawn by the allure of accessible yet profound gameplay experiences.
OSR systems honour the legacy of classic RPGs through their emphasis on player agency, exploration, and the thrill of facing challenges with creativity rather than relying solely on character stats or predetermined story paths. They recall an era where the rules were guidelines meant to facilitate the adventure, not define it. However, OSR games do not stop at mere replication; they innovate, streamlining cumbersome rules and integrating narrative-driven mechanics that elevate the role of storytelling in the gameplay.
For instance, many OSR games simplify combat and character creation to reduce barriers to entry and keep the game moving swiftly, ensuring that the focus remains on the adventure itself. Yet, these streamlined rules do not diminish the depth of play. Instead, they open up space for narrative richness, allowing players and GMs to co-create stories that are compelling, unpredictable, and uniquely their own. This approach enhances traditional aspects of RPGs, such as dungeon crawling and world exploration, by infusing them with new life. Scenarios are not just series of encounters but opportunities for storytelling, where the outcome of an action can have ripple effects that influence the narrative’s direction.
Furthermore, OSR systems often incorporate mechanics that encourage roleplaying and character development in ways that go beyond the traditional stat blocks and skill checks. From mechanics that govern character relationships to those that allow for significant changes in the game world based on player decisions, OSR games offer a sandbox for creativity that is both broad and deep.
This blend of old and new offers a gaming experience that is both familiar and fresh. Nostalgic players can revisit the beloved elements of early RPGs in a new light, while newcomers can discover the joys of roleplaying in systems that are accessible and engaging. The OSR movement, with its innovative systems, stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of tabletop RPGs and their capacity to evolve while staying true to their roots. Through this blend of classic mechanics and modern innovations, OSR games continue to captivate the imagination of players, offering endless possibilities for adventure and storytelling.
What Makes an RPG System OSR?
The OSR has carved out a distinct niche within the broader tabletop RPG landscape, attracting a dedicated following with its unique approach to roleplaying. But what exactly sets an OSR system apart from other RPGs? At the heart of the OSR movement are several key characteristics that define its philosophy and approach to gaming.
Simplicity in Rules
One of the hallmark features of OSR games is their simplicity. This simplicity is not about stripping away depth or limiting possibilities within the game. Instead, it’s about creating a framework that facilitates gameplay, making it more accessible and fluid. OSR rules are designed to be intuitive, allowing players and GMs to focus on the narrative and the adventure rather than getting bogged down in complex mechanics. This streamlined approach helps to maintain the pace of play and encourages spontaneous creativity. It’s a return to the roots of roleplaying, where the emphasis is on the shared story being crafted at the table rather than on navigating cumbersome rule sets.
Focus on Player Skill
Another defining element of OSR games is their emphasis on player skill over character stats. While character abilities and equipment certainly play a role in these systems, the outcome of encounters often hinges on players’ problem-solving abilities, strategic thinking, and creative approaches to challenges. This focus shifts the gameplay dynamic, making players’ decisions and ingenuity the driving force behind success or failure. It encourages a style of play where thinking outside the box and coming up with inventive solutions are as important, if not more so, than the numbers on a character sheet. This not only makes for a more engaging and rewarding experience but also fosters a sense of agency and accomplishment among players.
The DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Ethos
Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of the OSR movement is its DIY ethos. OSR games are inherently modular and adaptable, designed to be tinkered with and customized to fit the unique visions of GMs and players alike. This ethos encourages the homebrewing of rules, the creation of custom content, and the adaptation of existing materials to suit the needs and preferences of individual gaming groups. It’s an invitation to make the game your own, to take the foundational elements provided and build upon them in creative and innovative ways. This aspect of OSR gaming not only enhances the sense of ownership and investment in the game world but also contributes to the rich tapestry of content and ideas that define the OSR community.
In essence, OSR games are about recapturing the spirit of early roleplaying adventures while embracing the creativity and diversity of the modern gaming landscape. Through their simplicity, emphasis on player skill, and DIY ethos, OSR systems offer a unique and compelling approach to tabletop RPGs, one that continues to inspire and engage players around the world.
The Importance of Compatibility with Classic RPGs
One of the cornerstones of the OSR movement is its reverence for the roots of tabletop roleplaying, a sentiment that is vividly reflected in the design of OSR systems. These games are often meticulously crafted to be backward-compatible with classic RPGs, a decision that opens up a treasure trove of possibilities for players and GMs alike. This compatibility with the classics allows for the use of a vast library of old-school modules and adventures, some of which have been cherished by the community for decades.
Bridging the Gap Between Eras
The ability to seamlessly integrate content from the early days of roleplaying into modern OSR campaigns is a bridge that connects generations of gamers. This compatibility ensures that iconic adventures, settings, and monsters can be experienced anew, preserving the legacy of classic RPGs while introducing them to new audiences. It’s a way of honouring the past while continuing to evolve and expand the hobby.
Fostering Continuity and Community
Moreover, this backward compatibility fosters a profound sense of continuity within the tabletop RPG community. By allowing newer OSR games to interface with classic materials, it creates a common ground for players and GMs, regardless of when they began their roleplaying journey. This shared heritage encourages collaboration, discussion, and the exchange of ideas across generations of gamers, strengthening the bonds within the community.
The compatibility of OSR systems with classic RPGs also empowers GMs and players to craft their adventures with a blend of old and new elements, tailoring their gaming experience to their preferences. Whether it’s revisiting a beloved classic module with updated mechanics or mixing elements from different eras to create something entirely new, the possibilities are endless. This flexibility not only enhances the gaming experience but also encourages creativity and innovation within the OSR movement.
The backward compatibility of OSR systems with classic RPGs is a testament to the movement’s dedication to preserving the rich history of tabletop roleplaying while still pushing the boundaries of what these games can be. It allows for a celebration of the hobby’s roots, provides a platform for endless adventure, and fosters a vibrant and inclusive community. In this way, OSR games serve as a living archive of roleplaying history, accessible to all and ripe for exploration.
The Emphasis on a Sandbox Play Style
One of the defining characteristics of the OSR approach to roleplaying games is the emphasis on a sandbox play style. This style is fundamentally about offering players a wide-open world to explore, one that is rich with possibilities and sparse on predetermined paths or objectives. Unlike more linear or narrative-driven games, a sandbox RPG doesn’t funnel players along a specific story track but instead provides a framework within which countless stories can unfold, driven by the players’ choices and actions.
Freedom and Agency
At the core of the sandbox play style is an unwavering commitment to player agency and freedom. OSR games built around this concept allow players to interact with the game world in unscripted and often unpredictable ways. Whether deciding to delve into a dangerous dungeon, negotiate with a powerful NPC, or explore an uncharted wilderness, the direction of the adventure is largely in the players’ hands. This autonomy transforms the game into a collaborative creation process, where every decision can lead to new adventures and outcomes.
Encouraging Emergent Storytelling
This open-ended approach naturally encourages emergent storytelling, a dynamic where the narrative develops organically based on the players’ actions and decisions. In a sandbox OSR game, the story is not something handed down by the GM but rather something that is discovered and shaped by the players as they interact with the world and each other. This form of storytelling is inherently fluid and adaptable, capable of accommodating a wide range of play styles and player-driven narratives.
Emergent storytelling also means that the consequences of player choices are real and impactful. A decision made in one session can ripple through the campaign, opening up new storylines or closing others. This not only makes the game world feel alive and responsive but also imbues players’ actions with a sense of weight and significance. The result is a deeply immersive and personal gaming experience, where the stories told are uniquely the players’, reflective of their choices, successes, and failures.
The sandbox play style is a hallmark of OSR games, setting them apart from more structured roleplaying experiences. By prioritizing player agency and embracing the unpredictability of emergent storytelling, OSR games offer a return to the roots of roleplaying: a collaborative, imaginative adventure where anything is possible. This approach not only pays homage to the early days of the hobby but also offers a refreshing counterpoint to the increasingly scripted nature of many modern RPGs.
The Best OSR RPG Systems
The OSR has sparked a resurgence of interest in the foundational elements of tabletop roleplaying, blending the simplicity and open-ended nature of classic RPGs with innovative mechanics and themes. This revival has led to the creation of numerous game systems, each offering its unique take on what makes the OSR so captivating.
Our curated selection spotlights OSR systems that have been widely recognized within the community for their significant contributions to the movement. These systems are celebrated for breathing new life into the foundational principles of roleplaying, enhancing them with modern mechanics and diverse settings that appeal to a broad spectrum of players. So let’s delve into some of the best OSR RPG systems that have captured the imagination of players and game masters alike.
Dungeon Crawl Classics
Dungeon Crawl Classics (DCC) by Goodman Games revitalizes the OSR with its unique approach to magic and character creation. The game’s magic system is renowned for its unpredictability and potential for spectacular results, both good and bad. Spells can have a wide range of outcomes based on the caster’s roll, adding a thrilling layer of risk and reward to the use of magic.
The funnel character creation process is another hallmark of DCC, where players start with a group of several level-0 characters, leading them through a deadly adventure. The survivors emerge as the players’ characters for the campaign, ensuring that heroes are forged through trial, error, and a bit of luck.
DCC is celebrated for its “gonzo” adventures, which embrace the weird, the whimsical, and the outright bizarre. These adventures often draw inspiration from the pulpy fantasy of the ’70s and ’80s, filled with strange monsters, unpredictable magic, and epic quests that defy conventional expectations. This willingness to push the boundaries of traditional fantasy settings, combined with its innovative mechanics, cements DCC’s position as a modern OSR flagship, beloved by players seeking adventures that are out of the ordinary.
Lamentations of the Flame Princess
Lamentations of the Flame Princess (LotFP) distinguishes itself within the OSR genre by delving into dark themes and horror-infused gaming. Designed by James Raggi, LotFP sets its adventures in a gritty, realistic world where the supernatural lurks at the edges of society, ready to intrude in terrifying ways. The game’s mechanics support this focus, offering a streamlined system that amplifies the tension and horror of the narrative.
What truly sets LotFP apart are its high-quality adventures, which are renowned for their originality, depth, and ability to evoke a sense of dread. These adventures often explore complex themes and present players with moral quandaries, pushing them to make difficult choices that have significant consequences. LotFP’s commitment to creating a unique niche within the OSR space, characterized by its unflinching exploration of horror and the macabre, has earned it a devoted following and critical acclaim. It stands as a testament to the versatility of the OSR movement, proving that there is room for a wide range of themes and play styles within the genre.
Stars Without Number
Stars Without Number by Kevin Crawford stands as a shining beacon within the OSR movement, extending its reach into the vastness of space with a sci-fi sandbox RPG that captivates with its depth and versatility. Unlike many of its fantasy-focused counterparts, Stars Without Number offers a framework for adventures among the stars, blending classic roleplaying elements with a boundless sci-fi setting. This game takes the open-ended, player-driven ethos of the OSR and launches it into the cosmos, providing tools for exploring new worlds, engaging in interstellar diplomacy, and navigating the dangers of space.
One of the most lauded aspects of Stars Without Number is its comprehensive suite of world-building tools. These resources empower game masters to craft detailed star systems, factions, and alien cultures, making each campaign a unique exploration of uncharted territory. The game’s sector generation system ensures that the backdrop for adventures is as vast and varied as space itself, offering endless possibilities for exploration and conflict. With its emphasis on sandbox play and player agency, Stars Without Number is perfectly suited for spacefaring adventures that prioritize discovery, narrative depth, and the freedom to carve out your destiny among the stars.
The Black Hack
The Black Hack, created by David Black, distils the essence of the OSR into a streamlined and highly adaptable system that has quickly gained popularity for its elegance and efficiency. This game simplifies the traditional RPG mechanics to their core, offering a fast-paced and accessible experience that focuses on adventure and storytelling over complex rule sets. The Black Hack employs a unique set of mechanics that facilitate quick play and easy adaptation, making it a favourite among players and game masters looking for a system that can be tailored to fit any setting or scenario.
The release of the second edition of The Black Hack brought with it a host of improvements and expansions to the original system, refining its mechanics and broadening its appeal. These enhancements include more detailed character options, streamlined rules for equipment and magic, and expanded guidelines for game masters.
The second edition also solidifies The Black Hack‘s reputation as a versatile and user-friendly system, capable of accommodating a wide range of play styles and preferences. Its impact on the OSR community has been significant, inspiring a wave of offshoots and supplements that leverage its adaptable framework. The Black Hack exemplifies the innovative spirit of the OSR, demonstrating how classic concepts can be reimagined for a modern audience while retaining the charm and simplicity that define old-school gaming.
Knave & Maze Rats
Ben Milton’s contributions to the OSR movement, Knave and Maze Rats, stand out for their remarkable simplicity and adaptability, offering streamlined systems that prioritize ease of play and creative freedom. Both games are designed to be accessible to newcomers while offering depth and flexibility for veteran players. Knave and Maze Rats distil the essence of roleplaying into concise, intuitive rulesets that encourage improvisation and rapid gameplay, making them ideal for both spontaneous sessions and longer campaigns.
Maze Rats is particularly noted for its beginner-friendly approach, featuring straightforward mechanics and character generation that can get players started within minutes. Its focus on random tables and quick decision-making makes it a perfect entry point for those new to tabletop RPGs or the OSR style. On the other hand, Knave is designed with compatibility in mind, offering a ruleset that easily interfaces with traditional OSR content. This makes Knave an excellent choice for players and game masters looking to explore the vast library of OSR modules and adventures without extensive conversion. Together, Maze Rats and Knave embody the OSR ethos of simplicity and adaptability, each catering to different aspects of the roleplaying experience.
Old-School Essentials
Old-School Essentials (OSE) by Necrotic Gnome is a meticulous recreation of the B/X D&D rules, serving as a faithful retelling that aims to preserve the classic gaming experience while enhancing it with modern clarity and organization. OSE captures the straightforward, fast-paced play of early D&D editions, providing a comprehensive system that supports a wide range of fantasy adventures. Its dedication to accurately replicating the B/X ruleset makes OSE a cornerstone of the OSR movement, appealing to purists and newcomers alike who seek the authentic old-school gaming experience.
Old-School Essentials is lauded for not just its fidelity to the B/X rules but its exceptional clarity and presentation. The game is organized into logically structured modules, covering characters, spells, monsters, and treasures, among others. This modular design not only makes the game more accessible but also allows for easy customization and expansion by the game master. The clear, concise rules are presented in a manner that facilitates quick reference during play, reducing downtime and keeping the focus on the adventure. This thoughtful presentation and modular approach ensure that OSE remains a versatile and user-friendly system that honours the legacy of B/X D&D while meeting the expectations of today’s gaming community.
Troika!
Troika! emerges as a distinct and vibrant presence within the OSR, transporting players to a whimsical and surreal universe unlike any other. This RPG system is set in a fantastical world where the bizarre and the extraordinary are commonplace, from floating cities inhabited by arcane scholars to dense jungles teeming with forgotten gods. Troika! embraces a sense of wonder and exploration, encouraging players to delve into its richly imagined realms that defy conventional fantasy tropes. The game’s setting is a kaleidoscope of whimsy and weirdness, promising adventures that are as unpredictable as they are enchanting.
One of the most distinctive features of Troika! is its background-based character creation system, which eschews traditional classes for a collection of eclectic and often eccentric origins that serve as both a character’s profession and their narrative springboard. Each background comes with its own unique skills, abilities, and peculiarities, offering a rich tapestry of storytelling possibilities. This innovative approach not only simplifies character creation but also enriches roleplaying by embedding characters deeply within the game’s surreal lore from the outset.
Troika!’s unique take on the OSR formula stands out for its emphasis on narrative flexibility and creative freedom, inviting players to craft stories that are as boundless as their imaginations.
Electric Bastionland
Electric Bastionland offers a rules-light system that thrusts players into the heart of a bizarre, collapsing world, where adventurers driven by debt undertake perilous expeditions to carve out their place amid the ruins. This game distinguishes itself with a streamlined approach to mechanics, focusing on swift, dynamic gameplay that keeps the narrative in the forefront. The core premise revolves around characters who begin their journey laden with debt, a compelling narrative hook that shapes their motivations and frames their adventures. This focus on debt-driven protagonists offers a fresh narrative impetus, pushing players into the weird and wild landscapes of Bastionland in search of fortune and redemption.
The setting of Electric Bastionland is a labyrinthine city teeming with strange creatures, rival factions, and arcane mysteries, a place where the past’s relics clash with the inexplicable phenomena of a reality gone awry. The game’s approach to character creation is equally unique, eschewing traditional class systems for a method based on failed careers. This inventive mechanism not only injects a dose of humour and pathos into character backstories but also provides players with a set of skills and a past that deeply tie them to the world of Bastionland.
Together, the game’s setting and character creation process offer a rich foundation for stories of desperation, discovery, and daring, making Electric Bastionland a standout title for those seeking an OSR experience that blends the familiar with the profoundly strange.
Neoclassical Geek Revival
Neoclassical Geek Revival (NGR) by Zzarchov Kowolski offers a refreshing reinterpretation of classic tabletop RPG mechanics, infusing them with new life and flexibility. NGR distinguishes itself within the OSR movement by reimagining traditional roleplaying elements through a modern lens, ensuring both familiarity for veterans and accessibility for newcomers. This system is celebrated for its ability to support a wide array of fantasy genres, from the grim and perilous to the bizarre and whimsical, without losing the essence of what makes OSR games so captivating.
A standout feature of NGR is its innovative approach to character progression and risk mechanics. Unlike the linear levelling systems found in many RPGs, NGR opts for a more nuanced and player-driven method of character development, where choices and actions directly influence a character’s growth and abilities. Additionally, the game incorporates a unique risk mechanic that adds a strategic layer to decision-making, challenging players to weigh the potential rewards against the dangers their characters face. This dynamic fosters a gameplay experience where risk and reward are intimately connected, encouraging players to engage more deeply with the game world and the consequences of their actions.
Silent Titans
Silent Titans stands out as an exceptional entry in the OSR catalogue, offering both a self-contained adventure and a complete roleplaying system designed by Patrick Stuart. Known for its avant-garde approach, Silent Titans weaves together innovative mechanics with a narrative that is as compelling as it is surreal. The game invites players to explore an otherworldly landscape, filled with ancient technology, forgotten gods, and realities that bend and fold upon themselves. This unique blend of adventure and system provides a framework for experiences that defy traditional RPG conventions, offering a journey that is as unpredictable as it is unforgettable.
The innovative design of Silent Titans is matched only by its surreal setting and striking art, which work in tandem to create an immersive and visually stunning gaming experience. The setting, a dreamscape of collapsing realities and strange geometries, challenges players to navigate a world that defies logic and expectation. The art of Silent Titans, rich with symbolism and beauty, further elevates the game, providing visual cues that draw players deeper into its mysteries. This combination of design, setting, and art makes Silent Titans not just a game but a work of interactive art, showcasing the potential of RPGs to push the boundaries of storytelling and visual narrative.
MÖRK BORG
MÖRK BORG, a Swedish RPG that translates to “Dark Fortress,” is a cataclysmic and unapologetically bleak take on the OSR genre, infused with the aesthetics and attitude of doom metal and art-punk cultures. This game stands out for its thematic boldness, presenting a world teetering on the brink of the apocalypse, where players navigate a landscape of despair, decadence, and decay. MÖRK BORG’s approach to the OSR is as much a statement of artistic expression as it is a framework for roleplaying, offering a visceral and immersive experience that pushes the boundaries of what tabletop games can be.
The visual and design experience of MÖRK BORG is as crucial to the game as its mechanics and narrative. The game’s aesthetic is a striking collage of gothic and punk visual elements, creating a palpable atmosphere of doom and gloom that permeates every aspect of play. Its rulebook, a masterpiece of graphic design, has garnered widespread acclaim for its innovative layout, typography, and use of art, earning MÖRK BORG the Gold ENnie Award for Best Layout and Design in 2020. This recognition underscores the game’s impact not only within the OSR community but also in the broader landscape of game design, highlighting its success in melding visual artistry with engaging gameplay.
Conclusion
The exploration of OSR systems reveals a fascinating and vibrant facet of the broader RPG landscape. These systems, with their roots deeply embedded in the traditions of early roleplaying games, demonstrate the enduring appeal of simplicity, exploration, and creativity. Yet, as we’ve seen, OSR games are not merely exercises in nostalgia; they are living, breathing entities that continue to evolve, embracing new ideas and innovations while honouring the spirit of their predecessors. This delicate balance between the old and the new ensures that OSR systems offer something truly unique in the vast expanse of RPGs—a return to the fundamentals of imaginative play, enhanced by the refinements of modern game design.
For players and game masters alike, the diversity within the OSR movement means there is likely a system out there that resonates with your particular playstyle, whether you crave the dark and doom-laden worlds, the whimsical and bizarre adventures, or the classic dungeon crawls reimagined with a fresh perspective. The systems we’ve highlighted—Dungeon Crawl Classics, Lamentations of the Flame Princess, Stars Without Number, and others—represent just a sampling of the rich tapestry of experiences available within the OSR genre. Each brings its own flavour and mechanics to the table, inviting you to tailor your roleplaying adventures to your tastes and preferences.
The OSR offers a unique opportunity to engage with the roots of roleplaying in a way that is both familiar and refreshingly innovative. Whether you’re a veteran gamer looking to recapture the magic of your first roleplaying experiences or a newcomer curious about the origins of the hobby, the OSR movement welcomes all who seek adventure and storytelling driven by imagination and creativity. So grab your character sheet, ready your dice, and embark on a journey into the rich, ever-expanding universe of the OSR. Who knows what legendary adventures await?