Top 5 OSR Games for Beginners
Old-School Renaissance (OSR) games are gaining popularity in the world of tabletop gaming. OSR games refer to games that have been inspired by the rules and aesthetics of the earlier editions of Dungeons & Dragons. They offer different rules and mechanics that will make any game unique and distinct from any of the mainstream games. Beginners who are interested in trying OSR games might find the options overwhelming. Here is a list of the top 5 OSR games that are beginner-friendly and worth trying:
1. Dungeon Crawl Classics (DCC)
Dungeon Crawl Classics (DCC) is one of the most popular OSR games for beginners. It has an easy-to-grasp rule set and a unique character creation system that will make each character distinct from one another. The game is set in a mythical world paired with a dark and moody atmosphere that will keep players hooked. One of the best features of DCC is its randomization mechanics. The game utilizes dice rolls to determine combat results, spell effects, and even character class. Yes, that’s right, you roll a dice to determine what class you end up playing in the game. This adds a lot of randomness to the game and makes it different each time you play it.
Another great feature of DCC is its funnel system. In the beginning, players use multiple characters instead of a single one. These characters are peasants that are thrown into the meat grinder, and only the toughest ones will make it out alive to become true heroes. This is a fantastic way to introduce beginners to the game by allowing them to test out different character classes before they make a final decision. DCC also has a rich library of modules to choose from to keep the game fresh and unpredictable.
If you are looking for a dark and moody game with a unique character creation system and an element of randomness, we highly recommend trying out Dungeon Crawl Classics.
Must-Have OSR Supplements for GMs
If you are a GM who loves the old-school feel of tabletop gaming, then you will love the OSR. And with the rise in popularity of this style of gaming, there are plenty of supplements available to enhance your gameplay. While many are great, some stand out from the crowd. Here are some must-have OSR supplements for GMs to consider:
1. Old-School Essentials
Old-School Essentials is a streamlined, classic-style game that is compatible with the old 1981 Basic/Expert game rules. It offers a treasure trove of resources for GMs, including easy-to-use dungeon and wilderness generation tables, ready-made dungeon and wilderness encounters, and more.
2. Volo’s Guide to Monsters
Volo’s Guide to Monsters is one of the best supplements that GMs can get for their OSR campaigns. It contains detailed information about various monsters, including their behavior, habitats, and abilities. It also includes new player character races, such as the goblin and kobold, and new class archetypes that are tailored to specific monster types. The book also includes encounter tables, which offer ideas on how to incorporate new monsters into your campaign.
With Volo’s Guide to Monsters, GMs can add a whole new level of depth and complexity to their campaigns. They can create amazing encounters that feature unique and exciting monster combinations and provide players with new and unusual challenges. The book is a must-have for any OSR campaign that wants to include some of the most iconic monsters in tabletop gaming history.
3. The Dungeon Alphabet
The Dungeon Alphabet is an OSR supplement that offers a collection of inspirational charts and tables that GMs can use to create the most memorable dungeons possible. The book contains tables for everything from traps and puzzles to magical items and weird effects. It also includes essays on dungeon design, as well as a mini-adventure to get you started.
The Dungeon Alphabet is a must-have for GMs who love to create their own dungeons. The book provides inspiration for every aspect of dungeon design and helps GMs to create truly unique and interesting experiences for their players. With the help of this supplement, GMs can take their dungeons to the next level and create gaming experiences that their players will never forget.
4. Tome of Adventure Design
The Tome of Adventure Design is an OSR supplement that provides GMs with everything they need to create adventures that are exciting, well-designed, and engaging. The book offers a wide variety of resources, including chapters on adventure design, random encounter tables, and pre-generated NPC tables. It also includes extensive lists of traps, treasures, and magical items that can be used to spice up any adventure.
The Tome of Adventure Design is a must-have for any GM who wants to create their own adventures. The book offers copious amounts of helpful advice and suggestions, as well as countless tables and charts that can provide inspiration for any adventure. With the help of this supplement, any GM can create adventures that are truly memorable.
There are plenty of OSR supplements available for GMs, but these four are among the best. They offer a wealth of resources and can help GMs to create adventures that are exciting, challenging, and memorable. Whether you are a seasoned GM or just starting out, these supplements are sure to enhance your OSR gaming experience.
Hidden Gem OSR Campaign Settings to Explore
If you’re a fan of OSR (Old School Revival) roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons, you already know that there are countless options available for campaign settings. However, some hidden gems out there offer exciting new worlds to explore that you might not yet have discovered. Here are three lesser-known OSR campaign settings that you should definitely check out.
1. Slumbering Ursine Dunes
If you’re into weird, surreal, and trippy settings, then Slumbering Ursine Dunes might be your ideal choice. Created by Hydra Cooperative, this campaign setting takes place in an alternate reality where ancient gods, powerful sorcerers, and mythical creatures all clash against each other. You’ll explore a sprawling sandbox-style world that is intentionally left vague and mysterious, allowing you to fill in the details yourself as you play. One of the most interesting aspects of Slumbering Ursine Dunes is its emphasis on survival and exploration, where resources are limited and dangers lurk around every corner. Expect to face not only monsters but also traps, puzzles, and other hazards that require creative thinking to overcome. If you want to indulge in some truly weird and unsettling OSR gameplay, then this campaign setting is definitely worth checking out.
2. Fever-Dreaming Marlinko
Fever-Dreaming Marlinko is another campaign setting that embraces the strange and surreal. Created by Lamentations of the Flame Princess, this setting takes place in a city that is both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. You’ll explore a city filled with bizarre characters, impossible architecture, and supernatural occurrences that defy explanation. The focus of Fever-Dreaming Marlinko is on social interaction, investigation, and exploration, rather than combat and dungeon crawling. You’ll need to use persuasive skills, detective work, and a healthy dose of curiosity to uncover the mysteries of this strange world. The setting is intentionally left open-ended to allow for improvisation and player choice, making it a great option for a group that enjoys collaborative storytelling.
3. Carcosa
For fans of post-apocalyptic settings and cosmic horror, Carcosa is a must-play campaign setting. Created by Geoffrey McKinney, Carcosa is set in a dystopian world where an alien invasion has devastated the planet, and humanity has been enslaved and mutated by the extraterrestrial overlords. You’ll explore a bleak and hopeless world where there is no hope for the future. The emphasis in this campaign setting is on survival, where players must fight to stay alive against overwhelming odds. The setting is heavily inspired by the work of H.P. Lovecraft and other horror authors, and as such, includes plenty of disturbing imagery and themes. If you’re looking for a dark and challenging campaign setting that will push your limits, then look no further than Carcosa.
These three hidden gems are just a taste of the many excellent campaign settings available for OSR players. Whether you’re looking for something weird and surreal or dark and terrifying, there is sure to be a campaign setting out there that will suit your tastes. So grab your dice, gather your friends and start exploring these incredible worlds today!
Point Crawl Adventures: A Unique Twist on OSR Gaming
If you are looking for a unique twist on OSR gaming, then Point Crawl Adventures is the perfect way to go. This type of adventure is not your typical dungeon crawl, but instead offers players a more open world where they can explore and discover at their own pace.
The concept of Point Crawl Adventures is simple; instead of being given a map with a clear path to follow, players are presented with a series of “points” that they can choose to explore in any order they wish. Each point is essentially a location in the game that offers its own unique challenges, puzzles, and enemies.
The beauty of Point Crawl Adventures is that there is no right or wrong way to play the game. Players can choose to explore every single point, or they can skip some and come back to them later. They can choose to fight every enemy they come across, or they can try to sneak past them.
Another great aspect of Point Crawl Adventures is that it allows for a lot of creativity on the part of the Dungeon Master (DM). Since the players can explore points in any order, the DM has the ability to tailor the game to better fit the group’s playing style. Plus, they can also choose to add their own points to the adventure, providing a more custom experience.
One of the best examples of a Point Crawl Adventure is “Hex Crawl Classics” by Goodman Games. This adventure takes place in a huge sandbox world and allows players to explore the world as they see fit. The book includes over sixty different locations that players can explore, each with its own unique challenges and rewards. This provides players with a ton of content to explore, making the game last much longer than a typical dungeon crawl.
Another great example of a Point Crawl Adventure is “The Slumbering Tsar Saga” by Frog God Games. This massive adventure spans twelve books and takes players on a journey through a deadly world filled with terrifying monsters and epic battles. The adventure includes over 1,000 pages of content, and provides players with a ton of choices on how to proceed.
Overall, Point Crawl Adventures are a fantastic way to add a unique twist to your OSR gaming experience. With their open-world exploration, customizable content, and tons of player creativity, they are sure to provide players with hours of entertainment.
OSR-Compatible Tools and Apps to Enhance Your Gameplay Experience
Old-School Renaissance (OSR) gamers love to play tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) using minimal rules and innovative storytelling techniques. However, to enhance their gameplay experience, many players may also use various tools and apps designed for TTRPGs. These OSR-compatible tools and apps range from digital character sheets to virtual tabletops and gaming aids. Below are the top five recommended tools and apps that you can use to take your OSR gaming experience to the next level.
1. The Dungeon Master’s Screen
The Dungeon Master’s Screen is a classic OSR gaming tool that can help game masters organize and track their game sessions. It usually includes charts, tables, and information on various game mechanics such as combat, magic, skills, and spells, as well as game world information like maps, NPC stats, and random encounter generators. By using the Dungeon Master’s Screen, you can quickly reference important information without breaking immersion and keep the game flowing smoothly.
2. Digital Character Sheets
Keeping track of your OSR character’s stats, abilities, equipment, and backstory can be overwhelming, especially if you are playing a complex game with many rules and options. That’s where digital character sheets come in handy. You can use various TTRPG apps and tools such as DnD Beyond, Roll20, and Fantasy Grounds to create and manage your character sheet online, store it in the cloud, and share it with other players and the game master. This way, you can easily update your character sheet, track your progress, and collaborate with others.
3. Virtual Tabletops (VTTs)
Playing online TTRPGs is becoming increasingly popular, especially during the pandemic, and virtual tabletops (VTTs) are essential tools for online OSR gaming. VTTs such as Roll20, Fantasy Grounds, and Foundry Virtual Tabletop allow players to see and interact with the game world, communicate with other players and the game master, roll dice, move tokens, and even use dynamic lighting and sound effects to enhance immersion. Many VTTs also provide built-in game rules, character sheets, and campaign management tools, making it easy to run and play TTRPGs online.
4. Gaming Aids and Accessories
OSR gamers love to personalize and customize their gaming experience, and they often use gaming aids and accessories such as dice sets, miniatures, terrain pieces, playmats, card decks, and journals to achieve that. Whether you want to roll fancy polyhedral dice, paint your own miniatures, create 3D dungeon tiles, draw maps and sketches, or keep a game diary, there are plenty of options available online and offline to suit your taste and style. By using gaming aids and accessories, you can add more fun and creativity to your OSR gaming sessions.
5. Inspiration and Reference Materials
One of the unique aspects of OSR gaming is its reliance on creativity, imagination, and inspiration. To fuel your OSR gaming experience, you can use various inspiration and reference materials such as books, movies, TV shows, video games, music, art, and podcasts. These materials can help you create memorable characters, plots, settings, and encounters, as well as enhance your understanding and appreciation of the OSR gaming culture and history. By using inspiration and reference materials, you can broaden your OSR gaming horizons and stay engaged and motivated in your TTRPG adventures.