Differences

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--- osr_handbook [2012/12/31 08:02] – Fixed information on OSRIC brent
+++ osr_handbook [2015/12/18 09:52] (current) – Added test brent
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{ :osr_handbook_pdf_cover_275x399.jpg}}The OSR Handbook is a guide to the Old School Renaissance. It includes profiles of 16 different OSR systems, including basic mechanics, stats, and the same five standard characters statted out in each system.
+{{ :osr_handbook_pdf_cover_275x399.jpg}}
+====== The OSR Handbook ======
+//"Brent's book is exactly the reference I was hoping for when I went looking for more clear-eyed discussion of just what's in these games."// -- [[https://plus.google.com/u/0/+PaulBeakley/posts/WPntzdzKTeJ|Paul Beakley]]
-Even better, the same five stock characters are statted out in all 16 systems, so you can easily compare systems or jump right into a game.
+The //Old School Renaissance Handbook// is a guide to the revival of old-school play in tabletop role-playing. It **profiles 28 different OSR systems**, describing basic mechanics, stats, and advice for DMs and players.
-**[[http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/109631/Old-School-Renaissance-Handbook-%28PDF%29|Buy the OSR Handbook at DriveThruRPG now for US$2.99]]**
+Want to know how these systems came about? The Handbook also contains **interviews** with Kirin Robinson of //Old School Hack//, James Raggi of //Lamentations of the Flame Princess//, Jason Morningstar of //Dungeon Squad//, Larry Moore of //BareBones//, Michael Wolf of //Warrior, Rogue & Mage//, and Sage LaTorra and Adam Koebel of //Dungeon World//.
-//Note: Several people noted that my information on OSRIC is outdated. I will update the PDF appropriately. In the meantime, I've already updated the matrix below.//
+Even better, the same **five stock characters** are statted out in all 28 systems, so you can easily compare systems or jump right into a game.
-The hardback will include interviews with Kirin Robinson of //Old School Hack//, James Raggi of //Lamentations of the Flame Princess//, Jason Morningstar of //Dungeon Squad//, and Michael Wolf of //Warrior Rogue & Mage//.
+I even include .mobi, .epub, and .azw3 versions of the book in addition to the PDF.
-The OSR Handbook will be available January 2013 in PDF and hardcover from [[http://drivethrurpg.com|DriveThruRPG]].
+**[[http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/109631/Old-School-Renaissance-Handbook|Buy the OSR Handbook at DriveThruRPG now for US$6.99]]**
-Meanwhile, here's the **big matrix of OSR systems**:
+For your convenience, here's the **big matrix of OSR systems** that starts out the book:
 ^  ^Price^Player Classes^Pages^Elf is a Class^Monsters^Treasure^HP by Class^Highest PC Level^
-|//Adventurer Conqueror King System//| [[http://shop.gamesalute.com/collections/autarch/products/adventurer-conqueror-king-deluxe-pdf|$10 PDF]], [[http://shop.gamesalute.com/collections/autarch|$40 print]]| 12| 274| Kinda (1)| 204| Yes| Yes (HD)| 14|
+|//1 Pot RPG//| [[https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2yJTGV7F9PzMlk4Um0wSWsyZWs/edit|Free PDF]]| 10| 1| No| 0| No| Yes (HD)| N/A|
-|//BareBones RPG//| [[http://www.rpgnow.com/product/107498/BareBones-Fantasy-Role-Playing-Game|$10 PDF]]| N/A| 84| No| 47| Yes| No| 6|
+|//Adventurer Conqueror King System//| [[http://shop.gamesalute.com/collections/autarch/products/adventurer-conqueror-king-deluxe-pdf|$10 PDF]], [[http://shop.gamesalute.com/collections/autarch|$40 print]]| 12| 274| Kinda ((In ACKS, race and class are separate, but all classes are race-specific. An elf can only choose an elf class.))| 204| Yes| Yes (HD)| 14|
-|//Dungeon Crawl Classics//| [[http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/101050/Dungeon-Crawl-Classics-Role-Playing-Game-%28DCC-RPG%29|$19 PDF]], [[http://www.goodman-games.com/store-dcc.html|$40 print]]| 7| 168| Yes| 16| No| Yes (HD)| 5|
+|//Barbarians of Lemuria//| [[http://www.rpgnow.com/product/58815/Barbarians-of-Lemuria-(Legendary-Edition)?manufacturers_id=522|$7.50 PDF]], [[http://www.amazon.co.uk/Barbarians-Lemuria-Sword-Sorcery-Role-Playing/dp/1907204318/|£16.14 print]]| N/A| 43| No| 0| No| No| N/A|
+|//BareBones FRPG//| [[http://www.rpgnow.com/product/107498/BareBones-Fantasy-Role-Playing-Game|$10 PDF]]| N/A| 84| No| 47| Yes| No| 6 ((Each of BareBones' 8 skills can have up to 6 levels, so if you count that way, each character technically maxes out at 48 levels.))|
+|//Basic Fantasy//| [[http://basicfantasy.org/downloads.html|Free PDF]]| 4| 155| No| 179| Yes| Yes (HD)| 20|
+|//Basic Roleplaying (Chaosium)//| [[http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/24384/Basic-Roleplaying|$22 PDF]], [[http://catalog.chaosium.com/product_info.php?cPath=37&products_id=6561|$45 print]]| N/A| 404| No| 72 (separate)| No| No| N/A|
+|//Castles & Crusades//| [[http://www.rpgnow.com/product/105322/Castles-&-Crusades-Players-Handbook|$21 PDF]], [[http://www.trolllord.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=97&osCsid=lomcsar81f99c416abk9tl1573|$30 print]]| 4| 54| No| 0| Yes| Yes (HD)| 10|
+|//Dungeon Crawl Classics//| [[http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/101050/Dungeon-Crawl-Classics-Role-Playing-Game-%28DCC-RPG%29|$19 PDF]], [[http://www.goodman-games.com/store-dcc.html|$40 print]]| 7| 488| Yes| 110| No| Yes (HD)| 10|
 |//Dungeon Raiders//| [[http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/99366/Dungeon-Raiders|Free PDF]]| 4| 10| No| 16| Yes| Yes| No limit|
 |//Dungeon Squad//| [[http://www.1km1kt.net/rpg/dungeon-squad|Free PDF]]| N/A| 5| No| 17| Yes| No| No limit|
-|//Dungeon World//| [[https://github.com/Sagelt/Dungeon-World|Free XML]], [[http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/108028/Dungeon-World|$10 PDF]]| 4| 122| No| 17| No| Yes (static)| 5|
+|//Dungeon World// (Basic)| [[https://github.com/Sagelt/Dungeon-World|Free XML]], [[http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/108028/Dungeon-World|$10 PDF]]| 4| 122| No| 17| No| Yes (static)| 5|
-|//Labyrinth Lord//| [[http://goblinoidgames.com/docs/GBD1001_no_art.zip|Free (no art)]], [[http://www.lulu.com/shop/daniel-proctor/labyrinth-lord-perfect-bound-braun-cover/paperback/product-20352241.html|$22 (art)]]| 7| 138| Yes| 191| Yes| Yes (HD)| Varies by class|
+|//Épées and Sorcellerie//| [[http://www.lulu.com/shop/nicolas-dessaux/ep%C3%A9es-sorcelerie-english-translation/ebook/product-17353069.html|Free PDF]]| 3| 68| No| 132| No| Yes (HD)| 12|
-|//Lamentations of the Flame Princess//| [[http://www.lotfp.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=76|€10 PDF]], [[http://www.lotfp.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=69|€30 print]]| 7| 94 (core)| Yes| 0| No| Yes (HD)| Varies by class|
+|//Into the Odd//| [[https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6MR1KWIUR9UeUI4czl2TGhlTnM/edit|Free Doc]]| N/A| 19| No| 9| Yes| No| 5|
-|//Mazes & Minotaurs//| [[http://storygame.free.fr/M&M.pdf|Free PDF]]| 12| 50 (core)| Yes (2)| Separate| No| Yes| 6|
+|//Labyrinth Lord//| [[http://goblinoidgames.com/docs/GBD1001_no_art.zip|Free no-art PDF]], [[http://www.lulu.com/shop/daniel-proctor/labyrinth-lord-perfect-bound-braun-cover/paperback/product-20352241.html|$22 print]]| 7| 138| Yes| 191| Yes| Yes (HD)| Varies by class|
+|//Lamentations of the Flame Princess//| [[http://www.lotfp.com/RPG/products/lotfp-weird-fantasy-role-playing|Free no-art PDF]], [[http://www.lotfp.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=76|€10 PDF]], [[http://www.lotfp.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=35&product_id=69|€30 print]]| 7| 94 (core)| Yes| 0| No| Yes (HD)| Varies by class|
+|//Mazes & Minotaurs//| [[http://storygame.free.fr/M&M.pdf|Free PDF]]| 12| 50 (core)| Yes ((Mazes & Minotaurs has racial classes, but no actual elves.))| Separate| No| Yes| 6|
 |//Microlite74//| [[http://www.retroroleplaying.com/content/microlite74|Free PDF]]| 8| 28 (standard)| No| 150| Yes| Depends on version| No limit|
+|//Mutant Future//| [[http://www.goblinoidgames.com/mutantfuture.html|Free PDF]]| 7| 162| Yes| Many| Yes| Varies by race| No limit|
 |//Old School Hack//| [[http://www.oldschoolhack.net/osh-docs/OldSchoolHack_v1beta.pdf|Free PDF]]| 7| 20| Yes| 0| Yes| No| 4|
 |//OSRIC//| [[http://www.knights-n-knaves.com/osric/download.html|Free PDF]]| 9| 404| No| 373| Yes| Yes (HD)| Varies by class|
@@ Line 31: / Line 40: @@
 |//Swords and Wizardry//| [[http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/swords_wizardry_core_rules_%28pdf%29/6374501|Free Core PDF]], [[http://www.lulu.com/shop/matthew-finch/swords-wizardry-core-rules-softcover/paperback/product-15717955.html|$14 softcover]]| 4| 146| No| 154| Yes| Yes (HD)| 21+|
 |//Warrior, Rogue & Mage//| [[http://www.stargazergames.eu/games/warrior-rogue-mage/|Free PDF]]| N/A| 41| No| 30| No| No| No limit|
+|//World of Dungeons//| [[http://www.dungeon-world.com/the-kickstarter-treasure-trove/|Free PDF]]| 5| 3| No| 0| No| Yes| 10|
-(1) In //ACKS//, race and class are separate, but all classes are race-specific. An elf can only choose an elf class.\\
+|//ZeFRS//| [[http://www.midcoast.com/~ricekrwc/zefrs/|Free PDF]]| N/A| 61 (core)| No| 5 ((ZeFRS assumes that PCs face human opponents, so there are no "monsters" per se.))| Yes| No| N/A|
-(2) //Mazes & Minotaurs// has racial classes, but no actual elves.
   * "Prices” are in U.S. Dollars unless otherwise noted, as of 2012.
@@ Line 39: / Line 47: @@
   * "Pages” lists the number of pages in the core rule book only.
   * "Elf is a Class” refers to whether races are treated as classes.
-  * "Monsters” lists the number of monsters specifically statted out in the core rule book. Monster templates don't count.
+  * "Monsters” lists the number of monsters specifically statted out in the core rule book.  Monster templates don't count, but non-monstrous humanoid enemies (like bandits) do count.
   * "Treasure” indicates a table or list of treasure for PCs.
-  * "HP by Class” indicates whether Hit Points increase by class. E.g., when a character levels up, do they roll a different die type depending on their class? If so, "HP by Class" is "Yes." If Hit Points increase using a die, “(HD)” is used; otherwise, assume a static number.
+  * "HP by Class" indicates whether Hit Points increase by class. E.g., when a character levels up, do you roll a different die size based on the character's class? If so, "HP by Class" is "Yes." If Hit Points increase using a die, "(HD)" is used; otherwise, assume a static number is used.
   * "Highest PC Level” lists the highest level to which a PC can attain in the core rule book.
-[[http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/109631/Old-School-Renaissance-Handbook-%28PDF%29|{{http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/themes/dtrpg/images/banners/banner-dtrpg.jpg}}]]
+[[http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/109631/Old-School-Renaissance-Handbook|{{http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/themes/dtrpg/images/banners/banner-dtrpg.jpg}}]]