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====== 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]]

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.

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//.

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.

I even include .mobi, .epub, and .azw3 versions of the book in addition to the PDF.

**[[http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/109631/Old-School-Renaissance-Handbook|Buy the OSR Handbook at DriveThruRPG now for US$6.99]]**

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^
|//1 Pot RPG//| [[https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2yJTGV7F9PzMlk4Um0wSWsyZWs/edit|Free PDF]]| 10| 1| No| 0| No| Yes (HD)| N/A|
|//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|
|//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// (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|
|//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|
|//Into the Odd//| [[https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6MR1KWIUR9UeUI4czl2TGhlTnM/edit|Free Doc]]| N/A| 19| No| 9| Yes| No| 5|
|//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|
|//Searchers of the Unknown//| [[https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnx3aXphcmRpbmFib3R0bGV8Z3g6NDExNzNiMDFmZDMxZDBlMQ|Free PDF]]| 1| 1| No| 0| No| Yes (HD)| No limit|
|//Stars Without Number//| [[http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=86467&src=SNP_SWN_ImageLink&affiliate_id=323031%20|Free Basic PDF, $20 PDF, $30 print]]| 3| 210| No| 25| Yes| Yes| 11+|
|//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|
|//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|

  * "Prices” are in U.S. Dollars unless otherwise noted, as of 2012.
  * "Player Classes” only include those specifically listed in the core rule book.
  * "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, 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 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.

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