Favorite OSR, OSR-esque, quirky or famous

[aspekt]

I ran across an old gaming book titled 'Fantasy Wargaming'. It was an eclectic and somewhat obscurantist system from the 70s.

It got me wondering what other OSR systems might others have forgotten or remembered from their years of gaming. It can be well known or quirky and niche and it certainly doesn't have to come from the 70s. But what would you add to a list?

[Khedrac]

I'm not sure if Lost Souls is old enough (early 2000s I think).

It was certainly different and reasonably good fun.

[aspekt]

I'm not sure if Lost Souls is old enough (early 2000s I think).

It was certainly different and reasonably good fun.

Sounds cool. What did you like about it?

[LibraryOgre]

As always, the question is how you define "OSR" (which I take to be a broader term than "retro-clone"). By my definition, Hackmaster qualifies as OSR, but not everyone else might agree.

[aspekt]

I agree. I am more interested in what someone finds interesting in that general type. For that purpose narrowing the definition doesn't help.

I've never played Hackmaster though it's hard to miss it if you spend any time looking around at TRPGs.

[LibraryOgre]

I agree. I am more interested in what someone finds interesting in that general type. For that purpose narrowing the definition doesn't help.

I've never played Hackmaster though it's hard to miss it if you spend any time looking around at TRPGs.

I'm a booster for the current edition; the previous edition was a bit heavy on the parody and hard to read (apparently, by design).

[Khedrac]

Sounds cool. What did you like about it?
Nearly everyone plays some form of undead.
The DM rarely rolls dice - the players roll for both attack and defence - the opponents have set rating that the player is trying to beat.
Some of the backgrounds and modes of death are entertaining (such as the magician's assistant who can get "the sawn in half trick went wrong").

[aspekt]

Nearly everyone plays some form of undead.
The DM rarely rolls dice - the players roll for both attack and defence - the opponents have set rating that the player is trying to beat.
Some of the backgrounds and modes of death are entertaining (such as the magician's assistant who can get "the sawn in half trick went wrong").

That sounds like a rollick.

[aspekt]

I'm a booster for the current edition; the previous edition was a bit heavy on the parody and hard to read (apparently, by design).

Ha. So instead of obtuse rules they gave obtuse fluff.

[warty goblin]

I'm a booster for the current edition; the previous edition was a bit heavy on the parody and hard to read (apparently, by design).

I have no desire to ever play Hackmaster 4th Edition. It is however absolutely worth reading.

[aspekt]

Anyone remember Dragonquest? I owned the white hardback book for a while. Never got a chance to play it though.

And I always wanted to try Runequest.

[rredmond]

I think I've got both those in PDF. I've never played DragonQuest but there are people who remember that game very fondly!
--Ron--

[aspekt]

Ah, idylls of youthful tabletop games.

Still want to play Runequest. And while I read the rules for Rolemaster once I quockly dropped it. Toooo much. But now that I'm older it might be fun.

[1337 b4k4]

Dungeon World, this game is packed with so much good things, and the approach it forces you to take as a GM (and the advice within) even though it's all stuff we should know, is just fantastic for improving your other games as well.

Also a big fan of Classic Traveller. It's not really OSR / OS because it's not D&Desque but I just love the 70's era space opera feel. It's not very common these days and I grew up on Asimov fiction so it's very comfortable and familiar to me.

[aspekt]

Dungeon World, this game is packed with so much good things, and the approach it forces you to take as a GM (and the advice within) even though it's all stuff we should know, is just fantastic for improving your other games as well.

Also a big fan of Classic Traveller. It's not really OSR / OS because it's not D&Desque but I just love the 70's era space opera feel. It's not very common these days and I grew up on Asimov fiction so it's very comfortable and familiar to me.

I still have the black box.

http://i.imgur.com/1Ys19HY.jpg

I keep hearing about DW but my fear has been that it might turn out to be so focused it becomes overly repetitive. But I'm always looking for good GM advice so I spose I'll need to get it.

[Chambers]

Fantasy Wargaming! I've got a copy of that too. It's fun to read through but I'd dread to actually play it.

Does Harnmaster count as OSR? I feel like it should get an OSR Honorary Mention for being essentially the same game now as it was when first published (note: not a Harnmaster historian, this may be inaccurate).

[aspekt]

Fantasy Wargaming! I've got a copy of that too. It's fun to read through but I'd dread to actually play it.

Does Harnmaster count as OSR? I feel like it should get an OSR Honorary Mention for being essentially the same game now as it was when first published (note: not a Harnmaster historian, this may be inaccurate).

I've seen some of the campaign materials, but never had an opportunity to take a peek at the ruleset.

[LibraryOgre]

Fantasy Wargaming! I've got a copy of that too. It's fun to read through but I'd dread to actually play it.

Does Harnmaster count as OSR? I feel like it should get an OSR Honorary Mention for being essentially the same game now as it was when first published (note: not a Harnmaster historian, this may be inaccurate).

Yeah, but the same could be said of Palladium's stuff, and that's hardly a recommendation.

[aspekt]

Yeah, but the same could be said of Palladium's stuff, and that's hardly a recommendation.

Fair enough. It's funny because Palladium bever struck me as old school, despite its pedigree and age, but Harn does put off that vibe. Mind you I'm really ignorant of both.

[LibraryOgre]

Fair enough. It's funny because Palladium bever struck me as old school, despite its pedigree and age, but Harn does put off that vibe. Mind you I'm really ignorant of both.

I don't know Harn at all, aside from the name.