New Release - Labyrinth Lord: Revised & Expanded (LL 2e)

The new edition of Labyrinth Lord was released last week. Whether you refer to it as its official title, Labyrinth Lord: Revised & Expanded, or more commonly, Labyrinth Lord 2e, it is different from its more classic (and nearly 20-year-old) predecessor.

It should be noted that there is a bit of a price war going on in the OSR right now.

Labyrinth Lord: Revised & Expanded - $10

Dragonslayer - $9.99

Labyrinth Lord: Revised Edition - $8 (classic rules)

Labyrinth Lord: Advanced Edition Characters - $6.99 (Likely Black Friday Pricing)

It's a great time to explore the OSR :)

Back to the Basics of Fantasy Gaming

Enter a world filled with labyrinths, magic, and monsters! 

You take the role of a burglar, cleric, cyclops, brownie, dwarf, elf, fighter, hobfolk, or wizard, on your quest for glory, treasure, and adventure! 

This is a complete roleplaying game. All you need are a few sheets of paper and some dice.

The Labyrinth Lord awaits your arrival. Can you survive the dangers of the labyrinth?

Revised & Expanded!

•    Two new classes

•    More monsters

•    Expanded play advice

•    New adventure by Pauli Kidd!

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DragonSlayer RPG - New Price - $9.99

I was pleasantly surprised to see that the DragonSlayer RPG PDF has been marked down from $30 to $9.99 in PDF. That is awesome! DragonSlayer is a great game, but I found it difficult to recommend the PDF to people at the old $30 price point. At 9.99? All day, every day.

Now, the DragonSlayer PDF is a penny cheaper than the newly released Labyrinth Lord 2e PDF ($10). Looks like I'll need to grab the LL2e PDF and do a straight-up comparison video.

Did I mention there's a Black Friday Sale at DTRPG?

Step into the Golden Age of Role-Playing Games with Dragonslayer, an OSR (Old-School Renaissance) game system that brings the classic magic, adventure, and wonder of 1980s tabletop RPGs to life! Built for fans of D&D-inspired OSR gameplay, Dragonslayer combines the streamlined rules of B/X with the tactical depth and flair of First Edition, offering a single-volume ruleset packed with everything needed to fuel your fantasy TTRPG campaigns.

Dragonslayer includes all the core elements of the classic fantasy RPG experience: distinct races, iconic classes, powerful spells, terrifying monsters, and hoards of treasure — all meticulously curated for OSR-style adventures. Immerse yourself in a world where myths come alive, terrifying monsters roam, and every quest could be your last.

This beautifully designed book also features exclusive artwork by notable artists like Kennon James (cover art), Darlene, Diesel, Peter Pagano, and more, adding vivid visuals to your tabletop experience.

Unleash the true spirit of old-school RPGs with Dragonslayer, the OSR ruleset that brings high-fantasy adventures and timeless dungeon delves to your table. 

Adventure awaits: Embrace the legend of Dragonslayer today!

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Kickstarter - Full Metal Tilt (Jousting Rules for OSR)

Truth be told, I don't know how much of a use jousting rules will be for the average player, but if I were playing an Unearthed Arcana Cavalier (or Paladin), Full Metal Tilt would have been a perfect fit.

Full Metal Tilt is a dynamic supplement for the Dragonslayer RPG, a classic fantasy role-playing game inspired by Moldvay Basic and First Edition AD&D, created by Greg Gillespie. It can also be used with other OSR systems. Published by Greycloak Publishing, this work is authored and designed by Travis Fauber, with editing by Fauber and Mariah Hinshaw. It introduces a detailed jousting system, allowing players to engage in thrilling medieval tournaments, jousts, and tourneys where knights compete to prove their martial prowess and honor. The supplement includes rules for jousting matches, melee combat, chivalric conduct, new equipment, ladies’ favors, heralds, crowd mechanics, two adventures, and much more. Alongside all of this are three new Dragonslayer RPG character classes (Knight and two updated optional Paladins), jousting tables, tournament brackets, and specialized Full Metal Tilt Cards for strategic gameplay. Featuring evocative cover art by Henrik Karppinen and contributions from illustrators like Frank Avila, Carlos Castilho, Del Teigeler, William McAusland, Ryan Nilsson, Paddy's Parlor, The Basic Expert, and others. Full Metal Tilt brings the excitement of lance-wielding combat to the tabletop, perfect for players seeking to test their mettle in the lists.

The list of artists is literally second to none.

Full Metal Tilt is available via Kickstarter for $20 in PDF and $30 (plus costs) for POD and PDF. You can also back it for additional adventures for Dragonslayer/OSR.

Full Metal Tilt stands out from other jousting systems in tabletop role-playing games by offering a highly strategic and immersive experience tailored for the Dragonslayer RPG and other OSR systems. Unlike other jousting mechanics that rely on basic combat system dice rolls or static outcomes, Full Metal Tilt introduces a dynamic, updated system inspired by the Jousting Matrix from Chainmail (Rules for Medieval Miniatures). You can use pencil and paper, the specialized Full Metal Tilt Cards, or The Knight Marshall to quickly determine results. The system has multiple jousting tables (Table O, A, B, C, D, and E), providing 288 unique outcomes. This variety ensures unpredictable and engaging matches. The system emphasizes tactical depth through Aiming Points and Defensive Maneuvers, where players must balance risky and safe strategies to outwit opponents, with outcomes such as Broken Lance, Crest Strike, Fumble, or Unhorse Checks adding narrative flair. Additionally, its integration of chivalric codes, detailed injury tables, crowd momentum,  and the option for melee combat resolution sets it apart, creating a rich experience. Full Metal Tilt delivers a jousting simulation unmatched in its depth and replay ability.

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The DragonSlayer RPG Has a Dungeon Design Contest

Greg Gillespie, best known perhaps for the megadungeon Barrowmaze, is running a dungeon design contest in the DragonSlayer Facebook group. Details below:

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DragonSlayer - Bard Class - Work In Progress

Artwork © 2015 Dean Spencer, used with permission. All rights reserved.

I've been wanting a Bard Class for DragonSlayer since Greg first passed me a Beta Copy of DragonSlayer in late 2023.

Note, the Song/Spell list is NOT complete and needs third through fifth level Songs to be added.

Bard

Ability Requirement: Int 12, Dex 13, Cha 15 

Race & Level Limit: Human U, Elf 7, Halfling 6, Half-Elf 8

Prime Requisite: Dex and Cha

Hit Dice: d6

Starting Gold Pieces: 2-120 (2d6x10)

Bards, often also known as Skalds, are the storytellers and lyrists of the world. They are well-traveled, as you never want to perform at the same establishment two nights in a row. 

Role: Bards are secondary fighters and competent spell casters.

Expo Chart: As Per Assassin

Attack Bonus: As Per Thief

Languages: All Bards speak a language which is known as Bardic Cant, a form of poetry and rhyme their songs are cast/performed with. Bards gain a new language at every odd level, starting at 3rd level. The language chosen must be one that the Bard has encountered during their travels.

Weapons and Armor: A Bard may not use two-handed melee weapons. Bards may wear chain mail, leather, or studded leather armor. They may not use shields.

Thief Abilities: A Bard may Pick Pockets and Hear Noise as a Thief of the same level. A Bard may only Pick Pockets when wearing leather armor or no armor. Bards may also use the PickPockets skill for sleight of hand, such as magic tricks on stage.

Font of (Useless) Knowledge - Bards learn things during their travels. This knowledge may or may not be useful, and is often esoteric in nature. The chance for the bard to have relevant knowledge is equal to a Thief's Appraise Skill for that level. So, at 1st Level the chance is 2 in 6, at 3rd Level it is 3 in 6, at 6th level it's 4 in 6, and at 10th level, it's 5 in 6.

Read Languages - Bards have an innate skill with the written word, and pick up bits and pieces of various languages and common phrases during their travels. This skill is similar to the Font of (Useless) Knowledge ability and progresses in skill in the same manner. It can be used to comprehend street signs, store signage, dungeon graffiti, and most warning language, but would likely not reveal much more than the title of a book without hours if not days, of study (DM fiat for the win).

Charm: A Bard may attempt to charm a person, like the Magic-User spell, once per week at 1st level. At 6th level Bards gain a second attempt per week.

Inspiring Performance: Once per day, the Bard can perform a song, poem, or dance that grants a +1 bonus to attack rolls and saving throws to all allies within earshot for 10 minutes. While performing, the Bard can fight, but not cast any songs/spells without prematurely losing the bonus for their allies.

Bards Songs (Spells), Scrolls, and Memorization Limit: Bards can cast songs or chants from the Bard Song List starting at 3rd level, and follow the Spell Progression Chart of the Monk Class. 

Bards can cast Cleric or Magic-User Scrolls of spells on their song list, with a 20% chance (+5% per spell level) of a miscast or lost casting, due to incomplete knowledge of the source material.

Bards start with two known songs or chants of first level upon attaining their level as a Bard. Bards gain one additional song for their repertoire with each additional level, and may learn additional songs from other Bards (for a fee) or songbooks they may find during their career.

Bards do not memorize their songs or prepare them ahead of time. Instead, they perform songs from their known repertoire at will, up to their limit for that day, without repeating any song during that day.

Bards do not get Bonus Songs for high ability scores

Traveler: May only keep what they can carry.

Bard Song List:

Level 1

Audible Glammer

Charm Person

Comprehend Languages

Command

Dancing Lights

Faerie Fire

Message

Remove Fear 

Sleep

Ventriloquism

Level 2

Darkness (15')

Deafness

Detect Charm

Forget

Magic Mouth

Pyrotechnics

Scare

Silence (15')

Level 3

xxxxx

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DragonSlayer - A Look at Languages (finding the unexpected)

Languages play a major if unsung part in the Dragonslayer RPG. I noticed this as I read. Unlike most traditional OSR RPGs, not every playable race speaks common by default. Additionally, an intelligence of 13 is required to learn an additional language.

Here are the languages in DragonSlayer spoken by playable race:

Humans – Common

Cyclopsmen – Suul

Dwarves – Dwarven

Elves – Elvish & Common

Gnomes– Gnomish

Halflings – Halfling & Common

Half-Elf – Elvish & Common

Half-Orc – Orcish & Common

So, Cyclopsmen and Dwarves are likely isolationist by nature. Gnomes, I'm not so sure. In any case, as written, PC's of these races will need an Intelligence of 13 or more to speak common.

Integrated parties have some potential issues...

For me, I'd assume that PCs of Cyclopsmen, Dwarven, and Gnomish background have spent time in a human-majority society and have learned common, likely with a noticeable foreign accent.

Sorry, I play most of my RPG sessions via VTT and I'm not a fan of pantomime ;)

Additional languages are spoken by certain classes:

Clerics, Druids, and Monks speak Ancient Common (akin to Latin). Although Paladins and Rangers get Clerical and Druidical spell access at higher level, they do not learn Ancient Common as a bonus language.

Magic-Users and Illusionists have Black Tongue as a Bonus Language.

Thieves gain Thieves Cant.

So, a Halfling multi-classed Cleric/Thief with an Intelligence of 10 (no bonus language slots) would have Common, Halfing, Ancient Common, and Thieve's Cant as their starting languages.

It's similar for a multi-classed Magic-User/Thief, starting with Common, Elvish, Dark Tongue, and Thieves Cant.

Yep, giving Dwarven, Gnomish, and Cyclopsman PCs access to the Common tongue won't unbalance the game, but making it so most characters of those races don't speak common, especially in their own closed societies, makes sense and likely fits most settings.

Time to dig some more...

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New Release - DragonSlayer (OSR RPG)

DragonSlayer is Greg Gillespie's new OSR ruleset. It's a bit of Basic D&D, mixed with some AD&D, flavored with pure Gillespie. Greg had been kind enough to give me a pre-release copy of the rules to review in December, and I was floored. 

Dragonslayer is the OSR ruleset that I want to run OVER my own Swords & Wizardry Light. I want to run it AND I want to play it :)

Now to await my hardcover from the DragonSlayer Kickstarter.

Hearken back to the Golden Age of Role-playing Games!

Journey into a realm of myth and magic, where ancient legends and terrifying monsters come to life, and adventure awaits...

Inspired by the timeless role-playing tradition of the 1980s, this ruleset seamlessly integrates the simplicity of B/X with the chrome of First Edition. The book includes every you need: races, classes spell, monsters, and treasure, combined in a single volume. 

The book includes cover art by Jeff Easley and interior art by Darlene, Diesel, Kennon James, Peter Pagano, and many others.

Welcome to Dragonslayer!

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