Another OSRIC Curiosity

The more I look...

Under Charisma, Maximum number of Henchman is now called, "Sidekick Limit".

Sidekick?

Yet, in the paragraph below, sidekick limit is described as the maximum number of "henchman" you can have. The word henchman is used once more. (Further rules for this are probably in the GMs guide).

Why the change? Why the new term "sidekick"? 

If OSRIC is supposed to be an efficient reorganization (clarification) of the original rules, why introduce a new term just to use the old term (twice) to explain the new term?

Table needs centering.

Nobody has 10 "sidekicks".  

The addition of the word "sidekick" is the very definition of unnecessary. You don't need another word to describe one that is already there. You'll only confuse the matter. It is terminology bloat. They clearly want to transition to a new term.

The original Player's Handbook calls henchman non-player characters who will "serve" as permanent retainers. OSRIC 3.0 says a henchman is someone who is "willing to accompany your character", it is a "long-term relationship".

Softening up the language is not rules clarification.

OSRIC is turning into something else.

Just saying.

OSRIC 3.0 Layout...WTF?

The OSRIC 3.0 layout sucks.

I backed this (of course!) and had high hopes that this would be THE definitive reference, even though I own all of the originals in fantastic condition.

I almost never bash other OSR products. From me it's usually praise or silence. I despise making this post, but it must be made. (I'll slaughter WoTC all day long).

Call me crazy, but I expected OSRIC 3.0 to be the most faithful adaption of AD&D 1E possible... with AMAZING layout.

By all that I've heard, Matt Finch is a great guy... so don't take this personal for God's sake! Doing this is no doubt a herculean effort... and it is much appreciated by many!

But I think many are about to be disappointed.

The art is fine. The font is fine. The layout... ugh. 

The center line between columns isn't necessary, unless there's a table on one side. And the columns are far too close together.

The tables are atrocious! They aren't centered properly and they often overlap onto the next page. Tables should always be self contained on one page, I don't care if this leads to white space and more pages. That's what filler art is for. (Weapon and equipment tables can be an exception here). What are you going to reference during play more than tables? They should be a joy to look at. As it stands, joy is not the word that comes to mind.

I was always tempted to purchase the previous OSRIC hardcover, but never did because the layout kind of bugged me. 

This is worse. This is in no way an improvement. Perhaps the rules are more accurate, but they're still not 100%. And the folks who'll buy this already know the rules.

THEY WANT A NICE LAYOUT.

OSRIC 3.0 won't inspire anyone and won't make it easier to play this game, so what's the point?

I hope to God this looks better in physical form, but I would urge serious layout changes be made, even if it takes another year. Treat the latest free release as just another beta. 

We can wait.

So Long Publisher

Microsoft recently announced that by October 2026, Publisher will no longer be supported. If you have a hard copy, you can continue using it without support, if not, too bad.

I'm in the too bad boat. 

Everything I've produced and worked on over the last decade or two, adventures, rules, character sheets, etc., was done with Publisher. I have projects that will never be finished now for sure, because with converting and reformatting, you're pretty much starting from scratch. Yet being realistic, my many little projects mostly served as distractions and were destined to stay that way.

So for now, I have archived some things in PDF form, if only for my own reference and have settled on using Word from here on out after researching and tinkering with a few of the other programs. My initial impression of Word was likening it to B/X whereas Publisher is AD&D. Adobe InDesign is another option but costs twice as much as Publisher did.

Blessing in disguise...

I've been diligently working on a new module that I fully intend to publish in 2026. I'm embracing a simpler, A5 format for this one and I'm becoming increasingly comfortable using Word. The original idea for this sprung a few years ago, but for some reason -- perhaps no more distractions -- I'm off to the races and this one's awesome. I'm basing it on 1st edition rules.

Until the New Year.

Bringing In 2025 With "AD&D"

That is, AD&D, as in Adventures Dark and Deep by Joseph Bloch. Not new, just the newest form (originally three core books, now two.) One of the stalwart stewards of all things 1st Edition, Greyhawk in particular, Bloch created "AD&D" with the goal of doing what Gary would've done had he revised the game himself. As we know, Gary was booted before any such revision and the anti-Gygax 2nd Edition followed. Bloch brings new classes, like the Jester, Savant, Mystic, and Mountebank and new race choices including Centaurs, and of course, new spells and magic items, etc. Similar attempts have been made, such as, Trent Smith's Heroic Legendarium (a fine book) and OSRIC (more of an SRD) but I've seen nothing as comprehensive as what Bloch has done here.

Behold the size of these! Both are 500 page behemoths. Will the print-on-demand binding hold up? Such binding is weak enough on small books. My two original TSR books shown above are 40+ years old and the bindings are still perfect. I would've almost preferred soft-cover perfectly bound for these colossal tomes. I wonder what the cost would be to get them professionally bound?

The formatting is in the style of the later AD&D hardcovers (think Monster Manual II and Unearthed Arcana.) The art is mostly good and reminiscent of how it once was (black and white is best in life! Yes, color can be great, but look to companies like WoTC for what NOT to do! Jesus, WoTC sucks.) Anyhow, this bestiary has over 1000 entries, more than you'll ever need. It's like Monster Manuals I, II, and Fiend Folio all under one cover... and then some! Here, there are plenty of demons and devils and... angels (hell yeah!) and of course plenty of dragons. Curiously, no gold dragon -- replaced by the electrum? -- what is the story here?

Very nice Amazon. A level of boldness missing these days. Bold is good.

Add in the Book of Lost Tables and you have every random encounter table possible, mostly in the D1000 format. The best collection of random encounter tables that I've seen anywhere. And to simulate truly random, I've created a random table of these random tables. So I can randomly roll any monster in the game! I'm beginning to think that dungeons shouldn't be any more stratified than the wilderness. While traveling, you can encounter a dragon or a dryad regardless of your level. Although I'm as guilty as any one, there should be no "Dungeon for levels 3-5" there should simply be dungeons... enter at your own risk, anything is possible. The secret to explaining this... lots of empty spaces in between, plenty of empty (though not meaningless) rooms and long twisting corridors. No one will hear you scream... and no one will hear you fight! Nothing in reality is stratified for your safety and convenience. Although, yes, a certain logic does exist for the more dangerous foes being found the deeper you go. Still, I'm for much more randomized danger. I think I'll roll up a truly random dungeon and see what happens...

Pages upon pages of this!

It is (almost) exactly the game you think it is, though some subsystems have changed and there are more races and classes (the more classes the better!)  A small nitpick I have: The Assassin is presented as an "optional" class. Why? In a game where you can be chaotic-evil, murder, steal, raid, and ravage, where you can play a blackguard (the classic anti-paladin) the paragon of all things evil --which is not presented as "optional." Is an assassin worse than a blackguard? Castles & Crusades has also done this to assassins with their recent printings and they knew Gary well. Is this something he had in mind? Otherwise, I just don't get it. It's akin to making Greedo shoot first. Don't soften things up. Ever. That's a 2nd Edition sin.

Anyhow, these two massive tomes, with a side helping of random tables, are literally all you'd ever need to play this classic game... FOREVER.

Well done Joseph! 

Now people, ENTER DUNGEONS, LOOT AND SLAY!!!

 

Spotlight: OSRIC Player's Guide

Charlie Mason of Seattle Hill Games has put together a Player's Guide for OSRIC.

It is 220 pages, soft covered, spined in orange, and contains all the information a player needs for 1st Edition AD&D... as presented in OSRIC. This isn't his version of OSRIC, this is OSRIC, word for word, at least, part of it, races, classes, equipment, spells, combat rules, etc.... just laid out better including much better art.

The PDF is free, and the print copy from Amazon is only $8.

Now, numerous times, I've contemplated contacting the right folks to acquire the current Black Blade Publishing copy of OSRIC, not because I need it, rather, because I want it. But I keep hesitating. Why? Because I'm not a big fan of the layout. It pains me to say that, considering the effort these fine folks must have put into producing the book. The major flaw is the fact that many charts are not contained on the same page or two-page spread... probably to save space. You should never have to turn a page back and forth to scan the contents of a chart. All charts should be contained on a single page/two-page spread and if this creates white space, so be it, add art.

Then I got wind of an OSRIC revision project in the works, perhaps still a couple years off from completion...

So, my question at this point: Is this Player's Guide a part of that current OSRIC revision project or is it just a stand alone thing? 

Because this book is nice. Well laid out and the interior art is PERFECT. If the revision of OSRIC is done exactly like this... It would certainly make for a fat tome, no doubt, but adding the rest of OSRIC to this exact book, in this exact fashion... I'd pay a king's ransom for it.

Of note, spells in OSRIC are listed alphabetically by class, whereas traditionally, they are listed by level by class. I'm a fan of alphabetical period, not by class, not by level. Any time I need to look up a spell, I know the spell I'm looking up, finding it should be easy. If you don't do it straight alphabetically, there should be some sort of tab noting what section of the spell descriptions you've opened up to, to help guide you to you're destination.

ERRATA NOTE: On page 4, in the section on Dwarfs, under Infravision, there is a reference to the Light and Vision rules on page xxx (it should say 162). If you know the diligent folks working on this project, kindly pass this along.

Anyhow, a few samples and link below...

Classic orange spine.

Cleric!

Nice.

Fighter!

I approve.

Sample two-page art spread.

Yep.

Cool.

You can purchase a copy at the link below.

 OSRIC Player's Guide

Nicely done.