AD&D versus OSRIC, Point by Point

[Deleted]

Here is a handy list of differences between FEAD&D and OSRIC, compiled by the chief editor of the project. I know we're primarily concerned with OD&D here but the question does come up from time to time.

• Certain details of extreme ability scores (above 18 or below 3).
  
• The absence of the monk and bard classes.
  
• Certain details of the weapons table (crossbows do more damage, for example).
  
• No weapons vs. ac type.
  
• No weapon speed factor.
  
• Certain material that only applies at very high level was omitted. No explicit rules for followers for higher-level player characters, construction and siege, landholding tithes and rents, no artifacts or relics, no unique creatures from the outer planes (note: OSRIC does contain minor artifacts but not major ones).
  
• Some creatures have been renamed.
  
• Certain things that are WOTC's IP have been omitted. For example, OSRIC contains no mind flayers.
  
• Details of the thief's skills progression are different.
  
• Rules for sickness and disease are greatly simplified.
  
• Unarmed combat is greatly simplified (and now works properly!)
  
• In a change from what would follow from a strict reading of the rules Gary published, you can't dispel healing spells after they've been cast on someone.
  
• Psionics were omitted.
  
• Certain creatures and treasures from later on were included.
  

[vladtolenkov]

Thanks Cameron--I've been looking at both OSRIC and AD&D at the moment and this a handy list to have. I've got the PDF of OSRIC, but I do mean to eventually get myself a hard copy. That said it is a great resource to utilize if you want to see a leaner version of the game.

I've been wading through the DMG's combat section for the umpteenth time, and I'm starting to feel like I could actually run some version of AD&D BTB combat or maybe a slightly scaled back version.

In my OD&D game from last year I used the combat sequence used in Sword & Wizardry Complete, and I found that combat procedure played quite well as you didn't need to track casting times, but spellcasters could still get hit if their side took missiles or lost initiative.

It felt like the right level of detail for me, but I'm curious to try full blown AD&D btb sometime. When I was a kid we ran combat the same way we did with Moldvay Basic D&D except with the AD&D attack tables etc. That seems that's a pretty common experience from what I can tell online.

[ckenp]

OSRIC has monsters sorted by type which is a huge help during the creative process (as opposed to the Monster Manual's alphabetical order).

[waysoftheearth]

Feb 25, 2013 18:21:36 GMT -6 ckenp said:

OSRIC has monsters sorted by type which is a huge help during the creative process (as opposed to the Monster Manual's alphabetical order).

Delving Deeper's monster list also had "category" organisation at one point (as does M&T), but we later alphabetised it to comply with popular opinion.

[owlorbs]

Thanks for the list. Excellent.