Sunday, June 21, 2026

Concerning the Old-School Essentials 2026 Core Books Battle of Five Armies & The Third Age of Middle-Earth All of our adventures & campaigns will take place during the Third Age of Middle-earth. Inspired By J.R.R. Tolkien & Peter Jackson

I backed the new Old-School Essentials core books on Backerkit as soon as they went live. At the time I was super excited but recently I got my new books and sat down and gave both of them a good reading. First impressions . . . they both felt very underwhelming for the most part.

I did not feel like the two books brought much to the overall Old-School Essentials system, nothing that had me overly excited. I had high hopes that these new books would completely change the playing field for Old-School Essentials but for me . . . they didn't.

Now, I'll go on the record by saying, sure they were a solid set of books but did I get my moneys worth out of them? If I had to be honest . . . no, I didn't. All in all, I think they are solid books but, I do not think these new books are good enough to pull me away from my "slightly modified" Old-School Essentials Advanced Fantasy system that I am already using.

To be honest, the few new rules and/or mechanics that the 2026 core books introduced, I can simply migrate them into my existing Old-School Essentials system that I use now. One thing I did notice about the new changes is most of these changes, I was already using in my current system so, that makes this decision easier for me to make and the remaining few rules/mechanics that I currently am not using, I can simply import those into my Advanced Fantasy system. I also think these rules/mechanics that I bring into my current Advanced Fantasy system only makes it stronger in the long run. The current house rules that I use will remain in place, I don't think any of the new stuff in the new 2026 books will replace anything.

I'll continue using my same "slightly modifed" Old-School Essentials Advanced Fantasy system that I have been using with a few imported Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition rules/mechanics since it is working perfectly fine as it is now. Any questions any of new players might have, feel free to get with me so I can clarify any confusion you might have.

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« Old-School Essentials »

Old-School Essentials is a TTRPG that builds upon the core rules of the B/X game system.

It incorporates elements and options from AD&D "1st Edition", such as additional classes, races, spells, and monsters, while maintaining the simpler, more streamlined rules of Basic/Expert "B/X" D&D.

Key features:
OSE is a retroclone, meaning it's designed to emulate the feel and mechanics of older versions of Dungeons & Dragons.

• B/X Foundation: It retains the core mechanics and feel of the original B/X D&D, which was popular in the 1980s and is still widely played to this day.
• AD&D Integration: It includes optional rules, classes, races, and spells from AD&D 1st Edition, allowing players to experience a wider range of character options and game elements.
• Character Variety: Players can choose from a broader array of character classes and races, including options like drow, duergar, gnome, and half-elf, among many others.
• Expanded Content: It includes additional magical items, spells, and monsters, adding more depth and complexity to the game.
• Flexible Gameplay: The game offers optional rules for character creation, combat, and spell acquisition, allowing for a more tailored experience.
• Modern Layout: Necrotic Gnome uses a modern layout and clear presentation, making it very easy to learn and even reference during play.
• House Ruling: With it being completely compatible with systems like 1st edition, BECMI & BX, it is easy to include house rules, mechanics and outside rules from these systems.