Zardnaar
Legend
The following is a rough idea I have been throwing around for an old school hard core game of 5E. Or at least a less combat intensive one where you do not have to have 6-8 encounters per day to test out the PCs. In theory this will enable exploration type adventures such as the Isle of Dread to function a lot better than they do under 5E do to the way hit points are regained in 5E vs AD&D and BECMI. The advantages over the default 5E rules are a simpler game with more options than Basic D&D. The downside is less options than the 5E rules might allow
Variant OSR Healing Rules.
No healing After a long rest.
After a long rest you regain 1 hit dice.
Magic Item Guidelines.
Magic items tend to be more common than in modern D&D and having a +3 weapon by level 6 or so is not that unusual. Ignore the DMG guidelines of magic items and hand out as little or as many as you like. Treasure is also more abundant and if running an AD&D/BECMI module conversion magic items and treasure are used as is. If the item does not appear in 5E use it as printed (if compatable with 5E rules) reducing +4 and +5 equipment to +3. Otherwise replace with a similar 5E magical item. +1 Swords/Longsword can also be subbed with rapier especially if found on the remains of a thief.
Racial and Alignment Restrictions(Optional)
If one has access to the original material the DM can use the original alignment, class, multiclass and racial restrictions used in BECMI/AD&D. Level limits are not used (5E built a better human)
Variant Human (optional)
Since feats are not used in OSR gaming and the default human in 5Eis regarded as weak the variant human gets +2 to two ability scores of their choice and +1 to two ability scores of their choice.
BECMI Sub Module
BECMI uses the Basic D&D rules.
AD&D 1E Sub Module
Allowed Races.
Human (default)
Dwarf
Elf
Halflings
Gnomes
Half Elf
Half Orc
Allowed Classes
Bard (Valor)
Cleric (Life)
Druid (Land)
Fighter (Champion, Eldritch Knight)
Paladin (Oath of Devotion)
Ranger (Hunter)
Monk (Way of the Open Hand)
Rogue (Assassin, thief, arcane trickster)
Wizard: Invoker
Wizard: Illusionist
Optional Class
Barbarian
2E
Human (default)
Dwarf
Elf
Halflings
Gnomes
Half Elf
Allowed Classes
Bard (Valor)
Cleric (All domains allowed to reflect 2E specialty priests)
Druid (Land)
Fighter (Champion, Eldritch Knight)
Paladin (Oath of Devotion)
Ranger (Hunter)
Rogue (Assassin, Arcane Trickster thief)
Wizard: All
Optional Classes
Barbarian
Other archetypes (representing kits)
Optional: Feats (representing class and later 2E splatbooks)
Variant OSR Healing Rules.
No healing After a long rest.
After a long rest you regain 1 hit dice.
Magic Item Guidelines.
Magic items tend to be more common than in modern D&D and having a +3 weapon by level 6 or so is not that unusual. Ignore the DMG guidelines of magic items and hand out as little or as many as you like. Treasure is also more abundant and if running an AD&D/BECMI module conversion magic items and treasure are used as is. If the item does not appear in 5E use it as printed (if compatable with 5E rules) reducing +4 and +5 equipment to +3. Otherwise replace with a similar 5E magical item. +1 Swords/Longsword can also be subbed with rapier especially if found on the remains of a thief.
Racial and Alignment Restrictions(Optional)
If one has access to the original material the DM can use the original alignment, class, multiclass and racial restrictions used in BECMI/AD&D. Level limits are not used (5E built a better human)
Variant Human (optional)
Since feats are not used in OSR gaming and the default human in 5Eis regarded as weak the variant human gets +2 to two ability scores of their choice and +1 to two ability scores of their choice.
BECMI Sub Module
BECMI uses the Basic D&D rules.
AD&D 1E Sub Module
Allowed Races.
Human (default)
Dwarf
Elf
Halflings
Gnomes
Half Elf
Half Orc
Allowed Classes
Bard (Valor)
Cleric (Life)
Druid (Land)
Fighter (Champion, Eldritch Knight)
Paladin (Oath of Devotion)
Ranger (Hunter)
Monk (Way of the Open Hand)
Rogue (Assassin, thief, arcane trickster)
Wizard: Invoker
Wizard: Illusionist
Optional Class
Barbarian
2E
Human (default)
Dwarf
Elf
Halflings
Gnomes
Half Elf
Allowed Classes
Bard (Valor)
Cleric (All domains allowed to reflect 2E specialty priests)
Druid (Land)
Fighter (Champion, Eldritch Knight)
Paladin (Oath of Devotion)
Ranger (Hunter)
Rogue (Assassin, Arcane Trickster thief)
Wizard: All
Optional Classes
Barbarian
Other archetypes (representing kits)
Optional: Feats (representing class and later 2E splatbooks)