Modular OSR Rulebook

EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED!

Go here instead. Everything is simple now.

Further discussion in this G+ thread.

The Idea

We are making a modular BX document that includes multiple versions of every mechanic for you to pick and choose. 

This makes choosing house rules and creating the best game for your own table easier, particularly for new GMs. Browsing endless blogs for endless hours to gather ideas is fun for me, but it's not appealing to everyone, nor is it an option that everyone is aware of. Think of this as a library of BX rules and procedures.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

The Result

An easy way for anyone to select mechanics to include and download them in a printable file. I haven't determined the best way to do that yet. The simplest, surest way is to use Pandoc to generate docx files which I'll then transfer to a public Google Docs file with each mechanic/class/etc in a separate section.

Even better would be an automated website that allows you to check boxes to select which pages you want and then choose a file format to download them in. Pandoc generates attractive PDFs, good DocX files, and ICML files (which can be imported into Adobe Illustrator and elsewhere.) Jayce is attempting to figure out a way to do something like this. Feel free to make suggestions or offer to take on some of the work.

You'll be able to:

• Download/edit/print just one section to add it to your game.
• Copy the file and delete the parts you don't want to use. Now you have a customized GLOG ready to print!

To some degree, this is already possible. Each section is published as sort of an SRD from which you can copy and paste whatever parts you like.You can download a DOCX, PDF, or ICML of the compiled markdown files here. (Here's a sample of a correctly formatted class.) You can download the original Markdown files at our Github repository. (Let me know if you're interested in joining the repo. You can also push your .md files to it if you're a Github nerd.)

To contribute

All you have to do is write a .md text file like the above. If you really want to, you can even write it in a .txt .doc, or .docx file. Upload the file here and I'll add it.

The contributions we need most are listed on the introductory page. I'd really love to collect every class created for the GLOG so far, for example.

Style Guide for Classes

Just download a template and fill it in. Use the Style Guide for Rules when in doubt.

Class Template.

Wizard School Template.

Style Guide for Rules

I recommend creating your markdown text in Typora (Windows), IA Writer (Mac, Android, IOS), or StackEdit (web browser) but you can type markdown in anything that allows you to type. Notepad is fine.

I'll be using this style guide to edit your Markdown File. It would be nice if you did the work for me though.

If your file is a variation on an idea already included in the document, they will share the same title, followed by a comma and a phrase to differentiate them. For example: "Light Sources, Checks."

Write concisely.

Follow this structure:

## Structure of Document Sections

> Formulas and summary notes which are useful if you've already read.

> They're also good for copying and pasting onto a GM screen.

Full length explanation.

------

Examples and advice.

The resulting document will look like this but bit nicer:

Structure of Document Sections


Formulas and summary notes which are useful if you've already read. These may be copied and pasted onto a GM screen.


Full length explanation.




Examples and advice.

The Details

I've been working on making an easy-reference version of the GLOG for quite a while now, but the GLOG doesn't have a single, complete set of rules, so a referenceable GLOG is sort of a nonsense idea. The GLOG is about making up your own rules that suit the basic framework that Arnold K. created, whether parts are added or entirely replaced.

With that in mind, we (yes, that includes you) are making a modular GLOG document that includes multiple versions of every mechanic. I'd like to do the same thing for B/X soon.

Each subsystem of the rules is placed in a separate Markdown file (a simple text file with a .md extension) for each version of that subsystem.

For example these are two different text files for light sources:

# Light Sources, Traditional



A Light Source lasts a number of turns and illuminates an area.



**Torch**: 1 hour. 20’ bright light, 40' shadows. 5 per one slot.



**Lantern**: 3 hours (per bottle of lamp oil.) 30’ bright light, 60’ shadows.



**Candle**: 1 hour. 5’ bright light, 15’ shadows. 10 per 1 slot.



**Flint and tinder** requires 1D4 rounds to ignite a light source.

# Light Sources, Checks


A Light Source depletes according to die rolls and illuminates an area.


Each turn, roll. If the result is less than four, use a lower die. 


If anything less than a four is rolled on a D4, the light source is depleted. 


Use these steps: D20 -> D12 ->D10 -> D8 -> D6 -> D4 -> depleted.


**Torch**: D8. 20’ bright light, 40' shadows. 5 per one slot.


**Lantern**: D20 (per bottle of lamp oil.) 30’ bright light, 60’ shadows. 


**Candle**: D10. 5’ bright light, 15’ shadows. 10 per 1 slot.


**Flint and tinder** requires 1D4 rounds to ignite a light source.

A "#" marks a heading. A *word* with asterisks around it will be bolded.

To-do List 

As of today. For an updated list, go here.

Want to take on one of these? Let me know. I'd love it.

• Make the website look better. CSS stuff.
• Add a bazillion classes.
• The equipment list isn’t ready to use.
• The Random Starting Items table is barely even started.
• The advice sections are almost entirely stolen without credit from random places. I think it’s great advice, but it needs to be replaced with something that is credited. They were originally meant just for me and for my players.