About Old-School Essentials

  • Return to the Roots of Fantasy Adventure!

    Old-School Essentials is an award-winning role-playing game of fantastic adventure inspired by classic games of the 1970s and 1980s. Players delve into forbidden crypts and forsaken ruins, explore haunted forests and perilous mountain ranges, sail the high seas in search of lost lands, recover fabulous treasures, and unearth secrets of ancient magic.

  • Simple, Robust Rules

    Light, easily modified rules spotlight shared imagination, improvisation, and fun. The game's core rules cover the essentials of fantasy gaming: delving into dungeons, exploring the wilderness, voyaging across the seas, and founding strongholds.

  • Easy to Learn and Reference

    Modern formatting and layout make the game easy to learn and a breeze to reference during play. The game is designed around "control panels", presenting each topic on two side-by-side pages. The rules are quick to reference, even in the heat of battle.

  • Deluxe Print Quality and Art

    Deluxe quality hardcover books are filled with evocative art from leading old-school illustrators. Our books feature luxurious, high quality paper and stitched bindings for high durability. Ribbon markers and printed endpapers enhance quick reference.

  • Compatible With Decades of Material

    Based on the 1970s-1980s D&D rules, Old-School Essentials is compatible with decades of classic adventures and supplements. Material published for all 20th century D&D editions can be used with minimal-to-no conversion effort.

  • Coming Soon: 2026 Update Core Books

    The definitive version of Old-School Essentials, contained within a pair of 256-page hardcovers.

    Which book to buy? To play in games run by someone else you just need the Player’s Book. To run your own games you also need the Referee's Book.

    What's new in the 2026 printing? See our FAQ.

  • Older Core Books

    Prior to 2026, Old-School Essentials was published in several forms.

    Classic Fantasy: Based on the 1980s Basic D&D rules (B/X). OSE Classic Fantasy comes in two formats, each with the same content. Love box sets? Go for the Classic Game Set (box set of 5 books). Prefer everything in one book? Go for the Classic Fantasy Rules Tome.

    Advanced Fantasy: Everything from OSE Classic Fantasy, massively expanded with extra classes, options, magic, and monsters inspired by the 1970s AD&D game (1E). Love box sets? Pair the Classic Game Set (box set of 5 books) with the Advanced Expansion Set (box set of 4 books). Prefer chunky tomes? Go for the Advanced Fantasy Player's Tome plus the Advanced Fantasy Referee's Tome.

  • Check Out Old-School Essentials For Free

    Download the Old-School Essentials Basic Rules — a fully illustrated, 56-page introduction to the game with the basic rules players need to create characters and embark on adventures. A free-to-use basic version of OSE is also available in our Online Rules Reference.

Products

Where to Buy Old-School Essentials

Check out these links to buy Old-School Essentials in print and digital formats.

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Tools and Resources

  • Online Rules Reference

    A basic version of the Old-School Essentials game, online for free! Perfect for introducing new players.

    Online Rules Reference 

  • Generator Tools

    A set of online tools to quickly roll encounters, treasure hoards, magic items, NPCs, and more.

    Generator Tools 

  • Old-School Essentials Errata

    A document listing any little errors fixed in each printing of the Old-School Essentials rule books and adventures.

    Old-School Essentials Errata 

  • Third-Party Products

    A massive range of Old-School Essentials adventures, settings, and supplements published by other companies.

    Third-Party Products 

  • Third-Party License

    Want to publish something for Old-School Essentials? We have a simple, free-to-use license.

    Third-Party License