Simple. Just post one or two RPG's you like that you're sure most people don't know about.
1. Kogarashi. This won a post I made about RPGs set in Japan. It's a small game that uses 1D6, roll equal or under your stats (1, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4 assigned by the player), spells are skill checks, and armor is a saving throw. It's great.
2. Pocket Fantasy. It's super rules light, but with the optional characters you have 14 classes to chose from. It's also free on DT-RPG.
I'll post some more later.
EABA
The logical conclusion of GURPS. Barely even a game, more a toolset for making games, but has an elegant way of quantifying basically anything you can think of and scaling it all together, and one of my favorite dice systems of all time, where you roll a number of dice based on your attribute and skill and keep the top three so that as you improve rather than getting higher and higher rolls, you just skew your distribution upward. I need to get a game in one of the published settings going, since with a supplement like that it's actually a full game.
Quote from: Zenoguy3 on May 23, 2024, 01:43:59 AMEABA
The logical conclusion of GURPS. Barely even a game, more a toolset for making games, but has an elegant way of quantifying basically anything you can think of and scaling it all together, and one of my favorite dice systems of all time, where you roll a number of dice based on your attribute and skill and keep the top three so that as you improve rather than getting higher and higher rolls, you just skew your distribution upward. I need to get a game in one of the published settings going, since with a supplement like that it's actually a full game.
Welp, I came in to say this but whatever! EABA is by far one of the best
designed RPGs I've ever seen and it plays exceptionally well. Unfortunately, games like GURPS and HERO overshadow it, even with stuff like the CORPS supplement (which is easily the best X-Files style RPG setting ever). Anyway, I kinda feel bad for Greg Porter because he's an exceptional designer but never seemed to get the traction you'd expect. Contrast the BTRC catalog with the numerous trash takeoffs of PBtA...
Just to add something else, and I don't even know if this counts as "little known", but Atlantis Second Age seems to have just dropped off the map, even while having good writing, high production values, and excellent playability. I just don't get it.
Quote from: Brad on May 23, 2024, 09:14:57 AMEABA is by far one of the best designed RPGs I've ever seen and it plays exceptionally well. Unfortunately, games like GURPS and HERO overshadow it, even with stuff like the CORPS supplement (which is easily the best X-Files style RPG setting ever). Anyway, I kinda feel bad for Greg Porter because he's an exceptional designer but never seemed to get the traction you'd expect.
Yeah. I've been curious about EABA since I liked Greg Porter's other designs, but it just doesn't have the support that other universal systems do, so I never invested in it.
Any thoughts on how EABA compares to, say, Savage Worlds (which is my current go-to universal system)?
The system I think is a good fit for universal system is Tiny-D6. It covers a lot of genres:
1. Dungeon = Fantasy
2. Frontiers = Star Trek
3. Supers
4. Pirates
5. Wastelands = post apocalypse
6. Gunfighters = old west
7. Living Dead
8. Mecha vs Monsters = Anime robots and/or Kaiju.
9. Cthulhu
10. Gods
11. Beach Patrol = Baywatch or Hawaii 5.0 or Magnum P.I.
12. Taverns. An oddball game about being fantasy barkeeps.
EABA is very much like D6. You have abilities like D6, rated by numbers which are just dice to roll. Like 6 is 2d, 7 2d+1, up to 20 (6d+2) and then skills add to it, just like D6.
The real difference is you only add up the 3 highest rolls, and so the difficulty goes from 5 to 21. But while it might be easier to add only 3 dice, the odds are trickier to calculate as opposed to regular D6
Paranoia, its a classic. Fucking hard to get in conventions.
Quote from: Brad on May 23, 2024, 09:14:57 AMWelp, I came in to say this but whatever! EABA is by far one of the best designed RPGs I've ever seen and it plays exceptionally well. Unfortunately, games like GURPS and HERO overshadow it, even with stuff like the CORPS supplement (which is easily the best X-Files style RPG setting ever). Anyway, I kinda feel bad for Greg Porter because he's an exceptional designer but never seemed to get the traction you'd expect. Contrast the BTRC catalog with the numerous trash takeoffs of PBtA...
I know right? One of these days I'm going to force a bunch of locals into a CORPS one shot just so I can make them see how good of a baseline EABA is. I've tried a couple times, but I never understood the rules well enough myself to get my players into it. I will say, I tried once to make a Jojo game using EABA, and it worked better than I expected, and way better than any other Jojo implementation I'd seen before.
Quote from: Brad on May 23, 2024, 09:14:57 AMJust to add something else, and I don't even know if this counts as "little known", but Atlantis Second Age seems to have just dropped off the map, even while having good writing, high production values, and excellent playability. I just don't get it.
I certainly hadn't heard of it. Looks interesting at first glance, a d20 scaled S&W is a bit of a saturated market though. What makes it stand out over its contemporaries?
Quote from: weirdguy564 on May 23, 2024, 10:01:53 PMThe system I think is a good fit for universal system is Tiny-D6.
I looked into tiny d6 a while back, the spy one I think, but I failed to get really grabbed by it. seemed a little too airy. Have you played it and gotten good games out of it?
Cairn v1. easy, fast.
ICRPG.(my fav) fantasy, sci-fi, weird west, superheros, early man settings.
community; Xenos(aliens), Predators, and Star Wars
Maze Rats. simple and fast.
Quote from: Zenoguy3 on May 24, 2024, 12:15:56 AMI've tried a couple times, but I never understood the rules well enough myself to get my players into it.
And there's my major problem with it. Tried reading it a number of times, and bounced off it each time.
Don't know why but I just can't read it.
Quote from: Zenoguy3 on May 24, 2024, 12:21:35 AMQuote from: weirdguy564 on May 23, 2024, 10:01:53 PMThe system I think is a good fit for universal system is Tiny-D6.
I looked into tiny d6 a while back, the spy one I think, but I failed to get really grabbed by it. seemed a little too airy. Have you played it and gotten good games out of it?
Cold Shadows isn't part of the Tiny d6 line. It is definitely more rules lite than the d6 games. I've run Tiny Supers and Beach Patrol and both went really well. Beach Patrol was more of a one off, while the Tiny Supers went several games (6 I think) and more or less covered a typical comic book arc type of storyline.
Quote from: Zenoguy3 on May 24, 2024, 12:21:35 AMQuote from: weirdguy564 on May 23, 2024, 10:01:53 PMThe system I think is a good fit for universal system is Tiny-D6.
I looked into tiny d6 a while back, the spy one I think, but I failed to get really grabbed by it. seemed a little too airy. Have you played it and gotten good games out of it?
Yup. My Kindergarten age son and I played the Supers game. He was an Iron-man type of hero, with an intelligent monkey sidekick working with S.H.I.E.L.D. to track down and stop North Korean pirates in a stolen German submarine.
It seems simple at first because the dice rules are just three difficulties. Roll 1D6 if it's hard, 2D6 for medium tasks, and 3D6 if it's easy. You don't add the dice. You just succeed if any of them are a 5 or 6. Aka 33%, 55%, or 70% odds to succeed.
1-handed weapons do 1 damage, and 2-handed weapons do 2 damage. Hit points are in the single digits, typically 5-8.
It's meant to be simple. That's the point. It's also easy for kids to play. There isn't a lot of math, none of which is hard.
Games like this live or die based on GM skill and enthusiasm. I know my son reacted strongly to my colorful narration of what happened.
It's not for everyone. I prefer rules light, and Tiny-D6 is that in spades.
Lost Souls.
"In most RPGs, you want to avoid death. In this one, you start out dead."
The character creation tables were hilarious and the system removed the need for the GM to make the rolls that are usual in other games, allowing to focus on managing the adventure and NPCs.
Another game so obscure even I forgot about it. Neoclassical Geek Revival. Definitely not OSR, but an extension of it. A lot of very interesting rules, a cool action economy, awesome initiative system, and most of its class abilities are about messing with it. I just need to figure out how to teach it to people so I can get it to the table, because it has a lot of weird differences if your used to D&D and the like.
TWERPS.
Kogarashi is a great game that could use more attention. I mentioned it in my first post.
Why is it good?
1. Excellent use of just 1D6. It's called The True D6 system. It is a roll equal or under your six attributes to do a skill, and attributes are 1-4 to start with. The number you roll is also your damage. Thus, a strength of 3 means you can do 1-3 damage.
2. Armor is a saving throw. 1-3 armor points let's you block that much damage. This is the only time you don't roll under your attributes. Thus, armor is sort of an unofficial 7th attribute.
3. Customizable classes. Everyone gets two class abilities to start. As you level up there is a list of 20 abilities, skills, and spells you can pick from. We're talking parrying arrows bare handed, teleporting thru shadows, summoning jade shuriken, or walk on water. The magical classes get the more fantastical abilities.
4. Non-Vancian magic. As I said, you roll equal or under your attributes. This includes spell casting. It's just another skill check. Some abilities can only be used once a day, while others can be reused until you fail a skill check. The rest are just unlimited uses.
5. Solo rules. Not a lot, but there are rules for solo play. This includes a simple "oracle" table with lines for about 20 types of questions. Terrain, direction, NPC reactions, and several for dungeon creation.
6. Six classes: martial artist, noble (actually a rogue), ninja assassin, samurai, Onmyoji wizard, and Shinkan cleric
7. Four races. Humans, Japanese dwarves, shape-shifting animals (six sub-types), and halfbreed humans (six types, mostly different than the shifter animals).
Quote from: Zenoguy3 on May 24, 2024, 12:15:56 AMQuote from: Brad on May 23, 2024, 09:14:57 AMWelp, I came in to say this but whatever! EABA is by far one of the best designed RPGs I've ever seen and it plays exceptionally well. Unfortunately, games like GURPS and HERO overshadow it, even with stuff like the CORPS supplement (which is easily the best X-Files style RPG setting ever). Anyway, I kinda feel bad for Greg Porter because he's an exceptional designer but never seemed to get the traction you'd expect. Contrast the BTRC catalog with the numerous trash takeoffs of PBtA...
I know right? One of these days I'm going to force a bunch of locals into a CORPS one shot just so I can make them see how good of a baseline EABA is. I've tried a couple times, but I never understood the rules well enough myself to get my players into it. I will say, I tried once to make a Jojo game using EABA, and it worked better than I expected, and way better than any other Jojo implementation I'd seen before.
OK, so this weekend I ran another of my Savage Worlds Middle Earth games at KublaCon, to a crowd of players who were mostly new to Savage Worlds.
Today after recovering from the con, I looked over my copy of EABALite again, and it's rather unsold me. Even the "lite" version of EABA is pretty confusing. I like the consistency and attention to detail that Porter puts in, and I'm annoyed by some inconsistencies in Savage Worlds - but ultimately, I want something that players can easily pick up and enjoy.
I feel more like wondering about what parts of EABA I can pull in to improve Savage Worlds than vice-versa.
There is a very bizarre Japanese game where you play as zombie girls, Nechronica.
Maybe the idea of this game is a bit (or very) off for most people, and the game mechanics are too complex for my sake, but the backstory is very interesting and can be a good source of inspiration for both dystopian, crapsack-world cyberpunk and for pseudo-scientifically-based zombies (here "zombies" are a kind of AI or even mind upload inside slime mold-based biological computers which can be tied to body parts or mechanical limbs and don't need electricity, since slime molds got their energy by eating living matter)
https://nechronica.miraheze.org/wiki/Main_Page
Quote from: weirdguy564 on May 28, 2024, 08:24:16 PMKogarashi is a great game that could use more attention. I mentioned it in my first post.
That all looks
incredibly interesting, I'll have to check it out.
Warbirds is another game I bet few have heard of.
It's about playing mercenary fighter pilots on a world of floating Caribbean islands. There is nothing but gas below them called The Murk, which they suck up and refine into fuel as if it were petroleum. If there is land under that, the people haven't found it yet. So, they stick to the open skies, clouds, and floating islands like Cuba, Puero Rico, and Grenada.
Dice wise it's yet another 1D6 based system. Attribute + Skill + 1D6, beat a target number.
It is a classless game. You're defined by your skills. It's also not intended to be just a flying dogfight game. Your pilots are anything you want. A roving investigative reporter. A treasure hunter. A military officer. A merc pilot who's smooth with the ladies.
It is just that they're all pilots as well.
Technology is the 1930's. Biplanes are still a thing, but they're metal.
Interestingly, the people and islands used to be from a traditional Caribbean Sea on an Earth from 1804. A weird storm whisked the islands of the Caribbean to this new world. They speak the languages we know, and have our real religions, etc. they progressed technology along similar lines to what we know, so they're now a 1930's tech. The only weird science are the flying ships that use float-stone mined from the islands to hover. It's all normal after that. Or not, as weird science is an optional rule if you want.
I like it. It's an interesting setting more than anything else.
Quote from: weirdguy564 on June 12, 2024, 08:02:59 PMWarbirds is another game I bet few have heard of.
...
That's
incredibly interesting. Thanks for the reading material
Quote from: weirdguy564 on May 28, 2024, 08:24:16 PMKogarashi is a great game that could use more attention. I mentioned it in my first post.
Why is it good?
1. Excellent use of just 1D6. It's called The True D6 system. It is a roll equal or under your six attributes to do a skill, and attributes are 1-4 to start with. The number you roll is also your damage. Thus, a strength of 3 means you can do 1-3 damage.
2. Armor is a saving throw. 1-3 armor points let's you block that much damage. This is the only time you don't roll under your attributes. Thus, armor is sort of an unofficial 7th attribute.
3. Customizable classes. Everyone gets two class abilities to start. As you level up there is a list of 20 abilities, skills, and spells you can pick from. We're talking parrying arrows bare handed, teleporting thru shadows, summoning jade shuriken, or walk on water. The magical classes get the more fantastical abilities.
4. Non-Vancian magic. As I said, you roll equal or under your attributes. This includes spell casting. It's just another skill check. Some abilities can only be used once a day, while others can be reused until you fail a skill check. The rest are just unlimited uses.
5. Solo rules. Not a lot, but there are rules for solo play. This includes a simple "oracle" table with lines for about 20 types of questions. Terrain, direction, NPC reactions, and several for dungeon creation.
6. Six classes: martial artist, noble (actually a rogue), ninja assassin, samurai, Onmyoji wizard, and Shinkan cleric
7. Four races. Humans, Japanese dwarves, shape-shifting animals (six sub-types), and halfbreed humans (six types, mostly different than the shifter animals).
Based on your recommendation I checked out True-d6 ($1 on drivethru). Wanted to say thanks for turning me onto it. I really dig the text file only philosophy. Reminds me of something that could have been floating around back in the AOL days.
It's a solid system, very hackable, and super easy to print out sections for handouts or even add your own house rules and subsystems to it.
Any of Clash Bowlery's games but in particular the In Harms Way military rpgs (I really liked the Wild Blue modern air combat game but the others are all cool too) and Cold Space (the cold war in space with orion nuclear pulse drives). Lowell Was Right (19th century applied physics, not steam, not punk) and Tools of Ignorance (the baseball league rpg) are also really cool.
My vote goes to Mayfair's MEGS system used for DC Heroes 1e-3e. Besides the best system for supers I have used, it is certainly capable of serving as a generic game engine. Maybe not as polished as some of the newer games mentioned, but I am surprised it does not have a heartbreaker available by now.
Quote from: the crypt keeper on June 13, 2024, 11:40:13 AMMy vote goes to Mayfair's MEGS system used for DC Heroes 1e-3e. Besides the best system for supers I have used, it is certainly capable of serving as a generic game engine. Maybe not as polished as some of the newer games mentioned, but I am surprised it does not have a heartbreaker available by now.
MEGS doesn't really qualify as it is extremely well-known; I mean, it was used for the DC RPG for around 15 years. That notwithstanding, I guess if you hate life you could get Blood of Heroes and just pull the system from there for whatever you want to do.
Quote from: Rox on June 09, 2024, 08:09:52 AMThere is a very bizarre Japanese game where you play as zombie girls, Nechronica.
I want to run this game. It's going to be a tough sell though.
Quote from: Zenoguy3 on June 12, 2024, 11:41:30 PMQuote from: weirdguy564 on June 12, 2024, 08:02:59 PMWarbirds is another game I bet few have heard of.
...
That's incredibly interesting. Thanks for the reading material
I am glad I could put that one on your reading list.
Also, just so everyone knows, Warbirds also has a few expansion books. One is for Cold War jets. It has nothing in it for a weird setting. It just presents the rules for missiles, and stats for many well known jet fighters like the F-15, Mig-15, F-14, Su-27, F-86, FRS-1 Sea Harrier, Mirage-III, ect.
There is also a WW-2 sourcebook with stats for planes like the Spitfire, Zero, Hellcat, Focke-Wulf 190, Lavochkin LA-5FN, ect. Again, it isn't presented as a new time era of the floaty island setting. It could be used to run a military campaign in the 1940's on Earth. Or you could use them as the planes of choice on Azure, which is the name of the gas planet with floaty islands. That is up to you.
Last, there is a space game as well, and this one does have a setting attached to it. It advances the timeline forward, and the people of Azure have gone into space using VERY primitive spacecraft. Then they encounter VERY high tech aliens. Long story short: The side effects of the unique, but low tech Azure spacecraft interferes with the high tech gadgets of the aliens, rendering them both on an even playing field. Dieselpunk spacecraft can hold their own against the sci-fi super alien technology of the future.
Quote from: weirdguy564 on June 12, 2024, 08:02:59 PMWarbirds is another game I bet few have heard of...
I'm on the short list. I should probably give it a re-read.
Quote from: Brad on June 13, 2024, 02:28:12 PMQuote from: the crypt keeper on June 13, 2024, 11:40:13 AMMy vote goes to Mayfair's MEGS system used for DC Heroes 1e-3e. Besides the best system for supers I have used, it is certainly capable of serving as a generic game engine. Maybe not as polished as some of the newer games mentioned, but I am surprised it does not have a heartbreaker available by now.
MEGS doesn't really qualify as it is extremely well-known; I mean, it was used for the DC RPG for around 15 years. That notwithstanding, I guess if you hate life you could get Blood of Heroes and just pull the system from there for whatever you want to do.
Fair point. I do have tBoHSE and it is worn thin from my ongoing game. I take the lore section out and the horrible art and print up a spiral bound version for the table. Re-organized with shit where I want it.
Pocket Fantasy is another 1D6 based game, and free.
Pocket Fantasy RPG (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/189191/Pocket-Fantasy-RPG)
It's a very small RPG, but actually contains all of the parts you need for an RPG.
At its core the combat rules are an opposed roll. You roll your combat skill that comes from your class, and the monster rolls their own. Attacker minus Defender is the damage the defender takes.
All other rolls are a 2-6 difficulty set by the GM.
Magic is a bit weird. Wizards get two spells per fight, using a list of six combat spells. Out of combat a wizard can cast two spells per session. They can make up any spell on the spot, but the GM has to approve it and set a 2-6 difficulty.
Re-roll tokens are what separate the high level vets from the newbies. You get more tokens by rolling a pair of sixes in a row, or as GM rewards. These tokens do more than just let you re-roll bad dice rolls. Each class has a use for them to fuel their signature abilities. Wizards can cast another spell if the turn in a re-roll token.
With the additional classes and such there is quite a lot of options. I think there are 14 classes and about the same number of races if you get the free expansions.
True-D6 has now been released with a proper book, including art.
Also, two other games I want to recommend.
1. Olde Swords Reign. This is an OSR with some 5E bits, such as weapon traits. Its main difference is a proficiency bonus that you can use when rolling. If your good at resisting poison for some reason, roll the save with proficiency bonus
The second feature is character customization. You only get the classic four classes of Fighter, Rogue, Cleric, and Wizard. However, with the customizations available you can be Illusionists or Paladins as you level up.
It's also free. Can't hurt to look when it costs nothing.
Author's Google drive to download OSR PDF (https://drive.google.com/drive/mobile/folders/1OyDASjG8Xf_PCJUjXHdDtIO1sWveZaKx?usp=sharing)
2. Maze Rats. I know there is a 2nd edition, but I still like the first one. I don't actually play it, but use the hell out of all the random tables that the game has.
Cool thread.
Olde Swords Reign is pretty good.
Speaking of random tables, TBH 2e has some cool ones IIRC. It looks much more interesting than 1e.
Hyperborea is a cool game if you want AD&Dish stuff. Here is my review:
https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2024/04/hyperborea-players-manual-review.html
Also Fantastic Heroes and Witchery. Free, gonzo, very complete.
Not sure if any of these are obscure.
I like d6 stuff too - MiniD6 etc. Very versatile.
Quote from: Brad on May 23, 2024, 09:14:57 AMQuote from: Zenoguy3 on May 23, 2024, 01:43:59 AMEABA
The logical conclusion of GURPS. Barely even a game, more a toolset for making games, but has an elegant way of quantifying basically anything you can think of and scaling it all together, and one of my favorite dice systems of all time, where you roll a number of dice based on your attribute and skill and keep the top three so that as you improve rather than getting higher and higher rolls, you just skew your distribution upward. I need to get a game in one of the published settings going, since with a supplement like that it's actually a full game.
Welp, I came in to say this but whatever! EABA is by far one of the best designed RPGs I've ever seen and it plays exceptionally well. Unfortunately, games like GURPS and HERO overshadow it, even with stuff like the CORPS supplement (which is easily the best X-Files style RPG setting ever). Anyway, I kinda feel bad for Greg Porter because he's an exceptional designer but never seemed to get the traction you'd expect. Contrast the BTRC catalog with the numerous trash takeoffs of PBtA...
Just to add something else, and I don't even know if this counts as "little known", but Atlantis Second Age seems to have just dropped off the map, even while having good writing, high production values, and excellent playability. I just don't get it.
You got me curious. If I were to give it a look, what are the best supplement(s)?
Quote from: Mishihari on September 10, 2024, 01:59:54 PMYou got me curious. If I were to give it a look, what are the best supplement(s)?
Guess you're talking about EABA, so I'll say both CORPS and Aethos are really good. Even if you never actually play EABA, both of those are worth the money to port to a different system.
Quote from: Eric Diaz on September 10, 2024, 11:32:36 AMCool thread.
Olde Swords Reign is pretty good.
Speaking of random tables, TBH 2e has some cool ones IIRC. It looks much more interesting than 1e.
Hyperborea is a cool game if you want AD&Dish stuff. Here is my review:
https://methodsetmadness.blogspot.com/2024/04/hyperborea-players-manual-review.html
Also Fantastic Heroes and Witchery. Free, gonzo, very complete.
Not sure if any of these are obscure.
I like d6 stuff too - MiniD6 etc. Very versatile.
I got the full boxed set of Hyperboria for my brother last Christmas. It's essentially AD&D 2nd edition with a single saving throw, and a "Fighting Ability" modifier.
Fantastic Heroes and Witchery is a good OSR game. I particularly like that "modern human" that somehow teleported to this fantasy world is a racial option.
I would argue it isn't complete, though. The game doesn't include a monster list or NPC's in their game. It literally says to just use a monster book from "another game".
That's a bit lazy, but if that is ok with you, then I don't think it should matter what I say. It bothers me, though.
And I wholeheartedly agree that Mini-Six Bare Bones is the best version of D6 rules currently available. Everyone should give it a shot. The PDF is free, after all.
Drive Thru RPG Mini-Six Bare Bones page (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/144558/mini-six-bare-bones-edition)
I wouldn't skip it. It's free, so download already.
Quote from: weirdguy564 on September 10, 2024, 10:54:35 PMFantastic Heroes and Witchery is a good OSR game. I particularly like that "modern human" that somehow teleported to this fantasy world is a racial option.
I would argue it isn't complete, though. The game doesn't include a monster list or NPC's in their game. It literally says to just use a monster book from "another game".
That's a bit lazy, but if that is ok with you, then I don't think it should matter what I say. It bothers me, though.
In most games I'd agree with you. I think FH&W has a good argument for getting a pass on that, though. The author knows for damn near certain that it's not going to be the first RPG his customer has bought, and probably won't be the first OSR game. You could argue that reprinting a bunch of BECMI monster stats would be a waste of time and space in what is already a very long book.
Lamentations of the Flame Princess also doesn't have a bestiary, but that's a bit of a different case. The intent with the LOTFP core book is that it's just something you buy to run LOTFP modules, which have the monster stats, and the attitude with LOTFP was that every monster should be unique and therefore there should be no generic stat blocs.
Quote from: ForgottenF on September 10, 2024, 11:16:53 PMIn most games I'd agree with you. I think FH&W has a good argument for getting a pass on that, though. The author knows for damn near certain that it's not going to be the first RPG his customer has bought, and probably won't be the first OSR game. You could argue that reprinting a bunch of BECMI monster stats would be a waste of time and space in what is already a very long book.
Lamentations of the Flame Princess also doesn't have a bestiary, but that's a bit of a different case. The intent with the LOTFP core book is that it's just something you buy to run LOTFP modules, which have the monster stats, and the attitude with LOTFP was that every monster should be unique and therefore there should be no generic stat blocs.
Yeah, especially since the OSR is an ecosystem. You don't only use a module advertised as compatible with Labyrinth Lord with Labyrinth Lord. You'll also use it with any other OSR system, or even the original D&D rules. If the whole idea is you can use material published from a variety of sources, why not lean into that from the start?