I didn't notice any mention of this little gem in these forums.

Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells is rules light role playing game with Old School spirit. It has quite nice modern mechanics and it supports all that old-school style of play where the rules are not restricting the creative play.

Also it is free of narrative/story/meta game rules. Some people have compared Vocation mechanism with FATE Aspects, but that is very wrong comparison. I would compare it to professions from other rules light games. It is just when ever a player/GM can apply it, you get bonus to a attribute check -- my favourite skill-system. FATE aspects are tied to the penny-economy meta game, which kills the immersion for me -- nothing like that in here.

It is my go-to fantasy game for the moment, look it up. The Appendum supplement is nice addition with many optional rules (corruption, sanity, etc).

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/198163/Sharp-Swords--Sinister-Spells

Some of the key aspects it stands out for me:
 - super simple characters, just 4 stats, HP, gear, luck, Vocation
 - nice and simple resource mechanic. You have d6 arrows - when ever you roll 1 or 2, you reduce the tie type. At the end if you roll 1 or 2 with d4, it was the last one.
 - monsters have one attribute (hit-dice) and special ability
 - spell system
 - movement rules
 - only three classes that are very different (I hate many classes that are all too samey)
 - many more little things ..

I thought it might be a good one. Just haven't got around to picking it up.  I like alternatives to standard D&D ammunition rules.  So, that's good to see.  A luck attribute is something my players have liked from Tunnels & Trolls.

Does it have new unique spell research rules as a viable option in the book?

Quote from: Kuroth;1053211Does it have new unique spell research rules as a viable option in the book?

There is just spell list and restriction on how many spells can be learned. But it is totally open (not specified) how spells can be researched or picked.

What I like about spell casting is that there are no spell levels. Every spell can be cast on variable strength - it is up to the caster (maybe it is restricted by characters rank). So if character chooses to cast a spell with stronger effect, it is more difficult to pull it off (penalty to willpower check). You can also push-yourself to execute the magic casting by making a reroll, but when failed you get a spell catastrophe from random table. Awesome stuff!

Very reasonably priced, with a lot of illustrations, and it is succinct in its rule description too, given its page count. I have been going through my Summer game purchases, which is one of the reasons I have been around this forum of late.

Yes, I totally forgot to mention the artwork. This thing is beautiful! I am just puzzled how the worst picture ended up on the cover, but that's just different tastes I guess

I picked this up a while back on an impulse buy and I love it. Haven't had a chance to play it yet. I'd be interested in a PbP if anyone else was. I'd even consider running it if I had a little time to brush up on the rules.

FYI, I didn't participate but I believe they just recently kickstarted a sci fi version.

This is on my list to pick up.  The author, Diogo, was on the Appendix N Book Club Podcast discussing Conan stories recently.  His inspirations are pretty firmly rooted in the pulp stories, which is perfect for me.

I picked this up a couple of months ago.  Great, simple rules with old school art and style.  I haven't played it yet, but dollar for dollar it may be my best RPG purchase of the year.

The game inspiration of Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells helps get an idea of the game without needing to go into the details.

From the game's Drivethru listing:
"The following author's work inspired the mechanics of this game: Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson, David Black, Christian Mehrstam, John Cocking, Peter S. Williams, Joseph Goodman, Harley Stroh, Jason Morningstar, Ian Livingstone, Steve Jackson, Simon Washbourne, Kevin Crawford, Sandy Petersen, Mike Manson, Jay Little, James M. Spahn, Ben Milton."

Hopefully everyone knows these guys!
Gary Gygax
Dave Arneson
Sandy Petersen

Some less famous fellows:
David Black - known for Blackhack
Christian Mehrstam – known for Whitehack
John Cocking, Peter S. Williams – co-authors of Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures
Joseph Goodman – most known for Dungeon Crawl Classics
Harley Stroh – known for his Dungeon Crawl Classics adventures
Jason Morningstar – most known for Fiasco
Ian Livingstone, Steve Jackson – since these are listed side-by-side, the co-authors of Fighting Fantasy
Simon Washbourne – most known for Barbarians of Lemuria
Kevin Crawford  - most known for Stars Without Number
Mike Manson – known for his work on the Call of Cthulhu line of game products
Jay Little – most known as co-author of Star Wars Edge of the Empire
James M. Spahn – most known for White Star
Ben Milton – know for Maze Rats


There are a couple that make me go hmm... Over all great, though.

The name of Jay Little seems a bit out of place. Is it clear what influence exactly did he have on the game?

Quote from: 3rik;1053355The name of Jay Little seems a bit out of place. Is it clear what influence exactly did he have on the game?

I was trying to deduce that too.  Jay also worked on Mutant Chronicles 3rd, Warhammer Fantasy 3rd, Star Wars Age of Rebellion and most recently The Turing Test.  He was the lead developer of the 2d20 resolution used in Mutant Chronicles 3rd that was later used in another Modiphius Entertainment's game, Conan: An Age Undreamed Of.  Conan is a pretty recent game, but maybe Jay caught Diogo's eye in that?  It's hard to say.  It could have been the Turing Test too, which aligns with Morningstar's Fiasco.  Jay has been involved in a lot of different games, with quite a bit of different approaches to table gaming in many of them.  Maybe that is the game influence right there, the variety.  Jay seems pretty good at developing games tied to licensed mature fully developed background worlds.  So, there is that too.

So whatever else you might say about it, this isn't actually an OSR game...

I think that is fair Pundit.  At the least it resides in a gray area between.  I imagine the author would rather have the game played or not on its own merits anyway.

Indeed, I was mistaken in my original post.

It is specified:
ATTENTION! Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells is not a Simulacrum of an older edition of the world’s most famous fantasy RPG! Although inspired by the original game and the OSR movement, the game was designed to be have its own unique system, more suitable to the Sword & Sorcery genre the author has in mind.


Looking at a definition of OSR:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_School_Revival

It certainly is not D&D retroclone. But the style of play is inspired by OSR.

Quote from: RPGPundit;1053567So whatever else you might say about it, this isn't actually an OSR game...

Quite the opposite, if you go by the mechanics and the goals they're trying to accomplish:).

Yes, it's doing its best to make the mechanics work for S&S. Exactly like DCC and Crypts&Things, you know;)!