D&D / OSR

D&D / Old School refers to the variants of Dungeons & Dragons which originally appeared from 1974-1981 and which continued publication through multiple editions up to 2000. While there are differences between the editions, the rules and particularly the stat blocks are similar enough that adventure modules and even rules supplements were often used interchangeably. This also includes the "retro-clones" that recreate those systems, and which starting appearing in 2006.

This "system" is a tool for grouping together like systems, but it can also be used for products that are intended to be compatible with several of the subsidiary systems, or products where the specific system is unclear or obscured, often for legal reasons. This applies to many "old school renaissance" products from the late 2000s.

The main variants are:

• D&D / Original, which includes the 1974 3-Volume box set by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Clones include both the standard and "white box" versions of Sword & Wizardry.
  
  • D&D / Holmes is the 1977 "blue box" Basic Set edited by J. Eric Holmes. Though it was released as a variant of OD&D, it is a transitional product and includes elements that more closely resemble both the other two old school branches.
• AD&D is the variant of the game which started to appear in 1977 under that tile, and which expanded the original gameplay. Characters in this branch are noticeably more powerful than characters of equivalent level, especially if options in supplements from 1985 and later are used, making this the least compatible branch. OSRIC is a clone of this sytem.
  
• D&D / Basic refers to later versions of Basic D&D, starting with the 1981 edition by Tom Moldvay which notably differentiated the game from AD&D. This includes the popular "red box" Basic set by Frank Mentzer, Aaron Allston's Rules Cyclopedia, and both the Labyrinth Lord and Basic Fantasy clones.

Subsidiary systems are: 5MORE, AD&D, Aventuras en La Marca del Este, D&D / Basic, D&D / O5R, D&D / Original, Dagger, Fantastic Heroes & Witchery, Hulks & Horrors, Into the Odd, Portal to Adventure, Project 74, Searchers of the Unknown, Stars without Number, Sword & Magic, Sword and Board, Treasure Awaits, Worlds without Number.

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