Sword and Wizardry Complete Revised (2023) was my TTRPG game of the year for 2023, and with the supplements now out, it may take the cake for 2024 as well.

I've run S&WC:R for several months, and after buying and running many games based on Classic D&D (1981-1994) including Old School Essentials: Advanced, I wish I had started with Swords and Wizardry Complete: Revised.

Mechanically, the game straddles the line between AD&D 1e and Basic D&D while maintaining nearly seamless compatibility with both content libraries thanks to being the root of the tree for both games. The game's rules are fluid: loose where they should be and tight where they need to be. The result is a fast, smooth game that easy to prep for, easy to run, and most importantly, fun as hell for players and referees alike.

OD&D's lightning in a bottle shines through Swords and Wizardry's clean layout and clear prose. Matt Finch's authorial voice is a welcome change from the dry, overly concise text of OSE, providing expert commentary and context on why multiple rules are listed for the same mechanic, and which one you might use for your game.

My 3.5/5e players gelled with the game a lot better than they did with the race-as-class characters of Basic D&D or OSE. The classes themselves have more features, lending them stronger character identity and flavor and providing more interesting play at the table than other retro-clones that cover the same ground such as Basic Fantasy RPG or OSE:A.

$35-$40 for the whole game in one hardcover book (either from Mythmere directly or DTRPG; I have both versions) is a great deal. After the eyewatering costs for OSEs equally great hardcovers, this was a pleasant surprise. For $5, the PDF is a steal for what you get.

If you haven't played it, or if you're new to the OSR, pick up a copy. If you have played it, you know why this review is 5 stars.

The book is at a good price and with cleaner aspect, morale was added to the monster stats, some more few improvements. Although the biggest issue is the movement and time, Matt decided to change a combat round to 1 minute and the movement increases to 90/120 feet. After all the improvements in the OSR, it is strange to have a combat round of 1 minute were a character/monster can move a lote and strike only once...

This is an excellent value for your money. A very slick retroclone for the 0e rules with years and years of refinement. This is the one retroclone you need for your OSR needs (together with OSRIC for 1e). Decades of original TSR modules compatibility and lots and lots of now classics that came out for the system over the last 15 years or so. Can't praise this one enough. You can't get wrong with this one. Go get it now!

S&W Complete has been my "go-to" gaming system for over a decade now. The simplicity of the rules and the openness of the system makes it infinitely customizable. The latest version cleans up a few minor spelling errors and adds some guidelines for higher level play. It's the ideal system for introducing new players into OSR style of play. Any OSR module or add-on easily works with the system with no or minimal changes. Top notch system!

This is a classic that I never thought needed an update. But now Finch has made something already excellent even better. This is a must-have on the shelf and in the computer for anyone interested in playing "old school" D&D. Fight on!

I'm used to Old School Essentials, so I wasnt sure what more S&W could bring to the table, but wow, I'm really glad I got this. The classes in here are probably the best versions of the fantasy archetypes I've seen in an OSR, and I really appreciate how the Halfling and Dwarf ancestry aren't neautered in here. The language and effort to be inclusive towards genders other than cis male, and dropping outmoded terms like "race" are also greatly appreciated. Finally, the book itself is lean in comparison to 5e considering its a complete system with rules, world building, monsters, and spells within 146 pages - but it doesn't skimp. If you're looking to try a classic version of the fantasy RPG you're used to, pick this up.

Excellent work. Brings back a strong nostalgic feeling while reading it, with a bit of modern thinking. I played the original game from 1980, and this brings it back. If you like old school gaming, this is worth a look

A fantastic update to a game which was already incredible. The new art and tweaks to layout are great upgrades.

An excellant adaptiation of the rules for the world's greatest roleplaying game of the mid 70s. Includes a large number of class options. Uses your standard polyhedral dice. There's a lot of content here for those interested in older roleplaying games.

This RPG rule book is a game-changer in every sense. It offers a comprehensive and well-structured system that seamlessly blends mechanics with style. The rules are clear and concise, making it easy for both beginners and experienced players to dive into the game.

To me, this isn't exactly a “game.” This is Finch’s interpretation of the Original Rules, along with some commentary about what was or wasn't in the First Publication, about how others have interpreted/run it, concluding with: Now how are YOU going to run it? I run it at conventions "my way," because the core of this is the lingua franca most any gamer knows. But my most fun has been in a Long Game with a group who argues over rulings until we end up with our own great system that is built on the S&W chassis. In this way, this is the ultimate Tool Kit, and, because of Finch's lucid, explanatory prose, it is my favorite rpg to reread.

What a deal!!! This all in one book is easy to read and understand. My only complaint is the lack of a back index, but with a PDF that is just a word search away. I cannot wait to see what the physical edition looks like. There is great attention to page layout. There is not as much art as in many other contemporary OSR book, but the information tables, nice art, and writing make this a joy to read. This is a must have for OSR fans.

Reviewed over on my blog: mdhughes.tech: Review: Swords & Wizardry Complete Revised

Summary:

Swords & Wizardry is much more eclectic and opinionated. It’s also much more playable, more hackable, and more easily used as a “modern” RPG (I always air-quote that, but RPG design has moved on from Dave Arneson’s game that Gary Gygax published & ripped off). There’s still a lot of weird little gaps.

★★★★½ — S&W is a really great “dnd”-like to run, and Complete Revised is the best of these. I really dislike not having an index. I still need a booklet of house rules to play.

Let’s start with what some will ask: is it worth getting this revised version if I have the older version? Yes, yes it is. I don’t think there is anything revolutionarily different here, but it is easier on the eyes and generally some minor things are cleaned up.

Swords & Wizardry provides a clean, easy to use version of D&D 0e or ODD if you prefer, without having to translate 1970s Gygaxian hieroglyphs. These rules are authentic to the original but cleaned up in terms of editing and layout as well as cleaning up the rules a bit so that are unified and digestible. You get all the glory and gory of the original in a way that is accessible to today’s gamer. For example, you have the option of using descending or ascending armor class along with an attack matrix table some of us grew up with or a simple attack modifier more familiar to today’s players. And there are options to make the game more complex if you want, such as choosing between a single saving throw target or using all five of the OSR saving throws you might be familiar with.

In terms of option, you have more than enough for the discriminating player. Assassin, cleric, druid, fighter, magic-user, monk, paladin, ranger, and thief are here. You can play a dwarf, elf, half-elf, halfling, or human. The weapon and armor selections are smaller, but plenty for what this game is about.

This book is comprehensive enough that you won’t need anything else – character creation, rules for play, monsters (160-ish), and treasures all in one place. There’s even a section on building strongholds if you want to include that traditional part of the old school experience. All of that for the price of an overpriced cup of coffee. While this is a complete product, it is compatible with a ton of old and new products. Virtually any adventure and most other products for D&D published before 2000 (when 3rd edition moved the game to the unified D20 system) would be usable with Swords & Wizardry with only slight adjustments.

Matt Finch's Swords & Wizardry, a love letter to "pre-Advanced" '70s D&D (aka OD&D), has been one of the premier retro-clones ever since it debuted fifteen years ago. This latest edition published under the author's own Mythmere Games imprint is easily the best yet, incorporating as it does a number of impactful updates and additions. These include improved layout, errata fixes, easier to use random treasure tables, added stats such as number appearing and lair percentage for monsters, the long-awaited debut of an optional B/X and BECMI-compatible morale system, expanded wilderness encounters with random stronghold generation, simple guidelines for magic item creation, and more. If you're looking for the most full-featured, user-friendly take on OD&D and its various supplements (Greyhawk, Blackmoor, Eldritch Wizardry, etc.), look no further. This is not only the best Swords & Wizardry yet, it's a serious contender for the best overall old school rule set on the market today.

For more details on exactly what S&WC is and what makes this latest version the best to date, I encourage you to check out the much longer review at my blog.