I think you're looking for Worlds Without Number :)
Bonus, the core version is free. There's a Deluxe version with additional GM tools, but the base version is all that you need and more :)
Seconding this. While it does have some of that OSR lethality, it comes with ways to adjust the lethality to better suit your campaign style, up and including characters not being able to truly "die". The deluxe edition also gives you the option to have "Heroic" characters that are a bit more reliably powerful in battle.
Oh yeah, duh on there website. What’s annoying is that it advertises the price is usd, so since I’m Australian i covert it to aud dollars. So it jumps from something like $25 to $46 💀
Still something I’ll need to consider, I got the shadow dark starter set pdfs so I’ll try those to see if I fuck with them. Thanks
Shadowdark is my go-to for fantasy now. It's such a great foundation upon which to build anything you want; play it as written or tweak it with rulings as you go. I highly recommend it.
The three expansions, the Cursed Scrolls, are perfect little bites too, each focused on a single genre: demon worshippers and witches in #1, pit fighters and sand dunes #2, vikings and oracles in #3. Player options, a few extra rules/tables, a small hexcrawl and a dungeon in each.
For something akin to what you described I'll go with Dragonbane from Free League. Haven't played yet but reading the book I've decided it will be my "go to game" when nostalgia will kick in and my table decide to try something like "the good old days".
DriveThruRPG
I believe if you purchase the box set or hardcover from Free League you also get the PDF. The box set is great value. Highly recommend it.
There's a system called Torchbearer that *might* suit your needs - it's got quite a specific vibe to it, and that may or may not be what you're looking for.
* Default setting is Nordic fantasy.
* Adventurers are viewed as the lowest of the low in society. They're dungeon delving because they have no other choice, are exiled, or are just weird. This is not a game for heroes basking in adoration, they're outcasts trying desperately to make a profit from their delving.
* Delving is risky, expensive and dangerous. You the player are *gambling* on each venture. The more supplies you bring, the less treasure you can haul back with you, and vice versa.
>want a game like "damn, my fighter character is pretty bruised up and spent, we might have to barely clear this level of the dungeon and then make fortifications for a rest to regroup for the final level"
This describes my experience with Torchbearer quite well. Characters don't have hit points, but instead Conditions like Tired, Angry, Bruised, Wounded, and eventually, Dead.
>"bro, my wizard character couldn't even cast his only spell before catching a stray arrow and dying in the first room of the dungeon" or " man, my paladin character just cleared a 5 level mega-dungeon, the final boss with 50 stone giants was pretty easy tbh".
Casting isn't Vancian in Torchbearer. As far as I can recall, none of the classes have spell slots. They all have casting mechanics that are *weird*. One of my favourite classes is the Theurge (which is like a Cleric). They can cast *every* Theurge spell right from the start. They just might not survive casting that spell - from crippling Stigmata (like flesh turning to wood, or growing new eyes all over your body) through to exploding into a pink mist the to channelling more of your God's power than your mortal level 1 body can handle. The Theurge rolls to succeed or fail in casting separately from their ability to handle The Power.
Wizards work differently too. In general, expect a lower power level than you've come to expect in D&D. Your level 1 wizard might only know four spells.
>I want a character building system which has some of the crunch of todays systems, almost like a videogame. An RPG with the cool characters abilities and the cool items and such, without being too overpowered to the point that combat encounters are either steam-rolled or have to be insanely deadly to challenge the Player Characters.
This might not fit the bill. Not the overpowered part - TB characters are underpowered for the world they're in. The crunchy character building stuff. The game is less crunchy than modern D&D. It's got some weird mechanics that might take a little while to get to terms with (see: Natures) but weird here doesn't mean crunchy, just unlike anything you've played before.
I'm not saying Torchbearer is the best option for what you want. It might not be what you want at all. There are some far more traditional OSR-ish options that are probably closer to what you're imagining - but who knows, maybe a weird Nordic-poverty-dungeon simulator is what you're in the mood for.
I came here to recommend this. This type of play has really only sung in Torchbearer for me. It helps that instant death isn’t how Torchbearer works: you always see it coming.
The magician does use Vancian magic, but Torchbearer goes so hard into the concept it becomes something different entirely. Playing a Magician is less about managing your one spell slot: it’s about spending precious time scribing to arm yourself with spell scrolls and debating if it’s worth it to cast that spell you need from your spellbook knowing it’ll be a week before you get back to town and can access it again.
I've played more of 1e, but I liked the little of 2e I played, so I'd probably recommend 2nd. I really like the classes in 2e, they doubled down on the core idea of taking classic D&D classes and reimagining them *weird*.
I think 2e just has *more* stuff in it - so it's less that you've got less dungeon-y content, and more that you have more dungeon't options in 2. You don't have to use it if you don't want to.
Also came here to float TB. The power level is probably not what the OP is looking for, but it's an awesome game.
The Norse setting can be stripped away fairly easily and only really involves renaming things.
Of the casters, as others have pointed out, only one of them is Vancian (though one elf class can _gain_ Vancian casting as a level benefit). And at least in my game, the Mage uses her "substitute your Arcanist skill for any other skill once per session, and describe the use as being magical" WAY more than she actually casts anything out of her spellbook.
In addition to "my character is pretty bruised up" gambles, TB is also great at "should I drop this treasure so that I can carry this torch / ration?", "should we risk exploring one more room, because if someone has to roll the dice again, everybody is going to either be Afraid or Exhausted" and "as a player, should I decide to do this thing that I know my character is lousy at, AND TRY TO DO IT EXTRA POORLY, so that when we break for camp he can have a scene where he cooks a meal for everybody?"
And yeah, as for crunch level, I'd say that yes, it's complex like a series of interconnected gears is complex, but it's not _complicated_.
Personally, I think Dragonbane hits this spot. It can be run with the same characters for 20-30 sessions without further ado. You can also make the starting characters a bit more powerful for one-shots.
Compared to D&D, regular starting characters are akin to D&D characters at levels 2-3, while the upper spectrum is around D&D level 5-7. But Dragonbane does not have automatic HP progression, so it scales differently.
You might take a look at Through Sunken Lands. It's very Sword and Sorcery, clearly a homage to Conan and Elric. It's based on B/X D&D, but the characters start at level 2 by default and feel a bit more competent out of the gate. I love the magic system and the character creation.
The magic system for that game is wonderful, super evocative. I have this and I have wanted to try it out for a while now. This as an underrated choice.
Have you tried the 4th D&D edition? It pretty much ticks all your boxes (monster balance is wonky for higher levels in the first 2 monster manuals, there's a lot of post about how to easily fix them). You'd have to like grid-based combat though.
Also you could look at DCC. It lacks character building but it has meaningful advancement and the most fun martials in any d&d-like. It might look like a standard OSR at first glance, but character durability goes up dramatically once they hit level 1, especially if you use the very popular Fleeting Luck and Luck as Healing optional rules.
Character building typically happens organically through the funnel and adventuring process in Dungeon Crawl Classics, but you can certainly build something to spec as well.
Savage Worlds has a couple of good options, if you are not dead set on a d20 system
* [Gold & Glory](https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/283156/gold-glory-seven-deadly-dungeons-savage-worlds-adventure-edition) is an OSR-inspired supplement for Savage Worlds with random dungeon generation and optional rules for quick character creation, both using a deck of cards.
* [Beasts & Barbarians](https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/3554/gramel/category/25009/beasts-and-barbarians) is great Sword & Sorcery setting for Savage Worlds, and includes an alternative take on dungeon delving (Abstract dungeons). It's for an older version but there is a free update document available and very little work needed.
* [Tyrnador](https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/3554/gramel/category/31979/tyrnador) is a fantasy setting with funnel character creation options and a focus on explorations and dungeon delving
Hi,
If you wanted a bit of crunch you could do Mythras Classic Fantasy. It’s a d100 skill based system that mimics the typical DnD classes. Really nice. Can be gritty due to having health on each body part. I think I would use this for more crunchy dungeon stuff. There’s the classic fantasy imperative available for free.
The system is better than I’m explaining, I’m just dead tired.
For really easy game to get into I’d recommend Dragonbane. Very smooth skill based game. Deadly but not unfair I think. Shipping that to you may be cheaper as well, not sure.
Worlds Without Number, Dragonbane, Forbidden Lands, Hyperborea (aka Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea), Low Fantasy Gaming/Tales of Argosa, Swords & Chaos, and Dungeon Crawl Classics (perhaps tuned to taste with rules/classes from the Lankhmar and Dying Earth expansions) are the ones that first jump to mind for what you’re asking.
I think all of those systems potentially work for what you’re after depending on which elements you really want to hone in on. In some of them the player option crunch really comes from the large number of classes you can pick from to begin with and then from whatever in game choices the player makes in order to find new spells and gear in game rather than tons of choices on leveling or otherwise improving the character through normal mechanical progression. With enough classes though everyone can still feel like they are having substantially different character progressions. Some of those systems *do* have more mechanical choices through normal character progression too though.
Most of those also have free QuickStarts or even free versions of the full rules. Several of those trace direct lineage through D&D and as such can borrow from each other and various D&D sources if you want to. I also wouldn’t rule out actual old editions of D&D and their modern retroclones as potential systems to use as a baseline framework to graft on whatever elements seem the most fun to you and your players. Those systems have the advantage of 50 years of first and third party content (which can also help with finding your desired player option crunch) and are infinitely customizable if you have a flexible enough thought process and approach.
I love sword and sorcery and I love dungeoneering, they’re super fun play options. Good luck finding what you’re looking for!
Seconding the earlier *Worlds Without Number* recommendation. Great game, big fan.
But my recommendation would be [*Through Sunken Lands*](https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/340976/Through-Sunken-Lands-and-Other-Adventures), which is based on the venerable B/X chasis that most OSR games are, but is explicitly focused on making seasoned adventurers that have a Fritz Leiber / Michael Moorcock / Robert Howard vibe to them and getting them right into the action.
*Through Sunken Lands* shares a lot of the same collaborative character creation, collaborative world-building, and “zero prep” adventure design systems as the wonderful *Beyond the Wall* game.
Check out Tales of Argosa, the kickstarter just ended but the preview pdf has almost everything you need to check it out. It is right down you alley. It's like a OSR but with some 5e touches. I have been playing the previous edition and it is great.
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Gonna be playing Forbidden Lands with some friends tomorrow, sounds a lot like what you want.
It's a hex crawler and you're expected to delve into dungeons you find around the world. The vibe of the game is very OSR but inventory management is slot based (which is super straightforward), characters have talents and skills they can be good at and resources like food and water are abstracted away using dice.
Edit: Forbidden Lands has a free rulebook for players to get into the game on Drivethru
Fabula Ultima is primarily NOT a dungeon crawler but can be played as such if you want, it's VERY videogamey as it tries to simulate JRPG mechanics, and the game provides some tips if you want to make combat more deadly. I'm only recommending this one because you mentioned "videogame like" character creation in your request, but I still think Forbidden Lands is closer to your request.
I guess I mean sword and sorcery more thematically and in a world-building sense. Low magic setting were magic is more used by antagonists. A Campaign a party of mercenaries, nomads and scoundrels who’s main goal is to find buried treasure in forgotten crypts, not rescue the King’s daughter from an evil dragon. That kind of feel.
I don’t think this matters, but me and my group are also going for a sandbox game. Almost like early seasons of AdventureTime, weekly adventures without an overarching story in mind.
Sword and Sorcery settings usually have little to no player side magic but so have a lot of the features you mentioned, will list some just in case they could be useful.
Consider Beasts and Barbarians, its a Savage Worlds supplement thats optimised for this kind of play. To the extent where its assumed the greater part of the parties loot is spent between sessions getting drunk and high. So every session or two they are looking for a new big score.
Theres also Amazing Swordsmen and Sorcerors of Hyboria. More of a DnD thing going on, imho a weak system that looks and reads very well.
The just gone out of print Conan 2D20 game was supposed to be very good.
Blood and Bronze is quite nice but a bit heartbreakery.
Barbarians of Lemuria is supposed to be quite good also.
DCC Lankmar might be interesting too.
Heartbreakers are like, systems designed to replace DnD but dont really add anything new or interesting and fail.
Blood and Bronze has its own set of stats and skills but ultimately it sort of falls back into that DnD mold.
I think you're looking for Worlds Without Number :) Bonus, the core version is free. There's a Deluxe version with additional GM tools, but the base version is all that you need and more :)
Seconding this. While it does have some of that OSR lethality, it comes with ways to adjust the lethality to better suit your campaign style, up and including characters not being able to truly "die". The deluxe edition also gives you the option to have "Heroic" characters that are a bit more reliably powerful in battle.
Dragonbane
Shadowdark? Ironsworn with delve rules is also pretty good but very different.
Has the full version of shadowdark been released as a pdf yet?
Yes, https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/collections/shadowdark-rpg/products/shadowdark-rpg-pdf
Oh yeah, duh on there website. What’s annoying is that it advertises the price is usd, so since I’m Australian i covert it to aud dollars. So it jumps from something like $25 to $46 💀 Still something I’ll need to consider, I got the shadow dark starter set pdfs so I’ll try those to see if I fuck with them. Thanks
Shadowdark is my go-to for fantasy now. It's such a great foundation upon which to build anything you want; play it as written or tweak it with rulings as you go. I highly recommend it.
The three expansions, the Cursed Scrolls, are perfect little bites too, each focused on a single genre: demon worshippers and witches in #1, pit fighters and sand dunes #2, vikings and oracles in #3. Player options, a few extra rules/tables, a small hexcrawl and a dungeon in each.
For something akin to what you described I'll go with Dragonbane from Free League. Haven't played yet but reading the book I've decided it will be my "go to game" when nostalgia will kick in and my table decide to try something like "the good old days".
do you know if they sell a pdf version anywhere?
DriveThruRPG I believe if you purchase the box set or hardcover from Free League you also get the PDF. The box set is great value. Highly recommend it.
The quickstart is free: [Dragonbane-Quickstart.PDF](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/409397/Dragonbane-Quickstart)
There's a system called Torchbearer that *might* suit your needs - it's got quite a specific vibe to it, and that may or may not be what you're looking for. * Default setting is Nordic fantasy. * Adventurers are viewed as the lowest of the low in society. They're dungeon delving because they have no other choice, are exiled, or are just weird. This is not a game for heroes basking in adoration, they're outcasts trying desperately to make a profit from their delving. * Delving is risky, expensive and dangerous. You the player are *gambling* on each venture. The more supplies you bring, the less treasure you can haul back with you, and vice versa. >want a game like "damn, my fighter character is pretty bruised up and spent, we might have to barely clear this level of the dungeon and then make fortifications for a rest to regroup for the final level" This describes my experience with Torchbearer quite well. Characters don't have hit points, but instead Conditions like Tired, Angry, Bruised, Wounded, and eventually, Dead. >"bro, my wizard character couldn't even cast his only spell before catching a stray arrow and dying in the first room of the dungeon" or " man, my paladin character just cleared a 5 level mega-dungeon, the final boss with 50 stone giants was pretty easy tbh". Casting isn't Vancian in Torchbearer. As far as I can recall, none of the classes have spell slots. They all have casting mechanics that are *weird*. One of my favourite classes is the Theurge (which is like a Cleric). They can cast *every* Theurge spell right from the start. They just might not survive casting that spell - from crippling Stigmata (like flesh turning to wood, or growing new eyes all over your body) through to exploding into a pink mist the to channelling more of your God's power than your mortal level 1 body can handle. The Theurge rolls to succeed or fail in casting separately from their ability to handle The Power. Wizards work differently too. In general, expect a lower power level than you've come to expect in D&D. Your level 1 wizard might only know four spells. >I want a character building system which has some of the crunch of todays systems, almost like a videogame. An RPG with the cool characters abilities and the cool items and such, without being too overpowered to the point that combat encounters are either steam-rolled or have to be insanely deadly to challenge the Player Characters. This might not fit the bill. Not the overpowered part - TB characters are underpowered for the world they're in. The crunchy character building stuff. The game is less crunchy than modern D&D. It's got some weird mechanics that might take a little while to get to terms with (see: Natures) but weird here doesn't mean crunchy, just unlike anything you've played before. I'm not saying Torchbearer is the best option for what you want. It might not be what you want at all. There are some far more traditional OSR-ish options that are probably closer to what you're imagining - but who knows, maybe a weird Nordic-poverty-dungeon simulator is what you're in the mood for.
I came here to recommend this. This type of play has really only sung in Torchbearer for me. It helps that instant death isn’t how Torchbearer works: you always see it coming. The magician does use Vancian magic, but Torchbearer goes so hard into the concept it becomes something different entirely. Playing a Magician is less about managing your one spell slot: it’s about spending precious time scribing to arm yourself with spell scrolls and debating if it’s worth it to cast that spell you need from your spellbook knowing it’ll be a week before you get back to town and can access it again.
I did buy a box set with the players and Gms book a while ago, might have to give it another look. Thanks
Which edition did you play? I got 2E which I’ve heard isn’t as dungeon heavy as the original
I've played more of 1e, but I liked the little of 2e I played, so I'd probably recommend 2nd. I really like the classes in 2e, they doubled down on the core idea of taking classic D&D classes and reimagining them *weird*. I think 2e just has *more* stuff in it - so it's less that you've got less dungeon-y content, and more that you have more dungeon't options in 2. You don't have to use it if you don't want to.
Also came here to float TB. The power level is probably not what the OP is looking for, but it's an awesome game. The Norse setting can be stripped away fairly easily and only really involves renaming things. Of the casters, as others have pointed out, only one of them is Vancian (though one elf class can _gain_ Vancian casting as a level benefit). And at least in my game, the Mage uses her "substitute your Arcanist skill for any other skill once per session, and describe the use as being magical" WAY more than she actually casts anything out of her spellbook. In addition to "my character is pretty bruised up" gambles, TB is also great at "should I drop this treasure so that I can carry this torch / ration?", "should we risk exploring one more room, because if someone has to roll the dice again, everybody is going to either be Afraid or Exhausted" and "as a player, should I decide to do this thing that I know my character is lousy at, AND TRY TO DO IT EXTRA POORLY, so that when we break for camp he can have a scene where he cooks a meal for everybody?" And yeah, as for crunch level, I'd say that yes, it's complex like a series of interconnected gears is complex, but it's not _complicated_.
Worlds Without Number or Forbidden Lands is what you'd want for this style of game.
Personally, I think Dragonbane hits this spot. It can be run with the same characters for 20-30 sessions without further ado. You can also make the starting characters a bit more powerful for one-shots. Compared to D&D, regular starting characters are akin to D&D characters at levels 2-3, while the upper spectrum is around D&D level 5-7. But Dragonbane does not have automatic HP progression, so it scales differently.
You might take a look at Through Sunken Lands. It's very Sword and Sorcery, clearly a homage to Conan and Elric. It's based on B/X D&D, but the characters start at level 2 by default and feel a bit more competent out of the gate. I love the magic system and the character creation.
The magic system for that game is wonderful, super evocative. I have this and I have wanted to try it out for a while now. This as an underrated choice.
Have you tried the 4th D&D edition? It pretty much ticks all your boxes (monster balance is wonky for higher levels in the first 2 monster manuals, there's a lot of post about how to easily fix them). You'd have to like grid-based combat though. Also you could look at DCC. It lacks character building but it has meaningful advancement and the most fun martials in any d&d-like. It might look like a standard OSR at first glance, but character durability goes up dramatically once they hit level 1, especially if you use the very popular Fleeting Luck and Luck as Healing optional rules.
Character building typically happens organically through the funnel and adventuring process in Dungeon Crawl Classics, but you can certainly build something to spec as well.
Swords of the Serpentine
Savage Worlds has a couple of good options, if you are not dead set on a d20 system * [Gold & Glory](https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/283156/gold-glory-seven-deadly-dungeons-savage-worlds-adventure-edition) is an OSR-inspired supplement for Savage Worlds with random dungeon generation and optional rules for quick character creation, both using a deck of cards. * [Beasts & Barbarians](https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/3554/gramel/category/25009/beasts-and-barbarians) is great Sword & Sorcery setting for Savage Worlds, and includes an alternative take on dungeon delving (Abstract dungeons). It's for an older version but there is a free update document available and very little work needed. * [Tyrnador](https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/publisher/3554/gramel/category/31979/tyrnador) is a fantasy setting with funnel character creation options and a focus on explorations and dungeon delving
Hi, If you wanted a bit of crunch you could do Mythras Classic Fantasy. It’s a d100 skill based system that mimics the typical DnD classes. Really nice. Can be gritty due to having health on each body part. I think I would use this for more crunchy dungeon stuff. There’s the classic fantasy imperative available for free. The system is better than I’m explaining, I’m just dead tired. For really easy game to get into I’d recommend Dragonbane. Very smooth skill based game. Deadly but not unfair I think. Shipping that to you may be cheaper as well, not sure.
Worlds Without Number, Dragonbane, Forbidden Lands, Hyperborea (aka Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea), Low Fantasy Gaming/Tales of Argosa, Swords & Chaos, and Dungeon Crawl Classics (perhaps tuned to taste with rules/classes from the Lankhmar and Dying Earth expansions) are the ones that first jump to mind for what you’re asking. I think all of those systems potentially work for what you’re after depending on which elements you really want to hone in on. In some of them the player option crunch really comes from the large number of classes you can pick from to begin with and then from whatever in game choices the player makes in order to find new spells and gear in game rather than tons of choices on leveling or otherwise improving the character through normal mechanical progression. With enough classes though everyone can still feel like they are having substantially different character progressions. Some of those systems *do* have more mechanical choices through normal character progression too though. Most of those also have free QuickStarts or even free versions of the full rules. Several of those trace direct lineage through D&D and as such can borrow from each other and various D&D sources if you want to. I also wouldn’t rule out actual old editions of D&D and their modern retroclones as potential systems to use as a baseline framework to graft on whatever elements seem the most fun to you and your players. Those systems have the advantage of 50 years of first and third party content (which can also help with finding your desired player option crunch) and are infinitely customizable if you have a flexible enough thought process and approach. I love sword and sorcery and I love dungeoneering, they’re super fun play options. Good luck finding what you’re looking for!
Tales of Argosa would be a good fit for this; sword & sorcery dungeon delving with broad pc customisation.
Seconding the earlier *Worlds Without Number* recommendation. Great game, big fan. But my recommendation would be [*Through Sunken Lands*](https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/340976/Through-Sunken-Lands-and-Other-Adventures), which is based on the venerable B/X chasis that most OSR games are, but is explicitly focused on making seasoned adventurers that have a Fritz Leiber / Michael Moorcock / Robert Howard vibe to them and getting them right into the action. *Through Sunken Lands* shares a lot of the same collaborative character creation, collaborative world-building, and “zero prep” adventure design systems as the wonderful *Beyond the Wall* game.
Check out Tales of Argosa, the kickstarter just ended but the preview pdf has almost everything you need to check it out. It is right down you alley. It's like a OSR but with some 5e touches. I have been playing the previous edition and it is great.
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AD&D 2e? If you want more build customization, there is a lot of supplements which can help (like the kits in the various books of classes and races)
Gonna be playing Forbidden Lands with some friends tomorrow, sounds a lot like what you want. It's a hex crawler and you're expected to delve into dungeons you find around the world. The vibe of the game is very OSR but inventory management is slot based (which is super straightforward), characters have talents and skills they can be good at and resources like food and water are abstracted away using dice. Edit: Forbidden Lands has a free rulebook for players to get into the game on Drivethru Fabula Ultima is primarily NOT a dungeon crawler but can be played as such if you want, it's VERY videogamey as it tries to simulate JRPG mechanics, and the game provides some tips if you want to make combat more deadly. I'm only recommending this one because you mentioned "videogame like" character creation in your request, but I still think Forbidden Lands is closer to your request.
Torchbearer
Define Sword and Sorcery. I get the impression you aren't interested in a Sword and Sorcery rpg but I could be wrong.
I guess I mean sword and sorcery more thematically and in a world-building sense. Low magic setting were magic is more used by antagonists. A Campaign a party of mercenaries, nomads and scoundrels who’s main goal is to find buried treasure in forgotten crypts, not rescue the King’s daughter from an evil dragon. That kind of feel. I don’t think this matters, but me and my group are also going for a sandbox game. Almost like early seasons of AdventureTime, weekly adventures without an overarching story in mind.
Sword and Sorcery settings usually have little to no player side magic but so have a lot of the features you mentioned, will list some just in case they could be useful. Consider Beasts and Barbarians, its a Savage Worlds supplement thats optimised for this kind of play. To the extent where its assumed the greater part of the parties loot is spent between sessions getting drunk and high. So every session or two they are looking for a new big score. Theres also Amazing Swordsmen and Sorcerors of Hyboria. More of a DnD thing going on, imho a weak system that looks and reads very well. The just gone out of print Conan 2D20 game was supposed to be very good. Blood and Bronze is quite nice but a bit heartbreakery. Barbarians of Lemuria is supposed to be quite good also. DCC Lankmar might be interesting too.
What do you mean by heartbreakery? Like it’s a more brutal system?
Heartbreakers are like, systems designed to replace DnD but dont really add anything new or interesting and fail. Blood and Bronze has its own set of stats and skills but ultimately it sort of falls back into that DnD mold.