The Nightmares Underneath: OSR DnD Book Review

[@QuestingBeast]

Join the Questing Knights on Patreon: bit.ly/QBPatreon Download my RPGs and adventures: bit.ly/ItchStore My favorite OSR books: bit.ly/TopOSRBooks My favorite RPG-related products: amzn.to/30kfamM

[@JohnstoneMetzger]

Also noteworthy info: If you buy the book in print without the pdf, you can email the author at: johnstone (dot) metzger (at) gmail (dot) com and he'll give you the pdf for free.

[@QuestingBeast]

I forgot to mention in the video that the PDF version of this is FREE! You can get it here: www.drivethrurpg.com/product/196352/The-Nightmares-Underneath-Free-Edition?affiliate_id=379088 And you can get the print version on DTRPG rather than on Lulu: www.drivethrurpg.com/product/195355/The-Nightmares-Underneath?affiliate_id=379088

[@trixus4768]

I love the creative design work behind these OSR books. It really is refreshing in comparison to kinda boring official 5e by WoTc 👌

[@jacenchrisbaker]

I am loving going through your channel and learning more about all these OSR sourcebooks. You should do a video on the 5 OSR books you'd use for something like Pathfinder or D&D (not just setting books of course)!

[@BrooksSligh]

Oh my that's a gorgeous book. Love the art & I love the concept too, looks really well fleshed out. And that gigantic magic supplement? Amazing. Yeah I'm going to have to pick those up.

[@Trevie3]

Wow this looks absolutely lovely!

[@LukaRejec]

I think I have the .pdf of this book ... but at 400 pages it was a bit too hard to read! So, I’d recommend print over .pdf.

[@muntdouken9841]

Always hoped you'd review this

[@sebbychou]

I absolutely need these, I just started a campaign in that type of concept and its right up my alley.

[@sebbychou]

Oh boi, Red Box is near where I live and work... I wonder if there's a way I can buy it straight at the source...

[@MrRourk]

Check out White Box Gothic. Some of the classes and rules in that book would mesh well.

[@sebbychou]

Fredrick Rourk I'm running classes barebone like LotFP right now but I'll definetely check it out.

[@MrRourk]

Perhaps this then inthelabyrinth.org/house-rules/tftgothic/

[@sebbychou]

Sounds a lot like warhammer rpg mechanics

[@misomiso8228]

Where have you been Questing?! We missed you!

[@Bluecho4]

This book gives me strong Madoka Magica vibes. Delving into the nightmare realms of some unearthly horror, in order to kill it and banish the horror.

[@jchart01]

Just curious, if the Fighters auto-hit how does the system balance Wizards? At low levels Wizards in the OSR are just painfully weak and squishy, so with that much of a power bump to Fighters I would hope they give Level 1 Wizards... and other characters something cool that can do. I will flip through the free version in the meantime. Great vid as always. Thanks.

[@sebbychou]

Generally the OSR rule in that aspect is that you at least deal minimum damage (or less) even on a miss, not that you always "hit". I'm assuming it's the same thing here.

[@DaveThaumavore]

Kind of a side note, but Google just announced that they will be removing all video annotations from all KZbin videos in January. I felt bad for all the content creators who have mentioned an annotation in their videos and pointed to the top right corner of the frame. Just a heads up. Love you, Ben!

[@QuestingBeast]

Annotations are going away, but not Cards, which is what I've been using.

[@DaveThaumavore]

Questing Beast Oh, my bad. You’re right. Good deal!

[@Sunshine11229]

This looks rad. ordered both books just now. Excited to cherry pick all these ideas for a dnd campaign. thanks questing beast! i look forward to all your reviews, keep it up!

[@EruditeDM]

A perfect setting for Black Sword Hack or Knave 2e, right? Law vs Chaos. #OSR 👍🏼

[@ariaayoubi4167]

I had a nightmare that I was chasing by a massive guy and I wanted to shout but nothing...

[@thingsnearandfar7123]

The print version of this book seems to have disappeared... Anyone know where to find it?

[@QuestingBeast]

I've heard rumors that a second edition is in the works. Maybe that's the reason.

[@thingsnearandfar7123]

@@QuestingBeast thanks for the info, Mr Q. Beast 👍

[@lucaricciardi8253]

Os it just me or these nightmare incursions sound reminiscent of inception?

[@Klovember]

There are three printed versions. Yours is the sewn hardback from Lulu, another hardcover is from DTRPG. The DTRPG version is glued and not sewn and comes without the dust cover. DTRPG also offers a softcover book. Please do not forget to mention that there is a small adventure book as well. It comes as a pdf version on DTRPG or as a softcover booklet on Lulu.

[@QuestingBeast]

Thanks for the info. I've pinned your comment.

This is the first time I hear about Lulu offering thread binding and I can not find any reference on their website. Do you have a link for me? I am more than happy to order this book as a sample.

[@Klovember]

@ Check out the Nightmares Underneath post on the Red Box Vancouver's Blog site for some pictures and a description. Sadly the Lulu hardcover version is only available from the United States. That means shipping outside the US is expansive.

[@Klovember]

@@QuestingBeast Ben, you're welcome. Keep up the good work.

[@weduncan4]

Which OSR rules do you suggest for this setting?

[@Klovember]

This is not a setting, it's a complete game. It is more of an AD&D type game then D&D. You don't need any other rules.

[@Klovember]

@Barry O'Leary That's true but basically the setting is just a paper thin veneer (around 15 pages out of over 400). The core of the book is the rules. But of course you could steal the idea of "dungeons as nightmare incursions" and transfer it to any other setting. Lotfp would be a good choice.

[@lichegate]

What do the two books look like under the dust cover?

[@Klovember]

Black linen.

[@lichegate]

@@Klovember Just the title? No design or anything else of interest? I'm trying to decide if I want the lulu or drivethrurpg version. I think the latter sounds better at the moment...

[@Klovember]

@@lichegate As far as I know it's just the title, no design. Since I'm living in Germany I ordered the DTRPG version. I'm not a big fan of dust covers on RPG books and I don't need my back lying flat on the table...

[@lichegate]

Klovember Thanks, maybe Ben can show us when he does the grimoire.

[@chrisgdawg]

What am I going to spend money on now??

[@actrealationalist]

Wow, I started this video unimpressed and ended enticed almost enough to spend money I don't have on it.

[@74POOPmen]

Yaaaa boi

[@d_Brian67]

I really like this, but why is it considered to be "OSR"? The mechanics definitely aren't old-school D&D, but I guess the "feel" of the game is?

[@QuestingBeast]

It's close enough to B/X DnD that you could use the materials in that with very little conversion. Anyway, I consider "OSR" to refer more to a style of play than a particular set of mechanics.

[@hahahalevy]

@@QuestingBeast I would say it takes queues from OSR (random tables, XP for treasure, rules simplicity like Roll-Under-Ability, emphasis on exploration and player skill instead on tactics and roleplay mechanics, etc.) but also other games such as D&D 5E or Dungeon World. Also, OSR games tend to be self-published, high-quality writing with avant garde unique concepts, and very high production values. This one checks all the boxes.

[@Klovember]

It is not your typical D&D OSR. It is more AD&D mixed with a little bit of Dungeon World. But it is closer to old style games then 5e or Pathfinder as it treats combat as war and not as sport. So I would consider it to be in the OSR vein.