Swords & Wizardry
Swords & Wizardry is one of the most well-known retro-clones, games that mimic early editions of Dungeons & Dragons without infringing on trademarks and copyright associated with D&D.
Here’s how the publisher describes Swords and Wizardry:
It is about flying carpets and cursed blades, about hooded priests gathered for unspeakable rites in their forgotten temples; it is about adventure and about perilous undertakings, forcing back the evil creatures of Chaos from the borderlands of embattled civilization; it is about battle-scarred warriors and deadly sorcerers… it is about Swords & Wizardry!
Three Things About Swords and Wizardry
- Based on the Original D&D Rules: While Swords & Wizardry is a complete rewrite that does not use any trademarked D&D material, it is based on and compatible with the original 1974 “Zero Edition” D&D rules.
- Compact d20 Rules: Like the original D&D, Swords & Wizardry is a relatively lean rulebook that does not require extensive additional books to play effectively.
- Compatible with Other Games: Adventures written for early D&D and other retroclones can usually be used with Swords & Wizardry with minimal modification.
Reviews
- “At its roots, it is a very simple, very rules light game with colossal potential for fast and furious fun.” — Philippe-Antoine Menard, Critical Hits
- “I like games that don’t get in the way of my role-playing and S&W serves that up in spades.” — Newt, Sorcerer Under the Mountain