Old School Principles for Players

OLD SCHOOL PRINCIPLES FOR PLAYERS

Originally presented in Principia Apocrypha by Ben Milton, Steven Lumpkin, & David Perry  

LEARN WHEN TO RUN

Old school adventures often present deadly encounters that, to the eye of a modern gamer, may seem like you're expected to beat them. Learn to dig into the fiction to see the relative power of what you're facing, and don't be afraid to cut your losses. A party that drags away one dead body is a party on their way to a Cleric, instead of on their way through a monster's digestive system.  

COMBAT AS WAR, NOT SPORT

Don't expect encounters to be "balanced". Approach combat with as much trepidation and preparation as you would in real life. Think outside the box, outside the encounter area, outside the dungeon. Think like Sun Tzu. Think laterally or die.  

DON’T BE LIMITED BY YOUR CHARACTER SHEET

Rules and mechanics are only triggered by what happens as established in the conversational fiction of play. To do something, describe your character doing it. If you need to roll, the GM will let you know.   Don't expect to "use" your character’s skills or abilities on demand—investigate challenges by asking the GM questions and describing your actions.   Don't stress over low stats. They just mean you’ll need to be clever, gather information, and plan ahead. Or you can charge in foolishly—just don’t drag the party down with you.  

LIVE YOUR BACKSTORY

Don’t invest too heavily in a backstory. Your character’s experiences in play will become more meaningful than anything you write. Early deaths sting less, and survivors earn real tales to tell.  

POWER IS EARNED, HEROISM PROVEN

Unlike many modern RPGs, your character starts weak. That forces creative thinking and risk management. Rising to a challenge—or choosing to flee—matters more when your life is on the line.   True heroism is shown through your character’s actions, not assumed titles or backstory.  

SCRUTINIZE THE WORLD, INTERROGATE THE FICTION

Forget what you know from other games and engage this world. Ask questions. Make maps. Take notes. Use your senses.   Describe real actions: move the vase, test the air, spill water to see the floor’s slope. The world is real—engage it.  

THE ONLY DEAD END IS DEATH

A dead-end hall may hide a secret. A monster may be bypassed or negotiated with. A locked door may yield to potions or leverage. In old school play, failures open new paths. Dig deeper into the fiction and world.  

PLAY TO WIN, SAVOR LOSS

You may succeed. You will probably suffer. Characters can be cursed, mutated, lost, or slain in humiliating ways. But these moments make stories worth telling.   Through play, a larger story unfolds—your legacy may be a crater or a crude arrow scratched into a wall.  

UNPREDICTABLE BY DESIGN

Magic is dangerous. Monsters are mysterious. The world is weird. Don’t assume anything. Lean into chaos. Embrace the unexpected.  

THE FUNNEL FINDS HEROES

You start with nobodies—peasants, beggars, herders, maybe a chicken. Most will die.   Those who survive become heroes. That’s when the real story begins.  

FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD

Every roll matters. Crits can destroy. Fumbles can cripple. Spells mutate or annihilate. Burn Luck. Offer Spellburn. Invoke Mighty Deeds. The dice are wild, but they can be bribed.  

LEAN IN TO THE WORLD

If you’ve survived the funnel, greatness is within reach—but nothing is free.   Make demands. Seek the blade, the patron, the forbidden spell. If you want it, quest for it. Take from the world—because it will take from you.