Lamentations of The Flame Princess LFP1003 Player Core Book: Rules & Magic

This is probably one of the very best versions of the classic "Old School Role-play" (OSR) rules that are all pretty similar to early editions of Dungeons & Dragons (0e, or the "white box" set). It is very well organized. It has helpful and commonly used info on the inside covers. It has a super-creepy and somewhat profane collection of painted artwork in the middle that illustrates what makes LotFP a decidedly adult-focused version of D&D. The spells are fairly unique and a lot of them come with a terrible cost to the caster. Magic is fickle and dangerous, as it should be in this kind of a dark-fantasy setting. This only thing really missing here is that this is only the "players" side of the rules. There's a lot not covered that is presumably coming in a DM's book and/or Bestiary. Sure, you can still use this along with the other LotFP adventures and get by. Or at least, most competent DM's familiar with the OSR originals or their derivatives. But it would be super swell if they would republish the DM book for this... hint.... hint....

I purchased this book as a Pathfinder player. I've spent several years in the more modern d20 system and style of play, and recently I've wanted to branch out. This book is perfect for that. It's a small and portable book with excellent quality of binding and printing with some very evocative art within. The style and art push toward a very dark style of adventure, but the rules are versatile. Additionally, the purposeful omission of a monster manual helped to push my creativity as a dm.Really, I haven't said anything new here. If you've found this book, chances are it's for you. Download the free pdf without the art and check it out, and if it seems interesting, go for it. It's awesome.

This RPG gaming system has become my favorite, I still love AD&D 1e and Call of Cthulhu, but this system combines both of what I love about both of those. The book is a little smaller than I thought it would be, the artwork is beautiful, this book is written for adults 18 years or older. I will still play AD&D and Call of Cthulhu as well. Here is a quote I have taken form the Lamentations of the Flame Princess website that shows that you can use this rpg gaming system with a lot of different gaming systems. "Rules-wise, LotFP belongs to the "Old School Renaissance" family of games that uses the Open Game License to recreate game rules of the late 70s/early 80s, with LotFP's particular twisting of those rules flattening out the power level a bit and emphasizing a more horrific and go-for-the-throat attitude. A PDF version of the full rules without any of the game's artwork is available here for you to use for your own purposes. (The full-version PDF includes all of the art, while the physical version is a beautiful high-quality artifact in its own right.)Being part of the Old School Renaissance also means that every LotFP adventure and supplement is readily compatible with over 100 other RPGs, and their support material is readily compatible with LotFP."

I’m leaving my original 2-star review below as I still stand by it. However given some recent controversy involving someone who worked as an editor on this game in some capacity I wanted to bump up my rating based on the overall sentiment of the publisher, who favors freedom of expression, which I also support. So while I might argue that this core book in isolation is nothing particularly special, taken as a whole I agree there is something powerful happening here with LOTFP as a series. Yes I don’t agree with everything that someone might say, but I support their right to say it. So taken as a whole I’m adjusting my rating in consideration of my support for the publisher.Original review below:On first glance I don’t see the appeal. I do enjoy the alignment battle between law and chaos - this aspect of the game seems to be its chief innovation and yes I know even that is from an earlier version of D&D - however, Clerics as the servant of law are ‘the man’. Magicians as the pawns of chaos are the ‘rock stars’. You can see where this is going, straight to . . . adolescent rebellion. Watching the doc about Woodstock 99, Flea was naked and this performance reminded me of how a toddler acts out. This folklore kind of has a ‘flea-esque’ vibe I suppose is what I’m saying. This folklore is not about interdiction, but rolling in the ashes. In that light, the traditional ‘equipment lists’ and cost tables, rules like encumbrance, retainers, property and finance, ‘upkeep’, maritime miles per day based on the type of craft, etc. All this stuff which you still can find filling up this slim little volume almost seems a comical waste of space, a parody of a role playing game rather than a game. I suppose I am suddenly possessed by the idea of creating a solo game where the character starts floating in a raft in the middle of the ocean, so there is that good fun to be had. Still I wonder whether most people playing this game with its refined avant-garde taste have a few spare old school rulebooks or even reprints lying around to sift through for such mundane aspects of the world as crowbars and grappling hooks. Well grappling hooks are certainly a bit exciting and I suppose for the modern reader carrier pigeons are too. You can find all that information here. Carrier pigeons cost 100 sp in case you were wondering. Just a couple pages, and also in the inside cover for ease of use. Perhaps given the heavy street rep enjoyed by this game in my mind I am a little let down that the basic rules aren’t more exotic. That is expecting too much perhaps. “Teetotalers will be extremely rare” in such a setting they tell us on page 36. This is historical I know. I’ve read a few history books. I mean spell lists are fun but even these are not so very far from what you will find in any rpg rule book. Wall of iron. Unseen servant. So for what exactly did I pay my 25 bucks? I will say ‘it’s ok’ with my 2 stars and yes I understand I am clearly in the minority, but I don’t care.