Rampage Amid the Ruins is my personal D&D re-write. I wanted to start with the basic Original D&D combat math and work in a large number of things I've learned from players Holmes, AD&D1, AD&D2, Rules Cyclopedia, D&D3e, D&D4e, D&D5e and Adventurer, Conqueror, King.
I've gotten the first draft of all four books complete, and I'll be posting them here as I get them cleaned up and transferred to PDF.
BOOK 1: Hacklords and Hexmastery (Character Rules, Combat Rules, Spells): Hacklords Draft 1
BOOK 2: A Jerk's Guide to Jerks (Monsters and NPCs) Jerk's Guide Draft 1
BOOK 3: Tome of Mighty Judgment (DM rules, Treasure, Magic Items) Judgment Draft 1
BOOK 4: What Things You Can Buy (Equipment, including herbs and alchemy) What Things Draft 1
A FEW DESIGN THOUGHTS, INSPIRATIONS:
Skills: Thief Skills and Adventurer Skills are limited to skills useful on an adventure. These Skills are something that are either only possible if you have the skill, or having the skill makes it significantly more likely to succeed if you have the skill rather than not. The system was inspired by “Gangbusters B/X” but edges pretty close to Savage Worlds, now that I think of it. It's roll a die, get 3+ (when Savage Worlds is 4+).
Swords and Wizardry inspired the “Only 1 saving throw number” mechanic. I have become very happy to always just go to the mechanic “If you want to avoid something bad, the answer is always “make a save.”
The nature of Ability Scores away from the core mechanic back to a peripheral concern, so that monsters and most NPCs don't even need them, was a feature of early D&D that I really wanted to get back to.
However, ascending AC is one feature from 3rd edition and afterwards was something I really appreciate and wanted to use.
I've come to think that the “Spell Focus” mechanic I've used for several campaigns is more of a problem than a benefit. Allowing a few ways to get some bonus spells, and the easy manufacture of scrolls (from both Holmes basic and 3rd edition) is a better solution for low-level casters.
Gary Gygax latter-day house rules for playing Original D&D were also a inspiration: 1d6 hp per level for all classes, +1 hp for Fighters, re-roll “1”. Make spell books more like AD&D 1e rather than what we see in Blueholme, which are a headache. Limited bonuses for Ability Scores, about a +1 for a 15+. Healing spells heal all lost damage. 1d6 group surprise and initiative.
I've also taken the chance to re-write the spell lists, so that as many spells as possible are more useful. I've cleaned up the Alchemy, Herbs and Special Foods and Beverages to make them more useful and interesting. I've really tried to integrate all the gear, spells and character abilities cleanly.
Finally, I've been trying to make weapon choice mean something and to smooth out what I've learned from the several versions I've been working through with AD&D, Blueholme and Chainmail mechanics. I think I've finally gotten to where I wanted to be. I'm really hoping that Fighters will start to be more melee-capable due to maneuvers and weapon effects.