Really Excellent, and as a plus it has many of the monsters needed to play classic modules straight out the box.
For OSE, OSIRIC, BX, S&W, etc modules, in some respects, I prefer Cairn BX to Cairn — as less is lost in the translation. Because this retains XP but in a much more simpler form, so I have the advantages of faster, no roll to hit combat, etc, and also a much easier DCC style simple XP but I always feel with pure Cairn it would change the fundamental feel and dynamics of a OSE style module (because pure Cairn is leveless and classless does away with Vanican spell casting etc).
Would love to see a full version of this with as a standalone. Also I wonder if grouping monster types together is easier to look up: e.g. I found putting the description of common undead abilities seperately, alphabetically, less useable that having it grouped with skeletons, zombies etc. As I found it kinda dangles.
But it’s still good in terms of layout.
I also liked the BX monsters have a bit more description on them that you see in Cairn, e.g the Vampire description, which is helpful and still in bullet point format still easy to use. And many monsters that appear from classic adventures appear to to be added, in addition to the standard BX Bestiary. Which makes running those adventures eadsier.
I would love to see conversions of module - classics and new (e.g. Dark Tower, Lost City, Against the Cult of the Reptile God, Caverns of Thracia, Stonehell, Evils of Ilimire, Pestilence of Halith Vorne, Death Frost Doom, Deep Carbon Observatory ) and would gladly pay for them as its a lot of effort to convert.
Would gladly buy a fuller version of this with dungeon procedures, and rules. Really like this to run the more straight basic expert / OSE / OSRIC style modules as it retains the feel more than Cairn, which I think strips too much away so it changes the dynamics of say the risk of going to lower or higher levels of a dungeon, which requires a kinda of XP gate, and by making it classless I think its to easy too bypass and so takes something away.
Think the spell system and casting is excellent too as well as the adaption of classes. Would love here to see an expansion to other classes, ranger, assassin etc. So you have a S&W or white Box style booklet with all you need to run the game on one or two books. I would be happy to see illusions spells etc too.
As well as the magic items, potions etc, magic weapons.
And happy to pay for three seperate booklets, monster in one, rules, equipment and classes in another, and spells .
Also BX cairn character sheets
If you want to play BX / OSRIC adventures, with iTO/Cairns decisive combat, simple inventory, simpler spells, but still want classes and simple XP, then this is a must
This is really good! A definite buy.