[RPG] What are the differences between Labyrinth Lord and Lamentations of the Flame Princess

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I'm planning to use OSR modules like Caverns of Thracia, Keep on the Borderlands (and new material also as Vornheim) and so on in a open table project I'm running.

I'm not sure whether using Labyrinth Lord or Lamentations of the Flame Princess, and I'm asking you to point the difference between these two systems.

A friend of mine told me that LL is terribly organized. I know that LotFP has no monsters listed but it's no problem because I can take them from other sources. I also know that LotFP is weird fantasy, but this is visible in the related material, not in the main rule book.

I'm referring to the last art-free editions (LotFP 2013, LL 4th release Sept.2009).

What about compatibility with OSR (and old) material like the modules I cited?

Best Answer

Most retroclones are very similar. Personally, I use many of them interchangeably, including content from Swords & Wizardry, Labyrinth Lord, LotFP, AD&D, and more. They are so similar, conversion is rarely necessary and it is very simple when it is. So I wouldn't stress compatibility.

Some Considerations for Choosing:

  • The most relevant difference from a compatibility standpoint is that LotFP AC starts at 12 instead of 10 (or 7 instead of 9 in descending AC terms), but adding or subtracting 2 from AC isn't difficult, especially since you will often already be converting between ascending and descending AC.
  • LotFP has different equipment prices for rural and urban areas, the only system I've seen have this is the core rules.
  • LotFP does have a reputation, so even if you're just using the free rules, it will still color the expectations of potential players or even turn them away because LotFP books are often gory and obscene. This is especially relevant to an open table, where you might not have a chance to explain you're just using the rules.
  • For me the biggest consideration was the convenience of an online SRD which is why I went with Swords & Wizardry, and what I'd recommend if you are open to other systems.

If you're not, both systems are free and very similar. I'd say skim through them both, pick the one you like better, grab anything you liked from the other.

Further reading

We have a question with a brief overview of many of the more popular retroclones, but answers don't go into a lot of depth. And an in depth one but it's between Swords & Wizardry and Labyrinth Lord.

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