Spells are memorized into the slots your level provides, and you can memorize more than one copy of a spell. Casting uses up a copy, and resting restores them. Damage, healing, saving throws and effects are buttons on the spell's chat card.

Play Old-School Essentials Online — Free Virtual Tabletop

Run your Old-School Essentials campaigns on Realm VTT, the free virtual tabletop with automated character sheets, a character creation wizard, dynamic lighting and fog of war.

Old-School Essentials is classic dungeon crawling: fast, deadly combat, careful exploration, and players who live or die by their choices. Realm VTT handles the bookkeeping so the table can focus on the dungeon. Attacks use the attack matrix, THAC0 or ascending AC. Saving throws, thief skills, turning undead and memorized spells are all on the sheet, and the referee keeps the target numbers hidden.

Characters can use race-as-class or separate race and class, with multiple classes when your campaign allows them. Classes, spells, monsters and items are not pre-loaded yet, so you add the ones you use. Pasting a monster's stat block into the NPC wizard builds it for you. Add animated battle maps, torches that light the map and a 3D dice roller, and you have everything you need for old-school play, completely free.

Start Playing Free

Top 5 Reasons to Play Old-School Essentials on Realm VTT

Combat Automation the Old-School Way

Choose the attack matrix, THAC0 or ascending AC for your campaign. Attacks resolve hits against the target's armor class, and damage, healing and saving throws apply from the chat card with an undo button. Encounter XP, adjusted for prime requisites, is one click at the end of a fight.

Character Creation in Minutes

A step-by-step wizard rolls 3d6 in order for each ability score, applies race and class, rolls first-level hit points and lets you buy starting equipment with your gold. Level up rolls the next Hit Die for you.

Memorized Spells, Turn Undead and Thief Skills

Memorize spells into the slots your level allows, more than one copy if you like, and watch them run down as you cast. Clerics turn undead against the turning table, and thief skills improve as the character gains levels.

Dynamic Lighting for Dungeon Crawls

Torches, lanterns and light spells light the map, and fog of war reveals the dungeon only as the party explores. Light becomes a resource the table can see.

Generous Free Tier & No Player Limits

The Old-School Essentials ruleset, dynamic lighting, animated maps and fog of war are all in the free tier. No player limits and no subscription required for core features.

Realm VTT vs Roll20: The Best VTT for Old-School Essentials

Dynamic Lighting

Realm VTT: Free for every campaign. Real-time line-of-sight with torches, lanterns and light spells that light the map.

Roll20: Requires Plus or Pro subscription ($5.99+/month). Free-tier games have no dynamic lighting.

Character Sheets

Realm VTT: Automated sheets for Classic and Advanced play, with a character creation wizard, multiple classes, memorized spells and level up.

Roll20: Official character sheet with roll buttons.

Battle Maps

Realm VTT: Animated maps with weather, fire and environmental effects. Native UVTT import from Dungeondraft with walls and lighting set up.

Roll20: Limited animated map support. Imported map walls and dynamic lighting require a paid subscription.

Live Mapping

Realm VTT: Canvas Scenes let a designated mapper draw the dungeon as the referee describes it, the classic way to explore an old-school dungeon.

Roll20: Freehand and shape drawing tools on the map.

Pricing

Realm VTT: Generous free tier with dynamic lighting, animated maps and the Old-School Essentials ruleset included. No player limits.

Roll20: Free tier with limited features. Plus ($5.99/mo) and Pro ($9.99/mo) for full access.

Feature	Realm VTT	Roll20
Dynamic Lighting	Free for every campaign. Real-time line-of-sight with torches, lanterns and light spells that light the map.	Requires Plus or Pro subscription ($5.99+/month). Free-tier games have no dynamic lighting.
Character Sheets	Automated sheets for Classic and Advanced play, with a character creation wizard, multiple classes, memorized spells and level up.	Official character sheet with roll buttons.
Battle Maps	Animated maps with weather, fire and environmental effects. Native UVTT import from Dungeondraft with walls and lighting set up.	Limited animated map support. Imported map walls and dynamic lighting require a paid subscription.
Live Mapping	Canvas Scenes let a designated mapper draw the dungeon as the referee describes it, the classic way to explore an old-school dungeon.	Freehand and shape drawing tools on the map.
Pricing	Generous free tier with dynamic lighting, animated maps and the Old-School Essentials ruleset included. No player limits.	Free tier with limited features. Plus ($5.99/mo) and Pro ($9.99/mo) for full access.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I play Old-School Essentials online for free?

Does it support THAC0 and descending AC?

Does it support Classic and Advanced character options?

How do spells work?

Are Old-School Essentials adventures or monsters included?

Is Realm VTT good for OSR games?

Old-School Essentials is a trademark of Necrotic Gnome. Realm VTT is not affiliated with or endorsed by Necrotic Gnome.