So what the hell am I talking about? A Masala Dabba is a traditional Indian spice box. The whole idea of curry powder is a Western invention. Instead of a pre-made off-the-shelf spice mixture, the traditional spices are used based on the dish that is being prepared. The quantity, order or even additional steps like toasting a spice make a huge difference in the final dish.

It’s just my little opinion that it’s perfectly fine to take a pinch of Swords & Wizardry, a dash of Lamentations of the Flame Princess, and a handful of OSRIC to make up the kind of campaign that I’m envisioning. The next campaign with a different feel and style might use a totally different subset of ideas, rules, and clones. Last week, I did a little rant on my other blog about how I’m viewing Basic 5E D&D as just anther retroclone. In many ways, the OSR is lucky. There’s plenty of choices out there. Really make you want. Play what you want. It’s party of the DIY vibe that makes the OSR so cool.