From the Introduction:
Welcome to the Spellcraft & Swordplay Basic Game! This free PDF and minimally priced print version gives you the bare essentials to get up and running with S&S, including full (if limited and streamlined) rules. This book gives you everything you need to play as one of the four core classes up through level 3. To take the game beyond that, you'll need to purchase either Spellcraft & Swordplay Revised, or Spellcraft & Swordplay Deluxe Edition.
„Why do this?‰ you ask. Well, a lot of the old school movement's publishers are giving away free PDFs of their games. We feel that S&S is uniquely suited for new players, being easier and more streamlined than many of the games on the market today, and we really think that once you get a taste of this basic game, you'll want to buy the full version, which includes tons of extras like Elite Paths (specialized character classes), background skills, rules for naval combat, a ton of additional monsters, and level progression all the way to level 10 and beyond!
So please enjoy this Basic Edition of Spellcraft & Swordplay . We hope it brings you tons of enjoyment for a long time to come.