Basic Fantasy RPG: OSR Core Rulebook Review

[@QuestingBeast]

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[@youtubeused2Bcool]

It's been a year since the last KZbin update on Maze Knights. Will there be an update soon? Would really love to know when it will be available. Inquiring minds want to know! Thanks for all you do, Ben! You've really helped me a lot:)

[@ChrisGonnerman]

Hey, thanks for the kind words! I get your point about character generation and looking things up, but the rules are arranged to mirror the layout of the classic games circa 1981; also, the organization is meant to be convenient for the GM rather than the players. Character generation is usually done in the down time between sessions, or at the beginning or end, where there is time to turn a few pages; however, when the GM needs the numbers, it's often in the middle of the game.

[@ChrisGonnerman]

Also, anyone interested in what the "oldest" OSR game is should read my blog post here: basicfantasy.org/blog/?p=1

[@jmhimara]

That's understandable. But I think the saving throws tables could be moved to the character creation parts of the books. That info is mostly relevant to the players rather than the GM. Otherwise, I think the book is fantastically laid out.

[@ChrisGonnerman]

@@jmhimara I disagree. Players look up their saving throws when they create a character, and then again only when the character gains a level. The GM looks up saving throws whenever players cast spells on them, try to poison them, etc. I need to look up saving throws as a GM far more often than players do.

[@gebatron604]

@@jmhimara i think i agree, i would have liked to be able to look at a character sheet and be able to fill the entire thing in by looking at the character creation section. the one that confused me for the longest time as a noob was AC - you have to look at equipment to find it

[@allluckyseven]

@@ChrisGonnerman Well, you could repeat that information... Have it both in the character creation section and in the GM section. Maybe in a charts and tables section, and if adding pages to the hardcover book would prove to be problematic (depending on the choice of binding), that could be added to the endpapers.

[@garrick3727]

Other OSR systems are more glossily presented (and more expensive), but Basic Fantasy is one of the most complete systems out there. It works well for new OSR players coming from, say, D&D 5e because it drops a lot of the weirdness of B/X - descending armor, THAC0, race as class, varying level limits, but it keeps the old school feel. The best part is, the PDFs are free, but if you want to buy the books they are dirt cheap. I have every book and it maybe cost me $40 total, which is about the same cost as one 5e book.

[@onealflynn2414]

There is a field guide that serves as monster manual that has more monsters than what is in the core book as well

[@KarasSteiger]

Adding to this: as of now, there are two full volumes of the field guide.

[@paavohirn3728]

Oh wow thanks! The field guide looks awesome! Great art too!

[@scorpiondeath-lock4238]

two full ones and there is a 3rd Field guide in the showcase section of the bf webiste

[@lazylitch8035]

This is like the linux of OSR - made by a decentralized community were anyone can get involved, all open for everyone to thinker with and made not for profit. I play these rule systems a lot, I love them. I bought this for my younger brother too because I thought its a good place to get started.

[@hoogmonster]

Completely agree with the Linux comparison. That's one reason I love this system, the other is it's just a great RPG. Coming from DnD 5E and PF1 this was a great way to get into OSR style gaming.

[@jonsadler3013]

My favorite OSR system. Other games do specific things better but no game is a pure and direct as BFRPG. This game looks and plays how I imagined rpgs to look and play before I started playing.

[@Yora21]

It's B/X with separate races and classes and sensible armor class. Really just fixing the biggest flaws of what was already the best D&D system.

[@finger3181]

This ^^ 100%

[@HoundofOdin]

This is the game that got me into the OSR. It is what 3e should have been.

[@andrewfsheffield]

Why would you say something so controversial yet so brave?!

[@HoundofOdin]

@@andrewfsheffield Controversy has rarely bothered me.

[@fernandomercado2711]

This is what I wanted 3.5 to be when I first bought 3.5. I always knew there was something weird about it. Now Basic Fantasy, DCC, and Iron Falcon (BY CHRIS GONNERMAN TOO!) really showed me what I was missing.

[@Malcadon]

One thing that I like about Basic Fantasy RPG, besides being freely available for download, is how the rules and supplements -- like the Fantasy Field Guide (monster book) and Equipment Emporium -- are constantly getting updates. With or without the main rulebook, I can print the game whole or in pieces.

[@freddaniel5099]

Basic Fantasy was my first OSR system and remains my first choice to run for folks new to old school play. My 2nd edition copy of BFRPG, which I started OSR play with, is sitting right beside me in its 3-ring binder. (It's easy enough to arrange a few pages in whatever order you want them, if that's important to you, or to even add your own house rules if that's how you roll!) For my money, BFRPG does exactly what I want my OSR game to do in the 21st Century! I have many other original and OSR products, but nothing is as useful as BFRPG. I am so grateful to Mr. Gonnerman!

[@chrishall5440]

Thanks for looking at this one. I ran a campaign with it for two years. Aside from being a great game, the community in their forums is great. The modules and supplements are created for free from the community. It’s a no-drama zone which can be rare in OSR circles.

[@Samwise7RPG]

I've had a great time running this. It's nice that I don't have to break the bank to buy physical copies.

[@aerothelich2023]

what i absolutely love about this module is that it was created by a dedicated community of Roleplaying fans. Its so awesome that they put all the rulebooks on their website for free and if you do want to buy the books then you can get them for very little money. I love how somewhat simple and straight forward the rules are. You don't even need to print character sheets! Normal graph paper is more than enough. This Ruleset doesn't get lost in hundreds of talents, special class features and so on (just take a look at the pathfinder character sheet for example. I love Pathfinder but i think you know what i mean). Also the community keeps expanding on classes and races which is amazing! Its so inspiring to see projects like this grow and it makes me so proud to be a roleplayer and fan of the genre. I purchased some of the books and hope to get more people into playing Basic Fantasy RPG to support the project! Thank you for your wonderful summary video of the core rulebook!

[@fernandomercado2711]

Just ordered 7 books from basic fantasy. It wasn't even 30 bucks! You have to review Iron Falcon!

[@alutheranlearningspanish1719]

The emphasis really is on Moldvay-Cook BX d&d, not so much the d20. The d20 was a legal means to the end of getting a bx clone out there. The author has even said that if he knew Labyrinth Lord was coming out at the time, he probably wouldn't have done the book. The changes are mostly his house rules, even though they do make it easier for people used to d20 systems. PC alignment is ommitted, which probably leads to smoother play since nobody notices it's missing. The separated race and class don't change that much. The biggest change is probably the individual initiative, but it's easy enough to splice side initiative back in if one doesn't like it.

[@ChrisGonnerman]

Let me add that Basic Fantasy RPG is truly Old School, in the sense that I don't expect any sane GM to run the game "RAW" despite that being a thing these days.

[@VMSelvaggio]

Hey Mr. Ben! I just picked this book up, along with the Adventure Compendium and the Monsters Malignant and Benign. Can't wait to receive them, will be here on Friday!

[@paulcoy9060]

I bought the whole collection for about 50 bucks! The main book and 11 other adventures or resource books. Amazing.

[@pedrobastos8132]

I began playing/running RPGs with this one (I mean, it's 100% free, couldn't go wrong), and I always end up going back to it, whether it is for some monster stats, item lists, so on and so forth. But yeah, it could be a tad more organized with the saving throw tables and the Turn Undead table too.

[@perspectivedetective]

Based on your review, I decided to check out this book. So far, I'm loving it! It makes me want to run an oldschool mega-dungeon game.

[@thingsnearandfar7123]

I never understood why people say this is an old school D&D updated for the d20 system (3e etc}... Apart from the use of acceding AC I don't see any 3e type rules in this game at all! It really puzzles me! It's pure OSR!

[@lastsonofkrypton3918]

Cool, the stronghold rules are really good ones to assist players in constructing theirs. If you can please review Iron Falcon from the same author. It's OD&D 3 little brown books + Supplement I: Greyhawk , the two of which together are the very bones of D&D. Much like Moldvay Basic D&D but not race as class and many more spells, monsters and magic items you would recognize from AD&D 1st ed. Very inexpensive and the pdf is free for download. Would make a great expansion to Holmes D&D Basic Set too =)

[@fernandomercado2711]

Iron Falcon needs more love!

[@541raymond]

Thank you for such a gift as this. I am new to DND, and this helps make it understandable. thank you.

[@rollingthunderinadownpour649]

Wow! I got my patron shoutout on the OSR system video that I personally use. I use Basic Fantasy as the core rules for all of my fantasy games.

[@mizukarate]

I use Basic Fantasy for my solo games. Has plenty of good stuff for my very free style of solo play.

[@Archytas-Leroy55]

Our group of old skool D&D players play this currently and really like it better than 5e because 5e has changed so much since the last time we played (2e and some 3.5e). Great video. Live your channel!

[@TheWolfDogMoon]

I got this and many of the supplements a few years ago and highly recommend it. Really good stuff and very affordable!

[@MrRourk]

I use this from time to time. One of the better rules published out there.

[@sketchingjohn1678]

Thanks, I run BFRPG every Thursday night, so I loved to see your review.

[@danelmore2783]

I love 3rd edition Basic Fantasy! Excellent review.

[@xxredjayxx]

My favorite system!

[@weirdguy564]

If I hadn't found an even more clever rules lite RPG called Pocket Fantasy, THIS is the D&D rules I would play. I actually dislike the official 5E D&D game (I was mostly a Palladium RPG series guy, never played D&D), but now I want to try it. Then I almost immediately found rules lite is much more my style, and I'm actually ticked off I won't play Basic Fantasy because it is such a neat game.

[@gebatron604]

love the system, and all respect to chris, its a great game, but i think the layout is a bit of a headache for new players. but considering its free, i can hardly complain

[@shinjibaka6702]

The original price in dollars is good. Unfortunately on my country's Amazon (Brazil) this book costs an incredible 145 reais (without the cost of shipping), which is equivalent to something around 70 dollars. For Brazilian standards it is a high value. I'm glad I can download the file.

[@esotericagriculture6643]

Thanks for reviewing this. A great OSR game.

[@davidpaul1970]

In my opinion this is a streamlined version of AD&D. And I'm all for it.

[@tasty_wind4294]

Legit question: why do so many people have a problem with ascending armor class?

[@sullyb23511]

I agree. I don't get it, either.

[@ChibiKami]

grognard purists (contrarians at this point) insist on descending AC because it's how Gygax did it; first by referencing a chart and later by complex formula people who don't want to add the enemy's AC to their d20 roll and try to roll over their own THAC0 value prefer ascending AC because they don't have to bog the GM down with questions every round, can instead directly add a number they can reference from their own character sheet instead of the Monster Manual, and the math works out to the same number on the d20 being required anyway (if 9AC descending = 10AC ascending) there's not a damn thing wrong with ascending AC

[@johnnystock297]

@@ChibiKami The numbers are the same and it's intuitive to go up, but for us old people, the descending armor class is preferred because we were used to a system that came directly from the old war games of the sixties. Anything with a 0 armor class or less (-1, -2, etc.) was instantly recognizable as bad ass and something to be wary of. When I see some monster that has an AC of 20 or more, it doesn't have the same emotional impact. I'm not in awe. It's just another number. But, I'm a grognard, so...

[@birddaddydetta]

@@johnnystock297 I appreciate the perspective, thank you for sharing the origins of descending armor class!

[@markalexander3487]

It's really useful to have a look inside the book.

[@gonzo529]

LOVE YOUR VIDEOS...but...3rd edition wasn't the first to bring about the ability to be a Race and a class, I believe that was AD&D 2nd Edition which came out in 1995, but I could be wrong. I feel like AD&D 2nd Edition is often overlooked in your videos when referencing the past to the present game. AD&D 2nd Edition is the father of the modern game. While they dropped many of the old carryovers rules from regular AD&D, many 3.0 (and subsequent editions) rules where first tested in 2nd Edition to some extent.

[@williamlee7482]

It was AD&D 1st edition that came out in 1978 that separated race from class that the older D&D versions of the game had

[@davidcauley9400]

Love me some BFrpg, and the community is great.

[@Korroth]

We are very excited to discover this rule set, we’ll be using it for our new game, and it’s FREE. ❤️

[@mikegould6590]

An amazing value for a little money.

[@cristianogris4957]

There are hardcovers available. Check their website.

[@lastsonofkrypton3918]

yes, and good quality too. I've had mine since 2011, binding is still perfect.

[@billedmunds80]

Castles & Crusades debuted in 2004...

[@QuestingBeast]

Good point, forgot about that!

[@genaro192]

Hi there I want you to know I love your work and I was wondering what do you think about the videogame dark souls and how we can learn from it to adventure design. I would love an special video about it. If you don't know anything about DS I really really really encourage you to play it or at least learn from it's masterpiece design. Anyway, greetings from Argentina!

[@gebatron604]

it would be cool to see a review of GLOG or the various GLOG hacks around

[@randomsleepyness]

They sell this in hardback on Amazon now for $12!

[@kevinbirge2130]

This is a great system.

[@KAM1138a]

I really like the idea of simplified or OSR adaptations of modern d20 rules (which are great the core). Why anyone would retain the Old School Saving throws instead of a modern variation is beyond me. The SOURCE of the effect being different never made sense (a spell vs a wand). It seems retained PURELY for Nostalgia reasons--at the cost of sensible mechanics. I really dislike it. Good news--it is easily replaced by a d20 Fort/Ref/Will system.

[@burningphoneix]

Good review but is it possible to improve the lighting in future videos?

[@davidwasilewski]

Could you use old ad&d books as a resource, like the monster manual too?

[@davidcauley9400]

Definitely, but with a tiny bit of conversion. The BFrpg forum is a good place to see what others do in that regard. I think you'll find most monsters are already mapped over and adapted to BF in the rulebook and two free Field Guides, though some might be renamed where TSR own a name. and two field guides anyway. It won't cost you a bean to download them so take a look!

[@allluckyseven]

This is a book they should do a Kickstarter just to pay for new, more professional layout and art. While still making it black and white to keep the costs down.

[@jameslemon7689]

Race and class where separate all the way back to first edition d&d. Races as classes were from the basic series of d&d. It didn't start with 3rd edition.

[@thenachomancandysavage4074]

finally this is reviewed, fuck yeah

[@MikeJohnson-xw9ig]

Thank you for this video

[@Yora21]

I think the bad organization is deliberate to make the book properly authentic 80s D&D.

[@Porelorexeus]

Tried to download it, but the site doesn't have a button to confirm check on my phone.

[@jerkchickenblog]

rules for what will distract a monster? pull the other one

[@mrtriceratops3384]

That patron “-“ shouldn’t be spoken as “-“ indicates a gap between words

[@LordSathar]

"Basic Fantasy and OSRIC were the first two retroclones" Hackmaster 4e says what?

[@mulliganmaster]

I was sold until I found out it was the later D20 system..... Oh Well....

[@lastsonofkrypton3918]

Check it out with the free download. The only thing that makes it d20 is the ascending ac and the spells are from the SRD (iirc). More details in comment by A Lutheran Learning Spanish on this page.

[@chrishall5440]

Mulliganmaster, it’s really not d20. Thieves’ skill are % rolls, the saves categories are classic (not Fort/Reflex/Will), there are no d20 DC checks, etc. There are a few modernisms: ascending AC, bonus to hit, turn undead on a d20 (instead of 2d6), etc. The author, Chris Gonnerman, just used the d20 OGL to rebuild B/X from the ground up. It’s worth checking out.

[@ChrisGonnerman]

Yeah, it's not D20. But the only way to publish an OSR ruleset is to use the D20 SRD for legal coverage, and as BFRPG was the first to be seen in public, I felt it important to emphasize that fact in the official descriptions of the game. Other than ascending AC and a very small amount of borrowed text (borrowed for the same legal coverage purpose), mechanically it's very much like 1981 all over again.