Basic Fantasy RPG Forums

Greetings All,

I'm brand spanking new to this forum and first of all just wanted to say Hi!

I've been RPGing since the Moldvay basic box days, which my mom purchased from the shelves of a toy store when I was 8 (the box, not the days). A year later I asked for and got the Expert box for my birthday...and I've been going (on and off) ever since. I love the concept of the core mechanics of 3.X/Pathfinder, but just can't seem to get behind what Stephen Chenault of C&C fame refers to as the "glut of rules". (Besides BF, C&C is my other game-come-true).

I first stumbled across Basic Fantasy via random RPG Internet surfing some 2+ years ago, and downloaded the v2 rules at that point. Never really played it at that point in time tho. Now that I have an iPad, which makes PDFs ever so much more plausible, I recently decided to re-explore the BF game in tandem with a renewed interest in my C&C hardbacks. C&C won that battle by a small margin, not that a battle really needed to be waged. Nonetheless, when I saw that the print version of the BFv2 rulebook was available as a print-on-demand deal at Amazon for an unheard-of five bucks, and prime-eligible to boot (free two-day shipping), I decided "what the heck" and had a copy sent my way. Two days later the Basic Fantasy book is in my hands and all I can say is....

WOW!!!

The PDF just does NOT do this rulebook justice. Yeah sure it's an exact digital recreation, but...man, I don't really know how to even explain it! This feels, vibe-wise, nearly exactly like the three-hole-punched red book I grew up with...it really is just uncanny. It gave me a healthy dose of the warm-n-fuzzies like I never could've imagined. I'm ordering ten more copies tomorrow

That old-school red-book font...that "made in the USA in Lexington KY on April 4th" printed right on the book...the high-quality build of the physical book...just the little touches and all for five bucks delivered! I know I JUST said this, but I gotta repeat it: the PDF does NOT do this rulebook its true, deserved justice. This thing is just a treasure and a joy to own and hold and read. The memories are here...the rules-lite fun is here...the simple pleasure of flipping and browsing...it's ALL just right here. It feels almost like a reunion!

I'll stop gushing and cheesing now. Just wanted to say hi to the clan and tell Chris and crew GREAT EFFING JOB, MAN!!!!!

Carry On,
SigilWraith
(call me "Sidge" )

I've been DMing a BFRPG game now for almost 2 years and I still don't own a printed version. But funny you were saying that because I was on the Amazon site today and will probably get me a copy of the rules and Monkey Island within this week..

Welcome Sidge!

I had a similar experience with Basic Fantasy. When I had only the PDFs I tended to favour Swords&Wizardry Core Rules over BFRPG, when I got the printed BF from Lulu things changed. I love to flip and read through Basic Fantasy.
It really is a different experience. Hence, I got books for my players. They do make nice birthday gifts.

Great to have you on board too!

Your experience is rather more common than you might think. People occasionally hear of BFRPG while they navigate through the options (as do many others whom have become disenchanted with the bulky modern systems)... but it is when they really get their hands dirty with the system, realizing the ease of use and nostalgic sense applied to the game, that BFRPG really gets into one's blood. My own personal turning point came mostly because, while I liked some older systems, I always saw a few glaring flaws (in my mind)... BFRPG seemed to strike that perfect balance of Old with a few modifications in just the right areas to fix my sense of what was wrong (some modernisms are not wrong because they are newer... sometimes they are just right). And, as a rules tinkerer, BFRPG is ideal because of its small, concise, and strict rule base of "just the essentials". This lets me layer stuff upon the rules without worry of the base shifting around to suit the next gaming rule fad.

Thanks for the welcomes and comments. I think I'm gonna like it here. In an odd way, I kinda equate BF with a Ford Mustang. In the sixties they were beautiful and sleek. The 80s (IMO) was a horrible time for the Mustang...so boxy and meh (think "AD&D 2e" here). Nowadays they have that awesome retro look but with just the right modern eminities. I guess what I am saying is, because of the glaring flaws that Smoot refers to in the olden systems, I wouldn't really ever go back and revisit those systems other than to admire the nostalgic aesthetics of flipping through the books...like admiring the look of the 60s Mustangs but not really wanting the headaches and upkeep associated with owning a classic car. But BF to me is like the 2013 models...it looks and impresses like the classic, but the modern upgrades in just the right places make it oh so driveable in the modern age! BF has that new car smell perhaps?

I'm still struggling now with choosing between BF and C&C, but I think I've made my decision... BF AND C&C! Not at the same time tho... I have no interest in mish-mashing the rules together. In these modern times, it will be like this: Basic Fantasy will be my 2013 Ford Moldvay, and Castles & Crusades will be my 2013 Ford AD&D. 'Nuff said.....

add in a few of the user created supplements and BF can serve both your driving needs. Have you looked over any of the additional material available for BFRPG - modules, races, classes, weapons, armor, etc.? The downloads page http://www.basicfantasy.org/downloads.html and the showcase page http://www.basicfantasy.org/showcase.cgi

Yeah I'm just now starting to explore those, Hywaywolf...intriguing!

I just want to second that -- The PDFs really don't do justice to the printed core rules. I just got a copy via Amazon, and it's great. The atmosphere of the game really comes across a lot better in print.

SigilWraith wrote:Thanks for the welcomes and comments. I think I'm gonna like it here. In an odd way, I kinda equate BF with a Ford Mustang.

Hywaywolf wrote:add in a few of the user created supplements and BF can serve both your driving needs. Have you looked over any of the additional material available for BFRPG - modules, races, classes, weapons, armor, etc.? The downloads page http://www.basicfantasy.org/downloads.html and the showcase page http://www.basicfantasy.org/showcase.cgi

And there's my car analogy. BFRPG runs beautifully stock, but it takes well to customizing and souping up. Just make sure you have a good handle on the mechanics before you go to work, or you might blow the engine.