Basic Fantasy RPG (BFRPG), is a free, open source, rules-light retro-clone RPG that emulates, and is largely compatible with, the 1981 Basic and Expert sets of Dungeons & Dragons. Its main differences from B/X D&D include d20-style ascending armor class and separation of character race and class. The game is one of the first products of the Old School Revival.
On removing character Limitations in OD&D and other OSR Games
I intend to try and run either OD&D or an OSR game in the future (probably OSE).
One thing I will discuss with my players is how we feel about difference races being restricted to certain classes.
One of the things you see in OD&D is stuff like this:
Where Dwarves, Elves and Halflings canāt pick from the same class list as humans can. OD&D doesnāt really do a good job of telling you why. There are reasons, both mechanical and embedded in the lore.
As far as I know, the lore reasons for why a dwarf canāt become a cleric are explained in the AD&D monsteer manual. Under the entry for Dwarf.
Right there.
Dwarven clerics are 2 in 200 according to the default āworldā you get in AD&D. 1% of 200 dwarves. Theyāre really rare, which is meant to tell you that the characters you play as are not the 1% of all characters, but the 99%, just average people.
Thereās also a mechanical reason, but itās not really whatās stated as what is not stated.
Humans get no apparent bonus in all editions of D&D prior to 3e.
Except they do.
The human bonus is the ability to choose from all the different classes available without level limits.
So as soon as you enable a dwarf cleric, you make the human cleric a little worse.
Who cares though?
This is an RPG, of course we can work around that. These limits can be completely lifted and I think all groups should discuss the removal of these limitations.
You only have to do one thing to make it possible, and we see examples of this in OSE and BFRPG.
OSE simply gives the human character an optional bonus.
BFRPG gives humans a 10% bonus to all earned XP.
(Note: BFRPG has this rule even while restricting dwarves and halflings from being magic-users so perhaps an additional bonus could be added on top of this)
I still think that simply offering any small bonus such as extra HP or XP is enough to then open the gates for a character of any race to be of any class.
Optionally, you might also extend the rules in AD&D where level limits for certain races were extended based on the attributes.
For example, you might only allow dwarves with a high intelligence to be magic-users (theyāre probably going to need it anyway).
Thereās many ways for this to be done and I think any way is better than telling a player who comes to your table that āsorry you canāt play a half-orc magic-userā.
Lifting the requirements is also a blessing for GMs because you can actually start making a world with different elements than the default that has been provided to you.
That said, some players may be fine with these limitations, but itās up to the group, and itās something I would always want to discuss in a session 0 environment. Every group will have a different idea of how to give humans a small bonus or to abide by those limitations.
Sandboxing Basic Fantasy #TTRPGsolidarity #BFRPG #BasicFantasyRPG #RolePlaying #DnD5e
I have really been enjoying running Basic Fantasy RPG for the Bearfoot Marauders. The game is light rules, even if there are more charts, and things move pretty fast. I describe combat encounters in BFRPF as different than Dungeons & Dragons 5e. Itās not better or worse, just different. 5e tends to be more cinematicāthe abilities of the characters are very powerful, even at mid-level, so it makesā¦
So this dropped today, The Shard: Deadhome, a Gazetteer for #odysseysandoverlords #bestfantasyrpg #bfrpg #osr over on #drivethrurpg, thus making my author page there grow and grow. More should be coming out this year so watch this space! https://www.instagram.com/p/B9UslS4nuTg/?igshid=1jg786s576nu6
Just started messing with Roll20 and Iāve begun to create a bestiary for an OSR RPG called Basic Fantasy Role Playing Game (essentially 2nd Edition D&D with some tweaks)! The system is very fun and if you wanna play a game with me (or run one for me) hit me up! Iām down!
The cleric seems to have no legs (he must be standing in a hole š) and the fighter is rather too small. A friend said that he reckons the cleric will need more than 'Cure Light Wounds'.
