Basic Fantasy RPG vs Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (Holmes)

Compare Basic Fantasy RPG and Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (Holmes) side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.

	Basic Fantasy RPG	Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set (Holmes)
Genre	Fantasy	Fantasy
Tags	Classic Fantasy, Dungeon Crawl, Rules-Light, Ascending AC, Vancian Casting, Deadly, Exploration, Resource Management, Random Tables, CC-Licensed Rules	Classic Fantasy, Dungeon Crawl, Exploration, Resource Management, Random Character Creation, Deadly, Vancian Casting, Descending AC, Tactical, Map-Drawing
Core Mechanic	Roll d20 plus attack and ability modifiers to meet or beat ascending Armor Class. Saving throws use d20 against targets determined by class and level.	Attacks and saving throws use a d20 roll that must meet or exceed the relevant table target. Attack targets depend on the defender's descending Armor Class and the attacker's level or hit dice. The referee resolves other actions through specific d6 or percentile procedures and rulings.
Dice	d20	d20
Complexity	Low	Medium
Availability	Free core rules	Out of print
Runnability	5 of 5 book tools	3 of 5 book tools
License	Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International	Proprietary
Third-Party Publishing	Commercial publishing allowed — Creative Commons license	No verified route found
Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
Publisher	The Basic Fantasy Project	TSR Hobbies, Inc.
Year	2023	1977
Languages	English, Portuguese	English
Best For	Groups who want straightforward fantasy dungeon expeditions with lethal combat and careful management of supplies.	Groups who want low-level dungeon expeditions built around mapping, cautious resource use, and treasure recovery.
Highlights	Separate race and class choices allow elves to combine spellcasting with fighting or thieving. Encounter reactions and morale let negotiation or retreat resolve threats without fighting to the death. Dungeon stocking and wilderness encounter tables help the GM prepare expeditions.	Ten-minute turns tie searching and rest to the risk of wandering monsters. Recovering treasure grants experience, rewarding expeditions that secure loot without fighting every monster. Reaction rolls let encountered creatures respond with negotiation or offers of help.
Considerations	Characters normally die at zero hit points unless the GM adopts an optional survival rule. Racial ability requirements and class restrictions limit character combinations. Casting can be interrupted by an attack on the same initiative count even if it misses.	The core covers only the first three character levels and refers higher-level play to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Magic-users must spend at least a day studying to regain an expended spell. Poison can kill on a failed saving throw even when the initial hit is survivable.