Basic Fantasy RPG vs Original Dungeons & Dragons

Compare Basic Fantasy RPG and Original Dungeons & Dragons side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.

	Basic Fantasy RPG	Original Dungeons & Dragons
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, Sandbox, Random Tables, Vancian Casting, Descending AC, Domain Management
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.	Ability scores are rolled on 3d6, and combat uses a d20 attack matrix keyed to class or Hit Dice and Armor Class. Initiative uses dice, saving throws use class-and-level tables, and spellcasters have limited spells remembered per adventure.
Dice	d20	d20
Complexity	Low	High
Availability	Free core rules	Paid
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	Not yet researched
Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing.
Publisher	The Basic Fantasy Project	Tactical Studies Rules
Year	2023	1974
Languages	English, Portuguese	English
Best For	Groups who want straightforward fantasy dungeon expeditions with lethal combat and careful management of supplies.	Groups who want an early fantasy campaign game with dungeon expeditions, open wilderness play, and substantial referee adjudication. It fits tables willing to choose or adapt procedures when the rules leave room.
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.	A class-and-level attack matrix turns a d20 roll into a direct Armor Class result. Separate dungeon, wilderness, aerial, and naval procedures let a campaign expand beyond expeditions. Referee-facing dungeon design and stronghold rules support an open campaign beyond a prepared scenario.
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.	Classes, race limits, spell lists, and attack matrices impose a specific early D&D structure. The original rules distribute important procedures across separate subjects rather than one universal task rule. Running strict 1974 requires separating the original rules from Chainmail references and later compilation material.