Basic Fantasy RPG vs Shadowrun
Compare Basic Fantasy RPG and Shadowrun side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Basic Fantasy RPG | Shadowrun | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy | Cyberpunk, Fantasy |
| Play Style | Classic Fantasy, Beginner-Friendly, Rules-Light, Ascending AC, Open Source, Hackable, Modular, Dungeon Crawl | Crunchy, Tactical, Heist, Character Building, Faction Play, Lore-Heavy, Skill-Based, Mission-Based, Urban Fantasy |
| Core Mechanic | Roll d20 + attack bonus against the target's ascending Armor Class. Saving throws use a d20 roll-over against category-specific target numbers. Ability checks are d20 roll-under. Character advancement uses class-based XP tables and hit dice. | Roll a pool of d6s equal to attribute + skill, counting 5s and 6s as hits. Meet or exceed a threshold to succeed. Situational advantages generate Edge points rather than modifying dice pools directly; Edge is spent on tactical effects like rerolling dice, adding successes, or imposing penalties on opponents. |
| Dice | d20 | d6 dice pool |
| Complexity | Low | Very High |
| Accessibility | Very High | High |
| Runnability | Very High | Very High |
| License | Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0 | No open license |
| Cost | Free | $$$ |
| Publisher | Basic Fantasy Project | Catalyst Game Labs |
| Year | 2023 | 2019 |
| Best For | Groups who want a free, simple B/X-style game that modernizes classic D&D with ascending AC and separate race and class while remaining compatible with decades of OSR adventures. | Groups who want cyberpunk-fantasy heists with deep mechanical subsystems for hacking, magic, and combat. |
| Highlights | Completely free PDF with at-cost print copies through Lulu, race and class are separate unlike B/X source material, highly compatible with classic B/X and OSR modules | The setting fuses megacorporate intrigue with magic and metahuman races, so a single team mixes street samurai, mages, and deckers. Distinct subsystems model Matrix hacking, spellcasting, drone rigging, and astral space, each carrying its own rules depth. The Edge economy converts situational advantages into a spendable resource for rerolls, extra hits, or penalties on opponents. |
| Considerations | Four core classes only (Cleric, Fighter, Magic-User, Thief) without supplements, racial class restrictions limit some combinations, no built-in setting or campaign framework | Matrix hacking runs on its own timescale and can leave non-decker players idle during a run. Character creation spreads across attributes, skills, magic or resonance, gear, and lifestyle, making the first build long. Dice pools grow large at high skill, so counting hits on a fistful of d6s slows resolution. |