Dolmenwood vs White Box: FMAG
Compare Dolmenwood and White Box: FMAG side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| Dolmenwood | White Box: FMAG | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy | Fantasy |
| Tags | Hexcrawl, Dark Fantasy, Faction Play, Lore-Heavy, Vancian Casting, Classic Fantasy, Deadly | Rules-Light, Classic Fantasy, Dungeon Crawl, Deadly, Hackable, Beginner-Friendly, Random Character Creation, Vancian Casting, Descending AC, Hexcrawl |
| Core Mechanic | Roll d20 + modifiers vs. ascending AC for attacks and vs. save targets for saving throws (five categories: Doom, Ray, Hold, Blast, Spell). Skill checks and ability checks use d6 + modifiers vs. a target number. Characters choose a kindred (breggle, elf, grimalkin, human, mossling, or woodgrue) and one of nine classes. Three distinct magic systems: arcane (memorized spells), holy (daily prayers), and fairy (glamours and runes). | Roll d20 + modifiers against a target number derived from the defender's Armor Class (descending AC by default, ascending AC optional). Attribute modifiers are compressed to −1, 0, or +1. Each class has a single saving throw number that improves with level. Side-based initiative is rolled each round on d6. |
| Dice | d20 | d20 |
| Complexity | Low | Very Low |
| Availability | Paid | Free core rules |
| Runnability | 5 of 5 book tools | 2 of 5 book tools |
| License | All Rights Reserved | OGL 1.0a |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | Not yet researched |
| Publisher | Necrotic Gnome | Seattle Hill Games |
| Year | 2024 | 2016 |
| Languages | English | English |
| Best For | Groups who want a deeply detailed fairytale-dark fantasy setting with OSR mechanics, hexcrawl exploration, and rich faction play in an enchanted wood full of fairies, monsters, and intrigue. | Groups wanting the simplest possible version of original D&D: four classes, compressed modifiers, and intentional rules gaps that invite house rules and Referee creativity. |
| Highlights | Richly detailed fairytale-dark setting with competing factions and deep lore, hexcrawl travel system with Travel Points and terrain-based encounters, six unique kindreds including cat-folk grimalkins and fungal mosslings, three distinct magic systems each with their own spell lists | Attribute modifiers compressed to −1/0/+1 keeps math fast and reduces stat dependency. Complete game in 143 pages including monsters, treasure, spells, and wilderness/dungeon procedures. A free PDF and a low-cost print edition make it one of the most accessible OSR games. Intentional rules gaps and a blank House Rules page explicitly invite customization. |
| Considerations | Full experience requires three core books (Player's Book, Campaign Book, Monster Book), setting-specific: not a generic OSR toolkit, GM needs the Campaign Book and Monster Book which are sold separately from the Player's Book | Four classes (three without the optional Thief) limits character variety. No formal skill system: the Referee adjudicates all non-combat actions. Level tables cap at 10, requiring house rules for extended campaigns. |