Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Edition vs Five Torches Deep

Compare Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Edition and Five Torches Deep side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.

	Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Edition	Five Torches Deep
Genre	Fantasy	Fantasy
Tags	Ascending AC, Character Building, Classic Fantasy, Crunchy, Dungeon Crawl, Tactical, Vancian Casting	Dungeon Crawl, Tactical, Resource Management, Rules-Light, Gritty, Ascending AC, Vancian Casting, Roll to Cast
Core Mechanic	Roll a d20, add relevant modifiers, and compare the total to a target number. An equal or higher total succeeds. Ability checks, skill checks, attack rolls, and saving throws use this framework. Combat uses initiative and defined action types, while damage dice are rolled after a hit.	Roll d20 + modifier vs DC 11 (most checks). Four classes (Warrior, Thief, Zealot, Mage), levels 1–9. Supply (SUP) abstracts consumables, load limits gear, and equipment can break via durability rolls. Magic carries mishap risk. Compatible with both 5e and B/X adventures.
Dice	d20	d20
Complexity	Very High	Low
Availability	Paid	Free core rules
Runnability	5 of 5 book tools	4 of 5 book tools
License	OGL v1.0a (SRD); core books proprietary	OGL 1.0a
Third-Party Publishing	Not yet researched	Not yet researched
Publisher	Wizards of the Coast	Sigil Stone Publishing
Year	2003	2019
Languages	English	English
Best For	Groups running fantasy campaigns that want class-based character advancement, prepared-spell resource planning, and position-sensitive combat. It also supports GMs who want encounter construction, monsters, treasure, and campaign procedures in the core set.	Groups who like 5e's core d20 feel but want OSR resource scarcity, simplified classes, and deadlier dungeon crawling.
Highlights	Class levels, skills, and feats create distinct mechanical advancement paths for characters. Grid combat combines initiative, movement, action types, attacks of opportunity, and special attacks into positional decisions. The Dungeon Master's Guide and Monster Manual supply encounter, campaign, and creature-construction procedures alongside player rules.	Bridges 5e familiarity with OSR lethality, supply system elegantly handles torches and rations, fits in 48 pages, dual-compatible with 5e and B/X content
Considerations	Character creation requires choices across race, class, ability scores, skills, feats, equipment, and spells. Spellcasting uses separate class lists, spell levels, daily spell counts, and preparation rules. Encounter design requires the GM to reconcile challenge ratings, creature statistics, treasure, and adventure procedures.	Very slim: GMs may need to house-rule gaps, limited character options compared to full 5e, magic mishap table can feel punishing, no bestiary included