Dungeons & Dragons vs White Box: FMAG
Compare Dungeons & Dragons and White Box: FMAG side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Dungeons & Dragons | White Box: FMAG | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy | Fantasy |
| Play Style | Tactical, Heroic, Combat-Heavy, Dungeon Crawl, Character Building, High-Fantasy, Grid-Based, Beginner-Friendly, Classic Fantasy, Lore-Heavy, Ascending AC | Rules-Light, Classic Fantasy, Dungeon Crawl, Deadly, Hackable, Beginner-Friendly, Random Character Creation, Vancian Casting, Descending AC, Hexcrawl |
| Core Mechanic | Roll d20 + modifier against a target DC (for ability checks and saving throws) or AC (for attacks). Meeting or exceeding the target succeeds. Advantage rolls 2d20 and takes the higher; disadvantage takes the lower, replacing most situational modifiers. | 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 | Medium | Very Low |
| Accessibility | High | Very High |
| Community | Very High | Low |
| License | CC BY 4.0 (SRD); core books proprietary | OGL 1.0a |
| Cost | $$$ | Free/$ |
| Publisher | Wizards of the Coast | Seattle Hill Games |
| Year | 2024 | 2016 |
| Best For | Groups who want heroic fantasy adventures with tactical grid combat, deep character customization, and access to more published adventures and supplements than any other RPG. | 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 | Advantage/disadvantage system simplifies most situational modifiers to a single mechanic. Extensive class and subclass options across 12 base classes with 48 subclasses in the 2024 PHB. The largest third-party content ecosystem in tabletop RPGs. Free basic rules and starter sets lower the barrier to entry. | 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. Free PDF and under $5 in print makes it one of the most accessible OSR games. Intentional rules gaps and a blank House Rules page explicitly invite customization. |
| Considerations | High-level play (tier 3-4) introduces significant spell interaction complexity and encounter balancing challenges for GMs. No official rules for non-fantasy genres. Three core books at $50 each represent a significant investment for the full rules. | 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. |