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Basic Fantasy RPG

4th Edition
Free old-school fantasy gaming with ascending AC and race-class separation
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fantasy
Classic FantasyBeginner-FriendlyRules-LightAscending ACOpen SourceHackableModularDungeon Crawl
Languages: English
Diced20
System FamilyOSR
CostFree
LicenseCreative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
PublisherBasic Fantasy Project
Year2023
Complexity Low
Accessibility Very High
Community Medium

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.

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.

Highlights

Completely free PDF with at-cost print copies through Lulu, hundreds of free community-authored supplements and adventures, race and class are separate unlike B/X source material, highly compatible with classic B/X and OSR modules

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, community-driven development means updates follow a slower release cycle