Quote from: Zalman on May 03, 2025, 07:46:13 AM

Quote from: RNGm on May 02, 2025, 05:02:07 PMThis video popped up in my youtube recommendations today

Pathfinder -- where the first step in character creation is to watch a 45-minute introductory video.

I wonder how long the videos are for picking your abilities, race, spells, and gear.

Yeah, I did chuckle when he said "I'll take a minute or two to talk about each class" and then saw the 45 minute video timer...      I only got about a third of the way through before I gave up.   I just don't think half those classes needed to actually be one instead of an archetype personally.

Quote from: tenbones on May 02, 2025, 10:57:08 AMTwo iterations of 3.x *did* do this: True20 and Fantasy Craft. Both are outstanding examples of what 3.x *could* have been. I'd argue to my dying days that Fantasy Craft should have been 4e.

  I think True20's problem was that it fell between stools--not d20 enough to leverage the massive support and familiarity of that system, too d20 for those who wanted a major break--and got 'sniped' by Savage Worlds, which filled much the same niche with better support.

Fantasy Craft - Breakdown and differences between Pathfinder.

Preface: This is going to be a long dive. I'm going to try to break it up in to bite-sized pieces, and I want to *warn* everyone that the payoff is worth it. I want to avoid too much discursion on each section because trust me, it will take us down unnecessary rabbit trails that are better addressed once we see the totality of it all. Without further ado... WE DIIIIIIVE!!!

Attributes

Fantasy Craft uses the standard array of attributes for d20 with the basic same definitions but their mechanical weights are tweaked.

Strength (Str): Physical power and musculature
Dexterity (Dex): Physical grace
Constitution (Con): Health and toughness
Intelligence (Int): Ability to learn and reason
Wisdom (Wis): Common sense, intuition, and perception
Charisma (Cha): Attractiveness, personality, persuasiveness, and guile


You get 36 points to spend on attributes. You cannot purchase attributes below 8 or above 19 because you'll have racial, background and class modifiers that can cause those stats to go higher/lower.

What you use your attribute modifiers for:
Attribute Modifers
AttributeApplications
Strength        Attacks   (Melee, Unarmed),Damage (Melee, Unarmed, Hurled)   
Dexterity       Attacks   (Hurled, Ranged), Initiative, Defense, Reflex saves   
Constitution    Vitality, Wounds, Fortitude saves   
Intelligence    Knowledge checks, Skill points   
Wisdom           Will saves, Known Spells
Charisma        Lifestyle, Spell Save DC

Commentary: Okay so already we some differences. Notably, it's a point-buy and you can absolutely buy low-stats. Likewise you could use traditional 3d6 or other methods in Pathfinder. Fantasy Craft *really* wants you to build your character from the ground up. This might cause some GM's teeth to itch because they assume from past experiences this incentivizes power gaming (it does), trust me, this will blow up in the face of such gamers in FC.

One of the big differences is specifically in mental stats and what they mean in play for spellcasters. You'll note: *Wisdom* is used for known spells, *Charisma* is used for Spell Save DC's and *Intelligence* is used for Skill checks to cast spells. This is a *radical* departure from 3.x/PF which has *no* skill checks to cast spells, and Int being the singular stat to determine spells known, Concentration checks, and Wisdom and Charisma used the same for Clerics and Sorcerers/Bards respectively. The Spell DC's for Pathfinder classes are tied to class specific abilities (Charisma for Clerics Channel Energy for example) but for spells, once again it's their class primary stat: Intelligence for Arcane casters, Wisdom for Divine casters, and Charisma for hippy-casters.

This starts the dumpstating process for casters in Pathfinder. Whereas for Fantasy Craft, it has drastic effects in play as any disregard for any of these stats impacts your caster. We'll dive deeper into this when we get to classes and Spellcasting.

Origin
Origins are simple but deep. They describe your character's *Species* and *Specialty*. Species is straightfoward, it's your race. Specialty is what 5e players would think of as "Background". We'll go over both in depth.

Species/Races
Fantasy Craft is a toolkit so it doesn't have a "setting". Thus its array of 12 races (they refer to the category as Origins with the sub-category of Species) are designed to fit in any setting. I'm going to refer to them as "Races" since it's easy to reference against Pathfinder. If you want to drill down on Race to make a Sub-Race they have Feats for that.

For the sake of comparison to Pathfinder I'm going to compare the common playable races of the Dwarf, Elf, and Human then I'm going to get into a few examples of the weirder/cooler options.

Dwarf
Attributes: +4 Constitution, –2 Dexterity
• Base Speed: 20 ft.
• Banned Actions: You may not use Kick tricks or make Jump or Swim checks.
• Enlightened Skill: Choose one skill. Your maximum rank in that skill increases to your Career Level + 5. Only the highest bonus from any single enlightened ability may apply to each skill.
• Iconic Classes: If your level in any base class is higher than your level in either Keeper or Soldier, your starting action dice decrease by 2.
• Improved Stability: You're considered 1 Size category larger for carrying capacity, Trample attacks, and resisting Bull Rush and Trip attempts so long as you are standing firmly on the ground and not climbing, flying, or riding.
• Iron Gut: You gain an insight bonus equal to your Constitution modifier with saves against disease and poisons (minimum +1).
• Low-Light Vision: You ignore the effects of dim and faint light.
• Thick Hide 3: You're considered to be wearing partial armor that provides Damage Reduction 3. This DR does not stack with other armor (only the best protection applies). If you gain thick hide from multiple sources, your hide offers the highest single DR value + 1 per additional hide benefit (e.g. thick hide 4, thick hide 3, and thick hide 1 offer DR 6).

Splinter Race Feats: Hill-Born (hill dwarf), Lava-Born (magma dwarf). Unless you choose one of these, you're 'stone born' (a mountain dwarf).

Commentary: You'd recognize these stats *generally* as being pretty much what you'd expect. Dwarves are tough, they see in the dark, they're skilled at something. They're squat and slow. A few things stand out because they imply many things without overtly saying it - Banned Actions, Iconic Classes.

Banned Actions - are literally that. They are skill checks that Dwarves are not allowed to do. In this case, Dwarves cannot swim. This doesn't mean they can't float (Athletics rules cover this). In fact they can float for hours. But they can't swim. Kick Tricks - Tricks are special maneuvers that PC's can learn to do based on their skills. Most are combat oriented. Since Dwarves are squat and slow, they can't learn how to do Kick Tricks. They can still kick people, they just can't use the mechanics of the Kick Trick.

Iconic Classes - Soldier and Keeper are two PC classes. The implications are Dwarves are warriors and wise lorekeepers. So they're incentivized to take these classes (but it's not mandatory). Action Dice we'll talk about later, they're basically bonus dice you get during a session.

Pathfinder Dwarves by comparison split many of these differences into niche benefits that frankly are anemic. For instance - "Defensive Training" for Pathfinder Dwarves is +4 Dodge Bonus against... giant subtype. By comparison, the FC doesn't do AC the same way, Armor absorbs damage, and Dwarven Thick Hide works in all cases not just against some random niche subtype.

While they share the same concept with the Stability trait, the combat system for FC operate a lot differently than it does for Pathfinder. Sweet Jesus when we get to Grappling... we'll take a hard look at that.

Overall - the differences seem small. But this is setting things up for later. Remember in FC, they want you to customize your character as you see fit, not be locked into niche things for their own sake.

Elves
Attributes: +4 Wisdom, –2 Constitution
• Base Speed: 40 ft.
• Burden of Ages: Your will to live has been worn down by long ages of struggle and you find it difficult to express the fire of the younger species. Any effect that cures or restores your vitality has only 1/2 the normal effect (rounded up).
• Elf Sight: Your visual range increments are equal to your Wisdom score × 80 ft. You also ignore range penalties from the 2nd and 4th range increments while you're Aiming.
• Iconic Classes: If your level in any base class is higher than your level in either Sage or Scout, your starting action dice decrease by 2.
• Iconic Specialties: You gain your Specialty's bonus feat only if you're an Adept, Archer, Aristocrat, Artisan, Druid, Fencer, Lord, Ranger, Vanguard, or Wizard.
• Light Sleeper: Sleeping is never a Terminal Situation for you.
• Natural Elegance: Your Appearance bonus increases by +1.
• Sharp Hearing: Your hearing range increments are equal to your Wisdom score × 10 ft. Further, you may always act during a surprise round unless deafened.

Commentary: Again, it's an Elf. But the implications of what these Elves do and how they operate are mechanically different in a few ways. The whole light-sleeper thing is *powerful*. Also they are assumed to be commonly motivated culturally by the usual classes (we'll dive into that) and the game incentivizes those classes and Specialties.

Something that might make D&D players go "wuh" is the +4 to Wisdom. Keep in mind, Wisdom in FC is supposed to be representative of knowledge that is common, and how to use it. Elves are always given high Int in D&D which is supposed to be rational logic etc. even while Wisdom seems to be a better fit for an older race. That said, the mechanics of Wisdom in FC makes their casters *know more spells* - so this tracks mechanically the same way as it does in D&D and it's beefier at +4.

This is countered by their penalty to healing Vitality. In FC, Vitality = HP. Yeah that's a BIG fucking deal. but their overall bonuses are pretty hefty.

Specialties - we'll get into that in a second. They're backgrounds that give a *lot* nice abilities. Here, Elves are incentivized to take the ones from this list for a *sweet* bonus Feat that comes with those Specialities.

Pathfinder - by comparison is +2 Dex, +2 Int, -2 Con, Immune to Sleep and +2 Saves vs. Enchantment. More niche benefits. Their +2 bonus to overcome spell resistance is good. Their definition of Keen Senses compared to the FC version is completely bland and wet-fart sounding when stacked up against one another. +2 Perception check? okay... but it feels kinda lame. Weapon familiarity is a wash. FC handles that based on your class and player choice.

Humans
FC Humans are wild. Because Humans are supposed to be "flexible" they literally created a shit-ton of "Talents" which kind of are Human "mini-races" unto themselves. So if you make a Human, you pick one "Talent" and move on to your Specialty and Class.

Human Talents
ADAPTABLE
You can find a solution to almost any problem and it's usually wholly unexpected.
• Attributes: No modifiers
• Base Speed: 30 ft.
• Grace under Pressure: You gain a +3 bonus with any roll you boost with an action die. This bonus increases by an additional +1 at Levels 6, 11, and 16.
• Inquisitive Mind: You gain 2 additional Interests.
• Origin Skills: Choose 2 additional Origin skills.

AGILE
Your body is quicker than most eyes!
• Attributes: +2 Dexterity
• Base Speed: 30 ft.
• Double Boost: You may spend and roll 2 action dice to boost Dexterity-based skill checks.
• Natural Elegance: Your Appearance bonus increases by +1.
• Parry: You gain the Parry trick

CHARISMATIC
Your natural presence is almost overwhelming.
• Attributes: +2 Charisma
• Base Speed: 30 ft.
• Charming: Once per session, you may improve the Disposition of any 1 non-adversary NPC by 5.
• Double Boost: You may spend and roll 2 action dice to boost Charisma-based skill checks.
• Encouragement: Once per scene, you may speak to 1 of your teammates for 1 minute to grant them a +1 morale bonus with saving throws until the end of the current scene

CRUSADING
You focus is... intense.
Requirements: Alignment
• Attributes: +2 to any 1 attribute, –2 to any 1 attribute
• Base Speed: 30 ft.
• Crunch!: Your Strength-based damage rolls inflict 1 additional damage.
• Iron Will: You gain the Iron Will feat
• Higher Calling: Characters with opposing Alignments suffer a –1 penalty with skill checks targeting or opposed by you.
• Sterner Stuff: The keen quality of each attack made against you decreases by 4.

... etc. etc. Theres A LOT of them.

By comparison in Pathfinder, Humans get +2 to one stat and a single bonus Feat.

Commentary: Look I don't wanna shit on Pathfinder's humans. The problem is that I love the flexibility, but the fact is 3.x grew the game around Humans at the bottom of the pile for the most part. I almost exclusively play humans, but let's be real, +2 to a Stat and Feat is "okay" without context. Meanwhile in Fantasy Craft, you're agency is engaged by having a "Talent" that's going to synergize with your Specialty (Background) that's going to make your Class *awesome* from the jump. Most Talents give you a +2 bonus on a stat, as well as specific abilities that underpin your concept. In Pathfinder... it's just... meh.

Other Fantasy Craft races

Drake - You're "basically" a Dragon. They do make the distinction that you're Dragon-kin. But I see dragon.
Giant- You're a fucking Giant! Yep. A GIANT. Not a half-giant. Not a quasi-giant - but a GIANT-ass Giant.
Goblin
Ogre
Orc
Pech - Pech's are their catch-all for halflings/gnomes. Feats modify them for sub-races. Out of the way, Pech!
Rootwalker - Treant, Plant-people
Saurian - Pick your favorite reptile/dinosaur/lizard folk, go wild.
Unborn - Undead, Robot, automaton.

ALL of these races have a ton of options of each one. They're designed for you to make them your own for your setting.

Speaking of Specialty...

Specialty
Specialty is effectively your PC's history and background *before* you pick your Class. I'm going to make the list, and give some examples so you get an idea of how powerful these backgrounds are. Everyone gets to pick one. You're going to notice that most of your traditional D&D Classes are treated as "Specialties" this is because they define their classes a little more specifically than D&D, they felt that D&D classes described "jobs" and "callings" more than the fundamental "classes" they present. We'll go over those when we get to classes.

ACROBAT
Your grace and flexibility amaze.
• Bonus Feat: Basic Skill Mastery (Robber)
• Agile Defense: Your base Defense increases by 1.
• Attribute Training: The lower of your Strength or Dexterity scores increases by 1 (your choice if a tie). Apply this bonus after any modifiers from your Species or Talent.
• Fast: Your Speed increases by 10 ft.
• Practiced Athletics: If you spend an action die to boost an Athletics check and it still fails, you gain the die back after the action is resolved. Against multiple targets you only regain the die if the check fails against all of them.

ADEPT
You collect lost knowledge from all over the world.
• Bonus Feat: Any 1 Spellcasting feat
• Free Hint: Once per session, you may request a free hint from the GM. If he refuses, you gain 1 bonus action die.
• Heroism: You gain a +1 bonus with all attack and skill checks you make during Dramatic scenes.
• Practiced Search: If you spend an action die to boost a Search check and it still fails, you gain the die back after the action is resolved. Against multiple targets you only regain the die if the check fails against all of them.
• Turning: Choose a Type from the following list: animal, beast, construct, elemental, fey, horror, ooze, outsider, plant, spirit, or undead. Once per combat you may Turn characters of this Type

ADVENTURER
You chart your own course, exploring tombs one day and rescuing damsels the next.
• Bonus Feat: Adventurer's Luck
• Glory-Bound: You may purchase Heroic Renown for 40 Reputation per rank.
• More than Luck: You gain 1 additional starting action die.

ARCHER
You've made a living by the bow, as a hunter or perhaps a warrior.
• Bonus Feat: Bow Basics
• Animal Turning: Once per combat you may Turn animals
• Bow Hunter: You inflict 2 additional damage on standard characters with a bow.
• Bow Proficiency: You gain the Bow proficiency.
• Camouflage: Choose a terrain: aquatic, arctic, caverns/mountains, desert, forest/jungle, indoors/settled, plains, or swamp. You gain a +5 gear bonus with Blend checks while in that terrain.

ARISTOCRAT
You're a child of nobility or wealthy parents, accustomed to living a life of privilege.
• Bonus Feat: Basic Skill Mastery (Actor)
• Charming: Once per session, you may improve the Disposition of any 1 non-adversary NPC by 5.
• Flashy: Your Panache rises by 2.
• Noble Blood: You may purchase Noble Renown for 40 Reputation per rank (see page 187).
• Origin Skill: Choose 1 additional Origin skill.

ARTISAN
Your mastery of the arts makes you a welcome guest in any land.
• Bonus Feat: Crafting Basics
• Celebrated: Your Legend increases by 2.
• Crafting Focus: You gain 1 Crafting skill focus.
• Natural Elegance: Your Appearance bonus increases by +1.
• Practiced Crafting: If you spend an action die to boost a Crafting check and it still fails, you gain the die back after the action is resolved. Against multiple targets you only regain the die if the check fails against all of them.

BARBARIAN
You're a savage warrior, driven by sheer fury.
• Bonus Feat: Rage Basics
• Fast: Your Speed increases by 10 ft.
• Tenacious Spirit: You gain 1 additional vitality per level.
• Trap Sense: You may roll twice when making Reflex saves prompted by security devices and traps, keeping the result you prefer.

BARD
You hold the night at bay with practical wisdom and good cheer, commonly using stories and song.
• Bonus Feat: Well-Rounded
• Beguiling: When you successfully Taunt a standard character, you may decline the standard result to have your target become fixated on you for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma score. If you gain this benefit from multiple sources you may also damage the target once without interrupting his fixation (you may do this only once, no matter how many times you gain the benefit).
• Encouragement: Once per scene, you may speak to 1 of your teammates for 1 minute to grant them a +1 morale
bonus with saving throws until the end of the current scene.
• Free Hint: Once per session, you may request a free hint from the GM. If he refuses, you gain 1 bonus action
die.
• Practiced Impress: If you spend an action die to boost an Impress check and it still fails, you gain the die back after the action is resolved. Against multiple targets you only regain the die if the check fails against all of them.

CAVALIER
You've been trained to fight from the saddle.
• Bonus Feat: Favored Gear (mount)
• Crunch!: Your Strength-based damage rolls inflict 1 additional damage.
• Glory-Bound: You may purchase Heroic Renown for 40 Reputation per rank.
• Practiced Ride: If you spend an action die to boost a Ride check and it still fails, you gain the die back after the action is resolved. Against multiple targets you only regain the die if the check fails against all of them.
• Triumphant Swing: You gain the Triumphant Swing trick.

CLERIC
A servant of faith, you're both herald of their will and shepherd of their followers.
Requirements: Alignment
• Bonus Feat: Any 1 Chance feat
• Charming: Once per session, you may improve the Disposition of any 1 non-adversary NPC by 5.
• Field Medicine: You are always considered to have a doctor's bag.
• Paired Skills: Each time you gain ranks in the Resolve skill, you gain equal ranks in the Medicine skill. This may  not increase your Medicine skill beyond its maximum rank.
• Turning: Choose a Type from the following list: animal, beast, construct, elemental, fey, horror, ooze, outsider, plant, spirit, or undead. Once per combat you may Turn characters of this Type.

CORSAIR
Yarrrr!
• Bonus Feat: Basic Skill Mastery (Officer)
• Agile Defense: Your base Defense increases by 1.
• Flashy: Your Panache increases by 2.
• Terrifying Look: The Will save DCs of stress damage you inflict increase by 4.
• Water Vehicle Focus: You gain the Ride skill's Water Vehicles focus.

CRIMINAL
What's mine is mine and what's yours is about to be mine.
• Bonus Feat: Basic Skill Mastery (Pickpocket)
• Attribute Training: The lower of your Dexterity or Intelligence scores increases by 1 (your choice if a tie).
Apply this bonus after any modifiers from your Species or Talent.
• Cheap Shot: You gain the Cheap Shot trick.
• Fast: Your Speed increases by 10 ft.
• Practiced Intimidate: If you spend an action die to boost an Intimidate check and it still fails, you gain the die back after the action is resolved. Against multiple targets you only regain the die if the check fails against all of them.

DRAGOON
You're trained as mounted light infantry, fighting from horseback and on foot with carbine and blade.
Requirements: Reason Era or later
• Bonus Feat: Quick Draw
• Black Powder Proficiency: You gain the Black Powder proficiency.
• Commissioned: You may purchase Military Renown for 40 Reputation per rank.
• Edged Proficiency: You gain the Edged proficiency.
• Paired Skills: Each time you gain 1 or more ranks in the Ride skill, you gain equal ranks in the Tactics skill. This may not increase your Tactics skill beyond its maximum rank.

DRUID
You're a servant of nature, at home in the world of men and in the wild.
• Bonus Feat: Animal Partner
• Attribute Training: The lower of your Constitution or Wisdom scores increases by 1 (your choice if a tie).
Apply this bonus after any modifiers from your Species or Talent.
• Practiced Medicine: If you spend an action die to boost a Medicine check and it still fails, you gain the die back after the action is resolved. Against multiple targets you only regain the die if the check fails against all of them.
• Practiced Survival: If you spend an action die to boost a Survival check and it still fails, you gain the die back after the action is resolved. Against multiple targets you only regain the die if the check fails against all of them.
• Trackless Step: The DCs of Tracking checks to follow your trail increase by 10.

FENCER
You've made a name for yourself with footwork and swordplay.
• Bonus Feat: Fencing Basics
• Decisive: You gain a +5 bonus with Initiative.
• Edged Proficiency: You gain the Edged proficiency.
• Fast: Your Speed increases by 10 ft.
• Parry: You gain the Parry trick.

FIGHTER
You're no stranger to the battlefield; you've already survived some tough fights and have the scars to prove it!
• Bonus Feat: Armor Basics
• Attribute Training: The lower of your Strength or Constitution scores increases by 1 (your choice if a tie). Apply this bonus after any modifiers from your Species or Talent.
• Extra Proficiency: You gain 4 additional proficiencies or tricks.
• Melee Combat Expert: You're considered to have 2 additional Melee Combat feats for any ability based on the number of Melee Combat feats you have.

FIST
Your rigorous discipline has toughened your mind and body, turning you into a living weapon of the highest caliber.
• Bonus Feat: Two-Hit Combo
• Attribute Training: The lower of your Strength or Wisdom scores increases by 1 (your choice if a tie). Apply this bonus after any modifiers from your Species or Talent.
• Fast: Your Speed increases by 10 ft.
• Practiced Acrobatics: If you spend an action die to boost an Acrobatics check and it still fails, you gain the die back after the action is resolved. Against multiple targets you only regain the die if the check fails against all of them.
• Unarmed Proficiency: You gain the Unarmed proficiency.

GLADIATOR
You were raised in the brutal world of death sports, carving out a reputation in blood and steel.
• Bonus Feat: Combat Instincts
• Crunch!: Your Strength-based damage rolls inflict 1 additional damage.
• Extra Proficiency: You gain 1 additional proficiency or trick.
• Harsh Beating: The Fortitude save DCs of subdual damage you inflict increase by 4.
• Paired Skills: Each time you gain 1 or more ranks in the Athletics skill, you gain equal ranks in the Impress skill. This may not increase your Impress skill beyond its maximum rank.

GUARDIAN
You're a professional bodyguard, trained to be alert and to sacrifice yourself if necessary to save your charge.
• Bonus Feat: Elusive
• Practiced Notice: If you spend an action die to boost a Notice check and it still fails, you gain the die back after the action is resolved. Against multiple targets you only regain the die if the check fails against all of them.
• Step In: Once per combat, you may choose to receive all of 1 attack's damage on an adjacent character. Your Damage Reduction and Damage Resistance apply normally.
• Tenacious Spirit: You gain 1 additional vitality per level.

LORD
You're a paragon of your people, a genuine champion who leads from the front in times of strife.
• Bonus Feat: Followers
• Noble Blood: You may purchase Noble Renown for 40 Reputation per rank.
• Practiced Tactics: If you spend an action die to boost a Tactics check and it still fails, you gain the die back after the action is resolved. Against multiple targets you only regain the die if the check fails against all of them.
• Stand Together: You gain a +2 morale bonus to Defense and all saves when at least 2 adjacent characters share your Species.

MERCHANT
The wheels of commerce don't turn themselves.
• Bonus Feat: Basic Skill Mastery (Trader)
• Attribute Training: The lower of your Intelligence or Charisma scores increases by 1 (your choice if a tie).
Apply this bonus after any modifiers from your Species or Talent.
• Linguist: You gain 2 additional Languages.
• Paired Skills: Each time you gain 1 or more ranks in the Haggle skill, you gain equal ranks in the Search skill. This may not increase your Search skill beyond its maximum rank.
• Thrifty: Your Prudence increases by 2.

MINER
You've bent your back digging riches from the earth's bosom — experience that's surprisingly useful in your adventuring career!
• Bonus Feat: Pathfinder Basics (caverns/mountains)
• Blunt Proficiency: You gain the Blunt proficiency.
• Paired Skills: Each time you gain 1 or more ranks in the Athletics skill, you gain equal ranks in the Crafting skill. This may not increase your Crafting skill beyond its maximum rank.
• Stonecutting Focus: You gain the Crafting skill's Stonecutting focus.
• Unbreakable: Each time you suffer attribute impairment, it decreases by 1 (minimum 0).
• Warding Strike: You gain the Warding Strike trick

MUSKETEER
You're a member of an elite corps trained to use early blackpowder weapons.
Requirements: Reason Era or later
• Bonus Feat: Bullseye
• Attribute Training: The lower of your Dexterity or Wisdom scores increases by 1 (your choice if a tie). Apply this bonus after any modifiers from your Species or Talent.
• Black Powder Proficiency: You gain the Black Powder proficiency.
• Called Shot: You gain the Called Shot trick.
• Commissioned: You may purchase Military Renown for 40 Reputation per rank.
• Heroism: You gain a +1 bonus with all attack and skill checks you make during Dramatic scenes.

MYSTIC
You're a folk healer using hidden lore and a hint of magic to assist your community.
• Bonus Feat: The Gift
• Attribute Training: The lower of your Constitution or Charisma scores increases by 1 (your choice if a tie).
Apply this bonus after any modifiers from your Species or Talent.
• Inquisitive Mind: You gain 2 additional Interests.
• Paired Skills: Each time you gain 1 or more ranks in the Investigate skill, you gain equal ranks in the Medicine skill. This may not increase your Medicine skill beyond its maximum rank.
• Sharp Mind: You gain 1 additional skill point per level.

NOMAD
Your travels have led you far and wide and introduced you to many tribes.
• Bonus Feat: Basic Skill Mastery (Horseman).
• Animal Empathy: The Dispositions of non-adversary animals increase by 5.
• Attribute Training: The lower of your Dexterity or Constitution scores increases by 1 (your choice if a tie).
Apply this bonus after any modifiers from your Species or Talent.
• Linguist: You gain 2 additional Languages.
• Practiced Haggle: If you spend an action die to boost a Haggle check and it still fails, you gain the die back after the action is resolved. Against multiple targets you only regain the die if the check fails against all of them.
• Trackless Step: The DCs of Tracking checks to follow your trail increase by 10.

PHYSICIAN
With poultice and scalpel, medicine and bandages, you can hold death itself at bay... for a time.
Requirements: Ancient Era or later
• Bonus Feat: Basic Skill Mastery (Healer)
• Chemistry Focus: You gain the Crafting skill's Chemistry focus.
• Contagion Sense: You may roll twice when making Fortitude saves prompted by disease and poison, keeping the result you prefer.
• Edged Proficiency: You gain the Edged proficiency.
• Paired Skills: Each time you gain 1 or more ranks in the Medicine skill, you gain equal ranks in the Crafting skill. This may not increase your Crafting skill beyond its maximum rank.

RANGER
You're an experienced woodsman specializing in the careful study and decimation of certain enemies.
• Bonus Feat: Battlefield Trickery
• Animal Empathy: The Dispositions of non-adversary animals increase by 5.
• Camouflage: Choose a terrain: aquatic, arctic, caverns/mountains, desert, forest/jungle, indoors/settled, plains, or swamp. You gain a +5 gear bonus with Blend checks while in that terrain.
•  Favored Foes: Choose 2 Types: animal, beast, construct, elemental, fey, folk, horror, ooze, outsider, plant, spirit, or undead. Your threat range increases by 2 when attacking and making Notice, Sense Motive, and Survival checks targeting standard characters of the chosen Types. You may choose an additional Type at Career Levels 6, 11, and 16.

ROGUE
Your methods are sometimes shifty but also quite effective.
• Bonus Feat: Ambush Basics
• Practiced Sneak: If you spend an action die to boost a Sneak check and it still fails, you gain the die back after the action is resolved. Against multiple targets you only regain the die if the check fails against all of them.
• Sharp Mind: You gain 1 additional skill point per level.
• Trap Sense: You may roll twice when making Reflex saves prompted by security devices and traps, keeping the result you prefer.

SHAMAN
You're a holy man, communing with the ancients to pass down their wisdom.
• Bonus Feat: Blessed
• Attribute Training: The lower of your Wisdom or Charisma scores increases by 1 (your choice if a tie). Apply this bonus after any modifiers from your Species or Talent.
• Contagion Sense: You may roll twice when making Fortitude saves prompted by disease and poison, keeping the result you prefer.
• Origin Skill: Choose 1 additional Origin skill.
• Practiced Sense Motive: If you spend an action die to boost a Sense Motive check and it still fails, you gain the die back after the action is resolved. Against multiple targets you only regain the die if the check fails against all of them.

SHIELD BEARER
As a hoplite, legionnaire, or huscarl, you're trained in the particulars of shoulder-to-shoulder warfare with a shield.
• Bonus Feat: Shield Basics
• Agile Defense: Your base Defense increases by 1.
• Blunt Proficiency: You gain the Blunt proficiency.
• Melee Combat Expert: You're considered to have 2 additional Melee Combat feats for any ability based on the number of Melee Combat feats you have.
• Practiced Resolve: If you spend an action die to boost a Resolve check and it still fails, you gain the die back after the action is resolved. Against multiple targets you only regain the die if the check fails against all of them.
• Shield Block: You gain the Shield Block trick.

SORCERER
Your cold, calculating demeanor suggests something not quite natural in your ancestry.
• Bonus Feat: Any 1 Species feat
• Charming: Once per session, you may improve the Disposition of any 1 non-adversary NPC by 5.
• Paired Skills: Each time you gain 1 or more ranks in the Spellcasting skill, you gain equal ranks in the Intimidate skill. This may not increase your Intimidate skill beyond its maximum rank.
• Terrifying Look: The Will save DCs of stress damage you inflict increase by 4.

SWINDLER
You've learned a lot by keeping your eyes open and your mouth shut.
• Bonus Feat: Basic Skill Mastery (Spy)
• Attribute Training: The lower of your Dexterity or Charisma scores increases by 1 (your choice if a tie). Apply this bonus after any modifiers from your Species or Talent.
• Beguiling: When you successfully Taunt a standard character, you may decline the standard result to have your target become fixated on you for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma score. If you gain this benefit from multiple sources you may also damage the target once without interrupting his fixation (you may do this only once, no matter how many times you gain the benefit).
• Charming: Once per session, you may improve the Disposition of any 1 non-adversary NPC by 5.
• Practiced Bluff: If you spend an action die to boost a Bluff check and it still fails, you gain the die back after the action is resolved. Against multiple targets you only regain the die if the check fails against all of them.

TRIBESMAN
You hail from a simple society that lives off the land.
• Bonus Feat: Basic Skill Mastery (Athlete)
• Extra Proficiency: You gain 1 additional proficiency or trick.
• Game Hunter: You inflict 2 additional damage on standard animals and beasts.
• Paired Skills: Each time you gain 1 or more ranks in the Resolve skill, you gain equal ranks in the Survival skill. This may not increase your Survival skill beyond its maximum rank.
• Thick Hide 2: You're considered to be wearing partial armor that provides Damage Reduction 2. This DR does not stack with other armor (only the best protection applies). If you gain thick hide from multiple sources, your hide offers the highest single DR value + 1 per additional hide benefit (e.g. thick hide 4, thick hide 3, and thick hide 1 offer DR 6).

VANGUARD
You're an elite guardian of your people, determined to protect them from all threats.
• Bonus Feat: Misdirection Basics
• Basic Combat Expert: You're considered to have 1 additional Basic Combat feat for any ability based on the number of Basic Combat feats you have.
• Charming: Once per session, you may improve the Disposition of any 1 non-adversary NPC by 5.
• Paired Skills: Each time you gain 1 or more ranks in the Resolve skill, you gain equal ranks in the Impress skill. This may not increase your Impress skill beyond its maximum rank.
• Stand Together: You gain a +2 morale bonus to Defense and all saves when at least 2 adjacent characters share your Species.

WARDEN
You patrol the fringes of civilization to ensure nothing comes upon your community unexpectedly.
• Bonus Feat: Pathfinder Basics (any 1)
• Attribute Training: The lower of your Intelligence or Wisdom scores increases by 1 (your choice if a tie). Apply this bonus after any modifiers from your Species or Talent.
• Decisive: You gain a +5 bonus with Initiative.
• Practiced Investigate: If you spend an action die to boost an Investigate check and it still fails, you gain the die back after the action is resolved. Against multiple targets you only regain the die if the check fails against all of them.
• Unbreakable: Each time you suffer attribute impairment, it decreases by 1 (minimum 0).

WIZARD
Your mastery of arcane lore ensures you're in high demand as counsel in delicate matters.
• Bonus Feat: Spell Library
• Broad Learning: You gain 2 additional Studies.
• Encouragement: Once per scene, you may speak to 1 of your teammates for 1 minute to grant them a +1 morale bonus with saving throws until the end of the current scene.
• Practiced Spellcasting: If you spend an action die to boost a Spellcasting check and it still fails, you gain the die back after the action is resolved. Against multiple targets you only regain the die if the check fails against all of them.
• Thrifty: Your Prudence increases by 2.

Commentary: PHEW!!! Okay... so I decided to list them all (and now my fingers hurt). I decided I wanted to show you guys the *sheer* amount of options available *before even got to classes*. I don't need to explain what "Action Dice" are or what Prudence is, or the other subsystems - suffice to say all of it is optional anyhow. But anyone with a casual understanding of Pathfinder/3.x can look at these backgrounds and assimilate them pretty easy. Just imagine if you could add them to your standard 3.x/PF/5e character and yeah... it's eyebrow raising.

I know this is going to generate a lot of questions. But I need to end this here. Next post will cover Careers (Classes) and how they work (including Multi-Classing, Expert Classes) and tie a lot of this together. I'll do a direct comparison to Pathfinder classes too that approximate their FC counterparts.

As a sneak-preview the official classes in the Fantasy Core book are:

Assassin
Burglar
Captain
Courtier
Explorer
Keeper
Lancer
Mage
Priest
Sage
Scout
Soldier

Expert Classes
Alchemist
Beastmaster
Edgemaster
Paladin
Rune Knight
Swashbuckler

Thanks for the rundown!   I took a look at True20 this weekend and was/am planning on looking at Fantasy Craft this week as well.  I'll reiterate that I'm not a fan of their classes and specialties overlapping thematically and linguistically so much but so be it.  I do like the way they split the various functions of spell casting across all the mental attributes similar to how martial combat is split across the physical ones (str for melee hit, dex for ranged hit and ac, con for hp to take damage, etc).

Dang Tenbones, admire the passion and dedication to details. You've gotten be interested in the game.

Quote from: Mistwell on May 04, 2025, 10:37:28 PMDang Tenbones, admire the passion and dedication to details. You've gotten be interested in the game.

Interest, love/hate, awe. It's all wrapped up here. 3.x for me was an illusion I failed my saving throw on (like many did when it arrived). As you'll see when I keep the breakdown rolling, the *sheer* work that Patrick Kapera and Alex Flagg did on trying to mechanically balance the game and make it an open-ended toolkit while being faithful to 3.x is pretty astounding. The greatest fault to their endeavor was the fact they released in the same time period as Pathfinder. They never had a chance.

Quote from: RNGm on May 04, 2025, 07:38:20 PMThanks for the rundown!   I took a look at True20 this weekend and was/am planning on looking at Fantasy Craft this week as well.  I'll reiterate that I'm not a fan of their classes and specialties overlapping thematically and linguistically so much but so be it.  I do like the way they split the various functions of spell casting across all the mental attributes similar to how martial combat is split across the physical ones (str for melee hit, dex for ranged hit and ac, con for hp to take damage, etc).

Yeah it felt "wrong" to me too. But there is a genius to it in that "classes" as we know it from D&D/PF never really described what they "were" as a profession. FC tries to do that. The design concept was that while you might in fact DO these things as a class, they wanted to give you some meat on the bones to show that there are mechanical distinctions between our two Fighters based on our presumed history. FC was the first 3.x game in d20 to do that (as far as I can recall). Those Specialties are pretty damn beefy by 3.x design standards.

What I found was that it checked a box with my players that they didn't know existed: they liked the differentiation and distinction that the Specialties added to what they *expected* from a Core Class. i.e. not all Fighters are just Fighters. But we'll look at that together when I cover the Classes and we'll put it all together side by side with a Pathfinder character.

I was just like you when I saw FC for the first time. I was like... WTF... then when I saw the classes I was like... Ohhhhhhh...

Quote from: tenbones on Today at 09:01:04 AMWhat I found was that it checked a box with my players that they didn't know existed: they liked the differentiation and distinction that the Specialties added to what they *expected* from a Core Class. i.e. not all Fighters are just Fighters. But we'll look at that together when I cover the Classes and we'll put it all together side by side with a Pathfinder character.

I was just like you when I saw FC for the first time. I was like... WTF... then when I saw the classes I was like... Ohhhhhhh...

I fully admit that it might just be that I'm a D&D curmudgeon too set in my ways but using those terms (fighter, rogue, ranger) as the origin/specialty instead of the class feels off.  It's not so much that there is overlap between the classes (though that is a smaller part of it) but that it feels like they swapped them just to be different superficially.  I'd have preferred if the "specialty" was burglar, courtier, or scout instead of class since, for example, a wizard with the mage hand spell trained in stealth/sleight of hand as skills can have a penchant for wanting things without paying for them.  I fully admit that it's functionally no different but I can't help but feel like they got it backwards ...

Again, regardless, I appreciate the detailed rundowns you'll be doing as I'm going over the ruleset this week and it'll give me some points to take note of an read in detail as opposed to skimming when I'm taking notes (which I actually do, lol!).   I informally looked at a whole bunch of rulesets over the past two years since the OGL debacle and they all eventually blended into each other so I decided a couple months back to do a more organized look along with taking notes on each ruleset about mechanics/ideas that I like.  With Fantasy Craft, splitting up the mental attributes so that they all contribute to casting would be one that I'd be interested in using as well.  I'm ashamed to admit that prior to Shadowdark's first kickstarter that I was one of the folks that Pundit laments about who thought that the OSR was just a bunch of old D&D retroclones!