I'm mildly interested in Fantasy Craft.

Unfortunately, I fell out of love with the d20, so I don't see myself picking this up. I think I agree with the general idea that this should have been 4E, and that it does a better job compared to Pathfinder. At least, I think that now. I probably wouldn't have been as receptive back in 2009 when Fantasy Craft was published, for the aforementioned curmudgeonly reasons. I had more fixed and inflexible ideas of what elf game was supposed to look like, and this unholy bastardization of different classes interbreeding with each other would have been unclean back then.

Years later, I'm really not a fan of the cross-class skills, or the x4 skill points at first level. I thought Pathfinder had a better approach to that overall.

FantasyCraft is amazing, but it's way too complex for me these days. And I'm no stranger to complexity, having played Hero System for many years. But now I want something easier. I wish there was a "FantasyCraft Lite" that was around 30 pages or so.

Fantasy Craft Classes continued...

Okay diversion time. I started this and thought in order for the Mage and Priest class to make sense compared to other Pathfinder/3.x casters we need to talk about Magic and how it works in Fantasy Craft.

DETOUR AHEAD

Arcane Magic - arcane casters are anyone using the Sorceryquality in their fantasy campaign. Qualities are "Campaign Features" much like Savage Worlds Setting Rules. Sorcery means arcane magic is real and controlled in the form of spells using a specific Skill. There are extra rules for qualities that let you tune them up/down. For instance in campaigns using the Sorcery quality you can add Corrupting Magic, Cyclical Magic (it ebbs and flows), Difficult Magic, Lost Magic (missing schools), Potent Magic, etc. and each of these qualities affects the overall global system of magic in your setting. Not all of them have to permanent either.

Remember this is a toolkit system. It's very much akin to Savage Worlds, but for 3.x. The goal is to set up all the mechanics to *your* specifications, wind it up, and just let it roll. If you make mistakes, NO PROBLEM, you can adjust on the fly.

Known Spells - Arcane Casters learn their Wisdom Score + Spellcasting skill ranks. Spells may be picked or chosen at random (they have a table for it) Once learned, spells cannot be exchanged. As a side note, just because you know a spell doesn't mean you can cast it. These limits are set by your class.

Spell Points - Spells costs points. Each spell costs the number of Spell points equal to their level every time you *try* to cast it (i.e. if you fail your Spellcasting check - you lose those points anyhow). You regain your Spellpoints *every scene*. The only exception is spells that have durations of Permanent, and spells that have durations that carry over from one scene to another. Those spellpoints are *not* recovered even if the spell's duration ends during the current scene.

Spellcasting Skill - Spellcasters spend points equal to their spell's level + any additional modifiers from Tricks, or other effects. He makes a Spellcasting check compared to the DC in the table below. If he fails, he loses the spellpoints, no effect. If he succeeds, the spell goes off normally. With a Critical Success, the caster regains all the spell points used to cast the spell. With a Critical Failure, the caster is shaken, and has a -5 to all Spellcasting checks until he succeeds with another check or until the scene ends. Spellcasting skill is modified by your Int. Yes this includes Divine Casters.



Saving Throws: When a target gets a Saving Throw, the DC is 10 + the caster's Charisma modifer + the caster's number of Spellcasting Feats.

Commentary: Yes this makes "Wizards" *very* different. 1) They have to roll a skill check in order to successfully cast. This puts them on mechanical parity to *every other* class in D&D that needs to engage with their task resolution mechanic to succeed/fail, often for much larger effect (hence the addition of saves to mitigate). Second - this system *resolves* the 15-minute adventuring day. Where Vancian spellcasting limits your ability to adventure based on your capacity. In FC you're always at max capacity *every single encounter*. This should also warn you of what you should be expecting in combat. This is high-octane shit. Also consider that a Spellcaster's number of Feats they own are factored into the the DC saves of their spells, with the unified mechanic of Charisma bonus. Makes sense, after all, what is the point of declaring Charisma is partial defined as "force of personality and willpower" and not have it make an impact on rearranging reality?

This gets further "odd" for traditional D&D players in that when you see the spell-list of the Mage, you'll realize they have *healing*. Yes, it's Mages that do the blasting and the healing. So WTF does this mean about our "Clerics"? Read on!

Divine Casters - Miracles. Divine casters don't really cast spells, they invoke miracles. In FC divine casters are the only ones with Alignment. Alignment is the devotional path set down by their deity or ethos that allows the divine caster to work miracles as long as they remain in good standing. Each alignment has several Paths and Steps along those Paths which grant certain abilities in accordance with their Class.

Since these are miracles, not spells, Divine Casters don't get spellpoints. Instead they can invoke the miracles associated with their Alignment and Path once per scene.

Commentary: Okay personally for me. I LOVE THIS. I never liked that Clerics were simply treated mechanically as Wizards using their Wisdom score. Yes, I get the abstraction, but for me, I want my Clerics to be "closer" to their patrons in order to engage more with roleplaying than the cold, distant and academic mechanics appropriate for a Wizard. The Gods are *active* in the world. I want my Divine casters to be miracle workers that are agents for their god(s). It may rankle people by the thought that "OMG they can only use their powers once per scene?!?!?!" Remember the OSR credo about Clerics... they're *really* supposed to be Crusaders. FC lets you do that, and much more.

Alignments - Alignments consist mechanically of a description of an patron being/ethos that mechanically has the following features. Often Alignment is just longhand for the Deity in question. You don't worship Chaotic Neutral, you follow Crom and his dictates, for instance. A PC can only possess one Alignment at a time.
Paths -The defining qualities of the deity's portfolios. These are analogous to "Domains". Each alignment has between 2-5 Paths.
Alignment Skills - Skills offered to those that practice this Alignment
Ritual Weapon - The weapon of choice of the Alignment
Avatar - If the deity were to manifest an avatar - what would it be?
Opposed Alignments - Gods and ethos directly in opposition.

Example Alignment -
Here's what I wrote up for Crom...
Crom
Strength, self-reliance, and unyielding resolve. Crom is the god of warriors who forge their own destiny through raw courage and indomitable will. He scorns weakness, excuses, and dependence on divine intervention, granting his followers only the spark of life and the strength to endure hardship. Crom values those who face adversity head-on, carving their path through blood and iron, without seeking his favor or mercy. To worship Crom is to embrace a life of struggle, where triumph is earned through grit and survival is its own reward.

Paths: Destruction, Metal, Strength, War, Wilderness
Alignment Skills: Athletics, Crafting, Search, Survival
Ritual Weapon: Any weapon forged by the follower.
Avatar: Crom's avatar is a colossal, muscular human-like figure, standing 10 to 12 feet tall, with a physique that speaks of relentless endurance and brute force. His frame is broad and scarred, as if hewn from the stone of his mountain throne, exuding an almost elemental presence. He is represented by a Giant Rogue template.

Commentary: Note, that while possessing an Alignment is a Feat or part of a Class. *Nothing* prevents a non-divine caster from partaking in the creeds and ethos of a deity. That's the whole point of an in-setting religion. The point being the miracle workers of that religion are *special*. They're the poison-drinking, speaking-in-tongues, snake-handling, rolling-around-on-the-floor followers of Set that *actually* can cast bolts of doom from their eyes. As opposed to the rest of the clergy that help with the rituals and firmly believe.

Okay there's lots more to it, but those are the very basic conceits of what is an Arcane vs. Divine caster. They mechanically are structured differently but use the same task resolution system in novel ways.

The Mage
CLASS FEATURES
Requirements: Sorcery campaign quality
Favored Attributes: Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma
Caster: Each level in this class increases your Casting Level by 1.
Class Skills: Bluff, Crafting, Impress, Intimidate, Investigate, Medicine, Notice, Prestidigitation, Resolve, Ride, Search, Sense Motive
Skill Points: 8 + Int modifier per level
Vitality: 6 + Con modifier per level
Starting Proficiencies: 2

CORE ABILITY
Arcane Adept: You learn 4 additional Level 0 spells from any School. Also, once per scene as a free action, you may spend and roll up to 3 action dice to gain a number of spell points equal to the result. These action dice cannot explode.

CLASS ABILITIES
Subtle and Quick to Anger: At Level 1, you may purchase ranks in the Spellcasting skill, learn spells from any School, and cast Level 0 spells you know.

Arcane Might: At Levels 2, 11, and 19, the highest of your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma scores rises by 1. Also, you may choose up to 3 spells you know, gaining a +2 bonus with Spellcasting checks to cast them.

Circle of Power I: At Level 3, you may cast Level 1 and lower spells you know.

Circle of Power II: At Level 5, you may cast Level 2 and lower spells you know.

Circle of Power III: At Level 7, you may cast Level 3 and lower spells you know.

Circle of Power IV: At Level 9, you may cast Level 4 and lower spells you know.

Circle of Power V: At Level 11, you may cast Level 5 and lower spells you know.

Circle of Power VI: At Level 13, you may cast Level 6 and lower spells you know.

Circle of Power VII: At Level 15, you may cast Level 7 and lower spells you know.

Circle of Power VIII: At Level 17, you may cast Level 8 and lower spells you know.

Circle of Power IX: At Level 19, you may cast Level 9 and lower spells you know.

Bonus Feat: At Levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20, you gain 1 additional Skill or Spellcasting feat.

Spell Secret: At Levels 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18, you may choose 1 spell you know. Its spell level is
considered to be 1 lower than normal for you. You may not apply this ability to the same spell more than once.

Arcane Wellspring I: Your magical reserves run deep. At Level 10, when you have no spell points remaining, you may cast Level 1 spells without spending spell points. However, you may not apply spellcasting tricks to these spells.

Arcane Wellspring II: At Level 20, you may cast Level 2 spells without spell points as well.

Master of Magic: While the mightiest of spells still require your full attention, lesser spells are now trivial for you. At Level 14, you may always take 10 with Spellcasting checks and the time required is not doubled when you do. You may use this ability a number of times per scene equal to your starting action dice.

Commentary: The Mage represented here, like all classes, are supposed to encompass any/all kinds of casters based upon the choices of the player in their setting. They're not *just* the d20 Wizard - which is supposed to be informed by your Specialty. They are far more flexible than a Pathfinder Wizard, somewhat more constrained in spell-list, but not too badly. Once you combine them with Feats, you can do some *wild* shit on this singular chassis. Not to mention the other spellcaster classes that exist.



The Priest
CLASS FEATURES
Requirements: Miracles campaign quality, Alignment
Favored Attributes: Wisdom, Charisma
Caster Each level in this class increases your Casting Level by 1.
Class Skills: Impress, Intimidate, Medicine, Notice, Resolve, Sense Motive, Alignment skills
Skill Points: 6 + Int modifier per level
Vitality: 9 + Con modifier per level
Starting Proficiencies: 4

CORE ABILITY
Devout: You've been appointed by a higher power to represent divine will in the world of mortals. This divine will is sometimes felt in the form of miracles. When you fail an attack check with your ritual weapon or a skill check with a Priest class skill and don't suffer an error, you may spend an action die to re-roll the check. You may use this ability only once per check.

CLASS ABILITIES
Acolyte: At Level 1, you take the first Step along any 1 of your Alignment's Paths and gain your Alignment's ritual weapon at no cost. This weapon may not be sold and when it's lost or destroyed it's replaced at no cost at the end of the next Downtime lasting 1 day or more.

Signs & Portents I: You may contact higher powers for guidance in times of need. At Level 2, as a 1-minute action, you may request a hint from the GM. If he refuses, you gain 1 bonus action die. You may use this ability a number of times per adventure equal to your starting action dice.

Signs & Portents II: At Level 11, if the GM refuses, you gain 2 action dice.

Signs & Portents III: At Level 19, if the GM refuses, you gain 3 action dice.

Path of the Devoted: At Levels 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19, you take a Step along any 1 of your Alignment's Paths.

Bonus Feat: At Levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20, you gain 1 additional Chance or Style feat.

Masks of God: At Levels 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18, you may choose one of the following abilities. Each of these abilities may be chosen only once.

• Benediction: You extend divine blessings to close friends. The error ranges of checks made by allies within Close Quarters decrease by 1 (minimum 1).
• Congregation: You gain the Followers feat, the NPC group consisting of Worshippers. You may gain the Followers feat a second time later, as your character options allow.
• Exemplar: You're an ideal of your faith. The threat ranges of checks you make with your Alignment's skills increase by 1.
• Fell Hand: You're a conduit of divine wrath. When attacking with your ritual weapon, you benefit from the All-Out Attack and Cleave Basics feats.
• High Priest: Your piety has earned you the flock's respect and admiration. The Disposition of any NPC sharing your Alignment improves by 5.
• Perceptive: Your Wisdom score rises by 1.
• Rebuke: You're an instrument of divine spite. Characters you successfully Turn also suffer an amount of divine damage equal to your Resolve check result; those targeted who make their Will saves suffer half this damage (rounded down). You may only choose this ability if you may Turn.
• Sacred 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 or an opposing Alignment.
• Sacred Weapon: You're a divine champion, your ritual weapon possessing extraordinary gifts. You may not be disarmed when wielding your ritual weapon. Also, when the weapon is lost or destroyed it's replaced at the start of the next scene.
• Visitation: Once per adventure, you may spend 10 minutes in prayer to summon your Alignment's avatar.

Saved! I: Your divine bond infuses your party with penetrating judgment. At Level 10, your Wisdom score rises by 1. Also, when you or a hero who can see and hear you makes a Will save and the result is less than your Wisdom score, the result becomes equal to your Wisdom score.

Saved! II: At Level 20, your Wisdom score rises by 1 more (total increase 2), and this ability also applies to Fortitude saves.

Divine Intervention: You may call upon your gods for direct assistance. At Level 14, once per adventure, you may cast the Wish II spell without making a Spellcasting check, spending spell points or completing the Quest Subplot.



Commentary: The sheer focus of the Priest Class combined with Specialty and Alignment welded to the core mechanics of the game, is such a massive dunk on the D&D 3.x/PF Cleric. It fully embraces everything you could want as a player, but as a GM you can control the expression of how the Gods operate by limiting/ratcheting up their affect via Alignments. It's a deconstruction of the mess of 3.x/PF at its finest. It loses nothing in terms of power, but gains everything in terms of mechanical flavor - since out of the box it might not be to your tastes, you can fully customize it. Which is much harder to do with PF/3.x

Okay - classes that I haven't covered:

Captain - Basically the Fighter that is the ultimate support/backer class. Gives bonuses to everyone, and they're *steep* bonuses for everyone: casters, ranged, melee, defense, attack, saves...

Courtier - Okay... You guys might be saying WTF?!?! This was the class I was talking about when I blurbed about social combat. This class is made for those roleplayers that want to play Tyrion Lannister, Littlefinger, and get NPC's (and even PC's) blasted off the runway behind the scenes or in them. Your the PC that gets shit done, acquired gear, bribes people behind the scenes, sweet talks your way into places you could never get into. It's a class for those players that want to challenge themselves without lifting a finger in-game. In a game with politics? This class is *brutal*. I'll definitely go over them next.

Explorer - This is the tomb-raiding rogue/ranger. Think Indiana Jones - Contacts everywhere, bypassing traps, clue-gathering expert, tomb-raiding master.

Keeper - The McGuyver. Skill-monkey supreme. The name refers to "Keeper of knowledge" - and in game terms it means you have a *gigantic* toolbox of bonuses to using your skills not just reliably, but with intense capacity. These guys are for players that want to be useful crafters, AND skill-monkeys that solve shit by the right application of skills to the problem.

Lancer - Mounted badass. Yes they're still good while unmounted. But when you put them in a saddle? Forget it.

Sage - Okay, these guys are between Keepers and Captains. They're specialize in enhancing the rest of the party. What's more, they *learn* from the party too. They can start picking up special abilities from the rest of the PC's in their party too. They're for players that wanna be that wildcard and mix-n-match while still being super-useful to the group. They're the ultimate pinch-hitters.

Scout - This is the Fantasy Craft answer to the Ranger. They don't just live in the wild... they *flourish* there. They're the ultimate at Survival and Tactics. While in their chosen environments they are like wilderness assassins, (no seriously - they get a lot of assassin abilities), and render the most challenging environmental hazards as nearly trivial.

More to come. And I'll talk about Feats and Skills next... then the core system stuff and we'll put it all together.

Quote from: Aglondir on May 06, 2025, 11:39:45 PMFantasyCraft is amazing, but it's way too complex for me these days. And I'm no stranger to complexity, having played Hero System for many years. But now I want something easier. I wish there was a "FantasyCraft Lite" that was around 30 pages or so.

While it is complex, in reality it's just 3.x re-weighted. I'm not sure you could *do* a 30-page FC Lite. If you did, they would be CHONKY classes that were 10-levels, but they'd be THICK levels.

The real value of Fantasy Craft is in achieving, in no small part, the *actual* promise of what 3e should have been. It's modular. All the sub-systems are customizable, including the classes. All the abilities are weighted against themselves in terms of what the system is mechanically *supposed* to do at the table: emulate D&D style combat TotM/Battlemat where the classes play on as close to parity by genre convention As Possible(tm).

To reinforce the As Possible(tm) idea, they gave GM's tools to further tweak things at the campaign setting level which filters down to the Player level. Further then refined their monster-stats into being scalable templates - which has never been replicated in D&D since. I've seen it in Superhero games, and Savage Worlds, but not in any iteration of D&D. And it can be done on the fly.

Yeah it's a real tragedy that Fantasy Craft's design was largely ignored in light of Pathfinder. I would say the same thing of 5e. FC *could* be trimmed down, in fact the book overproduces giving you systems for Loot, Lifestyle, Reputation, a narrative system for Renown and Holdings. The book is a brick - because it's a PHB, DMG and MM and several other supplements all packed into one big book.

Then there's the actual FC Supplementary material... Fantasy Craft reached for the Sun, in terms of its design. But was basically given the Icarus treatment instead of the accolades it deserved, if only for the attempt.

Quote from: tenbones on May 07, 2025, 03:48:47 PM

Quote from: Aglondir on May 06, 2025, 11:39:45 PMFantasyCraft is amazing, but it's way too complex for me these days. And I'm no stranger to complexity, having played Hero System for many years. But now I want something easier. I wish there was a "FantasyCraft Lite" that was around 30 pages or so.

I'm not sure you could *do* a 30-page FC Lite.

Yeah. I did a hypothetical exercise trying to make a lite PHB, ruthlessly cutting stuff out. The result was 147 pages. Might be able to trim 20 more pages by deleting the art and explanatory text, but that's not even in the ballpark of 30 pages. A good chunk of the page count is coming from spells and feats, which are already concise.

Some observations:

- The book is well-organized and well-written. Have you ever read an RPG and thought "They could chop out a third of this and it would be fine?" FC feels like they already did that, and left only the good parts. There's very little fluff or filler.

- There are a lot of hidden gems. For example, I wanted to reduce player options to four races and four classes, like many OSR games, but the Courtier, the Explorer, the Keeper, the Sage... you don't see any of these anywhere else. It would be a tragedy not to include them.

- On the other hand, I liked the stuff that I did not see. No Monk, no Druid, no Bard, no Warlock... I don't miss those guys. I did not get the "fantasy superhero" vibe I usually get from d20 products. Nor the "everyone is some sort of caster" vibe I get from 5E.

- The Campaign Qualities section is excellent. It's a list of options the GM can use to adjust the lethality, luck factor, amount of magic items, and cinematic element. You could do Game of Thrones, Middle Earth or anything in-between.

- FC is not as complex as I thought. There is some crunch, but most of the concepts are straightforward. I'm still in a rules lite phase, but FC is definitely tempting.