I've read all the reviews on the web that i can find and looked up the threads. Lots of good info there, but not enough to push me that extra centimetre to buy it, yet...

Anyone have the time (or indeed, inclination) to post up an in-depth treatment on the game?

Well, I have a full-on review in the works, but I don't think it's fully cooked yet. Is there anything you want to know.

I ran my first game of it yesterday. It revealed a few things:
1) It wasn't apparent until I was putting characters together, but a starting character has a lot of options during gameplay.
2) I was a little afraid that the magic system (with a spell point system and tricks that potentially adjust cost and availability of spells) might be too much for a starting player, but the player who played the mage said he really enjoyed the magic system.
3) Even fairly tough characters can be threatened with a lucky shot, especially during a dramatic scene.
4) We didn't get to see many of the highly social character types in play, but actions other than direct attacks (like tire and distract) can be really useful in combat.

If it might be of assistance, Crafty just put out free iconic characters, 3rd level pregens, one for each PC class in the book (2 for the Sage: they took the sage pic in the book and made two different builds: one assuming the giant was the PC, and one assuming the pech sitting on her shoulder was the PC. )

I haven't played it yet, and I'm reserving any reviews until then. However, on a good read-through, I like it better than most of the folks that commented on it elsewhere on the board. I like SpyCraft a lot, though, and I'm not in love with Pathfinder. That may be the difference.

There's a free Fantasy Craft NPC Builder program available on DriveThruRPG.

Quote from: Drohem;336363There's a free Fantasy Craft NPC Builder program available on DriveThruRPG.

That's actually 2 parts. What you get for download is the converter, which does all the table look-ups to scale npcs to different levels. And the character builder is a link to a website, which you can play with here:

http://www.meadicus.plus.com/craftygames/npc-builder/

'Course, what some of the abilities do won't be obvious without the book, but it might give you a flavor of what the NPC building is like.

Well, i've just downloaded it, so maybe i'll post my own review to this thread once i've absorbed it.

I might as well post as i go - of course this will mean they are initial thoughts only and i might get things wrong until the system as a whole slips into place as i read more thoroughly.

Totally initial thoughts....

The cover - i love it. Especially the ice-cool Assassin (i presume) with the crossbow who is calmly smoking a cigarette whilst looking into the maw of the offscreen dragon.

Races - I have an instant dislike of the drake race and Rootwalkers seem to be gimped. Iconic classes also seem like an unnecessary hurdle to options.

I love Talents and Specialities - groovy.

I hate that there are no at a glance Feat tables and i have to read through them all before having an idea what they do and what other feats they are related to.

The Hero chapter doesn't contain all the bits necessary to create a character.

The Forge section looks intimidating - as does combat...

Here's my first attempt at building a character. The only thing i'm unsure of is the Extra Contact feat that he gets as his core ability. Do you get 50 pionts to build him for free or do you have to use your current reputation points t build him? I did that, but i can easily see it the other way around.

--------------------------------------------------

Name: Ssath
Race: Saurian
Class: Explorer
Specialty: Bard

Ssath was hatched in a murky swamp. From the time that he emerged he was surrounded by the sounds of the marsh – frog choruses, plaintive boom of the bitterns and the endless drones of the insect. His people used these sounds to influence their music and this fascinated the young Saurian, who started to perform his own songs to the saurian community. On maturity, he decided to travel from the swamps, collecting as much lore about song and song making as he could. The outside world is both scary and wonderful to Ssath, who has made new friends with his ready wit, booming laugh and amazing vocal talent.

Appearance (+1): Ssath is of average height and olive green in colouration. His hands and feet are partly webbed. His pot-belly, gaping froglike mouth, saucer eyes and the purple wattle on his throat (which inflates when he wishes it or when he issues a boom of laughter) give him a slightly comical appearance. But his charming manner, keen mind and undoubted skill show that when necessary, Ssath is very serious indeed. Although he is not a fearsome combatant, his tenacity is truly astounding and he recovers from blows at a frightening rate.

Vitality: 9
Wounds: 10

Strength 10  +0         
Dexterity 17  +3         
Constitution 10  +0         
Intelligence 14  +2         
Wisdom 11  +0         
Charisma 16  +3         

Att: +0 hand claw, +4 throwing knives
Fort: +2
Ref: +4 (+3 in armour)
Will: +0
Def: +5 (+4 in armour)
Init: +4

Lifestyle: +4 (Panache 3, Prudence 1) Income 30S, 20% Saved
Legend: +1
Reputation: 10

Skills: Athletics +0, Blend +3, Bluff (1) +4 (origin), Haggle +0, Impress (2) +5 (origin), Investigate (1) +1, Notice (1) +1, Prestigitation +3, Resolve +0, Ride +3, Search +2, Survival (3) +3, Medicine (2) +4 (well-rounded), Sneak (3) +6 (well-rounded)

Feats: Well-Rounded (specialty), Swamp Clutch
Proficiencies: Edged I, Hurled II (forte), Unarmed

Interests: Saurian Language, Swamp Fauna, Songs, weather

Gear
Backpack (10s), bedroll – durable (10s), canteen (5s), pouch (2s), bandages (3s), hand claw 1d6 lethal 20 threat, bleed, grip (6s), 10 throwing knives 1d4 lethal, 19-20 threat, poisonous (25s), 3 days rations (15s), Leather armour DR1, Resist Fire 3, DP –1(20s)

Money & Prizes

4s in hand

Free Contact – Zeffir the Merchant (folk walker)  (TL 1 - 33xp)

Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10, SZ M (1x1 Reach 1) Speed 30 ft, Init: II (+0), Att I (+0), Defence II (+0), Res I (+0), Comp II (+0), Health IV (+1) or 20 Vitality 10 Wounds, Signature skills: Bluff IV (+5), Haggle X (+11), Crafting IV (+5), Qualities: Expertise (Haggle)

Attack: dagger (1d6 lethal damage, 19-20, bleed, hurl)
Mounts & Vehicles: Wagon (speed 20 ft (Run 40ft) travel 3, SZ/DefL/9 or none


Saurian Origin + Swamp Clutch
+2 Dexterity, + 2 Charisma, -2 Constitution
Speed 30 ft
Agile defence +1
Cold-blooded
Low-light vision
Natural attack (Bite II & Tail slap II)
+5 Swim checks
Aquatic I
Regenerate 4

Bard Specialty
Bonus Feat: Well-Rounded 5 skill points for anything
Beguiling
Encouragement
Free Hint
Practised Impress

Explorer Class abilities
Friends all over (10 Reputation contact for free?)
Tomb Robber

Saw this at FLGS the other day. Cover looked inviting. Picked it up, skimmed through it, "oh bollocks it's another d20 game", put it down. It seemed a bit involved to me, although I appreciate that from a quick look-over I could be wrong, and when it comes to overcomplication, I can really talk. Will be interested to see review.

Quote from: Omnifray;338006Saw this at FLGS the other day. Cover looked inviting. Picked it up, skimmed through it, "oh bollocks it's another d20 game", put it down. It seemed a bit involved to me, although I appreciate that from a quick look-over I could be wrong, and when it comes to overcomplication, I can really talk. Will be interested to see review.

Yeah, it's very involved - it took me hours to create that character, although it'll quicken up once i get used to it.

It suffers from not highlighting all the little rules bits hidden away in paragraphs all over the place. Have the relevant bits in a sentence of its own, spaced above and below.

Quote from: One Horse Town;337994Free Contact – Zeffir the Merchant (folk walker)  (TL 1)

Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10, Init: I (+0), Att I (+0), Defence I (+0), Res I (+0), Comp II (+0), Health II (+0) or 10 Vitality 10 Wounds, Signature skills: Investigate II (+3)
(...)
Explorer Class abilities
Friends all over (10 Reputation contact for free?)
Tomb Robber

Actually, isn't that supposed to be a 50 reputation contact? (It gives you the extra contacts feat, which gives a 50 rep contact as a base.)

Quote from: One Horse Town;337692I hate that there are no at a glance Feat tables and i have to read through them all before having an idea what they do and what other feats they are related to.

Yeah, that's a bit of an annoyance to me.

One of the Crafty forum dwellers put together an excel index that can be useful for this:

http://www.crafty-games.com/files/File/Fantasy_Craft_Master_Index_(20090921).zip

QuoteThe Hero chapter doesn't contain all the bits necessary to create a character.

Yeah, most of the fiddly bits--feats and skills--are in the Lore chapter.

Quote from: Caesar Slaad;338137Actually, isn't that supposed to be a 50 reputation contact? (It gives you the extra contacts feat, which gives a 50 rep contact as a base.)

Yeah, i asked the question up-front 'cos i wasn't sure i had got it right.

Quote from: One Horse Town;337994Att: +0 hand claw, +4 throwing knives
Fort: +2
Ref: +4 (+3 in armour)
Will: +0
Def: +5 (+4 in armour)
Init: +4

Maybe I don't understand something, but I think there's a mistake here. Or does your character's defense rating really go down when wearing armor? The Reflex save being lower makes sense, but I would think the reverse would be true of Defense.

Quote from: Kaz;338248Maybe I don't understand something, but I think there's a mistake here. Or does your character's defense rating really go down when wearing armor? The Reflex save being lower makes sense, but I would think the reverse would be true of Defense.

The DP (defence penalty) does affect both Reflex saves and Defence. The trade-off is that you get damage reduction.