Tenkar from Tenkar's Tavern has no shortage of cool ideas, and
his latest idea is no exception. Today, several blogs with old-school leanings are putting up posts of appreciation for Chris Gonnerman's
Basic Fantasy RPG. Tenkar referred to it as the "red-headed stepchild of the OSR", and I think that is a fairly apt description. It simply doesn't get as much attention as the more well-known clones like OSRIC and Labyrinth Lord. Today, we shed some much-deserved light on it.
So what is BFRPG? Well, it is a free, well-supported game system that emulates classic editions of the world's greatest RPG. But, it is more than that. While the majority of the text feels much like OD&D + Greyhawk, there are all sorts of mechanical tidbits thrown in that make it feel like its own unique "take" on the game. There are "modern" sensibilities (ascending AC, no group initiative), and creative houserules (charging, ranged attacks when within 5' of enemies, etc). What you end up with is a clean, coherent system that feels familiar yet unique at the same time.
There are also multiple free adventures on the site, so you can get right into playing. I love the little touches in the adventures, like the little boxes to tick off hit points, and the classic TSR-era fonts. There are also a lot of other extra goodies, such as alternate classes, all for a free download.
The name Chris Gonnerman might already be familiar to you through
Dragonsfoot. He has done considerable work over the years with the wonderful Footprints ezine. With BFRPG, he has given a gift to the OSR community and gamers in general, and for that he deserves some praise. Be sure and check out the post I linked above to Tenkar's Tavern; he will be putting up links for the various blogs taking part in this. Thanks for the game Chris!
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