Basic Fantasy Role Playing Game (BFRPG) is "(a)n old-school roleplaying game in the style of Moldvay and Cook", written by Chris Gonnerman and many other contributors. It is freely available in PDF and OpenDocument formats, along with numerous supplements, from the game's website. BFRPG is stylistically similar to, and largely compatible with, the 1981 Dungeons & Dragons Basic and Expert sets ("B/X D&D") edited by Tom Moldvay and Zeb Cook respectively. Its differences from B/X D&D include d20-style ascending armor class and separation of character race and class. Gonnerman first announced BFRPG on the Dragonsfoot.org website on 20 January 2006, when the rules were at Release 9. BFRPG Release 62, released on 17 February 2007, was marked as the First Edition and made available on the print-on-demand site Lulu. BFRPG Release 75, released on 15 July 2008, was marked as the Second Edition and is currently available from Lulu.
Gonnerman drew on his previously designed RPG, Project 74, as well as some descriptive text from the D&D 3.5 SRD and Castles & Crusades, for material to create Basic Fantasy. The game has been positively received. Criticism of BFRPG has focused on its deviations from B/X D&D, particularly in comparison to Labyrinth Lord, another "retro-clone" RPG.
Famous quotes containing the words basic and/or fantasy:
“The basic tool for the manipulation of reality is the manipulation of words. If you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use the words.”
—Philip K. Dick (1928–1982)
“People accept a representation in which the elements of wish and fantasy are purposely included but which nevertheless proclaims to represent “the past” and to serve as a guide-rule for life, thereby hopelessly confusing the spheres of knowledge and will.”
—Johan Huizinga (1872–1945)