I love that you described it as the discretionary budget. I use almost the same phrase myself. This stuff absolutely makes my day. I have a self full of Pathfinder and D&D books and I can't be bothered to play either. Cairn, Whitebox, and Basic Fantasy are all heavily in the rotation. I finally got my backside off my shoulders and started soloing Cairn. ANYWAY, this is the part of the hobby I like. I work for a corporate behemoth so I don't hate the corpos, but I really love the games that are obviously passion projects and driven by love of the game and community. Also digging that Detroit cap!
Great post, Dude! just downloaded Faserip. Totally free, just like you said! I love the Without Number games, and have them all. There's so much in there for inspiration. Anyway, all good games there, and appreciate not continually being pointed at the most expensive stuff out there - you're not doing that, but sometimes other TH-camrs do 🙂
Dave, welcome back sir! Thanks a bunch man. I fall prey to the new shiny as much as the next guy (clearly by my shelf), but a lot of the best games cost ZERO! I was raised in a single income household, with a disabled father and a mother who worked long hours for minimal pay… I worked my way through college and then several very low paying jobs after… when money was tight I often sold my old hobby stuff to finance the new. Even then, I usually couldn’t afford what I wanted. This era of gaming is unique, because some of the top tier creators are giving their work away for free! What a time to be a gamer!
@@booksbricksandboards783 Hey Justin! Yeah, I was in a similar situation myself. I bought the hardback versions of favorite games when I could afford them, but as you've pointed out in your videos before, it's possible to pick up PDFs of games on DrivethruRPG for not a lot of money. I remember buying a paperback copy of the Tunnels and Trolls rules (the one with the red cover and a demon on it, I think) in Edinburgh for a pound, about one dollar back then, and being blown away by the idea that an entire world of gaming was available to me, through ONE single book! Anyway mate, great content - I'm telling my gaming buddies about your channel, so hopefully they'll subscribe. Have a good rest of the weekend and looking forward to more content soon! Reading Worlds Without Number right now 🙂
Very sweet video Justin. Thank You for sharing this insight into game that maybe not everyone has heard of and can get without having a hole burned into their wallet. 😊
This is a very useful video. Thank you. I feel like the tabletop RPG hobby is dying and I'm not willing to invest anymore money. I have a couple friends that I play with but other than that there's no reason to buy expensive books.
If I buy books, it is because they are vintage, or it is a designer that I want to support (such as Jeffrey Talanian of Hyperborea fame). As far as the “big name” RPG’s I am in the same boat as you. On the other hand, I spend far too much on vintage and great designer projects 😉. But just buying to play, I’d be good with my free stuff.
In 2024 i dont know why one has to pay 150 for core rules alone when you can get this for much less and for better quality gaming experience. Plus the DnD brand has been disrespected by the modern owners and most of the creators and the game has nothing of the oroginal flavour. Its sad when I say I play DnD but i actually dont in order to do so but thank God for that. So many great alternatives today. Its a pity for new and old gamers not to try retroclones or entire new systems
There are ALOT of Basic Fantasy RPG fans out there, so much so that I intentionally mentioned it in the summary section(because I knew I’d get some comments at its exclusion). If you are enjoying a game, you are doing it right… and with free RPG’s there is no risk.
Played D&D for decades. Never once used anything other than a hand-drawn map, books, dice, and imaginations. I don’t known where people are spending so much, unless they just enjoy the minis.
I think a lot of the players who came in with 5e felt compelled to update their books to the newest edition, that cost alone can be well over $100, more if they also pick up digital copies. The point of my video is in agreement with your statement, you don’t have to spend a lot of money, but many players don’t realize that. Thanks for watching.
I actually did mention Basic Fantasy, see my Summary section at the end of the video. Ultimately I don’t feel like it has as much going for it as the other games on the list.
The problem with any dice app (and any rng emulator program) is that it cannot emulate actual dice roles. It has to use an rng table, an algorithm, or combination to generate the results that it then shows you in the dice roll. Meaning it's not actually random but determined by the method and inputs.
As I said in the video, this is not my preferred way of rolling dice, but works in a pinch. Also, this one goes a step further than a simple RNG. It uses simulated physics and interactions between multiple dice on the table, then reads them at the end, even having cocked dice or dice that land on top of one another. Any computer program with randomness uses some form of RNG, but this one is a little more involved than most.
Interesting story. I had the players working for a huge galactic corporation. There was a “Westworld” style resort in the Keep and the guests would be fighting the animatronic monsters. Problem is, there were some real monsters that took residence in the caves of chaos. Players had to clear it out!
Seriously, when you do a conversion like that, just gotta roll with it. They had guns and that made the ogre trivial. In close quarters of the caves they lost the advantage though. 😉
Nothing to say. Just that : Both the without numbers and Sworn family are just better than D&D hand down. The paid versions are not that costy (wait for a sale on Drivethru) and are better... sorry... but they are way better. I should say for people new to avoid Ironsworn in group it is still a solo game or a coop 2 at best 3 players adventures, and I would add players knowing each other well cause that can really go crazy in direction you will H.A.T.E. and if you have a game master... then I would argue the without series is more than probably a better choice.
@@booksbricksandboards783 I bought the physical Fate Core and Fate Condensed. They are beautiful books. But I decided to start with FAE to keep things simple for my first attempts, and I got hooked. So I haven't moved on to the other Fate systems yet. 😂
@@DiceTomb I think a lot of gamers have been talking about the cost of replacing their books, feeling pressured to do the D&D Beyond stuff, and then all of the micro transactions with that, and they are saying it is a lot. If it was this incredible experience like we have never seen or heard before, maybe it would be worth it… but as you pointed out, it’s not… it’s warmed over ideas, with cookie cutter formulas and the removal of anything with soul in the game, to be replaced with a synthetic plasticized version of the original. It kind of looks like D&D, but not the D&D most people know. Put another way, $50,000 isn’t a lot to pay for a new sports car, but you would not want to pay it for a new Ford Focus. In my opinion WoTC is selling Ford Focus level products at Tesla prices. When compared to the different RPG systems out there, the D&D core experience is one of the more expensive, as most companies have a single, or two core books. Many very popular RPG’s offer the full core experience for less than $50. I wanted to share some alternative options, going into the holidays which can be expensive as well, that wouldn’t break the bank. Thanks for watching.
I love that you described it as the discretionary budget. I use almost the same phrase myself. This stuff absolutely makes my day. I have a self full of Pathfinder and D&D books and I can't be bothered to play either. Cairn, Whitebox, and Basic Fantasy are all heavily in the rotation. I finally got my backside off my shoulders and started soloing Cairn. ANYWAY, this is the part of the hobby I like. I work for a corporate behemoth so I don't hate the corpos, but I really love the games that are obviously passion projects and driven by love of the game and community.
Also digging that Detroit cap!
As always, I appreciate your input buddy! While sometimes you get what you paid for, others you get a whole lot more! Also… go Tigers! 😉
Great post, Dude! just downloaded Faserip. Totally free, just like you said! I love the Without Number games, and have them all. There's so much in there for inspiration. Anyway, all good games there, and appreciate not continually being pointed at the most expensive stuff out there - you're not doing that, but sometimes other TH-camrs do 🙂
Dave, welcome back sir! Thanks a bunch man. I fall prey to the new shiny as much as the next guy (clearly by my shelf), but a lot of the best games cost ZERO! I was raised in a single income household, with a disabled father and a mother who worked long hours for minimal pay… I worked my way through college and then several very low paying jobs after… when money was tight I often sold my old hobby stuff to finance the new. Even then, I usually couldn’t afford what I wanted. This era of gaming is unique, because some of the top tier creators are giving their work away for free! What a time to be a gamer!
@@booksbricksandboards783 Hey Justin! Yeah, I was in a similar situation myself. I bought the hardback versions of favorite games when I could afford them, but as you've pointed out in your videos before, it's possible to pick up PDFs of games on DrivethruRPG for not a lot of money. I remember buying a paperback copy of the Tunnels and Trolls rules (the one with the red cover and a demon on it, I think) in Edinburgh for a pound, about one dollar back then, and being blown away by the idea that an entire world of gaming was available to me, through ONE single book! Anyway mate, great content - I'm telling my gaming buddies about your channel, so hopefully they'll subscribe. Have a good rest of the weekend and looking forward to more content soon! Reading Worlds Without Number right now 🙂
Very sweet video Justin. Thank You for sharing this insight into game that maybe not everyone has heard of and can get without having a hole burned into their wallet. 😊
Thanks Dangar! Lots of good stuff out there to try!
This is a very useful video. Thank you. I feel like the tabletop RPG hobby is dying and I'm not willing to invest anymore money. I have a couple friends that I play with but other than that there's no reason to buy expensive books.
If I buy books, it is because they are vintage, or it is a designer that I want to support (such as Jeffrey Talanian of Hyperborea fame). As far as the “big name” RPG’s I am in the same boat as you. On the other hand, I spend far too much on vintage and great designer projects 😉. But just buying to play, I’d be good with my free stuff.
In 2024 i dont know why one has to pay 150 for core rules alone when you can get this for much less and for better quality gaming experience. Plus the DnD brand has been disrespected by the modern owners and most of the creators and the game has nothing of the oroginal flavour. Its sad when I say I play DnD but i actually dont in order to do so but thank God for that. So many great alternatives today. Its a pity for new and old gamers not to try retroclones or entire new systems
Well said!
Nice List! Good vídeo as Always
Thanks Victor! Hope all is well in Brazil my friend.
I will pick up Advanced FASERIP, thanks! I will also add Basic Fantasy RPG to the list.
There are ALOT of Basic Fantasy RPG fans out there, so much so that I intentionally mentioned it in the summary section(because I knew I’d get some comments at its exclusion). If you are enjoying a game, you are doing it right… and with free RPG’s there is no risk.
@ just tossing the name out! This is a list of games YOU run, and it’s great.
Whitebox is such a great game. Big fan.
You introduced me to it, thanks for that!
@booksbricksandboards783 did you have a chance to check out the Expanded Lore material?
Played D&D for decades. Never once used anything other than a hand-drawn map, books, dice, and imaginations.
I don’t known where people are spending so much, unless they just enjoy the minis.
I think a lot of the players who came in with 5e felt compelled to update their books to the newest edition, that cost alone can be well over $100, more if they also pick up digital copies. The point of my video is in agreement with your statement, you don’t have to spend a lot of money, but many players don’t realize that. Thanks for watching.
@ Any time. Discovered by accident and checking out those free alternatives you mentioned now.
@@WorldsOkayestSorcerer you might just be Galaxy’s Okayest Sorcerer now that you found these options… just sayin’.
Another banger.
Thank you sir!
I believe that the earliest implementation of FATE was Spirit of the Century rather than the Dresden Files.
You are correct.
You didn’t mention Basic Fantasy RPG. I have been enjoying that recently.
I actually did mention Basic Fantasy, see my Summary section at the end of the video. Ultimately I don’t feel like it has as much going for it as the other games on the list.
Wallet friendly video or add to the library??? 🎉
😀. You can tell I couldn’t just have the PDF, I had to print them to be satisfied. But still technically free for the digital!
FASERIP? Wow, is it 1991 again? I'm down for it.
You will likely enjoy my video next weekend, be sure to take a look 😉
The problem with any dice app (and any rng emulator program) is that it cannot emulate actual dice roles. It has to use an rng table, an algorithm, or combination to generate the results that it then shows you in the dice roll. Meaning it's not actually random but determined by the method and inputs.
As I said in the video, this is not my preferred way of rolling dice, but works in a pinch. Also, this one goes a step further than a simple RNG. It uses simulated physics and interactions between multiple dice on the table, then reads them at the end, even having cocked dice or dice that land on top of one another. Any computer program with randomness uses some form of RNG, but this one is a little more involved than most.
My addiction doesn't care about my budget.
In that case have you heard of The Broken Empires or Dragontown by JP Coovert? They just had kickstarters and look super sweet!
Lol
They sure do!
Amen.
How did i forget that XWN titles were free!?
Also, why did use SWN for Keep on the Borderlands instead of WWN?
Interesting story. I had the players working for a huge galactic corporation. There was a “Westworld” style resort in the Keep and the guests would be fighting the animatronic monsters. Problem is, there were some real monsters that took residence in the caves of chaos. Players had to clear it out!
@booksbricksandboards783 that's awesome!
@@AceneDean it was fun. Ogres, it seems, are not in fact bullet proof.
@@booksbricksandboards783 😆😂
Seriously, when you do a conversion like that, just gotta roll with it. They had guns and that made the ogre trivial. In close quarters of the caves they lost the advantage though. 😉
Nothing to say.
Just that :
Both the without numbers and Sworn family are just better than D&D hand down. The paid versions are not that costy (wait for a sale on Drivethru) and are better... sorry... but they are way better.
I should say for people new to avoid Ironsworn in group it is still a solo game or a coop 2 at best 3 players adventures, and I would add players knowing each other well cause that can really go crazy in direction you will H.A.T.E. and if you have a game master... then I would argue the without series is more than probably a better choice.
Thanks for adding your thoughts!
I totally forgot FATE is free! Ive been using FAE for all my solo play lately.
Yep, both Core and Accelerated is PWYW.
@@booksbricksandboards783 I bought the physical Fate Core and Fate Condensed. They are beautiful books. But I decided to start with FAE to keep things simple for my first attempts, and I got hooked. So I haven't moved on to the other Fate systems yet. 😂
@ I like Fate, and it is one of those that I could play with zero notice and prep.
I don’t think DnD has gotten too expensive. But, it’s definitely gotten a bit bland.
Seems like a lot to pay for a bland experience.
Sure thing, real gamers can play using the free rule set of course.
@@DiceTomb I think a lot of gamers have been talking about the cost of replacing their books, feeling pressured to do the D&D Beyond stuff, and then all of the micro transactions with that, and they are saying it is a lot. If it was this incredible experience like we have never seen or heard before, maybe it would be worth it… but as you pointed out, it’s not… it’s warmed over ideas, with cookie cutter formulas and the removal of anything with soul in the game, to be replaced with a synthetic plasticized version of the original. It kind of looks like D&D, but not the D&D most people know. Put another way, $50,000 isn’t a lot to pay for a new sports car, but you would not want to pay it for a new Ford Focus. In my opinion WoTC is selling Ford Focus level products at Tesla prices. When compared to the different RPG systems out there, the D&D core experience is one of the more expensive, as most companies have a single, or two core books. Many very popular RPG’s offer the full core experience for less than $50. I wanted to share some alternative options, going into the holidays which can be expensive as well, that wouldn’t break the bank. Thanks for watching.