No game has inspired me more than Forbidden Lands. It's as if Lord of the Rings were done by Ralph Bakshi or Heavy Metal magazine. It looks very classic at first glance but as you dig in you start to see how twisted and unique everything feels. I've been a diehard collector of all their books every since I fell in love with the first.
forbidden lands is indeed a gem of a game. I have long been looking for a system that could make me narrate the exploration of a sandbox world well. I played it as well with kids (10-15 years old) and they liked it a lot, certainly better than their past experience with dnd 5e...
5th is D&D in name only. It hasn't been D&D since it was called AD&D (1st ed). I like Forbidden Lands a lot. I like the 'non heroic' driven aspect of it. The lore of the setting is great too. The over all design is a nice change.
I love the animation! Also it's an amazingly condensed presentation of the system. I've only run FL a little but few years back but we did get a fun spell casting mishap. It might have been the first spell ever in that system and it ended up popping in a very nasty demon with tentacle arms, stag antlers and a glowing hot stomach where lost souls could be seen squirming through the skin. I used the random demon generation the game.
I've been running this for uh, maybe 9 months now and we are loving it. Entire sessions spent in the wilds dealing with random encounters, a sense of learning the world together as we go... Even when we make little progress in a session we have a great time 😄
Realistically "little progress" probably means "the party got distracted by something really neat". I had entire sessions where players would simply hang out in town and do stuff with/for NPCs
Forbidden Lands is one of my favourite games to run. It doesn't really need much prep since so much of the story is emergent from the dice rolls, just like an OSR game. It has some similarities to Genesys in the dice mechanics, but you don't need specialty dice to play. It doesn't pull any punches though. If your characters do really stupid things without a ton of the game's meta-currency (Willpower), they're toast. However, if you plan correctly and attend to your resources, your characters can do incredible things. Highly recommended.
Great vid, agreed it's a flawed gem and like you I love it, nonetheless. What really sold me on it was the dice pool mechanic and the ability to push rolls, the journeys system and the ability to place adventure sites as you go. By design, you're making your own version of the game as you play. Well worth getting The Book of Beasts to add new monsters, along with 36 more random encounters and solo rules that were developed by Matt Kay of 3 Skulls Tavern fame.
I had no idea 3 skulls worked on it! The random encounters and new beasts are incredible; it's such a great book, and added so much of the stuff I wish the core game had.
Uhh seems a little like Vaesen mechanically, which makes sense, because Free League. Since I'm learning Vaesen rn it'll be easier to learn this, because it sounds really nice.
In FL (and many other games which are not D&D) you can, kind-of, become a "Conan". You can become a "hero" (if not morally, then in a more "classic" meaning) - you can become much stronger and more skilled, in truly impactful degree. Better gear also can greatly impact your chances. But, the point is, you do not just get a ton of "aytch-pee" that will keep your behind out of fire, and you can't just swordfight a giant. Conan didn't survive and succeed just by swinging his sword (and other armaments) harder.
Watching your (very well-made) videos, your taste in RPGs seems to match up with mine quite spectacularly. Since you really like the emergent narrative and exploration in this game, I'm curious what you would think of The Wildsea or even something such as Spire or Heart. I haven't played them yet, but seem similar in some general ways. Anyway, keep up the good work!
If you want a easier stronghold mechanic you can use the one from Mutant Year Zero. It would need some homebrewing but imo it's a nicer system for strongholds. There you select a project and roll [players x 2] number of successes on a fitting skill to finish the project, any damage from pushing stay in the game so you can start the session "hurt".
I have the game and am excited about it, but it seems to be a bear to run. So many tables. So disorganized of a manual. So much lore that frankly just gets in the way. I greatly dislike premade settings, no matter how interesting, because it's such a huge chore to learn it all and keep it in mind.
The manual needs some better organization for sure, and as a lazy GM I understand your feelings on learning the lore. I had fun reading it personally, but I get not wanting to have the stress of accidentally leaving out important stuff, or needing to find ways to incorporate it. Actually running the game is really simple. The tables are only relevant when you get to them; you'll ignore the tables until you get to a situation that says "roll from this table!" If you're nervous on it but want to give it a try, just use the 3 premade adventure locations at the end of the GM guide, make the players travel between them, and you'll get a good feeling for how the game runs. They're a great introduction to the game!
Fascinating. I was watching this and wondering what I could add to my D&D campaign. If you could be convinced to make a video about what mechanics would be great to add to D&D, I would love to watch it! I'm especially interested in the base-building mechanic--I want my players to have a base, but can't quite figure out a way to make that happen
@@WhenCanWePlay right on brotha! looking forward to what you come up with. I have spent so much time with foundry, but I feel defeated by how to incorporate random encounters. Specifically how to have it auto-populate with monsters, and randomize scene selections (don't even know if that's possible). Looking forward to the results!
I'm currently playing in a FL game and I find the travel/survival mechanics to be clunky and the book really hard to reference. The item tables aren't even in alphabetical order! I didn't find the dice pools to be very fun either. The only thing saving the campaign is that half of the people are fun to be around.
Travelling was always my least favorite part of DnD and I ignored all of the travel rules at my tables. This sounds exhaustimg for my DM-style honestly. Not my cup of tea I fear. I don't even make my players keep track of non-magical arrows or bolts.
As always I love your style…. But I can tell this one isn’t for me (the forever GM and rule book whore). I love the idea of having this huge world to explore, but the description of the day system sounds like it would be a little stop-start for my liking. I’d give it a go as a player though. As an aside, are you following Quinns Quest? It’s a newer RPG review channel from an ex-presenter from Shut Up and Sit Down, and it’s real good
It is very much a stop-start experience sometimes, so I get why some people wouldn't be as into it! I'm not following Quinn's quest but I respect very much that they review games they've actually experienced and played!
Played Forbidden Lands for the first time last night. What can i say, i prefer it to D&D, i never liked that game hahaha So boring. Instead the combat in Forbidden Lands doesn't make you sleepy, you feel involved even if it's not your turn! all those dice rolls wow! amazing. Plus the best part is that i don't have to make maths in this game, it's so simple!! Finally!
Yes it is better than 5e, but it aint great. I think better from Free League is Into the Odd, though the "new version" Electric Bastionland is more interesting and has the best GM advice. I prefer Dolmenwood and Hyperboria myself.
I think I might enjoy adding similar Survival mechanics to other game systems ... Savage Worlds fairly leaps to mind ... but I don't think I have any interest in a game where the base rules are just an advertisement for the setting. That's just a d!ck move.
I just read through it. The constant advertisements are annoying AF and indicate that this is the kind of company that will 100% set up a "Pay to Win" structure if they thought they could get away with it. This is the same company that did the latest Star-Wars and if you don't know, that game is stuffed with hidden costs like $20 dice that each player will want/need two sets of to avoid the clunk. Coding the dice numbers in the rulebook with symbols is trash. I really don't think FL wants you to actually play their games so much as buying their stuff. Shame, they could make a good product but their greed ( not always a bad thing ) is obvious, toxic and obviously toxic. They would do what WoTC tried to do in a heartbeat if they had the power. This is not a game company, it's just a company.
I'm curious, what do you mean by constant advertisements? I do get what you're saying about the special dice and it also goes for how they setup their boxed sets and core books. The thing is, the dice are pretty cool, the games are good and the boxes usually come with really neat stuff with high production value. The products in general aren't that costly especially when you consider the licenses of many of their games. But you're absolutely right that they do have some funky methods of getting your money, such as the Dragonbane box leading to the separate core book that you don't need but which is really nice hardback and has an exclusive adventure.
Oh the references to the Raven's Purge. I'd say you can easily skip that but on the other hand it is a system with an integrated setting and the main "story" of the setting is in that campaign book. So it can be seen as a sneaky move.
@@paavohirn3728 The core book makes references to buying their special dice and other products while you are trying to learn the core mechanic. It's intrusive and feels like have a salesman get in your face while you are trying to study.
@@paavohirn3728 It's a hidden cost. Something they are good at. You buy the core game for $50 but then realize that you are going to need to drop another $100 to get it to run right and smooth. I see them do this over and over. If we don't tell them "NO", other companies will start to mimic the business plan. In capitalism, you vote with your money.
@@dane3038 Ah, I see. Good point! Fortunately there are real indie rpg creators too coming up with awesome rpg stuff so there's a lot to choose from. It's healthy to question the practices of companies.
No game has inspired me more than Forbidden Lands. It's as if Lord of the Rings were done by Ralph Bakshi or Heavy Metal magazine. It looks very classic at first glance but as you dig in you start to see how twisted and unique everything feels. I've been a diehard collector of all their books every since I fell in love with the first.
forbidden lands is indeed a gem of a game. I have long been looking for a system that could make me narrate the exploration of a sandbox world well. I played it as well with kids (10-15 years old) and they liked it a lot, certainly better than their past experience with dnd 5e...
Forbidden Lands, you've had my curiosity, but now you have my attention.
5th is D&D in name only. It hasn't been D&D since it was called AD&D (1st ed). I like Forbidden Lands a lot. I like the 'non heroic' driven aspect of it. The lore of the setting is great too. The over all design is a nice change.
My group and I fell in love with the game. The twist on the classic fantasy lore is amazing
Your reviews are the best ones I've seen on youtube, please keep going!!!
I love the animation! Also it's an amazingly condensed presentation of the system. I've only run FL a little but few years back but we did get a fun spell casting mishap. It might have been the first spell ever in that system and it ended up popping in a very nasty demon with tentacle arms, stag antlers and a glowing hot stomach where lost souls could be seen squirming through the skin. I used the random demon generation the game.
A straight up dark souls fight came at you and I STILL think you got off easy
@@WhenCanWePlay Yeah. It was a bit too easy for something as cool as that. The demon got away in the end turning into a sparrow to flee.
Great and funny video, loved it. We're actually midway through the Raven's Purge and it's been great so far.
I've been running this for uh, maybe 9 months now and we are loving it. Entire sessions spent in the wilds dealing with random encounters, a sense of learning the world together as we go...
Even when we make little progress in a session we have a great time 😄
Realistically "little progress" probably means "the party got distracted by something really neat". I had entire sessions where players would simply hang out in town and do stuff with/for NPCs
Forbidden Lands is one of my favourite games to run. It doesn't really need much prep since so much of the story is emergent from the dice rolls, just like an OSR game. It has some similarities to Genesys in the dice mechanics, but you don't need specialty dice to play. It doesn't pull any punches though. If your characters do really stupid things without a ton of the game's meta-currency (Willpower), they're toast. However, if you plan correctly and attend to your resources, your characters can do incredible things. Highly recommended.
Great vid, agreed it's a flawed gem and like you I love it, nonetheless. What really sold me on it was the dice pool mechanic and the ability to push rolls, the journeys system and the ability to place adventure sites as you go. By design, you're making your own version of the game as you play. Well worth getting The Book of Beasts to add new monsters, along with 36 more random encounters and solo rules that were developed by Matt Kay of 3 Skulls Tavern fame.
I had no idea 3 skulls worked on it! The random encounters and new beasts are incredible; it's such a great book, and added so much of the stuff I wish the core game had.
Uhh seems a little like Vaesen mechanically, which makes sense, because Free League.
Since I'm learning Vaesen rn it'll be easier to learn this, because it sounds really nice.
lol Once I heard of the Speak with Animals mishap in the other video I just KNEW I had to check this one out!
In FL (and many other games which are not D&D) you can, kind-of, become a "Conan". You can become a "hero" (if not morally, then in a more "classic" meaning) - you can become much stronger and more skilled, in truly impactful degree. Better gear also can greatly impact your chances. But, the point is, you do not just get a ton of "aytch-pee" that will keep your behind out of fire, and you can't just swordfight a giant. Conan didn't survive and succeed just by swinging his sword (and other armaments) harder.
Love this game. Good video format. Cheers! Keep up the good work!
Now *that's* a good, *useful* review.
Looks like a great game. I love these mechanics.
Watching your (very well-made) videos, your taste in RPGs seems to match up with mine quite spectacularly. Since you really like the emergent narrative and exploration in this game, I'm curious what you would think of The Wildsea or even something such as Spire or Heart. I haven't played them yet, but seem similar in some general ways. Anyway, keep up the good work!
This is how you do a fucking review!! 10/10
If you want a easier stronghold mechanic you can use the one from Mutant Year Zero.
It would need some homebrewing but imo it's a nicer system for strongholds.
There you select a project and roll [players x 2] number of successes on a fitting skill to finish the project, any damage from pushing stay in the game so you can start the session "hurt".
Well, that's another system I'm eager to try after wrapping up my last 5e campaign ever :v
super good review! I have been slowly getting into forbidden Landsand this video is pretty much spot on to the experience lol
Great review!!
I love your videos!!
I have the game and am excited about it, but it seems to be a bear to run. So many tables. So disorganized of a manual. So much lore that frankly just gets in the way. I greatly dislike premade settings, no matter how interesting, because it's such a huge chore to learn it all and keep it in mind.
The manual needs some better organization for sure, and as a lazy GM I understand your feelings on learning the lore. I had fun reading it personally, but I get not wanting to have the stress of accidentally leaving out important stuff, or needing to find ways to incorporate it.
Actually running the game is really simple. The tables are only relevant when you get to them; you'll ignore the tables until you get to a situation that says "roll from this table!"
If you're nervous on it but want to give it a try, just use the 3 premade adventure locations at the end of the GM guide, make the players travel between them, and you'll get a good feeling for how the game runs. They're a great introduction to the game!
Any chance on reviewing Savage Worlds???
I'm considering it! I played it a year ago and had a pretty good time, I'd like to play again and get a better feel for it
Best sandbox line ever lol!
Great and funny video
Fascinating. I was watching this and wondering what I could add to my D&D campaign. If you could be convinced to make a video about what mechanics would be great to add to D&D, I would love to watch it! I'm especially interested in the base-building mechanic--I want my players to have a base, but can't quite figure out a way to make that happen
You have convinced me to make such a video. I'll start drafting a script and some ideas
@@WhenCanWePlay right on brotha! looking forward to what you come up with. I have spent so much time with foundry, but I feel defeated by how to incorporate random encounters. Specifically how to have it auto-populate with monsters, and randomize scene selections (don't even know if that's possible). Looking forward to the results!
I'm currently playing in a FL game and I find the travel/survival mechanics to be clunky and the book really hard to reference. The item tables aren't even in alphabetical order! I didn't find the dice pools to be very fun either. The only thing saving the campaign is that half of the people are fun to be around.
Travelling was always my least favorite part of DnD and I ignored all of the travel rules at my tables. This sounds exhaustimg for my DM-style honestly. Not my cup of tea I fear. I don't even make my players keep track of non-magical arrows or bolts.
As always I love your style…. But I can tell this one isn’t for me (the forever GM and rule book whore). I love the idea of having this huge world to explore, but the description of the day system sounds like it would be a little stop-start for my liking. I’d give it a go as a player though.
As an aside, are you following Quinns Quest? It’s a newer RPG review channel from an ex-presenter from Shut Up and Sit Down, and it’s real good
It is very much a stop-start experience sometimes, so I get why some people wouldn't be as into it!
I'm not following Quinn's quest but I respect very much that they review games they've actually experienced and played!
@@WhenCanWePlay thanks for the response!
Played Forbidden Lands for the first time last night. What can i say, i prefer it to D&D, i never liked that game hahaha So boring. Instead the combat in Forbidden Lands doesn't make you sleepy, you feel involved even if it's not your turn! all those dice rolls wow! amazing.
Plus the best part is that i don't have to make maths in this game, it's so simple!! Finally!
Ugh yeah... I could never get into D&D. This grabbed our group by the scruff of the neck and hasn't let go
I love the system, I just wasn't a fan of the setting. Works great for the new Twilight 2000 game though.
Yes it is better than 5e, but it aint great. I think better from Free League is Into the Odd, though the "new version" Electric Bastionland is more interesting and has the best GM advice. I prefer Dolmenwood and Hyperboria myself.
Electric Bastionland is such a quirky, weird, fun book. A great GM resource in general
For certain.
Have you compared the travelling system to the one in Dolmenwood and if so which do you prefer?
I think I might enjoy adding similar Survival mechanics to other game systems ... Savage Worlds fairly leaps to mind ... but I don't think I have any interest in a game where the base rules are just an advertisement for the setting. That's just a d!ck move.
Whelp, you get a sub *and* get blamed for my buying the entire product line from Free League just now. Thanks.
Ive never been so flattered to ruin someone's paycheck.
....Sorry and thanks
I just read through it. The constant advertisements are annoying AF and indicate that this is the kind of company that will 100% set up a "Pay to Win" structure if they thought they could get away with it. This is the same company that did the latest Star-Wars and if you don't know, that game is stuffed with hidden costs like $20 dice that each player will want/need two sets of to avoid the clunk. Coding the dice numbers in the rulebook with symbols is trash. I really don't think FL wants you to actually play their games so much as buying their stuff. Shame, they could make a good product but their greed ( not always a bad thing ) is obvious, toxic and obviously toxic. They would do what WoTC tried to do in a heartbeat if they had the power. This is not a game company, it's just a company.
I'm curious, what do you mean by constant advertisements? I do get what you're saying about the special dice and it also goes for how they setup their boxed sets and core books. The thing is, the dice are pretty cool, the games are good and the boxes usually come with really neat stuff with high production value. The products in general aren't that costly especially when you consider the licenses of many of their games.
But you're absolutely right that they do have some funky methods of getting your money, such as the Dragonbane box leading to the separate core book that you don't need but which is really nice hardback and has an exclusive adventure.
Oh the references to the Raven's Purge. I'd say you can easily skip that but on the other hand it is a system with an integrated setting and the main "story" of the setting is in that campaign book. So it can be seen as a sneaky move.
@@paavohirn3728 The core book makes references to buying their special dice and other products while you are trying to learn the core mechanic. It's intrusive and feels like have a salesman get in your face while you are trying to study.
@@paavohirn3728 It's a hidden cost. Something they are good at. You buy the core game for $50 but then realize that you are going to need to drop another $100 to get it to run right and smooth. I see them do this over and over. If we don't tell them "NO", other companies will start to mimic the business plan. In capitalism, you vote with your money.
@@dane3038 Ah, I see. Good point! Fortunately there are real indie rpg creators too coming up with awesome rpg stuff so there's a lot to choose from. It's healthy to question the practices of companies.
Very Cool, maybe i should've read this before building my own game.... hm feel free to check us out if yer bored.... cheers