I bought the 'Dungeoneer' and 'Blacksand' books about ten years back while my mate had the rare 'Allansia' book. Taken together, Advanced Fighting Fantasy ended up as a pretty comprehensive roleplaying system.
For the opposed combat dice rolls, I utilize multiple different colored sets of d6s. Using a pair of same-colored to make the skill roll, and a different colored die for damage/armor roll, depending on the outcome. With four different colored sets you can roll both sides, along with their damage/armor at once. Ended up getting the "Deluxe" AFF edition a few years ago which includes a monster manual and more of the setting. There is also a ton of content in their extra splatbooks, especially monsters, and they're quite affordable as far as PoD goes. I could see AFF being great for 1-on-1 and solo sessions since characters aren't divided up into different party roles, being an open skill-based system with general ability largely measured by the Skill ability.
Thanks for posting this Questwise - I was a huge fan of the Fighting Fantasy books as a kid. Also the Shamutanti Hills adventure by the same author, which included a separate spell book. You were encouraged to study and memorize the spell names & functions - once in the adventure you couldn't open the spell book. That made the game a touch more realistic to me. You actually had to study your spells like a "real" wizard might have done. :-) Wouldn't be too hard to adapt that system to D&D I imagine. When you gain a level, you may cast any number of spells from that level by successfully memorizing the spell phrase. I preferred the combat system in Advanced Fighting Fantasy to D&D. Opposed dice rolls modified by skill makes more intuitive sense than rolling vs. armor class. I remember getting into the Lone Wolf adventure books by Joe Dever around the same time. The Lone Wolf system was adapted into an rpg as well, which included some beautiful color maps of the game's setting, Magnamund.
Yes the original Russ Nicholson illustrations were great, one of the selling points of the books. My favorite was the crazy dude locked up in the cell.
Fantastic overview, Quest Wise! This game seems perfectly up my alley. Love the old-school feel of it, combined with the just the right amount of rules-not too much, not too little. Seems like a great thing for me to draw inspiration from!
AFF2e is one of my favorite "old school" RPGs. It's simple, flexible and adaptable. Some of the tables are a bit wonky, but on the whole it's one of my go-to, simpler options along with Melee/Wizard (In the Labyrinth/The Fantasy Trip), Basic D&D (either Moldvay or Holmes) and Meadows & Megaliths. 😎
The best thing about this channel is that you are a roleplayer who do roleplaying... You are not just another D&D fan. You talk about sooo many games and systems and you make the community remember all those others great games and sometimes you come with a "blast from the past" ... And its great too... 😁
Again…. I’m certain you’d totally dig the Fighting Fantasy: The Introductory Role Playing Game clone (and expansion): Spellzard!. Or Trioka! (as it also uses and expands that system as well). Spellzard! is more your and mine speed and feel, though…..from what I’ve seen watching your stuff.
Excellent video, as always. I used to love the Fighting Fantasy books back in the day. I used to take my D&D characters down them and play them as solo D&D adventures. I’ve always wanted to look at Advanced Fighting Fantasy so I’m really pleased to see it’s available on Drivethru. I also have the Deck of Many Dungeons; it’s an awesome product. I’d be interested in seeing where you go with the game and a solo play through sounds fun.
This game plays really well, it feels like you can modify various elements really easily as well if you wanted to as GM. As written the Sorcery Rules feel a little overpowered for the rest of the setting and priests feel a little under worked. Perhaps apprentice sorcerers would balance the Sorcery side of things a bit and some kind of facility for Priests to gain some other kinds of powers to fill them out a bit more, even if temporarily after visiting a specific shrine etc would help them too. A one shot power after visiting a specific shrine and thus you would have priests doing little trips to their local parish shrines, praying all the time, holding services and that too would flesh them out. Both of these could allow the player of either to have access to less powerful versions of their schools of magic in a similar way Wizards have minor magics, but which these two seem more in need of. The Peace priestly power seems a little vague too, does it merely stop those in hand to hand combat from fighting and therefore can opponents shoot into a zone of Peace? Can Opponents walk out from it then attack from range? Or are people just unable to contemplate violence occurring within that zone at all even if they themselves aren't in it? It seems a little pointless if you can merely walk outside of it and rain arrows down on the poor priest half way through his hymn... Other than that it is a great game, very playable and a little under supported but infinitely modifiable and it feels OSR due to its roots and history. The outnu8mbered bonuses are brilliant, the bestiary has stats which are generally pretty mediocre as opponents but once you are facing 3 or more opponents each, the tables begin to turn drastically. That is very much in keeping with things like Tolkien writes about and gives it a strange blend of gritty and heroic at the same time. The setting too is so rich and yet unlike something like Middle Earth, you never feel like you are treading on the toes of canon, or playing in the shadow of the settings core story.
Just bought this... thanks a ton! Looking for something deep enough to interest a group while still playing solo...this might be it. I am excited to try dynamically generated adventures too... would be great not to have to prepare anything before a group arrives. Have you found a really good adventure in this series?
I played many of those Fighting Fantasy books when I was young. If I remember Warlock of Firetop Mountain correctly I eventually got stuck in some sort of maze and never figured out a way to get out despite trying so many different things. Just gave up and never completed that one
I have had the PDF for awhile but have never played. I read that some players have switched to a D12 instead of the 2D12 because of the curve. Looks like a fun game and someday I will get a hardcopy. Thanks QW
Great video! I had some of the Fighting Fantasy books as a kid but they're long-gone now. I'll have to check out the Advanced version! Also, where did you get your dice? I would love to pick up a set somewhere!
BAH! I'm doing a similar weapon damage system in my game (except based on # of successes not number rolled) and this is the first I've seen it in another game. Dammit.
I absolutely love FF and AFF. Very adaptable and easy to solo. It's my go-to system. I run it with deck of many dungeons, sidequest decks, and just ordered the inked adventures map and dice deck...great system.
I bought the 'Dungeoneer' and 'Blacksand' books about ten years back while my mate had the rare 'Allansia' book. Taken together, Advanced Fighting Fantasy ended up as a pretty comprehensive roleplaying system.
This is proving to be one of my favorite rpg channels. Thrilled with this recommendation. I love the damage mechanic with the d6! Totally my jam.
For the opposed combat dice rolls, I utilize multiple different colored sets of d6s. Using a pair of same-colored to make the skill roll, and a different colored die for damage/armor roll, depending on the outcome. With four different colored sets you can roll both sides, along with their damage/armor at once.
Ended up getting the "Deluxe" AFF edition a few years ago which includes a monster manual and more of the setting. There is also a ton of content in their extra splatbooks, especially monsters, and they're quite affordable as far as PoD goes. I could see AFF being great for 1-on-1 and solo sessions since characters aren't divided up into different party roles, being an open skill-based system with general ability largely measured by the Skill ability.
Wonderful way to handle the opposed rolls, NefariousKoel!
@@thepardoner2059 - Thanks! I figured since a combat exchange is basically an opposed roll, may as well do it all at once!
I played these Fighting Fantasy books when they first came out. Island of the Lizard King was my favorite.
Thanks for posting this Questwise - I was a huge fan of the Fighting Fantasy books as a kid. Also the Shamutanti Hills adventure by the same author, which included a separate spell book. You were encouraged to study and memorize the spell names & functions - once in the adventure you couldn't open the spell book. That made the game a touch more realistic to me. You actually had to study your spells like a "real" wizard might have done. :-)
Wouldn't be too hard to adapt that system to D&D I imagine. When you gain a level, you may cast any number of spells from that level by successfully memorizing the spell phrase.
I preferred the combat system in Advanced Fighting Fantasy to D&D. Opposed dice rolls modified by skill makes more intuitive sense than rolling vs. armor class.
I remember getting into the Lone Wolf adventure books by Joe Dever around the same time. The Lone Wolf system was adapted into an rpg as well, which included some beautiful color maps of the game's setting, Magnamund.
I am going for this! Aaaah the nostalgia from the early 90's when I played fighting fantasy... Thanks for your review, the timing was perfect.
Those Scholastic reprints of the Fighting Fantasy books have new computer-generated artwork that is nothing like the original versions.
Yes the original Russ Nicholson illustrations were great, one of the selling points of the books. My favorite was the crazy dude locked up in the cell.
Fantastic overview, Quest Wise! This game seems perfectly up my alley. Love the old-school feel of it, combined with the just the right amount of rules-not too much, not too little. Seems like a great thing for me to draw inspiration from!
We play the sifi version of this , we use it to run the 40K setting which it does very well :)
AFF2e is one of my favorite "old school" RPGs. It's simple, flexible and adaptable. Some of the tables are a bit wonky, but on the whole it's one of my go-to, simpler options along with Melee/Wizard (In the Labyrinth/The Fantasy Trip), Basic D&D (either Moldvay or Holmes) and Meadows & Megaliths. 😎
Glad to see this game system getting some love!
I like the damage scaling. That's a cool idea I might steal for some of my other RPGs.
Looking forward to more solo play stuff! Glad to see you back, we missed you lately :)
The best thing about this channel is that you are a roleplayer who do roleplaying... You are not just another D&D fan. You talk about sooo many games and systems and you make the community remember all those others great games and sometimes you come with a "blast from the past" ... And its great too... 😁
Again…. I’m certain you’d totally dig the Fighting Fantasy: The Introductory Role Playing Game clone (and expansion): Spellzard!.
Or Trioka! (as it also uses and expands that system as well).
Spellzard! is more your and mine speed and feel, though…..from what I’ve seen watching your stuff.
I just bought the 2nd edition books myself. It's been nearly 20 years since I've played the game, looking forward to trying out the new edition.
Excellent video, as always. I used to love the Fighting Fantasy books back in the day. I used to take my D&D characters down them and play them as solo D&D adventures. I’ve always wanted to look at Advanced Fighting Fantasy so I’m really pleased to see it’s available on Drivethru. I also have the Deck of Many Dungeons; it’s an awesome product. I’d be interested in seeing where you go with the game and a solo play through sounds fun.
Yes, I also would love to see your solo session demo with this rule book and Deck of many dungeons!!
Loved Citadel Of Chaos and Forest Of Doom.
The old books had excellent art.
The old art was fantastic. Unlike the newer reissues!
This game plays really well, it feels like you can modify various elements really easily as well if you wanted to as GM. As written the Sorcery Rules feel a little overpowered for the rest of the setting and priests feel a little under worked. Perhaps apprentice sorcerers would balance the Sorcery side of things a bit and some kind of facility for Priests to gain some other kinds of powers to fill them out a bit more, even if temporarily after visiting a specific shrine etc would help them too. A one shot power after visiting a specific shrine and thus you would have priests doing little trips to their local parish shrines, praying all the time, holding services and that too would flesh them out. Both of these could allow the player of either to have access to less powerful versions of their schools of magic in a similar way Wizards have minor magics, but which these two seem more in need of. The Peace priestly power seems a little vague too, does it merely stop those in hand to hand combat from fighting and therefore can opponents shoot into a zone of Peace? Can Opponents walk out from it then attack from range? Or are people just unable to contemplate violence occurring within that zone at all even if they themselves aren't in it? It seems a little pointless if you can merely walk outside of it and rain arrows down on the poor priest half way through his hymn...
Other than that it is a great game, very playable and a little under supported but infinitely modifiable and it feels OSR due to its roots and history. The outnu8mbered bonuses are brilliant, the bestiary has stats which are generally pretty mediocre as opponents but once you are facing 3 or more opponents each, the tables begin to turn drastically. That is very much in keeping with things like Tolkien writes about and gives it a strange blend of gritty and heroic at the same time. The setting too is so rich and yet unlike something like Middle Earth, you never feel like you are treading on the toes of canon, or playing in the shadow of the settings core story.
Just bought this... thanks a ton! Looking for something deep enough to interest a group while still playing solo...this might be it. I am excited to try dynamically generated adventures too... would be great not to have to prepare anything before a group arrives. Have you found a really good adventure in this series?
I played many of those Fighting Fantasy books when I was young. If I remember Warlock of Firetop Mountain correctly I eventually got stuck in some sort of maze and never figured out a way to get out despite trying so many different things. Just gave up and never completed that one
I have had the PDF for awhile but have never played.
I read that some players have switched to a D12 instead of the 2D12 because of the curve.
Looks like a fun game and someday I will get a hardcopy.
Thanks QW
This may come in handy as an alternative to Forbidden Lands, say running a more high fantasy setting.
Very cool. Troika! and Warlock! are also very influenced by AFF, it seems
Great video! I had some of the Fighting Fantasy books as a kid but they're long-gone now. I'll have to check out the Advanced version!
Also, where did you get your dice? I would love to pick up a set somewhere!
I got the dice a few years back at Gary Con from Koplow Games. I believe you can still find them on their website.
BAH! I'm doing a similar weapon damage system in my game (except based on # of successes not number rolled) and this is the first I've seen it in another game. Dammit.
they just recentlyy added AFF ruleset to Fantasygrounds as well
Oh I didn’t know that
Now on fantasy grounds
I absolutely love FF and AFF. Very adaptable and easy to solo. It's my go-to system. I run it with deck of many dungeons, sidequest decks, and just ordered the inked adventures map and dice deck...great system.
Unfortunately, those Scholastic editions don't contain the original art.