Heya, I finally found the time to write a review for Barebones Fantasy, which has been years overdue as I think BBF is one of the best fantasy games for kids. I've been using it with my students since 2015 (and Covert Ops since 2014), and I still am hard-pressed to find a better intro game. Titles like Hero Kids and Risus are great, but they're better for the really young ones; with the older ones, I like to have a bit more crunch, and BBF fits that mold quite snugly.
I've linked the review below. Let me know what you guys think!
BareBones Fantasy RPG is not associated with Skaldcrow Games' Bare Bones Multiverse, despite similar names. Check out Glenn's products by clicking here.
Great review, thanks so much! One of my favorite aspects is the multi-action penalty. It's deceptively crunchy and accomplishes a lot while providing a ton of versatility to players. It is easy to grok for the young ones, and allows complex tactical situations to be easily adjudicated. I was sold on it during game development when a group of young players realized they could hail arrows at an opponent to tie it up with dex-based resistance checks to allow their thief to sneak closer, knowing its chance to detect their ally would be significantly reduced due to the multi-action penalty. It works organically at the table and is my favorite aspect of the d00lite system!
This is exactly why d00lite was such a good fit for Art of Wuxia. I don't think any game mechanic I've ever played with comes even close to, as you said, "organically" add a tactical yet completely smooth press-your-luck aspect to the game. With it your action encounters are a complete joy to play. And isn't that just what we want?
Great great job DwD Studios (Bill)
Thanks for the kind remarks Bill! Really looking forward to BBF 2e. The kids are really hyped for it too.