# Fantasy Grounds



## Morrus (Nov 25, 2014)

Product information... View for more details


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## Nylanfs (Nov 25, 2014)

*4 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

Only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because creating new game systems is still a little arcane to non-programmers.


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## khersheyjr (Nov 25, 2014)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

Fantasy Grounds is my favorite VTT so far.  I've tried a bunch of different ones but always seem to come back to fantasy grounds.  It has tons of neat useful features such as the cool 3d dice roller and combat tracker.  The community has also been very helpful with any and all questions that I have had.


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## Adam Östergren (Nov 25, 2014)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I got into Fantasy Grounds back in the very beginning version 1.5 I think it was. Before that I had tried OpenRPG and several other early VTTs, none of them really made me feel very happy with the mood. Too much Windows 98 over them I suppose.  The first version had customization through XML only and was to be frank quite limited even if you could make some really pretty charactersheets in it. I am primarily an Ars Magica player and as such there was no ruleset in place. I decided to build my own.   By the time 1.6 was to roll in I was pretty pleased with what I had. It worked and my then long distance girl liked it. The update was a bit of a beast, they introduced a programing language on the side to the XML scripting. Needless to say I had to start over.   I have had periods when I haven't been using the program and I have for some reason always come back to it. When some of my friends have been away and when work has sent me or the now wife to other towns it has been a life-saver. It has let me sample other game systems with various GMs out there and generally it has let me get my gaming in when life tried to get in the way.   I didn't know any XML or Lua for that matter when I started out but I have learned and if the clueless little bastard I was back in 2006 could, so can you . But these days (unlike back in my days when we had to walk uphils two miles in snow both ways) there is a lot more on offer if you aren't into the big D&D and pathfinder games.   I have developed a fondness for Savage Worlds through Fantasy Grounds, and I got my first taste of the Fate Core system from it as well. I think all things considered you are unlikely to regret it if you shell out and try it. I know it has kept me from many empty and boring  hours.  - Adam


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## shayneb (Nov 25, 2014)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I've tried multiple different web-based and software-based tools for managing my face-to-face games, and Fantasy Grounds blows them all out of the water. It has more features than I can count in this review, a lovely layout, and a fantastic community.Please keep in mind that I don't (yet) play online games, so I cannot fully vouch for it in that regard. But for campaign planning/organizing, it is by far the best product I've used.


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## Matchstick (Nov 25, 2014)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I've been GMing with Fantasy Grounds since I bought it at GenCon 2006.  It's been a fantastic way to keep our gaming group alive and kicking without worrying about anything other than timezones.  My 50 Fathoms Savage Worlds game last Sunday had four people from four states: Ohio, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Arizona.  Playing an RPG online is more than effective, it works very well, and Fantasy Grounds helps it to work even better.  We consistently have easy and great connections to the game, and rarely have a drop.  Macros and linked character sheets make playing easy.  The built in ruleset allows everyone to have access to the base rules (for Savage Worlds at least), and the 50 Fathoms add on even adds the 50 Fathoms book and Player's Guide!  For my part as the GM Fantasy Grounds helps me to stay organized, and keeps a lot of information just clicks away.  Considering how long I've had FG, and the number of games it has enabled for our group of friends, it has been more than worth the price, including add on prices.


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## VenomousFiligree (Nov 25, 2014)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

You want to play RPGs online, then Fantasy Grounds is for you!


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## damned (Nov 26, 2014)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I unequivocally give the product 5/5 if you are playing one of its core supported Roleplaying Systems - Dungeons & Dragons, PathFinder, Savage Worlds, Castles & Crusades and Rolemaster and a few others. The wonderful character sheets, the intelligent automation, the quirky UI, the crazy 3D Dice and an amazing community make this product a winner.Campaign management, game prep and games mastering is so much easier with Fantasy Grounds than it is in real life or with any of its competitors. No product is perfect though. The CoreRPG ruleset allows you to create charater sheets and run systems that dont have actual rulesets which is fantastic but coding a new ruleset is not for the fant hearted. it requires a decent programming background and/or a decent chunk of time. It is doable but its not as easy as many would like. The fact that there are great community developed rulesets out there for systems like - Star Wars: Edge of the Empire, WarhammerFRPG, World of Darkness, Trail of Cthulhu etc etc is proof that you can extend this great tool in amazing ways - its just a little tricky for non programming types like me!Id like to give it 4.5/5 but since I cant Im erring towards 5 becuase it really is a great tool!


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## Talysian (Nov 28, 2014)

*4 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I love it feels like being just around the table, only complaint is if you want a system thats not set up, you have to be a coder to figure it out.


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## Lwaxy (Nov 28, 2014)

*4 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

Good for games which have community support, and affordable enough. Easy enough to figure out, too. Also, there are online conventions where you do not need to buy the program to play, because GMs can have an ultimate license allowing everyone else to play without paying. It is also a fantastic program if you love to work with handouts, campaign notes etc. You can basically pre-build a campaign which is especially useful with text only games. You can change the color of your dice so it is always clear who is rolling. GM can make hidden rolls, of course.   There are downsides, though. For one, you need to install the software and can't access it from everywhere as there is a limit as to on how many machines you can put it and you can't go and use a friend's computer to play unless they have the software installed. I found managing images, especially having them in the right folders for each campaign, a hassle, especially for shared images. Managing loaded images is difficult for me as a player, especially on small screens like notebook or tablet, which is where I almost always play. There tends to be lag, at least for me, and I keep getting throw out often, and getting back in can be an issue. It is unusable on WLAN for me but this may be different for others. You need to watch which version you are running and to make sure everyone has the same updates or there will be confusion. If you do not use Hero Lab and need to edit your char sheet in the software, you need to do it during play time or arrange a time with the GM, which tends to slow some of the sessions I play in down at times. And you  need a mouse  to make full use of this - which I don't have at my tablet so lots of problems occur even when wanting to do certain dice rolls.


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## Spoofer (Dec 1, 2014)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I play 5E D&D with Fg. The automation (for example, forcing an attacker to roll with disadvantage against an opponent who took the dodge action) is priceless. But I really want to give a rating of about 4.5. I really wish there was more "official" documentation. Instead, there is a large number of user-made resources. However, these resources are plenty good enough, and the community is always very quick to answer questions. Because of the awesome way that the community has answers my many questions, I decided to go with a 5 instead of a 4.


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## Agamon (Dec 16, 2014)

*3 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

Tough to find room on the screen for everything the software offers and game prep to take advantage of the perks of the system is very time consuming.


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## Tanek (Dec 27, 2014)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

My players are scattered all across the country and we've been using this fantastic software for close to 8 years now. Absolutely love the power of it and the "tabletop feel" it has. Couldn't recommend it more!


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## WarRabbit (Jan 1, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I have played and GM'd in multiple campaigns with people located all over the world and greatly enjoy the experience. The software has been continuously updated since I started using it years ago.


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## Mask_of_winter (Jan 20, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

The Fantasy Grounds has sustained my gaming habit for six years now. This software is flexible and powerful. It does come with a learning curve but the community goes out of it's way to help you. What's sets it apart from other VTTs is it's degree of automation and integrated macros out of the box. The character sheet is can be filled out by dropping elements already built for you. The combat tracker not only keeps tracking of the initiative order but does most of the book keeping duties for you. For maps and tokens you are not limited to what's in the store. You can use any jpeg or png files you find or make. And if you're a coder you'll have a field day with this software. You will need a license to run games but if you want to join a game and your GM has the Ultimate license you can play for free. Come try it out during the next FG Con when anybody can play for free.


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## primarchone (Jan 20, 2015)

*4 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I have used Fantasy grounds for over 5 years and have also used most other VTT's available on the market. Simply put from the point of view of someone whom runs the game almost exclusively, the interface is excellent. Fantasy Grounds is one of the few VTT's where you can make a self contain module in digital form that has illustrations, NPC/monsters, maps and keyed entries to the story all bundled up in one neat little package. While there is no doubt it requires effort to achieve such a thing, the ability to do so is priceless. Since the GM can make his own library of adventures/modules which can be repeatedly used or shared. Related to module are the ability to make "library books" of game data. This too is invaluable to the GM. A properly made library module can save you time and enormous effort running the game. Some rulesets have parsing utilities which make that data "game ready" and with a simple click and drag can be made instantly available. The impact on a gaming session cannot be underestimated.While there are many smaller, but equally useful features (the dice for example are the best of any VTT), it is their usefulness to save time during a session that are key. The character sheet, a main way to interact within Fantasy Grounds includes tabs and many "shortcuts" within it to automate features (die rolling etc) as well as list abilities, backgrounds as well as mehcanical info (stats). FG uses a wonderful non-obstrusive link system (little red box with a white dragon) for which players and GM's can link almost any type of information to glance at with but a click of a mouse button. The ability to share these links is also a very useful tool for when questions arise about a given game feature. A mere double click on the title can share it for all to read. The only negative I would list (although I consider it to be a large one), is that, as of now it does not have a ruleset builder. If you happen to play some of the more popular games this will not be an issue. However if you try game systems with less support you will find that not have a proper ruleset that automates certain this a hinderance. There is a core RPG file which is modifyable, but the more you stray from d20 mechanics the harder it will be to get something suitable. Scripting and coding is not something most people will do.Primarchone


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## doswelk (Jan 20, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

Provides official settings for Savage Worlds!


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## crowsfoot (Jan 21, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

With the right group of gamers,  this software is the best online gaming experience. Visually pleasing and robust enough to handle many gaming systems, this has become my favorite software. I can have a full campaign experience on any schedule with gamers around the globe. There is a learning curve but the end result is a superior experience for players and masters alike.


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## BoomerET (Jan 21, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I had a mentor account on Roll20, I own an 7-seat license for d20Pro and I've tried MapTools.I have an Ultimate license for Fantasy Grounds, and have been a player many more times than I've DM'd.It's my VTT of choice over all the others I've tried, and it keeps getting better.The user-created tools are coming around to support D&D 5E quite nicely now, making this the hands-down winner for D&D 5E.


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## jh79 (Jan 21, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I have tried many virtual table tops to play d&d with friends online, this vtt is way above the rest imo. Real physics dice you pick up and roll, the ability to share maps and immersive pictures with players, math is done for you when you attack and damage monsters depending on what you hit them with, Story edit mode to create your masterpiece dungeon. Different rpg systems installed. I use 5e d&d, and it has the cool buttons like advantage/disadvantage you click and auto rolls 2 d20's, and the list goes on. I rate Fantasy Grounds the highest 5 stars.


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## Arven (Jan 21, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

Of all the Virtual Table Tops Fantasy Grounds is the only one to deliver a huge amount of functionality right from the start. I am primarily playing Savage Worlds based games like Hellfrost, Deadlands or All for One Régime Diabolique (Musketeer Roleplaying with demons ;-)) rather than all those D&D variants, and here especially the ruleset has been extended with great functionality.   In my experience the other candidates only look pretty at first glance, but pale once you have looked under the hood.  Fantasy Grounds is excellent!


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## Orange Mage (Jan 21, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

This is an amazing piece of software that lets you play tabletop RPGs online with your friends, or with other players you meet online (who will become your friends). It's a beautifully-crafted piece of work that is updated frequently by the very responsive and helpful developers. The online community of users is also one of the friendliest I've ever come across. You can roll 3D dice on the tabletop, and apply the results automatically to see the outcome. Each player has their own character sheet, and an associated token that they can move around maps that the GM shares. There's a chat window for both in-character and out-of-character communication, and reference material for popular OGL games (such as Pathfinder and D&D 3.5E) is included. Many other game systems can be downloaded for free or bought. If you want to play tabletop RPGs with other people across the world, buy Fantasy Grounds - you won't be disappointed!


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## Hawkwind (Jan 21, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

The  Rolls  Royce  of  VTT's


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## wemo (Jan 21, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

Thought about buying it a vouple of years ago - finally took the plunge and have been playing online ever since.


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## seycyrus (Jan 22, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

This is the most complete VTT I have ever tried.


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## Mirloc (Jan 25, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I've been using the tool for many years both for in person games and online games. The community is thriving and alive with old hands helping freely providing information that's relevant and very helpful.Truly you cannot go wrong with Fantasy Grounds.


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## nebulusuk (Jan 28, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I have played RPGs since AD&D was released and played regularly (continuously) for many, many years. When I moved abroad and did not find a gaming group, I desperately searched for ways to keep gaming, trying anything I could find.I tried GRIP, I tried IRC, I tried playing by mail but it was just not right.I looked at d20 Pro but many games I play are not d20 based. I looked at Fantasy Grounds but was put off by the price...When Roll20 came along, I thought the problem was solved and it might have been but luckily, I saw FG get greenlighted on Steam, read some reviews, watched some videos and took the plunge.Wow! What a difference! I am sooooo glad that I gave it a try and thinking about it, the license fee was much less than I spend in a year on books for just one of the many games that I didn't get to play!The level of support for the different game systems and the inclusion of rule books and reference material means a playing becomes much easier and absorbing.Another great surprise was the community. They are so friendly and welcoming that I was quickly adopted into two different groups and really feel part of something. The only problem now is how to say no to the offers of games so that I don't end up playing 24x7!


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## alfarobl (Jan 29, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

It is really good, best experience with vtt, only missing piece would be a 5e License... but that is not their fault.


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## JohnD (Apr 8, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I've played (DMed actually) D&D and other systems since the late 1970s.  I started using FG a little over three years ago; the time commitments of creating content for NWN and NWN2 became just to much to handle.  Without FG I'd have lost out on the hobby that I've had for most of my life.  FG is the Cadillac of VTTs.  You get what you pay for.  Take the plunge you will be extremely happy.  I currently run 3.5e and Castles & Crusades campaigns weekly, and have run RoleMaster in the past as well via FG; RM in particular is a breeze using this program.  I bought the Ultimate license and game for ~4 hours/week on average, so my current "cost" for picking FG over a "free" VTT is roughly $0.24/hour of actual in-game time spent as a DM... even less if you count the hours of entertainment spent as a player, or the time enjoying creating adventure content.


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## OTG_Wraith (Apr 8, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

This product has it all. The best appearance, the best rules support, the best payment options from one time one payment for all, to a monthly subscription for just what you use. It's stand alone, meaning no need to load it in a web browser, and the rules it includes do all the work for you which means faster combats and more time role-playing.  This product sets the bar for Virtual Tabletop play. Don't settle for less.

See for yourself in our complete play through of The Lost Mine of Phandelver... (spoilers and language)

[video=youtube;4YyGfv-oa1M]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YyGfv-oa1M&list=PLBW-SmHnjnPE4At_n9a0lrpbOLg1K-F4t[/video]


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## Michael Long (Apr 13, 2015)

*1 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I would not recommend this product for everyone.  It is VERY VERY expensive for what it does.  The setup time and creation of an adventure takes a long time. There are much more inexpensive options, that are more accessible, and easy to use.  Choose one of those.

That said, if you are a programmer, or enjoy a puzzle. Then this software may be for you. It takes a large investment of time, money and patience.  You may have to watch several of the 2 hour videos to understand all the inner-workings of the software, or have someone more experienced show you how it works.  Even then, you may find some new bells & whistles that you hadn't noticed before.


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## Torgaard (Apr 16, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I'd demo'd all the products that were out there three years ago when I was first shopping for a virtual tabletop, and I'd take every new product for a spin to this day. Pound-for-pound, none can match Fantasy Grounds. The Combat Tracker in Fantasy Grounds is the real star. The level of automation it brings to combat, once you the hang of it, is amazing. It can automate just about everything. Not everything, but just about everything. If you really sit down and think about how fussy and busy an RPG can be during combat: keeping track of HP's, keeping track of conditions, initiative, attack bonuses, damage, on and on and on - you cannot help but be delighted with how much the Combat Track brings to the table (pun totally intended). Throw in all the other features, and Fantasy Grounds is the superior VTT.


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## joe_momma (Apr 27, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

This is a great too if like me your geographical location makes it hard to get a game going. You can play anysystem in barebones kind of way with the included Core ruleset. Their are lot's of add ons you can buy for added bells and whistles. It's fairly simply to get around in but if you want to do customization you need to brush up on XML and LUA coding.There is a fantastic user community on their forums and lots of cool free add ons made by community members.


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## TheSwartz (Jun 19, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

This is very brief because I don't have any experience at all with virtual table tops (which is kinda my point) and also because I don't have any experiencing with DM'ing games (which is again my point).I picked up FG and the D&D 5e modules, and after watching some YouTube videos (check out my playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBBUKUVcjCEatm4CjRhGoTRoTz8BCQxLw) I'm already hosting some very interesting games for my group of old dad's who have otherwise had problems getting together regularly.Yes, there is a learning curve. I think I spent 2 or 3 nights doing nothing but watching videos and poking around. But I probably could have limited that to half the time; you learn much more after jumping in and playing. There is a wiki, there is much info in the forums, and I had immediate and personal feedback when emailing FG directly with a question.If nothing else. I highly recommend getting the basic rules module (a couple dollars) and the Lost Mines of Phandelver (if you haven't played it already) and checking it out. My suspicion is that if you like that, you'll recognize how great it is to have much of the rules/stats/etc. built in and find it worthwhile to invest into the PHB and MM modules.A couple asides. If you are reading this 'now', all the FG stuff is 30% off on their main site or on Steam. Also, the developer tells me that Princes of the Apocalypse and the PotA players companion material is coming very soon.The main "complaint" I read when thoroughly investigating FG vs. Roll20 vs. D20pro is that FG costs money whereas Roll20 is "free". Well... I spent just as much time trying to learn how to use Roll20 and got absolutely NOWHERE. And I guess I'm at a time in my life where I'm happy to spend money to get a classy, fully functional product which gives a nice experience and saves me time. To be fair, though, there are a couple of features which I would hope FG incorprates such as webcam functionality, but... here's my tip: Start a game in Roll20 and have everyone log into their webcams, and then do nothing else. Open up FG and size up your window so that Roll20 shows beneath your window (the webcams take up about 200 pixels at the bottom and that's all) and just play in FG. Now you get the best of both worlds!Sorry for a review without much details, but this is more of a "if I can do it, anyone can" sort of testimonial


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## Hussar (Oct 25, 2015)

*3 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I'm going to be the voice of dissent here after all the back patting over how great this program is.  I've been playing D&D and other games over VTT's since 2002.  I started with OpenRPG, moved to Maptools, and Roll20.  Our group has currently moved to Fantasy Grounds, and, quite honestly, the ONLY reason I would consider recommending this program is because of the WOTC 5e licensing.  The VTT itself is a massive disappointment.

Let's walk through the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

*The Good*

The combat tracker in FG is fantastic.  It really is the best combat tracker of any VTT.  All your information is right there and it's almost entirely fully automated.  You can tell at a glance what effects are on a character, how long that effect will last and pretty much everything else.  That's just outright excellent.

The Party Tracker is also great.  You can stuff all sorts of things into the party tracker, which will also track marching order and watch order and the like, and then distribute those items to the players as needed.  Additionally, moving items from one character to another is a simple click and drag.  Again, excellent.  

And, as I mentioned at the outset, the 5e rules integration is A+.  You click and drag a class to your token, and poof, 99% of the work is done for you.  Even things like backgrounds and whatnot are a simple click and drag away.  Monsters are parsed very well and it's simple to create your own or tweak existing ones.  From a DM's side of things, this is the standard to which all VTT's should aspire.  Just excellent.

*The Bad*

There are a number of functions missing from FG that are standard in other VTT's.  The ability to easily post in multiple fonts to the chat window is one.  The ability to actually _resize_ the landscape hogging chat window so that 1/4 of your play field isn't taken up by the chat window would be another.  Yes, I know you can change the font size for the chat window to make it eye-bleedingly small, but, what's wrong with making it dockable, like it is on most other VTT's, so it can be resized to whatever size I want?  How about the ability to post using HTML code so I can make color and format changes within a single line?  These are basic features that have existed in VTT's for over ten years that FG lacks.  The chat function is primitive.  

Along with that is the annoyance at not being able to resize, tab or otherwise modify the very ugly GUI.  Why can't I have tabable windows?  Why do I have all this landscape being taken up by the crap at both sides of the tool, never minding the dice tower and dice rollers at the bottom of the screen that I can't move.  I've seen several people talk about how it's better to have two monitors to use FG.  That's ridiculous that the GUI is so bad that I need two monitors in order to use it.  

*The Ugly*

And this is very, very ugly.

The mapping tools in this program are awful.  Outright the absolute worst tools I've ever seen.  The fact that you have to pay for this borders on criminal.  Where should I begin?

You cannot draw more than one object per user at a time.  What?  What if I have two area effects going at the same time?  What if I have an area effect and want to draw an arrow as well?  Nope, sorry, can't do that.  As soon as you draw a second object, the first disappears.  Utterly useless.  I have a Wall of Fire up and then cast a Fireball.  Oops, sorry, poof, there went your wall.  Where was it again?  Uhh, maybe on this square?   Oh, and let's not forget that the point you use to pick up an object is so small, you're essentially pixel bitching every single time you want to move an effect.  Casters spend more time moving their map accidentally than actually moving what they want to move.

Oh, and let's not forget that our map only zooms to a certain point and then stops.  Hope you can get close enough or zoom far enough out to see what you want to see.  No?  Well, too bad, now you can use that little arrow tool in the bottom corner of the map and try to shuffle your map to the right place.  Oh, wait, did you accidentally click on an open window behind your map and now you can't see your map at all without closing that other window?  Oh, that's not annoying at all.  Shame you can have tabbed windows _like every other VTT on the market_.

And draw a map?  Good grief, don't make me laugh.  I had better, more robust drawing tools in MS Paint for DOS.  The drawing tools are an add on joke.  Oh, and no object layer, so, if you want to include things like, oh, furniture on your map, get ready for lots of minis being buried under other tokens and starting the mini shuffle to try to find your character minis again.  Is he under the table or the chair?  Let's find out shall we?

And lastly, the fog of war function.  Wow.  Again, I used OpenRPG back around 2002 and it was programmed in Python.  It had the same functional fog of war that FG has, but it did so darn near fifteen years ago.  Compared to Maptools or the dynamic lighting of Roll20?  Not even close.  This is an abysmal failure.

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If I'm actually having to pay for a program, I do not think that it is unreasonable to expect to get at least the same level of functionality that I would get from a free program.  The only reason that I give FG 3 stars is because of the integration with 5e D&D.  If I wasn't playing 5e D&D, I wouldn't even consider using this program.  As it stands, I can barely tolerate using it because of the integration.  Here's hoping that the influx of 5e dollars and users is put to good use bringing this dinosaur of a program into at least par with other industry standard programs.


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## Rhenny (Oct 25, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I've been using FG for about 1 1/2 years now, and I love it.  Yes, it does cost a bit, but it is well worth it if you run or play in games online with any bit of frequency.  

The support for 5e is terrific.  I love the character sheets that are fully functional, and with a little help from anyone who knows the interface, it is pretty easy to add elements to a character sheet even by hand.

The best features are drag and drop from the content purchased (PHB for example).  I even worked with a friend to create our own Monster Manual of NPCs/Monsters that we can use instead of buying the licensed one.  It took a long time to type in the data, but slowly and surely, we have over 200 monsters ready to use.

What's really nice is that a group can run it fully automated using targeting and automatic hit miss determination and damage allocation, or a group can do it more manually by dragging to hit rolls and damage rolls onto monster tokens or monsters in the combat tracker to check and apply results without directly targeting.  Also, DM and players can drag conditions on to monsters and PCs so that the interface remembers important rules like advantage/disadvantage, etc.The maps, tokens, artwork, and other features that come with purchased material is fantastic and worth the cost as well.  It sure beats making everything yourself.   

Additionally, I really appreciate how the math is done for players and DM when they roll their bones.  This actually speeds up gameplay and keeps the turns moving.  I love watching online games like Critical Role (a great series on Geek & Sundry.com) but interestingly what I'm noticing is that when PCs get to higher levels and they have spells that use handfuls of dice, or when they need to roll more dice for critical hits, it can take an individual player 15 seconds or so just to total the damage dice.  That's dead time.  And in a round with 5 or more players, a number of monsters...it could add up to 2-3 minutes to a round.  In a long combat encounter that takes 10 rounds...that's 20-30 minutes of dead time...yikes.   FG (and other online table top products) eliminates this lag.

If you play a lot online, and you have a few hundred dollars to spend, this is the best program.  If you wait til Christmas time, I bet they'll even have a sale like they did last year where you can save a bundle.  I figure spending $200 is worth 10 plus years of gaming online.


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## dd.stevenson (Oct 26, 2015)

*2 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I haven't used FG as a DM--maybe it's just wonderful from that perspective. I wouldn't know. HOWEVER, as a player, I found the user interface frustrating and counter-intuitive, and the lack of very basic features such as hover-over tooltips, map pinging and non-standard die rolls are simply embarrassing. Adding and subtracting XP (and other character sheet values) had to be done manually. As a player I couldn't log in and edit my character without the DM firing up the server first, which was a huge pain. On the positive side, the program was pretty stable--I can only recall one crash throughout our weekly six-month campaign. And the core UI concept of dragging dice to attack is damn cool. So two stars for that.


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## daveculp (Oct 26, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I have tried most of the other virtual table-tops on the market and FG beats them all.  FG is a native application, meaning it is more flexible, natural and powerful than a web-based app.  IN addition, the numerous rule sets and plugins make it very easy to use.  The fact that it knows the rules and is extremely customizable makes it a breeze to use and play and helps insulate you from the fact that you and the other players are not in the same room. The main drawback is that the learning curve can be steep.


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## Vittor Moriann (Oct 26, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I've abandoned playing live RPG using real dice real paper and pen. As I grow older I find that it gets harder and harder to find time to play tabletop RPG on a schedule that coincides with my friends' schedule. So I wanted to try and play online, I'm a computer guy so I've started looking for a way to play RPG with ease. I've tried lots of other VTT, most of them try to achieve the objective of bringing to computer the same experience of playing live which is good, hell if you want you can get your friends over a Skype call everyone with their own paper sheet and real dice and play online and have fun with that. But Fantasy Grounds goes beyond that, FG not only let's me play almost the same way I would on real table but it enhances my game to the point that I do prefer playing on FG than playing on real table and I'll explain how.First of all, I'm playing online because I wanted things to go as smoothly as possible and have as little work as possible, I want to focus on game and not on making the game work. As a DM it's a bit troublesome when you have to track down initiatives, monster hitpoints, which player has which equipment. FG makes it easy for you, you can easily search for the monsters you added to it or got into a module you bought. If you have a ready adventure module, for example, with a single click FG puts the monsters on Combat Tracker, roll initiatives for them, put them on their places on the map. When players roll their initiatives it gets automatically updated on the Combat Tracker for you. The system simply works and it's beautiful to see, but it doesn't stop there, it's just the beggining. If you've ever DMed in your entire life this scene has happened to you: Player says: "Ok, so my Fighter attacks this goblin." DM: "Ok, which goblin is it?" Player: "It's goblin number 2." DM: "Ok, roll the dice." *player rolls dice* Player: "I rolled 11" DM (checking the goblin stat and sees it's CA is 14): "Ok, the roll is 11 but what's your weapon proficiency bonus?"Player: "Huh... it's +3, so a 14, right?"DM: "Ok, you hit him!"Another Player: "But doesn't he have -2 because it's dark?"Player: "Yea, I would but I've got night vision cast on me."Another Player: "Oh, ok."How you do that on FG? The player drag his attack into the creature miniature. FG considers all effects (like bonuses, penalties or whatever), and adds to roll + any modifier the player added to the roll and compares to the monster CA. If the roll was successfull then the player does the same with damage. With two very simple action you can do things that in real tabletop might have taken much more time.But let's complicate a bit more, say the attack caused some kind of effect that dealt damage over time and every turn the DM should remember to remove a fixed amount from a player's hit points. Can FG take care of that? Yup. What if I cast bless on my friends, can FG remember that for me and add +1 to their attacks without me or my friends having to remember it? Yup. What if I do all that at once and cast an area spell and some of the targets are vulnerable to it and the others aren't while whoever succeeds on a Reflex saving throw only takes half damage while the others take full damage. Can FG handle that? Yup, it will correctly roll reflexes for everyone, will deal half damage for those who passed the test and full damage on those who didn't and when it applies damage it will calculate correctly any vulnerability or resistance a target might have.Is Fantasy Grounds perfect? By all means no. It's best used with math heavy systems and have something that a software can improve and if the system has an official rulest like D&D or Savage Worlds, for example. It doesn't make much difference if you mean to play systems that are light on rules like FATE or even Numenera. It's initial cost is troublesome to get into it but it's cheaper than paying monthly fees, you pay for it once and that's it.It's an old software that really deserves an overhaul but it's coming on Unity from what I hear, still it's the best VTT you can use to play online today.


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## Thegn (Oct 26, 2015)

*4 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I have Fantasy Grounds, Roll20 and D20pro at this point and while all good in their own way, I find myself favoring Fantasy Grounds.  Roll20 is great for setting up the mechanics of a game, but I find it a little to utilitarian in its design.  Roll20 is great for Fog of War utilizing individual tokens as light sources - if this is the MOST important thing for you, then Roll20 might be the way to go.  Fantasy Grounds has Fog of War as well, but it uses the standard unmasking method seen in other virtual tables - gets the job done for sure though.  My experience with using D20pro was limited at this time, mostly due to its focus on D20 systems and seemingly difficulty in modifying it for 5e DnD and Star Wars (the two systems I was running at the time).  Fantasy Grounds has the ability to be modified into virtually any system you want, if you have the time and some basic abilities, although tons of systems already have been modified.  The reasons FG attracts me are many, but the top three are:  1.  It looks great!  Easy to engender moods, and story.  Helps facilitate roleplaying.  And the interface is updated regularly.2.  5e DnD flows easily during a session, with tons of powers spells and action automated or able to automated.3.  Any game system - The combat tracker rocks!This is of course my opinion, and your taste or needs will no doubt differ.  I will also say that all three virtual tables are in development for new iterations, so check them all out again in a year or two.The only negative I can proffer about FG is its price for 5eDnD products, a bit steep if you want to buy everything instead of use their PAR5e tool to import modules and books.  But this is hard to hold against SmiteWorks as the price is set by Wizards of the Coast.Anyhoo, hope this helps.


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## leozelig (Oct 26, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

Expensive for gamers on a budget, but worth every penny once you learn the ropes. Community is very friendly and always willing to help you get the most out of Fantasy Grounds. Not perfect but definitely the best. For a preview, check out the video tutorials on YouTube.


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## Griogre (Oct 27, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I'm giving this 5 of 5 stars primarily from a GM's perspective.  As a GM there are several things I really like about about Fantasy Grounds: 1) Buy once, no monthly fee.  Plus you are not dependant on anyone's servers, and your game data and scenarios are on your computer.  You player's can use Smitework's servers to connect using a four word alias but they can direct connect in an IP address.  2) Prep time.  For the GM it takes no longer to prep a game than in a face to face game and it may be faster than for some RPG's. I have tried other virtual tabletops and most take *more* time to prep than a face to face game.  3) Licensed products.  License products cost money but are massive time savers when it comes to data input, if you do have the time then you can input everything manually and you can alter the licensed information to suit your game if you wish.  If you play 5E and can afford the licensed products they are awesome time savers.  4) Face to face feel.  It kind of hard to explain but many virtual table tops feel like you are playing your game on a thinly disguised spreadsheet or database program.  FG for some reason feels much more like a face to face game to me.  Maybe its partly the 3D dice or the non-OS standard interface, mostly I think it's because the character sheet is the focus of this virtual tabletop.  Most VTT have a strength and FG's is character sheets.  If you can understand the character sheet of the game you make rolls right off the character sheet in most rulesets.  5) The downside is FG costs money.  This is not a huge deal for me but for some it is a deal breaker.


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## Sedgemund (Oct 27, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

Due to not being able to meet up in person our games stopped. Now we have Fantasy Grounds and can keep playing. Most Excellent! It's a great system, tricky to learn but once you do the games run well.


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## Brian Mccray (Oct 27, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

easy and love the maps and images of monsters


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## Honken (Oct 27, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

All i need from VTT is a dice roller and digital character sheet. Fantasy Grounds have that. I am an old user, I have used it since right before it's 2.0 iteration. The only way i would change to something else would be if SmiteWorks. Some of the D&D 3/4/5 automation are cool and helpful, but i don't want to play a computer game, i want to play a TTRPG./H


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## Szabtom (Oct 27, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I have not played or DM-ed for over a decade due to work and distance from friends. With Fantasy Grounds I finally got back into the hobby again a few months ago. The D&D 5e integration is superb and the pre-made content saves me a lot of time. Monsters, tokens, complete modules (with maps and text content) ready at my fingertips. It is also easy to add my own content (pictures, battlemaps, characters, story). Rolling dice in 3D is just icing on the cake.  There is a bit of a learning curve but the community is super helpful. They even create their own rulesets for games not supported officially and share them for free. You can find Shadowrun, The One Ring and many others available just a few clicks and a download away.


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## warderbrad (Oct 27, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

Fantasy grounds is a great product.  Like any software it is always improving and making additions.  The one thing that really makes this stand out is that the developers listen to the users and try their best to incorporate the suggestions.


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## Mithreinmaethor (Oct 27, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

Have found the basic usage of Fantasy Grounds for online play of 5e to be great and has afforded me opportunities to play I do not otherwise have.


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## snotling (Oct 28, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

Disclaimer: This review is on creating modules/encounters in Fantasy Grounds.  Easy.  I was able to convert one of Goodman Games modules (Glitterdoom) over to fantasy grounds in about 5 hours. This may seem a little long, but for my first conversion I think it was rather smooth.  At first look it seems daunting and overwhelming, but once you dig into it (and watch a few tutorials) it is really not all that hard.  Jason Hibdon (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmlMwM9IZb5e85ziAqIITEQ) has a three part series that to totally recommend watching when you go to build your module.  Follow his layout and you will find it is just as easy as the video suggests.The Library section will come in handy has I add more and more things to it.  I will be able to create my own custom libraries of items, npcs, monsters, etc.  This is a big plus for the program. My group has tried a few things in playing long distance, most of them never worked, took too long, or just did not have the components that we needed.  This tool looks like it fills in all the gaps.  Combine this with google hangouts or skype and it will be a huge win for the remote player.So far the only down fall is the price, but that can not be avoided.  The engine itself is cheap and at a one time cost it is worth it. You can get the Ultimate edition that costs more, but it is only needed if you plan on having other players attach to you, without buying the basic version. This can be cost effective if all the folks in the party chip in for the DM to get it.   All the addons can get a bit expensive, but they are not needed to run the program as a dm or as a player.  They are only needed if you want to get more out of the tool without putting much effort into it.    For example, the dnd 5th ed starter box adventure is an additional $20.00.  I already have the box set, but have not decided if I should import it (type it up) or just spend the money and save myself some time.  They do have token sets and maps and more.  Many of these can be created if you have the time.Overall, I am really (really) happy that I purchased it.  It has opened up the ability to play with some of my gamer friends that moved away long ago.  I look forward to role-playing with them again.  Thanks Fantasy Grounds


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## dshuppert (Oct 28, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

Fantasy Grounds helped me get two of my old rpg groups back together! Have haven't been able to play for years due to location. We use it for DnD 5E and it is incredible! I can't say enough good things about it


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## Daniel Ehrli (Oct 28, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

At first i decided to try this because our group has less and less time to get together. I made a small campaign to try the features and the overall program, this small one time campaign worked great, without being an expert, i was able to use the game, amd play a very fluid campaign. The tokens amd maps work great, and the pre-programmed classes and macros it really makes the game more enjoyable.  The dice throwing animations make it a little more real, while it will never be the same as throwing that dice on a life-death situation, it is way bettwr than just seeing a number randomly appear on a chat.The program is great in almost all aspects (the only thing i think would be better is an easier way to use line of sight and lighting), but wherw i found the program was the best for me was with help in sessions at the table, not only did i have all the session story written and planned. But i had pictures and more important, monsters... I found that making a custom creature is extemely easy,  just take a base creature and modify the rest, it will remember your attacks and special abilities, and you can save it and use it later or further modify it. It is amazing, if you like this aspect of the game it will be your best find ever. Also save your loot beforehand amd create parcels.I haven't yet run a my campaign on fantasy grounds, but from my small playtest, and using it as a tool for tabletop playing, i can tell i will use it for voth frok now on. It might be a tad expensive. But think of using it for large and small sessions, from far away or on the table, it is by far the greatest tool i have found for any dungeon master. A must have.


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## Aeternal (Oct 28, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

It's really at the moment in my opinion the best! Not just cause of the D&D 5e Official Support through their products they sell in partnership with Smiteworks, instead it's because that it has automation via rule-sets (paid or free/community), modules (rules and fluff stuff) parsed via personal effort or sold on their site.  Of course, you don't need to use predone adventures.  It has a very logical and link-able format for creating your own adventures and other kinds of content for it.  The community is old, the program is mature, and with only the hope that it will get an upgrade in the next one or two years... I can't like this program more.


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## Lukja (Nov 3, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

Fantasy Grounds is not a perfect piece of software, and its (sometimes counter-intuitive) interface takes a while to get used to, but overall if you're willing to pay the price tag this is by far the best virtual tabletop around. I mentioned the interface as a bit confusing, but it's also very impressive and immersive. One of the best features of the program is that it can be as complex as you want it to be: you choose whether to make use of full automation or not. It requires a bit of work, but results are impressive.Plus, native support for a variety of games (and community support for others) makes it a great choice if you fancy a bit of variety in your life. Other VTTs have this as well, but official pre-made adventures in the store are so well done it's almost a dealbreaker. Before buying it, make sure you have no problem running games, because port forwarding can be hell if you're not used to it. Make sure it works for you, or that you're using other software to get around the problem. If you have any problems, the community at the SmiteWorks forums is very helpful and will definitely help you in no time.


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## LordEntrails (Nov 5, 2015)

*The Tool that Returned Fun to Role Playing*

The first thing to keep in mind, Fantasy Grounds is not a game, it is a comprehensive toolset that lets us play our games however we want to play them. It's a Virtual Table Top, a Character Manager, and a Campaign Builder.

*As a Play Space (or VTT):* FG provides a great tool for tracking combat including; combat order, damage, actions (attacks, spells, powers, etc), character and monster locations, spell effects, conditions and more. You can use the built in chat for play or use the community TeamSpeak or Discord servers, or as I often do, in person around a table while using FG to handle the mechanics.

*As a Character Manager:* Numerous rule systems are built in with character sheets for recording everything needed. Or with the optional modules for 5E D&D, or through community or your own material, you can use the library functions to drag and drop classes, races, features, abilities, inventory etc straight to the character sheets for quick building and updating (leveling). Plus there is the party sheet which provides for managing things like; shared treasure, experience, marching order, completed quests, and more rounds out a complete character and party management toolset.

*As a Campaign/Module/Adventure Builder:* Story entries, Maps, Images, NPC, Items, Encounters, Treasure Parcels, Quests that are all able to be linked together with hyperlink type functionality through simple drag and drop makes building an adventure easy. And running that adventure simple by tracking the party location on a map; linked pins then take you to the story entry for each location or feature. Then with links from the story entry to NPC encounters that can be one-click added to the combat tracker, treasure parcels, images and additional maps that can be shared with individual PC's or the whole party.

Not to be left out, are all the modules (including WoTC's official 5E adventures), maps, tokens and other optional DLC that can be purchased. And for those of you who like to fiddle, the open architecture lets you create your own rulesets and extensions.

Finally, and crucial for any digital product, is the great technical support and amazingly helpful and friendly community.

*In short,* Fantasy Grounds has given me the tools to build a great campaign (a 5th edition version of Undermountain), the tools for my players to create and manage their characters, and for us to play whether we are sitting around a table or if we are all spread across the globe in hotel rooms. And has returned the fun by removing the hassles of game mechanics and leaving us to Role Play our fantasies.


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## oz_chandler (Nov 5, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

FG went from a 4 to a 5 for me and my group when they included the Core RPG ruleset, which didn't cost me anything as it's included with the core product.  I've been able to create character sheets and data modules with ease to run original versions of older games like Space:1889, Champion:New Millennium, Cadillacs & Dinosaurs, T2K v2.2, Spelljammer, among many others.  Their store has excellent content for current games such as C&C and DND 5e as well, but I'm old school and prefer older games.  Currently I'm running a WEG Star Wars game using the Core RPG and it runs great.  No prior computer programming experience is required as there's no coding involved.


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## Falterion (Nov 7, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I have recently joined the VTT space and found that Fantasy Grounds is a great tool to reconnect with long lost / moved a way friends. I have been able to run my son and some of his friends through a campaign recently and have had so much fun.  My son and his friends live quite a ways away and it is hard to get everyone together. However, with Fantasy Grounds this has been so much easier. After watching a few videos and entering in a campaign from a free module I am much more comfortable moving around within the application. I love the fact that 5E rules and functionality are built into the application and really love the ability to drag and drop just about anything from libraries to characters. Dividing up experience is easy from encounters with simple drag and drop. One thing that I would love is the ability to add in music and sound effects like another unnamed VTT which has it integrated it into the functionality. Overall, I love the interface and the ease of running campaigns out of Fantasy Grounds. I enjoy the fact that I can now play with friends that have moved away and still get that excitement, joy, and overall feeling of fun as when we used to all sit around the table.


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## mattcolville (Nov 7, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I use Fantasy Grounds for Dungeons and Dragons, I've run several games using it, I've used it as a player, it's a lot of fun.

The new 5E products make it incredibly easy to use! It's much EASIER to make a new character in Fantasy Grounds than it is in real life, or using any other excel-based solution. Just drag "Paladin" onto your character sheet, and you get all the abilities and proficiencies a Paladin gets. Couldn't be easier.

Fantasy Grounds does combat very well. Running a battle is easy and fun, and in many ways an advantage over an actual table-top. At the press of a button, you can see which enemy you're targeting, even if that enemy moves around. No more "Which orc are you attacking? That one? Is that #1 or #2? Which one did you attack last round? Oh, I gave him the wrong damage." Fantasy Grounds tracks all that for you.

Attacking and damage feels like rolling dice, just like at the table, but without any tedium. "I got a 15." "Is that before or after your bonus?" "Oh, I got a 20." Or "Ok, 17." "Is that your attack roll or damage?" The number of little ways the system speeds up play are so numerous that, summed over all of them, it makes it frustrating to go back to the table. 

Outside of combat, Fantasy Grounds is also the only virtual tabletop solution that acts like a real tabletop. I can send my players handouts or maps and they each get their own copy they can open any time they want, draw on, make notes on. The map of the world gets slowly populated with lots of little pins, each representing a note from the players. "Met a cool bard here." "This place is bad news." Etc....

Also, there's a lot of little features that are just awesome. If a PC knows Orcish, he can type in English, and everyone else at the table will see the text in an Orcish script. Unless their character speaks orcish! In which case they see it in English! Amazing!The software is constantly updated. 

I bought the Ultimate Edition so none of my players need to worry about cost, and we never looked back.


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## Plaur Stonesinker (Nov 7, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I returned to the tabletop gaming world about four months ago and found fantasy grounds about a month in. The group I run is a mix of veteran table top gamers and some who only have played video games/mmos. This was the best way to bridge the two worlds into one, and it makes the mechanics of the game SO much easier to manage. Not that they are hard, but from a DM's perspective, a little bit of prep work speeds up the game significantly. The fact that they have the official DnD 5e products is what makes this a 5 star for me. Great product!


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## jshauber (Nov 7, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I have been using Fantasy Grounds for over 2 years now and have to say the price of a one time license had more than paid for itself in the ours of playing/GMing that I have enjoyed using the program. The level of automation and built in features (especially form the licensed products like 5e and Savage Worlds) really makes the entire life of a GM very easy compared to others I tried before settling on FG.With the recent addition of TableTop Connect the material that will be added in the near future (like true 3D graphics and real dynamic lighting) the next version of Fantasy Grounds is going to set the benchmark for what a VTT should be going forward.


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## Archania (Nov 8, 2015)

*5 out of 5 rating for Fantasy Grounds*

I was looking for a way to play online instead of driving to the local stores which are a drive from where I am in time to play. So was looking for an online way to play. Noticed Fantasy Grounds being played on a youtube video and do some research.This is awesome. I am able to play either D&D and Pathfinder at a time convenient for me and have a great time!Not only do I like it but I purchased the Ultimate for my son who is dm'ing 5e and I got the full.If you are looking for a very functional VTT with a lot of power and potential then this is for you!


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