Black Flag So What's In Kobold Press' BLACK FLAG First Playtest?

Black Flag, the codename for Kobold Press' new open TTRPG, announced during the height of the recent OGL controversy as an open alternative to 5E, has put out the first playtest packet. It's 12-page document of character creation rules. So what's inside?

The introduction summarises character creation, defining 5E concepts like level, hit dice, and so on. It introduces the game as being backward-compatible with 5E.

Black Flag -- like Level Up: Advanced 5E, and Ancestry & Culture--divides the 5E concept of 'race' and 'subrace' into inherited and cultural elements. Black Flag goes with the terms Lineage and Heritage.

It goes on to present the Dwarf, Elf, and Human, along with a choice of two heritage traits for each--the heritage traits for dwarf, for example, are Fireforge and Stone. Elves get Cloud and Grove, while humans get Nomadic and Cosmopolitan. You can choose any heritage for your lineage, though. These are analogous to 5E's 'subraces', although the inherited/learned elements are separated out -- Cloud Elves are a lot like High Elves, and Grove Elves are a lot like Wood Elves, for example.

Following that are two backgrounds -- Scholar, and Soldier. They each give the usual array of proficiencies plus a 'talent'.

Magic, martial, and technical talents are essentially feats. You get a talent from your background, and can substitute an ability score increase for one.

The playtest feels to me much like a 5E written in their own words, but with 5E's 'race/subrace' structure replaced with 'lineage/heritage', the biggest thing being that the heritage (what was subrace in 5E) is cultural.

As a disclaimer, I do of course publish Level Up: Advanced 5E, which shares the exact same goal as Kobold Press' project (BTW, check out the new A5ESRD site!) It will be interesting to see how the approaches diverge; while both are backward-compatible, they already have different ways to handle what 5E calls race -- Level Up has you choose a heritage (your inherited species, basically), and any of 30+ cultures (learned stuff from where you grew up). Black Flag goes with lineage (again, your inherited species), and a choice of heritages for each lineage. And the bestselling 5E book Ancestry & Culture on DTRPG, uses those terms -- so there's plenty of options to choose your heritage/culture, lineage/heritage, or ancestry/culture!

Whatever happens, the future certainly contains a choice of open 5E alternatives!

 

[Vincent55]

This is like a renaissance in gaming that was caused by WotC doing something stupid, like before when they cause the other companies that gave us pathfinder and more. So really this is a positive thing for the entire roleplay community, so congratulations to WotC, thanks for being greedy.

 

[Reynard]

I've already fed back on the official site but I'm disappointed. I thought there was a real opportunity here to keep a game that feels like D&D but slaughters some of the sacred cows that aren't good design but stay with the game due to history (such as 3-18 ability scores, such as alignment, such as what abilities actually are). This just feels like 'lets keep it as close to D&D as we possibly can ruleswise'.

It feels timid.

I'm not sure what would have made you think this was their aim given compatibility with their 5E back catalog was a key element.

 

[Zaukrie]

I've already fed back on the official site but I'm disappointed. I thought there was a real opportunity here to keep a game that feels like D&D but slaughters some of the sacred cows that aren't good design but stay with the game due to history (such as 3-18 ability scores, such as alignment, such as what abilities actually are). This just feels like 'lets keep it as close to D&D as we possibly can ruleswise'.

It feels timid.

Ninjad

 

[Rabbitbait]

I'm not sure what would have made you think this was their aim given compatibility with their 5E back catalog was a key element.

I did wonder how they would achieve compatibility, but I didn't think they would just copy the rules and just change some of the names. Sure the feats are different, but it's still just D&D with a different selection of options.

 

[Reynard]

I did wonder how they would achieve compatibility, but I didn't think they would just copy the rules and just change some of the names. Sure the feats are different, but it's still just D&D with a different selection of options.

I am curious what we are actually going to see in the form of publications. I'm sure when it looked like WotC was going to nuke the entire Open Gaming environment, Kobold planned a Core 3 and all. But now it might be an SRD and design ethos -- a tool with which to sell books and keep 5E alive, rather than sn honest go at a Pathfinder 5E.

We will have to wait and see.

 

[Marc Radle]

I've already fed back on the official site but I'm disappointed. I thought there was a real opportunity here to keep a game that feels like D&D but slaughters some of the sacred cows that aren't good design but stay with the game due to history (such as 3-18 ability scores, such as alignment, such as what abilities actually are). This just feels like 'lets keep it as close to D&D as we possibly can ruleswise'.

It feels timid.

There is plenty of innovation coming!

 

[Marc Radle]

I did wonder how they would achieve compatibility, but I didn't think they would just copy the rules and just change some of the names. Sure the feats are different, but it's still just D&D with a different selection of options.

Oh, it will be more than that, have faith!

 

[Marc Radle]

....a Pathfinder 5E..

That is a very astute observation ...

 

[Zaukrie]

I think they should really go all in on using their Midgard lore for the players and magic. Magic is mundane in DnD. Monsters are boring sacks of hit points that basically do the same thing with claw replacing sword and an attack. There is a room of room in the current system to make something interesting. I'd guess we don't get that much change though.

Make a class with spell points! Give us some of the tactical options of 4e. Stretch the system..... You can use their existing monsters and books, and still push things here.

 

[jerryrice4949]

That is a very astute observation ...

Yeah but how would that really be compatible with 5E other than in the loosest sense? That would pretty much ensure I stop supporting KP. I am not sure my definition of backwards compatibility is what you or other designers have in mind.