Foundry Users: What Game Should I Run to Learn The Platform

[Reynard]

I have been using Fantasy Grounds for years but want to give Foundry an honest go. So I am looking for recommendations on what game to run using Foundry. I want a game that shows off that platform's strengths and unique qualities. Plus, you know, one that is fun.

Difficulty: no D&D.

 

[Retreater]

I have been using Fantasy Grounds for years but want to give Foundry an honest go. So I am looking for recommendations on what game to run using Foundry. I want a game that shows off that platform's strengths and unique qualities. Plus, you know, one that is fun.

Difficulty: no D&D.

Is Pathfinder 2 too close to D&D? It's well implemented and all the rules and supplements are free there.

 

[Reynard]

Is Pathfinder 2 too close to D&D? It's well implemented and all the rules and supplements are free there.

Nope. It seems a common suggestion and I do mean to eventually give PF2 a proper try.

My "no D&D" was based mostly on that being what I run on FG most of the time and I'm a little burnt.

 

[CleverNickName]

IME? To better learn the platform, you should start with the game you intend to play the most on that platform. It will help you build more familiarity with the interface, and teach you important workarounds early on...those workarounds will serve you well in the months (years?) to come. You gain very little by trying to learn the two separately. Heck, you might even save yourself the trouble and confusion of having to un-learn shortcuts and workarounds that no longer apply.

So if you are going to be mostly playing Call of Cthulhu on Foundry, my advice is to start learning Foundry with Call of Cthulhu. Spend a little extra work up front, to save yourself more extra work later on.

 

[thullgrim]

Pathfinder 2e, Savage Worlds, and WHFRP 4e all have fully featured implementations, albeit at additional cost for the official, pre-done content. PF2 doesn’t have an additional cost for rules compendiums and such due to the SRD being available.

I’ve run all three via Foundry. Of the three, PF2 makes incredible use of the system. The Outlaws of Alkenstar AP is available as a module from Paizo and is very well implemented. Maps, LoS, music, it’s all there and ready to go.

The WHFRP 4e official content is also very, very good. If your a battle map player additional work may be needed but if your primarily a theater of the mind person I don’t think you’d need to do much more than purchase the content.

I have the official Savage Worlds and Savage Pathfinder Foundry products. When I’ve run them I’ve used converted or home brew content. From a rules/compendium/ standpoint they are both very good, but not as good as the PF2/WHFRP implementations are.

I’ve also played with the 3.5 rule set. It’s heavily supported by third parties and is excellent. It integrates with a lot of the bells and whistles out of the box so to speak.

 

[payn]

I really enjoy the Cepheus Engine which is an SRD Traveller module. A few minor tweaks and it runs Traveller well.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I played an Alien game via Foundry at GenCon Online this year and it was gorgeous. The available tools for the game at Foundry reskin it to look like something out of the Alien movies.

 

[MNblockhead]

I have a love/hate relationship with Foundry. Especially for running 5e. I only recommend Foundry to people who care most about the presentation of the battlemap. For pre-prepping battlemaps, Foundry is awesome. Beyond that I don't see much point in using it.

I'm most impressed with what I've seen the Pathfinder 2e community do. From the little I've played around with that system in Foundry it seems much better developed than the 5e game system. But I've never actually run a Pathfinder game in Foundry.

 

[MNblockhead]

I played an Alien game via Foundry at GenCon Online this year and it was gorgeous. The available tools for the game at Foundry reskin it to look like something out of the Alien movies.

I'll need to check that out. How well designed is the game system in terms of character sheets and automations?

 

[Retreater]

Is Pathfinder 2 too close to D&D? It's well implemented and all the rules and supplements are free there.

Ok, I'm going to have to add something to my previous statement. As of the current release of Foundry (v10), the very helpful module PDF to Foundry is no longer working - and I don't know if/when it will.
So if you want to play official adventures you're going to be entering them yourself or have to be satisfied with the smattering of releases Paizo has offered (basically just the newest releases.)