Customer Reviews

Advanced Wizard (The Fantasy Trip)

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First please note that this was never meant to be a standalone game, unlike the game "Melee" it is based upon, though with a very little bit of work it can certainly serve as one. Instead, it is the combat portion of the full RPG "The Fantasy Trip: In the Labyrinth".

As an expansion of Melee it was very successful, providing rules and material to cover most of the interesting situations that could happen in a fantasy combat encounter, including even a simple and workable system for mounted combat (even if the mount is flying). The weapons available and the actions a character could take in combat were expanded considerably. There is a detailed example of play showing four characters ambushed by a troll which is very well done. Though it is much larger than "Melee", it is still a light system -- folks who like detailed, crunchy rule systems will be disappointed by this but those who want a light combat system will find it is just "right" in that regard.

Since it is part of a full RPG system it assumes you are using the skill rules from "The Fantasy Trip".

The downside is that most of the issues with the original game have been carried over. Figures in combat can't really defend themselves (at least, not without giving up their own attack for a turn), the damage a character does is entirely based on the weapon it uses, they move to fast, most fighters look like most other fighters, etc, and in particular the system is based on the idea that to improve your character you basically improve your inherent attributes such as Strength and Dexterity, not your skill with a sword as opposed to your skill with a bow, for instance.

Still, at the time it was released (~1982) The Fantasy Trip, along with Advanced Melee and Advanced Wizard, was a different kind of RGP that filled a hole that much needed filling. Compared to AD&D (released a few years before) it was, in my opinion, a far better game system, being much simpler, more internally consistent, and easier to work with.