Fudge Expanded Edition [Paperback]

Various (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 14, 2000

Looking for a roleplaying game system that lets you get it "right?" Just Fudge it! / What's Fudge? * Easy to play (the word-based system and simple game mechanic to resolve actions lets you concentrate on the story rather than the rules) * Skill-driven (choose broadly defined skill groups or detailed individual skills - or anything in between) * Flexible (create any character in any genre; play any style from gritty realism to legendary heroics) * Customizable:

Choose your own attributes, gifts, faults, and skills; play "subjectively" (just "fudging" it) or "objectively"; use the rules you like best, they're all optional; choose your favorite dice techniques, or play diceless; incorporate any of the many available optional rules, techniques, and add-ons (including magic systems and the like) - or create your own! -- This book includes the complete customizable Fudge game system, plus "Fantasy Fudge," a version of Fudge customized for fantasy adventures. Fudge is recommended for experienced Game Masters (some decisions will be needed to customize Fudge to any given genre, campaign world, and gaming style), although the Fudge game system is easy enough for first-time roleplayers and flexible enough for experienced gamers.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

FUDGE is a unique role-playing game. The basic rules are for experienced Game Masters, but players can range from complete novices to experienced pros. FUDGE works with any genre.

Completely customizable, FUDGE provides the building blocks you need to create your own game system. FUDGE boasts many interesting aspects, including:

No fixed attributes. The GM chooses appropriate attributes depending on taste and genre played.

FUDGE is a skill-driven system. Skills can be defined by the GM, anywhere from finely defined individual skills to broadly defined skill groups.

Attributes and skills are word-based, making it easy to determine how good any given character is at anything. Instead of describing a character as a "level 14 fighter," define him as a "Great swordsman!"

Inborn gifts and faults can be created by GMs or players, and may be as brief or lengthy as desired.

A simple action resolution system lets players know how well their character performed an action - in words. Rules for six-sided dice, percentile dice, and special FUDGE dice are included. FUDGE can also be run diceless, if desired.

Due to the word-based system, any campaign world or adventure written in FUDGE can be translated painlessly to any other system - and vice versa. This makes FUDGE useful as a 'universal translator" of gaming systems.

FUDGE gives many options to help each GM customize the rules toward either realistic campaigns or "epic" (or "legendary" or "cinematic") campaigns. Any genre can be played at any point between these opposing stances of realistic vs. legendary.

The basic FUDGE rules contain no campaign world information (except for samples). FUDGE-related releases from Grey Ghost Games include campaign worlds, generic resource books usable with many systems, and adventures. Additional FUDGE-related materials are available on the Internet, and FUDGE GMs are encouraged to post their own additions for others to use. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Steffan O'Sullivan has written several roleplaying game books: GURPS Bestiary, GURPS Swashbucklers, GURPS Fantasy Bestiary, GURPS Bunnies & Burrows, Fudge, and Sherpa. He is now working on other games - miniatures and board games.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Impressions (June 14, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1887154078
• ISBN-13: 978-1887154079
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,271,032 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Roleplay *your* way, May 19, 2001

By 

Eris Reddoch (Pace, FL USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Fudge Expanded Edition (Paperback)

Fudge is a system for roleplaying games that focuses more on roles than rules or rolls. One of the author's goals was to produce a system where neither player or Game Master would have to refer to a rulebook during play. Another goal was to produce a system that encouraged people to "just fudge it" in a freeform manner. A third goal was to produce a system that could be used in any sort of setting from fantasy, to science-fiction, to supers. In all three cases I think Mr. O'Sullivan has succeeded!

The original edition was occasionally critizied because it did not include a specific setting or sample game. It didn't really need one, because it could quickly be adapted to work in the setting of your choice, but that was an oft heard objection. Fudge Expanded Edition answers that objection by adding a pretty complete fantasy setting with a short introductory game that allows players to jump right in and start playing with no customization needed.

All in all, I think Fudge Expanded Edition is an excellent buy for experienced roleplayers that want to move to a simpler, more rules-light, system. Highly recommended!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most flexible RPG system ever, October 10, 2000

By 

ecb - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fudge Expanded Edition (Paperback)

Fudge is for people who want to build their own game worlds. The rules are simple, elegant and amazingly flexible. You could run a campaign based on any movie you have ever seen or book you have read. If you are the type of game master that changes/makes rules no matter what system you are in, here is a system that encourages you.

Note that you can look up the reviews on amazon.com for the non-expanded version and they apply to this book also. The main criticism you see for the non-expanded book is that it is best for experienced GMs only. The expanded version trys to make the game more friendly by adding a pre-customized fantasy setting with an adventure. I think this goes a long way toward making the game better for those new to RPGs.

A great system.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Splendid tool for do it youself rpgs, May 1, 2002

By 

Infornific (Alexandria, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fudge Expanded Edition (Paperback)

FUDGE Expanded edition is an excellent introduction to the Fudge roleplaying game. The book provides the the tools to design a wide variety of games and gives a number of examples of how the system could be used in different genres. A couple of things to bear in mind for anyone thinking of buying this book. First, the book is primarily a game design engine, that is a tool to help design a roleplaying game, rather than a game itself. The expanded edition does include an introductory fantasy game. Second, the FUDGE system is abstract and descriptive by nature. That is to say, abilities are generally described in abstract terms, by the seven level FUDGE scale (Terrible to Superb) not by specific measures (i.e., how many pounds can you lift, how far can you jump in feet, etc.)Likewise, skills and attributes are unconnected. The system simply describes the character, it does not attempt to model how (for example) fast reflexes might improve sword skill. This does have the advantage that there is far less temptation to model a character to a system, unlike GURPS (again for example) where anyone wanting a character with a high weapon skill has to have a high DX.
I haven't had the chance to try the sample game (Fantasy FUDGE) but it looks like a good introduction. It has a couple of flaws for an introductory game. It does not explain what options are in use for the combat system, and the magic system could use more detailed explanations and examples. Given that this is supposed to be an introductory game, it's a concern. But overall, a very good product.