Foundry vs roll20 vs fantasy grounds

One huge edge I give Foundry is that it takes almost no effort to give it a mobile UI. Our community shouldnt be shrinking right now. Foundry especially offers light cones and copy & paste of light sources. Illegality is debatable about the approach to PF2E content for free on Foundry (or anywhere else). See at Roll20. The character sheets etc were all outside Roll20 we just used it for sketching maps on the fly and rolling dice. IMHO Fantasy Grounds blows Roll20 out of the water. So unwantedly and likely even unknowingly Foundry's performance worsened for some users. Everything that comes with the system is licensed under the OGL, which includes all rules and encounters, but does not Foundry's level of support for PF1e is much lower than it's level of support for PF2e or 5th edition D&D. It has pretty video effects for spell effects but by default the GM has to activate those by hand. Firstly, more than any other VTT, Foundry has a ton of customization options. That's the biggest pro for me, especially since the FG2e crew is basically always adding more (Trenloe is an absolute machine in this regard, I can't count how many times I've requested a small Dec 12, 2021 · Fantasy Grounds is an advanced system on an outdated frame-work. I realise this site favours foundry, but in no way is this “balanced”. And it is frustrating seeing half the games posted are people sniping players off from our community to other VTTs. Mar 23, 2021 · Keko (Shawn) Pro. But on Foundry, you can have a player, a trusted player, a GM, or an assistant GM – and you can customize Posts. In my case the issue with foundry are nonissues since I ignore a lot of the automation and just run it as a replacement for an actual tabletop with occasional notes attached to the map. Jan 18, 2022 · I started with Roll20 because it seemed to have the lowest barrier to entry. On Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds, you can join either as a DM or a player: that’s it. . fzdw11. The goal is to help viewers find the VTT that’s going to serve them best for their goals with their virtual tabletop experience. This doesn’t mean that Foundry is the best answer. I was hoping that making this post would garner a reply from Roll20 vs the community. Best for ultimate control and automation. A small example: dropping in a map and adding walls takes a few minutes, very quick. via community modules. The reviews seem exhaustive and fair enough. Feb 10, 2021 · ~10 lines of text for roll20 ~17 lines of text for Fantasy Grounds, including an admission of only “a dozen or so clicks in the online demo” then ~67 lines about foundry, including details and examples of use. Currently, Steam has a full license of FGU for US$75 (normally $150) and Foundry is available for $40 (normally $50). There is no built-in LFG system like Roll20 has, so finding players is a bit more effort. In summary, Foundry is the best vtt for your money on the market without competition. They come out late, half-baked, and buggy. There’s a lot of good stuff. Sep 2, 2021 · I may not fully agree with all parts, especially where Foundry is concerned, but that is mostly because your reviews are centered around DnD 5e rulesets and overall just trifles. I agree that the main drawback of VTT play is not the VTT's fault - it's the "one person at a time" nature of voice & video chat. Oct 19, 2021 · Hi All, Like many of us I went online for my gaming in the first COVID lockdown about 18 months ago. On Foundry, all you have to do is check a box on the character and it's automated. Oct 16, 2021 · Hi All, Like many of us I went online for my gaming in the first COVID lockdown about 18 months ago. Take Halfling's Lucky, as an example: It wouldn't hurt anyone to have it implemented by default. I did look at 5e and SWADE, but neither one of those on Foundry could touch FG. Foundry CRUSHES Fantasy Grounds on everything, period. Mar 21, 2024 · Best for beginners and free accounts. Storage space for campaigns is almost endless for FG as it is stored locally on your machine, whereas roll20 has a limit as it is server based. I've never used Fantasy Grounds, and I Of all the VTTs out there, Foundry is definitely one of the best for ease-of-use. 6 when multiple players are connected (hosting with free AWS). Foundry is growing and solid. Assuming that $35 difference is negligible (particularly if FGU is better), which would folks recommend for running SWADE? Apr 2, 2022 · Watch on. 8) The commercial adventures from C7 do not have a particularly useful layout for GM's to run out of the box. With Roll20, I've been able to play a wide variety of games, including the SWRPG from Fantasy Flight Games, Stars Without Number (which is probably one of my favorite game systems of all time ever), D&D 3. I gave up on Foundry more stress than anything. Fantasy Grounds needs everyone in the game to have a copy of the software. 33 monthly. Fantasy Grounds has a lot of automation - more than Foundry for sure, although there are a couple few things Foundry can do that Fantasy Grounds can't. Mar 31, 2022 · 2,025. In order to fully compare the two, it might be worth checking out the free 30-day trial of Fantasy Grounds and also trying the free version of Roll20. Oct 5, 2021 · I started with Roll20 because it seemed to have the lowest barrier to entry. 18 months on : FG vs. I have only run Red in Roll20. Dec 11, 2023 · I've been doing most of the testing inside of Roll20 with sheets built inside Google Sheets, but I'd prefer to switch to a different VTT that's set up a fair bit better. I picked up Fantasy Grounds Unity and Foundry pretty much as they launched. The kinda shit roll20 does for it's lame subscription. In the after game chat there was a quite a lot about making sure stuff worked with other stuff, modules, Foundry versions, etc. Dec 12, 2021 · I started with Roll20 because it seemed to have the lowest barrier to entry. Jan 12, 2022 · Hi All, Like many of us I went online for my gaming in the first COVID lockdown about 18 months ago. 99 yearly or $8. FGU showing a lower resolution version of the same map with no encounter tokens on the map: Running a GM + player session on the same PC (both FGU processes started fresh): Foundry server running on my Synology NAS (to which the Chrome client connects): Oct 6, 2023 · I know it can be expanded out further since sometimes a single line item on a chart doesn't adequately describe or convey the importance of the item at work. Anything that would provide an at-a-glance difference between places which can be clicked and the text edited vs. Used Roll20 for about 5 years. Mar 17, 2023 · But the moment you feel that you want to do this for the rest of your life, then Foundry comes in with a powerful offer of buying the VTT only once for $50. I ended up playing with the demo for Foundry and after watching a few YouTube vids bought it. I initially told my friends that FGU was looking way more complicated than I expected and it would be a while before I would be able to host a one-shot campaign for the group to try a sample session with FGU. I started following Foundry just to see the progress of the Warhammer ruleset. Then add in light source and sounds and you got a very detailed world in minutes. It has no map-making tools internally and a simple four-map-layers model (map&background, objects&tokens, GM info, walls for dynamic lighting). Fantasy grounds will drain a lot of your money for not even half the easy to use features that should come base. Here’s just one example. I think Roll20 was good for basics and my recollection with Foundry was the initial price was cheaper (than Fantasy Grounds) but there were additional fees (subscriptions?) needed for D&D (what we were looking to play at the time). As someone who is Apple-based (for sound reasons in my actual business), Foundry no more accessible on mobile for me than FGU is. My players love it as well. I've been trying to encourage people to use the VTT chat window for the in-character asides to keep them amused, but Twitter is right there Apr 25, 2020 · Roll20 vs Fantasy Grounds. Roll20 vs Foundry. Apr 26, 2023 · 1. Roll20 has a (mostly) very good Align to Grid tool that works better than Foundry's in my experience. Resources / Tools. In Fantasy Grounds players not only can damage/heal other tokens, but they can also apply effects (like my fighter applying prone + flat-footed on a critical hit with his hammer). With modules I’ve had a better time with 1E Pathfinder than 5E. Literally the only thing R20 has going for it over FG is ease of use. Sep 4, 2021 · I started with Roll20 because it seemed to have the lowest barrier to entry. 1. As with much else on Roll20, it is minimal by design and system-neutral. There likely is no illegal PF2E content on Foundry. There is more of a learning curve however, and again, you can easily run games on Roll20. Much easier to create macros, and use abilities and make their rolls. Unfortunately the latter are harder to reach for users in FGU (command line) compared to Foundry (proper settings dialog). Mar 26, 2022 · Hi All, Like many of us I went online for my gaming in the first COVID lockdown about 18 months ago. Like the title says, this video does a interface, features, and cost comparison of the “big three” virtual tabletops being Foundry VTT, Roll20, and Fantasy Grounds(Unity). 5, 4e, and 5e (I would like to eventually take part Fantasy Grounds Unity vs. And that’s because it’s free, it’s accessible, and it packs a lot of features. A lot of the features available from the roll20 subscription are easier to use and faster to set up in foundry (like lighting). It has alot more features. - Foundry is browser-based for players. Which at least Foundry offers, too, no idea about Roll20. This means lots of things including; Roll20 has nothing to install but you are limited to the capabilities of a web browser. 99 monthly). Roll20 has been infamous for barely progressing, dragging its feet and just isn't very vibrant at this point. FGU showing a lower resolution version of the same map with no encounter tokens on the map: Running a GM + player session on the same PC (both FGU processes started fresh): Foundry server running on my Synology NAS (to which the Chrome client connects): Ease of Use: Foundry is more intuitive than Roll20 by default, albeit it also has more options (which some people find overwhelming). Haven't used Fantasy Grounds before. See at Fantasy Grounds. I've had performance problems with 8. The quality of life improvements and one time fee is just so much nicer than Roll20. It costs $99. The line-of-sight and the dynamic lighting is exquisite. No problem, among other things the Foundry PF2 community dismissed me for supposedly bragging about Fantasy Grounds (and for having a "Saint" title on this forum). It does not offer changing multiple lights at once, though, which FGU does. It is a single upfront cost of $50, then there are multiple ways to host the game. This is where FG's Unity engine may pull ahead, depending on performance settings. It’s possibly a little overwhelming. It's a rule that overrides a rolled 1, and if it does during play and the player really wants to fail he could just say "Hey, I want to fail it". Jan 19, 2022 · I started with Roll20 because it seemed to have the lowest barrier to entry. Foundry I have found to be FAR easier to work with than roll20 and the fact you can customize it is great. Storage is increased to 6 GB, compendium sharing is enabled for five campaigns of up to fifteen people and Pro members' LFG postings are highlighted. Apr 3, 2023 · The only ruleset on Foundry that comes close to matching Fantasy Grounds' level of automation is the one for Pathfinder 2nd Edition. Fantasy Ground is a relic as well. I own both found Foundry a nightmare whereas I found Fantasy Grounds easy to use. 99 and $9. I have Jun 11, 2020 · Roll20 has both a built-in audio/video conferencing option and a built-in music/sound effects player. But seems easiest enough to learn. Those weigh in at about 2Mb -4Mb or so depending on a number of factors. Roll20 has been in the VTT business for a long, long time and thrives thanks to its active community and frequent updates. Foundry wants the GM to do all these things (or have modules hack the system), Fantasy Grounds additionally allows the player to do it. No, it is not very debatable. If you’re planning on playing for awhile, foundry is the better investment for a better experience. The 50$ upfront payment is much more reasonable than the Roll 20 subscription. Fantasy Grounds. For me, foundry is actually cheaper as I had been a pro subscriber to roll20 for years. Yes I had to buy all the the WOTC content even though I own the books but was fine with that. As I said maps are now in the range of 4kx4k and are better quality. The biggest difference, for me, is that only the GM needs to buy Foundry, and everyone else can connect via a web browser. Best all-in-one tool. Ive used Fantasy Grounds for years and Foundry just has so much and more. If you own it in some other format form before, it wont add much to buy on Roll20, while PHB & MM is There are many different VTTs out there that allow you to play your favorite TTRPG. WINNER: Roll20 kicks butt in this area over Fantasy Grounds, but there are lots of Mar 22, 2022 · I started with Roll20 because it seemed to have the lowest barrier to entry. Roll20's support is wider and more official, but also costly. FG is a little arcane and follows practically no established UI conventions. The DMG brings less bang for the book, and doesn't IMO have as much value to own within Roll20 specifically. Foundry VTT, on the other hand, is a fresh new platform with an extremely enthusiastic community that mods the game, provides solutions and manages I used Roll20 to run a Rolemaster game with macros for the open ended rolls. But we've played pathfinder (1e and 2e) both in foundry and overall I feel like Foundry is alot better. * Licensing is DM-based when using the web client [FG is licensed per user unless DM springs for Ultimate] * Good integration with quite a few third party editors, etc. Fantasy Grounds promises to streamline character sheets, attacks, vision/line-of-sight, and more, which could be great for making combat/dungeons even speedier. I do appreciate the community responding with their assumptions (no price match). Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds are old ass systems. Roll20, as mentioned, struggles with every update. Foundry is a fullstack web app, so it's easy to mod and runs nearly anywhere if you try hard enough. Fantasy Grounds (FG) is a client-server program that the GM and all players have to install. One important point I feel missing: *All* players need to create a FG account now to install/run FGU, which is another Sep 18, 2020 · The results post to Foundry or Roll20 automatically. Fantasy Grounds UI is a bit obtuse and very much stuck in the 90s. It's dynamic lighting system is certainly much better and easier to use than Roll20 at the very least and, in my experience, a number of other VTTs, which would likely make it appealing to you. Foundry VTT for SWADE. I mean, it is less effort adding a new module than it is changing character sheets on Roll20. Mar 11, 2022 · I started with Roll20 because it seemed to have the lowest barrier to entry. Coming from Roll20, FGU was initially extremely overwhelming - to the point that I almost gave up. For Official Foundry support, join the Discord (link below). Slightly blacker text than non-editable fields, or slightly different shade of background for these fields, for example. Negative for Foundry. I started with Roll20 because it seemed to have the lowest barrier to entry. Roll20 doesn't work on an iPad either. Safari/Webkit isn't supported They could hire 1 guy to code and put those in the store and the sales from that alone would cover his salary and then some. roll20 has online access so your players can access the campaign at any time whereas the DM PC acts as a host for Fantasy Grounds so it needs to be running for players to access the campaign. See at D&D Beyond. Cheers, Hywel Sep 9, 2021 · 7) One of the other players was also a WFRP GM who was having a night off. places where it cannot. The Foundry being the biggest and that goes unmoderated. If you add a couple of free modules, you can make it easier to use than an Apple product. Roll20 does all those things right now for $5 a month. The PHB is a good idea to have, when creating characters when using the charactermancer, otherwise you'd have to fill in stuff by hand. I immediately switched to Foundry when I got the chance. So anyone looking at these gaming tools with cold comparing logic instead of enthused emotions of "belonging" is seen as offender by the resident regulars anyway. Originally Posted by ddavison. There really isn't any contest there unless you want something that is completely free in every way. The other downside is I suggest that you find a way to host it. API coding is easier in Foundry, which has led to a massive influx of mods since it was released a few months ago. When the most modern PCs are continuously bogged down by FG displaying a simple table of text then that is what pushes people away, though, not some animated effects on top of the bog. I would have preferred that the developer stuck with FG, but he decided to jump ship. Fantasy Grounds is a pretty money-heavy investment when Roll20 + Skype or Discord exists. This article was originally published in blog: VTT Comparison Chart Jan 24, 2022 · I started with Roll20 because it seemed to have the lowest barrier to entry. I have not really tried roll 20 because fantasy grounds did everything that I was looking for. Permalink Quote. Apr 4, 2023 · That said, it is a far better platform than Roll20 in my opinion, with far more features. Ive used roll20 and fantasy grounds before foundry and i can tell you roll20 doesnt have jack shit compared to foundry when it comes to customization and ease of use. Jan 20, 2022 · Hi All, Like many of us I went online for my gaming in the first COVID lockdown about 18 months ago. Roll20 is the number one most popular virtual tabletop of all time. I am very biased in my comparison Mar 26, 2022 · I started with Roll20 because it seemed to have the lowest barrier to entry. Foundry has a lot of features that Roll20 has been trying (and failing) to add for years. This is the big plus of Fantasy Grounds (and I supposed Roll20), that you can buy content readymade to start playing right away. I agree with drOW about the WFRP ruleset for Foundry as I have it and it is very well done. Roll20. 2,025. Otherwise, you could pay the same $50 for Roll20’s Plus or $100 for Pro yearly (or $5. Mar 7, 2022 · I started with Roll20 because it seemed to have the lowest barrier to entry. But the main tradeoff is that, like Roll20, some players will have browser or driver specific bugs with audio, graphics, etc. The criticisms (for all three) are valid. Foundry showing a higher resolution version of the map with all encounter tokens on the map vs. Players experience is easier. If you do get it, the foundry discord is there for any help you need, they are some of my favorite people. I have not used FG, so cannot compare to that, but Foundry is definitely the preferred VTT on this sub. Which one should you choose? The aim of this video is to help you when it comes to deciding between Fantasy Grounds vs Roll20 base Roll20 is a hosted solution you access via a web browser. May 1, 2021 · In this video, I’m sharing the three main reasons that I switched from Roll20 to Foundry: Cost, Features, and Organization. Hi All, Like many of us I went online for my gaming in the first COVID lockdown about 18 months ago. Mar 21, 2022 · I started with Roll20 because it seemed to have the lowest barrier to entry. Fantasy Grounds has a few addons available to support music/sound effects, but they do require a fair amount of additional effort to set up and configure. Especially to be able to switch to one with much better combat automation, would greatly help and make the process much smoother. •. Without further ado, here is the Roll20 vs Fantasy Grounds comparison chart. 100Mb maps might well be fine on some machines with lightning internet speeds but I don’t see that becoming the standard. I want Roll20 to say the words that they won't (or will). It has a lot of automation, but a bit of a learning curve to get this going. Foundry does feel a bit more complicated, though. Fantasy grounds isnt modular, adding any HB is a pain in the dick and its much harder to join someones game. Oct 23, 2021 · Hi All, Like many of us I went online for my gaming in the first COVID lockdown about 18 months ago. Mobile accessibility is an interesting one. And since Foundry's lighting and walls are more powerful one could argue that it offer even more flexibility. I wrote up some mini-reviews a year or so ago, but a lot has changed on each platform in that time so I thought it might be time to update my thoughts on the various platforms. I ran Curse of Strahd on Roll20 as a free user over the course of a year, and even the simple storage limitations were a massive pain for me. Aug 24, 2020 · Roll20 's Pro Tier is recommended for hardcore DMs and content creators for Roll20 's marketplace. For the DM, I'd say it's probably the best VTT out there if you're playing a supported system (yes, even better than Foundry). Foundry has more features than Roll20, even with Roll20 Premium. Also, if you decide to switch from Roll20 to Foundry later on, a good bit of the Roll20 knowledge will carry over to Foundry. Foundry VTT is generally drop dead gorgeous eye candy and supports the latest graphics formats and generally acts like a modern webapp. Jan 17, 2023 · When I looked into this back in 2020, I came away with a Fantasy Grounds license so I'm probably not all that helpful. After some much back and forth, here are my thoughts on these two. Less of a problem for Pathfinder 2 specifically, but more of a problem for all other systems. Sep 17, 2017 · If you intend to build everything on your own, then your focus will likely fall on which VTT gives you the best options to build from or the one with the best community mods available for you to use. There are systems like Warhammer or The Dark Eye where original publishers are offering Foundry content themselves. Not only will you be able to avoid subscriptions, but if your game is missing anything, foundry has the best and easiest add-on installation process. Foundry is a growing system on a modern frame-work.