Cause Fear 5e

Cause Fear 5e, Fear 5e, and the Frightened condition can be one of the most useful series of spells/ effects you can cast in D&D 5th edition. Fear can debilitate enemies, cause them to run from you, and generally destroy an enemy's combat strategy.


As if that weren't enough though, with the right dungeon master, Fear can provide you advantages in all kinds of situations. If you’re looking for practical tips and tricks to maximize the use of this spell and beat every enemy you face, this guide is for you! Also, be sure to check out my guide on Silence 5e for strategies on maximizing your game.

Cause Fear 5e Spell Effect

Cause Fear 5e Spell Effect

1st-level necromancy


Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute


You awaken the sense of mortality in one creature you can see within range. A construct or an undead is immune to this effect. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you until the spell ends. The frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.


At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level about 1st. The creatures must be within 30 feet of each other when you target them.



Cause Fear 5e

Cause Fear 5e Effects

According to Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, the Cause Fear spell “awakens the sense of mortality” in a targeted creature. When this spell is in effect, the target is placed in a Frightened condition.


The Frightened condition gives the target disadvantage on ability and attack rolls while the caster is nearby. The target is also not capable of moving closer to the caster of the effect, so long as Cause Fear remains in effect.


Unless the affected target succeeds on a Wisdom save, they remain in their Frightened condition for the duration of the spell. The affected creature can do a saving throw after the end of each of its turns. The Cause Fear spell could last a whole minute if the affected target is unsuccessful with their Wisdom throws, meaning that in a best-case scenario, they could be shut out from an entire combat encounter. Absolutely incredible.


What Classes Can Cast Cause Fear 5e?

This first-level Necromancy spell is exclusive to warlocks and wizards in D&D 5e.

Normally cause fear only affects one target. However, when casting, you can target more nearby enemies for each spell slot above level one. For example, you could target two additional creatures within 30 feet of your first target if you cast cause fear with a third-level spell slot.


Using Cause Fear in Combat Encounters

In most cases, wizards and warlocks typically cast Cause Fear during combat encounters. When it comes to combat, the Frightened condition in 5e is a strategic condition you can use to turn the tides in your favor.


The Cause Fear spell can deliver a significant competitive advantage during battles, as the Frightened creature has attack roll disadvantages. Couple the attack roll disadvantage with the fact that the feared target can’t move towards the spell’s caster, and you have the recipe for a possible win condition.


The biggest downsides to Cause Fear 5e is that the spell does not work on constructs or undead. It’s also a relatively easy spell to shake off, compared to Fear 5e, which only allows affected targets a continued Wisdom save while out of sight from the spell’s caster.


Using Cause Fear in Roleplay Encounters

Aside from its battleground advantage, you can use Cause Fear 5e in roleplay encounters or really almost any situation in an RPG campaign. Since the Frightened condition also bestows an ability check disadvantage, it can be used to prevent affected creatures from performing specific actions or overcoming obstacles. With Cause Fear 5e, the likelihood of dying from a fall, for example, is much more prevalent.


If your dungeon master allows it, you could use Cause Fear to sway negotiations, help with intimidation, or even sneak past guards who become suddenly and inexplicably incapacitated from fear.

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How to Optimize the Cause Fear 5e Spell

The Cause Fear 5e and similar Fear 5e spells are beneficial in various D&D gaming situations. From combat advantage to landscape control, this spell plays a critical role in the game. All you need is a basic understanding of the spell’s mechanics to learn how to use it to your advantage.


If you want to reap the full benefits of this spell, you need to be mindful and strategic about when and how to cast it:


  • Keep your enemies close: since Frightened creatures have an attack disadvantage, keeping them close is an excellent strategy. If you excel in close range combat, minimize the distance between you and your target so they’re forced to fight you with an attack debuff.
  • Break down a group of enemies: fright-inducing spells are also best for breaking down groups of enemies. You can use a high-level spell slot to target multiple enemies. Since there’s a slim chance that everyone makes a successful Wisdom throw, some of your enemies will be rendered useless in the fight. Oftentimes, reducing enemy numbers can be a major factor in preventing a complete TPK.
  • Tag team with your allies: you can maximize the effects of your spell when you collaborate with your allies. Ask your team to help attack your feared target while you keep your distance, to minimize the enemy’s chances of making a successful counterattack.
  • Force your enemies to waste turns: if your target creature decides to run away from your spell’s range, they could potentially lose two to three turns. This spell has a wide range of 60 feet, so they must run as far away from you as possible to avoid its effects. Honestly, whenever an enemy is wasting turns, you benefit tremendously. This scenario is almost always best-case for your cause.
  • Don’t use other concentration spells: it’s basic D&D logic not to use another concentration spell if you’re already using one. So, make sure you don’t need other spells that require active concentration when you’re considering a Cause Fear cast. That way, you don’t accidentally cancel or end the current spell’s effects before completion.


When Not to Cast Fear 5e

As powerful as Cause Fear 5e and Fear 5e are, specific classes, traits, and other spells can counter its effects. Avoid using the Cause Fear and Fear 5e spells against the following classes and subclasses, as they all have some inherent resistance or counter to the effect:


  • Barbarians (Path of Berserker)
  • Bard
  • Druid (Circle of the Land)
  • Fighter
  • Monk
  • Paladin
  • Rogue
  • Warlock (The Fiend)
  • Wizard (School of Divination)


Other subclasses could also resist the Frightened condition. However, the ones above are listed in the 5e Player’s Handbook, and are the most common challenges you’ll face for casting Fear spells.


Utilizing Fear to Bolster Your Allies

Since Cause Fear is a fright-based spell that could cause the target to have attack disadvantages, partnering up with a defensive and offensive class, such as paladins, fighters, and barbarians, are excellent combinations to exploit the spell’s effects. You can also team up with monks and rogues, as they can also deal significant damage.


Synergizing your cause fear spell with powerful ally attacks can cause you overwhelm your enemy, and win thorough victories.


Use Fear to Your Advantage

Cause Fear 5e is a potent spell in Dungeons & Dragons 5e when used with the right strategy. With its advantages on and off the battlefield, you can use it to drive your enemies away or go for a kill.


Remember that distance and positioning play a critical role in successfully using this spell. Use your knowledge and creativity to make the most of this spell, and you’ll be able to master it in no time.

Cause Fear 5e and Fear 5e

Cause Fear in D&D 5e vs. Eternity TTRPG

In D&D 5e, the Cause Fear and Fear spells give the target disadvantage on attack and ability rolls, and make it so that the target can’t move closer to the caster. This means that a Feared target can still attack someone who cast Fear upon them, just with a lowered hit chance.

 

In the Eternity TTRPG Game System, Feared targets can’t attack the caster of the spell/ user of the effect at all so long as there are other targets nearby who can be attacked. In Eternity TTRPG, fear is basically the opposite of a Taunt or provoke effect. Instead of only being able to attack one target, the recipient of the spell can’t attack one specified target.

 

Causing an enemy to be incapable of attacking someone of your choice for the spell’s duration is insanely powerful under the right circumstances. Imagine a scenario where an ally is about to die, but then the enemy attacking them gets Feared, and can no longer attack.

 

What Races and Classes in Eternity TTRPG can Cast Fear?

Sage (Core Rulebook) and Revenant/ Witch (Classes Expansion) are the only classes that receive Fear as a core class spell. Additionally, the Muse race has an empowered Fear-like racial power they can utilize, as well.

 

Other classes also have have specialization/ critical options that allow them to obtain Fear. These classes are the Dragon Knight, Paladin, Vampire Mage, and Vanguard.

 

In Eternity TTRPG, the ways that Fear functions with each class (and race) capable of casting it vary greatly:

 

Sage – Core Class Spell

Terrify (Magic): 4Range, Faith vs. Resilience, target becomes Afraid of any target of your choice for 3turns.  

           (Double-Hit): target becomes Afraid for an additional 3turns.

  • (Darkness and Light) Also, up to 3 enemies in 4Range of your target, -7Faith vs. Will, deals 1light damage (deals 2damage to Shadow Aura units).  
  • (Secrets of the Ancient Tomes) +7Faith vs. Resilience, target becomes Afraid for 4turns. This critical cannot Double-Hit or give a Block.
  • (Powers of the Eternals) 4Range, you also heal a target of your choice +1HP. This critical allows the target to heal 1HP above their normal max HP. This effect also Fatigues the target, giving lowered Resilience, Dodge, and Will for 1Day Duration (can stack without limit).

 

Revenant/ Witch – Core Class Spell

Waking Nightmare (Magic): weapon Range, Strike Bonus vs. Resilience or 4Range, Faith vs. Resilience. If this spell hits, every turn, on the target’s turn, roll d20. If you roll 6-20, target becomes Afraid of any target of your choice for 1turn.

           (Double-Hit): also deals 1damage.

  • (Grimly Fated) If this spell hits, it also deals 1damage.
  • (Of the Dread Vale) +7Strike Bonus vs. Resilience, or +7Faith vs. Resilience. If this critical hits, every turn on the target’s turn, roll d20. If you roll 16-20, Daze for 1turn. This critical effect cannot Double-Hit or give a Block.
  • (Witch’s Coven) If this spell hits, the target also has -3Resilience, -3Dodge, and -3Will on turns when they are Afraid.
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Muse – Racial Power

Fey Charm (Magic): Instant Action. 4Range, Faith vs. Resilience, the target cannot attack you for 3turns. 1Day Recharge.

           If you affect a target with “Fey Charm” for 3Days in a row, they become enthralled with you (perhaps even falling in love with you), and cannot attack you, for 1year.

           (Double-Hit): 6turns.

 

Dragon Knight – Specialization/ Critical Option

Dragon Flight: the “Dragon” can fly, and can be ridden. While riding your “Dragon,” dragon knight and “Dragon” count as one unit when targeted by Area of Effect attacks, and cannot both be attacked. Mounting or dismounting is an Instant Action, but can only be performed on your turn. While riding, dragon knight and “Dragon” share move Actions, but can still each attack, separately.

           While flying, the “Dragon” gains +1Speed, but both dragon knight and “Dragon” have -2Resilience, -2Dodge, and -2Will. Unlimited Duration.

  • (Knight of the Blood Oath) Every turn, roll d20. If you roll 15-20, choose one enemy in 4Range, +7Faith vs. Resilience, causes them to be Afraid of any target of your choice for 1turn. This critical effect cannot Double-Hit or give a Block. You can instead choose to continually maintain this critical for 3Intelligence (and 0Wisdom). 

 

Paladin – Specialization/ Critical Option

Light’s Wrath (Magic): 4Range, this spell automatically hits. Every time you or an ally attacks the target, roll d20. If you or your ally rolls 18-20, they heal +1HP. This spell also allows affected targets to heal 1HP above their normal max HP.  You can only cause healing with this spell once per turn, per affected target. Healing from this effect also Fatigues affected allies, giving -1Resilience, -1Dodge, and -1Will for 1Day Duration (can stack without limit). A target can only be affected by one “Light’s Wrath” spell at a time. You can instead choose to continually maintain this spell as an aura for 2Intelligence, per target you want to cast at, making it an Instant Action at the start of every battle.

  • (Self-Sacrificing) If you or an ally rolls 18-20, +7Strike Bonus vs. Resilience, or +7Faith vs. Will, the target of this spell is also Afraid of that target for 2turns. You can only cause Fear with this effect once per turn. You can instead choose to continually maintain this critical as an aura for 5Intelligence (and 0Wisdom), per target you want to cast at, making it an Instant Action at the start of every battle.

 

Vampire Mage – Specialization/ Critical Option

Bloodline (Magic): you permanently become a vampire. You permanently gain +3Intelligence but also permanently have -2Inspiration.

Undead do not need to eat, sleep, drink, or rest. They also take damage from all healing magic (except when healing from your own vampire mage spells). You can also still be healed as normal from healing items. Additionally, whenever taking shadow damage, you instead heal.

As a vampire, you can see in the dark and you are immune to all poisons and diseases. You can also only be in sunlight so long as all of your skin is covered so the sun does not touch it. When you bite a humanoid, you may turn them into a “sanguis,” a mindless vampire. True vampires such as yourself, however, can only be created through this spell. Once this spell is chosen it becomes a passive effect, always active, and cannot be dispelled.

  • (Vampire’s Coven) Every turn, roll d20. If you roll 15-20, choose one enemy in 4Range, +7Faith vs. Resilience, causes them to be Afraid of any target of your choice for 1turn. This critical effect cannot Double-Hit or give a Block. You can instead choose to continually maintain this critical for 3Intelligence (and 0Wisdom).

 

Vanguard – Specialization/ Critical Option

Piercing Strike: weapon Range, +3Strike Bonus vs. Dodge, deals 1damage. You have

-3Resilience, -3Dodge, and -3Will for 1turn.  

           (Double-Hit): deals 2damage.

  • (Shock Troop) If this ability hits, +7Strike Bonus vs. Resilience, the target is also Afraid of you for 2turns. This critical effect cannot Double-Hit or give a Block.

 

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Author - Jacob Tegtman

Dear reader, I hope you enjoyed this article. Tabletop gaming has been a passion of mine since I was 6 years old. I've played just about every game from Dungeons and Dragons to video games like Final Fantasy. These games have inspired me, made me laugh, made me cry, and brought me endless hours of enjoyment.


I started Eternity TTRPG - and the indie tabletop game that goes along with it (Eternity Shop) - to share my love of gaming with others. I believe that in our technology-driven age, tabletop games help bring a sense of magic and community back into our world.


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Dragonlance

DragonLance Legends coming to Amazon in February

By Jacob Tegtman • December 17, 2025
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=257fKzW8yzA Transcription Before there was Game of Thrones, Baldur’s Gate, and Critical Role.… there was Dragonlance .  A fantasy saga that defined an entire generation of D&D players — epic wars, tragic heroes, and dragons that actually felt like dragons. But if you aren’t familiar, what is Dragonlance — and why are we still talking about it in 2026? Well to answer that last question, the new “Legends Edition” which is the second Trilogy of Dragonlance is coming to Amazon in February. This is a big deal because getting new copies of the original Dragonlance Chronicles Trilogy, and now this second “Legends” Trilogy was becoming very difficult. I’m hoping these new prints rekindle the spark of one of the greatest D&D settings and novel series of all time, and introduce even more people to its magic. Welcome back to Eternity TTRPG, your home for D&D history, lore deep-dives, and the stories that shaped the game we play today. If you love tabletop RPGs, classic settings, and learning why D&D looks and plays the way it does today, you’re in the right place. So, let’s talk about one of my favorite fantasy settings – and fantasy book series of all times – Dragonlance . Dragonlance started as a bold idea from Tracy Hickman and Laura Hickman , later developed with Margaret Weis at TSR. To answer the burning question you may be having, right off the bat – yes, the Dragonlance adventures came before the book series. At the time, most D&D adventures were simple and modular. You’d kick in a dungeon door, fight some monsters, grab treasure, and move on. Dragonlance asked a very different question. What if Dungeons & Dragons could tell one long, epic story? Instead of disconnected adventures, the Dragonlance team wanted a campaign with a clear beginning, middle, and end. A single, continent-spanning war. A story that unfolded over time, not just session to session. To make that work, players wouldn’t create random characters. They’d play pre-generated heroes, each designed to fit directly into the narrative, with personal arcs baked into the plot. That idea became the original Dragonlance AD&D module series — eventually twelve linked adventures telling the story of the War of the Lance. On paper, it was revolutionary. At the table… it was complicated. The problem is simple. And honestly, you can probably pause the video here and tell me the problem, yourself, based on your own D&D games. It’s basically this: D&D games, and it’s players – are unpredictable. Dungeons & Dragons thrives on player choice, improvisation, and chaos. Dragonlance, on the other hand, needed players to be in very specific places, doing very specific things, at specific times. If the party ignored a hook, skipped a location, or made an unexpected choice, the entire story could fall apart. So the modules relied heavily on railroading — nudging, and sometimes outright forcing, players back onto the intended path. That tension made Dragonlance awkward to run as a campaign. The story was strong, but the format worked against the strengths of tabletop roleplaying. And that’s when Dragonlance found the form it was truly built for. To promote the modules, TSR (that is, the company founded by Gary Gygax and Don Kaye, to publish D&D) decided to release a trilogy of tie-in novels. That decision came late, the original author didn’t work out, and Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman ended up writing the first book themselves — in roughly three months. The result was Dragons of Autumn Twilight, released in 1984. Which, even talking about almost brings a tear to my eye – the book was just that impactful to me in my teenage years. TSR expected modest sales. But instead, the book was a massive hit. For many readers, this wasn’t just their first Dragonlance novel — it was their first D&D novel. It introduced the idea that a D&D party could be the heart of a fantasy epic, with flawed characters, emotional arcs, and long-term consequences. This is basically why Dragonlance matters to D&D history. And not just a little bit. It matters – a LOT. Dragonlance proved that Dungeons & Dragons wasn’t just a game system — it was actually its own entire storytelling engine. If you haven’t read the novel series, I have some amazing news for you, shortly. But at its core, Dragonlance is about one idea: hope in darkness. The world of Krynn is broken. The gods are distant. War is everywhere. People are scared, tired, and cynical. But, the world of Dragonlance isn’t saved by a single chosen hero. Instead, this novel series tells you that the world can be saved when ordinary people choose to do the right thing, even when it’s hard, and even when it feels pointless. That philosophy shaped the tone of the setting. Dragonlance was darker than most TSR-era worlds, but it was never hopeless. Friendship mattered. Faith mattered. Sacrifice mattered. Umm, a lot. Those themes became incredibly influential, especially for party-focused storytelling in D&D campaigns. Dragonlance also changed how dragons were treated in D&D. Before this, dragons were often just very powerful monsters. Dangerous, sure — but still just another encounter. Dragonlance made dragons rare, mythical, and world-shaping. What becomes the mystical return of dragons isn’t just a side quest in this setting. It’s THE central event that changes the balance of power across the entire world. That idea — that dragons should feel legendary, and not just routine — stuck, and it still shapes how dragons are presented in modern D&D. After the success of the original trilogy, Weis and Hickman followed it with Dragonlance Legends, which is what I’ll be getting to more about in just a few minutes. Instead of escalating to an even bigger war, Legends zoomed in. It focused on the twins from the first trilogy: Raistlin and Caramon Majere, and on the topics of ambition, responsibility, and the cost of power. It introduced time travel – which to be honest, I don’t love – personal tragedy, and consequences that felt intimate. This trilogy, too, was a massive success, even hitting the New York Times bestseller list — a first for TSR. For a brief moment, Dragonlance wasn’t just a D&D setting. It actually became the face of D&D storytelling. But Dragonlance’s greatest strength eventually became its weakness. The setting was tightly bound to one story and one cast of characters. Once the War of the Lance was resolved, the world of Krynn felt… finished. New stories struggled to find the same weight. Bigger threats felt repetitive. New heroes had a hard time stepping out of the shadow of the originals. Unlike the Forgotten Realms, Krynn never felt like a neutral playground. It felt like a world where the most important story had already happened. And slowly, Dragonlance faded from the spotlight. Dragonlance went quiet after 2010. But in February 2026, we’re getting a new hardcover release of Dragonlance Legends — collecting the full trilogy with new behind-the-scenes material from Weis and Hickman. It’s not a full revival of the setting. It’s a reminder of an important moment in D&D history, when the game experimented with storytelling in a way that permanently changed how we think about campaigns. This trilogy about the twins: Raistlin and Caramon – is coming after the Chronicles trilogy was rereleased (I believe) just this last year – I got my copy from Margaret Weis at GenCon. These books haven’t been in print for some time. So, if you like what you’ve been hearing about Dragonlance, or you – like me – are a longtime fan, you may want to pick these up. You can get the original Chronicles Trilogy on Amazon now, and the second Trilogy – Legends – is coming out this February. Dragonlance asked a question that D&D is still trying to answer: Is this game about total freedom… or about telling powerful stories? Most tables today try to balance both. And whether you loved Dragonlance or bounced hard off its railroads, its influence is still baked into how D&D is played, written, and remembered. So I want to know — have you read Dragonlance, or played in a campaign set in Krynn? Would you run a Dragonlance campaign today, or does it feel too tied to its story? Let me know in the comments, like the video if you enjoyed it,subscribe for more D&D deep dives, and I’ll see you next time.
One-Shot Wonders holiday adventure pack blog image

D&D Beyond's Holiday One-Shot Wonders Adventure Pack

By Jacob Tegtman • December 15, 2025
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kh5bY2opoA Transcription The holidays just got more magical… and a little chaotic! Today we’re unwrapping the brand-new One-Shot Wonders: Holiday Adventure Pack on D&D Beyond, perfect for your next winter game night — whether you’re running one session or surprising your group with some festive mayhem! This pack delivers not just one, but five holiday themed adventures that you can run in about 3 hours each — from silly toy factory break-ins to battling puddling gremlins and more!” So what exactly is in this Holiday Adventure Pack? The pack includes five standalone adventures, each designed for a specific level range, from early Level 1–2 play all the way up to Level 11–12. Each adventure is built to be completed in a single three-hour session, with minimal prep required and optional guidance for scaling difficulty up or down depending on your party. Included are also five fully illustrated battlemaps, featuring festive locations like a toy factory, an ice castle, and a grand holiday banquet hall. These maps are compatible with D&D Beyond’s Maps VTT, making them easy to drop into both in-person and online games. Additionally, you can have fun with three brand-new monsters: the Great Fir Drake, Pudding Gremlins, and the Snow Sphinx. Sometimes I feel these kind of holiday-themed monsters add charm to end-of-year games, and other times, I think it’s a bit of stretch to add them because they can feel a bit gimmick-y. But these ones, I like. Each creature comes with full stat blocks, original art, and lore, giving DMs memorable seasonal threats that still feel mechanically distinct and interesting to run. One thing I really like are the four new playable species, including a Frosty-inspired Snowborn, a humanoid reindeer known as the Tarandus, the tree-like Hederan, and the fox-folk Canisar. These species are fully integrated into D&D Beyond’s character builder, making them easy to use for one-shots or even longer campaigns. The reindeer-people kind of freak me out a bit, but I’d play a snowborn. Rounding things out are twelve new magic items inspired by the Twelve Days of Christmas. These items lean into festive flavor while still offering practical in-game utility, making them fun rewards that won’t feel out of place at the table. If you’re like – well – most of us, getting everyone together during the holidays is tricky. That makes one-shots like these a pretty decent solution — fast, fun, and filled with seasonal character. And, often chaos! At $14.99 for the whole pack, it’s only about $3 per ready-to-run adventure , and that includes a lot of bonuses with the special holiday races, monsters, and 12-days of Christmas items. Overall, not a bad value for some D&D holiday cheer. So there you have it — a festive, fun, and flexible way to bring your group together this winter. Whether you’re gifting this pack to your DM or grabbing it to run your own seasonal session, the Holiday Adventure Pack on D&D Beyond is a great way to keep your table rolling into the new year. I’ve got a link to D&D Beyond in the video description for you, below, in case you want to pick it up! That’s it for today! Hit LIKE if you want more holiday game ideas, SUBSCRIBE for D&D news and tools, and let me know in the comments — which adventure would you run first?
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The New Final Fantasy TTRPG Is Here — And It’s Incredible

By Jacob Tegtman • December 12, 2025
Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GBbHsUFBR8 Transcription Visit the Final Fantasy Tabletop Roleplaying Legend Edition Website . Final Fantasy fans… it’s finally happening. A brand-new tabletop RPG built specifically to capture the tactical, job-swapping, limit-breaking chaos we love from the Final Fantasy series. But… for those of you who are familiar with Final Fantasy d20, and other predecessors to this Legend Edition, why make a whole new system when Final Fantasy Tabletop RPGs have already existed in the past? And what makes the Final Fantasy Legend Edition so special? Today, we’re diving in to the game that aims to become the definitive way to play in Ivalice—or any Final Fantasy world—at your table. Oh, and did I mention that this is a professionally-designed game book and PDF assets for every conceivable part of your game – and it’s all 100% free? That’s right, free. This is a passion project brought to you by Mildra the Monk and his amazing team that they’ve been working on for years. It’s absolutely incredible what they’ve put together, and you can get it for your table today – at no cost. Hey everyone, welcome back to ETTRPG—your home for tabletop news, deep dives, and world-building inspiration. If you love Final Fantasy, Tactics-style combat, or job systems with way too many builds to ever be able to properly enjoy it all, today’s video is for you. So, Final Fantasy TRPG: Legend Edition is a spiritual successor to the long-running Returners’ Final Fantasy RPG and its offshoots like Final Fantasy 4e and Omega Fantasy. But this isn’t just a rehash—this is a completely modernized, research-driven rebuild of the whole system. The devs, among them Mildra the Monk, who has been a big supporter of us at Eternity TTRPG for years, spent three years dissecting the games, the lore, the combat, and all the unique systems that Final Fantasy fans love. The result? An intermediate-complexity tabletop RPG laser-focused on recreating the true Final Fantasy experience – at the table—without any confusing crunch, or decade-old legacy rules. Ok, as I mentioned, there are other Final Fantasy tabletop systems already. But here’s what it boils down to for why it was worth it for Mildra and his team to create this new system. Number one: Simplicity None of the previous games fully capture the mythos of Final Fantasy while still giving players complete setting freedom . Where earlier systems often tied you to a specific world, tone, or era, Legend Edition was built around a single core design principle, which is: “Mythos over setting.” This means the rules capture the soul of Final Fantasy—Summons, Jobs, elemental affinities, cinematic abilities—but they don’t lock you to Ivalice, Gaia, Spira, or any one timeline. Using this game system, you can: Recreate your favorite Final Fantasy world. Mash up multiple games. Or build your own world entirely from scratch. This is FF energy, but not FF rails , that makes it such a big deal. So, moving on, What Makes Legend Edition Stand Out? The first piece is: Ridiculously Modular Character Building. In the future, I plan to do more videos on Final Fantasy Legend Edition. But let’s content ourselves today by summarizing – at least for this section – that there’s 50+ Jobs drawn from across the franchise. Included are fan favorites and long-time classics such as Dragoon, Black Mage, Thief, Time Mage, Gunbreaker, and dozens more. Using these 50+ Jobs, you do in fact have over 25,000 job combinations available to you, as a player. And these aren't “same-y” class splashes. The track-based advancement system makes each mix feel meaningful, distinct, and highly customizable. Oh—and there are 14 playable races taken from the Final Fantasy universe , each with their own unique ability. This is one of the most flexible JRPG-inspired character engines out there. The second big item that makes the Legend Edition Stand Out is Streamlined, Row-Based Combat, like your favorite Final Fantasy games from back in the day. Legend Edition offers an easy-to-learn row-based combat system that keeps the spirit of classic Final Fantasy battles while speeding everything up. You still get things like: Elemental affinities, Status effects, Skills with cinematic alt uses, And powerful Limit break moments. But, the math is way smoother than you’d expect. You won’t need a calculator, like if you took Final Fantasy I directly to your table. Next up is that the book provide you with Mythos-Driven Campaign Systems. Final Fantasy stories, across all games even back to the originals, are political. Big factions, world tension, and meaningful alliances are core to the franchise. Legend Edition builds this directly into play with: A Reputation & Affiliation system . You also have what’s called “The Holdings system” to build your very own base. The game comes with expanded NPC creation rules, and a robust Skill Game system for non-combat set pieces. This is the stuff that makes your campaign feel like a Final Fantasy game, not just another “game like D&D,” but with a “Final Fantasy” sticker slapped on their for flavor. As if all of the core game’s features are not enough, The Expansion Books Are pretty Wild. The Ultimania Expansion adds: 28 new races , 4 new jobs , 300+ sample items , Airship & Mecha creation systems , plus More Skill Games and Affiliations. Meanwhile, the Enemy Intel Field Guide brings you 200 full NPC stat blocks , a Fully detailed bestiary, and Drop-in encounter prep tools. Basically, everything you need as a Dungeon Master to prep your game with maximum Final Fantasy feel, and minimal effort. Additionally, if you want to run FF Tactics, FFIX, FFX, or even a fully original world—these books give you all the toys for each of those specific settings. Wrapping it all up, Legend Edition emulates the cinematic spirit of Final Fantasy with its Big narrative beats, Cutscene-worthy skill moments, Dramatic faction politics, Summons that feel truly mythic, and Job classes that are meaningful extensions of character identity. If you’ve ever said “I wish Final Fantasy had a premier tabletop version,” this is the game you need to try out at your table, next. So, if you’ve made it this far, I think you and I both know it’s time for you to download your free copy of Final Fantasy Legends Edition. I’ve got that link in the video description below. But I want to hear from you: what do you think? Does Legend Edition finally deliver that top-quality Final Fantasy tabletop experience we’ve all been waiting for? And if so, what will be the first Job class you’ll try out? Let me know in the comments. Hit like, subscribe, and share this video with your party. Let’s get Mildra and his team the recognition on this masterpiece that they truly deserve. Until next time—may your crits be big, and your summons be even bigger.
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