FFXIV: The TTRPG

[Nero-Voidstails]

I would have a group I would get it but I don't and I suck at making friend

[Veritas-Ancora]

As the owner of the FFXIV TTRPG base game, here's what I have to say about FFXIV: TTRPG

It's garbage. 1/10

Mind you I have played the following games:
- D&D 7x
- VtM 1x
- Break! 2x

The game lacks any direction. It's very barebones "What does the GM think is a fair roll?" and you roll it, and that's it. Stats are virtually meaningless. Stats are arbitrary. You could honestly play a better game with no game at all and a d20 dice.

The preset characters are more or less required to play. And there's a very good chance that your favorite job isn't included in the game, unless you're Black Mage.

If you have ever decried about homogeny for roles, you're going to hate this game.

I'll give you an example. The book acts like you don't know how to TTRPG. They put an example scenario where a caravan was overturned in Gridania. They suggest one player fixes the wheel, and another tends to the chocobos, and another watches out for bandits. And that's it. There's no stat modifiers for doing any of this. There's no proficiencies. There's nothing but a storyteller making something up for you, and you fill in the rest. Instead of telling us what stats are used for what, it just covers a made-up scenario.

Now I figured I didn't know WTF I was talking about, so I brought the game to two of my favorite DMs from D&D/VtM/Break and asked them to review the book.

His words: "You've got to be ffffing joking. This is it? This isn't a game. This is a suggestion."

Her words: "You know I love FFXIV, but this is sad. It's like they wanted to make a game without the structure."

I cannot recommend buying this or the expansion that is about to be released (3/31/25). It's really bad and you should just play D&D with modified characters that resemble Eorzeans.

[ovIm]

snip

I was afraid that would have been the case... most stuff that I had seen seemed to lean a lot onto combat and combat encounters, trying to emulate FFXIV combat into a tabletop setting. Sad to read that the role playing parts are on the backburner a lot. Still, thanks for trying it out!

you should just play D&D with modified characters that resemble Eorzeans.

However, reading this bit, did you know that there is a guy that works on translating FFXIV jobs and species into D&D compatible rules? May be something your group and you would consider at as a replacement for an official FFXIV TTRPG:
https://www.gmbinder.com/profile/silentsoren

Wasn't able to try it myself to be honest, my group mostly plays Paizo Stuff or Storyteller Systems, but hey, maybe its something that catches your eye!

[Veritas-Ancora]

However, reading this bit, did you know that there is a guy that works on translating FFXIV jobs and species into D&D compatible rules? May be something your group and you would consider at as a replacement for an official FFXIV TTRPG:
https://www.gmbinder.com/profile/silentsoren

THANK YOU.

[Wyssahtyn]

figures it'd be trash, lol

[Exmo]

Veritas-Ancora, have you tried Fabula Ultima? How would you compare them?

Btw thank you for sharing your experience with FFXIV TTRPG. Hadn't expected that to be a problem. I figured it would suffer from the same problems that DnD faces but not much else.

[Merrigan]

Honestly, more like “meh”. I applaud the initiative, but I think they've got the wrong audience: those interested in a tabletop role-playing group already play Dnd (/ all potential equivalents). Those who want videogame roleplay (which is not at all the same experience) are happy IG. Eorzea lacks the nuance needed to be a truly good TTRPG: the beauty of this type of universe is that, on the same module, you can play a bad, good or neutral character in a powerfantasy, darkfantasy or heroicfantasy universe. The possibilities for interpretation are endless, and for the moment I don't see this opening up in a game based on FfXIV.

The previous posts don't encourage me either: if they don't leave any opening beyond a pre-created character, it's because they haven't grasped the true value of a TTRPG, and are trying more to make a mix between a “new generation” board game (= subterra) and a role-playing game.

[Exmo]

Honestly, more like “meh”. I applaud the initiative, but I think they've got the wrong audience: those interested in a tabletop role-playing group already play Dnd (/ all potential equivalents). Those who want videogame roleplay (which is not at all the same experience) are happy IG. Eorzea lacks the nuance needed to be a truly good TTRPG: the beauty of this type of universe is that, on the same module, you can play a bad, good or neutral character in a powerfantasy, darkfantasy or heroicfantasy universe. The possibilities for interpretation are endless, and for the moment I don't see this opening up in a game based on FfXIV.

There are hundreds if not thousands of ttrpgs based on existing IPs. They always target the subset of fans of the IP who would also like ttrpgs, and they typically succeed or fail on their own merits. With every passing day it's less true that ttrpg players are content with DnD enough to not play something alternative.

I expect there are tens of thousands of fans of Final Fantasy who also play ttrpgs. FF14 offers one of the more established FF settings lore-wise, so it's a natural pick for those who like their ttrpgs to come with a built in lore bible (not to my taste, personally). There's nothing inherent in the setting that lends itself poorly to a ttrpg.

[Merrigan]

There are hundreds if not thousands of ttrpgs based on existing IPs. They always target the subset of fans of the IP who would also like ttrpgs, and they typically succeed or fail on their own merits. With every passing day it's less true that ttrpg players are content with DnD enough to not play something alternative.

I expect there are tens of thousands of fans of Final Fantasy who also play ttrpgs. FF14 offers one of the more established FF settings lore-wise, so it's a natural pick for those who like their ttrpgs to come with a built in lore bible (not to my taste, personally). There's nothing inherent in the setting that lends itself poorly to a ttrpg.

I would like to answer more, but what does "IP" mean ? (Not a native, never heard it).

[Exmo]

I would like to answer more, but what does "IP" mean ? (Not a native, never heard it).

Intellectual property. In this case, a ttrpg directly based on a pre-existing piece of media.