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Basic Roleplaying: Universal Game Engine - Hardcover

$49.99
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CHA2036-H
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1.50 LBS
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Create. Explore. Play.

Basic Roleplaying (BRP) is a system of core rules for tabletop roleplaying. Whether you’re a seasoned roleplaying veteran or new to the hobby, Basic Roleplaying has everything you need for years of entertainment.

Female Vitruvian Warrior

What's Inside

Basic Roleplaying: Universal Game Engine is the complete guide to BRP—the same system that powers Call of Cthulhu, RuneQuest, PendragonRivers of London, and countless others.

BRP’s Universal Game Engine is available royalty-free for personal and commercial use under the ORC license. Use these rules, and focus on creating your worlds, scenarios and even books to sell!

This book contains the core system rules, as well as character creation, advancement, monsters and antagonists, as well as GameMaster advice.

A Seamless Core Mechanic

BRP Character Sheet Example

In BRP, success and failure are always determined by the roll of a D100. Comparing that roll to the relevant Skill, Characteristic, Ability, or Power, you succeed if you roll under the target number.

This means every stat on your character sheet clearly indicates to you the likelihood of success.

An uneven arm wrestling contest with the better person drinking while playing

Natural Character Growth

People touching an obilisk

Characters in a BRP game evolve based on what they do in-game. If you fire a gun, that skill may increase.

If you want your character to learn magic, get better at driving cars, lassoing horses, or even repairing a spaceship, then your character will do so by using those skills!

A Bear Shaman with a Torch

Deadly & Tactical Combat

A pair of gun-toting men shooting in the snow

The core BRP rules present easy-to-learn and equally easy-to-teach combat mechanics that allow players to react to attacks—you don’t just have to wait for your turn in order to have an impact on combat!

Conflict in BRP can be deadly, and every roll (attacking, fighting back, dodging or otherwise) is integral. This makes for a thrilling, high-octane experience with a system that does not slowdown the overall flow of play.

A bloody bare-fisted boxer who is still willing to continue the fight

Build The Game You Want

A two-katana wielding warrior leaping out at some terrified opponents

With mechanics for magic, psychic powers, mutations, superpowers, weapons, equipment, and vehicles applicable to any setting and genre, Basic Roleplaying: Universal Game Engine is adaptable to any world of your choosing—either previously established, or created from scratch.

A barbarian warrior in the far north

Fillable Character Sheets

 
Character Sheet (Fillable)
 
Character Sheet with Hit Locations (Fillable)
 
NPC Sheet (Fillable)
 
Vehicle & Mount Sheet (Fillable)

Blank Character Sheets

 
Character Sheet (Blank)
 
Character Sheet with Hit Locations (Blank)
 
NPC Sheet (Blank)
 
Vehicle & Mount Sheet (Blank)

 

Additional Handouts

 
Handouts Pack
 
Character Generation Chart

What The Critics Say

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Footer Name:[ChaosBrandBasicRoleplaying]

Publisher:
Chaosium
Year Released:
2023
Ruleset:
Basic Roleplaying
Format:
Full Color Hardcover
Page Count:
264
Author(s):
Jason Durall, Steve Perrin
Cover Artist:
Loïc Muzy
Interior Artists:
Loïc Muzy, Grzegorz Bobrowski, Giorgio Baroni, Manuel Castanon, Charlie Creber, Antonia Doncheva, Shen Fei, Andrey Fetisov, Piotr Foksowicz, Matt Forsyth, Mark L. Gambler, Ossi Hiekkal, Chris Huth, Tomasz Jedruszek Michelle Lockamy, Phu Thieu Mac
Interior Artists (2):
Lionel Marty, Loïc Muzy, Simon Roy, Dimitar Stoyanov, John Sumrow, Cory Trego-Erdner
Layout:
Adam Szelążek
Producer:
Neil Robinson
ISBN:
978-1-56882-470-3 (Hardcover)
  • Full Star Full Star Full Star Full Star Full Star 5
    Fantastic Design

    Posted by Zackary Clarke on 25th Nov 2024

    I love the art and looooove the layout of rules with charts and all to clearly follow the mechanics. Easily my favorite designed TTRPG.

  • Full Star Full Star Full Star Full Star Empty Star 4
    Hard cover edition

    Posted by Gav on 27th Jul 2024

    BRP definitely my favourite rpg mechanic and has been for decades. The new edition is much easier to navigate and less cramped than the original. To address other reviewers' criticism of paper, font-size etc., although everyone is entitled to their own opinion, working for over 30 years in print production, I think the negative views on the production of the hardcover edition are a bit unfair. The type size is absolutely fine and I have no trouble reading it, even with my tired old eyes and varifocal specs. The paper quality is absolutely fine. Yes, it's not glossy paper but the matt paper I find easier to read as it doesn't reflect light. It's also more tactile and actually easier to thumb-flick than thinner, glossy paper. The print quality of the artwork is also fine. No idea why someone was saying it's "DrivethruRPG" quality. There's no pixelation, the resolution is good and the colour quality absolutely fine. If you want the hardback, don't be put off by those reviews, it's well worth the money. I'm glad I upgraded from the PDF with the voucher. As for the content, it's BRP, so it's just the best, most logical RPG system, as far as I'm concerned.

  • Full Star Full Star Empty Star Empty Star Empty Star 2
    Basic Roleplaying

    Posted by Jorgen Bjork on 17th Apr 2024

    I really don´t understand why! Why did you make the book so cheap in feeling, paper thickness, hard to read due to the size of the letters, drivethrurpg quality with the pictures, and poor quality in general and not the standard quality of Cthulhu or Runequest books, it´s really beyond me. I´m really disappointed. Guess I have to wait another 20 years for a generic BRP book. In the mean-time I have to use Dragonbane (Drakar och Demoner) which is an offspring of the good old Runequest.

  • Full Star Full Star Full Star Full Star Full Star 5
    Awesome :)

    Posted by mcc on 14th Apr 2024

    I bought it a few months back as I was looking for a universal system to run one-shots in different settings for my friends — and oh boy that was a good decision. My players and I are having a blast playing together. Some of them have played some RPGs in the past while others haven't but regardless of their experience with RPGs they all love it. System is really simple for the players and with the GM prepared they don't have to read anything about the rules to start playing. The illustrations are lovely and the book contains so much content. I didn't have problems with the font size. I found a few silly errors in the text, but it wasn't anything that made me not understand the rules that were being described. Overall I highly recommend it — I'm really happy that I bought it.

  • Full Star Full Star Empty Star Empty Star Empty Star 2
    Too much errata

    Posted by Greg Fetzer on 22nd Mar 2024

    This product was rushed and includes way too many errors. A year later and fans over at BRP Central are still spotting mistakes in the PDF updates.

  • Full Star Full Star Full Star Empty Star Empty Star 3
    Font too small!

    Posted by John Atkinson on 12th Feb 2024

    I have the big gold book softback and hardback so when I noticed this new version I was chuffed. Unfortunately I am a little disappointed, the font is extremely small making reading the book a total chore. Wish I had not bothered.

  • Full Star Full Star Full Star Full Star Full Star 5
    Quality reproduction of a classic book!

    Posted by Stephen Batchelor on 16th Nov 2023

    As a typographer and printer with over 20 years industry experience this review focuses mainly on the production and legibility of the book. Basic Roleplaying is hardbound and printed on quality uncoated paper. The text and images are sharp and clear to read. The book has head and tail bands as well marker ribbons and nice quality end papers. The layout of information is orderly with ample line and word spacing. Addressing the size and choice of font we need to remember that the previous edition wasn't called ‘The Big Yellow Book’ for nothing. This book contains ‘A Lot’ of information. Everything you could possibly need to run a game of any genre. This really is the only book you will ever need to run a role playing game. The choice of font is easy to read and while somewhat smaller than other reference books it is most definitely legible and easy to read (8/11pt). Increasing the font size would have pushed this book well beyond the already hefty 260 page count and the resulting production costs would be passed on to the consumer. Reducing the line or word spacing would decrease legibility. In balance a well designed book and definitely well worth the price tag.

  • Full Star Full Star Full Star Full Star Full Star 5
    Hard cover version

    Posted by Paul Aston on 5th Nov 2023

    I've never owned the basic roleplay gold book but I've been playing Runequest since the 80s. Someone has put a lot of hard work into this and it shows. They've kept the basic system but tuned it up perfect. They've even improved the combat system over the latest version of Runequest, lots of tactical options, grapple/ martial arts and using dex ranks instead of strike ranks, a subtle but important difference. The quality of the pages/book is beautiful, the paper feels like a thicker grade and the finish is beautiful. The text is a little small though. The best part: you can use any of the runequest books or cthulhu in support. The red book of magic is completely compatible. They just need the goods to keep coming in support of the game. Companion 1 for example: sorcery, psionics, the superhero companion and so forth. If you love the runequest system but want to game outside of Glorantha then get this.

  • Full Star Full Star Full Star Full Star Full Star 5
    Basic Roleplaying Hardcover

    Posted by Eric Webb on 2nd Nov 2023

    The Basic Roleplaying system is my favorite rpg system due to its ease of use and modularity. I can craft the rules anyway I want to fit whatever genre I’m trying to emulate. This book is great with a lot of rules cleared up and streamlined. With this new book alongside my classic BRP gold book I’ve got thousands of options.