Hi there. My name's Jesse, and I'm the creator of Freeform Roleplaying! I started playing tabletop roleplaying games way back in 2007. I was introduced to Dungeons and Dragons Edition 3.5 by a good friend, and I instantly caught the RPG bug. Since that first session, I have been a total addict. I've played using a variety of distant systems, shared stories with friends, and done my best to get as many people involved in the hobby as possible. And as someone who spends a lot of time trying to get people into tabletop RPGs, I've noticed a common theme.

 

Many a time, I have heard people say something to the effect of “I’m curious about D&D, but I just don’t know how to get started.” And honestly, I see where people are coming from when they say this. Looking upon the wall of tabletop RPG books at your local bookstore can be a mightily intimidating experience. Those things are the size of textbooks. And though many of them are really quite easy to understand, very few people relish the prospect of dropping 40 to 70 bucks on an RPG book, when there’s no guarantee that tabletop RPGs are something you’ll even enjoy. So they think, "Why even bother trying?"

 

That precise thought is why I created Freeform Roleplaying. Freeform Roleplaying, or FFRP, is a system designed for total RPG newbies. It is ridiculously simple, stripping out all but the most essential mechanical elements of tabletop roleplaying and distilling it down to its most basic essence. It is intended to give the basic experience of what tabletop roleplaying is like, without necessitating that players buy expensive books and equipment or learn a bunch of complicated rules.

 

As you look through this system, and as you play your first FFRP sessions, keep three basic rules in mine. The first is “Don’t be a doofbucket.” This just means, try not to let anything get in the way of the game being fun. Don’t get into fights over game mechanics, and don’t screw over your party members all the time. Such is the way of the doofbucket. Don’t be a doofbucket. The second is the “Rule of Cool.” This is also very simple: If something sounds cool, try it! The third is, “When in doubt, have fun.” If you have the choice between a sensible, realistic option, and a less plausible but more fun option, go for the fun. FFRP is a game. Games should be fun. Have fun.