Fantasy Grounds VTT

Well, if in knew i would need a degree to use this thing, i'd never spend any money here.

I found it the opposite of user friendly and did not find enough materials on how to use it. All the contet i got was something about the first 3 steps to create a campaing, but all the other things directed me to buy a module.

I get it you make money selling modules, but c'mon, i've spent some buying this already, shouldn't the developers be a little worried with user experience?

Yeah, many people say "cool down, there is a learning curve and blablabla", but how do i pass the "learnig curve" of driving if i cant drive? The same happens here.

great for DMs

the interface may be a little confusing but the amount of options that it gives you is overwhelming, if you can learn it you have a very powerful tool to play TTRPGs online in your hands

I like this virtual table top a lot. It has plenty of good support online from the creators as well as other users and they all seem very willing to help out even basic help requests. It's pretty simple to figure out some automating basics for macros and whatnot and I'm not even technofluent enough to be confident that I'm using the term 'macro' properly!

muy bueno para el DM, aunque hay cosas que aprender, es mi VTT favorito

Overall, I love it. There's a lot you can do and automate and its flexibility is wonderful.
That being said, it has some quirks and it's not the easiest software to learn. I do love that players don't need it though!

Has a lot of great tools

It's really hit or miss, it all depends on the people you meet. The software's great though.

great tool for gaming

The latest update in feburary 2025 makes the platform almost useless and is not worth purchasing consider refunds until they revert it.

great vtt

Just noticed that I didn't write a review so yeah - pretty amazingly super master of the seven gods great, you can customize a lot of stuff, localized prices for books that you may find for 49283490 times the price. One thing that needs to be mentioned is do not use extremely high quality images for maps and you will have an endless fun time with your friends.

Thank you for existing, Fantasy Grounds.

great vtt

Its a great idea, but there are so many bugs. You practically need a IT Degree to get the program to work on a night to night basis.

One of the best VTT ever created
Both classic and Unity version have a lot of resources and have a lot to offer.
Buy the Ultimate Licence and give your players an amazing RPG experience

It has a steep learning curve, but it's worth it!

Yes.

This trash was the biggest wast of money. I have have used other VTT's this the worse. I LITERALLY prefer pen a paper over discord with a camera over the map to this hot garbage rip off that stole my money.

At the time of writing this I still can't get a campaign to load, the dice to roll were they can be read 100% of the time or add a custom PF2e race that actually works or even make a PC without the aid of outside program.

This company literally stole my money with fake promises of a working product.

I've had countless hours on this game
Preparing my campaign, having fun with my friends, adding new content or new rules to my current pathfinder campaign I really love this, it's less stuffy to play my game when going to my friend or even staying at home :)
I recommend it :)

Fantasy Grounds: The Pioneer in Virtual Tabletops

Having used Fantasy Grounds off and on in its various incarnations since about 2015 and having run and played a campaign or two in it with friends, I can recommend this ever-evolving virtual tabletop (VTT) for no other fact than it's the original VTT, a product that seems to predate the now widespread term, with it being around twenty years, and a dedicated community behind it.

However, I recommend it cautiously because this is an idiosyncratic product with a reputation for bucking the trends of (or just simply growing up insulated from) traditional or wider software UI/UX conventions, so it's something you will need to learn to use on its own terms that might make it slower to pick up. I also am cautious because I think the VTT market is now more crowded and shifting than it used to be with the explosive growth of TTRPGs, and with Dungeons & Dragons publisher Wizards of the Coast themselves due to debut their visually attractive VTT Project Sigil soon, I think it could challenge Fantasy Grounds’ place. That being said, I think SmiteWorks, the independent Fantasy Grounds developer, are a stand-up group of likeable folks that love RPGs and want to allow more people to be able to play them remotely through their very good product.

So to me, Fantasy Grounds shines in three primary areas: automation, versatility, and its mod support/marketplace.

1. Automation

Fantasy Grounds is like a big calculator, so automation is what I’d describe it does best. If it supports the RPG's ruleset you want to play—it likely does—it will do a ton of the manual, tedious math for you, from your character sheet stats and modifiers for ability score checks, effects, spells and more. But it doesn’t exactly do this all automatically, and it doesn’t technically understand what’s going on in your game world as it’s not a video game (even though it’s on Steam). It’s a calculator, not AI.

This automation though is the key differentiator that separates Fantasy Grounds from other VTTs, or something like Tabletop Simulator as it aids you in how to play your game. The scripted logic that can be customized dynamically on the fly while knowing the rules to the system or certain effect when certain buttons are clicked saves time. The combat and party trackers are robust and powerful. Automation isn’t limited to just stats either as calculating battle map measurements for movement, line of sight/fog of war, areas of effect (cones and the like) are more recent developments since SmiteWorks moved Fantasy Grounds into the Unity engine, a smart and strategic move that continues to pay dividends in its usefulness for a VTT as players increasingly expect 3D as a part of these products. This move to Unity paved the way for weather effects, 3D models, and the aforementioned line of sight, with more exciting things planned.

2. Versatility

This versatility will coincide with my third point of the marketplace but Fantasy Grounds is currently the leader in how many officially supported, popular published rulesets they make available like Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and even earlier editions of D&D (Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (1E/2E)) it bolsters, as well as other rulesets like Dungeon Crawl Classics, Castles & Crusades, Fallout, Cyberpunk, and many more when compared to other VTTs. This is remarkable and encouraging when deciding to invest in this platform.

When you buy a book, DLC or ruleset on Steam or Fantasy Grounds’website—they sync together through their website—you’re getting all the content from a printed publication or digital PDF but loaded in and hyperlinked so you can easily search for and have it as reference for yourself and sharable to players in-game with the Ultimate License. Tables that were otherwise just static documents quickly become dynamic elements easy to roll on, and monsters are stat blocks that have all their features laid out so they can be dragged and dropped into the combat tracker. All maps and images within a release are included. From reviews I’ve read, some ruleset implementations are better than others. The huge variety of individual modules and adventures available as DLCs is terrific, particularly the D&D Classics that give new life and accessibility to these old AD&D adventures. These releases have slowed down lately, unfortunately.

3. Mod Support/Marketplace

Building an extensible product that empowers your community of players to engage and customize your software with their own skill and creative hand in an aftermarket is, in my opinion, a great recipe for building a following and will usually set the stage for magic (see the Tabletop Simulator workshop or the classic DOOM modding scene). So, The Forge on Fantasy Grounds’ website has a great deal of community-created content that provides themes, extensions, map packs, tweaks and features for sale.

Closing Thoughts

I give credit to SmiteWorks for sticking with Fantasy Grounds and pushing it. I like that they allow you to demo, subscribe or buy a license outright which includes all the latest updates. This is a big plus. If you’re on the fence, give the demo a try or watch some videos.

Room for Improvement

I think some room for improvement would be:

• Performance/optimization. All apps can always run better and faster with quicker load times.

• Better accessibility features for people with low vision or have need of screen readers (text-to-speech, text sizes)

• Easier, non-subscription-based/Syrinscape sound with stock sounds (like when attacks or damage is done)

• Something catered to solo or solitaire RPGers. While there are adventures you can buy and play solo, I think there is growing demand for this that I wish FG could recognize and capitalize on since there is so much automation already inherent.

• Potentially overhaul the UI while maintaining the automation but without alienating long-time users (would be difficult but possible)

To be fair, they are diligently improving this software quarterly if not monthly and I recommend following their YouTube channel as they provide regular development updates. As a side note, I really enjoy their new branding they unveiled in 2024 as it gives the software a contemporary look while also maintaining a fantasy feel.

Hope this was helpful and happy gaming.

Good platform.

This is a great tool to help playgroups play online. Much better than Roll20 for sure. Mostly automates the tech stuff so that it helps get to the Storytelling. It streamlines everthing into tabs and drag and drop interactions with almost everything. I hear Forge is better in a few ways but this does exactly what I need it to and had all the books available.

I paid ultimate on a sale and support 6 players so we did save some money.

With the core rulebook of 5e along with Tasha's and Xanathars it automated character creation, provided loot tables, encounters, and with a little bit of learning I managed to automate my own homebrew effects.

aWESOME

Tried the demo but couldn't buy DLC from Steam because it was saying that FG wasn't in my library (I want to play Star Trek). So i bought the full version, downloaded a game and some extras and have absolutely no idea how to play - but it's awesome!

Does the thing!

This is the best VTT I have tried

It has been my go-for VTT for 4 years now, ever since the original version.

Fantasy Grounds is the best VTT I’ve ever used! As a GM, it makes organizing sessions so much easier, with quick and simple tools for preparing adventures and campaigns. Managing characters and NPCs is extremely practical, saving both time and effort.
Although it’s missing a few features found in other VTTs (like Roll20), FG makes up for it with exclusive tools that others lack, making it more complete and user-friendly overall.

Great with chatgpt for solo campaign but overprice and cannot refund

there are better tabletop rpg user interfaces out there now. the user interface is euro-trash tier and theres practically no accessibilty. 20 dollars gets you the "full" version but then another 30 dollars gets you another version that you could share with your friends. almost near 50 dollars is approaching triple A studio game prices. Not worth the value. hopefully the devs figure something out

Way easier than Roll20!!

Of the VTT out there on the market, I feel this is the best one. Obviously, you have to spend extra to get the various books you want but it's constantly being updated and supported. I highly recommend for anyone with a dnd group that needs to move from the table to the virtual table.

I don't really do breakdowns of rating but I can tell you my experiences and how I feel. I purchased the standard + ultimate while it was on sale around Nov 2024. I previously owned the standard version over 10 years ago but without ultimate, I felt like I was wasting my time. Back then, the subscription model really put my off. I tried it for a few months, but my player's schedules just didn't line up with the time I had my sub for, so we hardly played and it felt like a lot of wasted time and money.

It felt like a waste because I spent the money yeah, but also the time to craft my own adventure and prep for a game that ultimately felt like temporary, so it was hard to justify doing a good job on it in my mind. Fast forward to today and I see ultimate + standard on Steam for like $25 all together, no subscription, just get it and have it. My initial fears crept up again, would this be a waste of time? money? Maybe, but the other reviews mentioned no subscription and seemed rather happy. So I took the risk and got both. I didn't even have players lined up or a campaign in process. But it felt like a good price I couldn't pass up.

You ever looked for the perfect journal or organizer? Looking at hundreds of journals to determine which one had the right structure, style, and feel for you to put your thoughts into? This is how it felt picking a VTT, but FG's options, aesthetic, and feel just felt good to me.

After getting it, I played around with the modules, options, character creation and tho it felt like it was empty (because I had no content) it felt more permanent, a better foundation to build my ideas and world build without it being taken away should I stop paying a monthly sub. I don't have monthly reoccurring disposable income but I had $30 to spend and it was well worth it.

41 logged hours of just world building, module creating, pdf converting has led me to not just enjoy FG as a product but as a tool and game within itself. Creating NPCs with links to their items, spells, stories and figuring out how to make a polished and well connected campaign took over my time this week. I didn't play any other games. If I had free time I would just load up FG and work on the world I was building.

Without the subscription it felt permanate, I know I don't really OWN the program but it feels like I do and that destroyed my previous feelings about the flimsy nature of using VTTs in general. Once FG was in my steam library I could load it up like any other game, "play" it to my hearts content without needing other people or feeling like my time in it was finite, and with ultimate license my players can enjoy what I am working on one day without any cost.

I love this. I haven't hosted a single game or played with other people yet but that changes in a couple weeks when we my friends and I get together for our first session.

horribly arcane dlc purchase process requiring me to actually ask on the discord for something that should be done automatically

Yes, there's a learning curve but it's worth putting the time in, this is definitely my favourite VTT, great features everywhere you look, great implementation of the various modules I've bought (5E D&D rule books & both 5E Syrinscapes), my players really love it and it has simplified & streamlined the game so much. A high personal recommendation.

.

As a GM, I absolutely love Fantasy Grounds Unity! Over the years, I’ve tried a few virtual tabletops, including Foundry VTT and Roll20, and while they all have their strengths, Fantasy Grounds Unity really stands out for me. Roll20 never quite clicked—it felt clunky and limited for what I needed as a GM. Foundry had a lot going for it, but I ran into some issues that were hard to ignore.

First, the lack of official support in Foundry was frustrating. As a GM, I want to spend my time preparing sessions, not wrestling with community-made modules just to get my D&D Beyond content into the game. The importing process felt awkward, unreliable, and honestly a bit cringe. Then there’s the port forwarding. Not only is it required every single session, but the alternative is paying for a monthly subscription to host on a server. Why would I pay a subscription fee when I can buy Fantasy Grounds Unity once and have everything I need without the extra cost? The combination of those two issues—no official support and constant port-forwarding or subscription fees—made me swear off Foundry entirely.

Enter Fantasy Grounds Unity. As a GM, it’s been a total game-changer. Official modules are readily available from their store or even on Steam, and importing them is as simple as clicking the "Check for Updates" button. It’s all there—maps, encounters, tables—ready for me to use without any extra effort. Setting up pre-made adventures is a breeze: just drag and drop the map, place your encounters and tokens, and you’re ready to share it with your players. Running a campaign? It’s as simple as a button click. And the best part? No port forwarding required. I can focus on storytelling and creating memorable experiences for my players, instead of troubleshooting my connection settings.

Now, I’ll admit the UI isn’t the prettiest—it feels a bit dated. But Fantasy Grounds Unity has been rolling out updates, and it’s clear they’re committed to improving both the usability and the aesthetics of the application. Despite the UI’s quirks, it’s straightforward and effective, which is what matters most to me as a GM.

Overall, I can’t say enough good things about Fantasy Grounds Unity. It’s streamlined, easy to use, and gives me more time to focus on crafting great adventures for my players. If you’re a GM looking for a solid VTT that won’t waste your time with unnecessary hurdles, I’d highly recommend giving it a try.

Implemented quite well so far, the setting and structure could be made easier for casual players, so that you can play a "one shot" if necessary and or have a complete story prepared with the help of AI.

Ace

Excellent VTT. Steep learning curve but once you get the hang of it, it's super versatile and can accommodate nearly any tabletop roleplaying game.

My favorite VTT for dnd.

A bit of a learning curve but works as expected with tons of options!

This VTT is very solid, and has a lot of automations that make the lives of PC/DM easier. I love to play with this tool

I've used FG VTT (Back when it was called FG Unity) for
* a couple of one-shots
* a charity stream (I'm not a streamer generally, FYI)
* a campaing during pandemic that lasted about 8 months
* my current campaign two sessions in
Overall, I like it. It has its challenges and sometimes a certain feature requires a bit of research but I haven't had major issues and the devs have developed the product quite a lot. I haven't needed it much but from what I see, the community is also helpful.
I've used it for D&D (I did play a "Warcraft" game using base rules) and a lot of rules are already integrated, so that's very cool.
I don't know how it compares to other VTTs tbh, because I've only tried r20, which is another cool product but I got in FG simply because there is no sub fee. I bought it years ago and I own it to this day.

A few humble suggestions to fellow DMs:
* Check out Inkarnate, it's an amazing map tool
* If you're coming from real TT, combats will be different - there is likely much less calculation thanks to FG's integrated rules, I found it best to ensure adding some descriptions so it's not a button-pressing sim
* Check functionality and read about it! Things like being able to target other tokens wasn't visible to us first and those functions are super cool
* Use language option in the chat, it works wonders (only people who know that language will understand)
* Definitely do a session 0. I also recommend checking it yourself and creating a character yourself, even as a DM, so you understand how it works.

So yes, I can't say it's the best VTT since I haven't tried others but I think at least its good enough (and has improved a ton since I acquired it) and the business model works well for me. We've had hundreds of fun hours so I definitely recommend it.

Great VTT to play with

fantastic with endless usablity if your willing to do the work or get involved in the comunity

Amazing Tabletop software that really allows you to push the limits of most things when it comes to VTT's. I cant say how it competes as it is my first, but as a newer GM this thing is awesome, i bought the Standard license until im ready to host sessions, however we mainly play homebrewed content for D&D 5e so it can be a bit tricky finding a system that works. This one absolutely does! it has allowed me to add so much content to our worlds, and beyond that allowed me to play a custom ruleset entirely (with a little effort). This VTT supports community driven .mod files to extend the usage of the program without needing intense coding knowledge just to add a few automations or features (i.e. "NPCs auto roll death saves")

Been using Fantasy Grounds for years now, and it is a great virtual table top.

It is kind of complicated and I didn't like how small the text and interface was, but I found a macro command that made the text and interface bigger and now I feel comfortable. I am using a D&D 5E solo campaign to learn how to DM D&D and use the program and this seems like an ideal way to learn! I am starting to understand the basics after about an hour of playing this solo game. This is the solo learning campaign and it is great! https://www.dmsguild.com/product/472854/Play--Learn-Solo-Fighter-A-Warrior-Born-Fantasy-Grounds

Incredibly robust Pen and Paper tabletop toolset that enables for online play, saving, chat, custom campaigns, and pretty much anything you would need to host a campaign online. Buy DLC campaign expansions the same way you'd buy them to expand your IRL collection (or simply use your IRL collection, just enter the stats manually). Finally, no more janky Tabletop Simulator mods; This is the definitive Pen and Paper tool currently available.

Trying to build a PC as a player, the UI is extremely janky and counterintuitive.
It's never immediately obvious what is a free text and what is a list, prepare for a lot of clicking around randomly.
PC Ship Sheet is unusable, you should be able to "build" the ship by picking the various parts, but it seems like all lists are not linked properly, nothing does anytrhing.
Tutorials, documentations and info on forums are either nonexistant, severely outdated, or maybe they exist but can't be easily found.