Black Flag Kobold Press' Black Flag System Reference Document Released

The System Reference Document--called the Black Flag Reference Document or BFRD--for Kobold Press' Black Flag roleplaying game system--launched as a reaction to the Open Gaming License crisis caused by Wizards of the Coast in 2022/2023--has been released under the Open RPG Creative (ORC) License, a viral share-alike license designed to replace the Open Gaming License.

A System Reference Document is a tool for third party developers, and contains the rules text that those creators are permitted to use, along with examples of how certain rules elements--such as subclasses--work.

The document includes lineages, heritages, classes, spells, monsters, and more.

The BFRD is the second major third-party 'alternate 5E' SRD to be released, following the Level Up: Advanced 5E SRD (A5ESRD) from EN Publishing.

Wizards of the Coast announced this week that the 2024 core rules of Dungeon & Dragons would be added to their own System Reference Document in 2025.

 

[Weiley31]

Home - Tales of the Valiant

Game Master’s Guide Preorder Open! Be Bold. Be Brave. Be Valiant! Tales of the Valiant (ToV) is a Black Flag Roleplaying game that builds on the Creative Commons foundation of 5th Edition. Fully compatible with the 5E products you already know and love, Tales of the Valiant is a new game, but if...

www.talesofthevaliant.com

Well, looks like we got ToV's full reference doc up. Seems to be the full levels 1-20 for classes with a subclass each.

I think this is pretty much what your gonna be having so far in ToV. So, time to compare the Monk to see if the ToV version is fully better!

 

[Zaukrie]

Awesome. You can also test drive the game on foundry, though the system is under black flag still

 

[Reynard]

I am very disappointed that Kobold followed WotC's example with a trimmed down SRD that doesn't include all of the subclasses. Maybe this is just a draft?

Also, I was kind of expecting more innovation but there isn't really much here that is new and interesting from a 5E mechanics perspective.

 

[Jadeite]

I am very disappointed that Kobold followed WotC's example with a trimmed down SRD that doesn't include all of the subclasses. Maybe this is just a draft?

Also, I was kind of expecting more innovation but there isn't really much here that is new and interesting from a 5E mechanics perspective.

It's weird, some classes like clerics have multiple printed classes while others don't. But those missing classes are still referenced in the text. It seems pretty sloppy for a SRD.
The interesting thing is that it contains many of the classic creatures left behind while being released under the ORC.

 

[Weiley31]

I am very disappointed that Kobold followed WotC's example with a trimmed down SRD that doesn't include all of the subclasses. Maybe this is just a draft?

Also, I was kind of expecting more innovation but there isn't really much here that is new and interesting from a 5E mechanics perspective.

Well, just like the default WoTC, that's how the reference/srd doc works. You want more than 1 subclass, ya gotta splurge on ToV. (Plus Kobold Press has to make money too, ya know).

As for not pushing the envelope far enough with 5E, well they have been very upfront with stating that the goal of Black Flag/Tales of The Valiant was to have some kind of 5E for people to play.

So years from now when we got 8th Edition DND, ToV will be there to provide the 5E need for people who REALLY love 5th Edition DND.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

The Smallfolk lineage looks better than the playtest version.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Ok. Nothing to see here. A nice variant. Nothing ground breaking.

 

[Zaukrie]

Looks like what I expected, some good changes, some ok changes, better (IMO) monsters than WotC......

I'm glad I backed it, don't know how much it will get used (I mean, I'm busy, and don't have time for a lot of NEW games). I'm sure some of these monsters will make it into my 5e games. Sure of that. Classes? Unsure.

 

[Reynard]

Well, just like the default WoTC, that's how the reference/srd doc works. You want more than 1 subclass, ya gotta splurge on ToV. (Plus Kobold Press has to make money too, ya know)

That's not the point at all. An SRD is there for designers, not consumers. The point of making it complete as possible is building a robust, active, innovative Open Gaming community (pro and amatuer) around the thing.

Frankly for a company like Kobold, which only exists because of Open Gaming, to hobble it is pretty naughty word.