The Fantasy Roleplaying Gamer's Bible

The Fantasy Roleplaying Gamer's Bible is a book detailing fantasy role-playing games (RPGs), written by Sean Patrick Fannon and published by Obsidian Studios Inc. in 1996.

Cover art, 1996

Contents

In the 258-page The Fantasy Roleplaying Gamer's Bible, Sean Patrick Fannon first gives an explanation of role-playing, and then a history of role-playing from its roots up to the time the book was written.[1] Fannon then lists many of the role-playing products published, as well as opinions about each game — his as well as those of other game critics.[2]

Reception

In the June 1996 edition of Dragon (Issue #230), John Bunnell lauded this book as "a wide-ranging and thoroughly cogent volume that provides more information and advice on gaming than any other single reference book published on the subject to date." Bunnell liked Fannon's approach of writing the book for non-gamers, noting the inclusion of "extensive glossary supplements... The book is also liberally peppered with mini-essays." Bunnell also liked Fannon's writing style, "deliberately amusing and self-referential, with a good deal of the humor at his own expense." Bunnell did criticize Fannon's history of gaming, saying that Fannon's narrative focus after the birth of Dungeons & Dragons "narrows too much; he concentrates on game companies and design trends while giving only sparse attention to evolution on the players' side of the cash register." Despite this Bunnel concluded that "There’s room left on the reference shelf for more detailed books on specific aspects of gaming, but as a general survey of the field, this volume can’t be matched."[2]

Reviews

References
  1. "The Fantasy Roleplaying Gamer's Bible". RPG Geek. Skotos Tech Inc. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  2. Bunnell, John C. (June 1996). "The Role of Books". Dragon. TSR, Inc. (230): 53.
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