Application Website

Environment

Stand-alone application

Stand-alone application; stand-alone Unity version in development

OS support

Windows (all but RT)

Mac OS X (up to Snow Leopard)

Some users have also reported that BRPG will run in Linux under WINE or using Virtualbox 

Windows with DirectX 9.0C or better

Mac OSX via Steam or with WINE

Linus with WINE

RPG Systems

Any, since no game rules are enforced. Also suitable for playing many boardgames and wargames

Included:

D&D 5E (official license and included SRD 5 data libraries)

D&D 4E (no built-in data support)

D&D 3.5E (SRD data included)

Pathfinder (PFSRD data included)

FATE Core (officially licensed)

Numenera 

CoreRPG – generic RPG support

Officially licensed add-ons for the following systems:

Savage Worlds

Call of Cthulhu

Castles & Crusades

Basic Roleplaying (BRP)

Rolemaster Classic

Any, since no game rules are enforced. Also suitable for playing many boardgames and wargames

Cost

GM Client: $28; Player Client: $14; Floating Licenses (these allow players to use just the free demo): $14; bundle discounts available

BG Store

Non-subscription:

Standard license – $39

Ultimate License – $149

* Demo License – $0

* only connects with an Ultimate DM

Subscription option:

(includes 30-day free trial)

Standard sub – $3.99/mo

Ultimate sub – $9.99/mo

FG Store

Free, plus two levels of subscription to unlock additional features

Pro-level subscribers: $10/month or $100/year

GM: Free

Player: Free

If commercial app, is a Demo available?

Yes

Yes

From FG Site

From Steam

NA

Yes

Demo limitations

Full-featured, with the following exceptions: session times out after 45 minutes; only up to twelve tokens can be deployed on a map; can’t export media asset bundles. On occasion, a “Free Use” promo is held that removes all these limitations for a week or two

Can’t use paid add-ons

Can only connect and play in game with an Ultimate license or sub holder or in Demo mode with another non-Ultimate

NA

Chat

Yes, in a resizable floating window; supports private and group messaging, in-character and out-of-character dialogue, chat aliases, and a Narrator voice; Text Macros for frequently used text snippets or pre-written “read-aloud” text; Chat log can be exported; bell chime to get player’s attention

Supports normal, emote, OOC, and story chat modes; adventure dialogue and text can be prepared in advance using campaign story records; all chat activity (including dicerolls) is saved to a chat log; voting polls are supported; chat frames available in some game system definitions for speech bubbles and descriptive text frames

Most rulesets now support chatting in a specified fantasy language (i.e Dwarven, Elvish, Terran, Abyssal, etc.). This renders the font in an appropriate script and places the translation below for the DM and for any player who has that language listed on their character sheet. Everyone else will see it as indecipherable text.

Yes, in a detachable sidebar. Supports a subset of Markdown formatting including bold, italics, links, and embedded images. Supports in-character and OOC dialogue and private messages to a player (seen only by that player), a character (seen by all players with control of that character), or GM (seen by all players with GM privileges). Supports text emotes. Players with GM privileges may speak or emote as any character, plus post “description” text.

Yes. Supports public and private chat channels.  Chat integrates with our Map Marker system allowing for story and box text to be broadcast to players individually or in groups. Chat also provides “in-character” color and style decoration for Do, Emote, Whisper, and Yell commands. Additionally, the Game Log can be preserved with in-game time stamps based on Campaign-defined calendars, clocks and more. In-character chat is integrated directly into the character sheet “Mini” view allowing for quick access to dialog options. Discord integration built in (for voice and text chat).

Help feature

Yes, basic instructions are provided on a popup screen, and a “Learning Mode” feature helps you learn the program gradually; ToolTips for many UI controls

Built in link to help system. Videos and Wiki

Quick-reference pop-up dialogue, tutorial campaign, and help wiki

A support forum and wiki complement written and video tutorials.

User manual available

Yes, a 169-page illustrated User Manual in PDF format which can be opened from within the app; hyperlinked Table of Contents; An Addendum to the User Manual is also available for download

PDF User Manual available here

Help wiki

A quickstart guide and comprehensive wiki are part of our online documentation project.

Application Website

Maps

Served by GM, or loaded from a URL, or pre-distributed in a media asset bundle with optional password protection; maps can be dynamically and proportionally resized to match the grid scale; supports large bitmaps up to 4000 x 4000 pixels

Served by GM; can use any image file stored on local system; supports grid overlay; map links to campaign data and per-user pointer objects (lines, squares, circles, cones) with manually adjusted masking to hide unrevealed sections or invisible NPCs. Pre-placement of NPCs by encounter in paid modules or as DM prep.

Supports hand-drawn vector graphics, images loaded from the web, and images uploaded by the GM. Supports grid overlay.

Served by GM. Content can be imported from multiple sources or downloaded from the Marketplace

Map file format

JPEG, BMP, PICT or PNG (supports transparency)

JPG, GIF, PNG, BMP, TIFF, (transparency layer applicable if format supports) and lots of other more exotic image formats

Images must be JPG or PNG, with some support for non-animated GIF

BMP, JPEG, JPG, GIF, PNG, and Clip Board. (transparency support based on format)

Map Zoom feature available

Yes, ranges from 20% to 200%. Zoom level can be set with hotkeys, with a popup menu, or using the mouse wheel; the GM can force the players’ zoom level and view of the map

Images zooming using the mouse wheel or by keeping the control key depressed while using the scroller gizmo and dragging up and down. Tokens auto-scale to map grid in most rulesets and maintain relative scale as map is zoomed in or out. GM can reposition and zoom map and then force-sync changes to client.

Yes; GM can force-center players’ view

Yes; Keyboard, Mouse Wheel, or Touch (Pinch to zoom). GM can force zoom and map view.

Map measurement

Yes, range to a target and distance moved can be measured, with user-definable measurement units and options for snap-to-grid and rounding off

Yes

Yes, with GM-customizable scale and units. Optional snap-to-grid.

Yes, user-defined movement and grid units. Built in Ruler mode allows for quick range finding.

Map fog

Dynamic reveals based on user-definable light sources and vision types, plus manual reveals/conceals using a variety of drawing tools. “Persistent” Fog of War is optional, as is “Shared Party View”. A map or custom image may be used as the Fog mask

Yes. GM sees a semi-transparent overlay that can be cut away in rectangular areas or free-form. Tokens can also be individually toggled for visibility

Fog of War eraseable by GM using vector drawing tools. Dynamic Lighting is restricted to campaigns created by a subscription member.

Yes; Region-based Fog of War system allowing for simple hide/reveal style or full dynamic shadow cast lighting reveals. GM creates fog of war regions and assigns behaviors allowing for simple or complex FoW scenarios. FoW can be configured to be responsive to either player movement or light source movement.

Supports making maps from component tiles (rooms, hallways, etc.)

Yes, and the tiles are shown under the grid, and are locked down to prevent accidentally moving them. An optional commercial artpack is available for this

Not well supported in the current version. Promised feature for a future version in Unity

Yes, any image can be used. A map layer will always be under player tokens/other objects.

Yes. Tiles can be locked in place, rotated and scaled. Layer order and visibility can be adjusted allowing for hidden sections to be revealed.

Hexgrid support

Yes

Yes

Yes, including both horizontal and vertical hexes. Map measurement on hex grids can become inaccurate over large distances.

No, except via a “hack” (True hex mapping will be released soon)

Internal drawing tools

Rectangle, Circle, Polygon, and Freehand tools; hollow or filled shapes; many line widths and colors to choose from. Also includes a highly customizable dynamic text-label tool

Yes, but limited in current version. 

Square/rectangle, circle/oval, polygon/polyline, and freehand. Freehand not available on dynamic lighting wall layer, and circle/oval behaves unexpectedly on wall layer.

Yes (basic grid based)

Miniature Graphics

Served by GM; supports high-resolution pog-style, portrait-style, front-view, and top-down tokens. Extensive control for setting token scale, rotation and offsets. Dynamic figure bases can denote team/faction and (optionally) facing. Tokens may have multiple poses (e.g., mounted, dismounted, prone, etc.)

Any image file can be used to create tokens; individual/global token scaling. Both top-down and side view tokens are available as add-ons modules from various artists.

Yes, identical to map graphics.

Any image file can be used to create creature tokens and portraits

Comes with tokens

Yes (primarily fantasy-themed). More free tokens and token artpacks are available for download from the website and forums

242 top-down style tokens included for representing fantasy animals, characters and monsters. (All non-demo versions)

Only for Pro-level subscribers

Yes (fantasy themed). Many more are freely available from the D20PRO Marketplace

Mini Rotation/Facing

Yes, controlled by hotkeys or the mouse wheel. Optional facing indicator on mini bases. Diagonal facing is also supported

Tokens can be rotated (by mouse wheel or menu option) to display facing. Many rulesets feature a separate facing icon that can be rotated and have the tokens locked in orientation with a facing rotate.

Yes

Yes. Includes elevation, rotation, and facing arrows as optional token elements.

Application Website

Mini status Notes (Dead, Incap, etc)

Yes, stackable and customizable text labels, and minis can have mouseover Notes. In BRPG v1.9, custom “badges” can be attached to minis.

Many rulesets feature indicator icons on the map, but generally the combat tracker is used for mini status information. 

Yes. Up to three numeric bars (which can be linked to character attributes), name, player notes, and GM-only notes. Additionally, a large number of graphical status markers are available, which can be overlaid with numbers 1-9.

Yes. Status icons appear on both the token and a status tab in the creature “mini” view. Status icons can be added by users or downloaded as part of a game system.

Miniature Autonumbering

Yes; autonumbering can optionally be masked from players, so they can’t tell how many opponents there are

Yes

Not natively.

At least one API script (Pro feature) exists to achieve the same result, however.

Yes, can be toggled on/off

Mini movement

Via drag-and-drop, or hotkeys; on remote screens, moved minis “animate” by sliding into place, so that moves aren’t jarring to other players, rotation of units is also animated

Simultaneous free movement by players and DM or locked tokens and approved movement paths that animate if set by DM

Via drag-and-drop, or hotkeys; on remote screens, moved minis “animate” by sliding into place, so that moves aren’t jarring to other players. Movement can also be performed along a path (polyline) instead of only a straight line.

Yes. Supports GM, Player, or Public ownership for tokens, allowing movement to be limited. Movement during an active initiative is limited to the active token.

Miniature permissions

Yes; players can only move minis assigned to them; GM can also choose to assign ownership of a token to everyone.

Miniature movement can be allowed or disallowed; client movement locking; token visibility control

Control (editing and movement) and viewing of most token-specific values can be set separately. Tokens which represent a character inherit selection capability from control of the character.

Yes. GM can allow or disallow any actions originating from a player miniature. Visibility can be toggled (visible, invisible, or dynamic/automatic)

Mini snap-to-grid

Yes. The GM can force snap-to-grid, disallow snap-to-grid, or leave the choice up to each player

Yes

Yes, can be disabled for a single action with a hotkey.

Yes

Suitable for offline use (with a projector, TV, or second display)

Yes, Battlegrounds was largely designed with face-to-face use in mind. Includes Fullscreen feature and extra-fine-grain zoom controls to assist alignment in projector-based setups.

Yes. Run 2nd instance connected to localhost to run from the same computer

Internet connection required, even when using with projector/TV.

Yes. Multiple instances can be run from the same system using a single license; 1 GM + 1 (or more) Players.

Audio support

Yes. Music or sound effects can be sent or played locally at any volume level, with looping optional. Audio may also be attached to tokens. Comes with some audio clips. Die rolls can be heard (optional), as can card shuffling, dealing, etc.

Relies on 3rd party, but recent community extension (DOE Sound Extension) enables integration with SoundCloud, Syrinscape, Battlebards or any other URL based sound application

Access to Soundcloud and Tabletop Audio tracks.

No

Yes. Integrated with SyrinScape through a external triggers system. Additionally, sounds are integrated into D20PRO allowing for alerts and various indicators.

File transfer support

Automatic peer-to-peer transfers. Media Asset Bundles (with optional password-protection) can be used to pre-distribute maps, tokens, audio clips, etc. to the players prior to the start of the game session

Built-in, as needed

All images are stored on Roll20 or web. PDF uploads are converted to images. Soundcloud/Tabletop Audio sounds are streamed. No file downloads available.

Yes. Maps, Creatures, Items, Handouts, and Campaigns can be exported between clients.

Animation support

Yes, see above; also supports animated/interactive Flash files, and also includes some built-in animations (e.g., flickering campfire, light glows)

No

No direct support. Some API scripts (Pro feature) hack together light animation. Subscribers have access to particle effects engine.

No

Yes. Animated GIFs through our Markers System. Motion Maps.

Area of Effect support

Yes, several styles available (geometric shapes, grid-conforming shapes, light and dark transparent overlays). Also supports D&D 4E AOEs (Blast, Burst, & Wall)

Yes, Cone, square and circles using dice color of creator and translucent area

Square/rectangle and circle/oval areas can be drawn by players. Roll20 Marketplace has graphical templates available for purchase.

Yes, with the ability to place permanent and temporary templates: Cone, Square, Rectangle, Burst and Line. Color and transparency can be set.

Character Sheets

Can display bitmaps of character sheets for easy reference. Editable text labels can be overlayed on the sheet to update values (or use a multi-token “counter” to cycle through various preset values)

Yes. Normally customized for each ruleset to enable automation but also can create more free-form with CoreRPG ruleset. Can import from Hero Lab or PC Gen for several rulesets (D&D & Pathfinder)

Default sheets can store arbitrary attributes (with maximum and current values) and macros, player-editable. Community sheet system allows creation of HTML sheets (stored in GitHub) which GM can select from after approval.

Yes. Players can view and edit their characters sheets. Additional “Mini” character view allows rapid access without cluttering the game space. Import from various character tools such as Hero Sheets, Hero Lab, and PCGen.

Supports multiple characters per player

Yes; easily switch “voices” in text chat

Yes

Yes

Character Sheet Autocalc

No

Yes

Yes (but see “Character Sheets”, above)

Yes

Character pre-saved rolls

Custom Dice Macros can be globally available, or attached to individual tokens on the map

Yes. These are normally automated in how they are created, and level with the character.

GM can create macros available to all players. Players can make global macros. Characters can store macros. Community character sheets can include roll buttons with stored macros.

Custom Dice Macros can be created either from the character sheet, mini-view or the Core Dice (per client).

Rolls can extract character info

No; instead, dice macros are created and manually updated to reflect character info

Yes

Yes

Character HP tracking

Color-coded graphical indicator on map/token, and the Turn Sequencer can track any attribute with numeric or text data; menu-driven “heal” and “injure” commands can be used to adjust the HP of one or more minis.

Yes

Bar on token can be linked to character HP attribute

Yes. Both numeric and “health bar” styles are provided

Automated combat

No, but uses graphical attacker/target labels, and die rolls can affect character attributes (e.g., a damage roll can automatically lower the target’s HP)

Yes – varying levels of automation are optional

Some game systems can be dramatically sped up with macros. Some API scripts (Pro feature) automate combat for a specific system.

Yes (optional)

Application Website

Initiative Manager

A powerful and customizable Turn Sequencer features automatic initiative sorting and even supports games with turn phases and tick-based sequencing mechanics; card draws can be used to set initiative

Yes. Different rulesets support different methods, such as card drawing initiative for Savage Worlds

Yes. Supports turns linked to specific tokens (hovering the mouse over the turn item will highlight the token on the map) and custom items. Custom items can be automatically modified when their turn comes up (e.g. a “round counter” that automatically increments each combat round). Supports dealing cards to initiative.

Yes, with the ability of the GM to modify initiative order, manage ready, delay or apply a “go now” effect to any active creature. Supports active and passive creatures.

Init Manager autorolls

Yes (optional)

Yes

Dice engine can automatically set/increment/decrement initiative item for selected token.

Yes, with the ability for the GM to adjust initiative order after the roll, before pushed to players.

Programmable encounters

Encounters may be saved/loaded; deployment files can be used to bring in reinforcements, reveal previously-unexplored areas, etc.

Preset for most add-on adventure modules for placement on battlemap and auto-roll of initiative and random HP (if this option is selected)

Dice engine supports random encounter tables. API scripts (Pro feature) exist for handling encounters.

Yes, maps can be created and saved with creatures, items, and other game state so as to provide desired encounters.

Extendable (plugins)

Supports free and commercial artpacks. Flash “mini-apps” (e.g. a 3D dice roller, a calculator, etc.) may also be placed in the map window

Yes. Extensive customization is available and there are numerous add-ons built by the community available on the forums and on the wiki

Roll20 Marketplace includes art packs and pre-made adventures. Pro subscribers get access to some art packs for free.

Supports external app connections as well as an integrated plugin system.

Extendable (scripts)

BRPG users never need to do any scripting or XML editing

Yes; interface is completely customizable using XML, LUA scripting, and custominages; customizations can be modularized into optional extensions for each game system

Campaigns created by a Pro subscriber have access to API scripts written in JavaScript, which can react to chat messages, starting a game session, or creating/changing/deleting objects.

Installed Game systems can be customized via full Javascript engine on a per campaign basis.

Embedded (automated) game documentation

None included, but charts & tables may be added by GM and easily referenced in-game. Chat log can be exported

Yes. Sample campaigns/tutorials and Help button that links to specific section of wiki.

Roll20 Compendium currently limited to Pathfinder SRD and D&D 5e SRD. Other resources available for many systems available on the help wiki.

Yes, a full record of the game is stored as HTML in the logs directory.

This includes all dice rolls, attacks, kills, skills, effects, boxed text, and in-character dialog

Other

Easy to learn and use; “hidden-until-you-need-it” interface; suitable for roleplaying in any genre; features a unique and powerful graphical dice roller (photos of real dice, with many colors to choose from) that supports most common die rolling mechanics (e.g. open-ended rolls, tallying successes, criticals, table-lookups, dice pools, etc.) without ANY scripting involved; browsable dice roll history; GM can choose to “fudge” die rolls; supports playing with card decks, including user-created decks; customizable Auto-Save feature; Export Screenshot feature; Views feature allows you to bookmark and jump to map locations; Ideal for use with a projector or HDTV at face-to-face game sessions. Comes with a “Starter Set” of maps, tokens, and sound effects. Additional maps, tokens, sample adventures, artpacks, and even games are available for free download. Additional artpacks, and games are available for purchase. Development was strongly driven by user feedback.

Realistic 3D dice that render smoothly for all connected clients. Has the most officially licensed game systems available for the most ready-to-run play experience available with significant automation to minimize prep time for the DM.  Additional Features such as random table support, nested random tables that output to chat, story or treasure parcels, treasure generators, magic item forge, in-game campaign calendar, party inventory tracker, Encounter builder, XP award tool and log, built-in reference libraries, campaign management, mass saving throw automation with adjusted application of damage or effects, effect tracking and automation, character leveling, game system specific automation such as Advantage/Disadvantage for D&D, raises for Savage Worlds, Critical Success and Failure, etc.

Dice engine is truly random (based on fluctuations in a laser beam). Multiple VTT pages let the GM set many things up ahead of time and switch quickly. Character Vault (subscriber feature) lets players create characters ahead of time and/or transfer characters between campaigns. Free version still makes almost any game system playable. Plus and Pro subscription levels unlock additional features. Community character sheet and API script authors are generally very responsive to feedback, with changes pushed through the approval process usually in under a week. FX system (Pro feature) makes for great fiery explosions, as well as many other magical and mundane effects that look great with a particle emitter.

With a discrete “out-of-the-way” interface, D20PRO offers a vast quantity of tools and resources to speed up game play. Includes:  a full Effects system able to manipulate nearly every facet of a creature’s character sheet; Tactical Pathing with movement distance tracking; Multiple “open” maps and fast map switching; A comprehensive Roster with built-in initiative tracking and the ability to drag creatures between maps (via Roster) as well as auto switch maps on creature selection;  Track initiative across multiple maps; tracks spell, charge, pool usage for creature resource management; Ability to create custom items, abilities, classes, and more; GM can see all while only revealing what is appropriate to the players; GM controlled game pacing — FoW reveals when the GM says so. A comprehensive Marketplace with art packs, adventures, campaigns and game systems.

Info last updated on…

Sept. 16, 2019

July 16, 2016

July 16, 2016

Sept. 16, 2019