Dungeons & Dragons is almost certainly the most well-known tabletop RPG. Rolling dice in the classic fantasy world of D&D is many gamers’ introduction to the TTRPG space. However, there are plenty of exciting tabletop gaming options for D&D fans who are ready to try out something new. Many have similar fantasy settings, while others delve into a contemporary setting or even the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender. But for Final Fantasy fans who love a good JRPG video game, there’s one TTRPG you won’t want to miss.
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The tabletop game in question is the award-winning Fabula Ultima TTJRPG. This game is inspired by classic JRPGs like Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, and more. Though it’s been around since 2022, now marks an especially exciting time to get your hands on the game’s core rulebook. The team at Need Games has a massive Kickstarter going on right now to introduce some exciting new editions of their rulebooks. And this includes an alternate cover art designed by Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano.
Fabula Ultima Is an Award-Winning TTRPG Inspired by Final Fantasy & Octopath Traveler, And It Shows
One of my favorite things about flipping through a new TTRPG’s rulebook is the artwork. And just a quick moment on the official Fabula Ultimate website shows off how stunning these core rulebooks are. They are truly infused with a beautiful JRPG-inspired art style that manages to capture a unique flair while still paying homage to these iconic games.
Fabula Ultima lets players step into a fantasy world that they craft together. The reference book features different styles to guide your adventures from small villages to powerful kingdoms, shaping your own epic quest. You’ll need to follow a few key rules for crafting your world, choosing whether to make a High Fantasy, Natural Fantasy, or Techno Fantasy setting. From there, you can flesh out the place you’ll explore, making it as much Final Fantasy X or Persona 5 as you like.
The ruleset works to emulate the feel of playing a JRPG, leading to a rules system that lets you focus on narrative while still giving you that turn-based combat flair. You’ll find a variety of 15 different core character classes that you can mix and match, plus extra options in the supplemental content. So, it’s a system that offers a lot of flexibility to recreate your favorite JRPG character or build your own. The attention to detail here is impressive, clearly paying homage to JRPGs and translating those gaming mechanics beautifully to a tabletop format. And, in case you missed it the first time, the artwork is absolutely gorgeous.
The Newest Core Rulebook Cover Comes from an Actual Final Fantasy Artist
Each Fabula Ultima rulebook is beautifully illustrated in full color, from the core rulebook to the GM guide and beyond. And right now, Need Games is working to release a brand-new collector’s edition of the core books, alongside a brand-new Bestiary. That means that you can support the campaign to get gorgeous new hardcover editions of the entire Fabula Ultima editorial line to date. It’s a perfect way to get started with the TTJRPG.
And clearly, fans are here for it. This Kickstarter campaign has already proved the popularity of Fabula Ultima, as it was fully funded in just two minutes. The campaign has already soared through its stretch goals, with a total of over $1,180,200 raised so far. That means this TTRPG is only getting bigger, as one of those stretch goals unlocks a faster-paced publication schedule for new materials.
But for Final Fantasy enthusiasts, there’s another reason that now is the right time to jump in with Fabula Ultima. You can get a special, alternate cover for your copies of Fabula Ultima‘s core essential volumes, designed by Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano. He crafted a special artwork to celebrate the game, and it will appear as an alternate cover as well as the Collector’s Box that the items will come in. So, if your love of Final Fantasy is the driving force behind wanting to check out a JRPG-inspired TTRPG, supporting the Kickstarter campaign to get this special illustration is the perfect way to get started.
The Kickstarter campaign for Fabula Ultima will run until October 24th. After that, you can grab the standard Fabula Ultima core books from the Need Games website. The special illustrations from Yoshitaka Amano will only be available for the Kickstarter, but the original core books are still a gorgeous sight to behold.
Have you played Fabula Ultima? Will you be giving it a try? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
