Fabula Ultima

by Emanuele Galletto

FABULA ULTIMA is a Tabletop Roleplaying Game inspired by Japanese-style console RPGs, or JRPGs. In Fabula Ultima, you and your friends will tell epic stories of would-be heroes and fearsome villains, set in fantasy worlds brimming with magic, wondrous locations, and uniquely bizarre monsters! Create your own setting with three different styles as reference, your group can freely shape the world as they wish, including powerful kingdoms, small villages, major historical events, and the people who inhabit these lands. A simple and intuitive ruleset that evokes both gameplay and atmospheres from the most beloved JRPGs, all while encouraging players to proactively set goals and influence the no choice is without consequence! A Bestiary filled with monsters, demons, beasts, and from simple encounters to deadly bosses, our heroes will face many challenges! Fifteen Classes to mix and match in order to create your favorite inspired by videogames, this modular growth system lets you design deep and unique characters. Choose your group type and embark on great adventures! Everything the Game Master needs to set the scene and accompany the group through marvelous, larger-than-life adventures! Advice, guidelines, and all the tools required to bring the heroes’ dark mirrors on stage... the Villains! 360 full-color pages softback, beautifully illustrated by professional artists from all over the world.

Genres: Role Playing Games, Fantasy, Gaming, Games

360 pages, Hardcover

Published September 1, 2021

Reviews

[Veronica Minucci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scritto molto bene, ma ci sono alcuni concetti difficili da comprendere e, a volte, le terminologie sono un po’ confusionarie. Non ho capito quali sono i limiti del master e i limiti dei giocatori nella creazione del mondo e della storia.

[Bebertfreaks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabula Ultima est un livre de jdr permettant de jouer dans des univers de JRPG tel les Final Fantasy.

C'était une chouette lecture et pleins d'idées intéressantes pour la maîtrise en général.

Le mot d'ordre et le lâché prise des MJs. Laissant plus de place aux joueureuses pour la création dans un univers de JRPG.

J'y vois une porte d'entrée pour des joueureuses voulant devenir MJ. Ça vous permet de créer, d'improviser certains points de vôtre aventures.

Une belle découverte.

[Miguel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabula Ultima, or Fabuma (as I imagine the Japanese would name it as a portmanteau), is a fun complete package of a game. Evoking the JRPGs of my teen years perfectly in both feel and job-swapping mechanics, I have been enjoying reading this book, daydreaming up worlds and stories for my next campaign -- I am 100% running this as my next rpg with my friends.

[Othy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a magnificent game. It feels so much like playing a jrpg, and the open world-building (where the players are involved in the process, even DURING gameplay) is novel and fun. Battle is much more strategic than other ttrpgs, foregoing a grid and movement for afflicting status ailments and working together. The magic system allows players to make their own spells on the fly, as do Projects, which could be complicated but are made straightforward by the simple system.

I took off a star, not for the game itself, but for the philosophy behind it. There are some creepy aspects that pop up here and there, mostly concerning where magic comes from: the 'stream of souls' of those who have died. This makes all magic a form of necromancy, which is unsettling. I can overlook this as a DM or player, but it is one of the Eight Pillars that make up the worldview of the game. Other little comments here or there, like how Tinkerers may overturn the rules of nature and society to achieve a brighter future, show a kind of ignorant optimism. Like I wrote, this is stuff you can overlook, but it's still pretty weird and unsettling to read.

[Jeremy Blum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably my favorite recent TTRPG system, Fabula Ultima perfectly channels JRPG vibes. Normally I'd be suspicious of a game designed by an Italian guy that's intended to represent Japanese media, but Fabula is so solid that I give it a pass.

Also, I got to play as a 14-year-old inventor boy with a metal arm and a gun that shot energy powered by his hopes and dreams. Basically Fullmetal Alchemist's Edward combined with the kid from Tegami Bachi. Love it.

[Terra Epsilon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zakupione z myślą o pomocy przy tworzeniu własnej gry w RPG Makerze, do czego również świetnie się nadaje.

Przejrzysty i przystępny podręcznik, inspirujący też do własnych pomysłów na podstawie tych przedstawionych. Treściwe, ale i też skondensowane kompendium wiedzy dla chcących rozpocząć swoją zabawę z sesjami bardziej w klimatach JRPG.

[Rodelario · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabula Ultima > Dungeons and Dragons

[Marcus · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy to follow system that clearly knows a great deal of the genre. Lots of excellent ideas to build your story and setting.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spent enough hours on this that I'm counting it toward my yearly total.

[Garrett Henke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely extraordinary. Of the 2,000+ RPGs that I have read and/or played over the last 38 years, this might be the best. To be fair, you have to really like JRPGs for this one to click. But if your interests lies in that direction, this is the best RPG ever written.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very clear instructions for a game that has unlimited potential for collaborative storytelling. The book was easy to follow and I especially appreciated the sample scenarios. I'm excited to give this game a try at my table.

4.5 out of 5.0 stars

[Chandler · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting rule set that is very narrative focused while still having a satisfying amount of crunch to it. Definitely had the most helpful framework to build a character and not just a stat sheet I’ve seen in a game.

[Alex Denby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This RPG books seems very well thought out, and perfect for those who want something JRPG inspired.

[Malum · Rating 3 out of 5]

A game designed to emulate JRPGs like Final Fantasy.

The class system is really neat but the rules seemed a bit fiddly to me.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabula Ultima reads like a well-crafted mix of Ryuutama and Fate: Core.