I recommend playing in Basic Fantasy RPG, D&D, etc. in person if possible. However, if you are going to make use of computers such as for playing the game with people with whom you couldn’t otherwise, this guide will make the best use of roll20. Making the best use of technology means making it get out of the way so it isn’t a distraction from what you are trying to do. It can also reduce rule lookups with regard to modifiers if you use macros, or tricks I’ll explain such as multiple weapon slots for short, medium, and long range for a single weapon.
(In keeping with BFRPG, this article is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. If you do not yet have Basic Fantasy Roleplaying Game, you can download it from basicfantasy.org, but to go beyond that, all of the code is CC0 and probably non-copyrightable due to being trivial.)
Maybe you use roll20 and type:
/r d20+1
without a macro. That’s pretty easy. Or maybe use the character sheet, or maybe that isn’t enough and you would like some information to make macros easier to use. Or maybe you forgot to add another +1 for a short range bonus. In any of those cases, I can help. Though several fields are specific to Basic Fantasy RPG, you could figure out how it will work in another system as well (You can see all variable names in the “Attributes and Abilities” section of your character sheet on roll20).
Of course, you can also type any of these commands without creating a macro (such as, type a word after the dice to show what your are rolling), so the main advantage is making a button (or typing macro name such as #*init or #silverdagger). However, most macros can be replaced by using roll20’s BFRPG character sheet fields in a certain way and using placeholders as I’ll explain so the dice buttons (under “Total AB” and “Damage”) use your stats properly when using BFRPG.
Make the Dice Buttons Use Your Stats
There is a second box after “Melee” which just says “+”. Some people resort to placing “0” there. However, I found a way to fill out that section that allows synchronizing weapons with your stats:
- To the right of “AB” enter 0 there instead (It would be called {ab_normal} in macros, but it isn’t useful for Basic Fantasy due to issues described below).
- It will automatically get copied to “Melee” field below that so the “Melee” field (
{ab_melee}) is useless (bugged). - To the right of “+” place your real AB for your class and level (It would be called
{combat_adjust}in macros, but it is also used for all attack roll buttons on the Weapons section). - If you have a ranged weapon bonus (1 for Halfling) enter that to the right of “Missile”, otherwise enter 0 (This is called
{ab_missile}in macros and is also used for the Weapons buttons using instructions below).
After you have set the fields that way, you can enter variables into weapon rows instead of having to update the numbers each time your AB changes. You can make a row for each range.
Total AB
Under “Total AB” you can enter the following (permanently):
| Name | Total AB |
| Melee Weapon | @{STRBonus} |
| +1 Magic Melee Weapon | 1+@{STRBonus} |
| Sling bullets (short range) | 1 |
| Sling bullets (medium range) | @{ab_missile} |
| Sling bullets (long range) | -2+@{ab_missile} |
The attack adjustments will be calculated the same way for any ranged weapon (Though the “Damage” and “Range” may differ as described below).
For melee, if you are using Weapon Specialization from the Combat Options Supplement, you can place that adjustment in AB (since it will be copied to {ab_melee} but {ab_normal} will not apply to ranged weapons in any code here) and add “+{ab_melee}” to each melee row above.
Note that regardless of your weapon, the value after “+” entered earlier will apply to any dice button clicked in the “Total AB” column (even though it is Total AB it is actually the opposite set of numbers…but if you were setting combat_adjust to 0 you would put the total there so it is probably labeled that way for that alternate workaround), so that is why there are only two variables necessary above. You can change the name from “Melee Weapon” to the specific weapon if you have multiple melee weapons where damage dice size or magic bonus differs.
| Name | … Damage |
| Sling bullets [each sling range above] | 1d4+@{STRbonus} |
| Sling stones [each sling range above] | 1d3+@{STRbonus} |
| Shortbow | 1d6 |
STRBonusapplies to melee and any thrown weapon damage including for slings.STRBonusdoes not apply to any bow or crossbow damage.
Range
You can get the numbers from Basic Fantasy RPG 4th Edition p. 11 “Missile Weapon Ranges” and fill in the range for each Sling and Shortbow row or other ranged weapon.
Macros
I use the “/r” command in macros instead of formatted messages. An example of a formatted message would be /r @{selected|character_name} Melee Attack: [[d20+@{selected|ab_melee}]], but the “/r” command allows you to see the modifiers. See last section, “GM notes” for hiding modifiers, but the GM’s rolls are probably hidden completely whether using “/r” or not.
Adding a Macro
Click the macros tab on the right (3-dice symbol), then “Add.”
Adding buttons for macros
I just check “In Bar” in the list of macros for ones that apply to me, and make sure “Show macro quick bar?” is checked so any checked will appear (When you make a macro, “Show As Action Token” in the edit macro screen may make the macro visible for everyone, so I would avoid that since it would get cluttered).
Macros for Basic Fantasy RPG
When I name my macros, I start with “*” when I use “selected” in the macro to indicate it is a wildcard (works with any selected character. See also “Non-wildcard macros” section). These may be modified for other systems (or optional rules such as Weapon Specialization from the Combat Options Supplement).
*init/r d6+@{selected|DEXbonus} @{selected|character_name} initiative
For melee attacks, you may want to skip the rest of this and use the Weapons section on the roll20 BFRPG character sheet to roll as described above. However, for rear attacks, point-blank ranged attacks, and attacks with multiple ranges, or multiple characters, you could create the following macros (suggested name on the line before “/r“).
If you use “ab_melee” in macros, that would have a caveat as I described. If you are setting AB to 0 for that workaround I gave, “ab_melee” will be replaced with 0 (but you can put Weapon Specialization in AB if using the supplement) so use “combat_adjust” as the AB in macros instead (uses the value you place in the second blank after melee, specifically the field labeled “+”). I have added both so that the macros work regardless of how you filled out those fields (as long as one or the other is 0 in the case of “AB” and “+” fields, or higher in AB if using melee weapon specialization and placling AB in the “+” field as suggested).
*melee/r d20++@{selected|STRbonus}@{selected|combat_adjust} @{selected|character_name} melee attack
*range-short/r d20+1+@{selected|DEXbonus}
*range-medium/r d20+@{selected|ab_ranged}
*range-long/r d20-2+@{selected|DEXbonus}+@{selected|ab_ranged}+@{selected|combat_adjust}
Damage
I separate the damage by modifier instead of weapon type so that one macro/button can be used for multiple purposes:
- melee and thrown (including sling): “+str”
- bow or crossbow: without the strength adjustment
As usual, you probably only want to add (or show “In Bar”) ones that apply to your character(s).
*damage-d3+str/r d3+@{selected|STRbonus} @{selected|character_name} damage
*damage-d4+str/r d4+@{selected|STRbonus} @{selected|character_name} damage
*damage-d6+str/r d6+@{selected|STRbonus} @{selected|character_name} damage
*damage-d8+str/r d8+@{selected|STRbonus} @{selected|character_name} damage
*damage-d4/r d4 @{selected|character_name} damage
*damage-d6/r d6 @{selected|character_name} damage
*damage-d8/r d8 @{selected|character_name} damage
Weapon Names
You could customize these with names if that helps you and you don’t mind having more, or have only one character and want to skip ones above you may not remember (or you could just type the amount, but these may help if you haven’t memorized them or don’t have notes on them):
*damage-d3+str-sling-stone/r d3+@{selected|STRbonus} @{selected|character_name} damage
*damage-d4+str-sting-bullet-or-dagger/r d4+@{selected|STRbonus} @{selected|character_name} damage
*damage-d6+str-short-sword/r d6+@{selected|STRbonus} @{selected|character_name} damage
(but several weapons use d6 so it may be more confusing than clarifying. Probably just keep the weapon page open if controlling multiple characters, or name it *damage-d6+str-short-sword-OR-hand-axe)
*damage-d8+str-battle-axe/r d6+@{selected|STRbonus} @{selected|character_name} damage
(Convenient if you only have one d8 weapon, otherwise same naming issue here: multiple weapons use d8)
Without Strength Adjustment
Only a few ranged weapons without str adjustment share the same dice size (unless using Equipment Emporium?), so naming by weapon is pretty clear in these cases.
*damage-d6-light-crossbow-or-shortbow/r d6 @{selected|character_name} damage
*damage-d8-heavy-crossbow-or-longbow/r d8 @{selected|character_name} damage
Even more macros
This may be a few too many, or may help. You decide. It will be less cluttered if you only add (or only check “In Bar”) for ones that apply to you.
Or to be even less cluttered, skip this section entirely and put the totals of all adjustments on a paper character sheet so you can add just one total modifier.
For example, if you write the following on your character sheet
(if your AB is 2, or AB is +1 with ranged weapon +1 additional if halfling; then add the +1/+0/-2 adjustments to get the following totals):
Sling 30’/60’/90′: +3/+2/+0
(then add the -5/+3 adjustments for point blank for the following totals):
Any point blank missile: -3 (+5 from behind if enemy is busy)
Of course, change the numbers whenever your AB changes using Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game 4th Edition p. 54 (Missile Fire) as described in parenthesis above. I am using the term “point blank” as shorthand to indicate the penalty for using a missile when engaged in melee (5′). The other ranges are on p. 11 (Missile Weapon Ranges).
Then you never have to add more than one number, so you don’t need a macro. You know what you are doing, so if you are doing a short-ranged attack (30′ or less for sling, but not point-blank), you can just type: /r d20+3
in chat by looking at your paper character sheet.
However, if you don’t have a paper character sheet, the following macros will synchronize everything with the modifiers on your roll20 character sheet and accomplish the same thing with macros/buttons.
*melee-from-behind/r d20+2+@{selected|ab_melee}+ @{selected|character_name} melee attack from behind@{selected|combat_adjust}+@{selected|STRbonus}
*ranged-short-from-behind/r d20+2+1+@{selected|ab_ranged}+@{selected|combat_adjust}+@{selected|DEXbonus} @{selected|character_name} short range attack
*ranged-medium-from-behind/r d20+2+@{selected|ab_ranged}+ @{selected|character_name} medium range attack from behind@{selected|combat_adjust}+@{selected|DEXbonus}
*ranged-long-from-behind/r d20+2-2+@{selected|ab_ranged}+ @{selected|character_name} long ranged attack from behind@{selected|combat_adjust}+@{selected|DEXbonus}
*ranged-point-blank/r d20-5+@{selected|ab_ranged}+@{selected|combat_adjust}+@{selected|DEXbonus} @{selected|character_name} point-blank ranged attack
*ranged-point-blank-from-behind/r d20+1+2+@{selected|ab_ranged}++@{selected|character_name} point-blank ranged attack from behind@{selected|DEXbonus}@{selected|combat_adjust}
Non-wildcard macros
Using the wildcard for character but showing a specific weapon name:
*silverdagger/r d20+@{selected|ab_melee}+ @{selected|character_name} attacks with Silver Dagger@{selected|combat_adjust}+@{selected|STRbonus}
If you replace “selected” with character name in the macro, it will apply the character’s modifier even without selecting token. For example (replace my name with another name):
init:/r d6+@{Marrow Flint|DEXbonus} initiative
silverdagger:/r d20+@{Morrow Flint|ab_melee}+ Morrow Flint attacks with Silver Dagger@{Morrow Flint|combat_adjust}+@{Morrow Flint|STRbonus}
(As usual, if thrown use DEXbonus for attack roll and STRbonus for damage roll. For other ranged weapons, do the same but no STRbonus to damage)
GM notes
Example macro for Gamemaster which hide the modifier. GM’s macros are probably hidden, but they may be useful in some way (note however, formatted messages hide the natural roll, so likely not very useful at least for attack rolls).
*hidden-melee/em @{selected|character_name} makes a melee attack [[d20+@{selected|ab_melee}+]]@{selected|combat_adjust}+@{selected|STRbonus}
*hidden-melee-d6+str/em @{selected|character_name} damage: [[d6+@{selected|STRbonus}]]
Or for ranged weapon that is not thrown, add no stat-based damage bonus:
*hidden-melee-d6/em @{selected|character_name} damage: [[d6]]
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