I bought Fantasy Grounds Classic back in 2018, and I pre-ordered Fantasy Grounds Unity with the ultimate license. Using Fantasy Grounds was such a breath of fresh air for me compared to other online VTTs such as Roll20 and Tabletop Simulator. Using pre-written adventures from D&D just worked seamlessly. It was all there. Sure, as a GM, navigating the UI and reading up on adventures was a bit confusing, but it was still manageable.

But that is where the issue lies, at the heart of it all. I have played Call of Cthulhu 7th edition, D&D 5E, Pathfinder 1E, Pathfinder 2E, and Starfinder on Fantasy Grounds, and they all pale in comparison to how things work in D&D 5E. I want to iterate: it still works, but it is also "lacking" some things.

The effects on certain classes (let us take Barbarian Rage with Fury instinct in PF2E) just don't work. Or, it at least did not work the last time I used it.

I will also admit that I know this befalls the people who are creating the core rule set for Foundry VTT, but there are more things that need to be addressed:

* The UI: I know this is a common complaint, but seriously, it's confusing and ugly. It makes me feel like I am using software from 2007. Not only is it ugly, but it can also become incredibly cluttered and tough for a game master to navigate through open tabs, since reading adventure text and whatnot just becomes such a hassle for the game master to do.

* I know that extensions exist for the program, but there must be a simpler and more efficient way for one to install third-party modules. Take a look at Foundry VTT and maybe use something similar.

* Homebrewing in FG is a hassle. Creating NPCs from scratch is a hassle and takes too much time. Creating items takes too much time, setting up maps and creating dynamic lighting takes too much time.

* It is overly complicated. This befalls also under the issue of my first complaint when it comes to the UI. When I started using Fantasy Grounds, I remember there was a Fantasy Grounds College that helped me just understand the basics of the software. The software can still be modular & be user-friendly.

* Smiteworks needs to start quality-checking products being released under the Fantasy Grounds license (if they aren't already). The reason I am saying so is that the state of the 7th edition Call of Cthulhu ruleset is a complete scam at this point. I remember sitting down a few years ago and spending an entire day adding items that were missing from the ruleset. When I spoke on the forums about this issue, the developer hit me with "This is not DND. So not all items have to be on the character." And this is true, it is not DND. And this is also true, not all items have to be on the character. But, they should at the very least be there. The thread garnered a lot of anger from the people who had bought Call of Cthulhu 7th edition and felt cheated by the developer. And as much as I love Paizo, the state of the Starfinder core module two years back just led me and my group to not use Fantasy Grounds anymore with the Starfinder module. The software would either freeze or crash if we opened up any kind of inventory browser. This is also a module issue.

* The way a VTT should work (according to me) is that it should be simple enough for a game master to understand, homebrew around and help create the game they want to run. For the players, it should be simple for them to find the things they need in order to play their character and the adventure being played. This is not the case.

* Fantasy Grounds is more than just a VTT for DND 5E. It is a VTT for more rule sets and needs to be marketed as such!

These are just my opinions. I am using Foundry VTT, but I want Fantasy Grounds to succeed. It has a higher price point, yes, but it is capable of so much more! I do not want there only to be Roll20 or Foundry VTT. I do not want there to be a "monopoly" on VTTs for certain rule sets. We need competition out there to push these VTTs to become better. I really, really want Fantasy Grounds to succeed and not just be abandoned.

I cannot recommend this product at its current stage.

I bought Fantasy Grounds Classic back in 2018, and I pre-ordered Fantasy Grounds Unity with the ultimate license. Using Fantasy Grounds was such a breath of fresh air for me compared to other online VTTs such as Roll20 and Tabletop Simulator. Using pre-written adventures from D&D just worked seamlessly. It was all there. Sure, as a GM, navigating the UI and reading up on adventures was a bit confusing, but it was still manageable. But that is where the issue lies, at the heart of it all. I have played Call of Cthulhu 7th edition, D&D 5E, Pathfinder 1E, Pathfinder 2E, and Starfinder on Fantasy Grounds, and they all pale in comparison to how things work in D&D 5E. I want to iterate: it still works, but it is also "lacking" some things. The effects on certain classes (let us take Barbarian Rage with Fury instinct in PF2E) just don't work. Or, it at least did not work the last time I used it. I will also admit that I know this befalls the people who are creating the core rule set for Foundry VTT, but there are more things that need to be addressed: * The UI: I know this is a common complaint, but seriously, it's confusing and ugly. It makes me feel like I am using software from 2007. Not only is it ugly, but it can also become incredibly cluttered and tough for a game master to navigate through open tabs, since reading adventure text and whatnot just becomes such a hassle for the game master to do. * I know that extensions exist for the program, but there must be a simpler and more efficient way for one to install third-party modules. Take a look at Foundry VTT and maybe use something similar. * Homebrewing in FG is a hassle. Creating NPCs from scratch is a hassle and takes too much time. Creating items takes too much time, setting up maps and creating dynamic lighting takes too much time. * It is overly complicated. This befalls also under the issue of my first complaint when it comes to the UI. When I started using Fantasy Grounds, I remember there was a Fantasy Grounds College that helped me just understand the basics of the software. The software can still be modular & be user-friendly. * Smiteworks needs to start quality-checking products being released under the Fantasy Grounds license (if they aren't already). The reason I am saying so is that the state of the 7th edition Call of Cthulhu ruleset is a complete scam at this point. I remember sitting down a few years ago and spending an entire day adding items that were missing from the ruleset. When I spoke on the forums about this issue, the developer hit me with "This is not DND. So not all items have to be on the character." And this is true, it is not DND. And this is also true, not all items have to be on the character. But, they should at the very least be there. The thread garnered a lot of anger from the people who had bought Call of Cthulhu 7th edition and felt cheated by the developer. And as much as I love Paizo, the state of the Starfinder core module two years back just led me and my group to not use Fantasy Grounds anymore with the Starfinder module. The software would either freeze or crash if we opened up any kind of inventory browser. This is also a module issue. * The way a VTT should work (according to me) is that it should be simple enough for a game master to understand, homebrew around and help create the game they want to run. For the players, it should be simple for them to find the things they need in order to play their character and the adventure being played. This is not the case. * Fantasy Grounds is more than just a VTT for DND 5E. It is a VTT for more rule sets and needs to be marketed as such! These are just my opinions. I am using Foundry VTT, but I want Fantasy Grounds to succeed. It has a higher price point, yes, but it is capable of so much more! I do not want there only to be Roll20 or Foundry VTT. I do not want there to be a "monopoly" on VTTs for certain rule sets. We need competition out there to push these VTTs to become better. I really, really want Fantasy Grounds to succeed and not just be abandoned. I cannot recommend this product at its current stage.