Having the same function as a virtual tabletop tool that provides a variety of the RPG games within, Fantasy Ground and Roll20 are always being compared a lot. The users of both have their own decision to still access either Fantasy Ground or Roll20. In fact, both have the the advantages of each.
Otherwise, for people who are just knowing the virtual tabletop tool and want to join, we guarantee that they will be looking for the best one. It’s so normal if they compare both of them and finally choose one of them. Of course, before you choose the best one, you should know the pros and cons for both of them. Once you know it, you will make your own choice.
Thankfully, this post will inform you the comparison between Fantasi Ground and Roll20. Let’s check it out!
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Before we take a look at the pros and cons, it would be better for you to know more about what both tools concern. Even though those have the same function, however they will have differences on some things.
Overview
Fantasy Ground

Released before Roll20, it does not wonder if Fantasy Ground has become a popular virtual tabletop tool to play RPG games. This virtual tabletop tool was originally based on Espoo Finlandia by Smiteworks. Fantasy Ground actually contains a set of tools, allowing the users to play role-playing games either in person or remotely.
Coming with gorgeous features and providing plenty of RPG games, Fantasy Ground was really much sought after by many people. The top RPG games developed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, Dungeons and Dragons is firstly available on Fantasy Ground. We think that this game can be a reason why a lot of people use the Fantasy Ground to play it.
Roll20

Just like Fantasy Ground, Roll20 comes to provide the virtual tabletop tool for the players who are still interested in playing RPG games. Roll20 was released on September 17, 2012 after the Fantasy Ground. This virtual tabletop tool was developed by Nolan Jones, Riley Dutton and Richard Zayas under The Orr Group, LLC.
The Roll20 consists of a set of tools, allowing the users to play RPG games on a virtual tabletop remotely. Well, the goal of the Roll20 tool is to provide an authentic tabletop experience which will not try turning the game into a video game. Instead, this tool really helps the game master to provide the immersive tools online.
Either Fantasy Ground or Roll20, they are being popular during the pandemic of Covid-19. However, the virtual tabletop tool has allowed a number of real life games to transition online. Here, Roll20 facilitates the RPGs game in an online space. Additionally, it makes integrating a multitude of tabletop role-playing games possible as the blank slate nature of the platform
Features
Here are the features that you can find on both tools:
Fantasy Ground’s features
Fantasy Ground brings a variety of typical features of many tabletop RPG games. The main basic features that you will find on Fantasy Ground include character sheets, virtual dice rolling and the maps with a grid system. Unlike most virtual tabletop tools, the Fantasy Ground users are different depending on which game system is selected for the session.
The games played on Fantasy Ground will be organized into sessions started by a gamemaster and which other players want to join remotely. This virtual tool also contains a plenty of reference materials and rulebooks as well as an integrated chat system. Fantasy Ground serves automatic much of the dice rolling. Moreover, other game systems played on Fantasy Ground allows the gamemaster to save a session to continue later.
The Roll20’s features
Roll20 actually allows the users to make and play the tabletop role playing game within. As a browser-based suite of tools, Roll20 is organized into individual game sessions in which the users are able to create and join. In each game session, it includes a variety of typical tabletop RPG games.
As RPG’s virtual tabletop tool, Roll20 absolutely provides the automated dice rolling, the dynamic character sheets, enemy tokens, shared maps with basic character, triggered sound effect as well as a character creation tool for certain licensed games. The interface of Roll20 features includes the voice chat, text chat, video chat and also Google Hangouts integration.
Aside from that, Roll20 also has a separate marketplace in which the complete game modules and art assets are sold. Moreover, the game modules and compediums published on the marketplace are only available on the Roll20 platform. Besides the free content, Roll20 also provides the extra features available for paying subscriber accounts including fog of war for maps and dynamic lighting.
Pros and Cons
Fantasy Ground’s Pros and Cons
You can see the list of the Fantasy Ground’s pros and cons as follow:
- Fantasy Ground has more content than Roll20.
- Having the great server maintenance so that the game can be played smoothly.
- Fantasy Ground comes with helpful and useful features technically so that players seldom get the issue on lagging servers, slow loading page and more.
- Having more users than Roll20 as it was released before, so many users don’t want to move to another virtual tabletop.
- Fantasy Ground does not share all the maps/ images the players have already used.
- Fantasy Ground may not eat more space than Roll20.
- The map interface of Fantasy Ground is a bit worse than Roll20.
- Playing on Fantasy Ground will be pretty stable as nothing happens on server issues.
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Roll20’s Pros and Cons
You can see the list of the Roll20’s pros and cons as follow:
- Roll2 has the great dynamic lighting feature to allow the users having more light to emit on the game map.
- Roll20 is easier in making changes on the fly with R20.
- The marketing of Roll20 one step further from Fantasy Ground.
- Roll20 does not have a lot of content as Fantasy Ground has.
- Roll20 has server issues which cause the games being unplayable on.
- Because of the dynamic lighting feature and many tokens are available on Roll20, this virtual tabletop tool really eats up a lot of memory.
- Because it comes later than the Fantasy Ground, a lot of people are still doubtful about this system’s work.
AUTHOR BIO
On my daily job, I am a software engineer, programmer & computer technician. My passion is assembling PC hardware, studying Operating System and all things related to computers technology. I also love to make short films for YouTube as a producer. More at about me…
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