Many fantasy RPGs mimic D&D or Tolkienesque fantasy worlds. This one is based on classic sword-and-sorcery games of high adventure. The characters are more likely to be swashbuckling barbarians or muscled thieves than paladins or dwarves.

Steel and Flame is a tabletop RPG that combines the stats of the classic Barbarians of Lemuria system with elements of Fate.

Your character is made up of 8 stats (4 combat-oriented and 4 non-combat-oriented), Health Points, and points in a wide variety of careers. To resolve an action, roll Fate dice, and add points from the appropriate stats and/or careers.

One particularly nice thing about this system is that it let you see how well you succeed at an action, instead of just indicating success or failure. You can make a Fantastic leap from a burning airship or a Terrible swing at a snarling harem guard.

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Strength 2
Dexterity 2
Intelligence 0
Charisma 0
Brawling 2
Melee 1
Ranged 0
Defense 1
HP 12
Barbarian 2
Soldier 1
Pirate 1

GM: Okay, you're outside the Palace of Pain on the night of the sacrifice. The Palace is a big stone building, about two stories tall, with crenelations on top. There's a big entrance in front, with two burly guards. What do you want to do?

Tim: Hmmm. Throngar wants to go around back and climb the walls.

GM: Okay, the walls are a little old, so there are some footholds. Not too hard. Do you have any careers that would give you some skill in climbing walls?

Tim: Yeah, I have 2 points in Barbarian. Throngar probably climbed the cliffs of Thovaria all the time as a kid.

GM: Makes sense to me! Add that to your Dexterity score. That's one of your personal attributes.

Tim: Oooh, I have 2 points in Dexterity. So I add those together, which is 4?

GM: Exactly. Now just roll the dice and add 4 points.

Tim: Wow, I rolled +2! So that's a total of 6.

GM: Which is a “Fantastic” on the ladder. You scurry up the walls like a spider and even get over the crenelations in seconds. However, there's a guard on the roof! You were so quick to climb that he sees you, but he's surprised. You get to act. What do you want to do?

Tim: Throngar wants to attack the guy with his sword.

GM: Roll the dice, then add your Strength, and your Melee.

Tim: My Strength's 2 and Melee is 1, so that's a total of 3. How do I know if I succeed?

GM: I'll compare that to the guard's Defense score.

Tim: Okay, rolling the dice…ick, that's -1. With the Strength and Melee, that's a total of 2.

GM: No problem! The guard only has a Defense of 1, so you hit. Your sword does 1d6 damage.

Tim: I swing my trusty sword at the guard's stomach. And I roll…a 4!

GM: Cool, subtracting that from the guard's Hit Points…he's still up, but barely. He's going to take a swing at you…And he manages a 1. What's your Defense?

Tim: My Defense is 1.

GM: Ooooh, a tie wins! So he rolls..a 3. Subtract that from your Hit Points.

Tim: I have 12 of those, so I'm only down to 9. Time to slash back! Rolling and adding 3…yeah, that's a 5! Lemme roll my die…that's a 3.

GM: The guard clutches his stomach and goes down in a fountain of blood!

Tim: Great.

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