FAST Core RPG — Gold Edition is the expanded, deluxe iteration of Scott Taylor’s FAST Core system from Art of the Genre: a D10-based, multi-genre “anti-bloat” ruleset meant to deliver quick, cinematic play across fantasy, modern, sci-fi, and pulpy genres. The Gold Edition was crowdfunded (Kickstarter), consolidating material from the original core and later supplements into a single, more ambitious volume. The project positions FAST Gold as both a starting system and a toolkit that includes additional settings and an expanded adventure library.
⚙️ The engine — how FAST plays (at a glance)
FAST Core runs on a single d10 resolution mechanic and intentionally keeps mechanics lean. Characters are built from a small suite of archetypes, a broad set of skill categories (around 20), and a list of “fated traits” (reported as roughly 30) that provide narrative and mechanical hooks. The core book covers character creation, combat, magic, equipment, traps/monsters, and an “advanced rules” section with optional cybernetics, superpowers, and martial arts—so the system scales from simple to genre-dense when groups want it to. The publisher frames FAST as an engine that favors rapid adjudication and GM convenience over minutiae.
🎯 What’s new in Gold Edition
The Gold Edition is more than a cosmetic upgrade. This release collects and refines content developed since FAST’s original launch: additional settings, more adventures, clarified rules, and a polished presentation intended for table use. The Gold edition is a single-volume resource incorporating material from multiple companion releases and providing a unified layout for easier navigation. It’s explicitly marketed as a fuller, better-presented version of the system for new buyers and existing fans who want a consolidated reference.
🧩 Character creation & playstyle — quick, flexible, cinematic
Character creation in FAST is short by design. You pick an archetype that gives a starting mechanical outline and then choose skills and fated traits to personalize the concept. The fated traits are the system’s narrative levers: they grant story-forward mechanical bonuses and often push the fiction in interesting directions, encouraging players to describe how those traits matter in play. Skills are broad categories rather than long lists of granular feats, so players can quickly resolve actions without a rules lookup for every unusual situation. This combination supports a playstyle that emphasizes improvisation, player description, and short decision cycles—fast combats, quick social exchanges, and rapid shifts of scene.
🗡️ Combat, magic & advancement — minimalist with optional depth
Combat is intended to be decisive and cinematic rather than tactical-simulationist. The core rules give compact tables for attack, defense, damage, and special maneuvers; healing and recovery are handled quickly to keep scenes moving. Magic is a fully formed subsystem, but it’s presented so GMs can run it as either narrative powers or more granular spell systems depending on table preference. The “advanced rules” add optional subsystems—cybernetics, superpowers, martial arts—so groups who want a bit more crunch can layer in complexity without disrupting the base engine. This modularity is one of FAST’s strengths: it works for pick-up groups and for long campaigns that wish to add genre trappings later.
🖼️ Presentation & layout — mixed reactions
The Gold Edition is presented as a color hardback with a modern design (larger format than the original), and the publisher pages show attractive art and layout ambitions. That said, community feedback about FAST’s earlier printings noted layout and organization issues—some readers described the book as visually busy and rules scattered across sections, which can make quick reference more difficult during play. The Gold Edition promises editorial polish, but prospective buyers should be aware that presentation and chapter flow have been recurring discussion points in the community. If the Kickstarter deliverables and updated DriveThru listing are accurate, Gold aims to address those concerns with clearer chaptering and improved navigation.
🔧 Toolbox & support — settings, adventures, and supplements
One selling point of FAST is its ecosystem. The system has spawned multiple settings, compendia, and adventure collections since the initial core release, and Gold is positioned to aggregate many of those resources. The Kickstarter and product pages mention dozens of settings and an expanded number of adventures in the Gold collection—helpful for GMs who prefer a ready library rather than assembling third-party materials. The publisher’s storefront lists the core and special editions alongside setting packs and compendia, which makes it straightforward for GMs to scale the system to their preferred genre without homebrew conversion.
✨ Strengths — where FAST Gold shines
- Speed of play: FAST delivers on its promise: quick character setup, immediate action, and minimal fiddly bookkeeping make it ideal for one-shots, conventions, or tables that crave rapid scene turnover. The D10 mechanic is simple to teach and runs predictably.
- Modularity: The system’s modular advanced rules let groups dial complexity up or down. Want a barebones fantasy dungeon crawl? You can. Want cyberpunk augmentation and superpowers? That’s an optional layer.
- Multi-genre support: FAST’s design intent is honest: the engine is genre-neutral and includes examples and settings to show how to tailor tone and technology quickly. This makes it easy to move among genres at the table.
- Consolidation in Gold: For new players, the Gold Edition’s promise of a consolidated, polished core is attractive—less chasing PDFs and more one-book learning. The color hardcover and larger format are also a nice quality step for a living system.
⚠ Caveats & limitations — what to watch for
- Layout & lookup friction: Historically, early FAST printings drew some criticism for layout and the dispersion of rules. If you rely on a GM screen and quick lookup, expect to test how intuitive the Gold layout is for your table. Early adopter commentary flagged this as the most common user pain-point. The Gold Edition claims editorial fixes, but that will matter deeply during live play.
- Breadth vs depth trade-offs: FAST’s “anti-bloat” approach is its selling point—and its limitation. The system favors evocative, narrative resolution over detailed simulation. If your table wants exhaustive subsystems and minute mechanical differentiation, FAST will feel lightweight unless you intentionally layer on optional rules.
- Ecosystem reliance: Gold brings together many settings and adventures, but if you like ultra-polished, setting-specific engines (think: highly prescriptive crunch or tight setting simulation), you may still need to tweak content to fit. The core remit is breadth and quick conversion, not exhaustive setting simulation.
🧭 Who should buy FAST Gold?
- Conventions & one-shot GMs: If you run lots of short sessions, FAST’s quick setup and modularity speed prep and play.
- Multi-genre gaming groups: If you like shifting from fantasy to sci-fi to pulp, FAST gives you a single rule language to carry across genres.
- New players or those who dislike rules-bloat: Gold is a reasonable entry point—especially if you prefer a single consolidated volume with color art and better navigation.
Less ideal for players who demand deep subsystems for every genre or GMs who prefer heavy-crunch simulation over cinematic adjudication.
🗡 Final verdict
FAST Core RPG — Gold Edition is a well-intentioned and generally successful attempt to package a fast, multi-genre engine into a single attractive volume. Its strengths are obvious: speed, modularity, and a pragmatic design philosophy that favors playability and improvisation over exhaustive mechanical simulation. For tables that want to run many styles of games with a single set of rules, FAST Gold is a compelling choice—especially if the Gold release improves the layout and consolidates the system’s companion material as promised.
However, prospective buyers should be realistic: FAST is not the system for groups seeking highly detailed subsystems by default; it’s a toolkit that rewards creative interpretation and the addition of optional rules when more granularity is needed. Also, keep an eye on early community feedback regarding the Gold Edition’s editorial and layout improvements—historically that has been the most common point of friction for new adopters.
All in all, if you want a D10-based, swift system that gets characters into the action quickly and can be dressed up for many genres, FAST Core RPG Gold Edition is worth a close look—especially in its consolidated hardcover form.