# Fantasy heartbreaker

- Term: Tabletop term
- Canonical: https://www.lanternhall.org/lexicon/fantasy-heartbreaker/

> A lovingly made independent fantasy RPG that contains genuinely good ideas but is so close to D&D in its assumptions that it has little chance of finding an audience. The phrase is affectionate and rueful at once.

A lovingly made independent fantasy RPG that contains genuinely good ideas but is so close to D&D in its assumptions that it has little chance of finding an audience. The phrase is affectionate and rueful at once.

**Origin:** Coined by designer Ron Edwards in an essay for The Forge in the early 2000s.

## Quick answers

**What does "Fantasy heartbreaker" mean?**
A lovingly made independent fantasy RPG that contains genuinely good ideas but is so close to D&D in its assumptions that it has little chance of finding an audience. The phrase is affectionate and rueful at once.

**Where does the term "Fantasy heartbreaker" come from?**
Coined by designer Ron Edwards in an essay for The Forge in the early 2000s.

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From The Lantern Hall (https://www.lanternhall.org/), a museum of fantasy literature and roleplaying games.