@kirayagami not without SSH.
Besides that you will also need a MongoDB or Redis database.
Cutting it short - no.
I'm still trying to get nodebb installed on my server so I haven't had a chance to get into it just yet. But can someone answer me this:
Are there "Groups" for group based permission content. (ie. Group A can see everything, Group B can see Most things, Group C has limited access and Group D is screwed)
Permissions for posting. (open to everyone? with an account -- kind goes hand in hand with the above)
Yup. Those features do exist.. In fact, we're working on some more advanced group stuff like user-creatable groups