Cubicle7 has now published The Old World Roleplaying Game - Player's Guide, Grim and Glorious Adventures in The World of Legend. New Warhammer RPG based on the WFB with same name. Setting is few hundred years before the "default" time (and Storm of Chaos and The End Times...). So, here's my little review about the first book.
TOW RPG doesn't use the WFRP4 system. It's game mechanics are more lighter version (more about that later). I haven't player AoS for example, so I don't know if this system is actually similar or same as some other Cubicle7 games.
So, what we have here. Let's go Chapter by Chapter:
- Character Creation -
Origin. This means species AND cultures. We have all the standard ones: Human, Elf, Halfling, and Dwarf. And starting species gives you starting Characteristics. Actually there are more Origins as different cultures are counted as different Origins and here we have rules for both The Empire Humans and Bretonnian Humans, yet they have same starting Characteristics. But, later more about differences between Bretonnians and The Empire folk.
Characteristics (and Skills). There are eight familiar Characteristics: Weapon Skill, Ballistic Skill, Strength, Toughness, Initiative, Agility, Reason, and Fellowship. But, also Fate is part of the starting Characteristics. Starting Characteristics range from two to four and you get few bonuses. Maximum range from five to seven. So, Halflings can be stronger than Humans... Each Characteristic has only TWO Skills. So, this is one of the "lighter" rules - Skill amount is VERY LIMITED, everything doesn't have it's own skill.
Origins #2: Each Origin (this means both Bretonnians and The Empire folk, which have different sets) get their own random Talent, starting Skill level and couple of Skill bonuses, Lores. Pretty familiar from the WFRP4 (or other editions). There doesn't seem to be Size system anymore, but Halfling for example will get Short Size Talent.
Careers: There is 30 Careers to start with. Some special Careers, just for certain Origins. Familiar Careers from any edition. Each have familiar status (brass, silver, gold), Origin requirements, Favored Characteristics, Skill Bonuses, Lores you get, and then Trappings, Assets and Contacts. Each Career also has own Special Talent(s).
Contacts. Well, these could be called Patrons too.
I won't go to details about advancement and minor rules here.
- Abilities -
This chapter details more about Characteristics, Skills, Talents and Lores. Well, I dont go to Characteristics or few skills and their descriptions here, but Talent section is interesting and worth mentioning. But, for skills see also Endeavours.
Talents section has nice amount of Talents to boost and modify your Character unique way. There is a new system here were you can buy basically any Talent you want, if you meet the Requirements it has (and have enought XP to buy). This gives interesting possibilities to modify ANY Career. Like in the other editions, Talents give various different bonuses to tests, magic, miracles...etc.
Lores are also another interesting and long list of options. These also provide bonuses to any related tests. There are number of Lore types: Academic, Cultural, Environment, Magic, and Trade.
- Equipment -
Simple purchases. You just have certain amount of coins and you can buy few things that are available for your status (brass, silver, gold)... Simple, but maybe little too simple for my taste. Matter of opionion. Also, there isn't really encumbrance system any more.
Weapons. Both Melee and Ranged (and Throwing) weapons feature all the familiar ones, with couple of stats, including Traits. Traits give different types of weaponry more unique features.
Clothing & Armour. Very simple and similar style as Weapons. Traits give various other bonuses or penalties.
Then there are tools, services, food & lodging, transportation, animals & vehicles... and so on.
- Rules -
Well, system is simple. As mentioned before on some articles, Charactistic is the dice pool (d10) and Skill level is your possiblity to succeed. And then you probably have some bonuses or penalties. Finally number of successes give you better result, similar to WFRP4 SL. There are rules about Opposed Test and Exacting Tests.
Fate is as it has been always. I won't go more details about that.
Combat seems fast based and simple. But, I haven't tried this one yet, so I don't really have more experience how it works. There is also ability called Speed and some amount of various options.
Then rules about Wounds, Conditions, Mounted Combat, Vehicle Combat... Rules also cover investigations, exploration, and social encounters.
- Between Adventures -
Endeavours. This is similar system that WFRP4 presetend also. But, there is a little twist here. Skills are increased with Endeavours, not with XP!
- Religion & Belief -
Description about the cults, requirements, strictures, Prayers and Miracles. Only three Prayers.
- Magic in the Old World -
Magic is little different at this point of Warhammer timeline. Colleges are not formed yet. It seems that these more "hedge" type of magic-users use number of Winds to create their magic, not just one. But how is this different after Colleges is not really explained. Like is this "hedge" or "Wild" magic more unstable (miscast), less powerful...etc.
Lores include familiar ones from WFRP1: Battle, Elementalism, Illusion and Necromancy. Each have number of Spells and interesting "Improvised" table, which gives even more custom powered effects depending on casters experience. Casting uses Willpower (Note! This is Skill now) Test and depending on difficulty of the Spell needs certain amount of successes. Similar to WFRP4 Channelling, but more simple again.
- Old World -
Well, chapter about the current timeline and whats going on.
TOW RPG doesn't use the WFRP4 system. It's game mechanics are more lighter version (more about that later). I haven't player AoS for example, so I don't know if this system is actually similar or same as some other Cubicle7 games.
So, what we have here. Let's go Chapter by Chapter:
- Character Creation -
Origin. This means species AND cultures. We have all the standard ones: Human, Elf, Halfling, and Dwarf. And starting species gives you starting Characteristics. Actually there are more Origins as different cultures are counted as different Origins and here we have rules for both The Empire Humans and Bretonnian Humans, yet they have same starting Characteristics. But, later more about differences between Bretonnians and The Empire folk.
Characteristics (and Skills). There are eight familiar Characteristics: Weapon Skill, Ballistic Skill, Strength, Toughness, Initiative, Agility, Reason, and Fellowship. But, also Fate is part of the starting Characteristics. Starting Characteristics range from two to four and you get few bonuses. Maximum range from five to seven. So, Halflings can be stronger than Humans... Each Characteristic has only TWO Skills. So, this is one of the "lighter" rules - Skill amount is VERY LIMITED, everything doesn't have it's own skill.
Origins #2: Each Origin (this means both Bretonnians and The Empire folk, which have different sets) get their own random Talent, starting Skill level and couple of Skill bonuses, Lores. Pretty familiar from the WFRP4 (or other editions). There doesn't seem to be Size system anymore, but Halfling for example will get Short Size Talent.
Careers: There is 30 Careers to start with. Some special Careers, just for certain Origins. Familiar Careers from any edition. Each have familiar status (brass, silver, gold), Origin requirements, Favored Characteristics, Skill Bonuses, Lores you get, and then Trappings, Assets and Contacts. Each Career also has own Special Talent(s).
Contacts. Well, these could be called Patrons too.
I won't go to details about advancement and minor rules here.
- Abilities -
This chapter details more about Characteristics, Skills, Talents and Lores. Well, I dont go to Characteristics or few skills and their descriptions here, but Talent section is interesting and worth mentioning. But, for skills see also Endeavours.
Talents section has nice amount of Talents to boost and modify your Character unique way. There is a new system here were you can buy basically any Talent you want, if you meet the Requirements it has (and have enought XP to buy). This gives interesting possibilities to modify ANY Career. Like in the other editions, Talents give various different bonuses to tests, magic, miracles...etc.
Lores are also another interesting and long list of options. These also provide bonuses to any related tests. There are number of Lore types: Academic, Cultural, Environment, Magic, and Trade.
- Equipment -
Simple purchases. You just have certain amount of coins and you can buy few things that are available for your status (brass, silver, gold)... Simple, but maybe little too simple for my taste. Matter of opionion. Also, there isn't really encumbrance system any more.
Weapons. Both Melee and Ranged (and Throwing) weapons feature all the familiar ones, with couple of stats, including Traits. Traits give different types of weaponry more unique features.
Clothing & Armour. Very simple and similar style as Weapons. Traits give various other bonuses or penalties.
Then there are tools, services, food & lodging, transportation, animals & vehicles... and so on.
- Rules -
Well, system is simple. As mentioned before on some articles, Charactistic is the dice pool (d10) and Skill level is your possiblity to succeed. And then you probably have some bonuses or penalties. Finally number of successes give you better result, similar to WFRP4 SL. There are rules about Opposed Test and Exacting Tests.
Fate is as it has been always. I won't go more details about that.
Combat seems fast based and simple. But, I haven't tried this one yet, so I don't really have more experience how it works. There is also ability called Speed and some amount of various options.
Then rules about Wounds, Conditions, Mounted Combat, Vehicle Combat... Rules also cover investigations, exploration, and social encounters.
- Between Adventures -
Endeavours. This is similar system that WFRP4 presetend also. But, there is a little twist here. Skills are increased with Endeavours, not with XP!
- Religion & Belief -
Description about the cults, requirements, strictures, Prayers and Miracles. Only three Prayers.
- Magic in the Old World -
Magic is little different at this point of Warhammer timeline. Colleges are not formed yet. It seems that these more "hedge" type of magic-users use number of Winds to create their magic, not just one. But how is this different after Colleges is not really explained. Like is this "hedge" or "Wild" magic more unstable (miscast), less powerful...etc.
Lores include familiar ones from WFRP1: Battle, Elementalism, Illusion and Necromancy. Each have number of Spells and interesting "Improvised" table, which gives even more custom powered effects depending on casters experience. Casting uses Willpower (Note! This is Skill now) Test and depending on difficulty of the Spell needs certain amount of successes. Similar to WFRP4 Channelling, but more simple again.
- Old World -
Well, chapter about the current timeline and whats going on.
See more information from Official Cubicle 7: