What I want from WFRP 3e
I guess no on with an NDA can say, but while I had plenty of problems with WFRP’s system I liked what it was trying to do with that it. As I see it that boils down to two things:
- Be about ordinary people (ie. students, bughers etc) trust into extraordinary circumstances; and
- Be gritty – lots of chance of death, disease and general mayhem.
So what I want from WFRP (as opposed to D&D or GURPS or whatever) is to play a game about ordinary people with real risk to their lives.
In 1e/2e, the careers system is a good way of bringing this into play, combat can be very deadly and there are plenty of rules for disease, madness and the like. So the style of play I want from WFRP is supported by the rules, even if I have some issues with the specifics. (DISCLAIMER: this isn’t to say that the only way to play WFRP is to have ratcatchers and peasants dying in the mud of the bloody flux and mutation after 2 sessions)
I don’t care however about the particular way that these rules are delivered – I’m not wedded to the percentile system. Give my issues with the specifics (mostly that magic is too restrictive and that combat tends to be dull then over rather than particularly compelling) a new system with a complete overhaul could be a good way to achieve them.
What I want to know, sooner rather than later, is how well WFRP 3e adheres to the ordinary and gritty aspects of the WFRP world.
4 Comments to What I want from WFRP 3e
I have a feeling that the careers will be more akin to warhammer age of reckoning. That is no more ratcatchers and peasants. Plus the setting takes place before the storms of chaos so I doubt there’d be much reason to find such unlikely heroes adventuring since the empire is more or less intact. Adventurers will likely be warriors, soldiers, magic users, mercenaries and the like so unfortunately I think numero uno on your list is out.
NickAugust 19, 2009
The rumours are that the ratcatcher will be in the adventurers pack, but over all I’m sure you’re right – far more emphasis on the more ‘traditional’ fantasy adventuring careers.
I agree, and it’s the “ratcatchers and the flux” that have made WFRP distinctive over time, the really low fantasy grit of it. If they abandon that, it becomes just another in the field of “fantasy RPGs, all alike”- not compelling, to me at least.
I have a feeling that the careers will be more akin to warhammer age of reckoning. That is no more ratcatchers and peasants. Plus the setting takes place before the storms of chaos so I doubt there’d be much reason to find such unlikely heroes adventuring since the empire is more or less intact. Adventurers will likely be warriors, soldiers, magic users, mercenaries and the like so unfortunately I think numero uno on your list is out….
August 19, 2009