13th Age Core Book
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Alphastream
Adventurer
5 out of 5 rating for 13th Age Core Book
13th Age is a superb game. It is a completely different approach to 5E, feeling much more like a mix of 4E and previous editions (rather than combining all editions equally). It shows its heritage, being created by designers of 3E and 4E, with the result being very positive. This is a game with great fantasy elements, epic characters, and smooth well-designed rules. It also has many novel takes on the issues that plagued other editions, including healing, casters vs melee, rests, magic items, monsters across levels, and more. It also adds new innovation, such as the Icons and the Escalation die. The innovation alone should earn it a place on your shelf. But, it is a fantastic game and a ton of fun. The other supplements, especially the Bestiary, are also excellent.
13th Age is a superb game. It is a completely different approach to 5E, feeling much more like a mix of 4E and previous editions (rather than combining all editions equally). It shows its heritage, being created by designers of 3E and 4E, with the result being very positive. This is a game with great fantasy elements, epic characters, and smooth well-designed rules. It also has many novel takes on the issues that plagued other editions, including healing, casters vs melee, rests, magic items, monsters across levels, and more. It also adds new innovation, such as the Icons and the Escalation die. The innovation alone should earn it a place on your shelf. But, it is a fantastic game and a ton of fun. The other supplements, especially the Bestiary, are also excellent.
Blue
Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal
5 out of 5 rating for 13th Age Core Book
13th Age is a RPG by lead designers of D&D 3rd and 4e, but it casts it's roots both back further and much wider. Combining the best of various versions of D&D but eschewing a high level of complexity, the game brings back old-fashioned RPG romps where there's trust between DM and player and things keep moving. (5e, out a year later, has also taken a similar direction.) Plus it brings in a lot of newer RPG and story-game ideas and makes them mechanically relevant.
The default world is done in broad, fantastical strokes, full of hooks and ideas but leaving the details to be fleshed out for your table. They expect each game to be different, and even address that in character creation. The other innovation are the Icons. These are 13 (in the default setting) movers and shakers of the world with a complex web of interactions between them. They give the whole setting a dynamic feel, as these can't just stay with the status quo - things will move.
Creating a character is fairly light-weight mechanically, and has three outstanding nods that are both simple by tie the character tightly into the world and plot: Icon Relationships, Backgrounds and One Unique Thing. Icon Relationships are three dice of relationships with those 13 Icons - positive, negative, or "it's complicated". It doesn't mean you know them personally, but it makes sure that from the start, the players are important in world even before they are powerful - protagonists in their story. It also gives the DM a fantastic tool for seeing where player focus is - lots of negative relationships with the Lich King will likely have him behind much, undead foes, and a different feel then for a campaign with lots of positive relationships with the Dragon Emperor while might end up more intrigue or agents of the king.
Backgrounds are their skill system, but are more free form then many would be used to, limited by your imagination and worked out witht he DM. Sure, you could be a "Sailor +3", but a "First Mate on the Pirate Ship Blackwind +3" provides a lot more hooks into the world. And shows that you might also be able to apply the background to locate stolen cargos, diplomacy with pirates, etc. Rob Heinsoo, one of the creators, gave an example from a Con where the PCs where trying to console a young widow. The character had a background like "Sergeant off the Sea Wall" and he said "Do you know how many letters I had to write for soldiers who didn't make it?" Background granted.
The One Unique thing is exactly what's written on the tin. What makes you different than anyone else. Plus another great hook into the world. Examples could be "The Only Halfling Knight in the Empire" or along the same line "The Emperor's Bastard Son". (And do you have a positive, negative, or complicated relationship with the Emperor and his agents?)
Like many other modern games there's the idea of failing forward. If not finding the hidden compartment with the documents showing the duke is a traitor will derail the arc, then a failed roll searching isn't that it's not found. But perhaps it's that guards came in while you were searching his study.
Game play is fast and light. Combat uses theater of the mind like early D&D versions and 5e. One point to help with combat pacing is the escalation die. PCs start with a bit of mechanical disadvantage, but each turn the Escalation die increase all the way up to 6, giving a bonus to attack. It both stops grinds, and also gives pause to the common "nova immediately", since waiting will give bonuses. The core book gives everything you need to play, from character creation, monsters, setting, icons, magic items, etc.
Publishing bonus: Pelgrane will give you the PDF when you purchase, even if you buy through your FLGS.
All in all, two thumbs up. I'm running a campaign in it right now.
13th Age is a RPG by lead designers of D&D 3rd and 4e, but it casts it's roots both back further and much wider. Combining the best of various versions of D&D but eschewing a high level of complexity, the game brings back old-fashioned RPG romps where there's trust between DM and player and things keep moving. (5e, out a year later, has also taken a similar direction.) Plus it brings in a lot of newer RPG and story-game ideas and makes them mechanically relevant.
The default world is done in broad, fantastical strokes, full of hooks and ideas but leaving the details to be fleshed out for your table. They expect each game to be different, and even address that in character creation. The other innovation are the Icons. These are 13 (in the default setting) movers and shakers of the world with a complex web of interactions between them. They give the whole setting a dynamic feel, as these can't just stay with the status quo - things will move.
Creating a character is fairly light-weight mechanically, and has three outstanding nods that are both simple by tie the character tightly into the world and plot: Icon Relationships, Backgrounds and One Unique Thing. Icon Relationships are three dice of relationships with those 13 Icons - positive, negative, or "it's complicated". It doesn't mean you know them personally, but it makes sure that from the start, the players are important in world even before they are powerful - protagonists in their story. It also gives the DM a fantastic tool for seeing where player focus is - lots of negative relationships with the Lich King will likely have him behind much, undead foes, and a different feel then for a campaign with lots of positive relationships with the Dragon Emperor while might end up more intrigue or agents of the king.
Backgrounds are their skill system, but are more free form then many would be used to, limited by your imagination and worked out witht he DM. Sure, you could be a "Sailor +3", but a "First Mate on the Pirate Ship Blackwind +3" provides a lot more hooks into the world. And shows that you might also be able to apply the background to locate stolen cargos, diplomacy with pirates, etc. Rob Heinsoo, one of the creators, gave an example from a Con where the PCs where trying to console a young widow. The character had a background like "Sergeant off the Sea Wall" and he said "Do you know how many letters I had to write for soldiers who didn't make it?" Background granted.
The One Unique thing is exactly what's written on the tin. What makes you different than anyone else. Plus another great hook into the world. Examples could be "The Only Halfling Knight in the Empire" or along the same line "The Emperor's Bastard Son". (And do you have a positive, negative, or complicated relationship with the Emperor and his agents?)
Like many other modern games there's the idea of failing forward. If not finding the hidden compartment with the documents showing the duke is a traitor will derail the arc, then a failed roll searching isn't that it's not found. But perhaps it's that guards came in while you were searching his study.
Game play is fast and light. Combat uses theater of the mind like early D&D versions and 5e. One point to help with combat pacing is the escalation die. PCs start with a bit of mechanical disadvantage, but each turn the Escalation die increase all the way up to 6, giving a bonus to attack. It both stops grinds, and also gives pause to the common "nova immediately", since waiting will give bonuses. The core book gives everything you need to play, from character creation, monsters, setting, icons, magic items, etc.
Publishing bonus: Pelgrane will give you the PDF when you purchase, even if you buy through your FLGS.
All in all, two thumbs up. I'm running a campaign in it right now.
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4 out of 5 rating for 13th Age Core Book
Personally I love it. No xp tracking, incremental advances between levels (i.e. you can raise your hit points, gain a feat, etc). Monster stat blocks are the smallest I've seen for ages. Free form magic, the escalation dice (adds +1, +2 etc to your attack rolls as the combat rounds pass by thus speeding up combat). One Unique Things (something unique about just your character) help solidify your character in the setting and story. There are no skill lists, you just have 8 points to place into backgrounds that serve as skill packages (eg. Cat Burglar +3). The entire system is geared toward helping GMs to GM and players to play their characters. And mooks. Mooks are the faceless hordes that die by the dozens at the pcs' hands, thus making them feel like heroes
Only issue I have, is trying to incorporate Icon rolls into the current session. I.e. if a player rolls a 5 or a 6 on a d6, then their chosen Icon influences the session for that particular character in some fashion. This can be a bit of a drag for some GMs.
Still, a very minor quibble in an otherwise brilliant edition of D&D.
Personally I love it. No xp tracking, incremental advances between levels (i.e. you can raise your hit points, gain a feat, etc). Monster stat blocks are the smallest I've seen for ages. Free form magic, the escalation dice (adds +1, +2 etc to your attack rolls as the combat rounds pass by thus speeding up combat). One Unique Things (something unique about just your character) help solidify your character in the setting and story. There are no skill lists, you just have 8 points to place into backgrounds that serve as skill packages (eg. Cat Burglar +3). The entire system is geared toward helping GMs to GM and players to play their characters. And mooks. Mooks are the faceless hordes that die by the dozens at the pcs' hands, thus making them feel like heroes
Only issue I have, is trying to incorporate Icon rolls into the current session. I.e. if a player rolls a 5 or a 6 on a d6, then their chosen Icon influences the session for that particular character in some fashion. This can be a bit of a drag for some GMs.
Still, a very minor quibble in an otherwise brilliant edition of D&D.
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5 out of 5 rating for 13th Age Core Book
Great alternate to D&D and Pathfinder, with a world built in fantasy. Excellent game.
Great alternate to D&D and Pathfinder, with a world built in fantasy. Excellent game.
Balesir
Adventurer
5 out of 5 rating for 13th Age Core Book
My favourite edition of D&D is still 4E, but 13th Age manages to fill a substantial niche with the same heroic, the-play-is-the-story designed mechanics but without the battlemats and tactical rules (which I love, but which are not always convenient to carry around and set up - not to mention that some folks dislike them intensely). It hits all the key aspects of 4E, for me, except the tactical combat, though - and that is a breath of fresh air in gaming, IMO.
My favourite edition of D&D is still 4E, but 13th Age manages to fill a substantial niche with the same heroic, the-play-is-the-story designed mechanics but without the battlemats and tactical rules (which I love, but which are not always convenient to carry around and set up - not to mention that some folks dislike them intensely). It hits all the key aspects of 4E, for me, except the tactical combat, though - and that is a breath of fresh air in gaming, IMO.
synthapse
Explorer
3 out of 5 rating for 13th Age Core Book
It's hard to say why I have problems with 13th Age. Mechanically, the rules are fine, and occasionally great (esp. Escalation Dice and Backgrounds). The Art is solid, and I like the conversational writing style. But I remain uninspired. I know that I'll never run a game with this system; it just doesn't have enough of a hook.
It's hard to say why I have problems with 13th Age. Mechanically, the rules are fine, and occasionally great (esp. Escalation Dice and Backgrounds). The Art is solid, and I like the conversational writing style. But I remain uninspired. I know that I'll never run a game with this system; it just doesn't have enough of a hook.
3 out of 5 rating for 13th Age Core Book
I find this a mix between 2e, 3e and 4e DnD. An interesting and fun game that is easy to learn.
I find this a mix between 2e, 3e and 4e DnD. An interesting and fun game that is easy to learn.
5 out of 5 rating for 13th Age Core Book
13th Age is a wonderfully imaginative rules-lite fantasy roleplaying game that focuses on world-building, character development, and fast, fun gameplay rather than rules and restrictions. Characters can be made in a matter of minutes, yet they are developed throughout a campaign. Encounters can be designed nearly as quickly and combat is fast and fluid thanks to innovations like abstract ranges, triggered d20 abilities, and the Escalation Die. If you want less rules arguments and more fun in your gaming then this should be your fantasy roleplaying game of choice!
13th Age is a wonderfully imaginative rules-lite fantasy roleplaying game that focuses on world-building, character development, and fast, fun gameplay rather than rules and restrictions. Characters can be made in a matter of minutes, yet they are developed throughout a campaign. Encounters can be designed nearly as quickly and combat is fast and fluid thanks to innovations like abstract ranges, triggered d20 abilities, and the Escalation Die. If you want less rules arguments and more fun in your gaming then this should be your fantasy roleplaying game of choice!
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