Iron Kingdoms Core Rules
Gundark
Explorer
3 out of 5 rating for Iron Kingdoms Core Rules
They took the table top wargame and tried to shoe horn it into an rpg. In some places the game works well (character creation) in other places the game is clunky and rough around the edges(combat facing and length of combat). Spells are all combat all the time, zero utility magic. This game felt like their main target group was the table top wargame crowd and it shows. Really needed some more time in development and it needed to adopt less of it's wargame focus.
Not a bad game, fun and playable. There are some irritating rough edges that needed smoothing.
They took the table top wargame and tried to shoe horn it into an rpg. In some places the game works well (character creation) in other places the game is clunky and rough around the edges(combat facing and length of combat). Spells are all combat all the time, zero utility magic. This game felt like their main target group was the table top wargame crowd and it shows. Really needed some more time in development and it needed to adopt less of it's wargame focus.
Not a bad game, fun and playable. There are some irritating rough edges that needed smoothing.
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Kettlebriar
Original Old School Gamer
5 out of 5 rating for Iron Kingdoms Core Rules
The Iron Kingdoms d20 setting for D&D is one that i have loved for years, though I never really played their HORDE and WAR MACHINE miniatures war games much. Privateer Press has taken their gritty sorcery and steam setting and revamped it to be used with their own rules set. Though a RPG, the new game still boasts some elements of what feels to be a board game, similar to what Wizards did with 4th Edition D&D. This does not make it a bad thing at all. Rules like these just are my preferred cup of tea, but unlike other reviewers when they encounter something different, i'm not going to trash it. The game uses rules similar to those they created for WAR MACHINE and HORDE. What i like about Iron Kingdoms is the great writing that brings to life this flavorful setting. It doesnt allow itself to get bogged down in a bunch of rules, its more about the story...which is how it should be. You shouldnt need 27 rule books to play a game. And unlike the d20 version, they finally added rules for using Steamjacks in the game. The production value of the hardback core book is solid and the layout works well and the artwork is top notch. (There is only an 8 page bestiary of monster towards the back of the book but their MONSTERNOMICON which just came out is one of the best creature filled tomes ever produced.)
The Iron Kingdoms d20 setting for D&D is one that i have loved for years, though I never really played their HORDE and WAR MACHINE miniatures war games much. Privateer Press has taken their gritty sorcery and steam setting and revamped it to be used with their own rules set. Though a RPG, the new game still boasts some elements of what feels to be a board game, similar to what Wizards did with 4th Edition D&D. This does not make it a bad thing at all. Rules like these just are my preferred cup of tea, but unlike other reviewers when they encounter something different, i'm not going to trash it. The game uses rules similar to those they created for WAR MACHINE and HORDE. What i like about Iron Kingdoms is the great writing that brings to life this flavorful setting. It doesnt allow itself to get bogged down in a bunch of rules, its more about the story...which is how it should be. You shouldnt need 27 rule books to play a game. And unlike the d20 version, they finally added rules for using Steamjacks in the game. The production value of the hardback core book is solid and the layout works well and the artwork is top notch. (There is only an 8 page bestiary of monster towards the back of the book but their MONSTERNOMICON which just came out is one of the best creature filled tomes ever produced.)
SavageCole
Punk Rock Warlord
4 out of 5 rating for Iron Kingdoms Core Rules
Iron Kingdoms is very good game to have in your library and to play from time-to-time. It's born of and mechanically similar to Warmachine/Hordes, which is generally a plus. The combat is swift and grand, and the tabletop maps provide a tabletop visual that is meaningful. It feels like a wargame where you control a single piece in cooperation with a team of others. The character generation system and options is a lot of fun, and the world is absurdly rich. The setting alone is reason enough to buy the book. The flaw in the game is that it's social mechanics are sadly lacking and vague. If you want more than set piece battles, you're moving out of the sweet spot of this game. It can be done by a clever GM, but the system is not built to do it well.
Iron Kingdoms is very good game to have in your library and to play from time-to-time. It's born of and mechanically similar to Warmachine/Hordes, which is generally a plus. The combat is swift and grand, and the tabletop maps provide a tabletop visual that is meaningful. It feels like a wargame where you control a single piece in cooperation with a team of others. The character generation system and options is a lot of fun, and the world is absurdly rich. The setting alone is reason enough to buy the book. The flaw in the game is that it's social mechanics are sadly lacking and vague. If you want more than set piece battles, you're moving out of the sweet spot of this game. It can be done by a clever GM, but the system is not built to do it well.
DJINNIMAN
First Post
4 out of 5 rating for Iron Kingdoms Core Rules
I enjoy the setting of Privateer Press' Warmachine and Hordes tabletop miniatures game, so the Iron Kingdoms RPG was naturally of interest to me. The setting is incredibly rich and detailed, with lots of lore and fluff available. The rules themselves are complimentary to the tabletop game, though of course somewhat different. Players pick two careers, so all classes are mix and match, and there are dozens of options, which I really like. However, I feel like the rules are a bit cumbersome, especially compared to more lean fare like, say, D&D 5th Edition. Still, a great game and I have enjoyed my time playing it.
I enjoy the setting of Privateer Press' Warmachine and Hordes tabletop miniatures game, so the Iron Kingdoms RPG was naturally of interest to me. The setting is incredibly rich and detailed, with lots of lore and fluff available. The rules themselves are complimentary to the tabletop game, though of course somewhat different. Players pick two careers, so all classes are mix and match, and there are dozens of options, which I really like. However, I feel like the rules are a bit cumbersome, especially compared to more lean fare like, say, D&D 5th Edition. Still, a great game and I have enjoyed my time playing it.
Alphastream
Adventurer
2 out of 5 rating for Iron Kingdoms Core Rules
This is a really beautiful book and overall it is a fun game. However, the game seemed to our group to suffer from insufficient playtesting and poor mechanical design. Character options often had traps, obviously stronger options, and dead ends. For example, a rogue might think they have four feats to choose from, but even a cursory look shows two are fairly similar but one is far superior. One of the other two might be a trap. In the end, you find you don't really have options and the characters become predictable. We had mixed results in our game. While some combats were fun, others had monsters that only some PCs could fight. The players could not do anything of note all combat long. Several monsters caused this. We also found the rules were unnecessarily (for us) reflective of minis play - such as facing rules and needing to guess whether a foe was in range or not before casting a spell (and then measuring). In the end, it was a fun diversion but not worthy of our shelf.
This is a really beautiful book and overall it is a fun game. However, the game seemed to our group to suffer from insufficient playtesting and poor mechanical design. Character options often had traps, obviously stronger options, and dead ends. For example, a rogue might think they have four feats to choose from, but even a cursory look shows two are fairly similar but one is far superior. One of the other two might be a trap. In the end, you find you don't really have options and the characters become predictable. We had mixed results in our game. While some combats were fun, others had monsters that only some PCs could fight. The players could not do anything of note all combat long. Several monsters caused this. We also found the rules were unnecessarily (for us) reflective of minis play - such as facing rules and needing to guess whether a foe was in range or not before casting a spell (and then measuring). In the end, it was a fun diversion but not worthy of our shelf.
Lwaxy
Cute but dangerous
2 out of 5 rating for Iron Kingdoms Core Rules
It is a good attempt, but the combination of table top wargame and RPG doesn't do ustice to either IMHO. If you loved the old, real RPG, you will most likely be disappointed, and if you are into table top battles you'll most likely find the rules unsatisfying.
It is a good attempt, but the combination of table top wargame and RPG doesn't do ustice to either IMHO. If you loved the old, real RPG, you will most likely be disappointed, and if you are into table top battles you'll most likely find the rules unsatisfying.
4 out of 5 rating for Iron Kingdoms Core Rules
Iron Kingdoms is a world overflowing with lore that feels different from a lot of other stuff out there. The game has merit based on said lore alone but we are treated to a set of mechanics that are equally fun to play around with. Keep in mind that that this is a system based on a wargaming platform so things are going to be tactical based in combat and you will need minis. A key feature I enjoy is a leveling system that allows for customization but rarely makes you choose between a utility skill or a combat focused one. A few flaws lie with things like dealing with facing in the game and making certain playable features largely impossible to attain due to in game cost (Warjacks are awesome but you'll probably never afford one!)One of my favorite Tactical RPGs!
Iron Kingdoms is a world overflowing with lore that feels different from a lot of other stuff out there. The game has merit based on said lore alone but we are treated to a set of mechanics that are equally fun to play around with. Keep in mind that that this is a system based on a wargaming platform so things are going to be tactical based in combat and you will need minis. A key feature I enjoy is a leveling system that allows for customization but rarely makes you choose between a utility skill or a combat focused one. A few flaws lie with things like dealing with facing in the game and making certain playable features largely impossible to attain due to in game cost (Warjacks are awesome but you'll probably never afford one!)One of my favorite Tactical RPGs!
imredave
Explorer
4 out of 5 rating for Iron Kingdoms Core Rules
[FONT="]Iron Kingdoms roleplaying has leapt out from behind my computer to grab my attention. Even middleweight grognards should remember [/FONT]Privateer Press[FONT="]' early start in the d20 era with the [/FONT]Witchfire[FONT="] trilogy, although their current [/FONT]Warmachine[FONT="] miniature game greatly out shadows that earlier effort. You should also remember their Iron Kingdoms Full Metal Fantasy d20 based [/FONT]Character[FONT="] and [/FONT]World[FONT="] guide, this review is not about that game. Late October of 2012 I picked up the lasted roleplaying offering titled [/FONT]"Iron Kingdoms Full Metal Fantasy Roleplaying Game: Core Rules[FONT="]. On examining it, it became quite clear it represents a clean break with the d20 past, and a switch to a 2d6 system closer to the Warmachine system. once I recovered from the shock of it not being d20 (like the old Iron Kingdom books I have and kind of liked) I think got a reasonable value. Lack of a good monster manual in the back may limit its game play, until an adequate monster manual appears. The artwork is nice although some of it is recycled from those older books. I think the rules are a better "fit" with the Warmachine/Hordes miniatures rules than the "old d20", although an explicit explanation of how to move between this and those systems is lacking. A bit more crunch than I like to see in rules, and a character system which is overly "straightjacketed" turned me off a bit. The fact that it is 2d6 based will make harder to steal from for my d20 games. However, the game looks very playable, and the "straightjacket" character system allows for generation of a complex character quickly. Overall, I give it 3.5/5 stars.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Iron Kingdoms roleplaying has leapt out from behind my computer to grab my attention. Even middleweight grognards should remember [/FONT]Privateer Press[FONT="]' early start in the d20 era with the [/FONT]Witchfire[FONT="] trilogy, although their current [/FONT]Warmachine[FONT="] miniature game greatly out shadows that earlier effort. You should also remember their Iron Kingdoms Full Metal Fantasy d20 based [/FONT]Character[FONT="] and [/FONT]World[FONT="] guide, this review is not about that game. Late October of 2012 I picked up the lasted roleplaying offering titled [/FONT]"Iron Kingdoms Full Metal Fantasy Roleplaying Game: Core Rules[FONT="]. On examining it, it became quite clear it represents a clean break with the d20 past, and a switch to a 2d6 system closer to the Warmachine system. once I recovered from the shock of it not being d20 (like the old Iron Kingdom books I have and kind of liked) I think got a reasonable value. Lack of a good monster manual in the back may limit its game play, until an adequate monster manual appears. The artwork is nice although some of it is recycled from those older books. I think the rules are a better "fit" with the Warmachine/Hordes miniatures rules than the "old d20", although an explicit explanation of how to move between this and those systems is lacking. A bit more crunch than I like to see in rules, and a character system which is overly "straightjacketed" turned me off a bit. The fact that it is 2d6 based will make harder to steal from for my d20 games. However, the game looks very playable, and the "straightjacket" character system allows for generation of a complex character quickly. Overall, I give it 3.5/5 stars.[/FONT]
