WFRP 4th Edition - How the game has evolved.

[thullgrim]

I have to agree with everything @TheSword has said. I really like WHFRP 4e, as does everyone in my group not exclusively interested in power fantasy. I love that randomly generating characters is awarded with bonus XP. I didn't have personal advantage but next time I run it will definitely be with the new rules. I have. but have not read Winds of Magic yet. My player who was running a wizards encountered several of the early difficulties with the magic system and I'm glad to see the changes.

The new Enemy Within books, while not perfect, are very good, and each Companion adds a bunch of lore to the world as well, for instance the Enemy in Shadows Companion has a bunch of information about Road Wardens, Death on the Reik Companion includes river lore, and information about river trading, and sub-systems to support should you want to.

The starter set is an absolute gold mine of playable material, would highly recommend it if you just want to dip your toe in.

 

[TheSword]

I agree, Warhammer mages feel notably more flavourful than their D&D counterparts. And I always had a soft spot for dwarves with mohawks and big axes (a while ago, I read some of the Gotrek and Felix books again). After reading the WFRP 4e core rules, though, I felt that it is overcomplicating things compared to 2e (for which I still have the books). I appreciate that Cubicle 7 are also putting out a number of shorter adventures, though, so maybe at some point I will need to give it another look and check out the books you discussed.
Do you also plan to talk about Sea of Claws and the Lustria book here?

Ubersreik Adventures 1 and 2 are frankly brilliant. Such good ideas well executed. For a group only willing to ply 5e D&D I would heavily recommend converting them.

Spoiler: Some brief themes of UA 1 & 2

A released monster causes a whole village to go frenzied by its chaotic warble. Can the party save the villagers before they do themselves and each other a damage.

PCs are trapped in a tenement by a Cordon Sanitaire and have to discover the cause of a virulent disease within.

One of a group rebels barricaded in an impregnable tower is shot through a window that has no overlook. Nobody trusts anyone else but the assassin poses a risk to every notable in the city

A package containing illegal and rare necromantic components is handed by courier to one of the character. Who sent them and why.

A rich merchant family’s servants are being killed off one by one and the PCs are asked to help.

Bounty Hunters bait a Herbalist known to work with wizards to capture a psychotic witch hunter. PCs get caught in the middle.

Someone is going round murdering priests and people of faith in the city - a murder mystery

Dwarves are trying to gather an expedition to a long lost hold but can the parties be trust.

The adventures are intense, short, and fascinating

Ubersreik Adventures 3 is coming out imminently and I can’t wait.

 

[TheSword]

I agree, Warhammer mages feel notably more flavourful than their D&D counterparts. And I always had a soft spot for dwarves with mohawks and big axes (a while ago, I read some of the Gotrek and Felix books again). After reading the WFRP 4e core rules, though, I felt that it is overcomplicating things compared to 2e (for which I still have the books). I appreciate that Cubicle 7 are also putting out a number of shorter adventures, though, so maybe at some point I will need to give it another look and check out the books you discussed.
Do you also plan to talk about Sea of Claws and the Lustria book here?

Sure thing. It just takes a while to check to check the books and summarize. I’ll probably do the three Archives of the Empire books and then move onto Sea of Claws and Lustria. I know they are working on a book for rogues next similar to the magic and martial books.

 

[thullgrim]

If your looking for a one shot tester I'd highly recommend Night of Blood. It's a classic.

 

[Retreater]

Not gonna lie. All the changes seem very intimidating - on top of a system that was already borderline too crunchy for me. I don't deny that these might be improving the game, but jeez, it's a lot.

 

[TheSword]

Not gonna lie. All the changes seem very intimidating - on top of a system that was already borderline too crunchy for me. I don't deny that these might be improving the game, but jeez, it's a lot.

I’m just summarizing what option in the book.

Adopt group advantage
Use the simplified shield rule
Use the new channelling rule to make it simpler and more effective
Allow wizards to have staffs and robes

Everything else is a Brucey Bonus. These aren’t new rules they’re just adaptions of the existing rules that make the game run smoother. The rest can be looked at when you’re more comfortable.

 

[schneeland]

Sure thing. It just takes a while to check to check the books and summarize. I’ll probably do the three Archives of the Empire books and then move onto Sea of Claws and Lustria. I know they are working on a book for rogues next similar to the magic and martial books.

Sounds good! Also, no need to rush. For me, playing in the Old World again is more of a long-term goal.
My tentative plan was to run a few of the official WFPR 4e adventures with Warlock! rules. However, for me, Warlock's magic system lacks the flavour of the original rules. So I will either have to hack something myself (or hope someone has done it in the meantime) or see the official rules can be streamlined enough using options from the additional material that using them becomes an option (the common ground among the people I play with is to use mid-crunch systems).

 

[Aellic Mornbringer]

Do you also plan to talk about Sea of Claws and the Lustria book here?

These both sound pretty interesting and I've been debating whether to grab the pdfs or go in for the hard covers.

 

[Aellic Mornbringer]

After a- what- 20 year hiatus, I am going back to WFRP, so this is very helpful. I really like a lot of what 4E has put in place. I already have some of the Archives, so knowing a few other useful supplements is wonderful.

My first love was 1E, with its critical hit charts and impregnable dwarves, but it is a very particular sort of game (where you win a barfight and still die of fantasy tetanus three days later). I love if for nostalgia, but I think 4E is a very worthy successor.

I am going to be running the Enemy Within, beginning in the summer. The 4E editions of the campaign are gorgeous (and my original copy of 1E Warhammer Adventure is a little less than a scattered mess of yellow paper now) so I cannot wait to dive back in.

I was introduced to WFRP 1e with Shadows over Bogenhafen back when I was in the Army and have carried a soft spot for the game (and that campaign in particular) ever since.

Our 5E game had to go on hiatus and I found myself running the 4E Enemy Within for the group shortly thereafter. Our sessions have been sporadic so they've only made it about 2/3 of the way through the first module but everyone is having fun as we try to wrap our heads around the rules. A few comments and suggestions for the game:

1. If you're planning to play online, Foundry has been fantastic. The officially supported module content works great. I went in as a complete noob running an online game and while I still struggle, I've found it easier to pick up than some of the other VTTs.

Spoiler: Mentions plot details from [I]Shadows over Bogenhafen[/I]

2. This blogger, Gideon, has some great thoughts around enhancing the game. I borrowed a few of them (chiefly the runaway teen whose dark visions have been drawing her to Bogenhafen.)

The one bummer is the player whose character resembles Kastor Lieberung had to leave the game so I'm slow-walking any plot developments on that arc until I figure out what to do.

All that said, I have no doubt you'll have a blast!

 

[Aellic Mornbringer]

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There have been a lot of changes with WFRP 4th edition since it was released three years ago. Mainly through optional rules release in compilation supplements similar to Tasha’s and Xanathar’s. I’ve been asked what changes have been made. So I thought it was worth summarizing here in a few posts. There’s lots of good stuff and the game is really evolving well. Happy to answer any questions.

Thanks for this great thread so far! I definitely need to pick up Winds of Magic as I've found magic in 4E to definitely be a weak point.