Warhammer FRP 1e vs 2e

[Flexor the Mighty!]

What are the major mechanical differences? How many books do I need to buy to get a playable game with Monsters and such? I'm seeing the core book plus the beastery on Amazon for 46 dollars and free shipping. Will that cover me? How has the background changed since 1e, major diffs only. RyanD's review didn't do much to let me know these things from what I read. Gimme the lowdown if you please.

Thanks!

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

I can't help you on the mechanical differences, I've only been introduced with this version.

But the bestiary in the core book is pretty short. You'll really need the Old World Bestiary to round out a much fuller selection. The core book gives you the Brute, Sneak and Chief careers. The creatures it gives are Beastmen, Daemon Imps, Goblins, Lesser Daemon, Mutants, Orcs, Skaven, Skeleton, Wight, and Zombie. Common animals include Bears, Destriers, Dogs, Light Warhorses, Ponies, Ravens, Riding Horses, Wardogs, and Wolves. Common NPCs include Bandits, Beggars, Blacksmiths, Footpads, Gamblers, Pickpockets, Proprietors, Rakes, Sell-swords, Town Guards, and Wreckers.

That's all.

The Old World Bestiary covers the new careers of Apprentice Shaman, Shaman, and Shaman Lord. We get the creatures of Banshees, Beastmen (bestigors, centigors, gors, and ungors and brays), Chaos Dwarfs (and bull centaurs), Chaos Marauders, Chaos Warrios, Daemons (bloodletters of Khorne, chaos furies, daemonettes of Slaanesh, horrors of Tzeentch, plaguebearers of Nurgle), Dire Wolves, Dragons, Dragon Ogres, Dryads, Elven Corsairs, Fenbeasts, Ghouls, Giants, Giant Rats, Giant Spiders, Giant Wolves, Goblins and Night Goblins, Great Eagles, Griffons, Harpies, Hippogriffs, Hobgoblins, Hydras, Manticores, Minotaurs, Mummies, Mutants, Ogres, Orcs (black orcs, common orcs, savage orcs), Pegasi, Rat Ogres, Skaven (clanrats, clan Eshin Night Runners, clan Moulder Packmasters, clan Pestilens Plague Monks, clan Skryre Skirmishers), Skeletons, Squigs, Snotlings, Spirits (ghosts, poltergeists, spectres), Treemen, Trolls (common trolls, chaos trolls, river trolls, stone trolls), Unicorns, Vampire Bats, Vampires (blood dragon vampires, carstein vampires, lahmian vampires, necrarch vampires, strigoi vampires) Warhawks, Werecreatures (were, child of Ulric), Wights, Wild Boars, Wraiths, Wyverns, and Zombies.

Plus these mounts, Chaos Steeds, Daemonic Mounts, Destriers, Elven Steeds, Light Warhorses, Nightmares, Ponies, Riding Horses.

Plus these additional animals not covered in the core rulebook, Prey Animals, Small Raptors, and Snakes.

 

[Bobitron]

I really think all you need to run an adventure set in an urban area, with PC-type races as the main antagonists, can be found int he core book. It's pretty complete.

I have played the new edition, but I'll admit it has been sooooo long since I played first ed that I don't really remember the differences.

 

[pogre]

2E is set a 100 years or so after 1E IIRC. The war with chaos has happened and the Empire is trying to recover.

Mechanically there are several subtle differences. Generally, 100 XP buys you a 5% bump instead of a 10% bump. The game uses all 10-sided dice so combat is slightly deadlier in some ways - it has also helped fix the so-called naked dwarf syndrome. The magic system is where the most radical change is evident - it is a change for the better. I was a hardcore WFRP guy for 10 years and I think the new edition is a solid improvement.

You can run the game with just the core book and the bestiary. I won't lie - they are juicing the rules a little to squeeze some bucks out of you. The Bestiary and the equipment book could have been in the main core book, but they wanted to keep it to 256 pages. On the plus side there is a steady stream of WFRP stuff coming down the line - something old WFRP fans are not accustom to!

You can certainly run a very good game with just the core book, but I would pick up the bestiary and equipment book too (its name escapes me right now).

 

[Hand of Evil]

Balance and magic, the changes in the XP system and moving to a unified d10 dice address the issues with balance. Magic system was reworked, it is sweet and simple. The core book and the Old World Beastry are reall all you need. There are some sites you may also want to check out.

See: http://www.blackindustries.com/default.asp?range=wfrp&template=news

 

[JoeGKushner]

The core book is a tad light. It's like they took the core book and made three books out of it in terms of content.

Mechanically? The base careers are all a little more equal. Not saying that they're all equal, but there were some stupid discrpencies in power in 1st edition in terms of total skills and potential stat raises.

The races have been balanced somewhat also. Once again, it's not a 100% thing like Hero or GURPS or even D&D, but it's more balanced than 1st ed.

The core book has some detail on the setting, but you'll want to pick up Heirs of Sigmar.

Plundered Vaults is a nice, but expensive collection of short adventurers. I'd get that and the screen before getting Ashes of Middenheim, which I thought was expensive and not so nice.

The monster book is part fiction, part game book and does a good job of bringing various points of views about specific monsters to the game.

 

[MonsterMash]

A comparative review is online at RPG.net, which covers things in a fair bit of detail.

 

[Breakdaddy]

Plundered Vaults is a nice, but expensive collection of short adventurers. I'd get that and the screen before getting Ashes of Middenheim, which I thought was expensive and not so nice.

I havent picked up Ashes but I do have Plundered Vaults and agree that its nice. It can be had on the cheap at walmarts web site or overstock as well. I am running my guys through "For Love or Money" (from PV) right now.

 

[Breakdaddy]

My opinion on what is needed to play the game is the Core Book and the Bestiary. I have the Old World Armoury as well, but, while it adds flavor and helps flesh out the Old World feel a bit, it is unnecessary to enjoy the game in its full splendour.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Thanks for the replies. Balance isn't a big factor for me but there were a few things. Is STR still the same? 2 is normal, 3 is strong, 4 is ogre STR, etc? I never liked the small range of values for that stat. The base stat format is the same though correct?

But for the cost I think I'll have to pick it up, if only for reading material.

What do you mean the war with Chaos is over? Isn't Chaos still infecting and creeping deeper and deeper into the world every day?