WFRP 1e: What's the best stuff?

[buzz]

Recently I've had an itch to re-acquire at least the main rulebook for WFRP 1e. I sold my copy decades ago.

Amazon seems to have "like new" copies of the Hogshead edition for pretty cheap. I've heard that edition is "revised"; is that the best one to buy, or should I seek out one of the original GW editions?

Also, assuming my interest does not wane, what are the best supplements produced for WFRP 1e? Which ones would you consider essential?

 

[Minicol]

Hiya,

I played it a lot back in the day.

Well, IMO, nothing beats the Enemey Within campaign. Not even after all those years, the intrigue was really great, and even if some of the mechanics have aged a bit, the basic narrative is really great.

I can still remember my players confusion when playing "Power behind the Throne" and all that ensued.

If only I had more cash at the time and been able to buy it all .....

 

[pogre]

The Hogshead edition is the same as the original 1e. The main difference is that they had to scan the pages because the original layouts were lost.

The Enemy Within and Shadows Over Bogenhafen is a great adventure.

There really are no "essential" supplements. I'm a big fan of the Middenheim book, but it is certainly not necessary.

 

[buzz]

The Hogshead edition is the same as the original 1e. The main difference is that they had to scan the pages because the original layouts were lost.

Are there any issues with the scans in terms of legibility or print quality?

 

[deinol]

I know one of the last books to come out before 2E was the long awaited "Realms of Sorcery" supplement. It is a great book if you can find it. Other than that, find a copy of the Enemy Within campaign. It is the best "Adventure Path" I've ever GM'd.

 

[pogre]

Are there any issues with the scans in terms of legibility or print quality?

Not at all. I have copies of both. The Hogshead art is slightly less crisp, but it is a very readable and usable book.

 

[Eccles]

Another vote for The Enemy Within (confusingly the first module is also called 'The Enemy Within', and is frequently sold as part of a book with the second part, 'Shadows over Bogenhafen'.

The campaign now has 2 end modules - the published one is very fight-y and involves a crusade over the hills and far away smashing stuff. There is also a fan-written affair with a lot more politics and a lot more based within the Empire.

I've had the privilege of running both, and I think I preferred running the fan written version. Which will probably be a lot easier to lay your hands on!

As for add ons... The Realms of Chaos: The Lost and the Damned is a hugely entertaining book, though utterly optional it has d1000 tables for comedy mutational effects.

All my WFRP books are up in the loft, and I can't remember the book which has a bunch of extra loot tables in it - which are pretty helpful as the loot in the original rulebook is OK, but won't last forever...

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Again, The Enemy Within campaign is great. I love Shadows Over Bogenhafen and most especially loved the reaction when things went horribly, moon mutatingly, demon releasingly wrong.

The Auld Grump

 

[Neonchameleon]

I'd get a copy of the 2e WFRP book. And use it for the magic system; 1e WFRP magic is carefully doled out by the spell point* - 2e is a random and haphazard thing that can and will blow up in your face - a far better fit for the setting.

* And let's not get into Light spell abuse and the like.

 

[Super Pony]

There really wasn't that much proliferation of material in 1e, so the essentials mentioned above are solid choices. I'd also suggest tracking down a copy of the boxed set of Death on the Reik (part of the Enemy Within Campaign) as it absolutely rocked pants off at 1000yds. The Marienburg: Sold Down the River supplement was good stuff too. In general the Flame vs Hogshead Press material is interchangeable but Hogshead packaged some things together that were found separate through Flame (or vice versa...can't remember atm).

Fan material is still readily available largely for free. Such as it is, Mad Alfred Nunez's 1st edition content is worth looking over (the above mentioned fan-authored final chapter of Enemy Within was his work). If you can track down some back-issues of Warpstone lurking in a game store corner you should pick up a few of those as well.