Zweihander Revised Core Rulebook- a read-through

[Some Dude]

CHAPTER 4: PROFESSIONS


The next 115-ish pages are devoted to Professions. At the end of the last chapter, we were instructed to "build our Professions." This is achieved by Spending RP, or Reward Points. As I noted earlier, RP are the "XP" of Zweihander, and thus are given out not only at Character creation, but after each gaming sesh. RP are not given out for killing monsters or amassing wealth, but for roleplaying, especially where one's Alignments are concerned (that's why they're called RP). as well as simple survival. The book says that 50 to 100 RP will be given out each session. To start with, each player gets 1000 with which to build their Profession.


RPs are spent on what are known in game terms as Advances. Advances will be purchased at Character creation, and again as your Character grows and changes.There are four types of Advances, and each one makes your character better at something. They are:


-Professional Traits: Each Profession has only one. It is a required purchase, and takes 100 RP right off the top.


-Skill Ranks: Each Skill has three ranks: Apprentice, Journeyman and Master. Your first level in a Skill puts you at Apprentice, and so on.


-Bonus Advances: these add to the various Attribute Bonuses.


-Talents: these will expand how a skill may be used, or provide other benefits or options.


Then we get a description of Tiers, or Zweihander's Character Advancement system. There are three Tiers in the game, and should your Character survive, they will rise through all three.


Characters start in the Basic Tier, then move into the Intermediate Tier, and finally, into the Advanced Tier. Each Tier has a list of Advances that must be purchased with RP before you can move to the next.


Advances cost 100 RP each in Basic Tier , 200 in Intermediate, and 300 in Advanced. Certain factors may change this. For example, your Upbringing will allow you to purchase Focuses in related to a specific Attribute at a reduced RP cost. In Gühm's case, his Reverent Upbringing means that he can purchase Focuses in Willpower-related Skills for 50 RP, instead of the normal cost.


In Basic Tier Character Creation, you buy your Professional Trait, pick an "Iconic" piece of equipment, called a "Trapping", and then spend your remaining 900 RP. When deciding how to spend your RP, you turn to the page which has the description of your profession. It has a description of that Profession, along with its Professional Trait, as well as Special Traits, Drawbacks and required Advances. These required Advances take the form of: 10 skill ranks (so, ranks in 10 different predetermined Skills), 7 Bonus Advances, and 3 Talents. Once you have purchased the required Advances, you can move to the Intermediate Tier.


Each Profession has a list of Required Advances. To wit: 10 Skill Ranks, 7 Bonus Advances, and 3 Talents, each predetermined by that particular Profession. Once you have completed the Required Advances, you are ready to move into a different Tier, and therefore, into a different Profession. Your new Profession must be within the same Archetype. You will retain your old Professional Traits, Special Traits, etc., and then move into a new Profession. You will buy any new Professional Traits and fulfill your new Profession's Required Advances (at increased cost in RP) before moving to the Advanced Tier.


There is a concept of "Unique Advances", which allow you to purchase Focuses and Talents not normally available to you. Focuses are perks that can be purchased for certain skills. Focuses allow you to use ignore the negative effects of Peril, provided you are using a Skill in a way that Ties it to that Focus. You may purchase a Focus (or more than one) if you have any Skill Ranks in its related Skill. You may Purchase a number of Fouses equal to your Intelligence Bonus. Other Unique Advances are Languages, and Magick Spells for those Characters whose Profession allows for their use. Purchasing of Unique Advances is always done at the GM's discretion, and are subject to certain limitations.


There are also Expert Professions, which you may move into for either your Basic or Intermediate Tier. But these have prerequisites in terms of Skills and /or Traits. It is notd that it may be necessary, if the GM allows it, to make use of Unique Advances in order to go into one of these professions.


I'm going to briefly grumble again about the less-than-clear presentation of the rules. It's not incomprehensible, but thank God for the active Discord community for the game, because I'm a lot clearer on some of these concepts than I would have been if I was just relying on the book. I don't want to dwell on this, and I want to make it clear that I like the rules, vibe, art, physical presentation, Hell, just about everything else about Zweihander so far. I just think it could have used an editiorial scalpel chainsaw flamethrower (joke stolen from @BigJackBrass with apologies). Especially since this is , what, the third revision now? And it really sucks to say this, I feel like a dick, but I usually don't have this much trouble parsing RPG rules. I'm no Genius, but I can tie my shoes. Worst of all, this is also rather inconsistent, with some chapters so far being much better than others. It's possible that my lack of familiarity with WFRP is part of the issue. Did the author and other contributors have such familiarity with WFRP that they were unable to write from the perspective of a WFRP noob? Or am I just thick? /rant.


Next, we get into the descriptions of the Professions, followed by the descriptions of the Expert Professions. And here, Chapter 4 takes a sharp right turn back into being well laid out and easy to follow. The entry for each Profession features an illustration (Dejan Mandic's art is fantastic here and throughout, really a standout feature that works well with the flavor text to set a palpable mood), a paragraph or two about the Profession and lists the Professional Traits, Special Traits, Drawbacks and required Advances. The stumbling blocks of the first few pages of Chapter 4 are gone, and this book shines again.


Each Profession, its advantages and its requirements are clearly described and beautifully presented. Not only is each Profession described in such a way that I could see the fun in playing nearly any of them, but everything is made crystal clear.


I have seen much made by both proponents and detractors of Zweihander's touted "bounded accuracy" model, but it suits me fine. A lot of work and playtesting has gone into the game, and it shows. I'll know how it plays soon enough, which may expose strengths and weaknesses of the system, as it usually does. So, I'm hoping that Zweihander is as cool at the table as it looks on the page. I haven't gotten to the combat yet, we'll see if my current impressions of "medium crunch, looks like a fun system" hold. I'll let ya know.


There are also a ton of Easter egg-type puns, nods, references and jokes in Chapter 4, and throughout the book. Too many to list here. Besides, finding them for yourself is half or more of the fun. I really enjoyed these. I also think it's funny when rappers name-check Patrick Swayze (it's happened more than once), so YMMV.


Getting back to Gühm, I have decided to spend his remaining 900 RP thusly:


- 1 Skill Rank each in Eavesdrop Scrutinize, Education, Gamble, Char, and Rumor.


- All 3 of the Courtier Talents (Holdout, Silver Tongue, Forked Tongue).



CHAPTER 5: SKILLS


This chapter alphabetically lists all of the Skills (duh). But first, there is a discussion of the three possible Skill Ranks in each (Apprentice, Journeyman, Master). There is a re-statement of the differences between Common and Special Skills (given first in Chapter 2). We are likewise reminded of the link between Skills and Primary Attributes, and of how Focuses work.


The best part of the chapter on Skills, is that each is fully described, and also features an example of what Difficulty Rating might be set for each Skill Test under different circumstances (again, from -30% to +30%, in increments of ten, so 7 possible Difficulty Ratings overall), which gives a nice general baseline for these largely GM-arbitrated numbers. I really appreciate having examples like these.


The illustrations throughout the book are specific to certain situations or concepts being discussed. A nice touch.


CHAPTER 6: TALENTS


Next, we get a chapter which lists all of the Talents. As previously mentioned, these are innate abilities. There are over 70 of them, and their effects vary wildly. Unless specified otherwise, Talents can be used freely in combat without spending any Action Points ( a mechanic to be explained later, I presume?).


If it seems like I've given these last two chapters short shrift, I haven't. But they are what they are: lists and descriptions of Skills and Talents. They are also, I want to point out, clear, concise, and useful. Plus, they have the same great presentation and emerging sense of humor as the rest of the book. Pop culture references ahoy!


Well, that's all for now. I'll be doing "Chapter 7: Trappings" next. That includes everything from weapons large and small, to food and lodging, to livestock and real estate. Plus, a deeper dive into Zweihander's Encumbrance system. This next one will be both rules-based (as in the first few chapters) and descriptive (as in Chapters 5&6). See you soon!

 

[Some Dude]

CHAPTERS 5 & 6 REVISITED


I stated earlier that Chapters 5 & 6 were basically lists, and that's true, but it also omits a lot that begs better explaining on my part.


Chapter 5: Skills is more than a "list" of skills. It begins with an explanation of the Skills, and how each one corresponds to one of the Character's Primary Traits. Then it goes on to discuss the Skill Ranks. Each Rank (Apprentice, Journeyman, Master) confers a cumulative +10% Base Chance of Success, up to a maximum of 30%.


The difference between Common Skills and Special Skills is reiterated, basically, that Special Skills must be "Flipped to Fail" if used by a Character with no Skill Ranks. Common Skills carry no such penalty, defaulting instead to a Base Chance equal to that Skill's related Primary Attribute.


Special Skills are marked on the Character Sheet with an asterisk. The Zweihander Character Sheet is one of those sheets that has all of the possible Skills listed. They are next to the associated Attribute.


Sidebar: Zweihander has a 4-page character sheet. It will track pretty much everything about your Character, including every step of their advancement and step-by-step progression through the Tiers.


Then we talk again about Focuses. To recap, Focuses are specialized uses of a Skill, or, as the book deescribes it, a "particular knack". Focuses allow you to ignore any penalities you currently suffer from Peril, as long as you use the Skill on a very particular, narrow, one might even say... focused manner.


A character may have a total number of Focuses equal to his Intelligence Bonus.


Unlike the complete and cohesive Skill descriptions, the Focuses are given one or two word descriptions, but the are all really self-explanatory, and nothing further is really needed. For example, the Skill "Eavesdrop" has as its Focuses Lip Reading, Listen In, Sign Language, Ventriloquism, "Leadership" has Incite Rebellion, Military Command, Spiritual Leadership, and Stewardship.


And then, we get the actual listed entries for each Skill. Each is listed, with its related Primary Attribute in parentheses. There are detailed explanations of each, and sample Difficulty Ratings, each with an illustration of that Skill's use. For example, the entry for the Skill, "Guile" lists the following Difficulty Ratings:


-(Trivial +30%) Bluster and blather your way out of responsibility


-(Easy +20%) Use innuendo to imply one thing while saying another


-(Routine +10%) Engage in wordplay with another to appear smarter


-(Standard +/-0%) Blend into the crowd to look innocuous and harmless


-(Challenging -10%) Bluff your way into a garden party hosted by the elite


-(Hard -20%) Understand Thieves' Cant without a Skill Rank


-(Arduous -30%) Appear innocent in front of a Withch Hunter or Inquisitor


Here again, the illustrations correspond directly to an adjacent bit of text. A nice bit of detail, in a book filled to the brim with it.


The Chapter on Skills is fifteen pages long overall.


Chapter 6: Talents starts, as all Chapters of Zweihander, with a full-page illustration that is relevant to the ensuing Chapter. In terms of painting a picture, setting a mood, this is one of the best RPG books I have ever seen. In the early D&D books, the art, by Jeff Dee, Erol Otus, Bill Willingham and others (Easley is technically brilliant, better even than the artists I just listed, but not nearly as evocative in my opinion) informed my internal vision of D&D in a way that persists to this day,. Similarly, there is a palpable tone, and a semse of place in Zweihander. No mean feat for a game that has had to dance around the setting (and the IP) of the game that was its admitted inspiration.


Talents, it is explained, are different from Skils in the following ways:


-Skills are innate, Talents are "knacks" within a Skill that allow you to take particular advantage of that Skill. Talents act as "riders" to the actions a Character takes during play. But what does this all mean during play?


Well, each Talent adds some advantage or benefit. For example,


APPALLING MIEN

People are disturbed by your presence, as you invoke apprehension and fear in those around you.

Effect: When you succeed at an Intimidate Test against one foe, they cannot attack you until they succeed at a Resolve Test. However, if you or one of your allies harm them in any way, they immediately shake off this effect.


GANGSTER GRIP

"Step off, knave. If you tryin' to plough with me, my blunderbuss go bang!"

Effect: When you make an Attack Action with a weapon possessing the Gunpowder Quality, you inflict an additional 1d6 Fury Die to Damage.


And so on. As in Chapter 4: Professions, this Chapter is filled with jokes and pop-culture references. This may or may not be to everyone's taste, but I find it amusing. I have read that this was a feature off WFRP as well, although that game's humor was rooted in the Britain of the late 80s, and its socio-political climate. Zweihander's humor seems to be more a product of the internet age, all sly pop-culture references and Easter Eggs. Which is funny, given some of the complaining I've seen about the game's (and its author's) political stances. But the humor on display here is not really topical. I'm not saying that's good or bad, it's just an observation.


The Chapter on Talents is around 5 pages or so.


Okay, well, 200 or so pages in so far. I'm gonna cut it off here, but I am still reading and writing, and hope to recap Chapter 7 tonight.


I'd also like to mention that there is a Quick-Start rules PDF available from drivethrurpg, for anyone wanting to read along at home. I've actually been finding it useful, since flipping through this damn near 700 pager is a beyatch. When I was given my copy, I was also sent 4 bookmarks, which have turned out to be goddamn lifesavers.


Alright, I hope that now I've done justice to the last couple of Chapters. Talk to y'all in a few, in the next post, which'll be...



CHAPTER 7: TRAPPINGS

 

[Some Dude]

CHAPTER 7: TRAPPINGS

In Zweihander's 7th Chapter, much is discussed. First off, we get a basic rundown of Zweihander's in-game economy. To wit, there are three denominations of coin:

-brass pennies, or bp (there are 12 to a silver shilling)

-silver shillings, or ss (there are 20 to a gold crown)

-gold crowns, or gc (1=20 ss, or 240 bp)

Not the simple base 10 system many are used to, but easy enough, and imparts a certain flavor appropriate to the theme of the game.

It is then explained that in a dangerous world such as that of the Zweihander, trading is common, as it is safer to carry goods than coin, and goods may be garder to steal/sell due to their bulk and the challenges of finding a buyer. While goods and services are usually traded evenly, certain social, political or other conditions may affect this. So, there are ways Characters can "bring out number weight & measure in a year of dearth". So, Haggling, Trading and other types of commerce have mechanics to govern them. This is a good thing, because the way it's handled it feels like a part of the game, yet it is distinct without being a "mini-game" that takes you outside of the regular rules.These may or may not see use, depending on what type of campaign is being run. But, they are here for any who might want them, another example of the completeness of this book.

There are lists of wages for various work, and the normal price of various services.

Then we get into Weapons, and how they are differentiated. I find the way Weapons are handled in Zweihander to be very clever. It adds a level of detail to remember, but the payoff is well worth the little bit of added complexity, and it's much more flavorful than simply saying "X weapon does d6 damage, Y weapon does d4".

Okay, first off, Weapons are divided into 2 initial categories: Melee and Ranged. Self-explanatory to anyone who's played and RPG, right? Then, each of these categories is divided again, into Simple Weapons and Martial Weapons. Simple weapons are things that most people in the game world will be able to use: either common weapons, or tools that can also be used as weapons if necessary. Simple Melee Weapons include the Threshing Flail, Bullwhip, Woodsman's Axe, Improvised Weapons, even Torches. Martial Melee Weapons are more military type weapons, for which one need be trained, including many types of Swords, Maces, Pole-arms and the like. Simple Ranged Weapons include the Hunting Bow, Light Crossbow, Shepherd's Sling, and even the Blunderbus. Martial Ranged Weapons are an array of deadly and/or precise types of Guns and Bows.

Simple Weapons Skills are Common Skills, meaning anyone can attempt them, even without Skill Ranks. Martial Weapons Skills are Special Skills, meaning that if you attempt to use them without Skill Ranks, you will Flip To Fail (see Chapter 2: How To Play), or reverse the tens and ones dice, taking the worst of the two results.

Next, we learn how Weapons' Damage is differentiated. Basically, each time you score a successful hit on an opponent in Combat, you will add a relevant Attribute Bonus to a Fury Die ("exploding"D6- see Chapter 2: How To Play). The Attribute Bonus you use depends on what Weapon you are using, though there can be other factors. So, essentially, all Weapons do the same damage. But... each weapon has one or more "Qualities", which affect the way the Weapon behaves. Sometimes, Qualities will affect the amount of damage that is, or can be, dealt. Sometimes, a Quality will determine which Attribute Bonus you will use to calculate Damage. Some Qualities are beneficial to the Wielder, and some are not. And Weapons will often have more than one quality, so, a faster Weapon might be weaker in terms of Damage. Or, a Gunpowder Weapon cannot be Dodged or Parried, but can explode, harming the Wielder. A few examples:

-Fiery: This quality of weapon may set one or more targets on fore with a successful attack.

--Reach: Allows you to attack foes that are too far away to be attacked by shorter weapons.

-Slow: Whenever you strike an opponent with a Slow Weapon, they have a +10% Base Chance to Dodge or Parry.

-Weak: Cannot inflict the most severe levels of Injury.

There are 24 distinct Weapon Qualities (Entangling, Repeating, Shrapnel, etc.), so as you might imagine, the possibilities are plentiful.

There are four Weapon tables, one for each category (Simple Melee, Martial Melee, Simple Ranged, Martial Ranged). Each lists the Load time (if any), Handling (one- or two-handed), effective Distance, Type (Bladed, Brawling, Crushing, Gunpowder, and Missile - these are usually referred to by a Character's Talents or Traits), Encumbrance Value (see Chapter 3: Character Creation) and Price. And, of course, there are descriptions of each Weapon and its possible effect.

Armor is discussed here. Armor adds to your Character's Damage Threshold Modifier (see Chapter 3: Character Creation). There are 8 types, from Clothing to Full Plate. As with Weapons, Armor has Qualities that have in-game effects. As do Shields, which do not add to your Damage Threshold Modifier. Instead, a Shield confers other benefits, like a better Base Chance to Parry, dealing additional Damage, or even being able to Parry a ranged Weapon. Shields also get a table, listing Handling, Qualities, Encumbrance Value and Price.

A sidebar explains Zweihander's Encumbrance system, which is abstract and simple, while maintaining a nice internal logic.

Weapons, Armor and Shields are each given an Encumbrance Value between 0 and 7. Larger items can have a range of 1-100, but most of those are probably not intended to be carried. Rather than list each and every item in excruciating detail, Zweihander instructs you to assign one point of Encumbrance Value for every 9 small items on your Character's person, rounded down. Again, this system is simple, sensible, and I like it.

There are Statistics for, and descriptions of, a few "War Machines", siege engines designed to break a fortification's defenses. It is noted that this type of play is uncommon, but statistics are given anyway, perhaps as one of many nods to Zweihander's roots. As with any weapons, War Machines have Qualities, Types and Load Times. Ammunition is priced here as well.

There follows 7 pages of pricing for everything from Animals & Vehicles, to Commodities, to Housing & Property, Medicine, even Black Market Goods. These pages are concise, yet comprehensive. There is a bit of a detailed explanation about the various types of light sources and their respective costs in this section, and though relatively small, it helps to set the tone of the game in a big way. This is important. Lighting in an age without electricity can be both expensive and uncommon. It's a small but nice touch.

Chapter 7 closes with a page on Crafting. Crafting can be done by anyone with an appropriate Focus in the Tradecraft Skill (and there are many such Focuses). Well, that and the necessary time, material and facilities. There is a nice, simple yet substantial feeling to a mechanic for reducing the cost of your raw material. It is similar to the Haggling rules. I haven't discussed those yet, but I'll end this post by describing them briefly.

For Haggling, Selling Scavenged Goods, or reducing the cost of materials used in Crafting, you must first succeed at a relevant Skill Test. Having done that, you multiply one of your Attribute Bonuses (Fellowship for Haggling/Selling Scavenged Goods, Willpower for Crafting) by three, and the resulting number will be used to determine your benefit in each situation.

Okay, that's it for Chapter 7. It was concise yet comprehensive, and explained much. This is one of the parts of the book where the author nailed it. I know I've harped on the writing a bit (and may again), so this chapter was a breath of fresh air.

Next time, I'll cover Chapter 8: Combat. It's only about 15 pages or so. But I have a feeling that, like Chapter 7, those pages will be packing a lot of info.

See you then!

 

[Some Dude]

CHAPTER 8: COMBAT


Alright, bring on the blood, piss and naughty word we were promised in the introduction! It's time to talk combat!


This chapter explains Zweihander combat, its mechanics as well as its overall tone. That is to say, fast, brutal and unforgiving. We are warned that combat will test not only our characters' bodies and will, but their very spirit and sanity.


Combat is the beating heart of many a system, and can make or break a game. How does Zweihander measure up? Let's see.


First of all, we are given a list of relevant combat terms. This list has four terms:


-Turns: a measure of time in combat. Roughly ten seconds. Interestingly, there is no turn/round structure here. Once everyone has taken their combat turn, that same sequence is repeated until combat has ended. Time during Combat is called Structured Time, a term to be fully described in Chapter 11: Game Mastery.


-Actions In Combat: whatever you do during a Combat Turn, if it is potentially consequential, is an Action. PCs and NPCs haver access to the same range of Combat Actions.


-The Initiative Ladder: the order in which players take turns in combat. Players roll 1d10 and add their Initiative score from their Character sheet. Highest goes first.


-Fury Dice: the basic Damage roll for every weapon in the game. Remember: a Weapon's Damage is equal to the relevant Attribute Bonus +1d6 Fury Dice (remember, 6s roll over and add). Certain Weapon Qualities and/or other effects may increase the number of Fury Dice you roll when you make a successful Attack.


The book now reminds us that despite certain Actions in Combat having fixed Difficulty Ratings, the GM is the final arbiter in any situation, whether it is covered by the rules, or is a special case.


Of note here, is that throughout, players are encouraged to discuss matters with the GM, and to come to mutual decisions on many matters. Despite the statement above, Zweihander seems to value player agency more than many games of its type, especially OSR-type games.


COMBAT OVERVIEW


Combat in Zweihanderhas three Steps:


Step 1: Surprise Turn (where applicable)

Step 2: Initiative Ladder

Step 3:Take Turns


But before these steps are explained further, there is an admonition to always be roleplaying, even during combat. There is also a list of Conditional Effects In Combat, or conditions/states of being that combatants may find themselves in, They include:


-Blinded: cannot use Counterspell, Dodge or Parry

-Choked: Cannot use any Action in Combat, except to use a Resist Action to Escape

-Defenseless: Cannot use any Reactions whatsoever

-Disarmed: Lose Weapon from primary hand to 3 yards away, cannot use hand until next Turn

-Helpless: Cannot use any Reactions whatsoever, and may be Slain! with a Successful Attack

-Inspired: Temporary +1 to Damage and Pril Thresholds (until the end of current Combat)

-Intimidated: Reverse of the above

-Knocked Out: unconscious, i.e., Helpless until awakened

-Prone: Down but not out, however, you suffer an additional Fury Die every time you take Damage

-Stunned: Begin Turn with one less AP

-Surprised: See description of Surprise effects below


Step 1: In Zweihander, the GM alone decides whether the characters (or their foes) are Surprised. Anyone who successfully Surprises an opponent gains the following advantages:


Surprised PCs/NPS are Defenseless.


Any PCs/NPCs who successfully Surprise their opponents get a full Turn, called a Surprise Turn, in which to act before their foes. Any successful Attacks made by a Character who gains the advantage of Surprise will add an additional 1d6 Fury Dice to Damage dealt by that Attack.


Step 2: Initiative is as described above. In the event of a tie, highest Perception Bonus goes first. If this is also a tie, the concerned parties roll Initiative again.


Note: the Initiative Ladder is to be kept in plain view of all players, although the GM may opt to obfuscate the identities of some parties or even events. Random or Environmental Events that may affect Combat or those in it can generate Initiative by having the GM roll 2d10+2 for fires, explosions, dams bursting, bridges collapsing, or just about anything else that can be thought of!


Any party who enters the fray after Initiative has been rolled can simply roll Initiative and be added to the Initiative Ladder at such time as their characters become involved in the Combat.


Step 3: Each Turn, every Character has 3 Action Points, or APs, to spend. This will determine how many Actions they may take each Turn. There are five types of Actions, each having a cost of 1-3 APs. You can spend all of your APs on your turn, or you may hild.some back, to be used in reaction to other characters' actions. Any APs not spent at the start of your next turn are lost.


The Actions your Character will spend APs to take are:


-Movement Actions, divided into Charge, Get Up, Hustle, Maneuver, Run, and Take Cover. Some of these, like Charge (2AP), will add a Fury Die to your Damage from a subsequent Attack. Some, like Get Up, Run, or Take Cover, will allow you to move in certain ways, but can also open you up to an Opportunity Attack, which is a free (0 AP) Attack on someone who is moving out of an Engagement (I.e., moving away from someone they are actively fighting with). Run, for example, allows you to move at three times your Movement in yards, while gaining 3 Damage Threshold, but opens you up to an Opportunity Attack if you are moving out of an Engagement.


Zweihander's attention to balance of play is evident here, as the benefits of each type of Action are offset by its cost in APs. I like appreciate the almost tactical play style that is encouraged by such rules. We are also reminded here not to forget that Traits and Talents act as "riders" to Skills (which will come into play often as we take Actions), altering or increasing their effects.


-Attack Actions: Called Shot, Cast Magick, Melee Attack, or Ranged Attack. Melee and Ranged cost 1 AP, Called Shot costs 2, but cannot be Dodged or Parried, and Magick Varies. Ranged Attacks cannot be made while Engaged (e.g., toe-to-toe and fighting), unless the attacker is using a Weapon with the Gunpowder Quality.


There are a list of effects for various conditions in Combat, such as Attacking Larger Foes, Attacking Helpless Foes, Mounted Combat, and the like. And again, we see Zweihander utilizing small variances, or combinations of them, to provide quite a variance of effects while at the same time not wandering too far from simplicity and efficient abstraction. This game's strategy comes not from being painstakingly simulationist, but from a few simple rules whose application manages to be surprisingly deep yet manageable. That "Sweet spot" I mentioned? This is pretty much it for me. The Combat Actions all fit on one page. Easy to refer to, or just straight up remember.


Note: Characters may only make ONE Attack Action per Turn. This is true whether an attempted Attack is successful or not.


-Perilous Stunts: Each of these costs 1 AP. These include Chokehold, Dirty Tricks, Disarm, Knockout, Splinter Shield, Stunning Blow and Takedown. Each of these costs 1 AP, and requires a successful Skill Test in order to burden your opponent with some complication or hindrance. In each case, your foe must then make a successful Skill Test to avoid said complication. Dirty Tricks, for instance, will Blind an opponent for a turn ("Pocket sand!"). As with Attack Actions, only one Perilous Stunt may be attempted per turn.


-Special Actions: 0 to 2 AP. These include Channel Power (this can lower the Difficulty Rating imposed by the GM as you gather all of your Magickal energies to aid your spellcasting), Inspiring Words (a "pep talk" that gives allies a temporary boost to Damage and Peril Thresholds), Litany of Hatred (the reverse of Inspiring Words, an attempt to Intimidate or "face" your opponents that will leave them with lowered Damage and Peril Thresholds should you make a successful Intimidate Test), Load (as in your Weapon), Subdue, Take Aim (increase chance to hit at the cost of 1 or 2 AP) and Wait (hold APs for use lower down the Initiative Ladder). Special Actions generally confer some benefit to other Actions.


-Reactions: 0/1AP. These include Assist (another's Action), Counterspell, Dodge, Opportunity Attack, Parry and Resist. These are Actions which you can take during other players' turns.


Next, we get a detailed walkthrough of Using Attack Actions. There are seven steps to this process:


-Step 1: Which Weapon?

-Step 2: Total Chance For Success

-Step 3: Make The Attack

-Step 4: Enemy Defends

-Step 5: Roll Damage

-Step 6: Determine Damage Condition

-Step 7: Determine Injury.


Which Weapon? gives a recap of the various Weapon Types. It also delves into handedness. Any Character who uses a Weapon in his "off" hand must Flip to Fail. There is an Ambidextrous Trait which will negate this.


Ranges are also discussed, as well as the penalties for using Ranged Weapons at distance. Distances are Short, Medium and Long, in ascending order of Difficulty Rating. At ranges greater than Long, no Fury Die is added to the Weapon's Damage, and in any event, the Range may not exceed four times the SHort Range listed for that Weapon. Again, we see simple, sensible abstraction that provides challenge without undue complication. I like it.


Total Chance For Success restates the rules for determining one's Base Chance of Success, with or without complications (in the form of ignored Skill Ranks) from Peril. Once this is tallied, the GM assigns a Difficulty Rating (which, you'll remember, is the "point of no return" for players- no backing out now), and the Total Chance For Success, or target number the player must roll under is set.


Make The Attack tells us to roll a number equal to the Total Chance For Success or less. Remember: if your tens and ones dice have the same number, that's either a Critical Success or a Critical Failure. Some Attacks allow an attacker to trigger a special effect when a Critical Success is rolled. If the Action being attempted is an Attack Action or a Perilous Stunt, the target is left Defenseless, as described above.


A Critical Failure rolled while attempting an Attack Action or Perilous Stunt will result in the acting Character taking an automatic 2d10+2 Physical Peril (Peril will be described in greater detail in Chapter 9: Hazards And Healing).


Enemy Defends details how a defender may Dodge Ranged Weapons or Parry Melee Weapons, and explains how the GM may determine a Difficulty Rating for these tests by taking into account the relative size of the weapons involved in an Attack and Parry.


Roll Damage instructs the reader to apply (usually but not always) the attacker's Combat Bonus+1d6 Fury Dice (and any other Damage factors determined by Weapon Qualities, Traits, etc.) as Damage in the event of a Successful Attack. Unlike Perilous Stunts, Attacks cannot be Resisted, they must be Dodged or Parried. The amount of Damage inflicted is compared to the Character's Damage Threshold. In the case of Guhm, his Damage Threshold is 5 (equal to his his Brawn Bonus of 5- if he were wearing armor, it would increase thisnumber), extrapolated to determine the Damage Condition Track:


Less than 5: Unharmed

5: Lightly Wounded

11: Moderately Wounded

17: Seriously Wounded

23: Grievously Wounded

Slain!


Eschewing the familiar "hit point" model of Character Injury and Death, Zweihander instead uses a Damage Condition Track, which works as follows:


If a Character takes Damage in excess of his Damage Threshold , they move one step "Down" on the Damage Condition Track, that is to say, from Unharmed and towards Slain! If a Character takes Damage in excess of their Damage Threshold +6, they move two steps down, and so on. Therefore, if Guhm were already Seriously Wounded, and sustained 9 points of Damage from a new Attack, he would move 1 step Down to Grievously Wounded. And if he had taken 14 points of Damage from that same attack, he would have moved two steps down, being immediately Slain! Likewise, any time a Character suffers Damage greater than their Base Damage Threshold + 18, they are instantly Slain!


In addition, whenever a Character moves DOWN the Damage Condition Track to Moderately Wounded or below, they must roll to see if they sustain an Injury. Roll a 1d6 Chaos Die, if it comes up 6, you are possibly Injured, and must roll d100 against an Injury Table. There are three Injury tables (Moderate, Serious, Grievous), each with 12 possible results, including Fortune's Mercy! (no injury). Some Talents, Traits or Weapon Qualities will make injuries more or less severe. Each Injury has a specific penalty or restriction. Some may be permanent or have permanent effects. All will require time and medical attention to heal. No napping to relieve stab wounds in Zweihander!


Note: Fate Points, determined in Chapter 3, can be used to ignore any 1 injury, or save your Character from being Slain! Once a Fate Point is used, it is gone forever. Your Character can earn more, as outlined in Chapter 3, but it is a long slow slog and far from a given. Use fate points wisely!


Another wordabout Injuries: whenever an unarmored Character sustains an Injury, they start to Bleed. While Bleeding, Characters cannot move UP their Damage OR Peril Condition Tracks. If Bleeding continues for a number of Turns greater than your Brawn Bonus, you are Slain!


Final thoughts on Zweihander's combat: it looks fun and quite manageable, without sacrificing variance or granularity, no mean feat. In addition, although there are several options for Actions (Combat and otherwise), terms such as Charge, Chokehold, Ranged Attack, Subdue, and Dodge are intuitive. Even new players should be able to navigate the Combat system by referencing the one page of Actions.


As I said previously, I hope to get this to the table soon, to see if it is as smooth and fun in play as it looks on paper.


As with the Chapter 7: Trappings, this section of the book gets it right, striking a nice balance between being colorful and concise. The confusion of the first few Chapters is starting to make way for a better. more streamlined presentation of the game's systems, and that's a good thing. Overall, Chapter 8 gets high marks from me.


Stay tuned, there are 5 more Chapters to go! We're not even halfway there!


NEXT UP:

CHAPTER 9: HAZARDS & HEALING

 

[Some Dude]

CHAPTER 9: HAZARDS & HEALING

[Note: after the pleasant, sensible structure of Chapter 8, Chapter 9 gets right back up to its old tricks, with a jumbled presentation that is a bit aggravating and difficult to follow. Not impossible, but definitely not easy. I like this game, I really do. But, man, oh man. I'm not trying to rip on the author here. In his defense, I might not be that bright. Plus, I've heard him own his lack of writing experience in interviews. But, dude.]

Zweihander's 9th Chapter goes into further detail about various ways that your Zweihander character can get hurt, get ill, or die. Outside of Combat, I mean. Fires, natural disasters, diseases of all kinds, stress, even mental or physical fatigue are things that can weaken and destroy your adventurer. And all of that is discussed here, as well as what may (or in some cases, may not) be done to recover from such conditions.

Firstly, it is noted that your Character may suffer Damage from hazards such as those mentioned above. In many of those cases, such Damage may not be Dodged or Parried. There is a re-stating of the Damage Condition Track and how it works.

In Chapter 3: Character Creation, we calculated Guhm's Peril Threshold by adding 3 to his Willpower Bonus, then extrapolating that number in a manner identical to the Damage Condition Track (e.g., +6,/+12/+18) to map out his Peril Condition Track. So, a Character who suffers in excess of their Base Peril Threshold, but less than their Base Peril Threshold +6, would move one Step Down the Peril Condition Track. Suffering Peril in excess of your Peril Threshold +6, but less than your Peril Threshold +12 would move you two Steps Down, and so on.

In addition to physical Damage or Injury, certain occurrences may also impart Peril.

A Character's Peril Condition Track has the same number of steps as the Damage Condition Track. Its function is differently, however. Whereas the Damage Condition Track lets us know how wounded our Character may be, their Peril Condition Track lets us know how hungry, tired, frightened or frazzled they are.

While Peril will not directly kill a Character, Characters who move far enough down the Peril Condition Track will start to ignore Skill Ranks, that is to say, the Bonuses inferred by them:

-When you have moved 2 steps down the Track, you ignore 1 Skill Level. So, if you had 2 Skill Ranks in Intimidate, for example, you would effectively only have one (so you'd only add 10% to Intimidate Tests, instead of your usual 20%).

-When you have moved 3 steps Down the Track, you ignore 2 Skill Ranks.

-When you have moved 4 steps Down the Track, you ignore 3 Skill Ranks.

-When you have moved 5 steps Down the Track, you are Incapacitated! Unable to do anything but curl into a ball and suck your thumb, until such time as you have moved UP the Peril Condition Track, which is achieved either through rest in a safe place ,or, temporarily, the ingestion of certain drugs. Characters who become Incapacitated! cannot succeed at any Skill Tests, and immediately suffer 6 Corruption (see Chapter 3: Character Creation)! Note: Characters who must rest, but are forced to do so in an unsafe place, will not fully recover from all of their Peril until they are able to recover in safety for a while.

Peril can be suffered as the result of many things, from starvation to sleep deprivation to disease. Peril may be either Physical or Mental, but as far as I can tell, this only matters when you are "getting" the Peril. Certain Drugs or Traits may allow you to ignore Peril of one type or another. But once it goes on your Peril Condition Track, it's all the same. When suffering Peril, however, it's always in some combination of d10 rolls plus a number equal to the number of d10s rolled, e.g., 1d10+1, 2d10+2, etc.

This Chapter also explains how to overcome and heal Damage and Injuries, both in the short and long terms. The importance of this should be obvious, as Damage and/or injuries can kill your Character, or may leave them with permanent or disfiguring injuries.

Unlike Peril, Damage Injuries can't be "slept off". Both must be treated. Magickal healing is rare in Zweihander, which aims more toward the dark, painful and unsanitary conditions of the middle ages than the gleaming spires of Tolkien's Middle-Earth.

Characters can Bind their Wounds in order to move up the Damage Condition Track. This may be done by performing a Successful Heal Test, the Difficulty Rating of which will be determined by the Character's current position on the Damage Condition Track. This requires the possession and subsequent expenditure of a bandage each time. Characters may only move one step Up the Track every 24 hours, unless the Heal Test is a Critical Success, in which case, they will move 2 Steps Up. Should the Healing Test fail, the Character will not be able to be thus treated again until a Successful Heal Test is made. A Critical Failure indicates that the Character's Recovery has been complicated by an Infection. Also, if a Character has suffered a Grievous Injury, their wounds may not be bound until said Injury is treated. Which brings me to my next point:

The Treatment of Injuries that may be sustained during Combat or by other means is separate and distinct from the Treatment of Damage, as the two are separate but related concepts in Zweihander. While Wounds, i.e., steps on your Damage Condition Track, can be treated away bit by bit, day by day, Injuries require time and attention of a different sort.

Any Injury that is Moderate or Lower on the Track will earn you some Corruption. Moderate= 3 Corruption, Serious =6, and Grievous =9.

Injuries can be Recuperated from slowly, at a rate determined by rolling a number of d10s according to the severity of the Injuries in question. This will take anywhere from a couple of days to a month, and there may still be permanent Damage! In any event, Moderate and Serious Injuries must be Successfully Treated in order for Recuperation to begin. Failure means a delay in Recuperation until Successful Treatment is achieved. Critical Successes will reduce the recovery time, and, as above, Critical Failure means Infection. Infection will begin the slow loss of a Character's vitality (in the form of permanent Attribute loss), but there is also a (characteristically risky) treatment for Infection- Bloodletting.

The method to stop bleeding, a hazard mentioned in the previous Chapter, is given.

If you have multiple Injuries, each is given its own Recuperation time, to run concurrently.

Greivous Injuries will require surgery before any Recuperation can begin. This must be done within a number of days no greater than your Brawn Bonus, or the effects of the Injur(ies)y will be permanent!

Binding of Wounds, Treatment of Injuries, Surgeries... all require a Successful Heal test. If you have multiple Injuries, these procedures will have a higher Difficulty Rating.

Laudanum may be used to move yourself one Step Up the Damage Condition Track, but you gain Corruption by doing so. Also, Laudanum will be injurious to you if you take too much.

Now that I've covered the "meat and potatoes" of Damage and Peril, as well as how to treat these conditions, it's time to delve into the rest of the Chapter. This chapter is another example of the "more is more" ethos of Zweihander, an in this way, it really works for me. Chapter 9 details, in an efficient yet sufficiently detailed way, all of the various ways in which Zweihander Characters can suffer & die. Disease, Falling, Frostbite/Heatstroke, Suffocation, Starvation, being set on fire, Drugs and Poisons (sometimes a substance is both), the list is fairly exhaustive. No one can deny the completeness of this book in terms of rules. The bases are covered, as far as bad naughty word that can happen to your Character during the course of an adventure or campaign.

-Disease is covered, first with a description of conditions in the world Zweihander seeks to emulate. A filthy world teeming with unsanitary conditions, parasites, diseased creatures and even supernatural afflictions.The various ways these can be spread are listed (Ingestion, Miasma, Touch, Wounding). Then, eight diseases are listed, according to the following format:

-Resist: When exposed to disease, your Character must make a Successful Toughness Test to avoid being infected. The Difficulty Rating for each disease is listed in its description. Critical Failure gets you a few points of Corruption, as well as the disease.

-Duration: How long you will be afflicted. Some illnesses will stay with you until you get treatment. Some will run their course and trouble you no further.

-Effect: exactly what it sounds like. What the disease does, and when it does it, in game terms.

-Treatment: The worldly methods by which you may be cured (Magickal remedies are covered in the next Chapter).

There are eight distinct diseases listed, each having a different effect, duration, and cure. This is the Zweihander approach in a nutshell, and it works very well for me. Rather than an encyclopedic and highly granular list of ailments, many of which may differ but slightly in a mechanical sense, a different and better system is used. Diseases are defined by four categories, and each differs enough that every disease is distinct. It is relatively small quantities, which are then mixed and matched to yield a great variety of choices/outcomes/whatever. I don't know if that makes any sense, but it's the same approach that has been used with Weapons, Professions and everything else I have seen in these pages so far. And it works.

Next, there is a section about Disorders and how to treat them. Disorders, if you'll remember, are gained by earning Chaos Ranks, through the accumulation of Corruption. Disorders are the consequence of bad behavior, even if it was behavior that was necessary for your survival. And they are nasty. There are several kinds of Disorders, and when you become so afflicted, your GM will decide which kind you suffer from. It can be anything, from an unyielding obsession for drink, to a darker compulsion, even some unnatural physical mutation! But, there are treatments, as detailed here. Dangerous Treatments, that may leave you dead or somehow diminished. Good Luck! Like the rest of this Chapter, the Treatment, and the circumstances for Failure of said Treatment, are clearly spelled out.

Then comes all of the environmental hazards mentioned above. While no game could ever hope to cover every situation, a really good job has been done here. Pretty much any situation you might find your character in should be covered here. Falling (eiter into a hard surface or into water), Fire (three different classifications!), weather, etc. Not stuff that's gonna happen every session, but a nice thing to have in your toolbox, just the same.

The next section covers Poisons, which have been divided into 3 types: Deliriants, Toxins and Venoms.

Deliriants are basically drugs that bestow temporary benefits, from the temporary increase of a Primary Attribute, to the temporary increase in one's ability to withstand Peril or Damage. But be warned, each dose will gain you Corruption. Likewise, one or more of your Attributes are likely to fail you while you are under the effect of Deliriants. That is to say, Failures will become Critical Failures while you are so impaired, and for every dose you take, more Attributes will be affected. Drugs are bad, mkay?

Toxins are mixtures that can cause Peril or limit the actions of any creature unfortunate enough to be dosed with one. These are likely to be used offensively. As with diseases, a Toughness Test is required to escape the effects. Critical Failure means that at the end of the Toxin's effect, the victim is Slain! Some Toxins work against animals, some against PC Ancestries, and some against the monsters and beasties that pose such grave danger to Characters.

Venom is divided into three very broad types: Scorpion (attacks sight), Snake (Incapacitated! and will die if not treated), and Spider (Paralyzes, and may instantly kill). These are the most deadly types of Poisons in the game. It's not nice to fool with Mother Nature!

Chapter 9 closes with a list of items, mixtures and materials which may be made by Characters possessing the proper Skills and Trappings. These include anything from the Bandages so necessary to much of this game's healing, to Bottle Bombs (a sort of Molotov cosktail), to Gunpowder, to Antivenoms, Tinctures, and even the Poisons we've just finished reading about earlier in this Chapter. Each can be prepared in quantitties of one to three uses. More uses = higher Difficulty Rating, and these vary from one item to the next. In addition, the time and materials needed to craft each item are listed, as well as the consequences of Failure (in Zweihander, there are always consequences). These entries may seem a little "same-ey" to some, but crafting 1-3 "uses" of something works just fine for me. The minutiae of crafting isn't really my thing, and the 3 use limit keeps Players from having an endless supply of stuff, which i suspect has as much to do with game balance as anything else.

Chapter 9 was jam-packed full of practical, usable stuff. The presentation was less than ideal, in my opinion, but at the end of the day, it's an incredible resource for your Zweihander game, and one that will keep you from having to adjudicate too much on the fly. Some stuff, like Deliriants are standard issue for many starting Archetypes, so it's good to have their effects at your fingertips. And despite the "lack of an implied setting", these rules help to flesh out the "Grim & Perilous" Zweihander milieu. In short, I give Chapter 9 a BIG thumbs up, venereal warts and all!

Well, we're 273 pages in (out of 669). There are 4 more Chapters left, and, as you may have guessed, they get longer from here on out. Prior to this, the longest Chapter was Chapter 4: Professions, at just over a hundred pages. Most have been much shorter. All but one of the last four Chapters will be at least as long. I think I just went down a couple of Steps on My Peril Condition Track!

Seriously, though, I'm looking forward to this. What I have read so far has been great, and I can't wait to see how the Chapter on Magick and the Bestiary flesh out this game's "not-setting" even further. I'll return as soon as I can, with an in-depth look at Magick, in the form of...

CHAPTER 10: GRIMOIRE

 

[Some Dude]

CHAPTER 10: GRIMOIRE (part one)


In this chapter, we learn all about Zweihander's Magick system. Such systems can make or break a game for many people.


So far, Zweihander has shown itself to be a game with moderate crunch, and a fairly intuitive, streamlined system. Let's see if this applies to the Magick system as well.


Chapter 10 begins, well, at the beginning, with an explanation of where Magick comes from in the Grim & Perilous world of Zweihander. You see, there isthe Material Realm, where your Zweihander Characters live and die. There is also the writhing, churning unfettered horror of the Abyss. And in between, there is the Aetherial Veil, a membrane comprised of kaleidoscopic energy and particles of Chaos itself. Now, I'm not completely clear on this (I tried. believe me), but I think that Aetherial Winds blow from the Abyss in 9 different directions. These winds are the very winds of Chaos, which, though indescribably dangerous, are largely dissipated by the Aetherial Veil. But, traces do remain. Invisible to all but a few, Unknown by most, these winds each have a different hue, that is7 visible only to those with Magickal sight, and each has a different kind of power, which may be wielded - with caution - by the brave or the insane. Indeed, those who manipulate the Aetherial winds may possess great power, but they must also pay a great price.


Magick in the world of Zweihander is not to be taken lightly. Each casting, even of the simplest and least powerful spell, can have unintended, even dangerous consequences for the caster. And even those who grow adept at manipulating the Aetherial Winds to their benefit, if they avoid immediate harm, are all but guaranteed a slow, creeping decline brught about by the forces they so foolishly sought to control.



INNER WORKINGS OF MAGICK


Much like in other fantasy RPGs, Magick in Zweihander is not merely the result of saying a few words. There are elements to spellcasting that are Verbal, Somatic and Material. So, as in other games, a spellcaster must have the ability to speak, gesticulate, see and you must have the necessary Reagents (Material components).


Spellcasters can wear armor, but only if it does not have the Heavy Quality.


Magick in Zweihander comes from one of two mutually exclusive traditions: Arcane Magick, practiced by Arcanists, and Divine Magick, granted by gods to their worshipers.


I neglected to mention earlier (well, actually, I didn't know) that during Character creation, if your Character can use Magick, they will have one of two Special Traits: Arcane Magick or Divine Magick. As stated above, these are mutually exclusive. Once you have had one of these, you may never have the other.


I also hadn't figured out how many spells a starting Character gets. Looking back on Chapter 4: Professions, it seems to work like this: When you roll a Magick-using Profession, you immediately gain three Generalist Spells (the simplest and lowest level, or "Principle", of Zweihander's Magick system). Later, if you move into another Magick-using profession, you gain another Generalist Spell. After that, you have to beg, borrow or steal your spells. More on that in a bit.



ARCANE MAGICK


Here we get a brief explanation of how Arcane Magick works. The Arcanist uses words, gestures and materials to "weave" tendrils of the nine Winds into a tapestry of Magick. Arcanists do not rely on the Gods to supply them with their power, they reach boldly, some would say impiously, into the very air around them to manipulate it with their own hands!


Arcanists record their spells in books, which must be jealously guarded against loss or theft.


Each of the nine Winds, or Arcana, is named, along with its color and a description of its particular sphere of influence. Unsettlingly, there is also a description of the physical and mental toll that the Wind takes on those who would seek to harness it. As I said before, Magick in Zweihander is both dangerous and unforgiving. The Arcana are:


-Arcana of Animism (Gevurah, the Brown Winds): concerns living things, i.e., creatures and animals, and their Magick potential.

-Arcana of Astromancy (Binah, the Blue Winds): Arcana of the stars and heavens.

-Arcana of Elementalism (Chesed, the Green Winds): power of earth, water, plants and weather.

-Arcana of Luminescence (Keter, the White Winds): Illumination, often confused for Divine Magick.

-Arcana of Morticism (Tifferet, the Purple Winds): communication with the dead, bringing them to rest.

-Arcana of Necromancy (Yesod, the Onyx Winds): raisers of the dead, dabllers in the darkest of energies.

-Arcana of Pyromancy (Hod, the Red Winds): powers of flame.

-Arcana of Shadowmancy (Netzach, the Grey Winds): invisibility, obfuscation, confusion.

-Arcana of Sorcery (also Yesod, see above): a blending of winds, most dangerous and vile.

-Arcana of Transmutation (Chokhmah, the Yellow Winds): alchemical Magick that seeks to transform.


There is a brief explanation of the two diametrically opposed energies that may underlie all magic, indeed, even all of creation. They are:


Malkuth, the Void: perhaps the birthplace of Yesod, it is all stillness, darkness, anathema to life itself.


Da-at, the Silver Winds: created by refracting the energy of the Void, this is Magick free of Corruption, but incomprehensibly difficult, which has been woven into perfect Order.


The section on Arcane Magick closes with an overview of how such Magick fits into society. And it doesn't, really, not in the lore of Zweihander (to the extent that it can be said to have lore). Magick is unpredictable and not trusted by many of the ignorant and superstitious people your Characters will encounter. Reactions to Magick will run the gamut, from misunderstanding to fear to downright hostility.


Some practitioners may find official Sanction for their wizardry. And they would be wise to do so. For not only will such sanction likely grant them access to resources that may make their studies safer, it will also keep them from meeting their end on the blade of an Inquisitor, or at the hands of an angry, fearful mob.


Overall, however, Magick-using characters are much rarer in Zweihander than in other games. And, given the inherent danger of spellcasting, there are probably going to be times when they will prefer to stick to more mundane methods of combat.



Okay, tha's it for now. I said I was gonna start breaking this up into pieces, and I meant it. I will also be starting new posts, or "continuing" previous posts in a new and different post, rather than editiing them, for clarity's sake.


Next, time, I hope to cover Divine Magick, and possibly even how spells are cast in game terms. See you then!


TO BE CONTINUED...

 

[Some Dude]

CHAPTER 10: GRIMOIRE (CONTINUED)


Whew, been a while. Thanks for waiting. When we left off, I had just scratched the surface of Chapter 10. We had gotten an overview of Magick, and an explanation of how Arcane Spellcasters use it to affect the world around them.


Next, we get a view of Divine Magick, the kind practiced by Priests, Shamans, and even Druids. Divine Magick springs from the same well as Arcane Magick, that is, the Aetherial Winds that blow from the Abyss across the Aetherial Veil. But unlike Arcane Magick, Divine Magick is granted to its practitioners by the Gods themselves.


Just as there are ten directions of the Aetherial Winds (not counting Malkiuth), there are ten dieties in the pantheon of Zweihander. Or at least in the core Rulebook. Briefly, they are:


The Crouching One: god of assassinations, blood and cruelty


The Custodian: lord of death, dreams and the afterlife


The Demiurge: hermaphroditic god of nature, animals, earth and fertility


The God-Emperor: the big one, lord of civilization, courage and humanity, ruler of even the other gods


The Learner: god of knowledge, justice and history


The Leviathan: goddess of the sea and storms


The Martyr: lady of healing, mercy and childbirth


The Nightfather: lord of good fortune and commerce, also patron of thieves


The Steward; god of soldiers, strategists and warfare


The Winter King: god of winter, wolves and battle


As with Arcane Magick, long-term practice may have physical and psychological effects. These do not seem to be as common in in Divine Magick as they are in Arcane Magick, however.


There follow a few paragraphs about Faith & Worship. We are told that each god has different ceremonies and customs. Where the God-Emperor's faithful adherents might gather weekly in large and ornate churches, followers of The Demiurge are more likely to be found gathering in forests during certain seasonal events.


There is a fine and often blurry line between superstition and religion in Zweihander, and the one hand often washed the other. In a world where literacy is not the norm, the common man will rely on signs, superstitions and customs to reinforce his religious beliefs, whereas the rich may read holy books or study religious languages. The lowly superstitions bind the poor to the more wealthy and learned gentry in a way that would not be likely without the common thread of religious belief.


The organization of religions in general are briefly covered. For example, some religions may have militant and scholarly branches in addition to clerical ones.


Here, too, we are made aware that any religion may be taken to dangerous and fanatical extremes, sometimes requiring an Inquisitor to quell zealotry that has become barbarous or perverted. Inquisitors will more often be needed to dispatch those who have cast their lot with demons or other abyssal creatures (for there are powers other than Aetherial Winds or even gods).


This section is a pretty good encapsulation of Zweihander's approach in a nutshell. There is an implied setting of sorts here, despite the author's claims to the contrary. And while the need to maintain a safe distance from the established IP of other games may be seen by some as a hindrance, I find it to be one of Zweihander's strengths.


There is an actual framework here. It is solid and substantial enough to build on, yet it has enough empty space that it allows, even invites, players and GMs alike to use it as a canvas upon which to leave their personal statement, without feeling as though anything is being controverted.


I find this to be a nice middle ground. It my not be to everyone's taste, however. I'm lazy, and I don't really like to do a ton of "world building". But I also like to be able to run adventures without having to read and absorb a ton of lore. Zweihander satisifies me on both counts. And unlike a lot of "setting neutral" games that give only the barest descriptions of the in-game world, Zweihander creates a fairly palpable and inhabitable setting. I would be just as comfortable running my own homebrews as I would using Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay adventures. In fact, I am currently adapting an adventure from the cult classic game Maelstrom (a game which has some similarity to the subsequently published WFRP).


Next, I will go over the rules for actually casting spells, and take a look at the actual spells themselves.


TO BE CONTINUED...

 

[Some Dude]

CHAPTER 10: GRIMOIRE (CONTINUED)


Whew, been a while. Thanks for waiting. When we left off, I had just scratched the surface of Chapter 10. We had gotten an overview of Magick, and an explanation of how Arcane Spellcasters use it to affect the world around them.


Next, we get a view of Divine Magick, the kind practiced by Priests, Shamans, and even Druids. Divine Magick springs from the same well as Arcane Magick, that is, the Aetherial Winds that blow from the Abyss across the Aetherial Veil. But unlike Arcane Magick, Divine Magick is granted to its practitioners by the Gods themselves.


Just as there are ten directions of the Aetherial Winds (not counting Malkiuth), there are ten dieties in the pantheon of Zweihander. Or at least in the core Rulebook. Briefly, they are:


The Crouching One: god of assassinations, blood and cruelty


The Custodian: lord of death, dreams and the afterlife


The Demiurge: hermaphroditic god of nature, animals, earth and fertility


The God-Emperor: the big one, lord of civilization, courage and humanity, ruler of even the other gods


The Learner: god of knowledge, justice and history


The Leviathan: goddess of the sea and storms


The Martyr: lady of healing, mercy and childbirth


The Nightfather: lord of good fortune and commerce, also patron of thieves


The Steward; god of soldiers, strategists and warfare


The Winter King: god of winter, wolves and battle


As with Arcane Magick, long-term practice may have physical and psychological effects. These do not seem to be as common in in Divine Magick as they are in Arcane Magick, however.


There follow a few paragraphs about Faith & Worship. We are told that each god has different ceremonies and customs. Where the God-Emperor's faithful adherents might gather weekly in large and ornate churches, followers of The Demiurge are more likely to be found gathering in forests during certain seasonal events.


There is a fine and often blurry line between superstition and religion in Zweihander, and the one hand often washed the other. In a world where literacy is not the norm, the common man will rely on signs, superstitions and customs to reinforce his religious beliefs, whereas the rich may read holy books or study religious languages. The lowly superstitions bind the poor to the more wealthy and learned gentry in a way that would not be likely without the common thread of religious belief.


The organization of religions in general are briefly covered. For example, some religions may have militant and scholarly branches in addition to clerical ones.


Here, too, we are made aware that any religion may be taken to dangerous and fanatical extremes, sometimes requiring an Inquisitor to quell zealotry that has become barbarous or perverted. Inquisitors will more often be needed to dispatch those who have cast their lot with demons or other abyssal creatures (for there are powers other than Aetherial Winds or even gods).


This section is a pretty good encapsulation of Zweihander's approach in a nutshell. There is an implied setting of sorts here, despite the author's claims to the contrary. And while the need to maintain a safe distance from the established IP of other games may be seen by some as a hindrance, I find it to be one of Zweihander's strengths.


There is an actual framework here. It is solid and substantial enough to build on, yet it has enough empty space that it allows, even invites, players and GMs alike to use it as a canvas upon which to leave their personal statement, without feeling as though anything is being controverted.


I find this to be a nice middle ground. It my not be to everyone's taste, however. I'm lazy, and I don't really like to do a ton of "world building". But I also like to be able to run adventures without having to read and absorb a ton of lore. Zweihander satisifies me on both counts. And unlike a lot of "setting neutral" games that give only the barest descriptions of the in-game world, Zweihander creates a fairly palpable and inhabitable setting. I would be just as comfortable running my own homebrews as I would using Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay adventures. In fact, I am currently adapting an adventure from the cult classic game Maelstrom (a game which has some similarity to the subsequently published WFRP).


Next, I will go over the rules for actually casting spells, and take a look at the actual spells themselves.


TO BE CONTINUED...

 

[Some Dude]

CHAPTER 10: GRIMOIRE (CONTINUED...AGAIN)


On to the Spells themselves. As stated previously, There are four Principles of Magick. in ascending levels of power, they are Generalist, Petty, Lesser and Greater. Generalist Spells are common to both Arcane and Divine Spellcasters, but above that, Spells diverge into Arcane and Divine Magicks (hereafter referred to as "Spells" and "Prayers", respectively).


A complete list of Spells and Prayers is neext, each following the same format, which is:


Distance: the effective range of your Magick. Ranges from "self" to "any one person you can see", for Generalist Magick, to "any person you can imagine, whom you have met and whose name you know" for Greater Magicks, and so on.


Reagents: the necessary physical components. Also tells if the Reagents are expended (used up) as thejresult of the casting).


Duration: How long it lasts, duh.


Effect: What it does under normal conditions if Success.


Critical Success: What it does when you Critically Succeed.


Critical Failure: a worst-case scenario. These effects vary, but none are good, and all are more than a minor inconvenience.


Generalist Spells are he first your Character will acquire. There are 24 of these in total. Their effects and usefulness vary, but make no mistake: Spellcasters start out stronger in Zweihander than they do in many other Fantasy RPGs.


A few of the Generalist Spells include:


-Aegis: a mystical wind protects you from attacks


-Bewitched: place a minor curse on an object


-Dispel Magick; u need dis


-Hat-Trick: literally pull creatures from a hat


-Magick Missile: ah, yes, the old Saturday Night Special of Magick


-Will O' The Wisp: Magickal lights that float according to the Caster's will


From here, we get into the Spells for each Arcana, or School of Arcane Magick. These are separated by the Arcana, rather than by Principle. So, each Arcana lists the Petty, Lesser and Greater Spells before moving to the next Arcana. There are only 9 spells listed for each: 3 Petty, 3 Lesser and 3 Greater. So, Spellcasters in Zweihander definitely don't have the range of Spells to choose from that wizards in other games do. I don't know if upcoming supplements will expand this or not. Overall, I don't mind it, I think there are plenty here, especially since they can be cast repeatedly. YMMV, however.


As the Spells increase in power, they increase in danger. A Greater Spell has a much higher penalty for Critical Failure than a Generalist Spell does. This is very much in keeping with Zweihander's stated goal of balanced playability.


Each Arcana informs the nature of the Spells available to its practitioners, of course. So the Arcana of Animism will have Spells related to nature, savagery and animals, while the Arcana of Pyromancy's Spells are related to flame and heat.


Divine Magick follows the same format, and has the same number of each Principle Spells available to those who follow a particular deity. As with Arcane Magick, each set of Prayers is related to the sphere of influence of one of the gods of the Zweihander world.


So, overall, there are a couple hundred Spells here, though it is highly unlikely that any Magick-using Character will ever have access to more than a dozen or so. Again, there are dark and dangerous things you can do to gain access to more, but that isn't a decision to be made lightly.


Other than fluff, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of difference between Arcane and Divine Magick. Not mechanically, as far as I can see.


Here, too, there are in-jokes and references galore.



...Running out of gas again, more to come! I had hoped to finish Chapter 10 with this post, but it looks like there'll be one more. 'Til next time...

 

[Some Dude]

CHAPTER 10: THE GRIMOIRE (CONTINUED YET AGAIN...)


A few more words about Spells Arcane and Divine: each list of spells, that is to say, each Arcana and each group of Prayers, can generally be expected to contain spells that are offensive, defensive, and "other". WHile each list of Spels/Prayers is centered around a certain Arcana or Diety, there is still variety, even with the relatively small number of spells available to each caster.


Next we come to the subject of Wytchstone. Wytchstone is a Magickal substance that has fallen to earth in a long ago cataclysm (meteor shower?). It is embedded in the earth in places. It has many strange qualities and powers. Which, in Zweihander, also means that it's pretty freaking dangerous. From what little I've read, this is analogous to something called "Warpstone" in WFRP. It is used in everything from Magickal charms, to medicines, to potent weapons.


Wytchstone is rare, unstable and unsafe. But if one is "lucky" enough to find it, and "brave" enough to handle it, it can be used in several ways, including:


"Essence" which, when inhaled, grants one a Critical Success to any one Incantation Test for 24 hours. Aaaaaaaaand you get 9 Corruption. Say no to drugs, kids!


"Pabacea", a disease-curing agent.


"Wytchfyre", incendiary ammo for Gunpowder Weapons.


"Elixirs", 25 different types, each posessing a different effect/benefit (or drawback, if you allow one to exceed its shelf life, it becomes "cursed").


Rules are given for crafting each of these, and follow the same general pattern as the Crafting rules from Chapter 7: Trappings.



Rituals are covered next, which make use of Wytchstone to marshall raw Magickal power. These are powerful, and can produce great Magick. Some may have more than one possible effect. But they also have negative consequences every time you perform them. The use of some rituals is even possible by those without inherent Magickal Skill. However, no one should attempt any Ritual unless they are swhatever they hope to gain is worth the certain negative Consequences they will suffer. Whether using "Blessed Sacrament" to Create Holy Water, or using "Call Demonic Servant", there is no such thing as a free lunch when it comes to Rituals.


Rituals follow the same game mechanics that are used throughout Zweihander. Each is listed in the book using the following format:


-Casting Time


-Reagents


-Conditions (which must be met prior to conducting the Ritual)


-Channel Power: This tells you what type of Magick the Ritual is treated as for purposes of determining Chaos Manifestations (i.e., Petty, Lesser, Greater)


-Difficulty Rating


-Consequences (the bad stuff)



Characters can Inscribe Magickal Runes, which can be done with (permanent) or without (temporary) the use of Wytchstone.Characters must have the Tradecraft Skill Focus of "Runesmith" to be able to do this at all. Learning new Runes follows a very similar path as that of Learning New Spells, and the descriptions of the various Runes likewise follows a similar format as the Spell Descriptions.


There are three Types of Rune: Apprentice, Journeyman and Master. As you may have guessed, these correspond to the Skill Level of the Runesmith. And, there is an ascending level of power and effect.


While learning and Inscribing new Runes seems to be a long and expensive process, it doesn't seem yo have the same dangers as other Magickal pursuits.




Chapter 10 ends with descriptions of Magick Circles, which will help Shield the Spellcaster from the effects of Chaos brought about by the working of Magick. This is described as a Ritual, and is described in the same format, but it has been kept separate from the other Rituals for some reason.


There are instructions for Summoning Aetheric Spirits, in case you need to kill your character commune with the creatures from beyond the Material Realm.


And, finally, there are rules for Imbuing and identifying Magickal Talismans (which can grant benefits to the wearer).


And that's it for Chapter 10: The Grimoire. 74 pages of Magick and how to use it in the Grim & Perilous world of Zweihander. Very good stuff, and covers all of the bases. Like the rest of the book so far, the information isn't always presented in an intuitive or easy to parse manner. I'm guessing this is because these rules grew out of a set of houserules for WFRP 2e, and perhaps the developer(s) didn't realize that what seemed obvious to a group that had been gaming together for years might not be so plain to others.


I'll say it again, I really like this game so far (just GMed my third session, finishing our first adventure). But I don't always like trying to find stuff in the book.


Well, we've reached about the halfway point of the book. Three chapters left. Thanks for sticking around.


NEXT - CHAPTER 11: GAME MASTERY