Thanks for this series of very interesting and enlightening videos on Warhammer RPGs. I'm playing 2nd and still having a blast so I don't really see a need for changing to 3rd, but the "storytelling dice pool" thing really got me courious and your videos explain it all really well so far. Two questions: If 3 or 4 players all want to use the same talent, are there enough cards or will you have to improvise? And have you tried to -translate- characters from 2nd Ed to 3rd and how well did it work?
@DrJinzen I still play 2nd Ed, so I didn't pick up as an "upgrade", rather because I am fond of the setting and curious about the strengths and weaknesses of the new design. I don't see one replacing the other for me. They live side by side.
There is only 1 copy of each non-basic Action Card and Talent in the game. If multiple PCs want the same card, they either need to share or write it down on a note/index card or make a photocopy. There are schools of thought on the implications of this...
1st) Encouraging "exclusivity" of the Actions/Talents can be a good thing because it encourages diversity. It helps keep PCs from stepping on each other's toes too much. Even if you have 2 warriors in your party, they will end up having to branch out their choices and make them each feel unique. This helps give the otherwise very "open" system of WFRP3 some support on "niche protection". Not based on "class" or "role" but based on "choice"...
...2nd) "Exclusivity" should be ignored and players should be able to take the Actions/Talents they want, even if other PCs take them as well. The game doesn't say that 2 PCs can't have the same card. You would not be contradicting the RAW if you chose to duplicate cards. Nothing wrong with that. It will allow PCs to instinctively adapt their style to mimic that of the rest of the party. There will be a little less diversity because PCs will share common abilities but it may avoid arguements...
...if you're concerned about players who perceive "cherry picking" as a potential issue.
An element of the game I haven't yet discussed is the "Party Sheet". Yes, there is an entity that represents the party as a group. This tool allows PCs to "share" some of their Talents, represented as the PCs watching their friends and picking up bits of knowledge and experience from them. This element helps reduce the "mine" syndrome a bit and demonstrates the benefits of being part of the group...
...On the "1 copy of each" issue though, I take the best of both worlds. I encourage the exclusivity, so that each PC clearly has their own "cool stuff" to bring to the table that no one else does. However, if more than one player really wants the same ability and there is a good case for why they should and what they plan to do with it, I'm not going to say no just because there's only 1 "Charge" Talent, for example.
On converting PCs from 2nd to 3rd: I've done it. Like all conversions...
Thanks for the detailed answers. I never thought about it that way but the "ecouraging exclusivity of talents" approach has a lot of appeal both from a tactical diversity and storytelling point of view. I like it. Of course one shouldn't take it too far and piss players off who really see a special talent perfectly fitting for their own character.
Seeing your guidelines, I'm not sure if I like the very low resolution of Attribute Values. It's one reason why I prefer percentile over D20.
@DrJinzen I think 3rd Ed. provides enough gradation to dice rolls that the lower resolution of Characteristic values isn't much of a problem. Each level of training in a skill adds an extra "Expertise" die to a roll. You can also "Specialize" in skills which adds an extra "Fortune" die on top of that. You also have the ability to add incremental increases to your Characteristics by adding "Fortune" dice to them, which represents small improvements in capability. In the end, I think it works.
Great videos! Cannot wait for the combat examples. What really has me perplexed is the movement system. I love the idea of gridless movement but I am confused on how to implement especially with multiple enemies and PCs.
Thanks for putting up these videos. I bought this game late last year and have yet to play it because all of the components were off-putting. Your videos are getting me pumped to give it another go. Is there any way you could discuss the flow of the game or record a session. I'm going to have to be GM by default so I would love to see it all put together and working. But either way thanks for taking the time to post these; they are much appreciated.
@CptRoboto Glad these videos have been useful. Yes, I will (hopefully soon) be doing futher videos in the series, including a video where I showcase a few rounds of combat using multiple PCs and NPCs. Let me know if there are any specific questions or rules that you would like me to address. Thanks!
@woodwwad Careers are less like broad archetypes (Fighter, Rogue, Cleric) and more specific in scope. Where D&D would call you a "Fighter" and leave the rest to fluff, in Warhammer, there are many "fighting careers" (Mercenary, Soldier, Watchman, Thug, etc). The purpose of this is that, even though all are "fighters", each has different skills and talents based on the needs of the career. Careers in 3rd Edition are a bit more flexible than they were in 2nd Edition, which I think is a good thing.
IMHO, the nice thing about the Career system is that the Careers can be very evocative. There's something to me about playing a "Smuggler" or a "Pit Fighter" that lights a fire under my imagination. They also help players understand the roles of the various people in the game world.
@alokov There are not. As mentioned in my "Action Cards" video, the game does have a mechanic called "Recharge" which means that some abilities and actions can't be used every single round but there are no "once per encounter" or "once per day" abilities. Even spells, because they operate on a "spell point" system are not limited by vancian "spell slots" or anything like that. As long as you have the spell points (and are willing to risk miscasting) you can cast your spells multiple times.
But I have to ask, what do you think about the massive buy-in to get into this game? Base set is $100 American dollarydoos on the Fantasy Flight main site. The expansions range from 50 to 60.
Do you only have the base set? And if so, is that enough? I'd like to GM and play WFRP3 but maybe later...
@Onionkid99 Price is the biggest challenge to this game. I'm frugal and I consider the $100 MSRP to be a bit high for the Core Set. That said, many online retailers (like Amazon) sell the set for as low as $63 and *that* I would consider to be a more than fair price.
Starting with the Core Set is the absolute best decision, if you ask me. Do you get a complete, playable game? Yes, but like any game, if you find you enjoy it, you'll want more. What I consider "essential" for playing WFRP3 is..
...the Core Set, the Creature Guide and the Creature Vault. MSRP on all this is $170 but they can be had for $109 on Amazon. The other expansions are optional and your buy-in will depend upon the interests of your group and campaign. If you want more Divine Magic options and rules for nasty diseases, buy Signs of Faith. If you want more Arcane Magic options and rules for mutations, buy Winds of Magic. If you want extra combat options and rules for crippling injuries, buy Omens of War. I have...
...all of the expansions and adventures to date and the game definately becomes much more robust with each expansion but what game doesn't, really?
I'll probably do a proper video treatment of a "buyer's guide" to expand more upon this. In short, if you are curious about the game, buy the Core Set (preferably at discount) and try it out. If you like the game, there are plenty more expansions that await you and I would start with those that most speak to what you want to do with your campaign.
Thanks for this series of very interesting and enlightening videos on Warhammer RPGs. I'm playing 2nd and still having a blast so I don't really see a need for changing to 3rd, but the "storytelling dice pool" thing really got me courious and your videos explain it all really well so far. Two questions: If 3 or 4 players all want to use the same talent, are there enough cards or will you have to improvise? And have you tried to -translate- characters from 2nd Ed to 3rd and how well did it work?
DrJinzen 5 months ago
@DrJinzen I still play 2nd Ed, so I didn't pick up as an "upgrade", rather because I am fond of the setting and curious about the strengths and weaknesses of the new design. I don't see one replacing the other for me. They live side by side.
There is only 1 copy of each non-basic Action Card and Talent in the game. If multiple PCs want the same card, they either need to share or write it down on a note/index card or make a photocopy. There are schools of thought on the implications of this...
Webhead123 5 months ago
...and they don't have to be mutually exclusive.
1st) Encouraging "exclusivity" of the Actions/Talents can be a good thing because it encourages diversity. It helps keep PCs from stepping on each other's toes too much. Even if you have 2 warriors in your party, they will end up having to branch out their choices and make them each feel unique. This helps give the otherwise very "open" system of WFRP3 some support on "niche protection". Not based on "class" or "role" but based on "choice"...
Webhead123 5 months ago
...2nd) "Exclusivity" should be ignored and players should be able to take the Actions/Talents they want, even if other PCs take them as well. The game doesn't say that 2 PCs can't have the same card. You would not be contradicting the RAW if you chose to duplicate cards. Nothing wrong with that. It will allow PCs to instinctively adapt their style to mimic that of the rest of the party. There will be a little less diversity because PCs will share common abilities but it may avoid arguements...
Webhead123 5 months ago
...if you're concerned about players who perceive "cherry picking" as a potential issue.
An element of the game I haven't yet discussed is the "Party Sheet". Yes, there is an entity that represents the party as a group. This tool allows PCs to "share" some of their Talents, represented as the PCs watching their friends and picking up bits of knowledge and experience from them. This element helps reduce the "mine" syndrome a bit and demonstrates the benefits of being part of the group...
Webhead123 5 months ago
...On the "1 copy of each" issue though, I take the best of both worlds. I encourage the exclusivity, so that each PC clearly has their own "cool stuff" to bring to the table that no one else does. However, if more than one player really wants the same ability and there is a good case for why they should and what they plan to do with it, I'm not going to say no just because there's only 1 "Charge" Talent, for example.
On converting PCs from 2nd to 3rd: I've done it. Like all conversions...
Webhead123 5 months ago
...it's not really a science. You just have to make your own judgements. However, I've found the following guidelines helpful going from 2nd to 3rd:
Careers - Many translate directly, many are broadened (i.e. "Commoner"), some simply don't exist yet
Attributes - Divide % by 10, round down
Skills - Assign skills as logically as possible, "training" ranks translate directly
Talents/Actions are the trickiest part. You have to use your gut to select those that most make sense for your PC.
Webhead123 5 months ago
Thanks for the detailed answers. I never thought about it that way but the "ecouraging exclusivity of talents" approach has a lot of appeal both from a tactical diversity and storytelling point of view. I like it. Of course one shouldn't take it too far and piss players off who really see a special talent perfectly fitting for their own character.
Seeing your guidelines, I'm not sure if I like the very low resolution of Attribute Values. It's one reason why I prefer percentile over D20.
DrJinzen 5 months ago
@DrJinzen I think 3rd Ed. provides enough gradation to dice rolls that the lower resolution of Characteristic values isn't much of a problem. Each level of training in a skill adds an extra "Expertise" die to a roll. You can also "Specialize" in skills which adds an extra "Fortune" die on top of that. You also have the ability to add incremental increases to your Characteristics by adding "Fortune" dice to them, which represents small improvements in capability. In the end, I think it works.
Webhead123 5 months ago
Great videos! Cannot wait for the combat examples. What really has me perplexed is the movement system. I love the idea of gridless movement but I am confused on how to implement especially with multiple enemies and PCs.
olytron505 5 months ago
I am ready for part 5! I like your breakdowns.
Keep 'em up!
Thimon88 6 months ago
Thanks for putting up these videos. I bought this game late last year and have yet to play it because all of the components were off-putting. Your videos are getting me pumped to give it another go. Is there any way you could discuss the flow of the game or record a session. I'm going to have to be GM by default so I would love to see it all put together and working. But either way thanks for taking the time to post these; they are much appreciated.
CptRoboto 6 months ago
@CptRoboto Glad these videos have been useful. Yes, I will (hopefully soon) be doing futher videos in the series, including a video where I showcase a few rounds of combat using multiple PCs and NPCs. Let me know if there are any specific questions or rules that you would like me to address. Thanks!
Webhead123 6 months ago
Really good coverage in this series. Very well done! Thank you for this and I hope more Warhammer 3rd is revisited by you every now and then.
TowerGuardDM 6 months ago
@TowerGuardDM Thank you. Knowing that people are enjoying and learning from this series is what matters. There is definately more to come!
Webhead123 6 months ago
@Webhead123 I am gathering all of it to use as ammo to convince my group to allow me to run this system one day.
TowerGuardDM 6 months ago
Feats are a good way to describe these, I think. The careers seem a lot like small prcs in D&D to me.
rated
woodwwad 7 months ago
@woodwwad Careers are less like broad archetypes (Fighter, Rogue, Cleric) and more specific in scope. Where D&D would call you a "Fighter" and leave the rest to fluff, in Warhammer, there are many "fighting careers" (Mercenary, Soldier, Watchman, Thug, etc). The purpose of this is that, even though all are "fighters", each has different skills and talents based on the needs of the career. Careers in 3rd Edition are a bit more flexible than they were in 2nd Edition, which I think is a good thing.
Webhead123 6 months ago
IMHO, the nice thing about the Career system is that the Careers can be very evocative. There's something to me about playing a "Smuggler" or a "Pit Fighter" that lights a fire under my imagination. They also help players understand the roles of the various people in the game world.
Webhead123 6 months ago
As long as there are no encounter powers I'm happy.
alokov 7 months ago
@alokov There are not. As mentioned in my "Action Cards" video, the game does have a mechanic called "Recharge" which means that some abilities and actions can't be used every single round but there are no "once per encounter" or "once per day" abilities. Even spells, because they operate on a "spell point" system are not limited by vancian "spell slots" or anything like that. As long as you have the spell points (and are willing to risk miscasting) you can cast your spells multiple times.
Webhead123 7 months ago
Everything I've read and watched aboot Warhammer 3rd seems really great.
But I have to ask, what do you think about the massive buy-in to get into this game? Base set is $100 American dollarydoos on the Fantasy Flight main site. The expansions range from 50 to 60.
Do you only have the base set? And if so, is that enough? I'd like to GM and play WFRP3 but maybe later...
Onionkid99 7 months ago
@Onionkid99 Price is the biggest challenge to this game. I'm frugal and I consider the $100 MSRP to be a bit high for the Core Set. That said, many online retailers (like Amazon) sell the set for as low as $63 and *that* I would consider to be a more than fair price.
Starting with the Core Set is the absolute best decision, if you ask me. Do you get a complete, playable game? Yes, but like any game, if you find you enjoy it, you'll want more. What I consider "essential" for playing WFRP3 is..
Webhead123 7 months ago
...the Core Set, the Creature Guide and the Creature Vault. MSRP on all this is $170 but they can be had for $109 on Amazon. The other expansions are optional and your buy-in will depend upon the interests of your group and campaign. If you want more Divine Magic options and rules for nasty diseases, buy Signs of Faith. If you want more Arcane Magic options and rules for mutations, buy Winds of Magic. If you want extra combat options and rules for crippling injuries, buy Omens of War. I have...
Webhead123 7 months ago
...all of the expansions and adventures to date and the game definately becomes much more robust with each expansion but what game doesn't, really?
I'll probably do a proper video treatment of a "buyer's guide" to expand more upon this. In short, if you are curious about the game, buy the Core Set (preferably at discount) and try it out. If you like the game, there are plenty more expansions that await you and I would start with those that most speak to what you want to do with your campaign.
Webhead123 7 months ago
Interesting. Thanks for taking the time to go through it all.
DeepEndOfTheDicePool 7 months ago