Take a photo of a barcode or cover
frasersimons 's review for:
Ironsworn: A Tabletop RPG Of Perilous Quests
by Shawn Tomkin
Ironsworn is a Powered by the Apocalypse game with a bunch of inspirations that make for a really elegant design. It puts an emphasis on undertaking quests in a dark fantasy world that can be tweaked to a groups tastes.
If you’re familiar with PbtA games, you’ll find a lot of moves; more than I generally like in a design. But the structure helps manage the cognitive load. Each set aside for a journey or combat, etc.
The major selling point for this game is the single player, co-op, or traditional play where there’s a GM and players. It’s clever in its simplicity for this. There are a few ways to execute the rules (move) outcomes that accommodate your play style.
Without playing the game I suspect this might be the hardest hurdle. A lot of pick lists goal post interesting fictional outcomes tailored to specific triggers. This is a more subtle way of having the players internalize the kind of fiction the game is shooting for, as well as some of the more interesting friction points and dramatic outcomes. The strength of this structure is there’s a bunch of lists you can take inspiration from and you can play single player or co-op. I think the downside is the absence of these pick lists that make all the moves look sterile because the evocative outcomes are all someplace else. I imagine this will be the largest friction point for me running it but I’m eager to find out.
Combat wise, I really like that initiative is gained and lost along with outcomes of moves. That makes a lot of sense to me and is one of those simple things you wonder why something like Dungeon World wouldn’t have done something like that, too.
I love the chapter educating you about the setting. I think it’s evocative and the quest seeds are *chefs kiss*.
This book features a great minimalist single column layout, something you don’t see often in RPGs. I hate double and triple column so this layout is exactly what I want/am hoping for. The art, while stock, also is always suitable and features people of colour and, though I wasn’t counting, seem to feature a heavier emphasis on women then men, all of which isn’t sexualized.
The text made me confident that I could run it and come up with a cool world with folks at the table. The product is very well written and clear and looks very professional at a great price point.
It’s a no brainer grabbing this one, I think.
If you’re familiar with PbtA games, you’ll find a lot of moves; more than I generally like in a design. But the structure helps manage the cognitive load. Each set aside for a journey or combat, etc.
The major selling point for this game is the single player, co-op, or traditional play where there’s a GM and players. It’s clever in its simplicity for this. There are a few ways to execute the rules (move) outcomes that accommodate your play style.
Without playing the game I suspect this might be the hardest hurdle. A lot of pick lists goal post interesting fictional outcomes tailored to specific triggers. This is a more subtle way of having the players internalize the kind of fiction the game is shooting for, as well as some of the more interesting friction points and dramatic outcomes. The strength of this structure is there’s a bunch of lists you can take inspiration from and you can play single player or co-op. I think the downside is the absence of these pick lists that make all the moves look sterile because the evocative outcomes are all someplace else. I imagine this will be the largest friction point for me running it but I’m eager to find out.
Combat wise, I really like that initiative is gained and lost along with outcomes of moves. That makes a lot of sense to me and is one of those simple things you wonder why something like Dungeon World wouldn’t have done something like that, too.
I love the chapter educating you about the setting. I think it’s evocative and the quest seeds are *chefs kiss*.
This book features a great minimalist single column layout, something you don’t see often in RPGs. I hate double and triple column so this layout is exactly what I want/am hoping for. The art, while stock, also is always suitable and features people of colour and, though I wasn’t counting, seem to feature a heavier emphasis on women then men, all of which isn’t sexualized.
The text made me confident that I could run it and come up with a cool world with folks at the table. The product is very well written and clear and looks very professional at a great price point.
It’s a no brainer grabbing this one, I think.