Warhammer Fantasy Role-Play - A Rambling Love Letter To My Favourite Tabletop Roleplaying Game
I have played a lot of Warhammer Fantasy Role-Play over the years. So, I thought now would be a great time to talk about why I like it so much and why I've been playing it through 1st, 2nd and into 4th Edition. Could it well be my favourite tabletop roleplaying game?
► My Written Review Of The Warhammer Fantasy Role-Play Starter Set becauseofdrago...
► More From Cubicle 7 cubicle7games....
► Warhammer Fantasy Role-Play 4th Edition cubicle7games....
I have played a whole host of amazing campaigns for Warhammer Fantasy Role-Play from when I was around 12/13 through to my most recent game which happened just a few days ago. With such a focus on grimdark action, a brutal combat system and a way to make the PLAYER the focus of the action, it's a great system that would be a superb alternative to Dungeons & Dragons.
#Warhammer #WFRP #ttrpg
00:00 - Introduction
01:15 - Warhammer Fantasy Role-Play 1st Edition
12:01 - Warhammer Fantasy Role-Play 2nd Edition
23:05 - Warhammer Fantasy Role-Play 4th Edition
35:18 - Warhammer Fantasy Role-Play Starter Set Impressions
Пікірлер: 104
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Second edition was my entry point to this game as well, taught by a Polish man who could hold all the secrets of the scenarios from us. He didn't expect so many barrels to be thrown from stairwells however.
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
Hah love it - ingenious solutions to all kinds of problems
C7 has done a tremendous job! Beautiful art, terrific rule set, great stories. Their customer service is also great - they’ve helped me out on a couple of occasions.
@BecauseOfDragons
11 ай бұрын
For sure - I really love their book design. Their core book for WFRP is great and the rest of the supplements are wonderful too. I'm very excited to get my physical copy of Broken Weave when it comes out.
Am literally just getting into WFRP and TTRPGs in general. Have got the Humble Bundle starter set and about to GM it for my sons. Been getting everything ready and am quite excited about the whole thing! 😁
@BecauseOfDragons
4 ай бұрын
Brilliant to hear! I think you'll have some great fun with WFRP :)
Love it. I’m Just discovering 4th edition after playing 1st edition in my childhood. Love the setting, love the system. Cubicle 7 have done a good job on 4th edition and the books are gorgeous. Also great VTT support with Foundry as well
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
Yeah there is some awesome support out there for 4th and you're right about the books looking gorgeous! The artwork is nice and they've done a good job with the adventure hooks scattered around their supplements :)
The Old World is an amazing fantasy setting.
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
It really is! I think it's my favourite Fantasy setting after Middle-earth. The world of The First Law comes in third!
@NisGaarde
Жыл бұрын
@@BecauseOfDragons Do you plan on making more WFRP content or was this just a one-off?
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
@@NisGaarde I will probably do more videos on WFRP but it depends what inspiration strikes. I would like to do one on campaigns I've been in and some of the supplements for the game
@NisGaarde
Жыл бұрын
@@BecauseOfDragons Sounds good. I don't think there can be too much WFPR content on KZread 😅
I'm just getting into WFRP 4e now with 2 of my buddies. We're doing mini sessions and multiple timelines so each of us get to DM for 3-5 sessions and switch. So we all get to play a bit and DM. I just did my first go round and it's really a great system. Combat feels dangerous and rewarding. There's so much information in the book, so it's a little slow just grasping everything but it does flow quite well. D100 is just so simple. Definitely excited to see how it goes long term. i just created my first character - We are playing as human sigmar priests going South to Araby on a campaign for Frederik the 3rd to bring Sigmar's word and gain a foothold in the South.
@BecauseOfDragons
2 ай бұрын
Ah that's awesome - I like that you're going off the beaten path and heading to a place that isn't just the regular Empire :)
@Dugrath
2 ай бұрын
@@BecauseOfDragons yeah my campaign is in the Reikland so far, one will be in Araby and the following I think will be possibly Lustria. We're all big fans of going outside the norm so it fits! There's more to explore than just the old empire.
I played Warhammer FRP back in the late '80s/early '90s just after taking the gateway RPG drug the was Dragon Warriors. It was the cover art that primarily attracted me, although GW products were heavily pushed in Warlock magazine so that may have played a part. First edition had some of the best cover art I've ever seen on any RPG. It screams 'pick me up and play me now'.
@BecauseOfDragons
11 ай бұрын
Hah yes - it properly grabbed my brother and I when we were in our local gaming store in Birmingham. Artwork plays such a big role in getting you absorbed in a game and I think WFRP has that in spades.
@Sanguivore
6 ай бұрын
Thanks for the vicarious recommendation of Dragon Warriors! :D Checking that one out now!
Old World WFRP has definitely been one of my longest running TTRPG obsessions.. I bought the first edition in the mid 80s within a year of it release. I forget the exact year but I was playing original AD&D at the time and thinking this world was so much heavier and more exotic than the standard heroic high fantasy style Greyhawk game settings TSR was running at the time. It's definitely a classic even if GW blew the setting up in favor of the absolutely dreadful Age of Sigmar. Absolutely groundbreaking and has influenced my hobby interests even until this day. Thumbs up on this video
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. I am very glad that the Old World still has a neat outlet in WFRP and it's still as popular as it was (maybe even more so with Total War etc) - looking forward to seeing where they go with the Lustria expansion!
@DeusMachina71
Жыл бұрын
@@BecauseOfDragons Yeah I picked up the 4th edition and think it's great though I'm still hoping for a chaos codex like the Tome of Corruption or the old Realms of Chaos books but I'm guessing they are saving that for towards the end of then run ha.. instant collector's item.
Getting back into WFRP with 4th Ed after heavily playing 1st and 2nd Edition first time round in the 80s and 90s. I want everything from the Cubicle 7 store but my bank manager won’t allow it all at once! Love everything about the game and the setting. Hope to see more WFRP content on this channel.
@BecauseOfDragons
11 ай бұрын
I might do a look at more from the different books in the future just to give people a little bit of an overview :)
I can't speak for 1st or 2nd edition, I only have the 4th but that one is absolutely brilliant. You said that they had no reason to put the Guide to Ubersreik in and yeah, right, but I'm so glad they did. It's just mindblowing how they managed to keep it interesting and fun to read and at the same time give the reader ways to actually use the book. I think the starter set is worth getting for the guide alone. And the rest of the publications are as good. Cubicle 7 has done an amazing job and you can see that they clearly love their own game.
@BecauseOfDragons
8 ай бұрын
Very true - there is so much passion behind the game and you see it from supplement to supplement. I've really enjoyed how they have taken old and new material and had fun with it
Awesome video on WFRP! Would love MANY MORE videos on WFRP, particularly 1st & 4th editions and all their supplement books! Thanks!
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching - I might have to dig out some old favourites then!
Yes! More WFRP please! Maybe some „best of“?
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
I shall look into it :)
Really good overview - thanks for posting it! I bought first edition during my Uni days in the early Nineties and loved the setting. SO different from DnD! Also have second and fourth editions, but I think first will always have a special place in my heart. Really liking fourth edition and just bought the guide to Altdorf. Thanks for firing up my enthusiasm for WFRP again!
@BecauseOfDragons
5 ай бұрын
First was pretty special - did my longest campaign with 1st edition and those big, paperback floppy books! I am also really loving 4th Edition - it has been excellent being my Slayer!
I GM'd 1st and 2nd edition, I loved this game so much. I even used it to run a D&D campaign.
@BecauseOfDragons
11 ай бұрын
Nice :) Yeah, it's a great system with lots of nuance to it and brutal as heck
I’m a 100% behind you on this one! I liked first edition, but the real fun came with 2nd ed. We played it all the time! I’ll skip the third ed rant I feel coming, let’s just say it’s garbage. Now we are about to start on fourth edition and I’m super excited! Glad to hear you like it, I’m sure I will too. What to play? I’m gonna make me my first ever Slayer ❤
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
Slayer is the way to go if you want some serious fun with the combat system. Gotta give a thumbs up for playing a Dwarf :) I have mentioned wanting to be a Rat Catcher but I also like the idea of playing a Witch Hunter too :)
@JangboFett
Жыл бұрын
Yeah I want that small but vicious dog. Hmm, a dwarven rat catcher? No, no changes! I wanna give Slayer a go! Question : fate points or fortune for a slayer?
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
My Slayer (Gunnar) based on the initial Starter Set character came with just the one Fate (so 1 Fortune each session). So he has one get out of death free card which I think is good for getting those Gotrek vibes in. Then he can find his true fate later on!
@JangboFett
Жыл бұрын
@@BecauseOfDragons ill try that, thx. Just ordered the starter set, to get a hang of the rules
1st and 2nd edition WFRP. Thanks for the share!!
@BecauseOfDragons
10 ай бұрын
I do love those classic WFRP books :)
Margin of success is actually something 3e did. At least something to say about that edition;) It was not Warhammer. But the System was reinvented later in Starwars and Genesys RPG and there it is really cool.
@BecauseOfDragons
18 күн бұрын
Ah that's good to hear - yeah, I like the mechanics in Star Wars in particular but you're right, didn't gel with Warhammer.
I've only played WHFRP once, about 20 years back. It was a one-shot set in, I think, Middenheim during the RPG's version of a Blood Bowl tournament. I don't remember any of the detail, but it was suitably madcap.
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
Hah brilliant - It would be fun to work Blood Bowl into the mix somewhere. I think the new Middenheim supplement has a sports game you can watch/play!
If you ever sat with your friends and said "Wouldn't it be cool if a rat exterminator, a riverboat laborer, and a grave robber had to save the town from goat men?" this is the game for you! The design choice to mostly steer away from the heroic table top wargame careers and choose common village careers I will never understand.
@BecauseOfDragons
4 ай бұрын
I absolutely love that haha - nobodies forced into terrible situations having to hold their own!
Got the core book about a year or so ago and really love the setting, mood and the art. Great book. Problem is I have no-one to play with. 😄 Finding games online seems difficult as well, but still keen on getting more supplements just to read.
@BecauseOfDragons
8 ай бұрын
Yeah, always a kicker when you love a roleplaying game (or any game!) but can't find an audience. Hope you find a group soon!
Huge fan of WFRP, thinking of picking up again and probably going to stick with 2nd. I picked up the 4th ed starter, and had real issues with the amount of railroading the adventure not only includes but demands. I have a few more of the books from the humble bundle deal. And 4th is a well put together produce but to me railroading is a cardinal sin in roleplaying. "2nd I am also very familiar with and it seems easier than learning a new system, plus I have an extensive collection of source book.
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
2nd Edition is still a solid edition of the game so if you're comfortable with it, deffo run it and have fun. I guess with a Starter Set you need a bit of guidance but I wouldn't have said railroading, at least not in my opinion. I hope you have fun with some new stories!
I became aware of the RPG in the early 2000s, during Warhammer Fantasy's 6th edition I believe. I never got into the tabletop as a kid in the 90s, because it was for rich kids from the big cities. But we played a little with the pdf of the 2nd edition years ago, which I "found on the web". But I had the opportunity to get the 1st edition of the RPG for free a few weeks ago and I REALLY need to break the stranglehold of the more developed setting (no vampire bloodlines, subterranean lizardmen, gnomes, fimir, zoats) and rules set (fewer and unbalanced careers, magic points). We're creating characters and dipping our toes in my simple advanture on Saturday. Any advice for this confused Hungarian?
@BecauseOfDragons
3 ай бұрын
It has been a long time since I played 1st Edition but I think a lot of it comes down to scene setting and emphasising a bit more of that classic Fantasy element from the start rather than the Warhammer that it becomes. During character creation it gives you more of a chance to talk about that but you could also just flavour things you think they want to do based on the modern take on Warhammer on something older and give it a twist.
Currently working on my own set of house rules for Fourth Edition that I call Adventures in Mordheim, so I can blend my two favorite Warhammer tabletop games into one
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
Oh that's brilliant! What kind of additional rules are you going to throw in to give it that Mordheim vibe?
@airlock11
Жыл бұрын
@Because Of Dragons So far I've made it that Witch Hunters gain traits called Hatred (Wizards), Hatred (Witches), and Hatred (Sisters of Sigmar). This represents how, before the Colleges of Magic, even learned wizards were an object of Sigmarite scorn. I haven't made a unique career for the Sisters of Sigmar, just using the Warrior Priest as the template with some title changes. I plan on altering more careers, adding changes to the Between Adventures events and endeavors, creating signature creatures for each section of the city (boss fights 🤔), expanded healing options to support the higher combat tempo, and working on warpstone corruption
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
Ah very cool! Some awesome stuff already :)
I own the hogshead reprint of 1st edition, 4th edition and starter set
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
Ah awesome! Have you had a chance to dive into the Starter Set and/or 4th yet?
@Tuffyears
Жыл бұрын
@@BecauseOfDragons not yet , the group i was playing with hasn't played since September
@Tuffyears
Жыл бұрын
Well ive opened it , and flicked through it but that's about it
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
@@Tuffyears Ah fingers crossed you get some time to dive into an adventure soon
Just getting started in 4e with some friends in the new year!
@BecauseOfDragons
8 ай бұрын
Awesome - hope the campaign goes well!
The 4e core book is great quality but the two and a half pages of dense errata is a bummer. I still need to go pencil in all the essential fixes. Occasionally consider pulling out my old battered 1e copy and giving that a go. Loved that thing. Too bad the old splatbooks and adventures aren't available for print-on-demand.
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
I didn't know about the errata elements for 4th Edition. That does seem a bit hefty but I have just been playing the book as is - might need to go and take a peek at that stuff. I think the older editions hold up very nicely as RPGs that's for sure :)
@NefariousKoel
Жыл бұрын
@@BecauseOfDragons - Some of the errata was just an incorrect ,but somewhat similar, word used. However, there are a fair number of things like sentences regarding how a rule work being wrong or career advancement symbols being wrong/swapped, and missing skills and talents. Quite a range.
How crunchy is WFRP 4? I used to DM very rule-full systems (D&D, Pathfinder, WoD, etc) but now that I am older and returning to the hobby I am looking for something more fluid and easy to play. Would WFRP 4 fit that?
@BecauseOfDragons
17 күн бұрын
I would say that when you're not in combat, WFRP 4th is pretty hands-off and just lets you roleplay a lot more. When you get stuck into combat or dealing with magic/prayers it CAN be a lot crunchier depending on your group and their choices. I would say that as someone who has now been playing for years, it's comes naturally but it could be a bit slow to start with. Hope that helps.
I swear that 1st edition book has the same wear in the same spots mine does.
@BecauseOfDragons
8 ай бұрын
Clearly Mannslieb & Morrslieb have aligned there somewhere!
I like this world so much that I basically adapted the Symbaroum campaign to it. Digression (and open question) : Am I the only one who finds Halfings much more interesting in WH than their main Middle Earth counterparts/inspiration?
@BecauseOfDragons
10 ай бұрын
I do like the Halflings in Warhammer - they have some nice backstory and lore to them. Nice that you brought the world into Symbaroum too, it seems like a fitting system for it!
Why I like Warhammer so much, is it promotes ROLE play and the settings matter. It's not a level dominated design.
@BecauseOfDragons
Ай бұрын
Most definitely!
You were definitely right about the "rambling" part. ;) I was not too keen about 4th edition though as I prefer 1st and/or 2nd edition. While I applaud Cubicle 7 on retaining most of the original dna of the gaming mechanics I really didn't approve of the wokeness that has crept its way into the new books, mainly when you take a scrutinizing look at the new artwork they had commissioned for this edition. The sort of representation and inclusion on display is just at odds with the Old World and sometimes even outright non-sensical. While you shunned the 3rd edition I actually found it quite intriguing tbh. For once, FFG tried something new with the game system (e.g. custom dice) and card-based gameplay. Also, a lot of their artwork and the many handouts were gorgeous. While only with the later release of their Genesys rpg books the new mechanics were fully streamlined, WFRP 3rd featured a lot of the early concepts of that game system. Ultimately, however, I found it ill-fitted with the Warhammer world and returned to the earlier editions and the original percentile-based gaming.
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
I've played quite an extended campaign using various characters and combinations and it hasn't really felt massively at odds with The Old World. Yes, there are some less-than-typically "Warhammer" approaches to characters but it's still grimdark, it's still VERY Warhammer and hasn't lost any of the spirit. It's just more inviting to those who want to enter the space which is no bad thing. Also, nothing stopping folks just ignoring the bits they don't want and playing the game how they like - different strokes for different folks. The artwork was indeed great for 3rd Edition, but it was over-engineered, in my opinion, for the sake of it.
I wish I had played more Warhammer Fantasy RPG in my long gaming career. But sadly finding players willing to get into that system has always been a challenge. Like you said, in Warhammer, you are not really playing heroes. You play regular folks, with ''normal'' jobs, that are thrown (often involuntarily) into conspiracies, stumbling into plots and corruption, being at the wrong place at the wrong time. But I find that most players prefer the more high fantasy world of D&D, or Pathfinder, where they can end up being 'super-heroes' with almost god-like powers, fully equipped with multiple magic items, on a level way above the average people. * * * 2nd edition of WFRP basically did a good job on balancing the careers/classes. They also revamped the magic system. Like you, and most WFRP players, I skipped 3rd edition completely. I haven't made the jump into 4th edition yet, but from what I've seen, they seem to have streamlined the careers so they ressemble more the classic rpg style of being a single class instead of jumping from career to career to grow your character. The magic system also seem to have been revamped and balanced even further.
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
Yeah careers have been nicely tweaked so that you can focus on one particular path but you can indeed go off in different directions if you like. I've found it a bit maths heavy BUT fun as I've been playing my Slayer. The magic system has also been tweaked to make it a lot easier to use - and quite useful too haha. It's a great roleplaying game and I'd recommend diving into 4th :)
Awesome video! I'm really interested in wfrp4 and Warhammer in general but the community over here is nonexistent. Based on your immense experience is it possible to do it with a solo PC? Can you please share your thoughts on that?
@BecauseOfDragons
8 ай бұрын
Thanks for watching. You could do it with just a Game Master and one player but you'd have to make sure you knew what kind of campaign you were going to build. I think you'd have to heavily adapt certain printed scenarios to make them work BUT you could build an interesting story yourself - if you're going to include combat make sure to maybe use just one enemy as otherwise they will get quickly overwhelmed, or have NPC companions to help the main PC. If you're doing a more social/intrigue based story then you could have a lot of fun with it being a solo story.
More WFRPG content, please!
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
I shall have a look into it :)
@remusventanus5341
Жыл бұрын
@@BecauseOfDragons Cheers! Cubicle 7 has a GREAT product, which I don't think gets anywhere near enough coverage.
Cool game, though very complex always picked a bounty hunter mates picked bodyguard and Priest of sigmar. The wizard was too complex and you had to carry tons of components if I remember rightly
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
Spellcasting was pretty darn involved that's for sure. It is definitely a complex game, especially compared to the likes of D&D but I think that suits what it's trying to do thematically at least. I have a lot of fun with it even if it can be a bit of a headache at times!
@michaeldavies7949
Жыл бұрын
@@BecauseOfDragons Yes I preferred it to D&D as I had tabletop experience with my Bretonnian army so I could identify it better. I also like the class progression it seemed more realistic as multi-class system in 3.5 was broken
I've been playing wfrp 4th ed for about 2 yrs now. The jepody is real, we are seriously under powereed, my party is proper max-minned. I went from a Road Warden to a Witch hunter. My copy of first ed is a lot more battered then yours!
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
Noice - yeah, the game doesn't pull its punches and earns that grimdark tag-line. I have been tempted to play a Witch Hunter but I also quite like the idea of being the classic Rat-Catcher!
I ran the Fantasy Flight edition. Fun, but too much stuff.
@BecauseOfDragons
3 ай бұрын
Yeah it did manage to pile up the bitz! I think 4th feels like it has nailed the vibe although still a big fan of 2nd.
I find 4th edition adds needless complications. 2nd edition was a more elegant, intuitive game.
@BecauseOfDragons
11 ай бұрын
I think 4th does have a lot more going on under the hood. It did take me a while to "get" it but I think now I've spent a lot more time with the rules, it flows quite nicely. Having a flowchart to learn combat is a little bit daunting though I will admit!
Hmm, most players I know resent the (partially) woke gender policy artwork in the 4th edition rulebook. And yes, that includes actual women that really play. I had a look myself, and does not look too bad, but I get what they mean. In the grimy, dark old world, women are free to be Witch Hunters (!!!), freely travel by themselves and can become Knights. This aside, is the new stuff more or less compatible with the first edition? I have seen Greame Davis has been involved in the development, he likely also made a couple supplements.
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
In a world where everything is going to kill you at the weekend it's probably not a bad idea to have men and women taking on all the different roles in society. Remember that you can always make the game whatever you like, regardless of artwork. Nothing massively wrong in my eyes with having the game be more open to folks wanting to dive in. I have players taking on the role of classically male roles in the Old World and it has still been just as grim and horrible a story to experience. Anywho - it's got the same core d100 mechanic as 1st so you could easily take old adventures and convert them to match 4th Edition. But, there is a lot in there which is more in line with 2nd and plenty which is new to try and make it more streamlined.
@SebastienlovesCookieswirlc
Жыл бұрын
@@BecauseOfDragons Well men are, on average, 30% "stronger" and with more stamina than women. They are undeniably more suited to professions that involve swinging heavy, sharp objects at others and/or marching and running. Elves and Dwarves, on the other end, we might assume have a less pronounced sexual dimorphism. After all they are made up. Same as for other non playable fantasy races. I think we might have some 2nd edition stuff lying around as well.I am tempted to try 4th edition, but my players, including the younger levies, tend to believe first edition is the peak one, and nothing there can be improved on. Thanks for the tips!
Hey. Hey, guess what?
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
???
Sure wish I could find someone here in Salt Lake to game with... I've been here now almost a decade and STILL I can find NO ONE who ANSWERS ANY of my postings in the FEW gaming houses/shops! It's a real shame too as It's a GREAT system "IF" you can actually give it a REAL chance! Oh well, I'll just keep on trying tho now at 60 I'll end probably end up with it being BURIED with me! LOL! (btw, I have the ORIGINAL Hardback Version Copy and one of the add-on softback books (the #1 of a small series))
@BecauseOfDragons
10 ай бұрын
Ah that's a real shame - always a bummer when you can't get folks to dive in with you. Have you considered asking if folks could be tempted to play online?
I had and read the 1st Ed hardback.. Loved it.. But never played.. I love the world, The Old World, and Warhammer of course... Want to RP in it..
@BecauseOfDragons
Жыл бұрын
I've read so many roleplaying games and played very few of them haha, it's an annoying problem that haunts us all unfortunately
@ja37d-34
Жыл бұрын
@@BecauseOfDragons it is.. I played our Swedish equicalent alot though. But owned alot of RPGs aI did not play too much (one fav was Millenniums End!)