As a long-time fan of Brandon Sanderson’s works and someone who has spent countless hours immersed in the intricacies of the Stormlight Archive, I’m genuinely excited about the upcoming Stormlight Roleplaying Game (RPG). The Rules Beta has given me a taste of what’s to come, and based on my experience with Sanderson’s richly detailed fantasy worlds, I believe this game will allow players to tell captivating stories that mirror the epic nature of the books.
In simpler terms, the Stormlight Role-Playing Game combines classic D20 mechanics with more intricate features inspired by Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive books. The new game system takes elements from various RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and Star Wars, to create thrilling moments during both combat and non-combat situations. To capture the complexity of Sanderson’s intricate magic system and richly detailed world, the game includes more rules and mechanics than D&D 5th Edition.
The Stormlight Archive is an epic in-progress fantasy book series set on the world of Roshar, which is one part of Sanderson’s shared Cosmere universe. At the outset of the book series, Roshar is beset by constant roaming highstorms akin to hurricanes and is also notable for the appearance of magical spren that to the untrained eye appear to be spirits attracted to different kinds of emotions and elements. The books center on the re-emergence of the Knights Radiant, a group of magically-powered warriors that bond with spren and have different abilities based on the spren they’ve bonded with.
The “Stormlight Archive” collection of books by Brandon Sanderson is hugely successful and Sanderson is known as one of contemporary fantasy’s leading authors. Previous crowdfunding campaigns led by Sanderson on Kickstarter set records for the platform’s highest earnings, while a previous campaign by Brotherwise to create miniatures inspired by “Stormlight Archive” raised millions. Consequently, it’s expected that the upcoming Kickstarter campaign for a tabletop RPG based on “Stormlight Archive” will be among the most significant of 2023, fueled in part by Sanderson’s renown and the passionate fanbase for his writing.
Andriod, you were given the chance to preview the upcoming beta rules for the Stormlight Role-playing Game by ComicBook, along with a beginner’s guide named Bridge 9. This game was developed with a fresh system designed by experienced tabletop RPG creator Andrew Fischer. The mechanics may seem familiar to Dungeons & Dragons enthusiasts, but Sanderson’s world brings unique twists and additional systems.
As a seasoned tabletop RPG player with years of experience under my belt, I’ve seen and experienced the thrill of rolling dice during key moments in a game. But what really adds an extra layer of excitement and unpredictability is the introduction of a “Plot Die.”
An intriguing aspect of the Stormlight Roleplaying Game is the application of Focus as a metac currency, which players utilize to activate their character’s skills. Various common actions demand Focus expenditure (like applying a medical kit in battle or wielding an off-hand weapon). Moreover, the beta rulebook suggests that numerous abilities – whether combat or non-combat related – necessitate Focus usage as well. Additionally, for those who embark on the Knights Radiant character paths, Investiture, another metacurrency derived from the Stormlight Archives, will eventually become crucial.
In this game, there are no saving throws for making difficult checks, instead, characters possess three distinct “Defenses” that reflect their innate resistance to specific types of assaults. Combat follows a 3-action system, reminiscent of Pathfinder Second Edition, enabling players to perform multiple actions per turn. However, they can opt to relinquish an action for a “Fast Turn,” securing priority in a given round. A wealth of combat “Actions” are available, including the standard attack and move options, Bracing to impose disadvantage on incoming attacks, and specialized actions tailored to various character classes. The 3-action system bears resemblance to Pathfinder Second Edition, which is familiar territory but could necessitate some fine-tuning for those accustomed to 5E rulesets.
In this game, conversations and endeavors add depth and intrigue. Conversations are essentially verbal battles where players challenge a character’s mental or spiritual resistance to influence them or learn new information. On the other hand, endeavors represent prolonged skill challenges that require teamwork to accomplish a common objective by accumulating successes while avoiding excessive failures. The initial adventure provides instances of both conversational encounters and endeavors, with the latter being an exciting chase sequence where players collaborate to outmaneuver a colossal chasmfiend. The appeal of the endeavors ruleset lies in its distinct criteria for achievements and setbacks. However, I believe that the conversation system could benefit from consequences for unsuccessful tests, especially since there appears to be no restriction on repeated attempts until success is achieved.
Players have the freedom to explore various character development paths instead of being limited to one – they can choose from multiple talent trees as they progress. Although this system was not fully revealed in the beta rules, it seems reminiscent of the Star Wars RPG that Fischer has worked on before. The intriguing aspect is that several classes appear to be non-combat focused, reflecting the diverse roster of characters in The Stormlight Archives which ranges from formidable warriors to scholars and artists. The provided pre-generated characters are a Scholar and an Ardent, both possessing abilities that can aid teammates or hinder adversaries during combat.
The Rules Beta for the Stormlight Roleplaying Game offers a sneak peek into its vast storytelling potential, but based on my initial assessment, it seems well-positioned to deliver an experience akin to the intricately woven narratives of the Stormlight Archive series. Although there’s a growing preference for streamlined rulebooks that emphasize narrative elements, fans of Sanderson’s complex magic system are likely to appreciate a game system with equally detailed rules. The game offers ample opportunities for roleplaying and creativity through Conversations and Endeavors, while the combat rules draw inspiration from popular games like Pathfinder and Dungeons & Dragons, infused with unique features that align with the distinctive fighting styles found in Sanderson’s novels.
Occasionally, the game has an overabundance of D&D-style elements, making the presence of 18 skills questionable and the rule intricacies for each skill insufficient to justify their inclusion in every character design. I’m also intrigued by how limited the Focus metacurrency will be, and if players will stockpile it as they do in other games. Much of this depends on character development, which isn’t addressed in the rules.
According to the Rules Beta, it seems reasonable to assume that this role-playing game shares similar complexity levels with Dungeons & Dragons 5E, though the impact of certain unannounced mechanics remains to be seen. Notably, those acquainted with 5E should find this game relatively easy to grasp. What sets Stormlight Roleplaying Game apart is its creation by devoted fans of Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive series. While this focus may initially restrict the audience to Sanderson’s fanbase, given the extensive following of the Cosmere universe, it wouldn’t be unexpected for this system to expand and incorporate other works by the author in the future.
The Stormlight RPG Kickstarter will launch on August 6th.
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2024-07-22 16:10