Now in its 4th edition Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is a grimdark Tabletop Role Playing Game (TTRPG) that features team gameplay between at least 3 players and a Game Master (GM). Grimdark refers to bleak, unforgiving, and usually violent gameplay. Character Death is always a possibility.

This game features skills and backgrounds over a typical class structure, though characters are good at some things. It defies the moniker of an Old-School Renaissance (OSR) game (though it plays like one) because it’s on the 4th edition of a game that started in the 80’s. People familiar with the miniatures game Warhammer 40K will appreciate the lore that Fantasy Roleplay brings to the table. But this is a game that takes place a long time ago and does not use armies of minis. Cubicle 7 has released this game and its many offshoots in the roleplaying space. If you “wanna” play here is a great primer for your adventures ahead including a great place to find games!

Start Playing Now at StartPlaying Games

Let’s not “bury the lead” here. If you are interested in playing Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay there is no place better than StartPlaying Games. Search for games at times convenient for you. Search for this system specifically. StartPlaying Games features paid and free games with professional GM’s and online. In addition you will find games for other Warhmmer Roleplaying games like Warhammer Imperium Maledictum, Warhammer Soulbond, and Warhammer 40k Roleplay. The rest of this article focuses on things related to Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. 

How to Play Warhammer TTRPG

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is a grimdark fantasy game. This means players take on the role of a character and go on adventures for a myriad of reasons. To play this game you just need the Core Rulebook. Cubicle 7 who has the rights to Warhammer Fantasy feels that everything a group needs is in the Core Rulebook. GM’s and players familiar with TTRPGs will be able to make use of it quickly because the mechanics are relatively simple. The core rulebook acts as a rules compendium, setting guide, and character creator. They also recommend the starter set which has less rules and is accessible to those newer to TTRPG systems. The starter set has everything people need to play through some adventures in Uberseik, a great but gritty starting town, and 10 scenarios and lots more adventures to be had. If that seems overwhelming find a Learn to play to join or look for a one shot using this system. 

Wanna Know the Crunchy Bits?

The mechanics of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay are equal parts crunchy and easy. Like chess, it is easy to understand, but takes work to fully master to your full advantage. Basically your character sheet creates a target number you need to roll at or under to get a success. You do this using percentile dice or 2d10. It is highly recommended getting a dice with the 10’s to reduce confusion between the numbers, but different colored dice work well too. Remember there is no roll of 0 so all o’s like the picture above means 100. A critical failure. Hidden in these roles are degrees of success which help add the crunch. Basically every 10 points lower the role is the more degrees of success you have. Each degree of success adds some type of effect depending on the type of role the GM asked for. Of course, there's more to it. But that’s the basics. 

 How Warhammer Fantasy Character Creation Works

Making a Warhammer Fantasy character is as easy or as hard as it is to make one in Pathfinder or Dungeons and Dragons. And it starts the same way. Choose a species. Then a class. If you’re not sure what you want to do the game has tables you can roll on to make you choose. Next you complete your ability scores. Unlike other games you’ve likely tried there are 10 instead of 6. Lots more narratively to be done with this. Next comes skills and talents you get to help define what your character is good at. Humans get to choose their Doomed talent which is a cryptic message about their inevitable death which then may give a bonus on a new character… Equipment is the next thing you choose, but the book calls it trappings. Fill in the physical details then answer 10 questions about your past to help round the character out. Finally use the tables to find out how your character knows the other group members or create these things on your own. If this seems like a foreign language to you there’s lots of more detailed help there’s lots of help on the internet like this blog!

The Warhammer Fantasy Setting

Welcome to the Empire, a place where the old and the new collide and the further to the outskirts you go the harder your life is. Warhammer seeks to bring you a Dark and gritty world where everything is difficult and it is hard to live long enough to be exceptional. You can play as the establishment and complete adventures to increase the Empire. Or perhaps as revolutionaries tired of the Empire’s hold on the World. The old ruler Sigmar has ascended to godhood. How will he feel about your exploits? The current ruler, Karl Franz, has remarkable power. Will you decide to support his causes or usurp them? Every action is meaningful, everything is hard so don’t be afraid to sew some chaos or earn some coin.

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That should be enough to get you hyped for a long standing alternative fantasy tabletop Roleplaying game. This 4th edition of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay plays differently than Warhammer 40k. But it delivers a smooth gaming experience in the Fantasy TTRPG space. It’s been around since the 80’s and gives enough crunch to make the most discerning min-maxers happy. Seriously head over to StartPlaying Games today and give it a try!

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‍Adam McDivitt is a father of 3 boys, professional GM, and a full time therapist. His love of D&D was reignited when his son asked him to help with a game 4 years ago. Since then he has learned a number of new systems and fell in love with TTRPG systems outside of 5e. Follow him on bluesky gmadam.bsky.social he posts there sometimes.