In the second of my retro wanderings, I want to look at Warhammer Fantasy Role Play 1st Edition (mostly the soft cover reprint).

With it’s roots clearly immersed in the Warhammer war game (not interested) and the Old World that comes with it, the 1st edition is still regarded as the “true” WHFRP game both mechanically and thematically.

There have been excellent clones (Zweihander) and re-boots (2e and 4e, but not the totally different 3e), but none have truly captured the feel of the early game and the typo corrected soft cover reprint book is a complete game in one volume.

I have the very first hard cover book, that looks pleasantly aged, but sports a few small typos to go with it’s coffee stains. The near mint soft cover re-print was a lucky purchase a few years ago, before the 4e “revival”, bought through Noble Knight for reasonable money.

Apocrypha Now and The Restless Dead are nice to have, but not necessary. AN adds more character options, minor rules revisions and some useful “fluff” like travel locations and background items with some tied in adventures (taken from The Restless Dead) and TRD combines the same adventures into a longer campaign with several more, then fleshes out magic/magic items and the combat rules.

Is it a complete game?

Comprehensive is an understatement with this 360 + page book.

The character generation system is massive, replacing artificial, mechanical and limited D & D style classes (something I have learned to loath to a nearly unhealthy level) with actual medieval careers. The sky is the limit, but usually the filth of late medieval society is the launching point.

If you generate your character randomly as recommended, get used to a low born, grubby, possibly weak and usually poor human with a basic trade (Rat Catcher, Grave Robber, Scribe) not a higher calling. No Elven lords here (unless you are amazingly lucky). I read the WH Konrad books about the same time as this edition came out and that rags to riches story is a perfect fit.

From there you have a slightly confusing magic system, which to me, a low magic adherent, feels right. Why should magic be easy and mundane. It should be hard to understand, harder to master and perform and it should reserve the right to end you, the wielder in the blink of an eye. Many feel the 2e magic system is better from a players perspective, but I much prefer the elusive, dangerous and mysterious form it takes in 1e. There may be a Wizard in waiting in your group, but be warned, they make 1e D & D cannon fodder Wizards look buff.

Unlike the 4e version, the game is clearly and logically laid out (yes, you can find the shield rules). You have to give it to the writers of this period, they had little to draw from, often writing the first of their kind, but still managed to kick goals regularly. Most modern games are direct descendants of these earlier games and not all are obviously better.

Even though the game does try to address almost any possible situation your players may find themselves in from Insanity to drowning, the mechanics always use a simple roll under d% mechanic, with plenty of “hand wavey” vibe. As I stated last post, I do not like a comprehensive (strict) set of rules, preferring a simple system with plenty of guide lines and freedom to choose. Play it by ear or by the rules, what ever. It can take it.

Combat, like careers is realistic (read lethal). Just like reality it can kill you quick, maim you or in other ways, often hilariously mess you up, not like a D & D fantasy world of physical damage meaning an abstract nothing until death (why is it d% games tend towards realistically lethal and d20 games are fancifully abstract and soft?). There is no resurrection magic and little magical healing. Try not to die. Try not to get maimed. Try.

So, fight if you need, but avoid it if you can. Anyone and I mean anyone can end you at any time. Coming away from several fights unscathed is unlikely and likely speaks to a blessed, cowardly or lucky character. Add to this the reality that you beginning characters are often ill equipped to easily deal with even an average ruffian or bandit and you see very quickly that violence, especially unprepared violence is likely an opportunity to roll up another character. This game is the philosophical opposite of D & D 4e or 13th Age.

The bestiary is effectively the same size as a full D & D monster manual but adds (1) world relevance and (2) more re-use value because every small encounter in WHFRP is a test, not a level based speed hump. The GM of this game will not be constantly scouring the web or old splat books for more new monsters for your party to smear. Every entry of this bestiary potentially has a story in it, maybe even a campaign.

It is also true that even though any creature could lay you low, the opposite is also true. You may slay a Dragon (probably not), but not because you have more hit points and do more damage, making it an auto kill. It will be the result of a clever plan, a village of help and some dumb luck.

Is it still relevant?

Like Traveller, it will not die, coming back in ever more re-makes, but none making the original redundant. Want your game a little more complicated, tight and “modern”, then try Zweihander or 4e, but before you do, remember what you are losing.

WHFRP 1e has a unique feel. It lacks balance, but so does life. It lacks inherent fairness, get over it. It is something so alluring that it will not go away, so before committing, maybe look at the original, before the pretenders.

At the end of the day, role playing needs a solid system to (as invisibly as possible) determine semi-random outcomes, a setting to pay into and a way of measuring achievements for full satisfaction.

In D & D it is levels, treasure/XP, and a catalogue of monsters slain, in WHFRP it’s as simple as making something of yourself in a cruel and unforgiving world.