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Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay

This Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay review is part of my “Best Tabletop RPGs of All Time” article. If you want to check out more TTRPGs and see how other top-tier tabletop RPGs are ranked, visit that page.

My Review – 79 / 100

Bar graph: teal and black stacked bars representing ratings for various game aspects, such as lore, artwork, and price.

I want to start this article by saying that I really do like Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. It’s a dynamic game, true to TTRPG‘s roots with games like original Dungeons and Dragons, and it’s a downright fun game to play.

It’s also based on Warhammer – the tabletop war game that has spawned endless novels, video games, and collectibles.

That being said, I do have criticisms of specifically Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. Just keep in mind while reading this review that Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is still #7 in my top tabletop RPGs of all time list, and still comes in at a strong 79/100.

A Few Downsides

At first glance, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is an intimidating game. It’s a huge rulebook (over 500 pages) full of tons of details regarding every imaginable situation. There are also complexities when it comes to numbers and math that makes the game needlessly confusing.

For example: when initially reading through this game, when it said that a race, career, or magic would give me +5% to a skill or talent, I assumed that I had to multiply my base value by 105%. Which sounds horrible. Like, horrible enough to quit right there. Later, I realized that what the game really meant – since Warhammer uses a percentile dice system – was that I should simply add +5 to my score.

So, the game is simpler than I’d originally thought when just starting out. However, because of the confusing elements of the core rulebook (and I wasn’t the only one confused, believe me), I’m keeping my scores as they are.

If not for the confusion that this game tends to produce, it could be ranked as high as #5 on the list. For the right player, Warhammer could be an amazing game.

Uniqueness of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay: (6/10)

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is a class based RPG. When building your character, you give your character gets a “Career,” which is like your character’s “Class” (wizard, fighter, etc.) in other games.

However, in Warhammer, your career is more like a “profession” in name and description, than a “class” would be in most games. Also, the names of available careers are much more unique than most games.

Instead of a warrior you’re a “bodyguard.” Cleric? Try “barber-surgeon.” Like barbarians? You might look into the “noble berserker.” I also personally enjoy the “rat catcher.” The uniqueness of career names is very enjoyable.

Percentile Dice and Wounds

Warhammer uses percentile dice for all rolls in the game (2d10, with one of the d10’s representing the 10’s value, and one representing the 1’s value). Your character has stats which are mostly derived from your career and other character-building elements. To succeed in any kind of check, you must roll under your character’s stats. Simple enough. Percentile dice are a fairly common system in tabletop RPGs.

One very unique thing about Warhammer is that it uses a wounds system. If you’re unfamiliar, “Wounds” indicate real and lasting damage that your character sustains from combat. For instance, you don’t just “take 3 points of damage.” No, no. Instead, you “gain a broken arm.” Wounds can also represent permanent damage to your character, such as losing an eye, or becoming crippled.

Wounds are a cool concept, but also horrifying if you plan to play your character over the course of a long RPG campaign. What I mean is: you better not let your character take much damage, or get into many fights, because any one of them could very well permanently maim your beloved character, forever debilitating them and their overall strength.

Some people love wounds systems in games as they are represent a very realistic style of gaming. Personally, it’s a bit too real for me.

Overall, the Warhammer system is a good one. However, it’s not really that unique. Almost everything done here has been done elsewhere. Other games have percentile dice system. Other games have wound systems. Other games have very similar ways of creating characters, and resolving checks of various kinds.

Ease of Learning the Game: (6/10)

Warhammer is a bit reminiscent of Dungeons and Dragons, in many ways. If you go into Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay thinking about it in those terms, it gives you a solid starting point for understanding the game.

One problem with numbers in Warhammer (in addition to what I mentioned in the intro) is that if you don’t have proficiency in a skill, you have to do some math. Untrained skills can still be used, but with only half your normal rate of success. This may not sounds that bad, but just think about it for a second.

Let’s say, for example, that you have a normal score of 67. Well, if you don’t have proficiency, that number now becomes 38.5 (rounded down to 38). That’s right, you will regularly half numbers like 67, while playing. Not good. Even if you’re good at math, it’s things like this that slow a game down, unnecessarily, and distract from the story.

On the whole, I would say there are many concepts in Warhammer that are suited much better for video games, where a computer can calculate all the math and probabilities for you. In fact, many of the game’s problems would be immediately resolved if the game was played using an app or webpage that instantly determined all resolutions.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Presentation: (8/10)

Overall, the layout and presentation of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is very good. But there is one glaring problem in the advanced careers/ classes section of the game.

The problem is that there are “advanced careers,” and upon further inspection, what I can only define as “advanced-advanced careers.” As in, there are classes that require not only proficiency in a base class, but also proficiency an advanced class, before they become available.

The layout and presentation would be better if there was an “advanced-advanced careers” section (with a better name, of course). That way, your character’s career progression – an idea I really like about Warhammer – would be clearer.

As far as layout goes, careers also comes before the chapter on skills and talents, which is a huge part of the game. Normally I think that kind of ordering is fine, but something about the way Warhammer uses them makes it feel off to me.

I think the reason is that to really understand what the careers “do” for your character, you first need to familiarize yourself with skills and talents, anyways.

Warhammer Lore: (10/10)

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay lore is incredible. It’s all, of course, based on the many books, video games, and stories of Warhammer tabletop wargaming.

Everything you need is already in place to support a great campaign, and tabletop RPG world.

Honestly, I almost want to give this section more like a 12/10 (or higher). There’s endless lore for Warhammer, and if you’re a real gaming nerd like me, it creates just pure endless enjoyment.

Combat: (6/10)

I liked combat in Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay until I came across the section in the rulebook for hit locations. I’ve never seen a game do it well, Warhammer’s included. Hit locations slows down the game, and frankly, they suck. It’s another part of Warhammer that would be better in a video game.

If you aren’t familiar with “hit locations,” here’s how it works: if you hit an enemy with an attack, you then make a separate roll to see where on their body you actually struck. It’s another step towards realism, but another step away from good game pacing, if you ask me.

Hit locations then also play into how wounds work, as each area on the body has different types and severities of wounds.

If your character happens to get a wound, the debuffs that come from that wounds further slows down combat, as you have reduced stat values, and your reduced values makes you kill things much slower. If I didn’t point this out well enough already, combat is really slow.

What it boils down to, for me is that I wouldn’t play a full Warhammer campaign. Just being honest.

Combat’s a huge part of the world (awesome), but it’s so deadly, that your character’s likely to be badly wounded in short order (not awesome). You can avoid combat, of course, but then again, you are playing “Warhammer,” so really can you create an entire gaming campaign that’s “safe” and still do the game justice? I think not.

Personally, I would be perfectly happy planning out a 2-3 session campaign with this system. I’d get in lots of fights and thoroughly enjoy the grim, grisly battles before my character gets obliterated. Then, I’d stop playing Warhammer in favor of another game that’s better set up to play an ongoing campaign.

Game “Flow”: (6/10)

The feel of Warhammer is cool. Overall, the system is pretty simple (excluding combat). There’s also not a lot of complex math aside from the occasional halving of skill values when they lack proficiency.

Warhammer is gritty, scary world. It’s slow because of wounds, hit locations, and spell blow-back from “Tzeentch’s Curse,” (which potentially triggers with every spell cast).

The game is realistic, immersive, and sometimes frustrating. I like the game because it’s so immersive. But I don’t really ever feel a strong sense of being “in the zone” while playing. The closest I get to real investment in the game actually comes outside of combat, where the game “flows” much more smoothly, and where I’m not in constant fear of my character being maimed.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Artwork: (9/10)

The artwork is really good. It’s a little older looking because of the art style. But it is very high quality, with many art pieces throughout the entire rulebook.

The only art in the book that isn’t quite as high quality is the “Careers” section, as they’re all black and white basic pieces. However, even these pieces have real character, and contribute to the game book.

Ease of Purchase: (10/10)

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay can be found both on the Cubicle 7 Games site, and on Amazon. Both are easily navigable, and the game is very easy to find and purchase. I always find it refreshing when publishers make it easy to buy their game.

Price & How Many Books Do You Need to Play: (8/10)

The Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay book is a little more expensive than others ($45 or so), but it’s really no big deal as you only need the one book.

Fame & Availability of Supplemental Material: (10/10)

Warhammer is extremely popular with gaming enthusiasts. Many people who get into tabletop gaming first get into Warhammer tabletop wargaming, before even touching RPGs. The Warhammer RPG is made with that very audience in mind.

Because Warhammer is such a massive enterprise, there are tons of supplemental materials to the RPG: both those made specifically for Fantasy Roleplay, and great resource material from other mediums.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is Produced By:

Cubicle 7 Games

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Jacob Tegtman

Dear reader, I hope you enjoyed my article. Tabletop gaming has been a passion of mine since I was 6 years old. I've played just about every game from Dungeons and Dragons to video games like Final Fantasy. These games have inspired me, made me laugh, made me cry, and brought me endless hours of enjoyment.

I started Eternity TTRPG - and the indie tabletop game that goes along with it (Eternity Shop) - to share my love of gaming with others. I believe that in our technology-driven age, tabletop games help bring a sense of magic and community back into our world.

If you love the site, please share it with others! I have lots of gaming-related material for you to peruse and use in your own gaming sessions. If you have any questions about the site or want to contribute, just send me a message using the "Contact" page, which you can find in the site's footer.

Jacob Tegtman

Gargoyles in armor stand on a stone roof at night under a blue moon

Stoneborn of Crooked Moon: D&D Gargoyles

By Jacob Tegtman • April 13, 2026

Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMnHDV9p7hk Transcription What if your next D&D character was carved instead of being born? And what if their entire purpose was decided the moment they were made? Welcome back to Eternity TTRPG. Today, we’re returning to Crooked Moon to explore the playable monstrous races that this awesome campaign setting provides. Next on list are the Stoneborn from Pholsense – I hope you’re ready, as this race is really fun. Stoneborn are carved from – well, from stone – by the ruler of their land—and they’re brought to life through a divine force called the Silver Path. In Pholsense, Stoneborn don’t come from families. They literally start as blocks of stone. The ruler of the province, Archbishop Danton Alexandre Renault (a name you may have heard from some of my other Crooked Moon videos – particularly the ones based on specific adventures), oversees their creation. A body is carefully carved into shape—usually with wings and a humanoid form. So, think gargoyle statue. At some point during this process, the Silver Path—a divine power—brings that body to life. Based on the lore of Crooked Moon, we don’t really know exactly what “the Silver Path” is. It’s not like buried somewhere obscure, later on in the campaign book. I think it’s left open-ended so your group, or DM, can sort of play it up as they’d like. Mystery is, after all, a big part of the Crooked Moon setting. It’s worth starting here with the Stoneborn though because the Silver Path is the process of how this carved statue of stone awakens. The Silver Path is clearly stated in the lore as A divine force or guiding power associated with order, light, and purpose. In the Crooked Moon setting, whether you’re playing a Stoneborn or want to highlight them as a DM, the Silver Path functions as: A religious belief system (what people worship) – as the whole process of Stoneborn creation is either overseen, or even performed, directly by the Archbishop A real source of power (it actually does things, like awaken inanimate stone) And is a standard for morality (what’s considered “good” and “right” in the lands of Crooked Moon) In short, the Silver Path is the god-like force that defines “order and good” specifically within the lands of Pholsense. It’s also worth noting that the Silver Path is not described as a spell, and it’s clearly not some form of hidden technology. It is like a divine power. So, moving on, the Stoneborn are made of whatever stone they were carved from. That determines their color and texture. Their shapes can vary a lot, depending on their creator’s artistic choices. This means that your Stoneborn could be a gargoyle, like I mentioned before. But, they could also have features similar to animals, dragons, or angels. You can also have a lot of fun with it and mix different traits rather than having just one clear form. All Stoneborn do have wings, but they’re heavy. And they can fly—but just not quickly or easily. When it comes to the land of Pholsense it’s a strict and orderly place. Rules are taken seriously, and roles are clearly defined. Stoneborn are usually created to actually serve a very specific function within their society. Common roles include: Guards Enforcers of the law Or protectors of important places, such as religious buildings (perhaps even locations where the Silver Path takes place) Because they are created rather than raised, many Stoneborn strongly believe in following their assigned purpose. But – and this makes for great roleplay opportunities – not all of them agree with their assigned paths, forever. Some eventually start to question: Why they were made Whether their role in life is fair And whether the Archbishop—or the Silver Path—is always right Mechanically, Stoneborn are durable and flexible. They’re classified as Constructs. You can choose to be Small or Medium-sized. They also have a flying speed equal to half their normal movement. When it comes to abilities, Stoneborn come with: Argent Gleam Once per long rest, you can use a bonus action to choose one of two effects: 1) Path’s Grace You cast Bless without needing components. 2) Zealous Charge You take the Dash action, and your next attack deals an extra 2d6 radiant damage—even if the attack misses. Next, they have Silver Bulwark When you take bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, You can use your reaction to gain resistance to those damage types until your next turn. And then lastly, Watchful Senses gives you proficiency in either: Insight Perception or Survival When it comes to roleplaying, Stoneborn characters are mainly about purpose. You might think about: Why your character was created Whether they still believe in their assigned purpose now And how they feel about the person who made them Some Stoneborn fully trust the system they come from. Others might not. You can also explore their relationship with the Silver Path: Do they see it as a real guiding force? Or just something they were told to believe in? Finally, Stoneborn don’t die of old age, in quite the same way as most creatures. After a long life—around 300 years—they physically break down and return to rubble. Personally, I think it would be kind of cool if they just permanently petrified, returning to their state before the Silver Path – almost like every Stoneborn graveyard isn’t just filled with creepy gargoyle statues like in most fantasy games... but the graveyard is the gargoyles... providing a glimpse into each stoneborn’s life, and what mattered to them. So what do you think? Would you play a Stoneborn, or have you played one already? And more importantly—Would you follow the Silver Path… no matter where it leads, or what it asks of you? Or would you be a black sheep among the gargoyles? Drop your thoughts in the comments below. I think next up I have planned to cover the Plagueborn. But if you have another Crooked Moon race on your mind that you want me to dive into, let me know. See you guys next time!

Lost Gary Gygax MegaDungeons Crowdfund

By Jacob Tegtman • April 9, 2026

Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-Ut7R3J2m0 Transcription Lost megadungeons from Gary Gygax himself are hitting crowdfunding this week. This is unpublished content from the father of D&D that's been sitting in archives for decades. Plus, the community is reacting strongly to what this might mean for old-school gaming. Welcome back to Eternity TTRPG - your go-to source for all things D&D and tabletop RPG news. Today we're diving into what might actually be the most significant piece of D&D history to surface in years. So here's the scoop that's got the “old school renaissance” community in a frenzy. The Gygax Trust has announced they're bringing previously unpublished megadungeons created by Gary Gygax to crowdfunding platforms. Now, before you ask "wait, didn't Gary pass away in 2008?" - yes, he did. But here's the thing that makes this absolutely incredible. These aren't reconstructions or "inspired by" content. These are actual, honest-to-Mordenkainen unpublished works that Gygax created but never got to release during his lifetime. Here’s what We're Actually Getting: According to the announcement, we're looking at multiple megadungeons that showcase Gygax's legendary dungeon design philosophy. And when I say megadungeons, I mean the real deal - we're talking about sprawling, multi-level complexes that could keep your party busy for literal years of gameplay. The Gygax Trust is being pretty tight-lipped about specific details, but they've confirmed these materials were found in Gary's personal archives. Think about that for a second - these are dungeons designed by the original dungeon master. They are effectively classic D&D dungeons... that were never released. Also, I will be putting links for these megadungeons in the video’s notes, so be sure to check there to back them and get your copies if you’re interested! And with this... Community Reaction Is Off The Charts The D&D OSR (old school renaissance) subreddit is absolutely exploding right now. One user posted: "This is like finding lost Beatles recordings. Gary's dungeon design was unmatched - geometric, deadly, but fair. If these are authentic Gygax creations, this could be the most important RPG release in decades." But it's not just the old school gamers who are getting excited. Even 5e players are recognizing the historical significance. Over on r/DnD, another user wrote: "Even if you never run OSR games, owning actual unpublished Gygax content is like having a piece of D&D's DNA. This is our hobby's history." Now, here's where it gets interesting from a business perspective. The Gygax Trust is going the crowdfunding route rather than partnering with Wizards of the Coast or another major publisher. This makes total sense when you think about it. Crowdfunding gives them complete creative control, and honestly - The OSR community has proven they'll throw serious money at quality old-school content. Just look at the success of campaigns like Rappan Athuk or Barrowmaze. Here’s What This could mean For The Hobby: These dungeons matter beyond just nostalgia. Gary Gygax wasn't just the co-creator of D&D - he was a master of dungeon ecology and design philosophy that modern game design still draws from. These megadungeons could provide incredible insight into how he approached long-form campaign design. We're talking about seeing the evolution of ideas that influenced everything from the Temple of Elemental Evil to modern 5e adventures. Plus, let's be real - in an era where a lot of published adventures hold your hand every step of the way, getting pure, unfiltered Gygax dungeon design could be exactly what some tables are craving. D&D has effectively – shall we say, lost its soul(?) – in recent decades. This represents a return to what D&D was at its core, from one of the gentlemen behind the game. There are some Questions with these adventures though, that Everyone's been Asking Of course, the community has concerns too. The big question is authenticity and presentation. How complete are these materials – that is, is there a reason they weren’t published to begin with? Will they be published as-is with Gary's original notes, or will they be "updated" for modern sensibilities? One user said: "I hope they preserve Gary's original voice and design philosophy, even if it means the content feels dated by today's standards. That's literally the point - we want to see how the master actually designed dungeons." So that's this week's big news! The return of Gary Gygax content through crowdfunding is honestly something I never thought we'd see. What do you think? Are you excited for authentic Gygax megadungeons, or do you think some things should stay in the past? Drop your thoughts in the comments below. If this video got you hyped for some classic dungeon crawling, smash that like button and subscribe for more TTRPG news every week. I’m certain these will be some dungeons that I’ll be covering in the future, once they’re available. Until next time, keep those dice rolling!

A high-angle shot of a crowded Gen Con event

Does DnD Actually care about Gen Con Again? Return to DnD's Roots

By Jacob Tegtman • April 5, 2026

Transcribed content from our recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvxI1GXJerE Transcription Dungeons & Dragons is finally returning to the convention that made it famous… Well, to be clear – D&D has been at Gen Con. It’s just, they haven’t really had much of a presence there in recent times, have they? Even small indie games have had substantially larger booth space than D&D, which I saw last year basically tucked into a back part of the convention, with pretty much only like a 20ft by 10ft space, or so. If even that, to be honest. And, I don’t know for sure if D&D hosted many events even at Gen Con while we were there last year. Maybe a few intro games? But if I had to guess, I would’ve said that third parties may have run more games of D&D than Wizards of the Coast D&D actually did. But, after years of near silence… Wizards of the Coast is planning to go all-in on Gen Con again. The real question is—why now? We’ve seen a lot of relatively big moves from D&D recently, back towards its roots. So, what could this move mean for the future of D&D? Welcome back to Eternity TTRPG—your go-to news channel for all things D&D and tabletop roleplaying. Today we’re diving into some pretty cool news, hopefully a big positive for the direction of D&D: Wizards of the Coast is officially heading back to Gen Con with D&D in a big way. And honestly… it’s kind of a full-circle moment. Let’s rewind for a second, because – as I’m sure you know – Gen Con isn’t just any convention. Gen Con was founded back in 1968 by Gary Gygax, which to be honest, I didn’t know prior to researching for this video. If you aren’t aware, Gen Con is now the largest convention for tabletop gaming, I believe in the world. It pretty much takes over Indianapolis for, what I can confidently agree, is probably indeed the best 4-days of gaming each year. At the time they started Gen Con, it was just a small gathering of wargaming fans in Wisconsin. But in 1974… Gygax and Dave Arneson released Dungeons & Dragons. And, of course, Gen Con became ground zero for spreading the game. People would attend… pick up a copy… and bring it back to their hometowns. That’s how D&D went viral—before the internet even existed. It turns out, hanging out with cool people in person and telling them about cool things – in person – was the OG way to go viral. Go figure! So, fast forward a few decades… Gen Con became the D&D event, and the tabletop gaming event. We’re talking massive tournaments, huge reveals… Even a life-sized castle built on the convention floor. Yeah. That actually happened. But then something changed. In recent years, Wizards of the Coast has been… mostly absent. No big booths. No major announcements. Just a quiet, minimal presence—if anything at all. I can tell you, seeing them last year, like I mentioned, was not only unimpressive... it was actually even a bit sad. I remember thinking like, “why are you guys even here? Why bother with a booth like this, it just makes D&D look bad.” And other fans have definitely noticed, as well. At this point, you might be wondering: why did D&D pull away from Gen Con, anyways? Well, a few key things: First—vision. Wizards started treating D&D less like a game… and more like a global entertainment brand. You’ve seen the somewhat recent movie, and then they’re pushing hard towards digital tools now, trying to make D&D more of a money-making tool, and truthfully, less like the D&D we all grew up with. Second—control. Instead of third-party events like Gen Con, Wizards of the Coast has focused more on their own events. Things like MagicCon – for Magic: the Gathering. And third—cost. Giant booths and live events are expensive, and brand-awareness is not the same as actual sales. In the past, the cost of large-scale live events like Gen Con was a no-brainer investment for D&D. However, with D&D moving towards online income, live spaces didn’t fit the online vision as much. So, for years… Gen Con became more of a community-run D&D space rather than an official one. But now—that’s changing. Wizards vice president recently confirmed that Gen Con is about to become a major part of D&D again. Starting this year: Annual D&D product roadmaps will be revealed at Gen Con They’ll have more organized play events And there will be more direct and “official” community engagement Like so many of the things Wizards of the Coast is doing to push live community spaces for D&D again, this could be a big deal – but it will depend on how well Wizards follows through. Still though, this is the first time in years that Wizards is showing up where the players are. And this could be a great sign for the game. With all of this in mind, we now finally come to the question: “why is this happening now?” There are a few clues. First—D&D has lost major momentum in the TTRPG space, let’s be real. Wizards is, perhaps, finally recognizing the loss of their community, and is trying to reconnect with the people who built the community to begin with. We’ve seen: The return of classic settings – which is ok. I’d rather see – as one recent viewer put it – new stuff. Done in the classic way, but some actual new content would be x1,000 times better. And they are creating new seasonal content, with a return to D&D modules and “official” weekly play at local gaming stores. Second… Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. The OGL controversy. You may remember: The Open Gaming License controversy, when Wizards of the Coast tried to change D&D’s open license in a way that would restrict creators and potentially take a cut of their earnings—sparking massive backlash and boycott calls from the community. That moment seriously damaged trust with fans. And while things have cooled down… This Gen Con push feels like a very intentional move to rebuild goodwill. Because if you want to win back hardcore players—You show up at Gen Con. That’s all there is to it. Show up, and make it fucking awesome. Make your audience actually want to play D&D again. For a lot of fans, D&D skipping Gen Con has felt… weird. It’s the place where the fire started. It’s been the biggest name in tabletop ghosting the biggest tabletop event in the world, in favor of creating online subscription models that very few people actually want. But now? This feels like a return to D&D’s roots. A reconnection with the community that built the game’s legacy in the first place. So the real question is—Is this just good PR… Or the start of a new era for D&D? What do you think? Drop your thoughts in the comments. And if you enjoyed this coverage, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and roll for initiative on the next video. See you next time!