10,000 Swords Against Heaven vs Arrhenius
Compare 10,000 Swords Against Heaven and Arrhenius side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| 10,000 Swords Against Heaven | Arrhenius | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy, Scifi, Horror, Post-Apocalyptic, Cyberpunk | Scifi, Post-Apocalyptic |
| Tags | Martial Arts, Tactical, Character Building, Classless, Fiction-First, Survival, Resource Management, Sandbox, Dark Fantasy, Weird | Tactical, Survival, Resource Management, Inventory Management, Character Building, Classless, Crunchy, Strong GM Support |
| Core Mechanic | Roll a pool of d6s equal to the relevant Cultivation rating, adjusted for the circumstances. Each die showing 4–6 counts as a Strike. Meet or exceed the action's Demand to succeed; opposed checks compare Strike totals. | For skill checks, roll a d20 and add the two relevant Talents plus the applicable Education score. A total of 21 or higher succeeds. Before a non-damage d20 roll, Luck Points can add +1 each to its bonus. |
| Dice | d6 dice pool | d20 |
| Complexity | High | High |
| Availability | Free core rules | Free quickstart |
| Runnability | 2 of 5 book tools | 5 of 5 book tools |
| License | Third Party License | All Rights Reserved |
| Third-Party Publishing | Commercial publishing allowed — Core rulebook Third Party License | Not yet researched |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Publisher | JK Saavedra | Dungeonteller, LLC |
| Year | 2026 | 2025 |
| Languages | English | English |
| Best For | Groups seeking cultivation campaigns with reactive tactical combat and open-ended exploration. The setting centers communist revolution against divine and capitalist rule. | Groups who want a survival-focused science-fiction campaign where characters cross frozen ruins, manage limited equipment, and resolve fights on a tactical grid. |
| Highlights | Two-stage Interrupt cascades let combatants spend Actions to respond before an opponent's declared action resolves. Licenses from fifteen Sects combine with limited Meridian slots to support changeable martial and magical loadouts. Magnetite is both currency and a source of XP, making cultivation compete with equipment purchases. | Frost Points turn prolonged exposure to subzero conditions into resilience checks, so shelter and protective gear shape expeditions. The optional Tuning Session assigns Talent scores through a short character-memory scenario, tying early choices to the resulting build. Combat uses a 2-meter grid with optional Perks that award attack bonuses for flanking or high ground. |
| Considerations | Characters start fragile by design; the book expects many to die at Stage 0 before cultivation takes hold. Casting Magick prevents Defense Checks, making positioning and allied protection important. The premise centers communist revolution, and the book warns of sexual violence and body horror. | Exposure to subzero temperatures triggers a Resilience check every 20 minutes of real table time and failure costs one Frost Point. Broad equipment archetypes rely on the Dungeonteller to define the specific items characters encounter. Combat resolves each attack through opposed rolls before damage is rolled. |