13th Age vs Blue Rose
Compare 13th Age and Blue Rose side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| 13th Age | Blue Rose | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy | Fantasy |
| Tags | Tactical, Strong GM Support, Heroic, Ascending AC | Character-Driven, Corruption, Tactical, Crunchy, Social Intrigue, Strong GM Support, High-Fantasy, Lore-Heavy, Heroic, Roleplay-Heavy |
| Core Mechanic | Roll d20 + modifier vs. defense. The escalation die (a d6 that increases each combat round, adding to player attacks) builds momentum. One Unique Things and Icon Relationships tie characters to the setting and drive story. | Roll d20 and add the relevant ability, skill, or arcanum modifier against a Difficulty set by the Narrator. Attacks use the same procedure against Defense. Successful damage forces a Toughness save that moves the target along an injury track instead of reducing hit points. |
| Dice | d20 | d20 |
| Complexity | Medium | High |
| Availability | Paid | Paid |
| Runnability | 5 of 5 book tools | 5 of 5 book tools |
| License | ORC License | Open Game License Version 1.0a |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | Commercial publishing allowed — Open Game License v1.0a |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Publisher | Pelgrane Press | Green Ronin Publishing, LLC |
| Year | 2025 | 2005 |
| Languages | English, French, Italian | English, Italian |
| Best For | Groups who love d20 fantasy combat but want more narrative freedom, improvisational play, and story-driven character connections baked into the mechanics. | Groups who want hopeful romantic fantasy campaigns where personal motivations, political intrigue, and heroic service matter alongside tactical conflict. |
| Highlights | The escalation die keeps combat moving. One Unique Things and Icon Relationships create narrative hooks. Streamlined monster design makes GM prep fast. | Acting on a Calling and either nature restores Conviction, turning personal motives into a renewable resource. Reputation and Influence give past deeds and changing attitudes mechanical weight in social scenes. Sorcery risks Corruption that erodes abilities and can culminate in madness or unlife, making forbidden magic a sustained consequence rather than a binary choice. |
| Considerations | Tightly coupled to its default setting through the Icon system, some classes have complex trigger systems | Character creation combines a background and role with several layers of customization, requiring choices across multiple chapters. Combat tracks actions, modifiers, saving throws, and damage conditions instead of a single hit-point total. Sorcery's Corruption rules attach moral consequences to forbidden magic, so groups must engage with the setting's Light and Shadow framework. |