13th Age vs Five Torches Deep
Compare 13th Age and Five Torches Deep side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| 13th Age | Five Torches Deep | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy | Fantasy |
| Tags | Tactical, Strong GM Support, Heroic, Ascending AC | Dungeon Crawl, Tactical, Resource Management, Rules-Light, Gritty, Ascending AC, Vancian Casting, Roll to Cast |
| 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 + modifier vs DC 11 (most checks). Four classes (Warrior, Thief, Zealot, Mage), levels 1–9. Supply (SUP) abstracts consumables, load limits gear, and equipment can break via durability rolls. Magic carries mishap risk. Compatible with both 5e and B/X adventures. |
| Dice | d20 | d20 |
| Complexity | Medium | Low |
| Availability | Paid | Free core rules |
| Runnability | 5 of 5 book tools | 4 of 5 book tools |
| License | ORC License | OGL 1.0a |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | Not yet researched |
| Publisher | Pelgrane Press | Sigil Stone Publishing |
| Year | 2025 | 2019 |
| Languages | English, French, Italian | English |
| 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 like 5e's core d20 feel but want OSR resource scarcity, simplified classes, and deadlier dungeon crawling. |
| Highlights | The escalation die keeps combat moving. One Unique Things and Icon Relationships create narrative hooks. Streamlined monster design makes GM prep fast. | Bridges 5e familiarity with OSR lethality, supply system elegantly handles torches and rations, fits in 48 pages, dual-compatible with 5e and B/X content |
| Considerations | Tightly coupled to its default setting through the Icon system, some classes have complex trigger systems | Very slim: GMs may need to house-rule gaps, limited character options compared to full 5e, magic mishap table can feel punishing, no bestiary included |