Agon vs Shadow of the Weird Wizard
Compare Agon and Shadow of the Weird Wizard side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, and more.
| Agon | Shadow of the Weird Wizard | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy, Historical | Fantasy |
| Tags | Heroic, Narrative, Rules-Light, Short Sessions, Low-Prep, Mission-Based, Fast-Paced, Cinematic, Tag-Based | Heroic, Beginner-Friendly, Short Sessions, Strong GM Support, Character Building |
| Core Mechanic | All conflicts resolve in a single contested roll. Players assemble a dice pool from relevant traits (Name die, Epithet die, Domain die, Divine Favor), each rated as a step die (d4–d12). Everyone rolls simultaneously; highest result wins. The Strife Player sets opposition with their own dice. Divine Favor grants bonus dice from the gods but is unreliable. Pathos tracks a hero's inner fire: when it runs out, the hero's tale ends. | Roll d20 + modifier vs. target number 10. Boons and banes (d6s) modify the roll. Luck replaces traditional experience, driving both advancement and dramatic moments. |
| Dice | d4–d12 | d20 |
| Complexity | Very Low | Low |
| Availability | Paid | Free quickstart |
| Runnability | 5 of 5 book tools | Book tools not listed |
| License | Proprietary | Weird Wizard SRD |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | Not yet researched |
| Publisher | Evil Hat Productions | Schwalb Entertainment |
| Year | 2020 | 2024 |
| Languages | English | English |
| Best For | Groups who want fast, competitive mythic Greek adventures with minimal prep: each island is a self-contained session of trials, battles, and divine interference. | Groups who want a lighter, heroic take on the Shadow of the Demon Lord engine with fast play and deep character options. |
| Highlights | Island adventures require zero GM prep: everything needed is in the book, one-roll resolution keeps pace fast, competitive Glory system encourages heroes to outshine each other, Strife Player role rotates so everyone can play a hero | Streamlined rules with few exceptions, novice/expert/master path system offers deep character combinations, Luck mechanic doubles as advancement and resource currency |
| Considerations | Narrow mythic Greek genre with limited setting flexibility, competitive Glory system can frustrate cooperative-minded players, heroes have few mechanical traits to differentiate them, campaign arc is finite: heroes eventually reach their Fate and retire | Setting tightly coupled to core rules, shares most mechanics with Shadow of the Demon Lord |