Ars Magica vs Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
Compare Ars Magica and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Ars Magica | Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy, Historical | Fantasy |
| Play Style | Crunchy, Freeform Magic, Lore-Heavy, Collaborative, Character Building, Simulation, Open Source, Roll to Cast, Domain Management, Roleplay-Heavy, Social Intrigue | Gritty, Deadly, Career-Based, Dark Fantasy, Roleplay-Heavy, Atmospheric, Low-Fantasy, Investigation, Corruption, Lore-Heavy, Licensed Setting, Random Character Creation, Roll to Cast, Grimdark |
| Core Mechanic | Roll a d10 + Characteristic + Ability against an Ease Factor. Simple die rolls count the result at face value; stress die rolls on a 1 double the next roll (cascading), while a 0 risks a botch by rolling additional botch dice. Magic uses Technique + Form (five verbs like Creo, Perdo combined with ten nouns like Ignem, Corpus) to define any spell effect. Formulaic spells are pre-learned, spontaneous spells can attempt any Technique + Form combination by halving the casting total, and ritual spells handle large-scale or permanent effects. | Roll d100 under skill or characteristic. Success Levels measure degree of success by comparing the tens digits of the target and the roll. Advantage accumulates during combat, adding +10 per point to attack tests. |
| Dice | d10 | d100 |
| Complexity | High | Medium |
| Accessibility | Medium | Medium |
| Runnability | High | High |
| License | CC BY-SA 4.0 | No open license |
| Cost | $ | $$$ |
| Publisher | Atlas Games | Cubicle 7 |
| Year | 2004 | 2018 |
| Best For | Groups who want a deeply researched medieval European setting with the most flexible magic system in tabletop RPGs and troupe-style play where multiple characters share the spotlight across seasons of game time. | Groups who want dark, gritty fantasy where ordinary people face extraordinary dangers in a richly detailed setting. The career system creates unique character arcs from rat catcher to witch hunter. |
| Highlights | Technique + Form magic system allows freeform spell creation by combining five verbs with ten nouns. Troupe-style play rotates magi, companions, and grogs so every player has multiple characters. Covenant management adds strategic play between adventures. Mythic Europe setting blends historical accuracy with medieval folklore and theology. | Detailed grimdark setting, career system creates varied character arcs, combat carries real consequences |
| Considerations | Core rulebook is dense at 240 pages with extensive magic subsystems that require study before play. Laboratory rules, seasonal advancement, and covenant management demand significant bookkeeping. The troupe-style format requires buy-in from the whole group. Combat is deliberately secondary to magic and social play. | Tightly bound to the Old World setting, Success Level math can slow play, expensive supplement line |