Dungeons & Dragons vs Ironsworn
Compare Dungeons & Dragons and Ironsworn side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Dungeons & Dragons | Ironsworn | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy | Fantasy |
| Play Style | Tactical, Heroic, Combat-Heavy, Dungeon Crawl, Character Building, High-Fantasy, Grid-Based, Beginner-Friendly, Classic Fantasy, Lore-Heavy, Ascending AC | Narrative, Solo-Friendly, Rules-Light, Sandbox, Low-Fantasy, Exploration, Theater of the Mind, Open Source, Random Tables |
| Core Mechanic | Roll d20 + modifier against a target DC (for ability checks and saving throws) or AC (for attacks). Meeting or exceeding the target succeeds. Advantage rolls 2d20 and takes the higher; disadvantage takes the lower, replacing most situational modifiers. | Roll 1d6 + stat vs two d10 challenge dice. Beat both for a strong hit, beat one for a weak hit, beat neither for a miss. Momentum can cancel challenge dice. Progress tracks measure long-term objectives; iron vows drive the narrative forward. |
| Dice | d20 | d6 + 2d10 |
| Complexity | Medium | Low |
| Accessibility | High | Very High |
| Community | Very High | High |
| License | CC BY 4.0 (SRD); core books proprietary | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 |
| Cost | $$$ | Free |
| Publisher | Wizards of the Coast | Shawn Tomkin |
| Year | 2024 | 2018 |
| Best For | Groups who want heroic fantasy adventures with tactical grid combat, deep character customization, and access to more published adventures and supplements than any other RPG. | Solo or small-group dark fantasy questing with fiction-first moves, oracle tables, and zero GM-prep play. |
| Highlights | Advantage/disadvantage system simplifies most situational modifiers to a single mechanic. Extensive class and subclass options across 12 base classes with 48 subclasses in the 2024 PHB. The largest third-party content ecosystem in tabletop RPGs. Free basic rules and starter sets lower the barrier to entry. | Fully free PDF, well-designed solo play, momentum system creates tension, oracle tables eliminate need for a GM |
| Considerations | High-level play (tier 3-4) introduces significant spell interaction complexity and encounter balancing challenges for GMs. No official rules for non-fantasy genres. Three core books at $50 each represent a significant investment for the full rules. | Progress track math can feel opaque at first, oracle tables can produce contradictory results requiring interpretation, limited asset variety in the base game, momentum economy requires careful management |