Shadow of the Weird Wizard vs Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
Compare Shadow of the Weird Wizard and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Shadow of the Weird Wizard | Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy | Fantasy |
| Play Style | Heroic, Beginner-Friendly, Fast Sessions, GM-Friendly, Character Building | Career-Based, Grimdark, Deadly, Investigation, Corruption, Licensed Setting |
| Core Mechanic | Roll d20 + modifier vs. target number 10. Boons and banes (d6s) modify the roll. Luck replaces traditional experience, driving both advancement and dramatic moments. | 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 | d20 | d100 |
| Complexity | Low | Medium |
| Accessibility | High | Low |
| Runnability | High | High |
| License | Weird Wizard SRD | No open license |
| Cost | $$ | $$$ |
| Publisher | Schwalb Entertainment | Cubicle 7 |
| Year | 2024 | 2018 |
| Best For | Groups who want a lighter, heroic take on the Shadow of the Demon Lord engine with fast play and deep character options. | 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 | Streamlined rules with few exceptions, novice/expert/master path system offers deep character combinations, Luck mechanic doubles as advancement and resource currency | The career system structures advancement around trades, moving a character through jobs that shape both skills and story. Success Levels measure how far a d100 test beats or misses its target, turning every roll into a degree of result. Advantage accumulates during a fight, rewarding momentum with stacking bonuses to attack tests. |
| Considerations | Setting tightly coupled to core rules, shares most mechanics with Shadow of the Demon Lord | The rules assume the Old World setting, so moving WFRP elsewhere means reworking its careers and tone. Comparing tens digits for Success Levels on every test adds a math step that can slow combat. Advancement is career-gated, so a character often must finish or leave a career before branching into new skills. |