Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay vs Worlds Without Number
Compare Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay and Worlds Without Number side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay | Worlds Without Number | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Fantasy | Fantasy |
| Play Style | Career-Based, Grimdark, Deadly, Investigation, Corruption, Licensed Setting | Sandbox, Exploration, Faction Play, Worldbuilding, Tactical, Ascending AC, Vancian Casting |
| Core Mechanic | 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. | 2d6 + skill + attribute ≥ target for skills; d20 + modifiers vs. AC for combat. OSR-inspired with modern refinements. |
| Dice | d100 | 2d6 / d20 |
| Complexity | Medium | Medium |
| Accessibility | Low | Very High |
| Runnability | High | High |
| License | No open license | Proprietary |
| Cost | $$$ | Free / $$ |
| Publisher | Cubicle 7 | Sine Nomine Publishing |
| Year | 2018 | 2021 |
| Best For | 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. | Sandbox fantasy campaigns with deep worldbuilding tools, faction turns, and an OSR-flavored system from the creator of Stars Without Number. |
| Highlights | 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. | Free version is very generous, comprehensive sandbox and worldbuilding tools, faction system, compatible with SWN |
| Considerations | 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. | OSR combat can feel basic compared to modern tactical systems, limited mechanical support for narrative or story-arc campaigns, no built-in social encounter system |