10,000 Swords Against Heaven
Version 2.0.3Core Mechanic
Roll a pool of d6s equal to the relevant Cultivation rating, adjusted for the circumstances. Each die showing 4–6 counts as a Strike. Meet or exceed the action's Demand to succeed; opposed checks compare Strike totals.
Best For
Groups seeking cultivation campaigns with reactive tactical combat and open-ended exploration. The setting centers communist revolution against divine and capitalist rule.
Highlights
Two-stage Interrupt cascades let combatants spend Actions to respond before an opponent's declared action resolves. Licenses from fifteen Sects combine with limited Meridian slots to support changeable martial and magical loadouts. Magnetite is both currency and a source of XP, making cultivation compete with equipment purchases.
Considerations
Characters start fragile by design; the book expects many to die at Stage 0 before cultivation takes hold. Casting Magick prevents Defense Checks, making positioning and allied protection important. The premise centers communist revolution, and the book warns of sexual violence and body horror.
Third-Party Publishing
Reproduction and reuse of the game's text
The license on page 4 of the 2.0.3 core excludes bigoted, fascist, and anticommunist products and requires the attribution THIS IS 1 SWORD AGAINST HEAVEN. Its text-reuse grant does not cover artwork.