Wrath & Glory RPG - Core Rules gameplay experiences

[N1SB]

My meta is playing Wrath & Glory using the recently released full rules (as opposed to the preview weeks ago). We've got a weekly RP session going now, just finished one last night. I'm sharing some experience, because like all tabletop RPGs, there are definite nuances (that I wish I knew before my 1st game).

I'll highlight my Learnings from actual playing in italics. I know every RP group varies and it depends on the Gamemaster and players, but some things are baked into the system.

+++ A very quick recap on game mechanics +++

Wrath & Glory is based on a d6 dice pool system, very simple, easy-to-learn for newcomers to RPGs. Each Action (like shooting), you roll a number of dice equal to the Attribute (Agility) and Skill (Ballistic Skill) to your stats. Each 4+ counts as a success Token. A 6 counts as TWO success Tokens. Most basic actions need three success Tokens, and more difficult things might need four or five as determined by the GM. Combat and social and investigative actions are all based on this same mechanic, I really enjoy the simplicity.

Learning - I found our group succeeded more than I thought due to 6 counting as TWO success tokens. When I heard I needed a 4+ on a d6, I just thought it was a 50/50 chance for each dice I rolled. But accounting for the 6, it's actually more like 2/3 of the time. Keep that in mind when deciding whether to try an Action.

However, there is a "Wrath" system; it's literally in the name of the game. For any roll, one die (we usually chose a different coloured die) is considered the Wrath die. If you rolled a 1 on the Wrath die, it causes some sort accident (you shot your teammate instead of your enemy). But if you rolled a 6 on the Wrath die, that is a critical success (you did a headshot, did extra damage). If you rolled so well that you didn't even need that 6 on the Wrath die, you can turn, or "Shift", that 6 into a future re-roll. That re-roll is very useful, so please remember to mark one in your dice pool as the Wrath die.

And when you re-roll a Skill check, you get to re-roll ALL the failed dice (EDIT - EXCEPT the Wrath die). It makes a huge difference.

Learning - those Wrath rerolls are very powerful, but also very hard to actually get from rolling. We played a 3-hour heavy ROLLplaying session. Even then, we only accumulated 2 re-rolls from Wrath dice between the whole party. However, there is a far easier way to get Wrath die...from character RP. So remember to include Wrath dice as it's so easy to overlook, but it's a nice-to-have.

Finally, the game is much, much more closely tied to the regular general 40k game. This was clearly a deliberate choice, almost like a branding exercise, having all their games align more closely. I mention this because Dark Heresy, I'm sure because of licensing reasons, made it quite separate from the 40k game, focusing on Inquisitors and Rogue Traders in a different sector. Wrath and Glory really builds on the established 8th ed setting specifically, making it much easier to transition into...and back.

Sorry for this recap, but this segues to where I think the game really excels, Character Creation.

+++ Character Creation +++

The beauty of this simple system is that it turns into flexibility for creating your own characters. Characters are built using a points-based system (called Build Points). It's NOT really class-based, it calls them Archetypes, and just determines:

- a lore-based Archetype special benefit (Mechanicus gets bionics)

- minimum requirements (Tactical Marines need Strength, Agility, Toughness of 4)

- your roleplay objectives, which are a way to earn those valuable Wrath points

You also get starting wargear and things like that...but it's very easy to swap them out by paying a nominal fee points-wise.

The standard best practices for character builds are very standard. Min-max Specialise towards certain areas, everyone use their Fellowship (Charisma) as a dumpstat unless they're the face of the party, etc (EDIT - the game's system actually DISCOURAGES min-maxing, more near the bottom of this page). There is a diminishing return on points costs, so it's hard to say what's the optimal build as they all even out. Thus, the actual character...as in the personality...is the key.

And it's due to the Wrath points system. As mentioned before, you can get these Wrath points for re-rolls and stuff...very important. In addition to rolling 6s on Wrath dice, you can get Wrath points from fulfilling a random RP objective during a session. It might be as simple as shouting your Primarch's name or show devotion to the Emperor/Omnissiah.

You're more likely to get that benefit from roleplaying than rolling dice. The result is, you choose a class mainly because you feel more comfortable roleplaying that Archetype, rather than based on game mechanics, because the Wrath system is big enough an incentive. A lot of games try to promote roleplay, but I think this one achieves it.

Learning - here's why I reckon that RP incentive works for 40k specifically but not for other settings. Sure, it's structured, standardised, systematised, to integrate it into the game, but the TRADE-OFF is that it's kinda like repeating tropes. But 40k is ok with repeating a trope, because history doesn't repeat but it rhymes.

The Guardsmen IS supposed to, seconds before being overrun, to call down artillery on his OWN position. The Inquisition Stormtrooper on his apparent 1st mission IS supposed to remember that he's been mind-wiped before. And the Space Marine IS supposed to die heroically...then come back as a Dreadnought.

Those classic moments are such a running gag it's like a drinking game: every time a 40k character does this, take a shot. This is a little bit like that.

For B&C, Space Marine player characters actually get Chapter Tactics-like bonus rules for the 9 Loyalist Founding Legions. It's pretty cool.

There is a Tier system to balance Guardsmen with Space Marines, and the suggested starting Tier is 2 which includes Deathcult Assassins, Sisters of Battle, Tempestus Scions, even Space Marine SCOUTS. So even starting out, lots of options, like:

Space Marine Scout destined for Specialist Roles (this was a Learning from gameplay)

A Space Marine Scout is, despite being Astartes, of the general Tier 2 that's recommended for most starting parties.

And I got the idea from watching a player who did NOT do this and thought it would be SO much fun if he did. You know in the lore Specialist Marines, like Techmarines and Apothecaries, are spotted for their knack towards that discipline early on? You can totally make your Batman: Year One versions of these characters, like THIS is where their Chaplain spots their hidden talents.

You take the Scout Archetype, and invest in Intellect and Tech for a Techmarine or Intellect and Medical for an Apothecary.

Then since they have pretty good Intellect, they might as well invest in other Skills related to that Attribute, like Awareness or Investigate. Tabletop RP are more interesting for their mysteries than just combat, so this makes a lot of sense in this RPG.

(Alternatively...a future LIBRARIAN. Like he seemed normal but started manifesting psychic powers as a Scout. Not sure, I gotta read up on the Psyker rules in more detail 1st.)

What I especially love about this is it expands the experience beyond the RP if you bring that character as an addition for your actual 40k army. Consider that Techmarine- or Apothecary-to-be, after an RP campaign involving a mystery, go on to get training for their Specialist Roles and join your army list...but they still retain the experiences as investigators.

For example, I imagine if you included an Apothecary to your actual 40k army after a RPG, he's following your Tactical Squad or whatever...but he's not just there to heal them. It's like the Tactical Squad is bringing him to an objective, because that objective represents some sort of forensic clue. It's because this hypothetical Scout-to-be-Medic proved that he's the best detective in the Chapter, and he's there to examine clues on the battlefield before it gets Exterminatus'd, like a secret mission.

It'd be like...CSI: Space Marine.

I used to think of Dark Heresy as "life outside the 40k battlefield game"; we played it to do stuff we couldn't do in a 40k game and it was deliberately set apart BY DESIGN. Wrath & Glory is much more closely tied to the 8th ed 40k setting and leaks back into it. I can see our RP characters, should they survive their adventure, to become at least Leaders or Specialists in a Kill Team game. I feel this game enriches the core 40k games by adding the RP flavour that kinda was there in 1st ed 40k (when it was called Rogue Trader).

Space Marine Scout that developed OUTSIDE his own Chapter (like in Bloodquest)

Just an alternative take. The flexible system of Wrath & Glory not only lets you create your custom characters, but they can really progress into their own thing. An example is the Scout in the 40k comic, Bloodquest, in case you read it.

To recap Bloodquest, a Blood Angel Captain lost a Relic in battle. He is sent to retrieve it from the Eye of Terror with a small team of his closest friends and a few Neophyte Scouts. Decades later, 1 Tactical Marine and 1 Scout return...and they're not even recognisable in their ragged (but not corrupted) appearance. Basically, they survived so long in the Eye of Terror that they no longer look or act like anything the Codex Astartes, especially the Scout as he was just starting out when he left his Chapter.

The progression system is built on top of the creation system, it's all points-based. I can imagine some crazy characters from this that started out as a very Codex-compliant Scout, then just did a thousand-mile stare into the Warp and, although still loyal to the Imperium, came out as very different on the other side.

"Apprentices" for other Archetypes (a Learning from dealing with Tier limitations)

Wrath & Glory balances Archetypes by Tiers. Our campaign started at Tier 2. It happened I wanted to play a Techpriest, as Tech skill was needed which is technically a Tier 3. So instead, I used a Skitarii Ranger as the basis and built it up.

The result is basically a starting Techpriest that has lots of bionics already, but not his servo-harness yet:

I converted this miniature to represent this. He's got most of the robes of a Techpriest, but not the hood, because he hasn't earned it yet. Instead, he's wearing a Caterpillar yellow construction helmet and safety vest, to differentiate him. It was intended as a visual gag, like Bob the Builder, but after painting this up I noticed it actually made him look younger/more junior...which was appropriate. I'm not re-writing the lore, but maybe this is just a practice on his particular Forgeworld.

But mechanics-wise, because Wrath & Glory is that flexible, I just pumped up his Intellect and Tech to high levels. He's got the talent, but not quite the experience to prove he's worthy of his mechadendrites yet. He's also a good student with other Intellect-related Skills, like Awareness/Investigate/Scholar, which will help in on his future career path as a Techpriest. To work better with the party, I also invested a bit in his Agility to help with Ballistic Skill, Pilot, even some Stealth. It's as if these formative experiences are shaping him to be more independent as a traveling techno-archaeologist rather than staying at his Forgeworld.

Basically, what started out as a way of trying to just navigate the Tier mechanics of Wrath & Glory lead to probably a more interesting character. I played a Techpriest before on Dark Heresy, but the many rules made it much more a traditional heavily armoured guy. This build is more reminiscent of an Arkhan Land/Belisarius Cawl type, who's more likely to wander around to learn new things.

In short, there's a bunch of options, but ultimately since Wrath & Glory is mostly a dice pool system, it's just like building blocks rather than hard bundles as in many other RPGs with diminishing returns. The biggest gameplay advantage is playing the character you are most familiar with, you read the novels, or watched lore videos on YouTube about their background.

+++ Learnings from actual Wrath & Glory gameplay experiences/examples +++

Even for experienced RPers, like I grew up with D&D, RIFTS, Legend of 5 Rings, Vampire: the Masquerade, Call of Cthulhu (even its spin-off Delta Green), only at the tabletop do we see what's what. Some very clear Learnings. Context, we played in a group of 8, mostly 40k players, all as characters working for a Rogue Trader.

Learning - everyone wants to play the badass hero especially because 40k is seen as Eternal War, but support characters win the game.

You know how in D&D people want to play the Fighter or Paladin, but the real game winners are support characters like the Cleric or Wizard, and in 5th ed it's actually the shapeshifting Druid and the Bard? It's even MORE true in 40k IMHO. It's because the 40k frame of reference is really the battlefield, more than even other settings.

In our group, basically half the party were all badass veteran Guardsmen/Gangers...because they wanted to use their existing models in the RP.

You can still play the badass hero, but consider a support role side-job. If you are the team sniper, you can actually be a pretty good pilot as well. You're the Inquisition Witchhunter, you can also double as a medic, because you know how to keep someone alive during interrogation. And it's cheap to diversify your Skill points.

In my case I was the other way around, I was a supporting Techpriest that knew his way around the gun, praise the Omnissiah's instruments of war.

The flexible nature of Wrath & Glory is different than, say, D&D where roles are much more specialised, so consider a support skill. On that note...

Learning - (nearly) everyone in your party should at least invest in a few points in Medicae skill, like train everyone up in First Aid.

There's no actual thing called "First Aid" in the game, but we found healing to be a precious thing in Wrath & Glory and you canNOT just rely on 1 Medic in the party because of Rules As Written. Even outside of a fight, during your short rests called "Regroup" phases, you need to heal through a Medicae Skill (just like other Skills).

Then there's these other Rules As Written limitations. Each character can use the Medicae skill ONCE per Regroup phase. And if you use the Medicae Skill on yourself, you suffer a penalty to your roll. So each of these sessions is like people buddying up, healing one another, like apes doing communal grooming.

I deliberately did NOT take the Skill as a Techpriest, but even I had to be a volunteer nurse/candy striper just to keep the party alive.

This might be such a gimpy mechanic GMs may opt to house rule it out. I think it kinda makes sense, like a covert war of attrition.

For now, I think everyone in these campaigns should have some basic First Aid training, like people going on camping. Speaking of people...

Learning - someone's going to play a (Dark) Eldar even after the GM explains it's an Imperium campaign.

Wrath & Glory is very flexible and gives you the option to play Eldar or Orks, presumably in their own campaign. Keep in mind even in Fantasy Flight Games's Rogue Trader, an Ork Freebooter was an option. Someone in your all-human party will think it's cool to play an Eldar. It's not his fault, he's not That Guy, he just happens to like Eldar.

Our group had 8 members working for a Rogue Trader. We had 1 Dark Eldar. We also had 1 Kroot...there aren't even rules for that.

But we were cool so we just rolled with it, it was for a Rogue Trader after all, we didn't know the Eldar was Dark as we had no frame of reference. and I think Kroot was an optional race in Rogue Trader. Those guys just happened to have those models ready, they're really great guys. But I think it'll happen to you, too.

That wasn't such an issue with my Technophage...but in the same party there was a Space Wolf Scout and an Inquisition Acolyte. I can't explain it.

So you might really have to work it out with your party if this is something that bothers you. Maybe offer to lend your own models to negotiate.

Learning - melee guys really need to focus on Tanking as well.

Because combat is just another Skill like the rest, it's like a normal game of 40k where you just hit or miss based on your OWN Weapon or Ballistic Skill. There's not really an Armour Class system like, say, D&D. My GM described using a colourful Cantonese phrase meaning "random whacking", and it's the equivalent of "trading blows".

Armour does play a role in Soaking damage, but it never seems quite enough, and even then there are downsides. But you're gonna get whacked.

So if you're planning on doing a melee character, it's likely down to basics. Probably Dump Fellowship/Charisma, Intellect/Intelligence...but probably keep Willpower/Wisdom to resist psychic/Daemon stuff (we hadn't faced that yet, not sure). Then put it all into Toughness and Strength and Initiative (Initiative is the Attribute for Weapon Skill).

And maybe a Power Weapon or awesome Pistol. This is one of those games where you can use Pistol with Weapon Skill to shoot it in close combat.

+++ Quick Review +++

I just want to do a TL;DR recap as short review, which is as follows: I really love this like Dark Heresy, even though the book was rushed.

(Dark Heresy and other FFG RPG books remain my favourite lore on life-off-the-battlefield, which isn't what Wrath & Glory focuses on.)

The dice pool system is not just simple, but allows for very flexible character-making. Don't fixate on class labels, you can build nearly anything.

I think Space Marine Scouts would be really fun to make and play and convert, especially if they have some support side-Skills.

In fact, everyone should have support side-Skills, especially First Aid/a few points in Medicae. And be prepared someone will want to play an Eldar.

I'll revisit this threat for the next few weeks after each session. Really enjoying it.

[Commissar Molotov]

Thanks for sharing your experiences with the system! I would be keen to hear more from you, and perhaps to even see a W&G game here on the board!

[N1SB]

You know how in RPGs you basically only get thrown off the 1st time you see something, then after that you know what to do in similar situations after?

 

That's kind of my approach here.  Because it's a new system that was probably rushed (I love the game, and know the game devs did their best, but it's just honestly rushed) there's a few things I noticed from actual playtesting and I mentioned.  Like you'll ask people to prepare an all Astartes team and one guy will show up with an Eldar or something.

 

I'm really pleased with my 40k group and I got a D&D group on Sundays, so I'm fully sated, but I honestly would be curious of a B&C W&G campaign.

 

I really do encourage Marine Scouts, they're the ideal thing to play.  They're so well-rounded, but the game system gives you the option of diversifying your Skills, and it's forgiving because they're still like Neophytes back like in some previous editions, so you can afford to learn the system because your characters are also learning.  Imma do that next campaign myself.

 

I'm just trying to imagine a scenario where you can bring Scouts of different Chapters together.  Maybe on Armageddon or something?  They got separated from their Chapters in the fog of war, regroup towards a Commissar...with an odd Ork Powerclaw dot dot dot?

[Kilofix]

Can you describe if WnG is more structured in terms of when you can perform actions etc? I hear things like Scenes and Phases but I’m only familiar with super old school DND style where it’s totally freeform (I.e. interrupting the GM to do something). Thanks

[N1SB]

Interesting you mention that.  "Scenes" are what other games, like the newer editions of D&D like 4th and 5th, call "Encounters" and it's more for fluid GMing.

 

Both D&D and Wrath & Glory describe roleplaying as just a combination of combat, investigation and social encounters/scenes.  It's mainly a way to highlight pacing and variety, so players get to fight things, loot them for clues then talk to a NPC about them.  It's like a concept to keep the game going and not seem to be stuck.

 

And it happens that about a third of Skills are for combat, a third for investigation, a third for social interactions.  I think that's by design.

 

In terms of game mechanics, certain things can be used 1x per Scene or lasts until the end of a Scene.  Like I remember the Inquisitor Acolyte showing his =][= authority and he could do that 1x per Scene; well, once you flash that badge to a group of people, they don't need to be reminded at least for that meeting.  That's like a common sense mechanic.

 

The 1 time where this issue comes up with any consequence is with the Medicae Skill.  It specifies a character can use that healing action once per Scene and the idea is, after a fight, you don't just keep on spamming the Skill until everyone is back to full Wounds.  Thus, that's why I mentioned players should all learn First Aid.

 

What it does replace as compared to old school D&D, remember how we had to measure time in Rounds, which are supposed to 6 seconds each, 10 Rounds in 1 minute?  Then we do funny mathemagic to try to calculate how long a spell or effect lasts?  Now, it's like "that will last the rest of the Scene, don't bother calculating."

 

+++++

 

A sidenote about this idea of Scenes and roleplaying is just a collection of combat, investigation, social Scenes.  Wrath & Glory shares more than that design philosophy with D&D.  If you look at its Skill list, it also maps closely to what D&D 5th ed uses now.  And what D&D 5th ed has done is try to streamline its game and settled on that Skill list because they seem to cover the vast majority of situations nicely, so it really was an optimisation that D&D initially came up with.

 

It's not a big deal, because many RPGs use an Attribute system like that of what D&D always used, Strength, Dex, etc.  I mention that because when I made my character, those similarities really leapt out at me.  For example, because Wrath & Glory was written by ex-FFG folks, I imagined maybe its Skill system was more in-line with Dark Heresy or Rogue Trader, but turned out it was much more D&Dified.

 

But when others and myself mention Wrath & Glory seemed rushed, it's because of things like that.  It's not a problem, in fact it's more intuitive this way, but looks like the game devs were facing a time crunch so they agreed that using what the very thoroughly play-tested 5th ed D&D wasn't such a bad idea.

[Berzul]

I have read over the book, after a friend shared it with me, so we can plan for an adventure to test the system.

It seems to me, by reading it a bit into character creation, that the design of the rules is a bit scattered, but the system does look simple enough, with a strong D&D influence. Character creation seems to be a very brief process in itself.

 

100 points

Choose a species

Choose an archetype

Take core stats

Take skills

Maybe a talent

 

Done. Extremely quick. Specially if you just take the arrays.

That I kinda like and dislike at the same time. Speeds things up, but characters felt a bit samey to me when discussing them with other players. Which I guess is because emphasis is placed more on the background and role-playing aspect of the character, rather than on their skills and stats.

[Kilofix]

Thanks for the insights N1.

 

How’s the background (compared to the old Fantasy Flight)? Does the setting take place in their own carved out sub sector or similar?

[FlamingDeth]

Just got the book, they do have their own pet subsector they go in depth on, but they have some background on other sectors as well. They basically tell you that you can use their subsector if you want, or just use it as an example of fleshing out the setting.

[N1SB]

Hey Frater Kilofix, I totally know what you mean.

 

Thanks for the insights N1.

How’s the background (compared to the old Fantasy Flight)? Does the setting take place in their own carved out sub sector or similar?

 

Brother Cardinal Virtue is right, they do have their pet subsector, that they'll probably expand on in further source/splatbooks, but it is just 2 pages in the Core Rules.  Before that, they have only 20 pages to summarise the entire 40k universe of 8th ed, focusing on the time from -Fall of Cadia to the Dante becoming regent of the Imperium Nihilus.

 

I totally get what you mean because the FFG/Dark Heresy books are like anthropology textbooks, or as my GM used to say, "show you how Imperial citizens live (not just how they die on the battlefield.)"  Like I would read them just to better understand the fluff.  The Core Rulebook totally does not go into that depth.  This really is like D&D's Players Handbook.

 

In short, the Core Rulebook really doesn't go into detail into the lore, but that's not to say they won't in the future.  I do feel it's like how D&D had basic rules with classes, then all the background stuff is organised into different setting books, and I know one is out but I didn't get that yet.

 

 

+++

 

 

I just came home from my 2nd session.  I'll organise my thoughts and post here later.  I'm really thinking about wargear.

[N1SB]

Hi guys, just back from my 3rd session. Really fun still, but there's such strange kawinkidinks in the rules, there's definite nuances worth sharing. Like...

Learning - the Tech Skill is like the ultimate catch-all Skill outside of combat.

As was said before, Wrath & Glory D&Dified 40k a bit, which is fine. But as a result, Tech became this umbrella for so many exploration Skills they re-mapped over.

40k is ultimately a science fantasy setting, so it's not THAT surprising, but consider this. If you were converting D&D's framework to 40k, Tech represents Sleight of Hand (to "lockpick" 40k doors and crates), Arcana (to understand archeotech), History and Nature (to understand the background of a space hulk or base) then often times even Religion (praise the Omnissiah).

More than half our exploration Skill checks were Tech. So while Medicae (i.e. "First Aid") is the most important Skill, Tech has the highest utility. On that note...

Learning - the best Archetype if you want to just min-max is probably a Soritas Hospitaller.

Because you have so much flexibility with Wrath & Glory's character building system, your Archetype/class is really just the minimal requirements and minor bonuses.

Thus, since Medicae is such an important Skill and something like Power Armour is just so rare and powerful (in addition to giving you the best protection, it also buffs your Strength), the Soritas Hospitaller Archetype is a great fit for the game. It also happens it's only Tier 1 and costs 0 Build Points.

Learning - a Bolt Pistol is actually a better melee weapon than most options, and you might want to plan a character with that in mind.

In Wrath & Glory, you can shoot a pistol at range with your Ballistic Skill or in melee with Weapon Skill instead of, say, a Chainsword. A lot of Archetypes give you both a Bolt Pistol and Chainsword together, like the Commissar. It turns out, unless you have a superhuman Strength of 5 or higher, you're better off just using the Bolt Pistol in combat.

The reason is damage and how Attributes are distributed. Guns just pretty much do consistent damage for all wielders, but things like swords and knives rely partly on your Strength. In melee, To Hit is determined by the Initiative Attribute + Weapon Skill, but Damage relies on the Strength Attribute with a melee weapon like a Chainsword. So you're having to split your Build Points across 2 Attributes, which is expensive. And unless you really focus on Strength and get it to 5, you actually do more damage with a simple Bolt Pistol, because it's not reliant on Strength.

It's just a little counter-intuitive. Swords are still useful for Parry defensively, but it's like your real damage dealer is with a pistol, a ranged weapon. It's even worse if you just got a combat knife. Even the GM gave us a weird look when he realised it, noticing the Space Marine Scout kept using his Bolt Pistol over his combat knife in melee.

The bottom line is, when making a character that wants to focus on close combat, you may want to on Strength by relying on your Bolt Pistol. Focus on Initiative + Weapon Skill for your To Hit, then just use your Bolt Pistol in close combat because that's the best option for Damage. We're all re-reading the rules as it's just so weird. A Commissar will probably favour the Bolt Pistol, but a Sister of Battle, with her Power Armour, might actually be better off with her Chainsword, but it's a close thing.

+++++

Just a bonus thing to mention, even though Wrath & Glory's Core Rulebook doesn't have much Lore, it's like it assumes you know the Lore from 8 editions of 40k rulebooks or Codices. Here's an example of how, talking about Space Marine implants:

In short, if you know an Astartes implants, you can mention them for a bonus dice if you can explain how it applies to your Skill check. That's genius.

Seriously, I can only name 2 implants off the top of my head (and I'm not checking, so I'm probably wrong on at least one): the Sus-An Membrane and Lymen's Ear. But all those implants have been printed in every Space Marine Codex, with Primaris getting a few more. And that's not even taking into account of how Chapters have mutated or missing ones.

[FlamingDeth]

I plan on never running a game with space marines for that very reason, I know so many power gamers that would get annoying with that.

 

Marine player: *does anything in power armor*

 

BLACK CARAPACE GIVE ME BONUS DICE!

 

But off the top of my head sinew coils could also do a lot. I would give people like...three bonus dice though any time they came up with a good use for the Betcher's Gland.

[N1SB]

BLACK CARAPACE GIVE ME BONUS DICE!

 

I was thinking the Black Dragons mutation with their arm claws, but this is way funnier omg.

[Ficinus]

Marine player: *does anything in power armor*

 

BLACK CARAPACE GIVE ME BONUS DICE!

Uh, my character is breathing. Can I get a bonus die for his third lung? Also, his blood is circulating, so can I get another bonus for two hearts?

[N1SB]

Got back from the 5th session.  Not only do we have a pretty good grasp of the system, but we're at a point where we understand what the Devs were thinking.

 

And here's an epiphany: the game dissuades min-maxing, due to Natural 1s critical fails on Wrath dice.  For most skill checks, you don't really need more than 8 dice.

 

It is about the dice pool system.  Add an Attribute + Skill for a Skill check.  But one of them is a Wrath die.  If you roll a 1, that's a critical fail anyway, no re-rolls allowed.

 

In D&D, a Natural 1 on a D20 is an epic fail, that's got a 5% chance of that.  In Wrath & Glory, a 1 on 1d6 is basically 16.67%, no matter how many other dice you roll.

 

As mentioned early on, it's like a 4+ roll system, where 4 and 5 earns you a success token, a 6 earns double tokens.  So it's like every die has a 4/6 or two-thirds chance to succeed.  You need 3 success tokens to pass a regular skill check...so like you want to get a skill to roll 5 dice (like 3 in Attributes and 2 to that Skill), and you're likely to get 3.33 success tokens.  Of course, it's random chance, so you might pump it a little more, to 6 or 7 or 8, fine.  But anything more, it's really kinda pointless when you have a 1-in-6 chance of failing anyway due to the Wrath die Natural 1.

 

So if I were to re-do my character, with this in mind, The max I'd give an Attribute or Skill is 4, because of the build points giving diminishing returns.  Exceptions to this include just Toughness and, if I were melee, maybe Strength, as that's not for rolls, that's for defense and damage in melee.