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Let’s break the game down a bit and get to know it a little better.
Character Creation
The system itself is very simple. There are a selection of unique classes each with their own feel; Knight, Barbarian, Assassin, Warlock, Sorcerer, Mystic, and Elementalist. Initial character generation with an experienced GM and a single book took my players about 20 minutes...most of that involving rolling initial stats and writing down equipment lists. You can also roll on a fun little table that decides what your parents did for a living...my players used this to spark their imaginations for deciding their character backgrounds.
With so little to work out in the way of mechanics the players were left with a lot of time to work on their backgrounds which I found quite refreshing. The classes each have their own strengths balance pretty well overall. Since a characters Stats boost a lot of their abilities someone who rolls well can gain an edge...though the difference isn't as pronounced as in the various incarnations of D&D. There are no clerics...the church is by and large as it was in the early medieval period.
Combat
Combat is pretty fast. The person with the highest Reflexes stat goes first, the next highest next, and so on. The hit roll involves taking the attackers Attack stat from the defenders Defense stat and rolling under the result on the D20...a roll of 1 automatically hits and penetrates armor. If the target is armored, an armor bypass roll is made using the weapon (EG A dagger uses 1d4 to bypass armor and a sword uses 1d8). Should the attack hit and penetrate the weapon does a set amount of damage (EG A sword does 4 damage) which can be modified by high strength and magic. Combat is fast and can be quite lethal, although single-shot kills are very unlikely. Armored knights can be very hard to hurt but not game-breakingly so.
Magic
Warlocks, Sorcerers, Mystics, and Elementalists all use magic. All but the Mystic use a pool of magic points to cast their spells...the Mystic uses a random roll to determine if they lose their spellcasting ability for the day. All spellcasters have between 4 and 5 spells they can cast for each level they possess...there are mention of a few other "lost spells" here and there through the setting so more spells may appear in later books. The spells are pretty utilitarian and generally combat-focused...much like the old WFRP magic. Nearly all casters have a means to heal themselves or others. Sorcerers are pretty standard magicians, Warlocks are a combination of warrior and mage, Mystics wield the powers of the mind, and Elementalists are masters of the four classical elements. The classes are pretty flavorsome and the magic simple and straightforward.
Skills
The game lacks a skill system which may cause consternation amongst some players. I've actually found this quite liberating since all NPC interaction is handled by roleplaying and GM call. This does mean that you have to trust your GM though :-)
Races
The expectation is that all the PCs are human. Rules are given for Elves and Dwarves but since both races are Fae creatures playing them might be difficult. You won’t see an Elf sipping wine in the local tavern, nor will you find a Dwarven blacksmith in the village square. The appearance of one of these races is likely to result in a great outcry from the local peasants.
The Setting
Dragon Warriors is set in the "Lands of Legend", an analog of our world in the medieval period with slightly different geography and history. The major difference between the Lands of Legend and our world is that magic and monsters actually exist. Goblins lurk in the rafters stealing children and spoiling crops, Trolls lope across on forsaken moors hunting for their next victim, and long-dead kings seethe in their barrows awaiting the ancestors of those that despoiled their lands. Magic and monsters actually feel mysterious and dangerous rather than being collections of stats. The game adds a hint of supernatural horror to it's fantasy making for some great roleplaying moments.
As the game opens the Crusades are drawing to a close and the western lands are settling into a period of intrigue and small conflicts rather than open warfare. The society bears a great deal of similarity to our own with analogs for England (Albion), France (Chaubrette), China (Khitai), Africa (Mungoda), and Russia (Krarth) amongst others.
A great deal of effort has gone into making the world feel grim and realistic while still letting the PCs play heroes. The core rulebook provides a gazetteer of the known world that can be used to extrapolate most of the lands. The core book also contains an adventure that does a good job of evoking the feel of Dragon Warriors.
The Physical Thing
The book itself is a robust hardback with a black and white interior and very evocative cover art. The internal art consists mostly of very high quality pieces, though I found some of the comic panels a bit difficult to view.
The Good
The system is simple and quick to learn without being “rules light”; ideal for newcomers to roleplaying or those who hate learning a new system. The game has an amazing setting with adventure ideas in every paragraph; it is worth buying for that alone. Overall the text is very well written and a pleasure to read.
The Bad
The system shows it’s vintage. It lacks a skill system and some of the dice mechanics differ arbitrarily. A few errors and typos exist but they have been detailed in a free download from the Magnum Opus press website.
Conclusion
A complete RPG system with a wonderful setting included. If you took one look at D&D 4th edition and wished for the “good old days” then this is the book for you. Production values are high and the game is just plain fun.
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