Yes, we’re making a 2nd Edition of 13th Age! And yes, that’s present tense: work has already begun, and you can sign up to playtest the new edition by writing me at 13thAgePlaytest@gmail.com.
The image you see here is a slightly edited version of the playtest flyer we handed out at GenCon, revealing more of the updates we’re making to the game. Today I’ll say a few words about the first four items in the list and talk about the remaining items in a future post.
Backwards compatible: I love it when new editions let players use all the books they’ve already bought and the ideas they’ve created in their campaigns. We’re not interested in making you buy new versions of the Bestiaries or do frustrating conversion work to use previously published adventures. There’s going to be an appendix in 2e suggesting things like “You could use the new default bonus for the magic belts in Book of Loot and Loot Harder since we’ve changed that in 2e,” but the core math and the combat rules will be the same. You won’t need to re-buy books, not even 13 True Ways. If there’s a 13TW class or two that needs brushing, I’ll handle that in another book focused on character classes.
Better options for class talents, powers, and spells: As originally published, some classes have a lot of great choices for talents and spells, while other classes have a few great choices and a significant number of meh choices. One of the biggest goals of 2e is to give every character more interesting choices. Spells that sounded fun but turned out to be not-so-good have been improved. Talents that didn’t measure up have been downgraded into class feats. Feats that were originally epic feats now frequently appear as adventurer-tier feats, with champion-tier and epic-tier feats above them that truly feel epic instead of like small math-bumps.
Each class gets +2 additional pages: Classes like the ranger and paladin that were always quite simple now have talent options that can make them more interesting for experienced players. Classes like the sorcerer get more spells with a greater range of effect. Most of the classes are getting quite a bit more than 2 pages; so far it’s only the rogue that hasn’t grown beyond that.
Improved icon relationships: Thanks to feedback from GMs over the years we’re aware that our original icon relationship rules weren’t as clear or simple as we hoped. Ask five 13th Age tables that are happy with the icon rules which method they’re using and you’ll get four different answers! We’re working to suggest icon relationship rules that more tables will find natural to use in play.
Other talking points: I’ll post about the remaining five bullet points soon. I’ve also been seeing speculation and questions about who is working on this book, and whether that team will work on the line going forward. I’m writing a separate post about that to hopefully clarify things.
We expect to send out the first widely distributed playtest packet sometime in September or October, and like the flyer says, you can write us at 13thAgeplaytest@gmail.com any time before then if you’re interested.
Looking forward to it!
ReplyDeleteExcited for this. 13th age has been the most accessible and fun D&D-like game for me in recent years.
ReplyDeleteGo for it!
ReplyDeleteI'm excited to hear more 13th Age news
ReplyDelete*the rogue sneaks in... and makes off with a couple of pages from the other classes* ... *tries to look innocent when caught red-handed*
ReplyDeleteMore interested if you gonna provide a digital form of our 1st edition materials in roll20
ReplyDeleteDear Rob: Looking forward to an update on what has become my favorite RPG!
ReplyDeleteA few comments:
• Feats are confusing, they are not defined and the chart at the front of the book is fairly useless and confusing to new players.
• Name spell levels rather than their odd numbering (Rather than 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, use something like: Basic Spells, Master Spells, Advanced Spells, Otherworldly Spells, Ultimate Spells)
• Make photocopy-able cards in the book for Feats/Abilities/Skills/Spells so Players/GMs can copy, cut, and arrange in plastic sheets in a 3 ring binder. No one else does this but would be great at level ups.
• Miss damage should be level X2 +ability bonus rather than just level. RAW is such a small amount it doesn't matter. Fighting a level appropriate monster at level 5 and dealing 5 damage on a miss is no consolation.
• I'd love to see a Spell Point option with schools of magic rather than Spell Slots.
Some House rules I use for 13th Age:
• In addition to Background abilities made up by players I allow them to add a class/race appropriate Perception ability. Perception is too useful an ability to leave it out.
•The very last person (friend or foe) in initiative order gets Advantage on their first standard action. This makes the low Dex characters have some benefit for having to wait every encounter. Also encourages characters to intentionally hold their actions.
• Players may reserve their Quick Action to "Retaliate," Retaliate: spend your reaction to a missed enemy melee attach dealing "miss" damage to the opponent. All characters are entitled to a Reaction, but few have anything to actually use it.
• I use Hit Dice from D&D rather than the massive amount of healing you offer with Recoveries. I feel the "2-4 encounters" thing forces my game in to directions we sometimes don't want to go. One of my Players asked to roll up a new character mid-campaign because he was playing a Cleric and after watching everyone heal themselves he said, “What’s the point of being a Cleric if everyone can heal themselves? I’d rather be a Wizard or another fighter at this point.”