Dragonbane RPG Review

My review of the Dragonbane Boxed Set from Free League Publishing
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[@afBeaver]

I think this is the best deal among TTRPGs now. It’s an amazing box containing both rules, maps, pregens, paper-minis, and a 11 adventures within a sandbox campaign. For a really good price. And the game is lots of fun too.

[@SilencedScream0]

I would love to see Free League continuing to approach RPGs like this - they did the same with Twilight 2k 4e, and I’m absolutely loving it. It’s because of that, that I’ll be getting this as well. It’s way more bang-for-your buck in both quality and quantity compared to their Walking Dead RPG (which isn’t bad, but at the same or a similar price point, Dragonbane and Twilight 2k are just better offerings).

[@ulvtharm]

The 1984 edition was my first roleplaying game. For all people of my age it was probably their first roleplaying game here in Sweden

[@ulvtharm]

And to this day the best rpg illustrations by Nils Gullriksson

[@WASD20]

Yeah, his stuff is fabulous. I found out about him in Forbidden Lands.

[@brucehubbell9116]

The Mallard is straight out of Runequest which had Duck as a race / kin.

[@WASD20]

Oh interesting

[@davidwatches]

It's nice to see some worthwhile alternatives to D&D after all the WotC/Hasbro fiascos this year.

[@Bobby3OOO]

It’s never going to happen.

[@jameshenderson4876]

Lol there have always been many worthwhile alternatives.

[@tyleremery7088]

​@@jameshenderson4876sure, but now they're rightfully getting a lot more attention.

[@guysmcfellas615]

My buddy who works on TTRPG games (mainly proof reading, including this one) has been telling me for years now, that there are so many other games better than 5e. I've looked into a few this past year, and tried some of those out, and I can honestly say that 5e is my least favourite of them all, haha!

[@chadwickerman]

If only players would be willing to try something other than DnD. I post and post to run non-DnD games at the local game game club but only crickets.

[@AustinKazda]

We are 2 months into a West Marches style game using Dragonbane at our Game Club. It's been awesome for both new and veteran players.

[@WASD20]

Nice!

[@JohnPowell6]

You are correct - combat does go quickly! The low action economy and not too many hit points, and generous critical hit results all combine to make combat very intense and usually about 3 - 5 rounds.

[@Mr.RobotHead]

Seeing that cloth map, I _really_ wish I hadn't missed the Kickstarter. However, I got on the preorder as soon as I could. I've been running 2 groups in the set of adventures, and it's been a good time. I love that the classes are more backgrounds, and don't restrict character advancement. I also love the way that a catastrophic failure or resounding success gives the player a chance to upgrade a skill!

[@anthonybernardo2214]

Bundle of holding has an amazing deal involving Dragonbane and a bunch of other Free League rpg's right now. I got it and between Coriolis and Dragonbane alone, it has been so worth it

[@writerguy911]

I also backed this primarily for the art but was really surprised at how much I fell in love with the system.

[@matthewconstantine5015]

I got my start back in the 80s with Chaosium's Worlds of Wonder, specifically Magic World (which uses Basic Role-Playing). It's still one of my favorite game mechanics. This looks like a fun evolution of it, and I'm hoping to get a copy at some point. I so, so, so much prefer skill based systems over class/level systems.

[@hejamig32]

Played it a couple of times now and my group enjoys it a lot. The rules are a mix of let's say 1/3 5th ed. D&d, 1/3 classic free league design and 1/3 "classic" Dragonbane/Drakar och demoner and it plays really well. The combat is swift, deadly and interesting.

[@N0ld0r]

For a Swedish person it is a feeling of joy that Drakar & Demoner (Dragonbane) is finally released in english to the rest of the world. It is also a sad feeling that it is a different game from the "Drakar & Demoner" we played back in the 80s and 90s. So english speaking people are like "finally we are getting a copy of the loved swedish roleplaying game" and swedes are like, "Yea, almooost, but not really".. 😅 Sure "Free League" owns the IP but the game that they wrote differs quite a lot from what most (all?) swedes mean when they talk about "Drakar & Demoner". I hope you enjoy Dragonbane, just don't expect it to be the game that most swedes cut their teeth on back in the 80s and 90s. 🙂 Drakar & Demoner had no cards, no boons/banes/demons/dragons on the dice. There was difficulty classes for rolls. There was opposed rolls (with a grid) for some rolls. Character creation was in depth point buy (in the most common edition). Hit locations with individual armor values (in the most common edition). There were individual weapon skills with separate to-hit/parry values. Not the same "action economy" (no defined "reaction"). Weapon damage was a LOT more varied with more dice combinations and +/-. There were a LOT more differences, those are just of the top of my head. Now again, Dragonbane may be a fine game but it's a bit sad to see it introduced as the "swedish game Drakar & Demoner" that we all hold so dear.

[@WASD20]

Yeah, that reaction makes a lot of sense to me. :)

[@gregersn]

I am four sessions into running the campaign in the box, with four players, and we are having good fun!

[@WASD20]

Nice!!

[@ChrisChapmanIAm]

Highly recommend watching Me, Myself and Die!'s two solo run vids to see how the system plays, as well as The Weekly Scroll's multi-episode live play sessions. The game's got quirky charm, and I really can't understand the pushback on a mallard kin when you've got Kenku (among other things) for 5e. First thing I did when I got my kit was to lean into the "mirth & mayhem" angle and rolled up a mallard fighter with the dual-wielding heroic talent and two scimitars he calls "Cut" and "Throat" that he has a close relationship with... almost to the point he values them over other members of his party. I think it would make an excellent first system for kids or for older folk who want an RPG that doesn't take itself too seriously and can still be good fun.

[@03dashk64]

I don’t understand it either, especially since the Mallard is a pretty dark and brutal race.

[@classmateofmine]

Nothing like my Mallard gladiator, Quacksimus ;)

[@Mankcam]

So it sounds like it is pretty much BRP (RuneQuest, Call of Cthulhu, Mythras, etc) with a D20 instead of a percentile dice, with some bits from YZE Forbidden Lands and D&D 5E. Nothing new, but seems to come together nicely, very straightforward. I love the art direction, I think that's one of the biggest reasons to grab this. Also a great alternative for those not wanting to support WotC as much these days. Given the prominence of the Mallard character, it has a quirky edge which is fun - this isn't meant to be grimdark, but for light-hearted fun it looks pretty good.

[@robertdean52]

I got a copy at Gen Con in August, and have had a chance to GM and to play a few times. That seems like a fair assessment overall; nothing too innovative, but a package with a LOT of useful stuff and it all just works together nicely. It’s looking to be my new favorite game, and I’ve been doing this for a LONG time.

[@danacoleman4007]

The artwork is GREAT!!!!

[@atheistsince1210]

The only thing I wish for on this channel is daily content I just love the SME knowledge , speed of delivery , enthusiasm and over arching experience with so many other RPGs. I LOVE this channel !!!!

[@WASD20]

Thank you! 😊

[@dz5382]

A great introduction for people who want to dive into RPG, I really like the rule dice system, its easy to understand and not complicated for beginners rpg player like me

[@robertdean52]

When ordering directly from Free League, you also get the pdf bundle of everything in the box, if that’s of use to you.

[@WASD20]

Nice. That's great!

[@JohnPowell6]

The PDFs are great even for in-person games. I put the Players maps on Owlbear VTT and my iPad on the table for the players to move their digital tokens around to explore and fight.

[@JohnPowell6]

Saves me a ton of time drawing, and I can take advantage of the VTT's fog of war tools.

[@GreatgoatonFire]

Mallards aka Ankor has been a part of most editions of Drakar och Demoner. So they really had to be a part of this edition that was meant to return to the original feel of the game. The one exception was DoD 6, 6 expert and Trudvagn. The editions made by Riot Minds. Trudvagn is a really good setting but it has a feel that is different from the rest of DoD .

[@mattlowder]

best value box on the shelves right now. period.

[@Decado1628]

I am 8 sessions into a weekly Dragonbane campaign. It has been a ton of fun. The system is fast and easy to pick up. I backed the KS and do not regret it. Great game.

[@WASD20]

Good to hear!

[@steel5315]

I currently have no money, but the second I do I'm buying this! The monster attacks system is freaking genius imo!

[@jakem72]

I am running 3 remote games of this on the Foundry VTT and I am absolutely loving it. It is so easy and fun to run as a DM, I can't imagine running 5e again after this. I think from a player's perspective I have had some complaints that progression is pretty slow and hard to notice from their end, unlike levels in 5e which are so dramatic and noticeable in a fun way for players. The base adventure is VERY stingy with heroic abilities, so I'm choosing to loosen up the advancement mark rules a bit to help players feel like they have more progression. Can't recommend this one highly enough, at least for DMs who want a fun sandbox that requires little-to-no prep. I would encourage you to take the "roll publicly" advice to heart and let the dice fall where they will - your player will get disheartened at bad luck but the exultation at good planning and the wackiness that can result from random encounters when traveling is very fun. This game has helped a veteran DM rediscover the magic of "playing to find out what happens," instead of "plan what is going to happen."

[@WASD20]

That’s great! Really appreciate you sharing your experience. I’ll be running a Dragonbane one shot for a group in 2 weeks.

[@74gould]

Great review! The art is definitely super eye-catching. I love that style... I'll be checking this out. :) Thanks!

[@CoreySwordGuy]

This is a really great video. Very clear and well thought out.

[@PpAirO5]

Probably the rpg i've been looking most foreward too 😃💚

[@radical_emo.]

I have the 1990 edition, the swedish name is Drakar och Demoner (Literal: Dragons and Demons), i really want it for christmas

[@WASD20]

Oh wow. That’s cool.

[@odinulveson9101]

Even Drakes and Demons. Drakes and Dragons is a more interchangable term than in say D&D where those are separate species

[@agilemonk6305]

Nice to see you and your video Nate.

[@WASD20]

Thanks :)

[@timidwolf]

IIRC the art print was an early bird exclusive in the kickstarter, I got it too.

[@WASD20]

Nice. Thanks!

[@snieves4]

Free League will be hosting a bunch of games for folks to try out the game at PaxU next weekend (12/1-/12-3).

[@WASD20]

Cool!

[@skiddo1372]

IM BUYING THIS NOW!!!! WOW!

[@Sylentmana]

I REALLY like the art style.

[@captcorajus]

Thanks for the video Nate. Very informative. The Mallard sort of kills it for me. The roll under is neutral. I always enjoyed Villains and Vigilantes which is a roll under system. The initiative card system is pretty cool. Overall, it looks pretty interesting.

[@brucehubbell9116]

Yeah, "Ducks" didn't fuel mi interest in Runequest, but it was easy enough to leave out. And the backstory for the original boardgame (White Bear and Red Moon, set in Dragon Pass) made a good case for Ducks as a sentient race.

[@WASD20]

Yeah, I could easily see that being left out. And I don’t think it would be that hard to substitute in some other fantasy race so that players still have an equal amount of kin options.

[@03dashk64]

Mallards are dark. Far from the joke race everyone seems to see them as, they are probably the darkest and saddest race in Dragonbane. Also no more silly than every other rpg with an animal race. D&D has like 20.

[@godminnette2]

​@@03dashk64at least from my cultural background, ducks are seen as one of the inherently silliest animals - even though their real temperament is anything but. There's just something about seeing a duck person that's far more surreal and ridiculous than a fox, lizard, dog, cat, bird, or tortoise person.

[@HDMRice]

You're telling me I can play as Dark Wing Duck? Yes please.

[@SchizoidPersonoid]

Let's get dangerous!

[@Kasino80]

Is this the old Drakar och Demoner??

[@WASD20]

It is a new iteration of that game, yes.

[@tiredguy2753]

I will say for those coming from something like DnD, Dragone bane is a much more grounded type of fantasy game. Your characters even as they advance are NOT superhumans. Combat will always can almost always be deadly. i.e... even the "grunts" can be a tough fight in Dragon bane. Now obviously since the relaunch just happened there is also not as much content when compared to something like DnD or Pathfinder. You are not going to have reams upon reams of books/content released over many years to go over and build your campaign. For the solo players out there, running dragon bane solo it is very similar to running other TTRPGS solo. That is you are going to be relying much on oracles to "set the mood, environment etc...". However bear in mind that even Dragonbane at a full party (3-5 people, DM etc...) combat can be very tough, imagine how hard that same combat is when you are playing solo.... Yeah Dragonbane does try to give an advantage to solo players in that you can get a specific solo player heroic ability (in addition to your starting heroic ability) but it is not really enough. Again combat at 3-5 players can already be difficult, doing combat solo can be a bloody nightmare if your solo toon is fighting multiple opponents. Overall I do think dragon bane is a fun system once you get into the mindset of "my character is not a superhuman, will not become some kind of unstoppable demi god/killing machine as he/she levels up".

[@Bartosz_LoQ]

17:44 - but that's not a starter set per se. it's a full rule book with a full campaing and additional stuff. The book recently published in hardcover literaly says in the description that it's the same stuff as here, but in one hardcover book. So the value for money withe the dice, the map and everything is awesome. In 5e for example in the base book you do not get any adventure or dice and the dumgeon master's guide is a separate book.

[@WASD20]

True

[@fwbean119]

I believe the hardcover is the rule book plus one small adventure unique to that version; it doesn’t have the adventures or solo rules from this set.

[@Bartosz_LoQ]

@@fwbean119 true. That's why I think that the old school boxed set is a better choise.

[@WASD20]

Correct. It is a different adventure. I have the PDF, but haven't had a chance to give it a good look yet. :)

[@MisterReltec]

Good video.

[@jason-sp8nb]

I like it now I watched this video I would not mind getting box 😊

[@jasonlovi8745]

System reminds me of call of Cthulhu

[@TheMilkHead]

I actually like dragonbane a little more than dnd because its a lot more simple than dnd. And NO I don't like it more than dnd because I'm swedish... ok, maybe that has a little to do with it.

[@user-dd9dh9kw5c]

I try to like dragonbane but it honestly brings nothing new to the table I don't already own.

[@f.a.santiago1053]

I really like Dragonbane. I have reservations about how FL is handling the game... but I'll give it a pass for now, as the game just released.

[@galinor7]

Everyone is saying how great this game is. I backed the Kickstarter. I have to say that I am disappointed. There's a sumptuous map, playing cards, dice, standees, character sheets, ect but what about the game? The entire core rule book is 116 pages. That is practically only a booklet. There are only and handful of monsters, with limited stats a few spells. Everything is nice and friendly and very very simple, so real detail is limited. There are no rules for castles, social structure, treasure isn't even listed in the book, cards can get bent and lost. Racial difference between species is very limited, making being and elf instead of a dwarf is less meaningful. There is now a bestiary coming out and is out in pdf now, but this appears to be a readonable game with truly amazing art extras and marketing. I like it, but are we getting carried away with all the bright lights of the fair.

[@WASD20]

I feel like the kickstarter was pretty transparent about it being a more rules light game, focused on speed. I never got the impression it would be as complex as dungeons and dragons. There are lots of really detailed and robust products out there, but in the big picture, this one seems pretty middle of the road, and pretty in line with what Free league has done in the past.

[@randothomas3733]

This is no review, it is just an impression with unboxing. You didnt played it once (16:55).

[@a.b.3666]

I was interested...until I saw the duck character. Thank you for saving me some money!

[@skeletronatday5072]

I swear he looks like Andrew Tate and its setting me off

[@michaelhill6453]

Malards. Silly? Take a peek at 40-years of Runequest. Cheap as chips--as you say this is NOT a Quickstart. In my experience combat sails by and the initiative cards are a blessing, so many options. A common one: "Let's swap initiative cards so you can aid me in defeating this evil thingie".