"Frostgrave= Mordheim-like game but better! Funding Campaign!" Topic

Frostgrave is the new fantasy skirmish wargame by Osprey Publishing. It has gotten many rave reviews online as being the Mordheim-killer!! It is very Mordheim-ish but better!! The game also has awesome miniatures available for it, or if you like, you can use your own miniatures. Currently, there is a funding campaign for the game that is being called a "Nickstarter". If you ever wanted to play Mordheim-like fantasy skirmish wargame, but missed the chance at getting the official rulebook, miniatures, and components for a reasonable price, well this is your chance!!

Frostgrave Nickstarter Link: link

I am definitely backing this game!!

Currently, there is a funding campaign for the game that is being called a "Nickstarter".

I thought the game had already been published?

Yes, the game was published, but the Nickstarter is for the Thaw of the Lich Lord expansion and bonuses, and also offers the option add-on for the Frostgrave Starter Deal shown here: link

Also, the Level 5 Lichlord Nickstarter Package offers a bunch of Tomb of the Lich Lord items + the Frostgrave Core Rulebook + a whole lot more!

So what makes it better than Mordheim? It is my understanding that the only character that levels up is the main Mage.

Read the reviews online about Frostgrave. Many people say it is better than Mordheim, and nearly all say Frostgrave is an exceptional fantasy skirmish wargame with RPG elements.

Personally, I purchased the Mordheim Starter Set a long time ago back when it first came out. I wasn't into wargaming (or miniatures) at all at the time, and knew very little about it. I ended up throwing it out. Now, many years later, that Mordheim Starter Set sells for ridiculous amounts of money on Ebay. So when I read about Frostgrave, I became super excited! It's a new and improved Mordheim-like game, and this time I am not going to miss out!!

So you haven't played it. Mordheim is free by the way. Neither game ties you down to one make of minis either. Just hoping to glean more insight in this game and post.

Yes, I know the Mordheim rules are available free online, but it just irks me that GW stopped support for the game a long time ago, and getting "official" components is now absurdly expensive because they are all out-of-print. So those factors made me lose interest in Mordheim. I knew something better had to eventually come out, so I waited, and now it has: Frostgrave.

I have played both. Mordheims plays about twice as slow as Frostgrave. Even though they are similar in many ways, Frostgrave really is all about your casters. I like that you build out your "base" in Frostgrave as well. Mordheim is deeper in the between game charts, but I think Frostgrave has better scenarios.

Thanks Warlock! That sheds more light.

Amazing game! Just started playing and loving it

I've played Frostgrave. The rules are very well written and edited, and some heavy play has not left us with any questions or ambiguities.

The play mechanics are fast and intuitive. The game can take a few hours if people play carefully, but the time is based on how much thinking you do before moving.

There is a campaign system attached. The only concern as yet is that the random treasure system may give some players beter rewards over the long term than others. A hypothetical issue so far, and it may be balanced out by smart players just making the best of what they have.

While Frostgrave has had a number of good reviews, there are some things in it that a number of people agreed needed to be changed.

Here's a good summary of the changes
link

Good work Black Cavalier.

It nice to read a review by someone who has played several games and thought carefully about balance and player behavior based on what the game actually awards (not what the designer thinks it rewards).

Also appreciate solutions. One hopes the designer is listening.

TomT

I didn't mean to imply that I had come up with the modifications.

A friend found the blog entry, and my gaming group agreed to use the changes. But none of us were involved in the development of the changes.

I'd also heard a review where the reviewers didn't like the opposed d20 rolls because it was way too random, and could produce huge differences in results.

Their suggestion was to roll 3d6 instead which would tend to concentrate the rolls around the mid-range of numbers, and make things less random.

I am hoping to play my first game Wednesday, but my thought is that changing the die roll from d20 to 3d6 would radically change the effect of the spell schools, and reduce the chance of casting the really difficult/powerful spells. Of course, it's not quite as random as a d20, because you can pump your roll by spending health.

Those of you that experiment with 3d6 or 2d10 instead of a d20, please let us know how the gameplay sessions turn out. I am sure all of us would be curious as to how it changes gameplay, and which dice system you like best.

BTW, I found this idea online, and it sounds like it might be interesting as well:

Roll (simultanously) 2D10 with an additional D20. The D20 only comes into play when it rolls a 1, and in that case, ignore the 2D10. In every other case the result from the 2D10 counts.

With that method you get the exact same odds for a 1 as with a single D20, but get a bell curve distribution of the results from 2 to 20.

The designer is listening.

I don't claim that the game is perfect (or even better than Mordheim – a classic that perhaps is showing its age a bit). There are already a few things I would change if I were writing the game now as opposed to a year ago. At some point in any creative endeavour you have to declare it 'done' and put it out there for others to judge.

I think there are some interesting ideas in the linked article. However, it perhaps should be remembered that changing one aspect of the game will often upset balance in another. For example, in that article, they suggest removing the chance of wizard death. One of the reasons wizards get experience points for kills is because they have to put themselves in the line of fire to do so – thus increasing their own chance of death. My playtesting showed that aggressive wizards DID gain experience a lot faster, that also tended to die more frequently.

Still, no playtesting can compete with thousands of games being played all over the world. There probably are changes that need to be made, but I don't think there is anything so broken that it needs to be changed immediately. I think it is best for me to sit back, listen, and then carefully consider what everyone is saying.

All of that said, anyone should feel free to house rule anything they want. If you really dislike d20 that much, use 2d10. I really wouldn't use 3d6 as it would massively alter the balance in the combat system, but if it makes it more fun for you, then go for it.

At the end of the day, I can only write rules that are right for me. Other people have radically different play styles and preferences, and may need to adapt the game to get it to work for them.

We ordered the core rules and the nick starter (level 4) last week so it is a happy coincidence I was scanning this board and picked up on the conversation. We have never played Mordheim…. any fantasy rpg for that matter. Decided to buy and try on a whim without reading any reviews, just from the gossip really. Figured we cant really loose if it isn't our thing simply because those that are into this genre would probably be keen to pick up a near new copy at a reduced price, I doubt my partner would be willing to let go of the figures though lol.

I assume Joe5mc you are the author? Great to see that your willing to engage and think about what players are doing and saying rather than be aloof, says a lot. We will need to chase up the links posted and get ourselves prepped for when the game arrives, looking forward to having our first try of Frostgrave and fantasy rpg-ing.

Yes if you just have Warband facing off Warband it pays to just attempt to kill off the other band.

So as Black Cavalier as pointed out Frostgrave is a very dangerous place.

Have those wandering monster encounters, or have other NPC's tracking across the city, like: Orcs, Dwarves, High Elves, Bandits, Undead, etc…

Also treasure should be hard to find.