I just ran my first session of Dragonbane, and I can’t wait to dive deeper into this system. I had a shaky start as I slowly made adjustments from my years of D&D, but it wasn’t hard to make once I started. Dragonbane is familiar enough to learn quickly, but a unique enough experience to make a session memorable. If you are looking to take a break from D&D, or simply looking for a new RPG to dive into, I recommend you try Dragonbane.
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I was sent the Dragonbane core rules and official Foundry VTT module, but I ran my first session using only the Quick Start Guide. I didn’t want to overwhelm my players with a new system, but I also wanted to see how good it was as an introduction. You can pick up the Quickstart Guide from DriveThruRPG, but I’ll have the download available for your convenience. The PDF includes a simplified ruleset, a prewritten adventure, and pre-generated characters to get you started. The ruleset is a bit stripped down from the full game, but there is enough substance to create a meaningful session. You’ll have access to enough rules to either create your own campaign or play through the prewritten one-shot. You’re going to want a copy of the full rule set after just one session. At least my players did.
The one shot is fine, and there is nothing wrong with running it as written. I did a bit of rewriting to give my players a hook and a chance to roleplay to help them get into character. Every table is different, so don’t be afraid to make changes. My only complaint with the adventure is that it is short, but that’s the point. The adventure provides an adequate taste of the system through its diverse set of encounters. While it is on the simpler side, you’ll have a good idea of what to expect from Dragonbane.
You’ll also have access to five pre-generated playable characters: A Mage, Hunger, Knight, Thief, and Fighter. They are the quickest place to start but offer a nice taste of what to expect from the different classes and playstyles. You’re going to want to make your own and play around with the different combinations, but I can’t complain about the convenience they provide.
I ran the session on Foundry VTT because that’s what we use at our table. You can run Dragonbane on Foundry without the module, but it makes things easier. The module gives you access to the rules, so you won’t have to spend time importing them by hand. You also get access to maps complete with walls, vision, and lighting, monsters to run, and pre-generated characters for your players. You will need a few third-party modules to run things like initiative, but it’s super easy to set up. Follow the instructions on the intro screen. I’ve written about Foundry VTT in a previous post if you want to know more.
But all you really need to begin your adventure in Dragonbane are the Quickstart Guide, some dice, and some friends. It’s free, so all you have to lose is the time it takes to learn the rules. If you are looking to break out a new system at your next session, consider running Dragonbane. I’m enjoying running it so far.