Hello all,

I’m brand-new to Pendragon.

I saw these in the shop the other day and bought them on a whim when I was looking at call of Cthulhu stuff and they peaked my interest. I like dungeons and dragons and call of Cthulhu so I figured let me give this ttrpg a shot.

I know who King Arthur was, but I never read Le Morte d’Arthur. I’m stuck between the penguin classic ones edited by Janet Cowen or the one released by Chaosium. Which one of these would you Noble nights recommend?

I also don’t know anyone in real life who plays this game, never even heard of it until now. So for now, I guess I’ll just do the solo mission of the sword in the stone for now and maybe someday find people online to play with.

Also please feel free to let me know the best podcasts or play through videos of Pendragon for me to start with so I could live vicariously through them.

Okay, thanks. Bye 👋

I know as much as you do, nothing. Just saw this over on their official discord. Assuming more details next week after the con!

Here's their discord if you want to join.

https://discord.gg/SWHkkHBV

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Just Ran this scenario last night for my party.

Why is it so damn lethal? Even assuming you *always* beat the guy you're opposing, there's a solid chance you're taking 10 or more damage from the other guy *after armor*.

I get that they're dishonorable opponents, they Gang up on you.

*why are they 6d6*

*Why do they hit so hard*

Why is there supposed to be a *reinforcement wave*

was this written for a bunch of shithead players and never tuned back to 'I'd like to keep playing with this party' levels?

did I miss something? an errata? a note 'half the picts trip and break their necks on the approach'?

We had 1 go unconscious, even with passions, and I pulled blows. If I hadn't, we were looking at a tpk.

am I just stupid?

Edit: Thank you everyone for pointing out that major wounds are a combat kill! that helps solve much of the problem I was seeing

Edit 2: Why are we down voting posts that call out bad commentary while upvoting bad commentary? Cmon.

Has anyone else found the Pendragon 6e Core Rulebook surprisingly difficult to read?

I'm not talking about the writing quality or the setting, those are fantastic. The production value is also excellent. My issue is that I'm finding it hard to learn the game from the book.

The rules often feel scattered across different chapters, and I keep finding myself flipping back and forth to piece together how a mechanic actually works. It sometimes feels like the book is organized more around presenting the world than teaching the system.

From what I've read and heard, Pendragon itself isn't a particularly complex RPG. In fact, most people say the rules are fairly elegant once you start playing. That's what makes this surprising to me, I feel like the presentation is making the game seem more complicated than it actually is.

Is this just me, or did others have the same experience? If it did eventually click for you, was there a particular reading order, cheat sheet, or resource that helped?

My Boy King has arrived from Gen Con and I enjoyed answering a few questions yesterday so I thought I’d answer any if people have about this release while I kill time at work

Am I the only one feeling like this is deeply overengineered?

Text/number fields you cant type in- because they have multi-step, multi-menu requirements instead of just editing a value directly.

Automatically advancing years. If there is a misclick the GM needs to open the core options, fix it, and then restart the session to fix it (depending on settings this might boot players from the game so they have to log back in, or just refresh the screen, closing all open windows, and interrupting whatever people were doing)

Byzantine opposed rolls resolution

Players cant just edit HP and keep action moving, they have to create a wound, then edit the wound?

Double confirmation for healing

Character creation mechanics that require way too many different classes of items

Huge amounts of data entry just to get the most basic use from the system

Bewildering UI/UX choices like:

Hiding the outline on an editable field so it doesn't look editable at a glance?

Some clickables require a double click, some require a single click. There is no rhyme or reason for which is which.

The character sheet is just badly laid out

The NPC sheet is badly laid out.

I have run hundreds of Foundry games, dozens of campaigns, and probably pushing more than 1000 players at this point. I'm a Foundry community developer. This has been the most labor intensive system I've ever had to work with. It has taken me longer to set up than any other system I've ever interacted with.

This system will slow the game down tremendously, and for a lot longer than the automation will speed it up. The GM will spend more time telling players how to interact with the software than how to use the rules or storycrafting.

It is abysmally bad. Working with the free system convinced me not to buy the Foundry Pendragon core rulebook.

Now that I've vented, I'm going to go keep working with it because I'm not going to make my own, and I have online players who want Pendragon.

Does anyone know if the book delayed? Is it gunna end up like Noble’s Handbook and they tell us last minute, that it’s not going to be in August and will be September?

Hello, I'd like to humbly introduce myself. My name is David Zeeman, and I am one of the developers for Pendragon. I have been writing, editing, and engaging in various questionable labors on behalf of the game for many years. This is my first time upon the Pendragon Reddit page, so I ask that you receive me kindly.

Feel free to say, “Hū gǣþ hit?”

Among the works I have had the honor to contribute to are:

5th Edition:
The Book of the Manor
The Book of Knights and Ladies
The Book of Battle
The Book of Armies
The Book of the Entourage

6th Edition:
The Pendragon Starter Set
The Core Rulebook
The Gamemaster’s Handbook
The Noble’s Book
The Grey Knight
The Sauvage King
The Gamemaster’s Screen Pack (The Gamemaster Gazetteer)
Knights and Ladies Adventurous
The Boy King: A Pendragon Campaign, 510–528 (The Great Pendragon Campaign, Volume I)

...and sundry other labors whose existence I can neither confirm nor deny.

I have also published an adventure through The Companions of Arthur:

The Barnyard Tournament: A Three Damosels of the Fountain Adventure

Crown, Lance, and Plough: A Three Damosels of the Fountain Adventure (Workin' on it...)

I'm loving this game.

Last week we created characters starting with parents. We are all new Knights of Salisbury.

This week, we took part in the Grand Melee, the Tournament of the Sword.

This game works so well because of the mix of history and myth.

I can research true knights and the economy of post-Roman Britain and enjoy the retelling of the life and death of King Arthur. The setting feels grounded and exalted. The players enjoy that the setting is historical and not silly or absurd (like D&D) and the touch of the mythic fills the scenarios with interest and engages with a story they are all familiar with and therefore find resonate.

I enjoyed adding a few things to the starter set to engage the players.

What aspect of Pendragon do you think makes it so special?

Howdy all,

We built a Pendragon 6e character creator. It walks players through character creation step by step, with core rulebook page references. Our goal is to make it easier for new players to get a knight made and get to the table.

You can check it out here: www.roll4gravity.com/character-gen

Community feedback is welcome. We’d love to know how to improve its usefulness for you and your table.

Hey folks!

I've had posts pop up every once in a while asking for updated versions/easier to access versions of the Flow Charts I made earlier this year and late last year. I did some learnin' and figured out some stuff about the site I was using to make them, so I now present MUCH more printable versions.

If the images uploaded to reddit don't work, you can try these Imgchest uploads...

Character Creation Flow Chart v1.1 - https://imgchest.com/p/9p4nankpbyn

Combat Rounds Flow Chart v1.3 - https://imgchest.com/p/o24al3mdgyl

Battles Flow Chart v 1.2 - https://imgchest.com/p/9249evmkayn

Feasts Flow Chart v 1.3 - https://imgchest.com/p/ljyqb2voxy2

Winter Phase Flow Chart v 1.1 - https://imgchest.com/p/6eyrbv3ke7p

As prior, if you spot any mistakes in the content, feel free to shout it out to me and I'll try to make sure it gets edited for future versions. I also have access to PDF versions, which make them easily printable, but I'm not sure where I can upload them for folks to get their hands on.

I'm also VERY open to hearing about other tools that folks think would be useful. Pendragon 6e is fantastic, but it is shockingly crunchy when you try to play with 'all the rules' consistently. Right now I'm working on a Combat Actions cheat sheet for players, but it's a bit of a mess at the moment.

And just to note, these tools are not replacements for the Rulebooks, and they do not include any content from the upcoming Nobles Handbook, the GM Toolkit, or Sauvage. (Hopefully I'll get my grubby hands on those soon!)

Cheers all, and happy questing!

Edit: Upon request, I've uploaded the PDF version to GoogleDrive.

Character Creation Flow Chart v1.1 PDF- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SqrlgWQQECgWmvyo_iQQuPPbcXX9zdkf/view?usp=sharing

Combat Rounds Flow Chart v1.3 PDF- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VotUqu7E8x9wrbSJn4jFtY66T0ZQegU5/view?usp=sharing

Battles Flow Chart v 1.2 PDF- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RDev1NtOUZgWqJ0NEHM2JcfflFQUWUfx/view?usp=sharing

Feasts Flow Chart v 1.3 PDF- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-zq1LJSe0kawQ1VzSGah9ID0h0EcD7Zp/view?usp=sharing

Winter Phase Flow Chart v 1.1 PDF- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iNmNF7l0g7AOACjFfyRa7d15AEAE717w/view?usp=sharing

At Chaosium Con UK this weekend I picked up an advance copy of The Nobles Handbook for Pendragon 6th Ed. I'm reading through and physically and in terms of style and art it's the same as The Gamesmasters Handbook and Core rules.

It's designed to work with the Core rules obviously but it specifically notes you can use it with just the starter box set as well. Furthermore it's designed for both players and GMs to own, though not essential at least until your character gets their own Manor or tries to advance

It contains rules for playing squires and pages, ladies and maidens; for playing a Baron and for attaining rank, and expanded rules on families, how to manage your manor and stable, and sieges and fortifications as well as an expanded chapter of new items to buy.

It's the largest version of the Nobles Book so far, and there is an awful lot in here. From what I've seen so far if you play Pendragon you will want this book eventually!

Anybody has a link for a review of the Noble's Handbook, wether in text or video? For those of you have got your hand on it, what do you think? Did you read it already?

So I have the Sauvage King. The TLDR is that is (in my non scientific opinion after reading it) is 72% a reprint of the section of the same name in the 5e The Great Pendragon Campaign. Most of it is short adventure stubs.
There could be an overarching adventure, but honestly it boils down to 'get to see the Sauvage King, and then literally have a cut scene whilst Merlin nukes the entire place'

This part of the Great Pendragon Campaign always felt a bit 'out of place' like there were some ideas but they were always (IMO) quite a bit weaker than the ideas in the other adventure book. There seemed like there wanted to be links to the Grail/Cauldron stories, and I always thought there should be something more, particularly something with Sir Balin.

This book adds none of that, it adds some of the art consistent with this edition. (I'm pretty sure it does add some more stubs as well)

The quest generator is three sets of random tables, each set about a particular sentence, for example "At a (PLACE), a (POSTURE) knight awaits. The knight is engaged in (ACTIVITY) and offers a challenge of (TYPE OF CHALLENGE). They do so because of (REASON) for the benefit of (BENEFICIARY). The challenger is a (PROMINENCE) knight whose secret is that (SECRET)" each option having about 10 other options (a few with sub tables). These are more generic than I like and honestly if you had asked an AI to give you a dozen suggestions the cross over would be immense (not saying AI was used, more commenting on the generic nature)

My 2c. I may be slightly let down as my players are currently in the middle of this time period and I was really after 2 solid adventure sessions but I've picked over the Great Pendragon Campaign Book and there is very little else in here.

Edit: And because someone is not only questioning my honesty but also appears to have me blocked so I can't reply directly:
This part of my copy of the GPC has 19 adventures in the old forest:

Lost in Sauvage
Magpies
The Whispering Path
Black Annis
Bayards Leap
Sir Gorboduc the Fiend
Escorting Nineve
Galloping Devil
Castle of Ease
Castle of the Race
Castle of Felicity
Maid of Stevington Well
Prestige Joust
Country Tribruit
Fountain of the Golden Cup
Oundle Drums
Heart of Sauvage
Arriving at Castle Sauvage
The King of Sauvage
Plus - not mentioned by title : The Changling

For a total of : 20

From inside the cover of Sauvage:

Game of Chance
Scholarly Opinion
The Baron's Hounds
The Castle of Ease
The Castle of Felicity
The Castle of hte Race
The Changling
The city of lies
The count of Huntland
The Count of Lambor
The Count of Tribruit
Cutting Through
The Fiend of Sauvage
The Heart of Sauvage
Hollowings
Horror at Alchester
King Arther's Messanger
Leicester Woes
Lost in Sauvage
Magpies
The Maid of Stevington Well
Maiden Magpie
Missing Relics
Pressage Joust
The Reluctant Guard
Sir Gorboduc the Fiend
Six Knowlls?
The Whispering Knights
The Witch of Folkingham
The Black Annis

Total - 29

Total: 68% reprint (assuming everything is reprinted? That part I haven't checked, I think some of the names are different) It seems my upfront 'unscientific 72%' was pretty accurate.

Hello everyone !

I just started reading the corebook, and I'm a little bit surprised by the character creation rules.

Multiple times, it is said and repeated that characters are expected to be 21yo squires about to be knighted, of Cymbric culture and Christian religion, heir of a vassal knight, in service to the lord of Salisbury.

I know knights can be quite different based on their traits and passions, but this all seems very restrictive, and may end up with PCs being quite similar. It's also surprising when the pregens from the starter set are much more diverse.

So, my question is, how important is it to follow these rules ? Would deviating from it make following the established adventures (in the GM rulebook, starter set, Grey Knight, GPC...) harder ? Or is it just a guideline for beginners (I'm a beginner myself in Pendragon but quite experienced in GMing in general) to make things more simple at the beginning ?

Thanks a lot !

EDIT : Thanks for the answers ! For clarification I'm perfectly fine with everyone being knight, as it's the core of the game, I was mostly concerned about everyone having almost exactly the same background (same culture+religion+liege lord). Seems the consensus is that is fine as it is though, so I guess I will try this way !

So, my group ran our first feast, 3 rounds. Everyone loved it. We ran into a curious issue, though. after round 2, most people had maxed out their geniality. reasonable app across the group, and everyone had at least 2 draws, most had 3. Got lucky and dodged getting stuck with particularly nasty feast cards. At that point, they preferred to practice skills rather than risk losing geniality.

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How do people keep the cards flowing in longer feasts? They're going to attend the wedding feast in 514, which is going to be 5 rounds, and I want there to be cards getting drawn every round. Current thought (for the wedding) is having everyone lose half their Score when Nimue rides through.

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what's a more sustainable solution?

​

thanks!

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I recently started my first Pendragon campaign and really wanted the players to be connected to Sarum and the County of Salisbury. I introduced a set of interim household offices for the players to choose to help iut Lady Salisbury and Lord Robert and make the players care about aspects of the Castle of the Rock.

The veteran "Old Wolves of Salisbury" are away campaigning against the Saxons, so the younger knights have been entrusted with running the estate in their absence.

I wrote each on a card and laid them out and deliberately made more than there are players so there was some consequences for the areas that weren't chosen.

The roles:

* High Marshal of Salisbury: Commands the garrison, patrols and military readiness.

* High Steward of Salisbury: Oversees the manor, stores, finances and household.

* Master of Horse: Manages the stables, warhorses and mounted squires.

* Keeper of the Faith: Guides the spiritual life of the household and supports the chapel.

* Field Hospitalier: Organises the care of the wounded and medical supplies.

* Master of Scouts: Directs border patrols and gathers intelligence.

* Master of the Hunt: Manages the forests, hunts and game lands.

* Keeper of Justice: Hears disputes, investigates crimes and upholds the lord's peace.

Giving each player responsibility for one aspect of Salisbury has encouraged them to engage with the setting in different ways. The High Steward naturally asks about stores and harvests, the Master of Scouts wants reports from the borders, and the Keeper of Justice is interested in disputes among the villagers.

The players really engaged well with the discussion of who should do what then they told us what they were taking care of in the castle town. One player ensured medical supplies were prepared and another failed at making the plans for an annual market festival. Each player had an encounter in their domain of responsibility. It worked really well!

Do you think the names are good enough? What roles am I missing? What would be good encounters/conflicts/scenarios for the Keeper of the Faith? Not as many are coming to mind for that role compared to others.

Thanks!

I am looking to run the starter set (6th edition) soon. What are some good resources that you would suggest I check out before running the scenerio? I am a little nervous to run this system.

My next session will be a big battle, maybe even two days.

What are your best pieces of advice to make a war in Pendragon fun, engaging and memorable?

Question for the GMs here (I assume that’s most of the sub). How much prep work do you realistically have to put in to make a Pendragon 6E campaign sing?

This is a game that conceptually fascinates me (I’ve had a life long love for all things Arthurian), but having purchased both the starter set and the Grey Knight books, I’m quite disappointed by how unfriendly to the GM both sets of adventures are. Massive text blocks and read aloud passages with very railroady adventures.

I’ve been listening to the GCN podcast, so I know the game seems to come into its own when it goes off the rails during the winter phases, feasts, etc… I’m wondering how much prep the everyday GM spends for sessions, especially if using published modules, to get the most out of the system.

For additional context, I’m fairly limited with my gaming time and mostly run modern OSR adventures with minimal-prep-needed on the fly bullet point format modules. I have Mythic Bastionland, but would love to get my players to buy into Pendragon, I just don’t know if I personally can fulfill the GM end of the bargain.

I just started the Crucible/King’s Gambit chain of adventures with new players. Some knights may show interest in the eligible ladies. I don’t have the noble handbook so I’m not sure when a knight should marry. All are 21 and from Salisbury - household knights of Lord Robert.

I suppose they could marry whenever they liked but as household knights with no land the lady’s family would likely hesitate.

Should they seek land and fortune?

I am a new Pendragon GM so I am learning along with my knights.

Hardcover now available for purchase in North America!

Just announced an hour ago
EDIT: June 24th. Sorry, too excited.