Ironsworn Explained

Ironsworn
Designer:	Shawn Tomkin
Illustrator:	Joshua Meehan
Publisher:	Tomkin Press, Modiphius Entertainment
Date:	2018
Genre:	Universal, Fantasy, Science fiction
System:	Ironsworn, Powered by the Apocalypse

Ironsworn is an indie role-playing game written and self-published by Shawn Tomkin.^[1] Its Ironlands setting is low fantasy, set in a rugged frontier. Rob Wieland for Forbes named Ironsworn one of his favorite RPG products of 2022 and one of the best fantasy tabletop role-playing games for solo play.^[2]

System

Character creation

Player characters are built by allocating a specific number of points to the five different stats. These are edge, heart, iron, shadow, and wits.

Apart from the starting stats, there are also trackers for health, spirit, and supply.

Vows are the main mechanic by which a player can track progress and accomplish goals.

Gameplay

There are three ways to play Ironsworn.

• Guided: One or more players take the role of their characters, while a gamemaster (GM) moderates the session.
• Co-Op: One or more players play together to overcome challenges and complete quests. No GM required.
• Solo: One player portrays a lone character driven to fulfill vows in a dangerous world.^[3]

Tomkin took inspiration from the Powered by the Apocalypse system, among other systems. The player narrates the story and then makes Moves when it makes narrative sense. If for instance, the player is about to enter combat, they can make the Enter the Fray move. Dice are rolled to determine if the move is a success or a failure. The player accumulates Momentum through succeeding at rolls or through narrative. Momentum can be used to improve the result of a die roll. Experience can be gained by completing vows and then spent upgrading existing assets or gaining new ones.

Supplements

There are four official supplements that have been published by Shawn Tomkin.

• Ironsworn Lodestar (2018): A short reference guide that contains an oracle for character disposition and also alternative starting stats for easier and harder modes of play.
• Ironsworn: Delve (2020): The first major expansion adds additional content to the game, including dungeon-crawling mechanics.
• Ironsworn: Starforged (2022): Funded in a Kickstarter campaign, this is a new core rulebook adapting the original Ironsworn system to a science fiction setting. Along with the new setting, there are also new rules, assets, moves, and oracles.^[4]
• Ironsworn: Starforged Sundered Isles (2024): This supplement is an expansion for Starforged with a sailing setting (instead of spaceships), and require the core Ironsworn: Starforged rules to play.^[5]

Actual play

In season 2 of Me,Myself and die, a YouTube channel and series focusing on solo tabletop role-playing games, Canadian voice actor Trevor Devall is playing Ironsworn^[6] .

Awards

The game received the 2019 ENNIE Gold Winner Award for Best Free Game/Product.^[7]

See also

• Dungeon World
• Powered by the Apocalypse

External links

• Official website
• Ironsworn on DriveThruRPG
• Ironsworn on itch.io
• Actual Play reports on Ironsworn and Starforged

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2020-11-29 . Ironsworn Review . 2022-09-13 . Tabletop Gaming.
2. Web site: Wieland . Rob . My Favorite 2022 RPG Products . 2023-04-03 . Forbes . en.
3. Web site: Ironsworn by Shawn Tomkin . 2023-04-03 . itch.io . en.
4. Web site: Parkin . Jeffrey . 2022-06-14 . Take your role-playing game to the stars with Ironsworn: Starforged . 2022-09-13 . Polygon . en-US.
5. Web site: Rascher . Jared . 2024-07-15 . Sundered Isles Review . 2024-11-15 . Gnome Stew . en-US.
6. Web site: Me, Myself and Die! Season Two . 2024-11-16 . YouTube . en.
7. Web site: List of ENNIE Awards 2019 Nominees and Winners . 2022-09-12.