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The Dresden Files Roleplaying Game #1
Dresden Files Roleplaying Game, The: Volume One
Tell Us Your Story.
Beneath the "normal" surface of the world are things and people which most of us don't want to know about, and will do our best to forget about if we ever come near them. People won't see what they don't want to see.
But that's most of us. And you--you're not most of us.
What's your story?
Whether you're a champion of God, changeling, vampire, werewolf, wizard, or plain "vanilla" mortal human being, this volume of The Dresden Files RPG gives you all the rules you need to build characters and tell your own stories in the Dresdenverse Inside, you'll uncover the secrets of spellcasting, the extents of mortal and supernatural power, and the hidden occult reality of the unfamiliar city you call home.
Together with Volume Two: Our World, The Dresden Files RPG: Your Story give you everything you need to make your own adventures in the thrilling and dangerous world of New York Times best-selling author Jim Butcher's Dresden Files eries!
Beneath the "normal" surface of the world are things and people which most of us don't want to know about, and will do our best to forget about if we ever come near them. People won't see what they don't want to see.
But that's most of us. And you--you're not most of us.
What's your story?
Whether you're a champion of God, changeling, vampire, werewolf, wizard, or plain "vanilla" mortal human being, this volume of The Dresden Files RPG gives you all the rules you need to build characters and tell your own stories in the Dresdenverse Inside, you'll uncover the secrets of spellcasting, the extents of mortal and supernatural power, and the hidden occult reality of the unfamiliar city you call home.
Together with Volume Two: Our World, The Dresden Files RPG: Your Story give you everything you need to make your own adventures in the thrilling and dangerous world of New York Times best-selling author Jim Butcher's Dresden Files eries!
402 pages, Hardcover
First published June 15, 2010
32 people are currently reading
1779 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 26, 2011
I bought this on the back of Evil Hat's first outing with FATE, The Spirit of the Century, as part of a burgeoning love affair with the FATE rpg (roleplaying game).
For those who don't know what an rpg is, its a game of collaborative story telling. One player comes up with the story and describes what is happening (often called the Games Master or GM for short). The other players design characters who will feature as the heroes in that setting. They get to describe what their characters do in response to the scene that the GM sets. The GM then, using his imagination and the rules in the game, determines what the outcomes are, and so it goes.
This particular rpg is based upon the urban fantasy series of novels called The Dresden Files - modern pulp if you like with a cast of vampires, werewoves and other fantasy tropes set in modern times. The books are a fun read, if not overly demanding on the little grey brain cells, but as a gamer, to me they instantly called out to be used as an rpg setting - hence this gem!
FATE is the rpg system used behind this book. At its heart it is a very simple game, but with layers of complexity that can be added to it, building up the crunch level as desired. Its a large book, not so much because of the complexity of the game, but because it is bursting with full-colour pictures and written illustrations of how the rules work. In places it seems a little disorganised, but this is inevitable with such a large work. Personally I love it. It's use of FATE's Aspects - simple phrases used to describe the character - really lends itself to this particular genre.
I suspect I'll not use it for playing within the world of the Dresden Files all that much - to be honest vampires and werewolves aren't particularly my thing - but will certainly adapt it for use in other urban fantasy settings. Already I have used it to run 'Day After Ragnorak' games, and have campaigns based on 'War of the Flowers' and the Fables series in mind.
A great game. Recommended!
For those who don't know what an rpg is, its a game of collaborative story telling. One player comes up with the story and describes what is happening (often called the Games Master or GM for short). The other players design characters who will feature as the heroes in that setting. They get to describe what their characters do in response to the scene that the GM sets. The GM then, using his imagination and the rules in the game, determines what the outcomes are, and so it goes.
This particular rpg is based upon the urban fantasy series of novels called The Dresden Files - modern pulp if you like with a cast of vampires, werewoves and other fantasy tropes set in modern times. The books are a fun read, if not overly demanding on the little grey brain cells, but as a gamer, to me they instantly called out to be used as an rpg setting - hence this gem!
FATE is the rpg system used behind this book. At its heart it is a very simple game, but with layers of complexity that can be added to it, building up the crunch level as desired. Its a large book, not so much because of the complexity of the game, but because it is bursting with full-colour pictures and written illustrations of how the rules work. In places it seems a little disorganised, but this is inevitable with such a large work. Personally I love it. It's use of FATE's Aspects - simple phrases used to describe the character - really lends itself to this particular genre.
I suspect I'll not use it for playing within the world of the Dresden Files all that much - to be honest vampires and werewolves aren't particularly my thing - but will certainly adapt it for use in other urban fantasy settings. Already I have used it to run 'Day After Ragnorak' games, and have campaigns based on 'War of the Flowers' and the Fables series in mind.
A great game. Recommended!
May 20, 2014
Ok, even ubergeek that I am, I wouldn't normally rate a book for an RPG. But it kept coming up in my recommended list, and I'm in the early stages of setting up a campaign for that game anyway.
I read the book cover to cover, which I try to do with games I run. However, I don't usually enjoy the books this much. In addition to really liking the world this game is set in (I've read all those books), the game looks like lots of fun.
But what really makes it are the margin notes. Throughout the book, Harry Dresden, Bob the Skull, and Billy the Werewolf from the novel series are discussing and/or arguing the material being presented. These side notes have been hugely entertaining.
I have played a lot of RPGs and read a lot of supplements in my decades of being a gamer. I don't think I've ever enjoyed one more.
Now, one small warning, there are spoilers here for about the first 3-4 books in the series. I don't know why you'd play/run this game without reading them, but be warned going in.
I had a lot of fun reading this and am looking forward to the game itself.
I read the book cover to cover, which I try to do with games I run. However, I don't usually enjoy the books this much. In addition to really liking the world this game is set in (I've read all those books), the game looks like lots of fun.
But what really makes it are the margin notes. Throughout the book, Harry Dresden, Bob the Skull, and Billy the Werewolf from the novel series are discussing and/or arguing the material being presented. These side notes have been hugely entertaining.
I have played a lot of RPGs and read a lot of supplements in my decades of being a gamer. I don't think I've ever enjoyed one more.
Now, one small warning, there are spoilers here for about the first 3-4 books in the series. I don't know why you'd play/run this game without reading them, but be warned going in.
I had a lot of fun reading this and am looking forward to the game itself.
March 1, 2013
First: it should be noted that this may be the most well written RPGs on my shelf. Injokes, callbacks, even the running gag about how Harry, the cover of every Dresden Files novel aside, isn't a hat guy. Good sift all around.
The rules are simple (the magic rules need to be read twice if you've bought spell casting powers) and (for the limited.number IOC sessions I've had) made an enjoyable, character driven game
The rules are simple (the magic rules need to be read twice if you've bought spell casting powers) and (for the limited.number IOC sessions I've had) made an enjoyable, character driven game
June 8, 2011
I am actually teaching a summer fiction writing class using this system! LOVE IT!
August 17, 2018
I was introduced to the Dresden Files through this fantastic game. I love running it. The FATE system works amazingly well for this style of storytelling and I find the magic in the game very innovative and a fun puzzle to play out. I know a lot of players have trouble with this magic system, but I like it. I'm weird like that.
July 22, 2010
I love the Fate system, and this is a great implementation of it. I'm only a moderate fan of the Dresden Files novels, but still found the conceit of the game (that it's a draft copy of a game being written in the Dresden universe by characters from the novels) to be very entertaining. The margin notes made by Harry Dresden and others are well done and serve to both entertain and emphasize certain concepts.
I'm really looking forward to playing this game.
I'm really looking forward to playing this game.
August 8, 2011
Only those who partake of table-top role-playing games (also referred to as pen-and-paper games) will be at all interested in this, but to those who are I would say that this is a fantastic game, and the only one where I was incredibly happy with every aspect of character creation. Of course, you will really only get anything out of this if you enjoy the Dresden Files series, but regardless, a superb game.
January 25, 2019
Basic Premise: Rules for a roleplaying game set in the world of Harry Dresden.
An interesting read, made more so by the marginalia done as Harry, Bob, and Billy's notes about this game as a disinformation campaign. The game itself looks very interesting and very nontraditional as far as its reliance on story over dice. I look forward to getting the chance to play some day.
An interesting read, made more so by the marginalia done as Harry, Bob, and Billy's notes about this game as a disinformation campaign. The game itself looks very interesting and very nontraditional as far as its reliance on story over dice. I look forward to getting the chance to play some day.
May 6, 2013
Really cool system, with a lot of neat easter eggs for fans of the series. Has a lot of spoilers for the series, though, so if you're playing with people who haven't read the books but would be interested, I'd recommend spoiler-proofing with post-its.
June 5, 2013
I have *never* read an RPC (Role-playing game) that was so well done and fit so clearly in with the world it is meant to represent.
May 3, 2012
I think I know I'm enjoying wizard books entirely too much when I go read the RPG version.
November 11, 2020
I really wanted this to be the next game I decided to run, but found the FATE system a morass from which no game could escape. The rules are so opaque in this book I couldn't follow them, so I ended up taking some of the ideas and applying them in WoD Mage system. Admittedly an imperfect choice, but the best I could do. What a shame, maybe the original FATE rule book would be easier to learn from.
December 26, 2024
Una joya para jugar fantasía urbana medio bombástica tipo Dresden Files, Constantine, Hellboy etc.
En cuanto al sistema y la parte más complicada, los sistemas de magia, tienen bastante profundidad para venir del motor Fate y son super abiertos, requieren que a tus jugadores les interese explotar al máximo esas mecánicas y reglas o solamente todos coincidan en hacer algo genial. Recomiendo
En cuanto al sistema y la parte más complicada, los sistemas de magia, tienen bastante profundidad para venir del motor Fate y son super abiertos, requieren que a tus jugadores les interese explotar al máximo esas mecánicas y reglas o solamente todos coincidan en hacer algo genial. Recomiendo
Want to read
February 5, 2020OH MY GOD!!! Omg omg omg- sooo interested to see what the inside of this RPG version of Dresden looks like🤩 How didn’t I know this existed?
January 20, 2022
I love FATE/FUDGE but it can be a little difficult to grasp- the magic system was rough at times, but with a little practice it could be really good. Love that it's more story driven.
September 8, 2013
I cannot STAND the Dresden Files.
Go figure. It should totally be up my alley (Paranormal, main character is a mage, etc), but for some reason, I despise the formulaic writing, and I loathe Harry Dresden, as a mary-sue self-projection of the author, that collects powers, artefacts and pets like an old lady collects cats.
For some reason, though, I LOVED the TV show that all the book fans hated.
That being said, this book is AWESOME.
You heard it.
It's AWESOME. It's crafted with care, and eye to detail. It's a work of art.
Unfortunately, I'm not too fond of either FATE or the Setting, which is why I'm giving it only a 4 start, instead of 5. However, if you like FATE and\or Dresden Files, check this one out.
Go figure. It should totally be up my alley (Paranormal, main character is a mage, etc), but for some reason, I despise the formulaic writing, and I loathe Harry Dresden, as a mary-sue self-projection of the author, that collects powers, artefacts and pets like an old lady collects cats.
For some reason, though, I LOVED the TV show that all the book fans hated.
That being said, this book is AWESOME.
You heard it.
It's AWESOME. It's crafted with care, and eye to detail. It's a work of art.
Unfortunately, I'm not too fond of either FATE or the Setting, which is why I'm giving it only a 4 start, instead of 5. However, if you like FATE and\or Dresden Files, check this one out.
December 10, 2013
An excelent adaptation of the "Dresdenverse" to a roleplaying game. And also, a wonderful read for all the side notes from Harry, Will, and Bob.
The game system is fantastic, and all the material it comes from for building your own city, linking player's characters to other characters, and making players be "in the know" about some facts from the city secrets are wonderful, and could be used with or without the Dresdenverse. It is just a very good way to build a game setting in which everyone has something to do.
And about the quality of the book itself: excelent paper, printing and colours. I just wish there was a less-colourful version so it wasn't so expensive, but the quality standards in the book is very high, and it's worth the money... even if I don't have players right now.
The game system is fantastic, and all the material it comes from for building your own city, linking player's characters to other characters, and making players be "in the know" about some facts from the city secrets are wonderful, and could be used with or without the Dresdenverse. It is just a very good way to build a game setting in which everyone has something to do.
And about the quality of the book itself: excelent paper, printing and colours. I just wish there was a less-colourful version so it wasn't so expensive, but the quality standards in the book is very high, and it's worth the money... even if I don't have players right now.
August 10, 2016
Great game. I ran a campaign of Dresden Files. It was a lot of fun. I highly recommend it. But the magic rules system can be a little messy to get the hang of. I can't wait for Dresden Files Accelerated Edition
February 25, 2013
Really fun game.
March 19, 2014
Awesome!
August 21, 2014
Excellent game! This is probably the coolest rulebook ever too as it contains notes written by Harry Dresden himself written in the margins.
March 17, 2015
Worth picking up for the city building section alone.
April 21, 2015
As a book: beautiful, fun, and organized.
As an RPG: meaty, story focused, powerful.
As an RPG: meaty, story focused, powerful.
May 19, 2015
I consumed this book. The "aspects" rules system is a great way to operationalize role playing and build not only stories but storytellers.
December 20, 2013
As far as RPG Books go, this has good information and makes it fun to learn that system
October 8, 2014
Don't like FATE, no wonder I didn't like it too much. Still, lots of effort to get the world right.
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June 15, 2017amazingg
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews