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Table of Contents
- Introduction
- What’s changed from WFRP 4E?
- What’s included in the WFRP 5E Core Rulebook?
- What are the character options like?
- What are the mechanics like?
- What is magic and religion like?
- What is the GM material like?
- What is the art and design like?
- When is WFRP 5E coming out?
- How much is the WFRP 5E Core Rulebook?
- Is WFRP 5E worth picking up?
- Final thoughts & review score
When Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay first hit tabletops four decades ago, it completely upended conventional fantasy tabletop RPGs. Instead of playing squeaky clean, untouchable heroes clearing out pristine dungeons, players were thrust headfirst into the mud as desperate rat catchers, beleaguered soldiers and greasy-fingered grave robbers. Since then, WFRP has displayed the same kind of survival instinct as one of its scrappy heroes, carving out its own niche with its grimdark setting and crunchy mechanics.
Now, publisher Cubicle 7 has officially ushered in a new milestone for the game in the form of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Fifth Edition. A follow-up to the 2018 fourth edition, WFRP 5E refines the ruleset, tightens pacing and integrates years of scattered supplements – all while maintaining full backwards compatibility with existing WFRP 4E supplements. The PDF of the new rules is available now via DriveThruRPG, while the hardcover book is slated for launch in the Spring of 2027 and is available for pre-order now via Cubicle 7.
So is WFRP 5E worth picking up? Below, let’s head back into the grim darkness of the Empire to find out. (NOTE: Cubicle 7 did not provide a review copy, and I purchased a PDF version of the new rules at my own expense).
What’s changed from WFRP 4E?
Before diving in, it’s important to note upfront that Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 5E is not a major rules overhaul. In fact, even calling it a new edition is a bit misleading as it’s really more of a minor update of fourth edition. The best way to think of it is really as WFRP 4.5E.
In fact, if I had to estimate, I’d say roughly 10% to 15% of the content in the rulebook is new or revised from WFRP 4E. That means that if you already own 4E, you don’t need to buy WFRP 5E. In fact, you can simply reference the one-page conversion guide included in the back appendix which lists the biggest changes which are going to impact play.
The core changes to WFRP fourth edition and fifth edition are as follows:
- Terminology Updates: “Attributes” have been officially renamed to “Characteristics.”
- Advantage & Momentum: “Advantage” now refers to swapping the results of a die roll. Confusingly, what older materials referred to as Advantage is now called Momentum (which you earn whenever you make a successful Opposed Melee Test in combat).
- Test Difficulty: Test difficulties are no longer calculated by altering the target skill value directly. Instead, they apply a Success Level (SL) modifier, which the GM can further increase or decrease depending on the difficulty and which provides a narrative framework for how you succeed or fail.
- Resilience & Resolve: These attributes have been retired. Effects referring to Resilience now use Fate, while Resolve maps to Fortune (reducing maximum Fortune if a rule forces you to burn a permanent point).
- Skills & Equipment Damage: Skill advancements are now standardized at flat +5 increments rather than varying scales, and physical items now take wear-and-tear, with rules for making repairs.
- Careers & Talents: Minor roster adjustments have been made (such as the Bard being cut while the Knave joins the lineup), alongside new Talents being integrated into the book’s tables.
- Fresh Presentation: The book features entirely new art, streamlined creature traits and a cleaner rules layout (for the most part).
- Condition changes: The Fear condition now means you can’t gain Momentum and attacks against you get Advantage. A new Besmirched condition has also been added (if you get too dirty, it gives Disadvantage on Fellowship tests).
- XP costs: The cost for advancing Characteristics and Skills is now a little higher. Taking the same Talent a second or subsequent time now only costs 100 XP (contrary to 4E where costs scaled up).
- Advancing Career Levels: This is now an Endeavour (as is changing Careers entirely).
- Minor magical changes: Two new Miracles have been added to the list and there are minor tweaks to Casting Numbers for some spells. Hedge Magic, Witchcraft and Chaos magic also now get a “Lore attribute” (the bonus effect for casting any spell of that lore). Overcasting also can no longer be applied to Petty spells.
What’s included in the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 5E Core Rulebook?
Clocking in at 377 pages, the book contains the following chapters:
- Introduction (17 pages): Introduces newcomers to tabletop roleplaying, the core concept of dice rolling, how to use the rulebook and Olde Weirde’s Incunabulum detailing the current state of the Empire.
- Character Building (20 pages): Guides players through the six-step character creation process, covering species selection (Humans, Dwarfs, Halflings, High Elves, Wood Elves), Characteristics (formerly Attributes), starting Skills, Talents, Fate/Fortune and background details.
- Class and Careers (66 pages): Details the mechanics of occupations, career paths across four distinct levels and features full breakdowns and advancement schemes for all 64 individual careers (ranging from Advisers and Apothecaries to Witches and Wreckers).
- Skills and Talents (23 pages): Explains basic, advanced and grouped skills, how tests work, and provides a comprehensive list of the game’s Talents.
- Rules (59 pages): Covers core mechanics for making tests, combat, theft, stealth, social standing, social tests, research, crafting and pursuits and movement.
- Between Adventures (11 pages): Manages downtime activities through the Endeavour system, covering XP spending, regional and character events, training, crafting, income and banking.
- Religion and Belief (28 pages): Details the pantheons of the Empire, cult structures, holy sites, sin points, divine wrath, as well as blessings and miracles across the major deities.
- Magic (31 pages): Explores the Aethyr, the Winds of Magic, arcane lores, casting tests, channelling, miscasts, grimoires, petty spells, arcane spells, colour magic, witch magic and dark magic.
- The Gamemaster (10 pages): Provides practical advice for GMs on running grimdark sessions, managing NPCs, handling investigations, awarding XP, and navigating travel encounters.
- Glorious Reikland (24 pages): Offers a comprehensive regional gazetteer of the Empire’s heartland, detailing geography, forests, rivers, governing powers and major settlements like Altdorf.
- Consumer Guide (22 pages): Features extensive equipment tables covering coinage, bargaining, weapon qualities and flaws, armor points, tools, books and trade prices.
- Bestiary (46 pages): Contains 50+ enemies, including the peoples and beasts of the Reikland, monstrous creatures, greenskins, the restless dead, beastmen, cultists and daemons.
- Appendices (5+ pages): Includes reference appendices for creature traits, test difficulty, advantage, momentum, resilience and a one-page listing of backwards compatibility with WFRP 4E.
What are the character options like in WFRP 5E?
Character creation in WFRP 5E follows a fairly straightforward step-by-step process and compared to fourth edition, the presentation here is a massive step up. The layout is much cleaner, better organized and far easier to navigate during the character-building phase, cutting down on the clutter that plagued previous books.
The core options available during character creation include:
- 5 Species: Human (Reiklanders by default), Dwarf, Halfling, High Elf, and Wood Elf, each with distinct starting skills, languages, talents and characteristic ranges.
- 8 Classes: Grouping related occupations into Academics, Burghers, Courtiers, Peasants, Rangers, Riverfolk, Rogues and Warriors.
- 64 Careers: Spanning four vertical progression tiers.
- 10 Characteristics: Ranging from Weapon Skill and Ballistic Skill to Willpower and Fellowship.
- 3 Social Status Tiers: Brass, Silver, and Gold, which dictate your starting wealth, lifestyle and initial trappings.
Notably, you can choose to build your character or randomly roll everything to gain bonus resources (such as extra skill advances or a free starting Fortune point for taking a random species), which is a very cool idea that more systems need to use.
What are the mechanics like in Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 5E?
As noted above, WFRP 5E isn’t so much a new edition as it is an update of fourth edition. That being said, there are some minor but impactful changes worth noting.
Skill checks
The basic d100 system remains the same. When attempting skill checks, you try to roll equal to or under your character’s target skill number. A roll of 96-100 is also always a failure and a roll of 01-05 is always a success. If you roll doubles, the effects become either an Astounding Success or an Astounding Failure (depending on your Skill).
This is basically the same system as WFRP 4E with one notable exception: When you Advance a Skill (which requires you to spend Experience Points you earned during play), you can add +5 to a chosen skill (in 4E, Advancing only resulted in a +1).
A new feature of WFRP 5E, however, is Success Levels (SLs), which determine the degree of success or failure of a check, adding a unique narrative twist. To do this, you subtract the first digit of your roll from the first digit of the Skill being tested. For example, if your Lore is 56 and you rolled a 24 you would have +3 SL (5 – 2 = 3). GMs can also add or subtract SLs depending on the difficulty of a particular task. What this really means though is that if you end up with a positive SL you succeed and if you end up with a negative SL you fail.
Advantage and Disadvantage are also a new mechanic to WFRP 5E. Confusingly, this is completely different from Advantage in WFRP 4E (which is now called Momentum). The concept, however, is simple and will likely be familiar to D&D 5E players: when you make a roll you can swap the lowest number for the highest. For example, a 17 would become a 71. Disadvantage is the exact opposite, with your highest number becoming your lowest (so a 71 would become a 17).
One other thing to note is that Resilience & Resolve from WFRP 4E have been removed. Resilience has been replaced by Fate points, which are extremely hard to come by, with GMs only handing them out for incredible acts, such as completing an adventure or defeating the BBEG. You can spend a Fate point to essentially cheat death, negating the effect of an attack or being knocked unconscious from a blow that would otherwise kill you. You can also spend a Fate point to succeed at something that is almost guaranteed to be a failure.
Similarly, WFRP 4E’s Resolve is now replaced with Fortune points. These are not nearly as rare as Fate points and are replenished at the start of each game session. You can spend a Fortune point to Gain Advantage on a Test before rolling, reroll a Test (you must keep the new result unless you want to spend another point) or remove one Condition.
All of this can be a lot to wrap your head around if you’re a new player and I was a bit disappointed to see that the overly crunchy and potentially game-slowing mechanics and bookkeeping of WFRP 4E haven’t totally been addressed. It’s a step in the right direction, but the system still feels like it’s too complicated for its own good sometimes.
Combat
Unlike a lot of other TTRPGs, combat in Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay has always been incredibly lethal and is generally something players should only do as a last resort. When you do get in a scrap there’s a decent chance you’ll end up dead or severely maimed. That hasn’t changed in WFRP 5E and the rules are essentially the same as 4E. For close range combat, you make an Opposed Melee Test against your target. The combatant with the highest SL wins. For ranged attacks, you simply have to make a successful Ranged Test.
You then determine where you hit them on the body (rolling on a random table) and the damage (subtracting any toughness or armor bonuses). You always deliver at least 1 Wound and when an enemy reaches 0 Wounds (or you roll a double on an attack) you roll on a Critical Wound table that can leave the combatant scarred, missing an appendage or suffering other brutal effects. This latter element is still one of the best parts of WFRP 5E combat and makes the game feel lethal and unpredictable. It’s incredibly cool both narratively and mechanically to have a character who’s been scarred in battle.
All of these combat rules are pretty much the same as WFRP 4E. The big change, however, is that what was previously known as Advantage in combat is now called Momentum. This is a binary condition (you either have it or you don’t) and you gain it by making a successful melee test or charging an opponent. Having Momentum provides you with Advantage on melee tests (switch the lowest d10 for the highest), and can also be spent to do an offhand melee attack, safely disengage from melee or activate certain Talents. You do, however, lose Momentum if you take damage, lose a Melee test or gain a Condition.
This last point is really a significant change. In WFRP 4E you could get Advantage (now called Momentum) from making a melee/ranged test, using a skill or casting certain spells. That meant if your character wasn’t particularly good at combat you could still take a non-combat action to try and build up Advantage by repeating actions (which could feel like meta gaming rather than actually realistic combat). Momentum, however, feels like a much smoother system and it requires less bookkeeping to track (you either have it or you don’t).
Downtime
Downtime activities are another key part of WFRP that hasn’t seen much of a revision from fourth edition. Between adventures, time is compressed and characters can work their regular jobs (rat catching, ferrying, trading etc.) or undergo training and crafting. It’s also when players are allowed to spend their hard-earned XP.
One notable minor change with WFRP 5E is that the XP cost of advancing Characteristics and Skills is now a little higher. Talents still cost 100 XP each, but taking the same Talent again now only costs 100 XP (a smart change over WFRP 4E where cost scaled up). Also, advancing career level is now an Endeavour (as is changing career entirely), which feels like a smart update.
One other minor change is that there is an additional Character Events table. This means that every downtime, the GM rolls on the Regional Events table, and then each player rolls on the Character Events table, which features events like getting betrayed by a friend, the death of a family member or running afoul of a local crime faction. These are all incredibly fun and probably one of the best downtime systems in TTRPGs.
What is magic and religion like in WFRP 5E?
The mechanics and lore around religion have more or less remained the same as WFRP 4E. The book includes a complete list of all the major and minor gods. Holy characters can also conjure up Blessings (minor magical manifestations of your god’s will) or Miracles (major manifestations), each requiring a successful Pray Test to cast. Breaking one of the oaths listed for each god, however, can result in you earning Sin Points. When you fumble a Pray Test (or when the units die is equal or lower than your current Sin Points) you roll on the Wrath of the Gods table which can range from minor penalties on future rolls, to the sudden appearance of daemons or being required to take on a major act of Penance to earn back your god’s favor (essentially a side quest).
Magic in WFRP 5E is also more or less the same as fourth edition. To cast a spell you make a test using your Arcane Magic skill and you succeed if the number of SLs is greater or equal to the Casting Number of the spell. The biggest change, however, is to the Channelling rules. WFRP 4E introduced new rules in the 2023 Winds of Magic supplement, which involved making an Extended Test, with success reducing the Casting Number of the spell. In WFRP 5E, you now make a standard test that you repeat each turn, building up SLs which you can then apply to casting your next spell. It’s still a bit overly complicated, but definitely a step in the right direction.
Overcasting is also still included in WFRP 5E, which allows you to layer more powerful effects if you achieve more SLs than the spell’s Casting Number (you roll on a random table to determine the effect). One minor change, however, is that you can’t overcast Petty Magic spells, which feels like a smart tweak.
Some of the spells have also been slightly tweaked in terms of Casting Numbers, but the overall list remains the same. One other minor update is that Hedge Magic, Witchcraft and Chaos magic now get a Lore Attribute, which is a bonus effect for casting any spell of that lore. It’s a fun bit of flavor, and a great example of when mechanics meets the world of the game.
What is the GM material like?
Clocking in at just 10 pages, the Gamemaster section of the new core rulebook is incredibly short. If this is your first time running WFRP that’s not a lot to go on and the section feels incredibly rushed and skipping over a lot of useful information.
Fortunately, the rest of the supporting GM material is solid. The Bestiary contains about 50 monsters covering classic Warhammer Fantasy enemies including animals, orcs, goblins, restless dead, beastmen, cultists, daemons and ratmen. It also includes rules for building out monster templates and features stats for elite enemies. The stat blocks are also streamlined and much easier to reference.
The book also features the Glorious Reikland gazetteer, which is over 20 pages of lore, history and locations of the Empire’s heartland. If this is your first time in the world of Warhammer Fantasy, it’s a solid introduction and there’s plenty to love here even if you’re already familiar.
Finally, the book includes about over 20 pages of equipment tables in the Consumer Guide, which has pretty much everything you’d expect to find in terms of weapons, armor and day-to-day items. This is table stakes for any TTRPG, but it’s still well done.
What is the art and design like?
Cubicle 7 produces some gorgeous TTRPG books and that’s definitely the case with the WFRP 5E core rulebook. The art is stunning, capturing the gritty grimdark aesthetic of the world perfectly. The class and careers section is particularly well done, and is both flavorful and informative in terms of showing you what these character options are actually like. That being said, some of the art also appears to be recycled from previous editions, which isn’t a deal breaker, but is a bit of a bummer.
The layout is also a big improvement over fourth edition, with the pages feeling less cluttered and far easier to reference at the table. The exception to this is the “Rules” chapter, which crams complex mechanics into 60 pages that don’t seem particularly well organized in terms of headers or structure. In fact, I found myself flipping from one section to the other to try and find a key rule. It’s not the end of the world (and you can always use the appendix), but it feels like a bit of an organizational miss.
One other minor quibble is that there are definitely some typos and minor errors in the PDF which will hopefully be corrected before the physical book is released in the spring of 2027. It’s also worth noting that the PDF doesn’t include hyperlinks. That’s also not a deal breaker, but definitely would have been nice to have (especially given the poor layout of the Rules chapter).
When is Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 5E coming out?
The PDF version of the core rulebook was released on September 1st, 2026, which you can pick up now from either Cubicle 7 or DriveThruRPG.
The physical hardcover edition, however, is slated for release in the spring of 2027 (although you may be able to pre-order now from your local game store). We’ll update this review with an exact date once it’s been confirmed.
How much is the WFRP 5E Core Rulebook?
The PDF retails for $29.99 USD, while the hardcover will be $64.99 USD (not including shipping and handling). Again, it’s worth noting that if you already own the WFRP 4E core rules, you can probably skip out on getting this as the changes to the rules aren’t particularly dramatic and will likely be available online for free.
Is Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 5E Worth Picking Up?
Pros
- Solid presentation & layout: Rules are explained much more clearly with better signposting and – for the most part – the overall layout of the book is much easier to use.
- Fantastic art and lore: The illustrations are amazing (particularly with character designs) really helping bring the world to life. The gazetteer is also incredibly well written and a great into to the world of Warhammer Fantasy.
- Meaningful mechanical tweaks: Combat has been significantly streamlined by removing Resilience & Resolve and adding in Momentum as a binary option. Including a new type of Advantage and Success Levels also feels like a step in the right direction.
- Works for new and returning players: If this is your first time experiencing Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, this is a fantastic entry point. Conversely, if you’re an existing player, you can rest easy knowing your WFRP 4E materials are still compatible.
Cons
- Questionable value for 4E fans: While the changes to the rules are impactful (particularly in terms of combat), they’re also a light touch. This doesn’t feel like a new edition so much as a minor update. If you’re an existing 4E player, you won’t find a lot here that’s new.
- Rules organization: The core rules are crammed into a single 60-page chapter that can be tough to reference quickly at the table. Even veteran players are likely going to have a hard time when it comes to looking up a specific rule.
- High complexity persists: If you like the existing crunch of WFRP 4E, you’ll be happy to hear it’s more of the same. But if you were hoping for something more streamlined and simple, you’ll need to look elsewhere, because WFRP 5E still feels unnecessarily crunchy and mechanically bloated.
- Lack of GM advice: With just 10 pages dedicated to running a highly complex game, this feels like a bit of an oversight for new players. If you’re a first time GM who really wants to get your head around running WFRP, you’ll probably need to look to the online community for support.
Final thoughts & review score
There’s a lot to love about Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Fifth Edition, but if you’re an existing fourth edition player who was hoping for a major rules update, chances are you’re going to be disappointed. This isn’t a new edition, so much as an update that feels more like WFRP 4.5E. That being said, even though the changes are minor, they do pack a punch in terms of improved combat and skill tests. It’s a step in the right direction, even if it is a small one.
On the other hand, if this is your first time experiencing the world of Warhammer Fantasy, this is a perfect jumping on point. It’s a grimmer, grittier version of your typical fantasy fare, with underdog characters and a grimdark setting packed with enough lore to last a lifetime. And while the rules can be a little tough to swallow, they also have some genuinely great mechanics packed into them. If you’re sick of the squeaky clean, high heroics of Dungeons & Dragons, WFRP 5E is definitely worth getting into the mud with.
Final Review Score: 17 out of 20
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Fifth Edition is available now in PDF format via DriveThruRPG, with the hardcover available for pre-order now via Cubicle 7.