There are some new and very playable and fun mechanics going on here in H&H. I was looking for an alternative to BRP or GURPS. I think I’ve found my choice. Going to run a realistic old West campaign. I’ve noticed that I’m not seeing a lot of modern add-ons for H&H. Fantasy, solo but I’m not seeing modern, realistic. Did I miss something? I am very happy with this purchase and as a universal game goes, I think that malleability and mold ability of this game system is going to appeal to game masters and players. I recommended.

I bought the book with high expectations, as the system uses mechanics that I really like, such as a dice pool, combat by ticks instead of turns, wounds instead of life points. In addition, of course, it is a generic system (although, we will talk about that below). I didn't regret the purchase at all, as the system not only met but exceeded all expectations. The book has a clean layout and easy-to-read and understandable text.

As negative points, I would just say that although the book is sold as a generic system, it is very focused on medieval fantasy (various skills, spells, etc.). And I think he lost a lot of space in what could have been rules more focused on sci fi or other genres, covering several pages with a bestiary, which could have been left for a separate book.

Despite the negative points, I still give the book 5 stars, due to the support given by the author on his discord, trying to meet the needs of his readers whenever possible.

While I haven't had any games yet (soon: two weeks!), I really like the rule set. They took a lot of the mechanics of Legend of the Five Rings as the core engine and implemented several other good ideas alongside those.

It'll be nice to use a roll and keep system with any setting!

Great universal system. Very innovative initiative and dicepool checks. beautiful art.

A great universal system that allows multiple styles of competitive play. There is no min/max, no razzle dazzle. The rules will accomadate your character concepts.

The Heroes & Hardships core rulebook has exceeded my expectations. I've followed the project for some time and the finished product is the nicest I've seen from a small, independent publisher. I don't have my hands on a physical copy yet, but have seen pictures of the proofs and I suspect its production quality will match the PDF. The same printer works with Free League and I've always been impressed.

As a GM, my favorite thing about H&H is its flexibility. Of course you expect flexibility from a universal RPG system, but the options in question aren't hard to remember. Since the roll-and-keep core mechanic is intuitive, it's easy to modify skill checks by adding or subtracting rolled or kept dice. I've had the pleasure of running an entire campaign as a playtester and even when I couldn't remember a particular rule, more often than not I found that my "best guess" was in line with the rules-as-written.

As a player, I've enjoyed both the character generation process and the initiative system, which employs Action Points (APs) rather than a single initiative roll. The skill list hits the sweet spot: Not too many, not too few, and I've yet to create a character, of my own imagination or a beloved IP, that can't be birthed via the H&H ruleset.

The art, layout, and writing quality could easily pass for, and sometimes SURPASS, a larger publisher. It's clear that Earl of Fife spared no expense and H&H was a labor of love. I believe all (or nearly all) of the art is commissioned (no AI art!) and it shows among the many pages of vibrant images that range in style from cyberpunk to fantasy to science fiction. Scrolling through the PDF is a visual treat.

In conclusion, you should support independent publishers and pick up Heroes & Hardships. I gaurantee that you'll be impressed and if the CRB is any indication, forthcoming works will be just as outstanding.

Hello Fellow Adventurer,

I hope this review finds you in the best of spirits. If you are looking for a rulesystem for your next game that would allow you and your friends to craft unique characters and weave intricate stories then Heroes & Hardships is what you seek. This is a universal role playing system so there are lot of apsects that I could talk about. I will focus on the features that stood out to me the most.

1. Character creation is nuanced. It allows for both quick generation and complex builds built with lot of thought and care. Ancestry traits and Flaws give the player and GM a framework within which to have a conversation about that character that is not only loved by the player but fits the world and the story.
2. Injuries and Wound sustained from combat and/or social encounters create a level of grittiness to the world that is not overbearing to execute and play.
3. The use of AP to track combat after the initial round creates a lively atmosphere. It creates a framework for all players to strategize thier moves based on the action of their team mates without getting overly bogged down in minutea. This aspect of the ruleset does have a learning curve compared to other games, but if you and friends take your time to understand the mechanics during the first few encounters, it will pay dividends in later stages of the game.
4. Magic in this system is wonderful to watch in action as a player and character. Like all magic though, when things turn sour the consequences are oh so epic!
5. The production quality of the core rule book is among the best I have seen. The art work is sublime and captivating and I cant wait for the print version to come out later this year.

All of this disguises the fact that it is an independent game developer who created Heroes & Hardships for the TTRPG community. This means in addition to the core rule book you get the support from the creator Jason Duff on any and all questions you may have about Heroes & Hardships. There is an active Discord server where Jason is creating new content for the system and helping players understand the esoteric parts of the ruleset. Jason has created a ton of content on YouTube to help players and GMs create characters, run combat and build worlds. There is a fully featured character sheet on Roll20 and the community is building character sheets for other Virtual Tabletop systems.

In conclusion I hope this review was helpful to you and I hope I have been able to convey in words what this system has allowed me to experience as a player. I know there are a lot of systems to choose from today and each review and marketing campaign talks about how each system is the only system you will ever need. There is no one system to rule them all. That never works as evidenced by the unfolding of events in Middle Earth. Rather think of Heroes & Hardhsips as ruleset that you should consider adding to your quiver if you want to play, run and build a world that is a reflection of your creativity and love for the game of table top role playing.

May the force be with you so you can live long and prosper.