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Codex Martialis: Core Rules (2024 Edition) $12.99
Average Rating:4.7 / 5
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Codex Martialis: Core Rules (2024 Edition)
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Codex Martialis: Core Rules (2024 Edition)
Publisher: Codex Integrum LLC
by Peter A. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 02/25/2023 17:33:12

A great system for those who want to explore combat with more depth than just rolling to hit and subtracting health until one side reaches zero. Very excited to try out the new system by these folks, Stara Szkola :)



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Codex Martialis: Core Rules (2024 Edition)
Publisher: Codex Integrum LLC
by Achilles A. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 12/16/2021 06:23:26

I got about halfway through the first page of chapter 1 when I blurted out, “Damn, this is going to be a fun game.”

In the Codex Core Rule book, you’ll find a dynamic game system that prioritizes strategy without sacrificing speed or pacing. Not an easy feat to accomplish, but they did it. Within the book you’ll find a system for armed and even unarmed combat. There is a large number of rules to this game, but you will find these rules easy to understand, remember, and intuitive. That’s why the Codex system can center on strategy without ending up bloated or slow. Your strategic options are numerous but easy to understand and fast to execute.

Codex focuses on armed combat and historical martial arts. This game offers a few options any GM should take seriously. First, it’s very modular. This system can be effectively adapted and combined with another TTRPG. This would be particularly useful for a low magic setting, but not, by any means, restricted to that type of game. Any homebrewer that enjoys tinkering with game mechanics should pick up this book.

If you have been playing the same TTRPG for a while and want to try something new, the Codex Core Rulebook is worth a read. A series of modules and adventures can also be purchased with this book. Codex isn’t just a alternative combat system. It’s a total game system that can, as an option, be adapted and assimilated by other game systems. Still, it’s totally playable independently.

One of the unique features of the Codex Core Rulebook is its focus on historical European martial arts. The book uses authentic illustrations from historical combat manuscripts. These illustrations offer the reader insight into the Codex world. You have a sense of realism with this combat system, and when combined with the illustrations of real combat techniques as well as the strategic nature of the rules, you get an elevated sense of immersion. Just reading the rules gives you a sense of what it would have been like to live and fight in medieval Europe.

Another element the writers of Codex ingeniously employed in their system, dice focused gameplay. As opposed to modifier focused gameplay. You build your character with different features that can be chosen as you level up. However, instead of simply adding a modifier to your character’s stats, you get more dice or can use your dice more strategically. I believe this is a trend that the TTRPG industry is headed towards, and Codex is there now. Rolling dice is fun, it’s suspenseful, it’s why we play tabletop games. Just like any other RPG, you build your character, but you don’t lose the excitement that comes along with the element of chance.

Codex blends strategy, immersion, and excitement in a new approach. It can be adapted into a campaign you’re in the middle of or a system that you love but needs some freshening up, but it also manages to stand alone as an independent and fully functional game. Any GM can find something worthwhile in the Codex Core Rulebook. This is easily one of the best gaming systems I’ve read this year.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Codex Martialis: Core Rules (2024 Edition)
Publisher: Codex Integrum LLC
by Sean D. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 12/03/2021 11:31:34

This book is my favorite RPG supplement for any subsystem. It fixes every issue I've had with other combat systems, and every original concept is a winner.

We all have our preferences as to what gets abstracted and what gets simulated, but these rules are right in-line with what I want in combat: Armor as damage reduction, individual defensive values for weapons, un-nerfing of shields, combat experience contributing to your AC, and more. The addition of the "onset" range to combat is brilliant (AFAIK, this is a Martialis Codex original idea), as is its implementation. Giving each weapon separate bonuses for onset range and melee range fixes one of my biggest gripes about traditional RPG combat. I've always found it unacceptable that a guy with a dagger can face off against a guy with a long sword, and the dagger-weilder's chance to get in for a strike against his opponent would be no different than if his opppnent was also weilding just a dagger. The rules for grapple-range combat are also of the "that's how it should be done" quality.

My only criticism is that the rules could be clearer at times. I've had to compare the same rule on different pages once or twice to get exactly what the rule is. But (one of?) the author has been helpful in clarifying, and I wouldn't let that hold you back from buying this book.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Codex Martialis: Core Rules (2024 Edition)
Publisher: Codex Integrum LLC
by Iason-Eleftherios T. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 10/19/2021 11:15:23

TLDR: Best realistic combat rules to be used with their source game or easily convertable to d20 game systems.

Codex Martialis offers a unique way for running combat. As a professional historian dealing with martial culture and armaments I found the rules the best around in reflecting dangerous and complex actions that have consequences for the actor and their target. As an RPG GM I fell helmet over sabatons for this system because even though it looks complex it is straightforward, easy to learn and teach, and above all it provides a framework for turning combat into a narrative of its own. The book can be used with its mother game (Integrum) or easily adapted to d20 systems with micro-adjastments. I have used it now for a few months to spice up a DnD 5e campaign for a few months and players love the depth added to melee combat that has gone away from actions to simply hit and has turned into a series of calculated maneuvers that nearly always results in memorable combat narratives. The main axes of the book is the use of a dice pool over actions, that dictate the type of maneuvers and their effectiveness as chosen by the players. The second identifying feature is the 'Feats' designed for the system that allow melee characters to feel trully expert in perfmorming some actions and facilitate more complicated maneuvers. Finally, the weapons segment is amazing in diversifying how some of these objects were used rather than treating them as reskins. There is genuine thought behind why certain weapons fit the build of characters and how they can be used tactically. Optional rules for injuries are included and in my opinion they are a great working framework for use in most d20 rpgs that want some realism but do not want to reach the other end of unrealistic over-the-top gritty-gruesomeness that is often prevalent is some systems.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Codex Martialis: Core Rules (2024 Edition)
Publisher: Codex Integrum LLC
by John S. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/21/2021 17:19:36

I am a long time DM, who plays a fantasy campaign, but with a nod towards history. I appreciate the fantasy aspect of role-playing, and I certainly love a well placed fireball. However, I've always tried to connect the history, to the combat. So, for years I created my own alterations to the DD system, to accomodate my wants. i like when the fights really mean something, and are a highlight of our gathering.

Because of my interest in historical combat, I ended up getting involved in Hema. So, it's a wonderful discovery to find a system based upon these historical techniques and manuals, and written by someone that actually is inolved in the community.

It's a lot to chew on, but it achieves my interest in making the fighting sequences more climactic and chess like. And to see all the terminology from the medieval manuals as actual terminology in this book is exhiliarating.

I prefer to focus on storylines, so when I do get to a fight sequence, I am willing to put in the effort to make it significant - not simply some quick rolls, and off to the next pack of kobolds.

I kind of have my own fantasy elements, so I don't know if I would go with every aspect of this book. I might take what I need to add to my current campaign. But, if I opt for a full historical campaign, down the line, this seems like the way to go (even though there is still a magic system within Codex).

As a side bonus, the historical aspect of this book is compelling from a purely historical perspective. It feels like I am actually learning about the tried-and-true methods of how combat actually unfolded, and classes of people from the past, places, etc.Then to add this to my existing campaign is seriously fun!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Codex Martialis: Core Rules (2024 Edition)
Publisher: Codex Integrum LLC
by Richard S. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/28/2021 15:28:45

I really enjoy what was done here. I have done a couple battles with the new rules and it makes combat much more tactical. Should I ditch the spear and go in close with my knife? Should I go all out or hold back for a potential parry? Should I try to punch through that armor or look for a weak spot? It adds a whole new dimension to gaming. I've been looking for something like this since I was kid in the 80s. I always found something lacking in most RPG combat. Now I hope to introduce this to a couple players and see what happens. This would work well in a low magic setting, something like Conan. Sometimes the numbers seem way off but when you play they make sense. Highly recommended. I can't wait to build some more characters and do some more test battles. Loads of fun! And not overly complex. Combat will take longer but it will be so much more rewarding than the old stand still and full attack in other games.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Codex Martialis: Core Rules (2024 Edition)
Publisher: Codex Integrum LLC
by Cory T. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 06/19/2020 05:07:41

This is a fantastic work! Innovative combat system with so much crunch and nitty-gritty details I wouldn't know where to begin. Highly recommended as a rules supplement and as a weapons & armor reference.

I noticed the author's old site is down (codexmartialis.com). Done anyone know how the contact the author/publisher? Would love to see the old forums & discussion, rules ideas.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Creator Reply:
The website has been temporarily moved (though it's kind of invisible to Google) as our old webhost died. We are going to have a new site up in the near future but the old stuff is archived here and we still monitor it and use it as kind of a blog for ongoing research. There is a lot of new stuff in the works so stay tuned! http://www.codex.masterplanfoundation.com/
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And thank you for the review!
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New website and forum at: https://www.codexintegrum.com/
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Codex Martialis: Core Rules (2024 Edition)
Publisher: Codex Integrum LLC
by Benjamin R. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/07/2011 01:46:23

Codex Martialis is a unique product built for the Open Gaming License/3.5 community. This is a combat supplement that turns whack-a-mole grind-fests into dynamic, exciting—and deadly—contests. Codex Martialis is based on real historical fighting techniques described in manuals from Medieval and Renaissance fighting masters, whose martial arts are being brought back to life by small groups of modern practitioners around the world. I was very excited when I found out about Codex Martialis, because to me, the usual d20 combat just wasn't that exciting anymore. Codex Martialis introduces three critical things that make combat truly exciting again.

First, it makes combat really deadly. Face it, traditional d20 combat can get pretty stale despite all the bling of magic weapons and nifty feats, because no matter how you cut it, all you're doing is slowly whittling away hit points. Seldom is there a real sense of danger, especially at higher levels. Codex Martialis changes this by suggesting a realistic hit point ceiling and making critical hits more frequent and potentially more dangerous, just as in real melee combat. Second, it requires the player to fight smart, not just because of the increased danger, but because it literally takes some smart, strategic decision-making to win. Knowing your own abilities and the strengths and weaknesses of your enemy's weapon, armor, and strategy can make a real difference in your ability to win. Third, it allows you to customize your fighting style based on your weapon and your chosen feats to make every fighter truly a unique force on the battlefield. The clash of different fighting styles makes for a different battle every time.

The meat of the system is pretty straightforward, although it can take awhile to get used to. Rather than a single d20 die, Codex Martialis fighters are given a pool of d20s, up to four dice, to use throughout the round. You can use these dice to make multiple single-die attacks or combine them into bigger multi-die attacks. The single-die attacks are pretty much business as usual. With the multi-die attacks, you roll however many dice you've chosen, say three, and take the highest result. This drastically increases your chances of getting a hit or a critical hit. In addition, you can take a standard movement action by spending a die. You can also keep dice in reserve and save them to roll as defense when you get attacked. When making a defense roll, a natural 20 (or a natural 1 by your opponent) means your opponent missed and also allows you to make your own attack out of turn! Rolling a tie triggers certain special abilities that I won't get into here. What's great about this is that it makes combat much more dynamic. You get don't have to just sit there and cringe while the DM rolls an attack. You get to actively participate in your defense. Fights feel like the natural give and take of real duels instead of a repetitive turn-taking exercise.

Those are the basics, but there's much more. For example, each weapon gets special bonuses depending on your range. Spears and longer weapons get special reach bonuses in the opening stages of a fight. Daggers and other short weapons get a big speed bonus when you've closed to grappling range, while the longer weapons get penalties until you back away again. Armor acts as damage reduction rather than adding to your defensive bonuses (more encouragement to save your attack dice for defense!).

And here's the true genius of the system: the so-called Martial Feats. These are special feats that are meant to model those real historical fighting moves I mentioned earlier. For the most part, they take advantage of the dice pool concept by granting additional dice in certain circumstances, but others give you additional attacks, or give you special techniques for taking advantage of your or your enemy's weapon and fighting style.

Codex Martialis also contains rules for archery, mounted combat, animal/monster attacks, and integrating spellcasting rules.

What about the book itself? It's is a PDF that's reasonably well designed, if a bit plain, and illustrated with simple line-art drawings taken from the aforementioned fighting manuals along with a few classical paintings and some other sources. The line drawings may seem a little strange at first, but they do add a sense of history to the book. The book reads well for the most part. It could use a little bit of editing attention, but there's nothing terribly wrong and it still holds up quite well compared to other similar products. Considering the great content, the current price of $10 is a bargain for what you get.

My only real criticism is that some aspects of the system have a bit of a learning curve—at least, they did for me. It can take a while to get used to the dynamic nature of the dice pool (do I use all my dice? keep some in reserve?) and to remember how the various armor and weapon stats apply. But even more than that, the expansive new feats can be almost overwhelming at times. It was hard to figure out which ones to choose and which ones work well together to represent a given fighting style. For example, I wanted to make a spear fighter, but it took a while to figure out which feats were best suited for the style of combat I wanted my character to have. On top of that, many of the new feats are named according to their non-English descriptions from the historical sources I mentioned above. Most of them have translations provided, but it could be a bit of a turn-off for those who aren't familiar with other languages.

One more thing I wanted to mention. The author of these supplements maintains an active forum for Codex Martialis and its companion supplements. He's very active and responsive on the forums, which I found refreshing. It's not like some supplements where you're left to your own devices. With this book, you get a small but helpful community of like-minded gamers, not least the author himself, who are willing to answer questions and help you out. That just makes the book worth even more in my eyes.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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Codex Martialis: Core Rules (2024 Edition)
Publisher: Codex Integrum LLC
by Shotgun G. [Featured Reviewer]
Date Added: 10/03/2010 09:14:31

Codex Martialis, is basically a stand alone core rules system; or can be used as a suppliment to any existing 3.5 OGL system (Pathfinder, D&D, etc).

While the core rules are light, consisting mostly of the combat rules. It is adaptable to most genre's or settings a GM could want. The Combat Rules are an adaptation on the d20 system; with an emphisis on making combat more historically accurate.

Taking references from historical texts of famous fighters, the combat system doesn't add a level of complexity; that will slow down the game. Starting with a Martial Pool, players are able to draw from the Martial Pool (MP) during combat. The MP allows GM/players to make the usual attacks and defending. However it also allows players/GM's, to use the MP; to activate special (weapon) feats as well as counterattack.

How it achieves this, is to use a number of d20's; dependant on the action required (max of 4d20). To attack, it migh be 2d20; with only the highest d20 counting. So a player with only 2d20's, could use those dice for one attack; then defend, use a feat or counterattack.

It lacks a focus, for it to be a true core rules. However, it does work really well; as a suppliment to exisiting 3.5 OGL systems. Adding Codex Martialis to a campaign would be simple enough. All the existing feats and weapons in 3.5, have been included in this. Any feats that have been replaced, have been noted; as well as comprehensive details of how new feats work.

Overall a great publication, that will allow a GM to add an extra flavour to their campaign; using real fighting techniques from history.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
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