Symbaroum Core Rulebook: The forest means *business* 🌲 RPG Review & Mechanics
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- Опубліковано 19 сер 2024
- Symbaroum is a standalone RPG currently published by Free League, and features a dark, unique setting involving a vast and deadly forest, angry elves and a dangerously arrogant new human kingdom. The rules are quick to learn and the art is out of this world.
In this video I review the Core Rulebook.
Also available for the system are the Monster Codex, Advanced Player Guide, and three campaign books.
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Special thanks to Free League for providing a digital review copy of this book. I was not compensated in any way for this review, and all opinions in this video are solely my own.
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"Ambria is organized into 7 dookies" Me: "wow that's a lot of shit..."
I have certainly gotten a lot of shit for not being able to speak English!
@@DaveThaumavore even more than 7 dookies?
@@deathpunk187 Feels like a thousand dookies.
@@DaveThaumavore Your accent is great for an ESL
god, I love you. never stop.
The art of Symbaroum is so evocative. So much "atmosphere" here. Lots to be inspired by!
I would like to see your take on The One Ring 2e once it arrives and if it is of interest to you.
Yeah, The One Ring 2e looks super cool. I’ll check it out!
I'm already on the hook for the One Ring 2e collector's edition. I tend to play it (current edition, obviously) in a non-canon way, but even then it's one of the best low magic fantasy games out there.
@@tobarstep Off script would seem the way to go when it comes to Tolkien (at least for me). After all, the story of the one ring has already been told.
I suppose some might enjoy playing Middle earth tourist, visiting the famous sites and perhaps gaining an audience with a named character (and asking for their autograph?). I think I would rather seek an "as yet unrecorded adventure".
Ugh.. and now today they announce there will be no TOR 2e. And while I have most of the 1e stuff in pdf, I don't have any of the books, and they are pretty much out of print now. Damn.
@@tobarstepHow the turns have tabled!
These adventure books are a nice read but when I look around to see no friends interested, it's always such a letdown. The idea of playing and exploring the world is nice. Reality is different.
If you are a gamesmaster, don't give them a choice. Say we are playing this next or we don't play. I do all these games for you, now you can play something I want.
Try it out with Solo RPing. CRPGe is free on drivethrurpg.
You could also take the setting and incorporate it into other systems.
It would be slightly less dark but the Sybaroum setting would be a decent fit for the Dolmenwood system and setting.
Dolmenwood btw is an OSR adjacent system/setting in the process of being released by Exalted Funeral.
This was one of the clearest and easiest to understand explanation of a system.
There are some interesting key differences between "standard" ogres and goblins between this games and others. Ogres have no "mind of their own" and get conditioned/inprinted by the first inteligent being they meet in the forest, mimicing their values and way of life!
Goblins are not ferocious and evil but industrious and very intelligent, positioning themselves in society as a very indispensable "labour-cast" , by making themselves indispensable to humans - even thou they are being looked down upon. Simply by virtue of their skills. Sort of doing the dirty work that others wont , and more or less effectively act as a workers union if they are being mistreated .
These type of things I think is some of the most interesting and colourful parts of this game
So I've read over the Ruins of Symbaroum PDF and got my hands on OG Symbaroum book. When it comes to corruption, the two are so wildly different. In the original, the corruption threshhold is fairly easy to reach, and once you hit that threshhold, it's all permanent corruption all the time. BUT getting rid of temporary corruption is super easy. In Ruins, on the other hand, actually getting permanent corruption is borderline impossible, but getting rid of temporary corruption is slow. So in one game, you can turn into a monster real quick if you're not careful, whereas in the other, becoming a monster is hard, but *looking* like one is super easy, lol.
Such a pleasure to stumble upon this game. I've been looking for a dark fantasy setting with appropriately gritty rules (real risk of death, not heroic), that are not overly crunchy (simple mechanics) and a setting with a real proper occult vibe of magic based on folklore and the real world, without being too high magic. Most other dark fantasies are very history based, or too high or low in magic for that dark folk fantasy feel.
This system has a lot of expansion material, is well supported, and has beautiful art. It's glorious to be honest.
It's still not a casual play though, for the DM - all that lore requires good familiarity. Which makes this video pretty handy :P (Hence instant sub)
Do you know if the Core Rulebook is really all you need to run Symbaroum? I'm planning on running just one shots for now
Miguel Angel Segura Sandoval I’d say getting the copper crown adventure supplement will help you a great deal, also the first adventure pack with its random tables for ruins. All in all the core rulebook is all you need, but the advanced player guide adds more rules, classes and species to play which is something players probably want.
Just got a massive Symbaroum delivery yesterday. Really looking forward to running this! Thanks for the video.
Nice! I hope you have a blast!
Until I had a kid, started researching tabletop games, and found your channel, I had no idea there were so many out there. A lot of them, like this one, have amazing art and stories and world lore that I end up wishing it was a full book series or video game
Great review.
I have played Symbaroum a few years now and i love it.
Im also Swedish, so the name of the company "Järnringen" just means "Ironring" (but you maybe knew that already).
daarco2 I did not know that! And thank you for not calling me out on my bad Swedish pronunciation. Usually Swedes remind me of that, but here’s a little secret: I already know I suck at Swedish. lol. But yeah, thank you.
Thanks Dave, you are easily the best RPG reviewer I have come across - anywhere. I have uhmed and ahhed about Symbaroum for a couple of years - based on this review I have now added it to my Forbidden Lands kickstarter pledge! Thanks again for your thorough and clear reviews!
I bought this game years ago and it is finally gaining traction. fantastic it was so hard to find a game
Dude I try to share your videos as much as I can. The amount of work you put into these and how entertaining you make them is incredible. Your video editing skills are on point as well. You convinced me to buy Symbaroum for sure. I commend the work you've done to help all of us and hope you keep making these amazing RPG overviews!
Thanks for the good vibes and for sharing the vids! It’s a joy to make the content and I hope it continues to help people find cool games.
My heart has been seeking this, even before knowing of its existence.
I believe they've said that there are portions of the map that will never be developed as published material. So, there should be plenty of space to homebrew many years of play outside of the official campaign. And the art... I honestly could get lost staring into some of these paintings.
The Forbidden Lands already fits in the far west. Many other options allow the placement of any desired setting (from D&D Basic especially as Symbaroum is largely derived from the Gazetteer series) in the overall world. Such as a desert or wasteland in the south or east, or a tropical setting in the southern continent, etc. But the area they focus on is more than enough for years of story telling.
Playing this with my friends on Saturday - appreciate the intro into the game! I feel more comfortable jumping into a completely new game now.
This setting reminds me of another online setting where a mysterious monster-creating mist shows up and covers the entire world, pockets of civilization being places that have a thinner mist.
Great summary - you do a fantastic job of capturing the essence of Symbaroum. Love this game!
Thanks!
Do you know if the Core Rulebook is really all you need to run Symbaroum? I'm planning on running just one shots for now
I absolutely LOVE the videos that you produce. One very small criticism... @2:35 "dookies" kinda threw me for a loop. I could be wrong, but I think it may be pronounced more like "dutch-ees". Anyway, AWESOME videos... even with dookies :)
Wow you’re right. And that’s the second time I’ve mispronounced that in my videos. lol
@@elijahwilensky3318 Thank you. Someone finally takes my side on this!
@@elijahwilensky3318 sorry, but Merriam-Webster says otherwise... literally : )
@@elijahwilensky3318 meh... not buying it.
I busted out laughing when he said dookies
Finally someone who puts effort and thought into their reviews. Thanks. Subscribed.
I hope youll do Shadow of the Demon Lord soon would love your take on it
Stellar review, I'm glad I picked this up a while back. Thank you for taking the time to make and share this.
I've played this quite a bit, and am gearing to start a new campaign. Highly recommended game.
Thanks from a fellow Pittsburgher!
I’m not there nowadays but I love that city.
As a bear of the forest, this game intrigues me. 🐻 Thank you for the informative video.
Great video. Thanks for sharing!
This game looks wonderful
Excellent review and summary of the setting and rules. Great work!
This seems extremely similar to Shadow of the Demon Lord, minus some of the grosser spells and monsters. Definitely will check it out, and might pick up a copy
Symbaroum came out a year earlier I think. Both great RPGs
Late to the game but I just picked up this and Forbidden Lands.. I really digging the Free Leagues games right now
Really great video, great summary of the setting from an excellent content creator. Thanks for taking the time to put this together!
Outstanding overview!! I just stumbled into this realm, looking for something more gritty than the latest D&D 5e. You nailed this, best review I have watched (and I’m watching all of them) Thank you
Awesome! Glad you like the vids. I hope you find a great game to play.
This looks tremendous. I can’t wait for my rule book to arrive!
Your summary is great Thank you.
Fantastic overview and introduction to the system, thank you!
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Thank you for your video and review. Actually this game seems perfect for what I want to run at the moment stylistically and for the length of campaign.
lol "dookies" 😂 love it man, keep it up 👍
I lol'd
This channel is amazing! Great great reviews!
I'd like to see your take on Jackals rpg. It's a gritty bronze age low fantasy setting.
Really loved the review , very good
This & Forbidden Lands both look interesting. I downloaded the quick starts for both to try out.
I would love for you to do a video on Black Void. I just bought the core book and would love to see your overview and breakdown!
You're right. I should do Black Void. I'll put it on my list. Thanks for the suggestion, Dennis.
What a lovely video! You deserve more views. Insta subscribed. Thanks for the info on this awesome game!
Thank you!
Very informative thanks
Great video!
Great review. Thank you!
It looks like a mixture of Dragon Warriors with the Dark eye 4e. Very nice review. Many thanks.
Thanks!
How is Free League great at everything!!!!’
Could you make Symbaroum lore videos?
Cool idea! It would come at the cost of not covering new games. But still very tempting.
That’d be amazing. Own all the books but man is all of that information of lore spread and hard to find. Dave’s videos would probably make it much more graspable.
It’s a fantastic game.
This looks lovely. Roll-under Systems always strike me as slightly perverse. They require the application of extra rules and modifiers to produce the same effect as a Roll-and-Add system.
Järn-ringen= (the) iron ring
What I really miss in this game is the option to play a class/character that doesn't need to avoid the corruption but rather wants the corruption and is empowered by it. I'm thinking really dark sorcerer stuff here, that the corruption itself can give someone entirely new powers and abilities. Hiding in shadows by becoming a shadow himself and thereby becoming incorporeal, teleporting from shadow to shadow, summoning shadow creatures, opening dark portals and whatnots. The truly dark stuff, but using it for whatever purposes you might see fit. "Evil" is just another perspective on things.
Great review of one of my favorite gaming systems. And out of curiosity - the first music track in the review: what's it called?
2:39...dookies...you mean DUCH EEZ
Scott Michelson came here to say this. I busted up!! Then I flashed to that Friends epsiode with Chandler laughing about the word duties (doodies) and I busted up again. Too funny.
Hold up... What would be the Noin forms of the 8 stats? I will probably look it up eventually, but it does get a bit confusing unless everyone is on the same page.
anyone have a recommendation of this or Forbidden Lands for solo play? thanks!
Have I been saying "duchies" wrong for years.
Finally a fellow traveler.
@@DaveThaumavore I been saying it with a short u and "cha" sound for decades. It has been dookies all along?
@@NathanielWinkelmann no you’re right. And I’m still alone.
Is this system the same of Forbidden Lands?
No, this is a d20-based system that is carried over from the original creators of the game.
When you are other UA-camrs talk about Roll Under, it makes it confusing, and what should be said is you need to roll the attribute number or less, saying Roll Under to me, means I have to roll one number less than the attribute to hit. Other than that, thank you for this review and mechanics video.
I have mixed thoughts about this game. I like it and dislike it in equal measure.
Why is that? I’m curios.
Cha'alt!
Sounds like they were influenced by warhammer frpg.
Modern Pen&Paper RPGs seem to drift towards Grim Dark since the mid 90's already. Where is the room for heroism. I nearly never see outside Middle Earth stuff. This stuff looks great but the darkness is tiresome for me by now.
Try D&D for high fantasy heroics. 😁
@@Miskatonic1927 To weird and unbelievable. Would love a game like Symbaroum but without the cynicism. Abit bit more realistic and less grim dark.
In the late 80's there were some systems with that approach like Rolemaster, Gurps or Harnmaster. That kind of system has seemingly died out. It's all narrative and dramatic or tactic and old school. Simulatory games are gone.