Dungeons and Dragons tends to be the familiar blanket for many tabletop players, and that’s valid. The hobby rests upon the idea that it’s something anybody can pick up and enjoy at their own pace. Even so, there’s no harm in dipping one’s toes out into the wider world of tabletop RPGs. There are so many cool fantasy settings out there, and few are more epic than the wild world of wuxia.
This upcoming RPG may just be the start of a wuxia revolution in the tabletop space.
Jadestorm is a fantasy tabletop RPG by Onyx Path set in a world inspired by wuxia, xianxia and jidaigeki stories. For the unfamiliar, these are fantasy stories typically set in ancient East Asian mythos, with larger-than-life characters facing off against other godlike beings. If you thought DnD classes could get ridiculous, then you simply haven’t seen enough wuxia.
The game runs on the Storypath Ultra system, driven by a d10 pool with attribute and skill bonuses. World of Darkness fans will quickly find it familiar, with vibes very similar to the old Storyteller system. Natural, given that Onyx Path worked on multiple New World of Darkness games during their time with White Wolf. The storytelling focus is perfect for a setting such as Jadestorm.
Much like martial arts, Jadestorm promises a constant flow of movement, each action chained in quick succession. Magic feels powerful, characters are over the top, and the world breathes with aura. Just as the forgotten realms are populated by DnD races, so too is Jadestorm filled with all manner of mortals and not-quite-mortal.
As someone who deeply values diversity in the tabletop space, I adore seeing a genre I’ve seen growing up get its own tabletop RPG. It’s far from the first, and I certainly hope it won’t be the last, but I love that an established company like Onyx Path goes off the beaten path with its games. Especially when said path involves copious amounts of magical martial arts mastery.
You can support Jadestorm on Backerkit here.
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Source: Wargamer
