Frostgrave: Second Edition

Frostgrave was released around 5 or 6 years ago and has been extensively play-tested since then by a wide-ranging audience (in both gaming styles and location - there are non-English translations available), which attests to the system's popularity world-wide. Working with that time-frame and fan feedback in mind, the author decided to create a more up-to-date version of the game with rules errata, amendments and new additions pulled together behind a new cover.

Thus, Frostgrave: Second Edition was born - a 222 page hard-backed rulebook which collates and expands upon rules that were presented in some of the previous supplements and magazine articles. These additions, according to the author, pull the game into a more coherent system that fits his original vision. They certainly do seem more rounded and comprehensive. The book retails at £25.00 but can be bought cheaper at places like Amazon and so on.

This book is a heftier tome than the previous edition and will most likely be the go-to edition that I will use for gaming. In this post, I will not do a direct comparison with the first edition as there are many places on the web that do this alreday. In keeping with the previous Frostgrave articles, I will just run through what is included in the book.

Foreword - In contrast to all of the other supplements, this foreword is written by one of the author's colleagues from when he worked on the Savage Worlds rules system

Wizards and Warbands - This section starts off with an introduction to what Frostgrave is and then sets about detailing what is needed to play a game. There is then the rules for creating a wizard, listing out all types/schools available, followed by a part about assembling a warband. From a cursory glance through this section, it can be seen that not many of the additional choices from the supplements have been duplicated, so the supplements are still a good option to buy; this second edition is a rules update not a collation of the extra soldier and treasure types and spells

Playing the Game - This part of the rule book runs through how to set up the gaming table and then follows how a game turn plays out. It then runs through activation, movement, combat, shooting, damage, then the all-important spell casting, before rounding off with using potions, collecting treasure, creature actions and finally how to end the game

The Campaign - Anything outside of the tabletop part of the game is included here; including how to deal with injury and death, out of game spells, experience and level, and how to count and spend treasure

Spells - Frostgrave would be nothing without its wizarding and spellcasting. Spell descriptions and optional rules are included here

Scenarios - No fewer than twenty scenarios are listed here for you to get your teeth into. Not all of them are repeats from the first edition

Bestiary - Treaure needs to be guarded and the wizards need adversaries other than each other, so where better to turn than the bestiary? Included here are sections on animals, constructs, demons, undead and a variety of miscellaneous beasts

Appendices - The final section details previous Frostgrave supplements and the minor changes that need to be taken into consideration when using them with this new edition of the rules, plus all of the spells listed as cards and a character/warband sheet to use for recording your wizard and their warband

The production values of this book, again, are second to none, being printed in full-colour with lots of original artwork and pictures of miniatures in action on the tabletop. I have spent ages drooling over the amazing artwork and imagining adventurers in the frozen city. I think it is now time to immerse myself into the (sometimes not so) tall stories that are told around the warm fires in the snugs of taverns in less dangerous environs, where the ale flows freely, the cold winds are kept at bay, and bellies are full of hot food.