Dragon Warriors

Overview

Dragon Warriors is a tabletop role-playing game originally designed by Dave Morris and Oliver Johnson. Published in 1985 by Corgi Books as a series of six mass-market paperback volumes, it was later re-released in a consolidated hardcover format by Magnum Opus Press in 2008 and subsequently by Serpent King Games in 2011. It is historically notable as a domestic UK alternative to early fantasy role-playing systems, celebrated for its evocative, low-fantasy setting heavily rooted in medieval European folklore.

Description

Dragon Warriors is set in the Lands of Legend, a grim, pseudo-historical analogue of Europe during the early Middle Ages, saturated with superstition, ruined barrows, and perilous folklore. Rather than a game of high magic and superheroic fantasy, players inhabit a brutal, mud-and-blood world where healing is slow and combat is highly lethal. The game focuses on human protagonists belonging to distinct professions. It purposefully eschews a modern unified core resolution mechanic, instead employing a mix of specialized dice rolls that tailor the mechanical feel to the specific action being performed, from martial combat to arcane spellcasting.

System Overview & Key Features

Class-Based System Characters are created by selecting one of several distinct Professions, such as the Knight, Barbarian, Assassin, Sorcerer, Mystic, Elementalist, or Warlock. There is no multi-classing, and each profession possesses unique features, progression paths, and distinct mechanical subsystems for how they engage with magic or combat.
Opposed Combat Mechanics Combat resolution uses a subtractive mathematical mechanic. An attacker subtracts the target's Defence score from their own Attack score to determine a specific target number. The player must then roll equal to or lower than this target number on a 20-sided die (1d20) to score a successful physical hit.
Armour Bypass Rolls (ABR) Armor in Dragon Warriors acts as a static physical barrier that must be violently breached to cause harm. If an attack hits, the attacker makes an Armour Bypass Roll using a polyhedral die specific to their equipped weapon (such as a d8 for a standard sword). To inflict damage, this roll must strictly exceed the target's Armour Factor (AF). If successful, the weapon deals a fixed, non-variable amount of damage directly to the target's Health Points.
Contextual Task Resolution The game lacks a traditional, unified skill system or expansive skill lists, relying instead on contextual attribute checks based on core statistics (Strength, Reflexes, Intelligence, Psychic Talent, and Looks). General tasks are typically resolved by rolling equal to or under an attribute on a d20, while opposed or complex actions (such as Stealth versus Perception) utilize calculated target numbers resolved with either a d20 or 2d10.
Asymmetric Magic Subsystems Magic mechanics vary drastically depending on the spellcaster's Profession. Sorcerers, Elementalists, and Warlocks utilize a standard pool of Magic Points (MP) that depletes upon casting and regenerates at specific times of day. Mystics, conversely, do not use MPs; they can cast spells freely but must roll a check after each casting to see if they suffer psychic fatigue or temporarily lose their arcane abilities.

Additional links

serpentking.com https://serpentking.com - Official publisher website for the current edition of Dragon Warriors cobwebbedforest.co.uk https://cobwebbedforest.co.uk - Comprehensive fan resource and archive for Dragon Warriors rules, errata, and game downloads

Active games and players

Videos

Reviews

Sorted by:
Rhiannon Miller
Rhiannon Miller
2 months ago

Login to leave a review.

Other entries

DmsTinyHut
Tools & Platforms

DmsTinyHut

English
Dungeons & Dragons
Generators
DmsTinyHut is a DM platform that want to help DM's get inspiration for their next session. Its not about taking over your prep its about helping you get inspired. The site has no AI or is not built with AI since I find that very important. Some links and explanations: Encounters (D&D) The encounter generator that generates encounters that make sense so that means I have matched all monsters to each other where it makes sense. Loot (D&D) A loot generator that follows the DMG guidelines and automagically updates the loot given based on the party. Magic shop (D&D) A shop generator that has all items from the new DND 5.5 in there. It has logical pricing and a 1 button way to generate a quick NPC shop keep. Encounters (Daggerheart) A Daggerheart encounter generator that has all the content from also the SRD 2.0 in there and I am currently working on adding the same level of matching there as well. Loot (Daggerheart) A loot generator for Daggerheart also has all the new SRD 2.0 content and follows what is dictated by the source books as balanced as well. All with options to save them with an account.

Read more

Fatal Tomb
Tabletop Roleplaying Games

Fatal Tomb

English
Rules-light
Indie
Fatal Tomb is a brutal, rules‑light pulp sword and sorcery tabletop role‑playing game. Explore forgotten tombs, dark dungeons, ruined kingdoms, monster‑infested wildernesses, and strange worlds beyond the Black Gates. Battle ancient beasts, uncover lost treasures, and survive perilous journeys into the unknown. Designed for both solo and group play, Fatal Tomb emphasises fast character creation, deadly combat, minimal preparation, and simple mechanics that stay out of the way of adventure. All you need to play is a pencil, some paper, and a handful of dice.

Read more

Roll20
Tools & Platforms

Roll20

Virtual tabletop (VTT)
English
Free
Roll20 is the most widely used browser based virtual tabletop in the world, launched in 2012 following a successful Kickstarter campaign. Developed by Riley Miller, Nolan T. Jones, and Richard Zayas, it was designed to break down the barriers to tabletop gaming by requiring zero installation and offering a robust free to play tier. It remains the industry leader in total user base, hosting millions of games across nearly every imaginable tabletop system. Description Roll20 is the "everyman" of virtual tabletops, prioritizing accessibility and ease of use. Because it runs entirely in the cloud, players and Game Masters can start a session in seconds from any modern web browser. It features an integrated marketplace where users can purchase official rulebooks, adventures, and art packs that integrate directly into their campaigns. While it offers advanced features like dynamic lighting, its primary appeal is its massive community and the simplicity of its "pick up and play" nature. System Overview & Key Features No Installation Required Unlike many of its competitors, Roll20 requires no software downloads or server configuration. The Game Master simply creates a room on the website and shares a link. This makes it the ideal choice for groups with varying levels of technical expertise. Integrated Character Sheets Roll20 features thousands of community and official character sheets that handle the math for you. Clicking an attribute or a weapon on your sheet automatically sends the roll to the chat window, applying modifiers and calculating critical hits instantly. The Roll20 Marketplace The platform boasts the largest digital storefront in the industry. You can buy modules for D&D, Pathfinder, Call of Cthulhu, and more, which come pre loaded with maps, tokens, and journals, drastically reducing a Game Master's preparation time. Dynamic Lighting and Layering Subscribers gain access to a powerful lighting system that restricts what players can see based on their character's line of sight. The Game Master can easily manage different layers for maps, tokens, and hidden notes that only they can see. Built in Video and Voice Roll20 includes its own integrated WebRTC video and voice chat system, allowing groups to see and hear each other without needing to run third party software like Discord alongside their game window. Jumpgate Technology Introduced in 2024 and 2025, the "Jumpgate" update overhauled the core engine to provide a much smoother, high performance experience. It improved frame rates, reduced loading times, and modernized the interface to compete with newer, hardware accelerated platforms. Additional links roll20.net - Official Roll20 website and Virtual Tabletop marketplace.roll20.net - Official Roll20 Marketplace for assets and modules

Read more

Looking for a group?

Find a tabletop group to join or players to invite. Groupfinder is a free looking-for-group platform. By players, for players.