Sword World RPG

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Sword World RPG
Sword World RPG Complete edition cover
Designer(s)	Ryo Mizuno, Miyuki Kiyomatsu, Group SNE
Publisher(s)	Fujimishobo
Publication date	1989 (1st edition) 1996 Complete edition (2nd Edition)
Genre(s)	Fantasy
System	2d6 System

Sword World RPG (ソード・ワールドRPG, Sword World RPG^?) is the most popular Japanese role-playing game^[1]. The current, 2nd edition, known as the "Complete edition", was published in 1996, but the original was published in 1989, so many Japanese RPG gamers recognize it as a very classical role-playing game.

Sword World RPG's system was given the name 2d6 System in 2003. Scrapped Princess RPG and Dragon Half RPG's system are also 2d6 System, though the games are only partially compatible.

1 Setting
2 System
3 Replays
4 Criticism for Sword World
5 External links
6 References

[edit] Setting

Sword World's world, Forceria, includes Lodoss island (of Record of Lodoss War) and Crystania continent (of Legend of Crystania). However, the largest continent, Arecrast is the main setting. Forceria is ordinary fantasy world influenced heavily by games such as Dungeons and Dragons and RuneQuest. For instance, the GrassRunner race is similar to D&D's Halfling and 3 magic systems (spirit magic, sorcery and divine magic) is similar to RuneQuest's.

Rune Soldier is Sword World RPG's novel and anime. Over a hundred light novels or replays (session logs) have been published.

[edit] System

The game uses only 6 sided dice, as other polyhedral dice aren't common in Japan. 2d6 dice roll is translated into a more wide range of random numbers by using a Rating table. Rating table is used for only damage roll and damage reduction roll. An excerpt of Rating table as follow.

Rating table (excerpt)
2d6 / Key number	0	5	10	15	20	50
2	failure	failure	failure	failure	failure	failure
3	0	0	1	1	1	4
4	0	1	1	2	2	6
5	0	1	2	3	3	8
6	1	2	3	4	4	10
7	2	2	3	4	5	10
8	2	3	4	5	6	12
9	3	4	5	5	7	12
10	3	5	5	6	8	13
11	4	5	6	7	9	15
12	4	5	7	8	10	15

Key number is equal to weapon/armor's requirement strength, or power of magic. Heavier weapon/armor is stronger.

[edit] Replays

Group SNE pioneered a new book genre called replay. Replays are RPG session logs arranged for reading, similar in style to light novels. The first replay, Record of Lodoss War, is a replay of Dungeons and Dragons. From that time, replays became popular in Japan, and not only with RPG gamers; several characters and parties in replays are as popular as characters of anime. For example, the beautiful female elf Deedlit in Record of Lodoss War who is played by the (male) science fiction novelist Hiroshi Yamamoto.) Sword World's replays are popular, too. 31 books of Sword World's replays were published until August 2006.

[edit] Criticism for Sword World

Some gamers think Sword World RPG is too old to play.^{[citation needed]}

Supplements are published less than light novels and replays. Published supplements are less than 10 in 17 years. Some gamers think Sword World isn't a game to play but only setting for light novels and replays.
Rules are few and vague. System designer Mr. Kiyomatsu often answers the questions about rules that "Please make a commonsense judgement."
Newer editions won't be published. The latest edition published in 1996 was named "Complete edition". And the designer doesn't want to update the game. Character variations are few. There are only 8 classes (Bard, Fighter, Priest, Ranger, Sage, Shaman, Sorcerer, Thief) for PCs. And there are many racial limits for class selection. For example, Dwarves and Grassrunners can't become sorcerers. And charater levels are limited to 10.