Shadow of the Weird Wizard does a phenomenal job of simplifying concepts in other RPGs without writing out the interesting bits.

I especially like the flexibility of the paths system.

Shadow of the Weird Wizard does a phenomenal job of simplifying concepts in other RPGs without writing out the interesting bits.

I especially like the flexibility of the paths system.

Rob has knocked it out of the park once again. There is a lot to like about the Shadow of the Weird Wizard. It is an easy system to learn, it's a pleasure to read, and it has beautiful art. The system has dept and lots of character options. I am looking forward to see Secrets of the Weird Wizard next!

I think my previous review was unfair given that this game was incomplete when I reviewed it. This game has some solid bones. I'm excited to give another review once the game is in its final state.

Shadow of the Weird Wizard offers a very interesting evolution of the Demon Lord game system. There's a bit more crunch, but not overwhelmingly so. Always looking forward to seeing what this team puts out.

Shadow of the Weird Wizard (SotWW) is an evolution of the Shadow of the Demon Lord (SotDL) engine in significant ways, managing to both streamline existing mechanics, while maintaining a tradition of enabling hundreds of character build combinations. What began as a thematically toned down implementation of SotDL has, in my opinion, surpassed its forebearer. What’s more… if designer Robert Schwalb’s propensity for tirelessly supporting his game lines is any indication, SotWW has a long, well loved life ahead of it. Cheers and good gaming to you!

tl;dr: Shadow of the Weird Wizard (SotWW) is a great game with even more character options than Shadow of the Demon Lord (SotDL). Beware that in contrary it is not a 1 book game as Secrets of the Weird Wizard is required to run this game. SotWW shares a lot of DNA with SotDL and feels very familiar but is not directly compatible.

Shadow of the Weird Wizard (SotWW) is the next in line of games from Robert J. Schwalb. 6 years ago, I just fell in love with the simplicity and sheer player freedom of Shadow of Demon Lord (SotDL) and eagerly awaited the release of Weird Wizard. Some might say that it is SotDL 1.5 or 2.0 but it actually differs in quite some aspects from SotDL.

SotWW is crunchier and more heroic in comparison of SotDL and characters gain a lot more power in the same 10 levels. In my opinion characters are even more potent than 5e characters of the same level.

This book delivers a huge ton more of paths and spells than the core book of SotDL does, which is kind of obvious as the page count of both books is about the same, while SotDL includes all the GM part that will be contained in Secrets of Weird Wizard. As the world of Weird Wizard is human-centric, you will only find Humans as Ancestry in this book. Over 30 Ancestries are going to be included in Secrets of the Weird Wizard, and will be expanded on in Weird Ancestries at a later date.

The tone is described as "Gray Fantasy" by the author himself, and in my opinion this is quite fitting. There is dismemberment, there are diseases, there are Dark Arts spells and some previewed monsters could be straight out of SotDL (which could be totally possible as a shared universe between SotDL and SotWW is implied) However it leans itself more towards running any flavor of fantasy than SotDL with it's grim dark setting did. (not that it stopped me running SotDL for literally anything)

I am currently running a group through Tomb of Annihilation with the old playtest ancestries and monsters and we are having a blast. Players have fun playing their characters and converting monsters is not that hard, if you've got experience converting from 5e to SotDL. Combat is rather dynamic and can be quite brutal, which is always refreshing compared to 5e

All in all my expectations of SotWW were met, even though it changed a lot since I've got my first look at it in 2020. I'm glad I waited for this game and am really excited for Secrets of the Weird Wizard and all the adventures and supplements that will follow suit.

Thanks to Schwalb Entertainment for bringing a game that sparks joy for me and my group.

Another case of 'excellent publisher, shitty DriveThru'. Like I said in my cursory review of the Corebook for Schwalb's lovely system. Excellent art. Excellent presentation. Excellent formatting, layout, etcetera, of the book itself.

My issue lies with DriveThru and its terrible 'print on demand' route of things. The binding is flimsy. The book's covers are already warping within mere days of receiving the book. The back cover's end paper is already starting to pull loose of the actual covers. The quality of the book contents are excellent.

The quality of the book itself is shitty, and I'm embarassed to have paid even $30 for this.

Excellent content.

Absolutely shitty binding.

Schwalb's work and art and writing, and the overall composition and layout of the book are excellent. I adore the setting and the flexibility that it offers, both in character creation, sheer spell amount, and classes, and the setting.

My issue here lies with DriveThru. The printing was lazy, the binding is terrible and the covers are already beginning to warp within merely a month or two of receiving the damn book. Not to mention it arrived to me dented.

I just read the "adventure" once, but wouldn’t dare to run it as is.

1) The idea to make the players next stay at an Inn something weird and less save.

2) Using uncommon animals like rabbits, even though the taste should be a hint, because „wild animals“ have a very distinctive and easy recognizable flavor.

1) There are a lot of open questions, logical errors and gaps the GM needs to fix:

• Why does it need to happen in the barn when the PCs are the only guest?
• Why isn’t he taking advantage of the characters when they are asleep?
• Why does he kill off one of his servants when he obviously needs her?
• What happened to the father? Can they find him somewhere?
• How long is this whole thing going on?
• How does he manage to keep a spell going all the time that lasts only one hour?
• Why is it important that he doesn’t know what the servants told the PCs?
• And these are just the things I noticed and remembered after reading it once.

2) The GM doesn’t get enough guidance or background information to improvise anything.

3) It doesn’t make a difference whether the PCs follow the initial hint from the stones that something is off or follow the obviously weird invite from the cook to „have a look at their barn“. (No, there is no hint how he would „sell“ that..)

4) Besides the characters eating unknowingly other humans there is sadly nothing really happening at all, just a barn where you automatically roll some dice and a combat encounter. No active roleplaying, initiative or puzzle solving from the PCs required. If you are like me looking for inspiration how you could make that night interesting: it's not there.

5) The combat is with difficulty 30 way to high for starting characters.

6) The gold reward for defeating him is also ridiculously high no matter the level.

7) It doesn’t provide enough content to lead the characters into all of the four novice path like „Dark Deeds in Last Hope“ explains it.

8) It is possible that the PCs just sleep there and leave without anything happening at all.

9) Even compared to other short Shadow of the Demon Lord adventures it has way to few content to be considered more than a brief encounter.

If you want to run an adventure where the characters accidentally eat other humans at an inn, you might be better off writing it yourself instead of reworking and heavily extending this one, probably saving you some time and headaches in the process.

Nevertheless I still hope it will get a noticeable upgrade, because otherwise it was just a waste of money. At least for me.

A great introduction to Shadow of the Demon Lord. My players quickly took to the system, and I didn't have to invent much to adapt.

A great introduction to Shadow of the Demon Lord. My players quickly took to the system, and I didn't have to invent much to adapt.

Always played Viking-esque DnD characters but When the Wolf Comes has allowed me to fully unleash my inner Viking (at last!). The Shadow of the Demon Lord system allows for seamless storytelling and combat - I'm loving the scenarios so far and can't wait to get my crew together to play this again. Highly recommended!

A Perfect Blend of Norse Myth and Sci-Fi Excellence

Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 Stars)

"When The Wolf Comes" is an absolute gem! It’s a perfect blend of Norse mythology, alternate history, and sci-fi awesomeness. Here's why it's a must-play for me:

1. Captivating Setting: WTWC offers an intriguing alternate history where the Vikings rule the stars, and the clash between old Norse traditions and modern beliefs is central to the narrative. It's a setting ripe for adventure and exploration.

2. Diverse Worlds: The Nine Homeworlds provide a wide range of environments and challenges, making each adventure unique. Exploring these realms feels like embarking on an interstellar Viking journey.

3. Mythical Encounters: Playing creatures like álfar, jötnar, and dvergar from futuristic Norse mythology adds depth to the game world. It's a fascinating blend of myth and reality.

4. Magic and Technology Fusion: The game seamlessly merges magic, spirits, and technology, offering a unique and immersive experience. It's a world where these elements are indistinguishable, creating intriguing gameplay opportunities.

5. Constant Urgency: The ever-present threat of Ragnarök keeps the tension high.

6. Immersive World-Building: Ian Stuart Sharpe's attention to detail immerses you fully in the Vikingverse universe. You'll feel like a true Viking explorer in this meticulously crafted setting.

7. Character Depth: Character creation is engaging, with diverse Norse origins and a variety of spells and gifts to choose from. Great character creation tables help spin up characters quickly, but with lots of depth and background.

8. Seamless Adaptation: The adaptation of the "Shadow of the Demon Lord" system to this Viking-inspired universe is smooth and well-executed, offering a familiar yet fresh experience.

9. Respected Endorsement: Knowing that the creator of "Shadow of the Demon Lord," Robert J Schwalb, gave his approval adds credibility to the game's top-notch quality.

In summary, "When The Wolf Comes" is a tabletop RPG that masterfully combines Norse mythology, alternate history, and sci-fi elements. It's a captivating universe that's well worth exploring if you enjoy immersive storytelling and richly detailed worlds. Gather your gaming group and embark on an unforgettable Viking adventure across the cosmos! May the Norns smile upon you! Skål!

RAGNARÖK N’ROLL, BABY!

Space Vikings! What's not to like? If you've ever dreamt of unleashing your inner Viking in a futuristic setting, you're in for an epic adventure! Ian Stuart Sharpe really knows his Norse mythology and it shows! So much Viking history and lore, beautifully merged into a techo-future setting. We've super enjoyed our first campaign and will be diving into a second soon. And being built on the Shadow of the Demon Lord system makes it an easy pickup. Can't recommend enough. If you're into Vikings, pick it up!