Start with what you want to do.
Describe your approach. The Game Master determines whether it calls for a test and which attribute applies.
A fantasy tabletop roleplaying game
Woe to the
Wicked.
The Last War ended years ago.
Its scars did not.
A dangerous world. Difficult choices. And something still worth fighting for.
Open Beta Coming Soon
In development · Playtest materials available
Simple rules.Complicated situations.
The world after the war
The fighting ended.
The struggle didn’t.
Ruined roads. Abandoned fortresses. Settlements trying to hold together. The Last War left a world full of uncertainty—and people willing to take advantage of it.
You decide what your character is willing to attempt, what they are willing to risk, and what they will do when things go wrong.
How it plays
Describe your action.
Find out what happens.
Your choices shape the situation. When a test is needed, the dice help determine the outcome.
Roll against the challenge.
The base target for an unopposed test is 4. For example, if your relevant attribute is a d8 and you roll a 5, you succeed on that base test.
An opponent changes the contest: defenders win ties. See the playtest rules for combat and other modifiers.
Decide who needs your Hope.
Hope can keep a lethal hit from ending your story, leaving you at 1 Health. You can give your Hope to an ally, but you lose it when you do.
Prepare for danger. Change your position. Use your surroundings. Simple rules leave room for complicated situations.
World of Woe
Beyond the next horizon.
Bring Woe to your table
Start with the playtest.
New to Woe? Begin with the downloadable playtest on Itch.io. Use the matching character sheet at your table.
- Read the rules. Download Woe_Playtest_V40_Revision_2.pdf.
- Make your character. Use Woe_Character_Sheet_Revision_2.pdf.
- Check what changed. The V40 Revision 2 changelog accompanies the rules.
Current listed playtest: V40 Revision 2 · Checked September 26, 2026. Files marked “OUTDATED” belong to earlier versions.
START HERE · V40 REVISION 2
Get the playtest on Itch.io
Rules, character sheet, changelog, and world map. Name your own price.
EXPLORE FURTHER
Read the working manuscript
Browse the broader work in progress on Homebrewery. It may differ from the downloadable playtest.
Woe To The Wicked is in active development. Rules, artwork, and available materials will change as playtesting continues.
Tell us how it played.
Share which version you used, what happened at your table, and where a rule helped or caused confusion.
Opens the Itch.io community. Sign in to post.
Follow the development
There’s more to come.
Watch the game take shape, catch a development stream, or support the work behind it.