# Which Warhammer TTRPG Should You Play? Fantasy Roleplay, Wrath & Glory, or Imperium Maledictum Published: 2026-11-03 Updated: 2026-11-03 Choose the Warhammer TTRPG that fits your group's playstyle: gritty Old World survival, cinematic 40K action, or patron-led investigations. ## Article My pick depends on what you want to do: survive in [the Old World](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warhammer_Fantasy_(setting%29), lead heroic 40K missions, or investigate Imperial conspiracies. I’d choose by the decisions your group enjoys - not just its favorite setting. - [Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay](/item/warhammer-fantasy-roleplay): For vulnerable characters whose careers, money, social status, and injuries matter. - Wrath & Glory: For 40K action heroes, d6 dice pools, and shared team resources. Agree on a starting Tier before building characters; the core rules cover Tiers 1–4. - [Imperium Maledictum](https://cubicle7games.com/our-games/warhammer-40k-roleplay-imperium-maledictum/): For 40K agents handling clues, faction politics, and dangerous assignments under a group-created Patron. Quick Comparison Game Setting Rules Character power Main focus Expect to track Fantasy Roleplay The Old World d100 Vulnerable career-based characters Survival and social pressure Money, careers, injuries Wrath & Glory 40K’s [Gilead System](https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Gilead_System) d6 pools Heroes defined by Tier Cinematic missions Combat options and shared resources Imperium Maledictum 40K’s [Macharian Sector](https://cubicle7games.com/en_EU/blog/imperium-maledictum-the-glorious-macharian-sector?srsltid=AYCX9vIf3PbgU_-L8syJT7eNhfth3K6n3EfhxxuDE4GFgIr5cBIVweHk) d100 Skilled but expendable agents Investigations and faction pressure Clues, influence, obligations My advice: agree on tone, combat frequency, rules complexity, and boundaries first. Then try a one- or two-session adventure. The test isn’t just “Did we like the setting?” It’s “Did we enjoy the choices we had to make?” Which Warhammer TTRPG Fits Your Group? Which One for SoloRPG in 40k Universe? (Imperium Maledictum vs. Wrath & Glory) [+ Darktide, pt. 2] ## Fantasy Roleplay vs. Wrath & Glory vs. Imperium Maledictum at a Glance Feature Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4e) Wrath & Glory Imperium Maledictum Setting The Old World, where survival and social pressure drive play. [Warhammer 40,000](https://www.warhammer.com/en-US/explore/warhammer-40000?srsltid=AYCX9vIwgbVuvODzrcVKOAKjSdyANLDdSp7SJEtTaUUo5VFO_YEPc4CO)’s Gilead System. The Macharian Sector, shaped by Imperial power struggles. Core resolution Percentile tests using characteristics and skills, with degrees of success and failure. d6 pools where 4s and 5s generate Icons. The Wrath Die adds uncertainty, while Glory grants dramatic advantages. Percentile skill tests and opposed checks, alongside influence and investigation. Typical characters Ordinary people with careers such as rat catchers, soldiers, scholars, and criminals. Careers shape skills, status, and equipment. Heroes defined by Tier, from Guardsmen and gangers to Inquisitors and Primaris Marines. Specialists tied to factions who serve a single Patron. An agent’s faction may differ from their Patron’s. Combat expectations Gritty and lethal. Injuries, poor equipment, and scarce resources make every fight risky. Cinematic, but still dangerous. Heroes can tackle bigger threats, but tough opponents still pose a risk. Dangerous, with political fallout. Violence can expose agents, damage alliances, or trigger retaliation. Campaign structure Linked local troubles, travel, downtime, earning money, and career advancement. Missions with escalating threats. Patron assignments, gathering evidence, negotiating with factions, and exposing conspiracies. What the rules emphasize Detailed careers, social status, equipment, conditions, and corruption. Tier choices, archetypes, tactical options, the Wrath Die, and shared Glory. Patron benefits and liabilities, faction influence, clues, and competing loyalties. Set the party’s starting setup before creating characters. In Wrath & Glory, choose the campaign Tier before players pick archetypes. The core range covers Tiers 1–4, so a Guardsman and a Primaris Marine aren’t interchangeable starting choices. In Imperium Maledictum, create the Patron together, then define each agent’s relationship to that authority. Choose Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay if you want careers and social status to matter between adventures. Read the combat row as a guide to tone, not power level: gritty survival, cinematic action, and political fallout each affect how characters approach fights and how campaigns unfold. ## Rules, Characters, and Campaigns Each game’s rules shape its tone at the table, from scraping by in the Old World to carrying out missions in the 41st Millennium. ### Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay: Careers and Old World Survival In Fourth Edition, d100 tests use Success Levels to measure how well a roll succeeds or fails. Characters are fragile, and careers shape their progress. Combat uses opposed tests and Advantage to track momentum; Group Advantage is optional. Each career has four levels, and promotion requires improvements to Skills, Characteristics, and Talents. Social standing also opens - or closes - doors: becoming a better fighter doesn’t automatically grant access to officials. Players track conditions, equipment, corruption, injuries, and downtime. Critical Wounds can leave lasting impairments, and Fate Points protect against catastrophe, not every injury. Recovery may take treatment, rest, and money. Local investigations and hazardous journeys leave characters needing downtime to earn income and advance their careers. Of the three games, this is the most grounded: survival and social position govern progress. It fits groups that enjoy tracking resources, knowing when to retreat, and accepting imperfect victories. ### Wrath & Glory: Dice Pools and Tier-Based 40K Action Build a d6 pool from Attribute plus Skill: each 4–5 counts as one Icon, while each 6 counts as two. The Wrath Die can trigger complications or benefits. Wrath, Glory, and Ruin fuel rerolls, team boosts, and stronger threats. These rules support larger-than-life heroes and shared party resources. Rather than following a career track, characters advance by improving Skills, Talents, and abilities. Most of the learning centers on tactical choices and [resource management](/category/resource-management), including Shock and injuries during military missions, exploration, and battles against daemons or xenos. Set the species, factions, and mission before character creation so everyone builds characters who can work together. Play centers on coordinated action rather than everyday survival. ### Imperium Maledictum: Patrons and 40K Investigations Percentile tests resolve uncertain outcomes, while backgrounds, roles, and faction ties shape what agents can do. Advancement builds specialist skills, but agents still depend on their Patron. The Patron’s authority sets resources, obligations, and restrictions; Influence helps agents obtain records, transport, equipment, and protection from scrutiny. Agents follow leads, secure cooperation, and gather enough evidence and support to act. The challenge lies in combining investigation, social leverage, and dangerous combat. Patron-directed travel links conspiracies, cults, and compromised institutions across the sector. The pace is slower than Wrath & Glory, with more political tension. It suits groups that want shared clues, hard compromises, and clear limits on their Patron’s authority. ## Strengths, Trade-Offs, and Group Expectations Each game brings a different set of costs to the table. Game Main appeal Likely friction point Ask this first Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Everyday characters making hard-earned progress Resource pressure, injuries, and career administration Will we enjoy managing scarcity and treating retreat as a valid outcome? Wrath & Glory Varied 40K heroes tackling cinematic missions Agreeing on campaign Tier, party roles, and shared resource use Can we agree on a campaign Tier and coordinate around shared resources? Imperium Maledictum Investigations shaped by patrons and faction politics Tracking clues, relationships, and obligations Will we chase leads without prompting and accept that success can create new obligations? Here’s what those demands look like during play. WFRP asks players to track careers, income, injuries, and recovery as part of everyday survival. Those details need to affect decisions. Otherwise, they’re just bookkeeping. Wrath & Glory needs an agreed campaign Tier, defined party roles, and a plan for sharing Glory. Its varied action heroes work best when every character has a clear role in each scene. Imperium Maledictum asks the group to track clue networks, faction reactions, and obligations throughout faction-driven investigations. One failed roll shouldn’t stall the case, and patron pressure should shape every major choice. Before choosing, test the pressure your group is least sure about in a short trial: survival costs, coordinated action, or incomplete evidence. A strong setting won’t fix a weak play loop. ## Conclusion: Choose the Game That Fits Your Group Setting, character power, and campaign style all matter. But the best fit is the game your group wants to return to. Choose Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay for vulnerable Old World survivors, Wrath & Glory for heroic 40K action, or Imperium Maledictum for patron-led investigations. Before committing, check that everyone is comfortable with the game’s tone and complexity. Agree on the setting, character power, combat frequency, and system complexity. Discuss lines and veils for grim themes, and set a signal anyone can use to pause or redirect an uncomfortable scene. Try a one- or two-session introductory adventure, then ask whether players enjoyed the choices they made - not just the setting. Use that feedback to judge whether the game suits how your group wants to play, rather than only what it wants to see. ## FAQs ### Which game is easiest for Warhammer newcomers? The provided sources don’t rank Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Wrath & Glory, and Imperium Maledictum by accessibility. The best fit depends on how your group likes to play: gritty survival, heroic action, or investigation and intrigue. Knowing the setting - and being eager to play in it - often makes getting started easier. ### How much preparation does each game require? Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay usually calls for moderate to high prep, given its detailed Old World setting and complex mechanics. For Wrath & Glory, prep works best when it focuses on varied mission encounters and balanced, cinematic challenges. Imperium Maledictum takes the most prep, especially for investigative plots, patron-driven hooks, and faction relationships. How much work you’ll need depends on the rules’ complexity and the play experience you want. ### Can Wrath & Glory support an investigation-focused campaign? Yes. Wrath & Glory is known for action-oriented missions, but it also supports mysteries, witness interviews, and evidence gathering through non-combat encounters shaped around players’ interests. These scenes can balance the game’s tactical focus with emotional depth and move an investigation-focused story forward. {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Which game is easiest for Warhammer newcomers?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The provided sources don’t rank Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Wrath \u0026 Glory, and Imperium Maledictum by accessibility. The best fit depends on how your group likes to play: gritty survival, heroic action, or investigation and intrigue. Knowing the setting - and being eager to play in it - often makes getting started easier."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How much preparation does each game require?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay usually calls for moderate to high prep, given its detailed Old World setting and complex mechanics. For Wrath \u0026 Glory, prep works best when it focuses on varied mission encounters and balanced, cinematic challenges. Imperium Maledictum takes the most prep, especially for investigative plots, patron-driven hooks, and faction relationships. How much work you’ll need depends on the rules’ complexity and the play experience you want."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Can Wrath \u0026 Glory support an investigation-focused campaign?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. Wrath \u0026 Glory is known for action-oriented missions, but it also supports mysteries, witness interviews, and evidence gathering through non-combat encounters shaped around players’ interests. These scenes can balance the game’s tactical focus with emotional depth and move an investigation-focused story forward."}}]}