# Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay: Wrath & Glory

Cubicle 7's officially licensed Warhammer 40,000 TTRPG for heroic agents in the Gilead System after the Great Rift. Mixed parties of Space Marines, Sisters of Battle, Tech-Priests, Rogue Traders, Aeldari and Orks roll d6 Icon dice pools with a Wrath Die, share a Glory pool, and play at a campaign Tier that sets their power and their enemies.

## At a Glance

Rules-heavy Warhammer 40,000 science fantasy • d6 dice pools, 4–5 Icon, 6 Exalted Icon • Wrath Die for crits and complications • Shared Glory vs GM Ruin • Campaign Tiers from Guardsmen to Primaris Marines • Official Foundry VTT

## Why It Fits

Choose Wrath & Glory when your group wants a Warhammer 40,000 campaign where a Space Marine, a Sister of Battle and a Tech-Priest can share the same mission. Tiers and Frameworks set the power level and premise, the Wrath Die and shared Glory keep rolls dramatic, and the Starter Set gives the Gamemaster an easy way in.

## Fit Facts

- Prep: Medium
- Price: Paid

## Facets

- Genres: Science Fantasy, Science Fiction
- Mechanics: Campaign, Character Customization, Rules Heavy, Skill-Based, Tactical Combat, Team-Based
- Themes: Cinematic, Dark
- Decision tags: Licensed

## Scores

- Complexity: 4/5
- New GM Fit: 2/5
- Roleplay Focus: 3/5
- Combat Focus: 4/5
- Tactical Depth: 4/5
- Campaign Depth: 4/5

## Best For

- Warhammer 40,000 fans who want to play heroic agents across many factions
- Campaigns that mix investigation, missions for a patron and crunchy firefights
- Groups that play online and want official Foundry VTT support

## Avoid If

- You want a light rules system or quick character creation
- Your table dislikes grimdark violence, fanaticism or body horror
- You want gritty, human-scale 40K investigation rather than heroic action

## Explorer Notes

Warhammer 40,000 Roleplay: Wrath & Glory is the TTRPG for groups who want to play heroes of the grim darkness rather than its disposable foot soldiers. It is Cubicle 7's broad, action-forward way into the 41st Millennium: one party can mix a Sister of Battle, a Tech-Priest, a Rogue Trader, an Imperial Guardsman and a Space Marine, and the rules use a fast d6 dice pool, a special Wrath Die and a shared pool of Glory to keep firefights and desperate stunts moving.

It is not a light game or a gentle first TTRPG. The core rulebook runs to 381 pages, character creation is an experience-point build with a lot of options, combat leans on gear lists, conditions and positioning, and the setting's xenophobia and body horror are part of the point. Choose it when your table already loves Warhammer 40,000, wants a campaign, and has a Gamemaster willing to learn the Tier and Framework tools that hold mixed-power parties together.

## What the game is

Wrath & Glory is the officially licensed Games Workshop roleplaying game for the current era of Warhammer 40,000, after the Great Rift split the galaxy. It is published by [Cubicle 7](https://cubicle7games.com/en_US/warhammer-40k-wrath-glory-core-rulebook). Its default setting is the Gilead System, eight Imperial worlds cut off from the rest of the Imperium. Players act as agents of a patron, most often the Rogue Trader Jakel Varonius, trying to hold the system together against daemonic incursion, alien raiders and corruption from within.

Where the older Fantasy Flight 40K lines each focused on one slice of the setting, such as inquisitors in Dark Heresy or a voidship dynasty in [Rogue Trader](https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/warhammer-40k-rogue-trader), Wrath & Glory aims to cover the whole spread of the setting in one book, from hive gangers to Primaris Marines.

## Publication history and editions

Ulisses Spiele first published Wrath & Glory in 2018, but the line stalled after the core book and an adventure pack. Cubicle 7 took over the license in 2019 and released a revised core rulebook, with the PDF arriving on [April 16, 2020](https://cubicle7games.com/blog/wrath-glory-pdf-pre-order-live) and the hardcover later that year. Cubicle 7 described it as a revision rather than a new edition. Character creation was streamlined around Frameworks, the archetype requirements were removed, the Talent list was greatly expanded, a new Advancement chapter reworked Ascension, the rules were tidied with the earlier errata, and an optional Stealth system was added. DriveThruRPG buyers of the 2018 book received the revised PDF automatically, so the current core is the Cubicle 7 version.

Wrath & Glory is distinct from Cubicle 7's other current 40K game, Imperium Maledictum (2023), which is a grittier, human-scale game built on a different engine. The two share a publisher and a universe, not rules.

## What you need to play

- Core Rulebook: the complete game, with factions, archetypes, rules, wargear, psychic powers, a bestiary and Gamemaster advice. It is $59.99 in hardcover from Cubicle 7 and $29.99 as a [PDF on DriveThruRPG](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/249388/warhammer-40-000-wrath-glory-core-rulebook?affiliate_id=1659151).

- Starter Set: the [Starter Set](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/343895/warhammer-40-000-wrath-glory-starter-set?affiliate_id=1659151) ($19.99 PDF, $39.99 boxed) contains Traitor's Hymn, a 48-page introductory adventure that teaches play, a guide to the Varonius Flotilla, gatefold pregenerated Tier 2 characters, rules reference sheets and a dice set with a Wrath Die.

- Dice: a handful of ordinary six-sided dice plus one visually distinct die to act as the Wrath Die.

The core book is enough for a full campaign. Supplements add options and adventures rather than missing rules.

## Major supplements and adventures

- Forsaken System Player's Guide: deeper Gilead lore, extra species and archetypes, and Endeavours for downtime.

- Threat Assessment: Xenos and Threat Assessment: Daemons & Heretics: bestiaries covering the T'au, Kroot, Necrons and the forces of Chaos.

- Litanies of the Lost: four Tier 1–2 scenarios that work alone or as a planet-hopping campaign.

- Church of Steel: vehicles and Machine Spirits.

- Vow of Absolution and Sons of Russ: Space Marine chapter books. Vow of Absolution adds Tier 5 Astartes archetypes. Sons of Russ (Space Wolves) reached print in August 2026.

- Darktide: Extraction and Space Marine 2: Purge the Swarm: adventures tied to the Warhammer video games.

- Adventures in Gilead: a 144-page print collection of earlier PDF-only adventures and frameworks, which Cubicle 7's [October 23, 2026 production update](https://cubicle7games.com/en_GB/blog/production-update-october-23-2026) lists for November 2026.

## Digital tools and VTT support

Wrath & Glory has an [official Foundry VTT system](https://foundryvtt.com/packages/wrath-and-glory) published by Cubicle 7 and developed by Moo Man. It tracks Glory and Ruin, handles Shifts and rerolls in chat, and automates Corruption, wound effects and weapon upgrades. Cubicle 7 also sells official Foundry modules for the core rulebook, the Starter Set and most supplements. This is one of the better-supported licensed games for online play.

## Core rules and play structure

Most tests roll a pool of six-sided dice equal to an Attribute plus a Skill against a Difficulty Number set by the Gamemaster. Each 4 or 5 is an Icon worth one success, and each 6 is an Exalted Icon worth two. If you beat the Difficulty with Exalted Icons to spare, you can Shift them into extra effects: more damage dice, extra information, a faster or better result, or a point of Glory. A test that falls short can still succeed at a cost, which keeps scenes moving.

One die in every pool is the Wrath Die. A 1 on it causes a Complication, a "yes, but" twist, whether or not the test succeeds. A 6 adds Glory to the party pool and, on an attack, turns the hit into a Critical. Three resources sit on top of the dice:

- Wrath: a personal pool that refreshes each session, spent to reroll failed dice, recover Shock or make small narrative declarations.

- Glory: shared by the whole party, spent to add dice or damage, worsen Critical Hits or seize the initiative.

- Ruin: the Gamemaster's pool, which grows when players fail Fear or Corruption tests and powers enemy rerolls and special boss actions.

Combat does not roll initiative. Turns alternate between player and enemy slots, and anyone on a side who has not yet acted can take the next one. Damage is compared to the target's Resilience. Defenders can roll Determination to turn some lethal Wounds into Shock, while Mortal Wounds from fire or psychic power bypass most protection. Conditions, cover, critical-hit tables and a long armory of weapon Traits fill out the system. Several reviewers note that the movement and range rules assume miniatures or a map.

## Characters, Tiers and advancement

Every campaign is set at a Tier that fixes the party's power level and the threats they face, from Tier 1 hive gangers and Guardsmen to Tier 4 Inquisitors and Primaris Marines. Characters build from a Tier-based experience budget, choosing a species (Human, Adeptus Astartes, Primaris Astartes, Aeldari or Ork in the core book), an Archetype, Attributes, Skills, Talents and, for psykers, powers. Archetypes such as Sister of Battle, Tech-Priest, Sanctioned Psyker or Rogue Trader work like starting templates rather than locked classes. A lower-Tier character can join a higher-Tier party by taking an Ascension Package, which is how a Guardsman can stand beside a Space Marine.

The Gamemaster also picks a Framework: the patron and mission concept for the campaign, with its own gear, benefits and limits on which factions fit. Keywords such as Imperium, Adeptus Ministorum or Scum tie characters to factions, Talents and rules.

## Signature mechanics

- The Wrath Die: every roll can produce a Critical or a Complication, so even routine tests carry a little drama.

- Shared Glory: a party-wide heroics pool that rewards good rolls and lets players set up each other's big moments.

- Tier scaling: the bestiary lists each threat as Troops, Elite, Adversary or Monstrous Creature depending on the campaign Tier. A rogue psyker can be a boss for Guardsmen and a mob for Space Marines.

- Psychic gambling: psykers can add extra Wrath Dice to push a power, and every 1 on those dice risks a roll on the Perils of the Warp table.

- Corruption: exposure to the Warp builds a Corruption score that can end in mutations.

## What play feels like

A typical session is a mission from the patron: an investigation in a hive city, a void-station boarding action, a negotiation that turns into a firefight. Out of combat, scenes move quickly on single tests with Shifts and Complications. Combat is the crunchy centerpiece, with players trading Glory, choosing weapons and Traits, and watching the Wrath Die for crits. The tone is grimdark but heroic: the characters are the people who actually make a difference in a doomed system.

## Running the game

The Gamemaster carries a real load. You choose the Tier and Framework, balance enemies with the Tier tables, track Ruin, adjudicate Complications and Shifts, and manage a mixed party whose members may despise each other on principle. Published adventures help a lot, and the Starter Set is the easiest way to learn. Expect to discuss the party's makeup before play. A mixed-species group in a setting where shooting aliens on sight counts as policy needs table buy-in and clear safety conversations.

## Campaign fit

Wrath & Glory is built for campaigns. Frameworks give a group a reason to stay together, and Ranks within a Tier plus experience spending give steady growth. Characters rarely change Tier during a campaign. Groups usually experience a different scale by starting a new campaign at another Tier. One-shots are practical mainly with the Starter Set's pregenerated characters, because building characters from scratch takes time.

## Reception

As indexed in October 2026, the DriveThruRPG core rulebook listing showed 193 ratings and 26 written reviews with an adamantine Best Seller badge. Reviewers broadly agree that it feels like Warhammer 40,000 and that the d6 core is approachable. [EN World's review of the Cubicle 7 release](https://www.enworld.org/threads/warhmamer-40k-wrath-glory-cubicle-7-re-release-review.672170/) praises the Tier system for letting one game handle both Guardsmen and Primaris Marines, and calls its high-Resilience design for iconic enemies grounded but divisive. [Tabletop Battles](https://www.tabletopbattles.com/a-galaxy-of-adventure-wrath-glory-review-turn-order), writing after a two-year campaign, calls it a good game with asterisks. It flags balance problems in some Talents, weapons and psychic powers, a skew toward human and Imperial characters, and a complicated build process. The [Ill Met by Morrslieb review of the Starter Set](https://illmetbymorrslieb.wordpress.com/2025/02/26/review-wrath-glory-starter-set/) calls the pregenerated character packs fantastic. On r/40krpg, players often recommend Wrath & Glory over Imperium Maledictum for broad, heroic, mixed-faction play and recommend Imperium Maledictum for gritty, human-scale investigation.

## Where it is strongest

- Lets one party combine Space Marines, Sisters of Battle, Tech-Priests, Rogue Traders, Aeldari and more.

- The fast d6 Icon system with the Wrath Die and shared Glory is easy to read at the table.

- The Tier and Framework tools set clear power levels and campaign premises.

- Steady official support: a Starter Set, many adventures and bestiaries, and an official Foundry VTT system.

## Where it can frustrate groups

- Long, option-heavy character creation and a 381-page core.

- Uneven balance between some Talents, weapons and psychic powers.

- Non-human options and published adventures lean heavily toward Imperial humans.

- Combat rules assume a map or miniatures and can slow down large fights.

## Content and safety notes

Expect constant violence, religious fanaticism, institutional cruelty, xenophobia, daemonic possession, mutation and body horror. Corruption and the Perils of the Warp can take control of a character. Agree in session zero on how dark the table should go and how mixed-faction party tension should play out.

## Best starting path

New groups should start with the [Wrath & Glory Starter Set](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/343895/warhammer-40-000-wrath-glory-starter-set?affiliate_id=1659151) and play Traitor's Hymn with the pregenerated characters. If the table enjoys it, move to the [Core Rulebook](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/249388/warhammer-40-000-wrath-glory-core-rulebook?affiliate_id=1659151), pick a Tier 2 or 3 Framework, and run Litanies of the Lost or your own patron missions. Groups who play online should look at the official Foundry system and modules.

## Research notes

Last checked October 25, 2026.

- [Cubicle 7: Wrath & Glory Core Rulebook](https://cubicle7games.com/en_US/warhammer-40k-wrath-glory-core-rulebook) (price, 381 pages, ISBN 9781913569006, authors, revision notes)

- [DriveThruRPG: Core Rulebook](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/249388/warhammer-40-000-wrath-glory-core-rulebook?affiliate_id=1659151) and [Starter Set](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/343895/warhammer-40-000-wrath-glory-starter-set?affiliate_id=1659151)

- [Cubicle 7: Wrath & Glory pre-order now live (April 16, 2020)](https://cubicle7games.com/blog/wrath-glory-pdf-pre-order-live)

- [Cubicle 7: Production Update, October 23, 2026](https://cubicle7games.com/en_GB/blog/production-update-october-23-2026)

- [Foundry VTT: official Wrath & Glory system](https://foundryvtt.com/packages/wrath-and-glory)

- [Lexicanum: Wrath & Glory book list](https://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Wrath_%26_Glory_(RPG_series%29)

- [EN World: Cubicle 7 re-release review](https://www.enworld.org/threads/warhmamer-40k-wrath-glory-cubicle-7-re-release-review.672170/)

- [Tabletop Battles: A Galaxy of Adventure review](https://www.tabletopbattles.com/a-galaxy-of-adventure-wrath-glory-review-turn-order)

- [Ill Met by Morrslieb: Starter Set review](https://illmetbymorrslieb.wordpress.com/2025/02/26/review-wrath-glory-starter-set/)

- [TechRaptor: Core Rulebook review (2018 edition)](https://techraptor.net/tabletop/reviews/wrath-and-glory-core-rulebook-review)

- [The Gaming Gang: Sons of Russ print release (August 2026)](https://thegaminggang.com/game-news/the-print-edition-of-sons-of-russ-brings-the-space-wolves-to-warhammer-40000-roleplay-wrath-glory)

- [r/40krpg: Imperium Maledictum or Wrath & Glory](https://www.reddit.com/r/40krpg/comments/1hz7lxq/imperium_maledictum_or_wrath_glory_which_one/)

## Links

- Explorer page: https://www.ttrpg-games.com/item/wrath-and-glory
- Agent JSON: https://www.ttrpg-games.com/api/games/wrath-and-glory.json
- Publisher or official site: https://cubicle7games.com/en_US/warhammer-40k-wrath-glory-core-rulebook
- Reviews or retailer page: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/249388/warhammer-40-000-wrath-glory-core-rulebook?affiliate_id=1659151