Iron Kingdoms: Requiem

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Iron Kingdoms: Requiem is the third roleplaying tie-in to the Iron Kingdoms setting created by Privateer Press, and the second to run on the Dungeons & Dragons chassis, specifically the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition ruleset.

This iteration of the setting takes place after the big Infernal Invasion event from the WarmaHordes gameline.

Publication History

Currently, the Requiem gameline consists of 4 officially released splatbooks, with two upcoming splatbooks that currently only exist in PDF form for kickstarter backers... which of course have leaked onto the internet, because, seriously, what did you expect?

Iron Kingdoms: Requiem Campaign Setting: The corebook.

Monsternomicon: The first Monster Manual.

Borderlands & Beyond: Setting lore for the regions on Western Immoren's borders, namely Rhul, Ios, the Glimmerwood, the Bloodstone Marches, Blackice Mountains, the Burningfrost Plains, the Howling Wastes, Nyaloss Mountains, the Lost Forest of Rylolyse, and Frostbracken. Also includes more Hordes-based mechanical content.

Borderland Survival Guide: A grab-bag of topics relating to Borderlands, such as new monsters and magical items.

Nightmare Empire: Setting lore for Cryx and its surroundings. Naturally, this includes mechanical goodies like necrotite and necroarchana.

Scoundrel's Guide to the Scharde Islands: A grab-bag of topics relating to Nightmare Empire, including ship-sailing rules (which, at the very least, are more extensive than anything that Wizards of the Coast did for Spelljammer), monsters, and building your own undead thralls.

New Classes

All three of the "big" splatbooks for Requiem - that is, the Campaign Setting, Borderlands & Beyond, and Nightmare Empire - included some brand new classes to play with.

Campaign Setting

The Alchemist is a character who studies the arcane sciences of chemistry to create and utilize potent chemical tools and weapons. As they gain levels, they gain an arsenal of increasingly complex alchemical formulae that they can create during downtime, as well as certain simpler formulae they can whip up on the fly if they have access to their alchemist's supplies. The three subclasses of the Alchemist are:

• The Combat Alchemist, a warrior-alchemist who specializes in the use of weaponized alchemy, lobbing homemade grenades at foes with increasing skill and versatility as they age. Whilst their features don't revolve around it, they often carry Crucible Arms - specialist weapons that either spray deadly alchemical liquids like flamethrowers or can infuse bullets with fiery, acidic or toxic fluids.
• The Synthesist is dedicated to pursuing the true understanding of alchemy, allowing them to produce more powerful alchemical items and otherwise wring more use out of their alchemical supplies and formulae.
• The 'Rogue Alchemist is either a criminal who turned to alchemy to augment their lawbreaking, or just an alchemist who refuses to knuckle under to the established alchemical guilds (or was kicked out of them, or otherwise has cause to operate under the table, as it were). They specialize in scrounging up substitute ingredients and outright pilfering alchemical formulae from others, but are also masterful poisoners.

The Gun Mage is one of the most iconic classes of the Iron Kingdoms; a gish who combines spellcasting powers with gunslinger talents to become a master of ranged combat. Take note that despite using the 5e spell list, Gun Mages do not specialize in the use of ray spells and other "beam" type offensive spells, but instead focus on taking ordinary ammo and channeling magic into it; this is represented by their core class feature, Rune Shot, which lets them pick a number of different potential buffs they can apply to their bullets by spending spell slots, such as adding elemental damage, boosting accuracy, heightening damage, turning it into a guided projectile, etc. The higher the Gun Mage's level, the more Rune Shot options they can pick up. They are Charisma-based Half Casters, although they can cast 6th level spells rather than the normal 5th level spell cap. They rely on the use of the Magelock weapons, but can substitute any firearm - however, until they gain the Weapon Bond feature, using non-Magelock firearms to launch Rune Shots causes the weapon to degrade with each use. There are three Gun Mage subclasses:

• Militant Order of the Arcane Tempest: True soldier gun mages who gain increasingly potent combat-related abilities.
• Order of the Thorn: Covert operative from Llael who specialize in espionage, sabotage and assassination. Their subclass features are a mixture of stealthy shooting tricks and an increased ability to fight to the last.
• Order of the Lone Gun: Self-trained, mavericks, or heirs to minor traditions that haven't developed into fully-fledged orders. They're the most versatile of the gun mages, with a grab-bag of useful tricks.

The Gunfighter is, of course, a gunslinger by any other name. It's a warrior class dedicated to mastery over the new firearms included in the Requiem corebook, with its core feature being access to a number of special attacks called "Trick Shots"; in this regard they're sort of like dexterity gun mages. They tend to focus on evasion, stealth, and just staying well out of reach of the enemy, so don't mistake them for a fighter even if they are a "mundane combat-focused" class! Three subclasses here:

• Pistoleers specialize in the use of pistols, allowing them to draw and fire with greater speed than other gunfighters.
• Sharpshooters specialize in the use of long arms like rifles; they don't fire as frequently as pistoleers, but they hit targets a lot harder and from a lot further away.
• Commandos are stealthy gunfighters who specialize in quick, brutal stealth attacks to take down foes. As a result of their tendency to work in close range, they are also more adept at melee weapons than pistoleers or sharpshooters.

Mechaniks are the artificers of Immoren, adventurer-scientists who specialize in building, maintaining and utilizing the various steampunk gear of the Iron Kingdoms to solve their problems. Unlike the Alchemist, Gun Mage and Gunfighter, they don't have a specific class-based set of "things you can build", they just have class features that make them better at building and using "tech" items on the fly - they're a Skill Monkey class more than anything. Three subclasses, yet again:

• Combat Mechaniks are used to serving in combat and keeping valuable military gear, like guns, steamjacks, cybernetics, etc, functioning under pressure. On the other hand, they're also very good at knocking out enemy machines too.
• Ironheads are specialists in the use of steam armor - the Power Armor of Immoren. Human(oid) tanks, ironheads get to build their own free suit of standard-class steam armor, and subsequently customize it as they level up with more unique tricks and abilities.
• Arcane Mechaniks really are the artificers of the Iron Kingdoms; they're mages who've turned to blending science and sorcery, allowing them to specialize in industrial thaumaturgy - the very elite branch of science that creates the magitek devices known as mechanika. They're Intelligence-based Third Casters with the ability to both cast spells of up to 4th level and to build, fuel and otherwise augment mechanika devices and weapons.

Finally, there are Warcasters; mages who can telepathically link with steamjacks, allowing them to command these steampunk magitek golems in battle, as well as to exploit mechanika weapons and armor to greater effect. They are Intelligence-based Half Casters of the "prepared spells" style - the iconic "Focus" from the wargame is adapted into a kind of mana system; you have a level-based cap on how powerful a spell you can cast (up to 6th level) and on the maximum size of your Focus pool, and you spend Focus points to cast a spell or apply a buff. Their three subclasses reflect their approach to mechanika-augmented magic:

• Controllers are the iconic "steamjack master" warcasters, focused on pushing their steamjacks further and getting the most out of them in battle. They're the only subclass who start play with a steamjack companion as a result.
• Arcanists focus instead on battle magic; steamjacks are used as "living" defenses and reserves of magical energy. Their features revolve around maximising their offensive spell capabilities, and they can even use Focus to alter their spells in a form of pseudo-metamagic.
• Soldiers are the warcasters least interested in steamjacks, instead focusing on their bond with mechanika arms and armor. They're all about boosting the most out of their mechanika gear and using Focus to augment their own personal killing abilities, making them the most gishy of the warcasters.

Borderlands & Beyond

Bone Grinders are the primal counterparts to Alchemists (with a dash of bio-Mechaniks), artificer-necromancers who have learned to exploit the fundamental magical energies inherent in living creatures by harvesting bio-matter and shaping it into potions, talismans and fetishes. This mixture of alchemy and magic allows these, quote, "filth-encrusted meat wizards" to create the equivalent of magical items by butchering their kills. Its subclasses are the Way of Bile and the Way of Blood and Bone.

Shamans are a more savage counterpart to the conventional cleric. Their subclasses are the Matron Domain and the Predator Domain.

Warlocks replace the counterparts of the same name from D&D 5e and are the fleshy counterparts to the Warcaster from the Requiem corebook, being spellcasters tied to the new Warbeasts. Their subclasses are Devourer Resonance and Farrow Resonance. Weirdly, they're Wisdom casters rather than Charisma casters, which you'd expect them to be given a) Charisma tends to be the "force of will" mental stat, and b) it'd complete the trinity with the Int-based Bone Grinders and Wis-based Shamans.

Nightmare Empire

Blood Witches are Charisma-based spellcasters who practice Blood Magic. They come with three subclasses; the Blood Priestess (a pseudo-cleric), the Blood Seer (uses blood to power diviner-like abilities) and the Night Witch (a gish who focuses on self-buffing with blood magic).

Raiders are lightly armored, fast-moving martials who specialize in hit-and-run tactics. They have three subclasses; Commanding Officer, Highwayman and Pirate.

New Subclasses

Bard

• Fell Callers are a bard subclass only available to trollkin, since they're based on trollkin lore and culture. Fell Callers are warrior-bards with access to a unique variety of sonic based augments and attacks.

Barbarian

Cleric

• Benefaction Domain is chiefly associated with Morrow, the general lead god in civilized territories, with a focus on self-sacrifice for the good of others. This extends to making a generalized support and healer cleric.
• Guile Domain is associated with Thamar, Morrow's dark and duplicitous twin. This domain focuses upon deception and can even use unwitting allies as the origin points of spells.
• Obedience Domain is mainly associated with Menoth, whose Protectorate is built around subservience towards the law. The main focus for this is on Hymns, special buffs sustained by concentration.

Fighter

• Battle Chaplain is basically the fighter-cleric to the Eldritch Knight's fighter-wizard, being a Wisdom-based Third Caster with access to the Cleric spell list.
• Man-at-Arms specializes in fighting defensively and in the use of polearms.
• Storm Knight is an elite Cygnaran warrior who fights in a specialized suit of mechanika armor and wields a lightning-based mechanika weapon, with a bit of specialization in leadership.

Monk

• Way of Deception makes essentially variant ninjas focused on spying, disguise, manipulation and politicking rather than Shadow Magic, with the order largely being associated with worship of Thamar.
• Way of the Fist is an elite unarmed combatant monk, complete with special offensive and defensive perks.

Paladin

• Oath of Radiance are heroic champions of the Morrowan faith dedicated to battling evil, especially in its manifestations of infernals and the undead.
• Oath of the Wall are Menite champions dedicated to protecting the flock, and much beloved by the common Menites for their compassion compared to the self-righteous fire-and-brimstone zeal of the lay-priests and their "holy" torturers.

Ranger

• Bounty Hunter and be just generally good at hunting and capturing opponents
• Mage Hunter is specially dedicated at fighting magic users and constructs
• Vigilant represents one of the Morrowan-trained magical monster killers.

Rogue

• Cutthroat is an urban specialist with a mixture of features, including special riders on top of sneak attacks.
• Duelist is a combat-focused swashbuckler specializing in dual-wielding blade and pistol.

Sorcerer

Wizard

Barbarians get the Path of the Long Rider, Path of the Runeshaper, and Path of the Warchief.

Clerics get access to the Judgment and Void Cleric Domains.

Fighters can take the Ryssovass or Trooper options.

Monks have the Way of Lys Healing, Way of the Battle Mage, and Way of the Gun.

Paladins can take the Oath of Edicts or the Oath of the Custodian.

Rangers only get the new Nyss Hunter.

Rogues can be Bushwhackers or Mage Slayers.

Sorcerers have the Ice Forged subclass.

Wizards can take the Magister or Tactical Arcanist traditions.

The new classes from Requiem also get their new subclasses, too! Gunfighters can take the new Ghost Sniper subclass. Mechaniks have the Arcanist Mechaniks and Rhulic Mechanik subclasses. Finally, Warcasters get the largest array of new subclasses with the Arcane Assassin, Arcanika Adeptis, Rhuilic Warcaster and Void Touched.

• Barbarian: Paths of the Bloodgorger and Gladiator
• Bard: College of the Storm
• Cleric: Blight Domain
• Fighter: Marine and Shroud Knight
• Gun Mage: Order of the Witch
• Gunfighter: Wraith
• Mechanik: Iron Monger and Necrotech
• Monk: Way of the Dying Hand
• Paladin: The Oath Undying
• Ranger: Knight of the Vigil and Seafarer
• Rogue: Buccaneer, Necrosurgeon, Warwitch Siren
• Sorcerer: Dirge Seer, Sea Sorcery
• Warcaster: Cryxian Necromancer, Swashbuckler
• Wizard: Soulweaver

Races

Core Book

Gobbers can use the halfling traits if you really want, but their official trats are +2 Dex, +1 Cha, Small size, 25 feet speed, Superior Darkvision, and the traits Beneath Notice (free Stealth proficiency, when you Disengage you can then attempt to Hide), Nimbleness (you can move through the space of bigger creatures), and Tinkerer (1 free tool proficiency from the list of alchemist's supplies, mason's tools, smith's tools or tinker's tools).

Humans are all Medium with a base speed of 30 feet, but gain an ability score modifier and racial traits based on their nationality:

• Cygnaran: +1 Int, +1 Cha, +1 to attack rolls with Simple and Martial Firearms, Well Educated (pick 2 skills: Arcana, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Religion) and Industrial Revolution (+d4 to ability checks with artisan's tools).
• Protectorate of Menoth: +1 Str, +1 Con, Pilgrim's Path (proficiency in History, Religion and Survival), Citizen Soldiers (proficiency with simple & martial melee weapons, light armor, medium armor, and shields).
• Khadoran: +1 Con, +1 Wis, Legacy of the North (pick 2 skills: Animal Handling, Athletics, Intimidation, Survival), Iron Will (Advantage on saves vs. Frightened), Norther Resilience (+2 to Constitution checks and saves).
• Llaelese: +1 Int, +1 Cha, Keen Mind (pick 2 skill proficiencies: Deception, Intimidation, Perception, Stealth), Blood of Liberty (+d4 to Investigation and Insight checks), Dueling Code (free Martial Weapon proficiency).
• Ordic: +1 Str, +1 Dex, Shore Leave (pick 2 skill proficiencires: Acrobatics, Athletics, Performance, Survival), Sea Legs (Swim Speed of 30 feet when in Light Armor or less), Coastal Home (1 water vehicle proficiency, 1 tool proficiency from: carpenter's tools, cartographer's tools, navigator's tools, or cook's utensils).
• Cryxian: +1 Dex, +1 Wis, Smuggler's Heritage (pick 2 skills: Deception, Intimidation, Perception, Stealth), A Pirate's Life (proficiency with Cutlass and Simple Pistols), Touch of Blight (Advantage on saves vs. disease and poison, Resistance to Acid and Necrotic damage).

Elves of the Iron Kingdoms are Medium Sized with a 30 foot speed and have Keen Senses (Perception proficiency) instead of the basic core race's traits. Though each is considered a separate race, they share this much until you pick their nationality:

• Iosan Elves have +2 Int, +1 Cha, Darkvision, and the racial traits Martial Society (re-roll attack rolls of 1; 2nd result stands), and Skill Versatility (pick 2 skill and/or tool proficiencies of your choice).
• Nyss elves have +2 Dex, +1 Int, and the racial traits Child of Winter (Resistant to Cold damage), Nyss Weapon Training (free proficiency with Nyss Longbow and Nyss Claymore), Quick Response (roll Initiative with Advantage 1/day) and Light Resilience (Advantage on saves vs. Blindness).
  • Borderlands Survival Guide gives Iosan and Nyss elves the ability to become Eldritch, elven vampires. This replaces all racial traits aside from proficiencies with Superior Darkvision, Undead (immunity to starvation and sleep deprivation), Dread Touch (prof/day ability to make special unarmed attacks that require a save to avoid extra damage, all while healing an equal amount of damage) and Eldritch Weakness (vulnerable to wholly organic materials like wood and bone, plus a need to commit ritual murders every day or else suffer Str drain)
• Soulless Elves (from B&B) have +2 Int, +1 Dex, Darkvision, and the racial traits Arcane Anathema (inability to cast spells, advantage to saving throws against spells and half-damage even if it fails), Martial Society (re-roll attack rolls of 1; 2nd result stands) and Skill Versatility (pick 2 skill and/or tool proficiencies of your choice).

Ogrun gain +2 Str, +1 Con, are Medium Size with a speed 30 feet, and have the racial traits Powerful Build, Huge Stature (can wield 2-handed weapons 1-handed, Versatile weapons always do 2-handed damage value), Thick-Skinned (+1 AC when in Medium, Light or No Armor), and Imposing Presence (free Proficiency in Intimidation or Persuasion). If you want to specifically play a Rhulic Ogrun, you can swap Imposing Presence for either Lessons of Ghord (free proficiency with History and either mason's tools or smith's tools) or Oath of Fealty (designate a friendly ogrun or rhulic dwarf as your korune; you must obey them and can grant them a free Dodge 1/short rest).

Rhulic dwarves use the standard dwarf core race with these subrace traits: +1 Int, Firearms Training (proficiency with Carbines), Master Craftsman (proficiency with Tinker's Tools, can craft magic items in 50gp increments and mundane items in 15gp increments) and Oathbound (swear a formal oath for a specific, long-lasting task at 1st level, with a 2nd at 7th level and a 3rd at 12th level; when performing tasks directly related to an oath, gain a +1 bonus to all relevant skill checks).

Trollkin are Medium sized with a speed of 30 feet and +1 Str and +1 Con. They have the core racial traits Darkvision, Born to be Wild (Proficiency in Survival), Ceaseless Stamina (ignore all effects of Exhaustion until you reach exhaustion level 3, whereupon they all hit you at once; you also recover 3 exhaustion levels per long rest), Regenerative (reroll Hit Die results of 1-2 when spending Hit Die to regain HP during short rests; 2nd result stands) and Trollkin Toughness (Advantage on saves vs. disease and poison, resistance to Poison damage). They also have to choose one of the following subraces:

• Woodland: +1 Con, Woodland Survivalist (ignore nonmagical forest-based difficult terrain, Advantage on Survival checks to hunt in forests).
• Northkin: +1 Str, Northkin Resilience (Resistant to Cold damage).
• Albino: +1 Cha, Cantrip (choose 2 cantrips from the Sorcerer spell list, cast with Cha).

In addition to all of these, the DM's section of the corebook offers two further options.

Firstly, if the DM permits, a Satyxis character can be played by using the tiefling statblock, save for replacing Hellish Resistance with Blight Resistance (Resist Necrotic Damage) and Infernal Legacy with Blood Rituals (spilling your own or another's blood when casting a Ritual spell cuts the casting time from 10 minutes to 1 minute).

Secondly, if the DM permits, the Dragonborn statblock can be used to represent somebody who was exposed to dragon blight but survived relatively intact and sane. In this case, the "dragonborn" must take one of the following ancestries based on the dragons of Immoren:

• Ashnephos (Fire, 5ft by 30ft line, Dex save)
• Blighterghast (Acid, 5ft by 30ft line, Dex save)
• Everblight (Cold AND Fire, 15ft cone, Dex save)
• Halfaug (Cold AND Fire, 5ft by 30ft line, Dex save)
• Scaefang (Poison, 15ft cone, Con save)
• Toruk (Necrotic, 15ft cone, Dex save)

For Everblight and Halfaug ancestry, the character must try to divide their breath weapon damage dice as evenly as possible. When rolling an uneven amount of dice, choose one type to do more damage.

Borderlands & Beyond

Bogrin are Small sized with a speed of 25 feet and +2 Dex. They have the core racial traits Superior Darkvision, Beneath Notice (free Stealth proficiency, when you Disengage you can then attempt to Hide), Brave the Weather (advantage on Constitution saves to survive extreme weather) and Nimbleness (you can move through the space of bigger creatures). They also have to choose between two subraces:

• Child of Dhunia: +1 Wis, Poultice (once per rest, create a special item that can automatically stabilize fallen creatures), Wilderness Trapper (double proficiency to notice and disarm traps, as well as the ability to craft their own traps)
• Child of the Wurm: +1 Con, Backstabber (+1d4 damage against enemies that didn't act in combat), Harrying Strike (when using Help to assist an ally's attack, the attakc deals an extra +1d4 damage)

Farrow are Medium sized with a speed of 30 feet and +2 Con and +1 Dex. They have the traits Disease Resistant (advantage on Constitution saves against diseases), Heightened Olfactory Senses (advantage on Perception checks using smell), Relentless Endurance (Once per day avoid getting reduced to 0 HP and instead drop to 1 HP) and Tusks (1d6 natural weapon).

Idrian Marchfolk are Medium sized with a speed of 30 feet and +1 Wis and +1 Con. They have the traits A Life of Caution (proficiency with kopis and either longbow, hunting rifle or military rifle) and People of the Land (proficiency with Nature and Survival, and nonmagical terrain doesn't slow them down).

Pygmy Trolls are Small sized with a speed of 30 feet and +1 Dex and +1 Wis. They have the core racial traits Darkvision, Born to be Wild (Proficiency in Survival), Ceaseless Stamina (ignore all effects of Exhaustion until you reach exhaustion level 3, whereupon they all hit you at once; you also recover 3 exhaustion levels per long rest), Regenerative (reroll Hit Die results of 1-2 when spending Hit Die to regain HP during short rests; 2nd result stands) and Pygmy Toughness (Advantage on saves vs. disease and poison, resistance to Poison damage). They also have to choose one of the following subraces:

• Woodland: +1 Con, Woodland Survivalist (ignore nonmagical forest-based difficult terrain, Advantage on Survival checks to hunt in forests).
• Northkin: +1 Str, Northkin Resilience (Resistant to Cold damage).

Sadly, no gatormen, bog trogs, or anything associated with the Circle or Tharn; that's being saved for a future splatbook. The Borderlands Survival Guide splatbook also offers the optional rules to play as Eldritch, which are basically elf vampires.

Nightmare Empire, aside from finally canonizing the ability to play a Satyxis, offers the following new races native to the Scharde Isles; Scharde Ogrun and Scharde Trollkin (Waverider and Blighted subraces), Dragon-Blighted, and the undead Revenant and Phantom.

DLC Content

Never ones to miss a trick to milk money out of their fanbase, they've also realized that the internet age means that the old "DLC" model can be exploited by tabletop games as well as videogames. As a result, they've begun offering new "optional" mechanical content as paid purchases from their online store.

So far, there's only five DLCs for Iron Kingdoms 5; the Man o' War Fighter subclass, representing the steampunk Power Armor-clad warriors of Khador; the Path of the Condemned, a Barbarian subclass that lets you play as a Doom Reaver, a group of Khadorans forcibly bound to unholy weapons consumed with an urge to kill; the Stormsmith Mechanik archetype, focusing on channeling electricity and manipulating it to various purposes.

Secret Masters introduces the Blackclad class to act as an alternative class to represent the druids of the Circle Orboros. The Blackclad comes with three subclasses:

• Path of Nature's Wrath: The elementalist, capable of creating shockwaves when they cast spells as well as temporary flight.
• Path of Stone: Focused on creating Wolds, specialized stone golems, on top of a few extra bonuses when on solid ground.
• Path of the Wayfarer: Blackclads who can channel the power of dormant leylines in order to teleport and augment their spells.

Similarly, there's Gravediggers, which includes variant backgrounds to represent the various Trencher companies as well as some extra equipment.

Complaints

The system has earned itself some complaints about design, with many noting that the designers still seem to be stuck in a Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition mentality despite the fact that 5e had been out for about a decade when Requiem first launched. Some of the complaints include situational +1 or +2 modifiers and weapon typing bloat, putting in a lot of granular crafting and gearing rules in a game that's largely avoided both, having crappy internal balance, and taking up an entire page with nothing but first and last names for Cygnaran characters.