Now that we’ve said Modiphius, you’re probably flashing immediately to their ubiquitous 2D20 roleplaying system and you’re not wrong. We recently covered their Star Trek RPG Core rulebook (review here) and it uses the same core mechanics. But what’s cool about the base 2D20 system is that it’s only the core mechanics that transfer from game to game and the structure and application are noticeably different. You might have a passing familiarity with using momentum for example, but the way you do things in Dune will definitely not use the same approach as Star Trek!
Diving right into the Core Rulebook, there’s a bit of light reading to do. Ok, almost 90 pages of intense backstory explaining around 20,000 years of the future history of humanity, our near subjugation by AI, and our subsequent reorganization into quasi-feudal houses and guilds along with our discovery of spice. He who controls the spice controls the universe and all that. It’s a lot to take in and honestly, if you’re unfamiliar with the Dune universe, it’s integral to the game that you have a firm grasp on most of the history and current events up until the time of the game (or whatever time your Game Master chooses). Basically, you’ve got some reading to do, but to be fair, it’s actually all both compelling and really well-written considering the detail level involved. You definitely won’t be bored!
Once you get through all the introductions, it’s time to get into the gameplay itself. Well, sort of. You see, Dune isn’t arranged like other RPGs. You don’t just have to roll up a character and start playing. You have to create an entire complex backstory for your character including your House, their specialties, origin planet, your status within the House, what enemies you might have, and more. You also have to establish the baseline personality of your character, including statements of drive and ambition. Your motivations are key to how you play the game and they have a direct impact on gameplay, a substantial deviation from a number of other RPGs. This is not a hack-and-slash sort of thing but instead a detailed and engrossing simulation, played out in scenarios and backed up by TTRPG mechanics. The story is center stage here.
When you make your character, there’s a lot that goes in but the key elements are Skills and Drives. Skills are basically your playable tabletop skills (Battle, Communicate, Discipline, Move, and Understand), the stuff that you’ll need when the dice start rolling. Each major skill category also comes with focuses that designate things that you’re especially good at. Drives are your base motivations (Duty, Faith, Justice, Power, and Truth) and also require you to make Drive statements. These statements are the guiding principles behind your actions in the game and are rated from 4-8. The higher the rating the more important the drive is to you so you must plan your actions accordingly. The Rulebook provides a number of sample drive statements to get you started but Focuses and Drive statements are ultimately up to you (and the GM of course).
Building a character requires you to come up with a character idea, apply it to a character archetype (provided in the Core Rulebook), then select Skills, Focuses, Talents (unique skills for your character), Drives, and Assets (essentially equipment). The archetypes available are numerous and complex, requiring a fair bit of consideration and character creation can be a pretty involved process in Dune. Just the talents alone with explanations go on for pages and there’s a ton going on here. Naturally, Modiphius is aware that not every gamer is this dedicated so there’s a whole section on “Creation in Play” which basically means you can skim through the process and throw together a character on the fly to get right down to gameplay. That won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but hours of character creation isn’t for everyone either and it’s nice to see that a variety of preferences have been carefully considered here.
As a result, you’ll need a skilled GM to play Dune: Adventures in the Imperium. Managing the rules, the checks, and ensuring players are adhering to their principles is tough enough, but there has to be a plot as well and Dune is all about intrigue and political machinations. That’s a challenging gig and getting it down pat takes some practice. Now multiply that difficulty by making everything on the fly and hoping everyone is familiar with the backgrounds of all the information. Yeek! What’s wild about all this is that Dune spectacularly showcases the versatility of the 2D20 system because it is noticeably unlike everything else even though it uses the same basic mechanical principles.
If you don’t remember the mechanics from other Modiphius games, basically any time you attempt an action there’s a difficulty rating for it. In Dune, you’ll add your Skill value and Drive value together for a difficulty check and modify it based on the GM’s difficulty rating. Roll 2 (or more depending on circumstances and momentum) D20s and each one that’s under your combined Skill and Drive total is a success. Unlike traditional TTRPGs, 1 is a critical success and 20 creates a complication in the plot (never good) so you definitely want to roll low, not high! If you roll more successes than required, they generate Momentum. That’s basically you succeeding at something and rolling on through like you would in real life. You can spend Momentum immediately or later depending on the circumstances, but if you save it, it only lasts for a limited time. It takes a bit to wrap your head around but it’s a fairly straightforward system and the main part of what’s intact between Dune and other 2D20 games.
If you’re already familiar, you’ll also know what Threat (GM Momentum for the opposition) and Zones (ranges based on various types of conflict), though the Zones in Dune have a bit more variety to them than other games. You can modify combat (and situations) with assets too, which can consist of both tangible and intangible (knowledge) possessions. There are some unique aspects to combat here, notably dueling and espionage but breaking them down might glaze your eyes over in a review, so suffice it to say that they’re both awesome. Espionage in particular makes things remarkably interesting because you never know who is working for whom and what their motivations really are. That’s that Dune Magic at work…complex political motivations and wheels turning within wheels in order to keep the spice flowing and the money coming in for your House. There are even rules for political intrigue itself!
Oh and did we mention that you’re not just playing a single character? No, no not in Dune. One of the interesting things about this system (and Star Trek does this to a lesser degree) is that for a good story to make sense, one person can’t do everything. You need a supporting cast and that means that you actually make and utilize both notable and generic supporting characters to perform actions. There are rules governing their use and ability to affect the overall game of course, but you’ll need some subordinates to help you succeed (and you’ll be making them too). What makes Dune: Adventures in the Imperium stand out here is the scope of the game however. Remember, you’re part of a House. It might be a minor House or a major House, but that basically means you’re the equivalent of a major politician or leader of some sort on a potentially planetary level. You might have legions of troops or assassins working under you. You might need duellists or vehicular warfare experts to effectively respond to situations. And you have to have those resources ready to use. It’s a unique way of thinking about role playing because in Dune you are truly playing a role, both from the practical sense and from the moral sense with Drive statements. It’s not just an alignment that keeps you somewhat focused but something more, a guiding philosophy that is the driving force behind a story that ideally ends with you rising to a position of renown in the Imperium…and not a dagger in your back and glassed over eyes.
At this point if you’re intimidated by the concept of Dune, don’t be. There are approaches for every level and even if your GM is a bit less experienced (or you’re the GM and you’re unsure), the book walks you through the structure and requirements for running a game in detail and provides you with even more background on major characters, Houses, how to make effective NPCs, and even provides a starter adventure, teaching you how to play in every conceivable aspect. It’s really a beautiful design from front to back and the Dune: Adventures in the Imperium Core Rulebook impresses at every turn.
Last but not least, at the end of the book there’s a wonderful Appendix that breaks down all the key mechanical elements of the Dune version of the 2D20 game in easy-to-use charts for quick reference and provides character sheet templates. This is an awesome tool and is followed by a detailed index in case there’s something you need clarification on. It’s a great setup to be sure. Oh, and for the tech savvy out there that want some digital love, the back inside cover also has a redemption code for the digital version of the Dune: Adventures in the Imperium Core Rulebook, allowing you to put what you need on screen for those online campaigns that are more and more common post-COVID. After all, it’s a heck of a lot easier to just pop onto Discord and play sometimes than it is to meet up in person in today’s busy world, so why not have a bonus digital reference?
As you can see, Dune: Adventures in the Imperium Core Rulebook hits all the key points with style. Not only is it a uniquely rich and complex world that draws players in but it’s a near full reimagining of the 2D20 system that manages to feel fresh and new. Players new and old are guaranteed to love this incredibly immersive experience with all the intrigue, plotting, scheming and yes, even combat that comes along with it. In short, the Dune: Adventures in the Imperium Core Rulebook is well worth your time and your gaming circle’s time. Arrakis is waiting for you.
This review is based on a physical copy of the Dune: Adventures in the Imperium Core Rulebook provided by the publisher. The Dune: Adventures in the Imperium Core Rulebook is available at fine gaming retailers everywhere and directly from Modiphius online here.
Nate Van Lindt has been a gamer since the days of yore (aka Commodore 64), and has played a bit of virtually everything out there. He's also an avid comic book collector, both vintage and current, and reads a fair amount of sci-fi and fantasy. On top of that, he watches a fair number of movies and TV shows as well. Oh, and he has a family, a full-time job, and lives somewhere in the urban wilds of Southwestern Ontario, Canada, foraging for old video cables and forgotten game soundtracks.
[…] may be aware, most TTRPGs tend to take themselves particularly seriously (see Dune – review here). Not so with Lower Decks. This is an approach designed for lighthearted gameplay, weird random […]