The award winning (ENnie Awards and Origins Award Nominee) tabletop RPG, Symbaroum, is coming to 5e. With a free preview and a Kickstarter for the full range of guides, this project promises a dark fantasy world of corruption with new 5e mechanics. Mattias Lilja, co-creator and game writer for Ruins of Symbaroum, answers my questions about the project and what to expect from the 5e version.
EGG EMBRY (EGG): I appreciate you talking with me about this project. What is Ruins of Symbaroum?
MATTIAS LILJA (MATTIAS): It´s a 5e adaptation of the TTRPG Symbaroum, aimed at those that want to explore the setting within the comfort of their favourite RPG system.
EGG: This RPG exists in its own system, but you’re bringing it to 5e. Why make the change?
MATTIAS: We have been talking about making an adaptation for quite some time, for two reasons; we see some similarities between the systems that make it feasible, and also because 5e players have been asking for it. So we decided to launch a primer to see what the reactions would be.
EGG: You did a free preview that we talked about last year (and Linda Whitson reviewed here). Since that conversation, how has the game evolved?
MATTIAS: The trial balloon got positive feedback and convinced us that we should do this, so we used the comments we got as a starting point for developing the featured Ruins of Symbaroum classes (mystic, scoundrel, warrior) all the way up to level 20, and also adding two more classes (captain and hunter) to get a full set of player roles. We have completed draft one of both the Player´s Guide and the Game Master’s Guide, and we are deep into the first draft of the Bestiary.
EGG: This game adds new mechanics to 5e’s ruleset. Can you talk about some of the cool new features?
MATTIAS: The most obvious one is perhaps the Corruption mechanic, as that represents nature striking back at those who exploit the world – such as when using magic. There are no Spell slots in Ruins for Symbaroum, instead spells create Corruption. Mystics need to monitor their Corruption level so as not to exceed their Corruption threshold, as that leads to mental and physical stigmata (in the most extreme cases turning your character into a thoroughly corrupted creature, lost forever). A player can keep casting spells for as long as they are ok with the Corruption they take, and there is a random element to this – so in the heat of battle, do you dare risk getting one more spell off to tip the balance in your favor?
Everyone needs to care about Corruption, not just mystics, as attuning to a magic item gives you Corruption, as do using magic item powers etc. And some parts of Davokar is so infested that corruption literally oozes from puddles on the ground, giving everyone that passes through a dose of malforming darkness.
EGG: As you mentioned, this project will create three books including a Bestiary. How do Symbaroum’s monsters differ from traditional D&D creatures?
MATTIAS: Symbaroum is heavy on abominations, creatures twisted by Corruption into dark and terrible forms – and some are made up of Corruption itself. Some monster’s bite is tainted with Corruption, and some even spew forth Corruption at you, putting you at risk of becoming tainted. The most vile of sorcerers have ways of using your own Corruption against you as well, giving you another reason not to needlessly amass Corruption. Many monsters in Symbaroum are also of the Guardian of the Forest-type, and many 5e monsters from other sources will fit right in to Ruins of Symbarom as well. We should probably also mention that the elves of Davokar see humans as a problem that needs to be dealt with, or at least contained. The elves planted Davokar forest over Symbaroum’s ruins to keep them fettered by mighty roots, and now humans come digging for treasures, risking the release of that most ancient of evils…
EGG: Those ideas bring the uniqueness of the world into focus. The original Symbaroum won multiple awards which, for some, could add pressure to keep the high standards set by the original when converting the game. Do you feel that’s the case with this conversion?
MATTIAS: If we feel we have a high standard to live up to? Yes, for sure! 5e players also expect the best, and why should they not? So we need to be at the top of our game to deliver this to everyone’s expectations – and we are so happy to have Jacob Rogers (Adventures of Middle Earth 5e, and Beowulf) on the team, adding much needed expertise.
EGG: As with all of Free League’s work, the art is next level. Who is producing the artwork for Ruins of Symbaroum, and how has it inspired this world?
MATTIAS: The lead artist of Symbaroum is Martin Grip, and we are as ensorcelled by the art as much as everyone else; we often find that we rewrite things to fit his visuals as often as we ask him to put our words into pictures! Important to note here is that Ruins of Symbaroum uses the same art as the original Symbaroum game, with the exception of the three core book covers (Player’s Guide, Game Master’s Guide, and Bestiary) that is new to keep the product lines distinctly apart. The content – including the interior art – is the same.
EGG: Speaking of, what’s different in this version?
MATTIAS: It’s the game system that differs, I try to explain that they are spiritually alike but differ in detail. The content is the same, it’s an adaptation to a new system.
EGG: Does converting this to 5e mean Free League is done with the original version of the game?
MATTIAS: No, quite the opposite. We used additional resources to create the 5e version, as not to cannibalize in the original Symbaroum, and our ambition is to bring the 5e version up to par with the original one and then produce both in parallel. More Symbaroum fans means we can create more Symbaorum content, regardless of what system you prefer.
EGG: Beyond Ruins of Symbaroum, what else are you working on?
MATTIAS: Oh, lots, Free League is as productive as ever. Personally I am involved in Coriolis, a game I love deeply, and there we are going to wrap up the Mercy of the Icons campaign with the third and final installment this year (I hope). I am also helping out with Forbidden Lands, even though it’s a bit early to talk about what we do there… I’ll have to get back to you on that!
EGG: Thank you for talking with me. Where can fans follow you, Free League, and this campaign?
MATTIAS: Thank you! You can find out more on the Free League website, and Ruins of Symbaorum 5e is up on Kickstarter now. You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Ruins of Symbaroum for 5E from Free League Publishing
End Date: Thu, May 6 2021 3:00 PM EDT.
“The acclaimed dark fantasy world of Symbaroum adapted for 5E, introducing custom rules, origins, classes, creatures and more.”
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