Just recently, Cubicle 7 released their Warhammer 40,000: Imperium Maledictum (IM) foundry module, which adds the rules and tables for running IM games within this virtual tabletop (VTT) system.
Dead Suns Company got our hands on a copy (purchased, not a gifted product) and as a GM of a purely virtual group, I have to preface by saying I LOVE Foundry. We had used Roll20 in the past, but moving to Foundry was the best choice. Overall we feel that this VTT system is head and shoulders above Roll20 for functionality and capability, but we also don’t have the level of investment into Roll20 modules that others may have for Dungeons and Dragons or Pathfinder 2e. The biggest negative for most VTT GMs will be that Foundry requires access to the hosts computer, unless you use a third party like The Forge to host it for you (for a fee). Thanks to our personal Magos, we don’t need to worry about that.
Now, the module itself. Like all Foundry Core Modules, IM’s module added the core rulebook in all of it’s glory. All main rules have ported over for easily accessible compendiums, broken out as the chapters of the book. You can see the “Creating a Patron” all the way to “The Imperium”, and there are pop outs for different items within those differing sections. The organization is clean, and in the case of the pop outs it’s easier and shorter to look for what you need and click on it for the rules (such as with the psychic power example image) than wade through the swaths of text.
Character and Patron sheets are excellent, easily accessed and created for use within Foundry. This includes the bestiary for basic NPCs, which carries their standard stats and equipment, all of which the GM can edit – though I suggest you make a copy of the main NPC file for specific, differing NPCs. The attachment of art that would also suffice as a token is always a benefit for the GM, as you can just drag them onto a scene and have them ready. For scenes, the module is “lacking” but only because there are only two scenes within the rulebook – maps of the Macharian Sector, both labeled and unlabeled. These are excellent for GMs looking to show the scope of the Sector to their players, or who are creating their own multi-planet campaign.
One thing foundry does well is the math. IM, like it’s spiritual predecessor WFRP 4E, is CRUNCHY. Not excessively so, and frankly it scratches an itch for this GM, but there are more numbers and modifiers than in other, simpler systems (DnD 5e). For those who don’t want to do the math, or don’t like physical dice, the system can roll your tests against your skills for you with a bit of work to makes sure that modifiers are correct. The system will also catch and, with a click, trigger which critical wounds are suffered. These wounds can then be dragged from the chat log onto the character who suffers them, automatically adding their effects that character’s sheet. Removing the criticals, once healed, is also easy – you just remove that “Item” from the characters sheet.
Critical wounds being treated as an item may seem strange, but it allowed them to be stored in the same compendium and functionally works amazing – once added to your sheet, it triggers all appropriate effects through coded actions. These effects can then only be removed once the “item”, or crit, is removed.
With all this good, let’s talk about the one thing I dislike as the GM. The Critical Tables are missing for viewing. They’re in the system for rolling and effects, stored within the rollable tables compendium, but within the digital rulebook appendices there is no full critical table for review. I have my hardcover book to review them if needed, but I definitely would have appreciated them also being listed in a table with “pop outs” for each critical wound for ease of review.
**[Edit 3.31.24 module Developer MooMan/Russell has stated these tables are now added to the module – thank you sir!]
Overall, the IM Foundry module is a 9/10, with the only true detractor being the lack of the Crit Tables for viewing. With great functionality, ease of access, and aligment to 40k with the thematic elements its a great acquisition for GMs of digital groups. Once you factor in the community modules that further improve quality of life, I would even go so far as to say its a must have.
Review by our GM, Brad
Product purchased by DSC and review not solicited by Cubicle 7.