One of my favorite things in the TTRPG hobby is when a game has a quickstart. A quickstart is a cheap or even free version of the game's base rules and setting. There are usually pre-generated characters, as well as a short adventure, too.
Today, Modiphius, partnered with Ubisoft and Lans Macabre, announced a Kickstarter for their new game Heroes of Might & Magic 2D20 that goes live on May 6th, 2025. Even better, they also posted a free quickstart you can (and should) download right now.
Because I gotta tell you: if the full core rulebook is as good as the quickstart, we're in for a treat.
Modiphius was good enough to send me an early copy of the 62-page quickstart in preparation for the campaign's launch, and I've spent some time with it.
There's a short adventure called “The Krewlod Frontier,” base rules for playing the game that explain the 2D20 system beautifully, and 5 pregens (a Knight, Cleric, Ranger, Barbarian, and Battle Mage).
I was hooked immediately, partly because I already love the 2d20 game system (thanks to the Fallout RPG and Dreams and Machines) and partly because I have a nostalgic fondness for the Might & Magic video game series. And surprisingly, HoMM2D20 is the very first high-fantasy game to use the system.
Why Back Heroes of Might & Magic?
You might have heard the name Heroes of Might & Magic before. There are a huge number of Might & Magic video games, and I grew up playing so many of them. If you're looking for some good computer RPGs, you can't go wrong.
The 2D20 TTRPG is based in the world of Enroth, on the continent of Antagarich. If you've played Heroes of Might & Magic III, you'll be familiar, as that's where it takes place. The core rulebook will also have tons of other classes, lineages, and nations from the computer games that just can't fit into something like a starter like this.
Here's the rundown of the world and its denizens:
Enroth is a world steeped in magic, built on the foundation of the four elements: fire, air, water, and earth, and a more mysterious spiritual element divided into light and dark. Regardless of class or lineage, every Hero can learn the principles of elemental magic and wield spells. Spiritual magic is more complex and is not described at this stage.
Magical artifacts are commonplace in Enroth. They are forged by melting magical and common materials into an intricate matter weaving. Some even say say they can contain a piece of the soul of their bearer! Creating, discovering, and using them effectively will be the focus of many adventures.
The world is also home to mythical creatures, from sirens, nymphs, and unicorns to vampires, harpies, and minotaurs, all the way to thunderbirds, flying serpents, and behemoths. Some you can play as, others you’ll command, and still more will challenge you in battle.
Enroth has no revealed gods. Existing religions are more akin to philosophical systems exploring the world’s origins and universal laws. These beliefs are integral to the identity of certain cultures, such as Erathia’s worshippers of the Light or AvLee’s followers of the Cycle of Life.
There are really three things I like about how this is set up that make me want to back the Kickstarter campaign.
The first is that anyone can use magic in some way. I play spellcasters almost exclusively, so having the option to learn elemental magic and spells with any class is a huge selling point.
Second, there are no gods, which means there are no complicated pantheons and relationships between deities to memorize and integrate. Honestly, that's one of my least favorite parts of any world as either a DM or as a player.
(As a tangent, I will say the Godsrain novel based in the Pathfinder world is pretty good, despite being fully steeped in a pantheon I'm not deeply familiar with. That's one of the biggest exceptions to this that I can think of. You should check it out. Now back to your regular HoMM2D20 programming.)
Third, magic items are common. Oh, me, oh, my. Happy day. Goodness gracious, this is a good thing. I love D&D 5e, but one of the main issues I have with it is that magic items aren't as special or as common as I want them to be. Heroes of Might & Magic 2d20 had me at “magic.”
What is the 2D20 System?
Many of Modiphius's games use their 2D20 game system. It's pretty much what it sounds like. Every time you use a skill or cast a spell or attack, you roll two twenty-sided dice. Pretty straightforward, right?
Well, there are ways to change it up, and you will often roll more than that. As in most D20-based games, you're aiming to roll higher than a certain number to achieve success. But with the 2D20 system, you also have the added complexity of needing a certain number of successes.
That number is based on different things. The GM might simply decide the number needed. Or you might have an opposed roll against a defender and get more than they do for your attack to go through, as in the image above.
Both the players and the GM get points they can use to adjust the number of dice in a pool, and it becomes a game of resource management as well as luck and PC stats. It's a lot of fun at the table, and I can't recommend giving the system a shot. The Heroes of Might & Magic 2D20 quickstart is a perfect opportunity, wink wink.
Now, to be fair, I feel like HoMM2D20 is a little more complicated than some of the other 2D20 games I'm familiar with, but I don't think it's enough that it can't be your first foray into the game engine.
What Makes HoMM Different from Fallout or Other 2D20 Games?
You get an army! You are a Hero, sure, but you also have a faction at your back that can support you in battle. As the game goes on, you can recruit more and more people into the ranks, too, which is going to be a lot of fun.
Because of having control of an army, turns aren't limited to the 6-10 seconds many of us are used to. Instead, turns can be minutes-long and span multiple rounds.
Players have Army Points that they can use to control their armies and achieve the goals of the encounter. If you run out of them, it kind of represents your army being exhausted and unable to continue fighting. Your Hero can, though. Which is why you're a Hero, after all.
What Are You Waiting For?
You can grab the Heroes of Might & Magic 2D20 starter right now, and then after you've gone through it and seen if it's a fit for your table, you can head over to Kickstarter to get notified when the HoMM2D20 campaign launches.
Want More Modiphius 2D20 Freebies?
The game that introduced me to the 2D20 system is the Fallout TTRPG, and you can download a free quickstart for it, too! I also can't recommend Dreams and Machines enough. There's a free starter PDF, and it's one of the most beautiful RPGs that I've seen in years. The art and setting are simply phenomenal.
Modiphius has tons of others in the system, too, but these are just my two favorites and the ones I have the most experience with. I have the Dune: Imperium box set, but I've never been able to play it. Which is a shame as much as I love Dune.
Anyway, I hope you take advantage of this opportunity, check out the Heroes of Might & Magic game and the 2D20 system, and sign up to be notified when the Kickstarter goes live on May 6th.
Again, many thanks to Modiphius Entertainment for providing me with the early access to the Homm2D20 starter so I could nerd out with it for all of you.
