# Pendragon tags: #game/rpg/pendragon ![[Pendragon (cover).jpg|400]] **Pendragon** is what you get if you cross Arthurian legend with medieval dynasty management and add a healthy dose of passionate drama. Originally published by Chaosium in 1985, it's the game where you play a knight who's probably going to die gloriously, but hey - your kids can pick up where you left off! The game's real magic lies in its personality mechanics, where characters are driven by traits like Chaste vs. Lustful and Merciful vs. Cruel, paired with Passions that represent their burning love for their lord, their hatred of Saxons, or their devotion to God. These aren't just flavor - they're the core of what makes a knight tick, and failing a Passion check might send your noble warrior into a melancholy spiral. The core mechanic involves rolling a d20 under a target number, with critical successes on matching doubles (11 on a skill of 11) and fumbles on 20. What makes this sing is how Passions and Traits can modify rolls - succeed at a Passion roll, and you get a massive bonus to your next action. Fail badly? Welcome to the wonderful world of madness and depression. Through its editions (**1st Edition** through **5.2**), the game has maintained this core while refining the edges. **5th Edition** (released by Chaosium in 2010) streamlined the economy system and added more structure to the Winter Phase where you manage your manor. The latest edition, **6th Edition** (by Chaosium, 2024), revamped the combat system to be more dynamic while keeping the emotional core intact. ## References - [Official Pendragon Product Page - Chaosium](https://www.chaosium.com/pendragon-rpg/)