The streets of Ankh-Morpork are calling, and they smell faintly of cabbage and ambition. Modiphius Entertainment has released the digital Discworld – Adventures in Ankh-Morpork – Digest Edition Core Rulebook. Priced at $28.00 (around £21.00), the 291-page PDF is available now, delivering a bespoke ruleset designed for Sir Terry Pratchett’s notoriously self-interested city.
The release marks a significant departure for the London-based publisher, known for adapting massive IPs using their proprietary 2d20 system. Instead, the design team- Andrew Douthwaite, Bryce Johnston, Evie Moriarty, and Rachael Cruz– has built the “Narrativium system” specifically for this game. It uses a standard seven-dice polyset but heavily prioritises storytelling over strict simulation, reflecting a city where “heroism, bureaucracy, and improbable coincidence collide with remarkable regularity.”
The core rulebook provides everything required to navigate the Discworld’s largest metropolis. It includes full character creation rules and five pre-generated Thieves Guild characters for groups eager to skip the paperwork. The book acts as a tourist guide to the city’s most volatile postcodes, detailing the hallowed, if unpredictable, halls of Unseen University, the perilous alleys of the Shades, Sator Square, the various Guilds, and the Patrician’s Palace.
Naturally, a city is defined by its residents. The guide features profiles for notable faces, including Archchancellor Mustrum Ridcully, the Librarian, Rincewind, Commander Vimes, and Lord Havelock Vetinari. There is also an NPC generator for quickly creating fresh faces to populate the streets, ranging from ordinary citizens to exceptional nuisances.
To get players started, the rulebook includes Bad Eggs in the Big City, a 50-page introductory adventure that promises “all the mischief and civic complications one might reasonably expect from an average day in Ankh-Morpork.”
The release of the digital PDF on DriveThruRPG is perfectly timed to coincide with Gen Con, the massive Indianapolis-based tabletop convention. While Modiphius is headquartered in London, capturing the digital audience during the industry’s busiest weekend is a standard play. However, it is notable that there is currently no mention of official Virtual Tabletop (VTT) support for platforms like Foundry or Roll20, an omission that may frustrate digital-first gaming groups. There is an unofficial FoundryVTT module.
It’s also worth noting the specific “Digest Edition” branding. A standard physical edition is expected to follow, and the digest format means a smaller, more portable book, ideal for carrying to your local pub, provided you avoid The Mended Drum on a busy night.
The Discworld – Adventures in Ankh-Morpork – Digest Edition Core Rulebook is available now via DriveThruRPG.
Quick Links
- Discworld core rules | quick start.
