Created by Rob Heinsoo (lead designer of 4th edition D&D) & Jonathan Tweet (lead designer of 3rd edition D&D Over the Edge & Everway) 13th Age brings to the table new mechanics Icon relationships the escalation die are unique features which offer exciting storytelling possibilities with simple yet powerful skill rules & fun fast-moving combat In the 13th Age of the world adventurers seek their fortunes in the Dragon Empire while powerful individuals known as Icons pursue goals that may preserve the empire from chaos or send it over the edge Players decide which Icons their characters ally with & which ones they oppose These relationships along with a personal history & a unique trait chosen during character creation help define an adventurer&s place in the world of 13th Age & lay the groundwork for epic stories that emerge through play There are also fun new rules for hitting & defeating orcs 13th Age was playtested in 2012 by more than 200 gaming groups around the world " Our goal with 13th Age is to recapture the free-wheeling style of old-school gaming by creating a game with more soul & fewer technical details 13th Age makes the play group&s campaign the center of attention with a toolkit of rules that you can pick & choose from based on the kind of game you want to play The mechanics draw from classic games as well as newer story-based games"
- Jonathan Tweet co-designer