Briarbound release history

11 October 2026 · v1.0 progression clarification

Two personal moments. Three party milestones.

Each level reserves two personal Class Marks and three shared story milestones. Every hero receives each party milestone; neither award type can replace the other. Plan room for everyone to express their class twice, with most progress coming from team goals.

Limits reset only when Full Rest at 5/5 grants a level and ability choice. Resting earlier or starting a new session preserves both counts and limits. The sheet shows both counts and locks each award at its own limit. AP rules remain unchanged.

11 October 2026 · v1.0 AP and progression update

A little fuel from bad luck. Five Marks, then rest.

The Mark allowance and award mix in this entry are superseded by the clarification above.

Short Rest raises HP to 5 if lower and restores 3 AP per actual rest. A meaningful hero roll grants 1 AP on a kept 1–8 or 20, after its consequence, once per roll and never per target. Normal, Knack, and Trouble use the same rewards; the earlier Trouble-success bonus is retired.

The Mark track caps at 5/5. Neither award type can add more until Full Rest converts five into one level and one immediately usable ability choice. Partial progress carries forward. Character play can earn up to two Class Marks between Full Rests; Full Rest resets that allowance, with no separate session-reset button.

12 October 2026 · v1.0 playtest update

One Regroup panel. Two clear rests.

The AP rewards and Mark limits in this entry are superseded by the update above.

Learned abilities now sit above Weapons, with all inventory in Backpack directly below. The Regroup panel replaces the earlier Hearth and resume controls. Short Rest raises HP to 5 if lower, with no AP recovery. Full Rest restores all HP and brings AP to at least 10. Every five earned Marks unlocks an ability choice, ready to use as soon as it is selected. Repeated rests do not duplicate advancement. Unused concoctions expire at Full Rest. Class Mark allowances reset separately when a new tabletop session begins. Existing learned abilities no longer remain pending in older Hearth saves.

10 October 2026 · v1.0 rules update

Earn on the road. Grow at the Hearth.

Previous recovery rules, superseded by the Regroup update above.

Record Guide-awarded Class and Adventure Marks during play. Every five Marks banks an advancement; levels and ability choices resolve only at Gather at the Hearth, the shared closing ritual at session’s end, or a Full Rest unanimously chosen by the entire party mid-game. Gather at the Hearth is Full Rest; no night or daylight is required. Restore all HP and bring AP to at least 10, preserving any higher amount. Choose new abilities together, ready when play resumes. Regroup and new scenes do not unlock advancement. Every Hearth expires mixtures, ends unfinished batches and cleans the brewing kit without refilling supplies. Mid-session Hearths do not reset the session’s Class Mark limit. Class Marks remain limited to two per hero per session, across all classes. Older heroes retain their earned levels and choices.

7 October 2026 · Official launch

Version 1.0

Adventure beyond the familiar. Briarbound’s first official release brings everything you need to make a hero, play together, and Guide your first journey.

• Six classes across Might, Guile, and Magic, with five tiers and three abilities per tier: all 90 abilities are included.
• Start with two Tier 1 abilities and two Knacks. Mix classes freely as your hero grows.
• One Fate Die resolves uncertain actions, with meaningful choices when you Haggle with Fate.
• Advancement and recovery follow the current Regroup procedure above.
• Experiment with aether, brew unpredictable mixtures, and build useful inventions as an Alchemist.
• Choose one of six premade heroes or create your own in the Character Vault.
• Save heroes on your device, export and import backups, and print your character sheet.
• Read the complete rulebook, browse every ability, and explore Tallowmere’s opening adventure.

Pre-launch archive

Development v0.9 · Complete rulebook · Archived core rules · Archived abilities

These artifacts preserve the pre-launch edition. The official release begins with v1.0.