Welcome, adventurers, to the enchanting realm of Xadia, where dragons soar, elves wield primal magic, and your dice might just betray you at the worst unbeknownst moment! If you’re a fan of The Dragon Prince, Netflix’s Emmy Award winning animated series, or just love a good table top roleplaying game (TTRPG) that’s equal parts heart, humour, and high fantasy, then Tales of Xadia: The Dragon Prince Roleplaying Game is your ticket to epic quests and narrative driven shenanigans. Released on March 29, 2022, by Fandom Table top and powered by the award winning Cortex system, this TTRPG invites you to forge your own stories in a world brimming with love, war, heartbreak, and triumph. So, grab your d12s, channel your inner Moonshadow Elf, and let’s dive into this 312 page tome of Xadian wonder complete with a few chuckles along the way.
Table of Contents
What Is Tales of Xadia?
Tales of Xadia is the official tabletop roleplaying game set in the vibrant universe of The Dragon Prince, created by Aaron Ehasz and Justin Richmond. If you haven’t watched the show, picture a fantasy saga where two human princes team up with an elven assassin to save the world, all while juggling teenage angst, magical creatures, and the occasional glow toad. The game picks up after the events of the show’s third season, dropping you into a world where humans and elves are tentatively rebuilding peace, dark magic lingers like a bad ex, and dragons are as majestic as they are judgmental.
Unlike your typical hack and slash dungeon crawler, Tales of Xadia is a narrative focused TTRPG that emphasizes character growth, relationships, and the kind of emotional stakes that make you cry over a fictional carpenter’s backstory. Using the Cortex system designed by Cam Banks and zhuzhed up with narrative flair by Dan Telfer this game lets you play as humans from the Human Kingdoms or elves connected to primal sources like the Sun, Moon, or Sky. Want to be a Sunfire Elf artist wrestling with Xadia’s strife? Or a Skywing Elf scholar who takes life at a glacial pace? The choice is yours, and the possibilities are as vast as a dragon’s wingspan.
The Cortex System: Simple Yet Sneakily Complex
At the heart of Tales of Xadia lies the Cortex system, a modular, dice pool mechanic that’s like the Swiss Army knife of TTRPGs. It’s been the backbone of games set in universes like Marvel, Firefly, and Battlestar Galactica, so it’s got some serious street cred. Here’s the gist: you build a pool of dice (d4 to d12) based on your character’s traits, values, and abilities, roll them, and add the two highest results to beat an opposing roll. The size of your “effect die” determines how impactful your success is. It’s simple enough to keep the game flowing but has enough depth to make you feel like a tactical genius when you pull off a clutch roll.
However, some players have noted that Cortex can feel like a dragon with too many heads. While the core concept is straightforward, the system piles on “ifs, ands, buts, and alsos” that can complicate things. One Amazon reviewer, a self proclaimed lover of crunchy systems like Pathfinder and GURPS, called it “overly complicated” for a game tied to an animated kids’ show. On the flip side, fans of narrative driven games praise Cortex for its flexibility. It’s like trying to decide if you prefer a glow toad or a cuddly banther both have their charms, depending on your vibe.
The game also introduces stress mechanics, which track how much emotional or physical strain your character can handle. Get too angry, exhausted, or heartbroken, and you’re out of the scene, probably sulking in a corner with a mug of hot brown morning potion. Balancing stress encourages downtime, which leads to those heartwarming roleplay moments where your Moonshadow Elf miner confesses her love for vegetable farming.
Character Creation: Crafting Your Xadian Legend
Character creation in Tales of Xadia is where the game shines brighter than a Sun Forge. You start by picking a species (human or elf) and a distinction, like “Sunfire Elf” or “Katolian Knight,” which ties you to the world. Then, you assign dice to six values Devotion, Glory, Justice, Liberty, Mastery, and Truth that reflect what drives your character. Attributes (like Agility or Awareness) and specialties (like Spellcasting or Swordplay) round out your skill set. It’s less about min maxing stats and more about crafting a character who feels alive, flaws and all.
For example, the game introduces premade characters like Pabbak, a Sunfire Elf artist whose work reflects Xadia’s struggles, or Vankan, a Moonshadow Elf mercenary who moonlights as a veggie farmer. These characters come with narrative hooks that make you want to dive into their stories. The digital tools, inspired by D&D Beyond, let you track stats, relationships, and stress on your phone or laptop, so you’re not drowning in paperwork.
But here’s where the game trips over its own tail: the handbook makes some lore blunders. It claims only humans from the Human Kingdoms can be dark mages and that dark mages can’t connect to an Arcanum, despite elves in the show dabbling in dark magic. It’s like saying only elves can eat jelly tarts canonically incorrect and a bit confusing. Still, these hiccups don’t ruin the fun; they just give lore nerds something to grumble about over their morning potion.
Lore and World Building: A Love Letter to Xadia
If you’re a Dragon Prince fan, the Tales of Xadia handbook is like finding a secret stash of canon. The 312 page book is packed with lore, art, and new creatures that expand the world beyond the show. Want to know more about Earthblood Elves or the different types of dragons? It’s all here, with gorgeous illustrations by artists like Amagoia Agirre and Jessica Fong. The book dedicates about 80% of its pages to lore and art, which some players love and others wish was balanced with lighter rules.
The handbook introduces campaigns like “The Corrupted Core,” where players venture into Lux Aurea to save the Sun Forge from destruction, and fables like “The Library Heist” for quick one shot sessions. These stories tie directly into the show’s timeline, set between seasons three and four, and include catalysts NPCs whose influence shifts based on player choices. Will you befriend a powerful ally or make an enemy who’s more annoying than a flock of moon moths? That’s up to you.
The book also details Xadian creatures from A to Z, many making their debut here. From adorable banthers to terrifying leviathans, these critters add flavor to your adventures. Narrators (the game’s term for Game Masters) can use them as companions, threats, or plot devices. However, a newsletter flub referred to the Hollow Wood as a city instead of a village, which is like calling a glow toad a dragon. Minor, but it’s the kind of thing that makes fans twitch.
Gameplay: Storytelling with a Side of Dice
Tales of Xadia encourages narrators to run sessions like episodes of The Dragon Prince, keeping the spotlight on players and their choices. The game’s digital platform streamlines gameplay, offering character sheets, premade characters, and tools for remote play. This is a godsend for groups scattered across the continent or just too lazy to clear the dining table.
The dice pool mechanic is designed to keep things moving. You roll based on your character’s traits, pick two dice for your total, and choose an effect die for impact. Plot points let you tweak rolls or trigger special abilities, adding a layer of strategy. It’s less about memorizing rules and more about telling a story where your Skywing Elf scholar accidentally sets a forest on fire while trying to impress a dragon. (Been there, rolled that.)
Campaigns like “Lost Oasis” and “The Gloaming Glade” provide structure, but the game shines in its flexibility. Players can explore political intrigue in the Human Kingdoms, battle magical beasts, or just vibe in a village with some Earthblood Elves. The organized play scenarios let you join a global community of fans, sharing tales as epic as Callum’s awkward flirting.
The Good, the Bad, and the Glow Toad
Let’s break it down. The pros of Tales of Xadia are as shiny as a Moonshadow Elf’s dagger. The lore is rich, the art is stunning, and the narrative focus makes every session feel like a Dragon Prince episode. The Cortex system’s modularity means you can tweak it for other settings if Xadia’s not your jam. Plus, the digital tools are a lifesaver for tech savvy groups.
On the flip side, the rules can be a bit much. Some players find Cortex’s layers of complexity at odds with the show’s accessible vibe. The lore errors, while minor, might irk diehard fans. And if you’re not a Dragon Prince stan, the game assumes a level of fandom that could feel overwhelming. One reviewer suggested buying a lore focused companion book and using a simpler system, which is a fair point if you just want to roam Xadia without a rulebook thicker than a dragon’s skull.
Who’s It For?
Tales of Xadia is perfect for Dragon Prince fans who want to dive deeper into the world, as well as TTRPG players looking for a narrative driven alternative to Dungeons & Dragons. If you love games like FATE or Powered by the Apocalypse, Cortex’s storytelling focus will feel like home. Newcomers might find the rules daunting, but the premade characters and digital tools make it accessible. Just don’t expect a rules light romp this game has more depth than a Tidebound Elf’s poetry.
Final Thoughts: Is It Worth Your Gold?
At $24.99 for the digital handbook or $55 for the physical and digital bundle, Tales of Xadia is a solid investment for fans and TTRPG enthusiasts. The book’s production quality is top notch, with a sturdy cover and art that pops like a Sunfire Elf’s fireball. Whether you’re forging alliances, battling dark mages, or just petting every creature in Xadia, this game delivers a magical experience that captures the show’s spirit.
So, gather your friends, roll some dice, and let your tale begin. Just watch out for those d4s they’re as treacherous as a dark mage’s promise. For more info, check out TalesOfXadia.com and start your adventure today. Who knows? You might just save the Sun Forge, befriend a dragon, or at least avoid stepping on a glow toad.
If you enjoyed this article you might want to check out A Comprehensive List of Every Cortex System Book Ever Published Next
