Ahoy, Captains!

After some reflection, revision, and excellent playtest feedback, Tides of Madness v1.4 is here. This update focuses on clarity, onboarding, and narrative flow. This version should make it easier to dive in and stay afloat. 

What’s New in v1.4

Core Rules Moved Up

The Core Rules section is now Part II, appearing immediately after the introduction. This gives players everything they need to understand Mettle, Conditions, and Quirks before character creation. No more flipping back and forth.

Quirks Now Appear Where They Belong 

Quirk tables for the Captain, Crew, and Ship have been moved out of Part VIII and now live in their respective sections: 

• Captain Quirks > Part III: The Captain 
• Crew Quirks > Part IV: The Crew 
• Ship Quirks > Part V: The Ship 

You’ll also find new lead-in text for each table, giving context for how and when Quirks emerge. They don’t arrive cleanly. They arrive with consequences.  

Clarified Mettle Modifiers 

The Mettle box on the playsheet now clearly indicates its purpose: to track the modifier for Captain, Crew, and Ship rolls, not the tick counter. That’s handled separately, with three boxes each for Successes and Failures. 

Condition Reminders 

New notes in the Captain and Ship sections explain Sanity and Integrity, similar to the existing explanation for Morale in the Crew section. All three Conditions start at 10. All three tell you what happens when they break. 

Optional Rule Highlight: Let the Sea Choose 

The rule about rolling 1d3 to randomly assign new Quirks has been pulled forward into the Core Rules, giving it more visibility for players who want to lean into fate. 

The Updated Playsheet 

The new version of the Playsheet v1.4 reflects all of the above…modifiers, success/failure trackers, clearer Quirk slots, and prompts for narrative progression tied to each Condition. And, everything is in portrait mode. I prefer having all this in my binder.

If Tides of Madness spoke to you, if you’ve heard voices in the rigging or seen yourself in the crow’s nest, step aboard:

https://discord.gg/rfvdqeGvgq