So using almost no effort or interest in Ironsworn, I went back and looked at my old review and my copy of Ironsworn Lodestar, which is basically the entire system for free.
So the core issue is Heart is the god stat of the game. Step 1 of fixing Ironsworn is limiting Heart to things that actually make sense:
Remove Heart as a bonus to both Face Death and Face Desolation. Both of these already have precursor rolls, and are essentially effects rolls, not determination rolls. So they shouldn't have jack shit added to them. For Face Desolation this is doubly true as you already add heart or spirit (whichever is higher) to the precursor Endure Stress roll. Meaning if you got this far, you're probably fucked. This immediately makes the game harder AND takes away power from the Heart stat. Also Bonds shouldn't be the sole realm of the Heart stat, having a bond with a person enhances threats and coercion along with bartering, etc. A bond doesn't just mean "we're friendly", a bond means you can disagree with a course of action and not hate a person for it. Even if a person is hurt, they can be forgiven. That's a bond.
Other shit that should have nothing to do with the Heart stat: Companions taking damage, challenging someone to a duel (I mean, really the duel could be shared by Wits).
Step 2: Delete Shadow. Basically give it's few toys (Enter the Fray roll) to Edge, drop it as a stat. Thank me later, Possibly rename Edge, or at least redefine it's parameters
Step 3: Bolster Edge more: Add Draw the Circle as a Move. Time to rewrite it's triggers:
DRAW THE CIRCLE:
When you challenge someone to a formal duel roll +wits. If you accept a challenge based on emotional stakes or what the outcome means to you, roll +heart. If you accept a challenge based on tactical advantage it may grant in the future, roll +edge. If you share a bond with this community, add +1.
Previous (correcting my previous record):
All: 3 moves are shared by all stats
Edge: 2 moves that could use Edge, but aren't required to
Heart: 7 moves that ONLY use Heart. 4 moves that could use Heart, but may not.
Iron: 5 moves that could use Iron, but aren't required to (2 competing with Edge, ALL of edge's moves are superfluous when you have high Iron).
Shadow: 2 moves that could use Shadow but don't have to. Pitiful
Wits: 4 moves that ONLY use Wits. 2 moves that could use Wits, but aren't required to.
Current/fixed without exerting much mental effort:
All: 3 moves are shared by all stats
Edge: 4 moves that could use Edge, but aren't required to, only 2 compete with Iron
Heart: 4 moves that ONLY use Heart. 3 moves that could use Heart, but may not.
Iron: 5 moves that could use Iron, but aren't required to, only 2 compete with Edge.
Wits: 4 moves that ONLY use Wits. 3 moves that could use Wits, but aren't required to.
I know some moves happen far less often than others, this has been taken into account. Combat is mostly the domain of Edge and Iron, non-combat is mostly Wits and Heart. The best part of all of this is you can actually play Ironsworn as different characters with different strengths, instead of relying on Heart being an "I win" button for basically the whole game and completely ignoring the existence of Shadow and Edge. Whatever you put low points in you'll likely feel at some point, which is my chief complaint with Ironsworn. There's no reason to not play a high Heart, second high Wits, third high Iron, fuck the other stats character.
Stat Arrays: Grim (default/good mode) is now 3, 2, 1, 0. Perilous (cranky toddler mode) is now 3, 2, 1, 1. Challenging (whiny baby mode) is now 4, 3, 2, 1.
Templates:
Stalwart Knight: 3 Iron, 2 Heart, 1 Edge, 0 Wits
Rakish Rogue: 3 Edge, 2 Wits, 1 Heart, 0 Iron
People's Champion: 3 Heart, 2 Iron, 1 Wits, 0 Edge
Gruff Barbarian: 3 Iron, 2 Edge, 1 Wits, 0 Heart
Each of these actually MEANS something now. Whereas before it was simply best to always put heart highest, regardless of fiction. And of course having a 0 stat is great, as it defines a weak point (or several weak points) of the character.
Now I buried the lead quite a bit but to actually fix Ironsworn, another thing has to happen. Ya gotta throw it in the trash and get a better game. But this is probably as close as it'll ever get to "fixed"
