Are you on the hunt for stories that take you beyond the typical dungeon crawl? You might want to consider jumping into the world of Exalted – a game that’s been rising in popularity among players since its debut in 2001.
Exalted gives players the chance to embody godlike heroes in a world inspired by global mythologies. Now, with the 2023 release of Exalted Essence alongside the established Exalted 3rd Edition, players finally have options to experience the game in their own way.
Both systems offer the same core promise: the chance to play some exceptional characters from the very first session. That means no more starting as a humble level 1 adventurer and waiting dozens of sessions before using interesting powers.
In Exalted, you’re extraordinary from day one.
What Makes Exalted Worth Playing?
Exalted drops players into Creation, a vast, mythic land where you play as mortals chosen by powerful gods and granted immense supernatural abilities.
What makes Exalted so much fun is your ability to go god-mode from the start. In your first session, you can play a larger-than-life hero capable of slaying gods and mastering sorcery in a world rich with ancient secrets and cosmic forces.
The primary rulebook for Exalted 3rd Edition lays out the roles that players can pick – each with its own unique abilities and possibilities for storytelling:
- Solar Exalted – The returned champions of the sun
- Dragon-Blooded – Elemental dynasts with inherited power
- Lunars – Shapeshifting warriors of Luna
- Sidereals – Fate-manipulating celestial bureaucrats
- Abyssals – Death knights serving the Underworld
- Liminals – Created beings with unique powers
- Exigents – Champions of lesser gods
The different options mean that you’ll have plenty of chances to try out different combinations of powers and abilities.
Two Paths to Exalted Gameplay
Exalted 3rd Edition: Full-Scale Epic Fantasy
Exalted 3rd Edition is the complete vision of the game. At 659 pages, the massive rulebook gives you the layout for how you’ll play.
The game allows powerful characters from the start, with the capability of becoming even more powerful. However, it balances things so that even very powerful characters remain playable instead of being totally game-breaking.
Exalted 3rd Edition is perfect for you if:
- You enjoy mastering complex game systems with substantial mechanical depth
- You want tactical combat with many moving parts
- You appreciate having hundreds of distinct character abilities to choose from
- You’re willing to invest time learning rules to gain a tailored experience
Exalted Essence: A More Streamlined Experience
Exalted Essence, released in 2023, is a rules-light alternative that keeps the core themes and feel of Exalted while significantly lowering the barrier to entry. At 388 pages, it’s more approachable but still packed with content.
Exalted Essence is perfect for you if:
- You want to experience the epic Exalted setting without learning complex rules
- You prefer faster gameplay with fewer mechanical interruptions
- You’re introducing new players to the world of Exalted
- You value comprehensive character options from the core book
| Feature | Exalted 3rd Edition | Exalted Essence |
| Rulebook Page Count | 659 | 388 |
| Rules Complexity | High (detailed, tactical) | Moderate (streamlined) |
| Exalt Types Available | Focuses on Solar Exalted | All 10 Exalt types from the start |
| Price (PDF) | $24.99 | $29.99 |
| Combat System | Tactical, initiative-based | Simplified power-based system |
| Learning Curve | Steep | Gentle |
| Setting Material | Extensive | Brief overview |
Exalted’s Core Gameplay Mechanics
The core gameplay mechanics will be similar whether you choose Exalted 3rd Edition or Exalted Essence. Here’s a brief overview of how the gameplay works – but you can find the complete breakdown in either rulebook.
Dice Pool System
Both versions of Exalted make use of a dice pool system centered around d10s. Players roll a pool of dice equal to an Attribute + Ability (3E) or Attribute + Skill (Essence). Each die that shows seven or higher counts as a “success.”
The more successes, the better your results. Rolling a 10 lets you count it as a success and roll that die again (potentially generating additional successes).
Attributes and Skills
Exaltd uses attributes and skills in gameplay, but there are slight differences between the full game and Essence you’ll want to make note of:
In Exalted 3rd Edition:
- Nine attributes are divided into Physical, Social, and Mental categories
- Each category has three attributes (like Strength, Charisma, and Intelligence)
- Twenty-five distinct abilities representing your character’s trained skills
In Exalted Essence:
- The experience is streamlined to just three core attributes: Power, Finesse, and Resistance
- Twelve simplified skills that cover all character actions
Charms: Your Divine Powers
In Exalted, you’ll make use of divine powers known as Charms. These supernatural abilities can make your character powerful in unique ways that aree well worth exploring.
In Exalted 3rd Edition, there are hundreds of different charms that can be used, and they’re organized into abilities. This allows for some in-depth customization you’ll want to master as you play.
In Essence, there are universal charms available to all Exalt types, modified by “modes” that give them your Exalt type’s flavor.
Combat System
Exalted 3rd Edition features a tactical combat system:
- Initiative that functions both as turn order and as a resource
- “Withering attacks” that build your initiative by depleting your opponent’s
- “Decisive attacks” that spend your accumulated initiative to deal actual damage
Exalted Essence simplifies the combat system into a more streamlined version – allowing you to build up your character’s abilities with less value tracking. This allows for a faster resolution while keeping the “epic” feel of the gameplay.
Social Influence
One of the more fun elements of Exalted is the deep social mechanics that give charismatic characters genuine mechanical weight.
- Characters have “Intimacies” representing their values, relationships, and beliefs
- Social actions can create or manipulate these Intimacies
- The strength of an Intimacy affects how easy it is to influence a character’s behavior
- Characters can resist social influence by spending Willpower points
This opens up all kinds of possibilities in how you play and interact with other characters – adding another layer of depth to the game.
Magic Systems
Charms aren’t the only powerful abilities in the game. Exalted offers additional magic systems that you can learn and master through your character’s journey:
- Sorcery: Powerful ritual magic that can reshape reality
- Martial Arts: Supernatural fighting styles with their own charm-like powers
- Artifacts: Legendary magical items with unique abilities
Choose Your Path to Power with DriveThruRPG
Whether you opt for the full experience of Exalted 3rd Edition or want to jump right in with Essence, you’re in for a world of fun with one of tabletop gaming’s most expansive worlds.
We love how you have options to learn the ropes on the fly in the streamlined version of the game, or you can dive in depth and uncover all the hidden secrets in the 3rd Edition.
Ready to claim your divine destiny? Head over to DriveThruRPG today and explore all the Exalted games and downloadables available. Choose between Exalted 3rd Edition and Exalted Essence and begin your journey to greatness today!
