And that day dawned when Arrakis lay at the hub of the universe with the wheel poised to spin.

—from “Arrakis Awakening” by the Princess Irulan

We begin in the year 10,181 of the Imperial calendar, a time of feudal politics, deadly assassins, and political rivalry in a universe where humanity has spread out across thousands of planets. With this core rulebook, you and your friends can take on the roles of agents of a powerful noble House, looking to carve out a place in the complex society of the Imperium.

In this age, humanity has not just advanced but evolved. Some people have minds like computers, able to store and process data with perfect accuracy. Others have learned unique Bene Gesserit martial art skills that allow them incredible control over their nerves and muscles, making them lightning fast, lethal combatants. Some have even developed strange powers of deduction and prophesy, and for this they are often called ‘witches’.

Then there is the spice.

This substance is the driving force behind the entire civilization of the Imperium. Without it, the Spacing Guild could not pilot their great Heighliner spacecraft across space in an instant, and several factions would be unable to use the abilities that grant them their power. Even for the less developed people of the Imperium, spice extends human lifespan, even doubling it, and the promise of more years will make some people do daring and desperate things.

But the spice is only found on one planet in the entire universe, the planet Arrakis. It is a hostile desert world of deadly sandstorms and great worms, where no drop of rain has ever fallen. So, the Fremen people of the deep desert know Arrakis by another name. They call it ‘Dune’.

The universe of Dune is a complex and fascinating place, but with the rules and detail we provide in this book you can politic with the Emperor, rule a noble House, and fight deadly duels like any agent of the Imperium. We explain what a roleplaying game is and how you play it, give you a detailed overview of the setting, talk you through how to use the game rules, and even provide a full adventure to get you started.

If you are new to roleplaying games, don’t worry: we’ll explain how they work. You might also ask the staff of the shop where you bought this book as they may be able to answer any questions you have, and possibly point you towards other people interested in playing the game. Additionally, there are many online resources and groups to help you learn to play and to find other players.

Where Do I Start?

If you are new to roleplaying games, you may be looking at this huge but gorgeous book and wondering how much you need to read to play the game. It’s a fair question, and we understand that it might look intimidating. It is easier than it looks, though, and most of the writing here is not difficult rules you need to learn, but are instead hints, tips, and examples to help you get the most out of play. Another section, What is a Roleplaying Game? explains everything in detail.

If you want to just dive into an adventure straight away, you can download our free Dune Quickstart Guide from the Modiphius website (www.modiphius.net). It’s a much shorter read, giving you the bare bones to get started right away. You might also like to check out our Heirs of Dune boxed set that allows you to play from the moment you open the box, with no preparation.

So why the big book? Well, the other options are a great way to start, but with a roleplaying game you get to tell your own stories, create your own characters, and build your own adventure in the incredible Dune universe. We’ve packed in everything we can think of to give you every option you need to take your game anywhere you want to go. It’s a lot of detail, but we think you’ll enjoy reading it. Just start at the beginning and we’ll help you take your first steps onto the sands of Arrakis.

If You Already Know the 2D20 System

If you have already played Star Trek Adventures, Conan, Infinity, Homeworld, or any other 2D20 game, you already know the basics. But you also know we adapt our award-winning system to perfectly match the style of each game. In which case you may be wondering what’s different from what you’re used to.

In Dune: Adventures in the Imperium the basic 2D20 system remains unchanged. You still roll D20s to beat a target number, and can use Focuses or spend Momentum, Threat, and Determination to modify your result. However, your character’s Drives are coupled with the Skills to create a target number. Each Drive uses a statement (similar to Values or Truth statements) to determine why your character is making the test, not just whether they pass or fail.

Dune also only uses D20s, so this version of the system does not use challenge dice (D6s).

Example of Play