Delve Review: How One Expansion Turns Ironsworn into a Fully Realised World

When simple journeys aren’t enough, the depths are calling...

When I threw myself into Ironsworn, I decided to start with the base game, even though I was well aware of the high regard in which the singular Ironsworn expansion, Delve, is held.

I don’t regret that decision. Ironsworn is a pretty crunchy game compared to many other candidates for “a first dipping the toe into the waters” of solo gaming. There’s a LOT to keep in my ageing brain! And since I’m still recovering from a course of Chemotherapy (the aftermath of Bowel Cancer), I find retaining rule sets harder than I did even 12 months ago.

But I always intended to chuck Delve into the mix before too long, and I had an online printshop transform my PDF copy into a shiny and surprisingly bulky ring-bound book.

So, what do I think of Delve? Spoiler alert: It’s amazing.

But this review would be a little brief if I didn’t go into more depth. So let’s…ummm… “delve” (sorry about that) into things.

The “world” of Ironsworn is already a rugged, harsh landscape, brimming with dangers lurking beyond every treacherous ridge. But where does one go when the unknown beckons louder? When the tangled depths of forgotten places call for explorers willing to risk everything? Enter Ironsworn: Delve, the expansion by Shawn Tomkin and his son, Matt Click, which turns the game’s bleak yet rewarding journeys “downward” into the heart of perilous sites.

This expansion doesn’t merely tweak mechanics or introduce a handful of optional rules—it enriches the core experience by presenting the site exploration system. Here, Delve excels, transforming Ironsworn into a game where discovery holds as much importance as combat, and where ruins, caves, and shadowed corridors become stories in their own right. In other words, Delve isn’t just an add-on—it’s the missing piece that makes the world feel more alive, more dangerous, and, crucially, more rewarding.

But does this expansion withstand scrutiny? Does it truly enhance Ironsworn’s already evocative world-building, or does it simply add more dice rolls to the mix?

Let’s examine its features closely before delivering a final verdict on whether Delve is worth... errr... “delving” into (Editor’s note: Stop that NOW!!!)

The Core of Delve: Site-Based Exploration

The site exploration system is the most significant feature that Delve brings to Ironsworn. In classic Ironsworn fashion, Delve embraces player-driven storytelling, which means that no two journeys into the depths will be the same. The system essentially takes the open-ended questing nature of Ironsworn and applies it to dungeons, crypts, strongholds, wastelands, and any other hazardous terrain one might envision.

Exploring sites follows a structured process that fosters emergent storytelling. Players navigate through mysterious locations, encounter unknown threats, and strive to unearth valuable discoveries. The deeper they—yes—”delve”, the greater the risks—but the more rewarding the triumphs.

The core mechanics revolve around tracking progress through a site while managing the lurking dangers within. Delve introduces Site Cards, modular elements that offer dynamic challenges and guide the narrative in exciting and unpredictable directions. It’s Ironsworn’s answer to dungeon crawls, but executed in a way that avoids static, pre-generated adventures—everything still arises from player choices and oracle rolls.

If you’re thinking, So… Ironsworn now has dungeons?, the answer is “sort of, but much better than that.” Unlike traditional dungeon crawls prioritising rigid mapping and set-piece encounters, Delve ensures that exploration remains organic and narratively engaging. The emphasis here is on mystery, tension, and meaningful discovery—not just moving your character figurine five spaces forward in a corridor.

A Clutch of New Moves

Delve also introduces new moves to refine the site exploration process. Each move maintains the elegant simplicity of Ironsworn's existing mechanics, allowing players to interact with sites in a structured yet flexible manner.

• Discover a Site - A cool preparatory move with a bundle of options to help envisage the kind of “site” one encounters. It’s not just about generic dungeons, but a whole slew of Ironworn-themed danger-packed sites.

• Delve the Depths – The core move for exploration, determining the success of moving deeper into an unknown site while setting up complications or breakthroughs.

• Reveal a Danger: Here is the heart of “suspense.” You don’t know what lurks around the next bend, but you’re about to find out the hard way with this move.

• Escape the Depths – Sometimes discretion is the better part of valour. Delve ensures players can attempt to retreat from disaster, but don’t expect it to be easy.

Delve also expands on the Oracles by introducing new tables that generate hazards, architectural details, and buried secrets. For solo play, this is a gold mine—these additions enhance the experience without slowing the pace.

The ever-present Threat

Beyond moves, Delve introduces a cool “Threat mechanic”. Threats can be anything from environmental dangers (collapsing tunnels, rising floodwaters) to hostile creatures stalking the depths (shadowbeasts, cultists, restless spirits). These aren’t one-off encounters—they’re persistent problems that evolve over time.

Each threat has a progress track, similar to vows and journeys. As players delve deeper, threats can advance, becoming more severe or manifesting in unexpected ways. This means your expedition isn’t just about finding treasure or completing objectives—it’s about managing looming disaster.

The Threat mechanic in Ironsworn: Delve is a brilliant addition that keeps exploration tense and unpredictable. In Delve, sites aren’t just passive places waiting to be discovered—they actively push back. Threats embody ongoing dangers, shifting hazards, or adversaries lurking within a site, giving each location its own personality and risks.

Why Ironsworn is stronger with Delve

So, does Delve truly improve Ironsworn, or is it merely an accessory to an already excellent game? The answer is clear—it is a necessity, not an accessory.

Ironsworn, for all its strengths, is a game of journeys. I’ve seen people ragging on the game on Reddit for its over-reliance on the Undertake a Journey move. Its core mechanics revolve around venturing across the wilds, forging bonds, and fulfilling personal vows. Delve doesn’t disrupt that—it refines it. It expands the journey into places that feel appropriately ominous, ensuring that exploration isn’t solely about reaching the next village but also about plumbing the depths of hidden ruins and forgotten history.

Its introduction of structured site mechanics, new moves, and expanded oracle tables ensures that adventures remain fresh, unpredictable, and rich in narrative. Whether used for full-fledged campaigns or occasional deep dives into forgotten places, Delve guarantees that every descent into the unknown is worthy of the oath sworn to reach it.

So, if Ironsworn is a story of self-imposed vows and the hardships of fulfilling them, Delve is a testament to the trials endured along the way—the mysteries uncovered, the threats faced, and the knowledge earned through struggle. Without it, Ironsworn is *great*. With it? Ironsworn transcends into something even more immersive.

Delve isn’t just an expansion—it’s an invitation to plunge headfirst into the unknown, to unearth forgotten relics, and to wrest meaning from the depths of places better left undisturbed. And frankly, who doesn’t want to roll a few dice while descending into some long-lost catacombs, torch flickering, fate uncertain?

I’m still trying to grasp the many features of Delve, which is why we haven’t progressed to the next stage of Olvir the Forgotten’s journey yet. It’s transpired that he isn’t going to be able to advance until he “delves the depths” in search of a legendary ancestral ring, so I’ve got skin in the game when it comes to learning the new rules.

Look out for the next episode in the next couple of days as Olvir takes his first tentative steps into the underbelly of the Ragged Coast.