Step 0

This walkthrough will provide you a step by step process to register on the forums, create a game account, download and install the client, then get started with a new character. If you have any issues, you may be referred to each step of the process specifically when asking for assistance.

Please pay attention as the install does have specific steps, every one of them needs to be followed, and many people run into issues if they skip ahead. This install process primarily applies to Windows 10, but should also work with other versions of Windows including Windows 11.

If you need help with Linux or Mac, please use the following guides.

[Linux] How To Install Return of Reckoning - by xpander

[Mac OS] How To Install Return of Reckoning - by Delegator

Step 1

Please review the Terms of Use

The GM Team is active, and their sole responsibility is upholding the rules on the server. Sanctions on your account for breaking our rules will range from warnings verbal or written, temporary chat or scenario bans, or removal from the game entirely.

We expect the vast majority of people will find our server a pleasant place to play. If someone is being unpleasant, please do contact a GM via the report functions in-game, Private Message on the forums, or in our Discord directly. They are happy to enforce the rules.

A few quick guidelines!

• Be nice to people. This is a PvP game, we get heated and frustrated and very passionate. Before you start mashing that keyboard out of anger, consider that reporting is very easy to do and GM's will follow processes to the letter. PvP games are best played in groups, with friends, who can support you. If you aren't nice to people, everything is harder, and you will draw GM attention.



• Do not use vulgar, political, sexual, or otherwise offensive language. Public chat is considered family-friendly. Join a guild of likeminded adults if that's the culture you prefer. When it comes to public chat, character or guild names, and your private messages with strangers, behave. It is very easy to right-click your character name and generate a report for a GM to review.



• No cheating. Any form of cheating will result in a permanent ban. This includes but is not limited to using any kind of third party tools or hacks, abuse of client vulnerabilities and exploits, or benefiting from game breaking bugs that provide a clear advantage. If something is broken and severely exploitable, contact any staff member and they will escalate it.



• Only use your own account. Do not use an account that you did not create for any reason. This binds your account to someone else, and if they get in trouble, you get in trouble. We do not make exceptions for this.

Step 2

Creating your account

Registration of a new account should be similar to most other services. Click the button and follow the prompts.

If you wish to have additional protection on your account, our 2FA implementation will only prompt you if you change your device or once every couple of days, it is an excellent way to secure your account
You can find instructions for it here 2FA Setup Guide

!!! Use a 6-16 character long password with NO special characters or symbols !!!

If you need to change your password, this can be done from the User Control Panel once you log in to the forums. A complex password will work fine on the forums, but it will FAIL to login to the game. You may need to post a couple times on the forum if the option appears to be missing

Multiple accounts are not technically supported by the team, and are not recommended. If you have multiple people in your household, each of them may have their own account, but be advised that GM sanctions will likely apply to each member of the household for a severe violation of our rules

After activation, your account is ready to play. All you have to do next is set up your game client.

Step 3

Disable your antivirus before the initial download

Why disable my anti-virus?

Unfortunately, this step is still required despite our version of the game over 400,000 accounts registered with no security-related issues for nearly a decade. There are a few overzealous anti-virus programs out there who will block and modify a few of the files we use to make the launcher interact with the client.

The reason we are flagged for this is due to how the launcher interacts with the client in memory using an injection method that from a heuristic perspective is considered virus-like. We have submitted the launcher to several whitelisting services who have indeed confirmed the launcher to be safe, but these do not explicitly remove us from any existing blacklists.

As such, we must recommend before beginning the download that any third party antivirus is turned off. If you do not use a third-party anti-virus, then your computer is likely protected by Windows Defender that we will cover later.

For the exceptionally curious, you can find the latest VirusTotal report here VirusTotal - RORLauncher.exe

The primary and recommended method to download the game client is via Direct Download.





Unzip the entire ReturnOfReckoning folder to a new location.

• Protected folders like Downloads and Desktop can cause issues.
• If you have a second hard drive or SSD it is recommended to move it there.
• If you only have a C: drive, place it at the root of the drive so the file path looks like "C:\ReturnOfReckoning-May2022\"
• Once the ReturnOfReckoning-May2022 folder is unzipped to the new location, you can delete the existing .zip file

Step 4

Installing the game

Remove read-only from the now un-zipped ReturnOfReckoning-May2022 folder.

• Right click the folder, click Properties, un-check Read-only.
• It should begin applying this to all files in the folder and may take a minute.
• If you check the folder a second time it will appear filled, this is normal. The goal is to remove it from the files so they can be modified as needed.

Whitelist the ReturnOfReckoning-May2022 folder in your anti-virus.

• You will need to look up the specific method to do this in your anti-virus product.
• If you do NOT whitelist in your anti-virus, it may break your install during the next weekly patch or not launch at all.

Create an exclusion for the ReturnOfReckoning-May2022 folder in Windows Defender.

• Follow this procedure and select the Folder option, then choose the ReturnOfReckoning-May2022 folder.
• If this link does not work, please inform a staff member.

Install DirectX 9.0c

• This is a specific version that is required. Existing versions of DX10, 11, 12+ do not include the required files.
• Inside the ReturnOfReckoning-May2022 folder, open the dx90c folder, and run DXSETUP.exe

Setup the Launcher and desktop shortcut (right click, save link as...)

• Find the RORLauncher.exe in the "Warhammer Online - Return of Reckoning" folder
• Right click the Launcher > Properties > check Unblock if there is a Security message at the bottom of this window
• Right click the Launcher > Properties > Compatibility tab > check Run this program as an Administrator
• Right click the Launcher > Create Shortcut > drag the Shortcut to your Desktop
• DO NOT move the RORLauncher.exe to the desktop, ONLY the shortcut, otherwise it will attempt to patch the entire game to your desktop and fail.

Run the RORLauncher either directly or from the shortcut

• You should be prompted for admin rights, if you're not prompted you either have UAC disabled, or you skipped the last step
• Wait before trying to connect. It start by verifying your files, and then it will begin downloading a small number of files for patching

• ! WARNING !

  If the launcher attempts to download 170,000+ files you have missed a step. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FULLY PATCH as your problem will cause further issues
• Stop here and check the instructions again or ask for help on the Discord linked at the end of this page.

Run the RORLauncher again

• Initial install may require multiple rounds of patching. When a patch is completed, close the launcher, then start it again until you no longer see a status bar on startup.
• If you do not allow it to finish patching, you will find several things broken when you log into the game, and people will advise you to restart the launcher to correct it.
• It is also advisable on patch days to run the Launcher twice to make sure it catches everything.

Finally, log into the game

• Use your forum username and password. Do not share your email, it is not public, and is used as account verification for assistance.
• If your password is not working, it may be too complex or too long. Refer to Step 2.

For more download options and community guidance, please check this topic on the forum.

[Megathread] How to install Return of Reckoning - by Lilim

Non-English speakers can find additional language packs here

[Downloads] Return of Reckoning Language Packs - by saupreusse

Addons, Performance, and other links

The download does not include any addons, but many of them are very useful. There is a section of the forums dedicated to Addons here

ROR - Community - Addons


There is also a widely used Addon repository here that is endorsed by the team

Idrinth's Addon Repository


The Game Support section of the forums has several threads detailing how to squeeze a little more performance out of this aging game client

Reduce Lag, Crashes, Disconnects - Complete list of things you can do - by Glorian

Improving framerate in Warhammer Online - by Caffeine


Graphical enhancements are almost solely implemented through the use of shaders, which are detailed here

Sildur's Enhanced Graphics - by Sildur


The Beginner's Survival Kit section of the forums has questions asked and answered by the community to help you navigate the new features on Return of Reckoning

The Return of Reckoning Cheat Sheet - by Lilim

Getting started in RvR, from character creation to cities - by stmarrow

If you wish to join the Discord server, please refer to this thread for rules and join links

Official ROR Discord Server