I've had Ironsworn in my library for years, and it's been a game I keep trying to return to because it's recommended constantly and isn't just journaling with dice or one page rules light. And I've heard that Sundered Isles is excellent for the age of sail feel and would scratch the itch I have for an Anno-inspired game.
The problem I have is that I can't figure out what I'm missing with Ironsworn to make it fun. I love creating the setting and the character, and then I usually die in the first session unless I'm intentionally avoiding combat. Dice hate me with a passion (I've rolled 3 Nat 1's in a row in dnd and had sessions where I've never rolled above a 10 level of dice hate me). I usually compensate by boosting static bonuses, but that doesn't really feel like a mechanic, unless the rules have changed since the original publication?
And I love Harnmaster with the Marginal Success/Failure and Critical Success/Failure states, but Weak Hits in Ironsworn have always felt closer to a fail state than a Success. And this has made combat agonizing because I'm dead in about three turns. Gritty combat is fine, but it feels like I'm perpetually about to die from a sprained ankle. How is combat supposed to work in a way that's fun?
I like the setting and the mechanical concepts in Ironsworn, and I really want to see what Sundered Isles is like, but I can't justify getting the game if it's going to turn into a perpetually drowning simulator. So what am I missing that will make this game enjoyable to play and have an adventure? And I fully recognize that I've probably never gotten to really explore the deeper quest mechanics because I can't succeed on getting the quest started. I want this game to be enjoyable and not something that leaves me more stressed and frustrated than when I started.