D&D 5E D&D Beyond Support Included In ‘Monsters Of Drakkenheim’ Kickstarter

WotC has been including select third party products on D&D Beyond for some months now, including product from Ghostfire Gaming, Kobold Press, Critical Role, and others.

Monsters of Drakkenheim from the Dungeon Dudes (who are associated with Ghostfire Gaming)--who already have two million dollar Kickstarters to their name, with this one looking likely also--promises D&D Beyond support in advance. It's a 300 page monster book for their highly successful setting. There's also the usual selection of dice, minis, pins, bookmarks, dice bags, plushies, and so on.

150+ New 5e monsters inspired by Eldritch Horrors. Harvest felled foes to craft loot. Engage epic bosses. Explore forbidden lairs.

This is the first time a Kickstarter has included DDB support--you can't have a Kickstarter-funded project on DM's Guild--and it makes it clear that WotC is actively forming long-term partnerships with some publishers to expand the offerings available on their platform. To get the D&D Beyond version, you can add on a $35 VTT license (there are also Roll20 and Foundry options).

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Also: oh, look, yet another monster book for of "eldritch horrors." Can we get something fresh, please?

If you watch Kickstarter obsessively like I do, there is almost always a "grimdark setting" for 5E being crowdfunded, and they seem to all succeed, as do grimdark bestiaries.

It's a mystery to me who's buying all of these -- seriously, there have been at least a dozen of these books in the last two years -- but there's a definite audience for them. If this is where the Dudes' passion is -- and this all comes out of their long-running actual play campaign -- so be it.

 

[Reynard]

If you watch Kickstarter obsessively like I do, there is almost always a "grimdark setting" for 5E being crowdfunded, and they seem to all succeed, as do grimdark bestiaries.

It's a mystery to me who's buying all of these -- seriously, there have been at least a dozen of these books in the last two years -- but there's a definite audience for them. If this is where the Dudes' passion is -- and this all comes out of their long-running actual play campaign -- so be it.

Sure. I like those guys. And if I was playing 5E I might even be tempted. But come on, there are 100 other potential Bestiary themes.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Sure. I like those guys. And if I was playing 5E I might even be tempted. But come on, there are 100 other potential Bestiary themes.

I hear ya.

After WotC's 5E Spelljammer underwhelmed a lot of people, we're also seeing a ton of campaigns for don't-call-it-Spelljammer space and fantasy space products.

And pirates are coming back into the zeitgeist, with a bunch of nautical projects that have either launched recently or are about to launch.

I'm still hoping to see sourcebooks/bestiaries based on Polynesian myth and Australian mythology and folklore, but so far, nada.

 

[Clint_L]

If you watch Kickstarter obsessively like I do, there is almost always a "grimdark setting" for 5E being crowdfunded, and they seem to all succeed, as do grimdark bestiaries.

It's a mystery to me who's buying all of these -- seriously, there have been at least a dozen of these books in the last two years -- but there's a definite audience for them. If this is where the Dudes' passion is -- and this all comes out of their long-running actual play campaign -- so be it.

I bought Drakkenheim the day it appeared on DDB, and I'll be buying this, too. I love the DD's stuff. I like a healthy splash of grimdark in my setting (not every adventure, but some of them), and the players always lighten things up anyway.

 

[Zaukrie]

I bought Drakkenheim the day it appeared on DDB, and I'll be buying this, too. I love the DD's stuff. I like a healthy splash of grimdark in my setting (not every adventure, but some of them), and the players always lighten things up anyway.

I keep almost buying Drakkenheim (on foundry or dndbeyond), but I own millions off PDFs*

*at least a thousand is likely not an exaggeration.

 

[Reynard]

I hear ya.

After WotC's 5E Spelljammer underwhelmed a lot of people, we're also seeing a ton of campaigns for don't-call-it-Spelljammer space and fantasy space products.

And pirates are coming back into the zeitgeist, with a bunch of nautical projects that have either launched recently or are about to launch.

I'm still hoping to see sourcebooks/bestiaries based on Polynesian myth and Australian mythology and folklore, but so far, nada.

I'm currently writing a "high tech space-saving pirates/raiders come to your fantasy world for loot" bestiary but it's for PF2E.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I bought Drakkenheim the day it appeared on DDB, and I'll be buying this, too. I love the DD's stuff. I like a healthy splash of grimdark in my setting (not every adventure, but some of them), and the players always lighten things up anyway.

That's a good point about grimdark being lightened up at the table.

 

[mamba]

Sure. I like those guys. And if I was playing 5E I might even be tempted. But come on, there are 100 other potential Bestiary themes.

many of which also exist already (asian mythology, european mythology, clockworks, undead, fae, the horde (goblins, ogres, etc), dragons, …)

Given the success of the KS, you cannot argue with it finding a market

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

many of which also exist already (asian mythology, european mythology, clockworks, undead, fae, the horde (goblins, ogres, etc), dragons, …)

Legendary Games seems to have covered all of those and the ones they didn't, Nord Games did.

 

[mamba]

I'm still hoping to see sourcebooks/bestiaries based on Polynesian myth and Australian mythology and folklore, but so far, nada.

not strictly focused on it, but according to the description it covers the region as well

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