New 13th Age 'Escalation Edition' Coming Next Year!

There's a new version of 13th Age coming! Pelgrane Press announced at Gen Con that the 13th Age 'Escalated Edition' will be coming to Kickstarter next year. It will be backwards compatible with the current game. They'll be starting a playtest program very soon, which they are inviting game groups to join.

13th Age was released in 2013, designed by Rob Heinsoo (D&D 4E) and Jonathan Tweet (D&D 3E), and is a 'variant' of D&D.

 

[Nikosandros]

I also received it and I will start a playtest game next week

 

[Jer]

Yeah I've barely scratched the surface on my initial read - I'm going to have to spend some time this weekend to digest the changes.

 

[Deekin]

Have they fixed the recharge mechanic?

 

[Weiley31]

Is it too late to get in on the playtest for 13th age Eschalation Edition?

 

[Weiley31]

Well that does suggest the dead-simple Paladin or Ranger is now a 2nd class citizen.

Plus? The inherently dead-simple Paladin was honestly underpowered compared to other classes. It needed a rework either way. Why not simultaneously make the simple option stronger and offer alternatives for those who want them?

Supposedly, Dark Alleys and Twisted Pathways has options/tried to rework the Paladin a bit to make it less dead simple/underpowered.

DriveThruRPG

www.drivethrurpg.com

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Supposedly, Dark Alleys and Twisted Pathways has options/tried to rework the Paladin a bit to make it less dead simple/underpowered.

DriveThruRPG

www.drivethrurpg.com

Interesting. I'd need to see more details, the blurb makes it sound like it's perhaps too cautious, only providing more options rather than altering the existing structure. That is, IMO the Paladin needs something like 3-4 more talents spread out across its levels, based on some very thorough analysis I've read. So while giving alternative options is cool, getting more chances to pick them would be better.

 

[ruemere]

Have they fixed the recharge mechanic?

There is a lovely Designer sidebar on this, where Rob and Jonathan spar on the very subject (p. 157). There is Rob's alternative proposal on p. 298.
Since I do not know what exactly was your issue with recharge mechanic, and since I am unsure what I am allowed to share (Rob is very open about the playtest, however since this is very much a work in progress, I would hate to share something that is not ready), and since people could use another fan's input, use playtest email address (posted somewhere in this thread) and submit your playtest request.

I have posted some feedback, however I was just addressing something that is really a carry-over from a previous edition, and - in my opinion - there are games on a market that already tackled these items in a way that can be imported.

 

[SteveC]

So I emailed and got the first playtest document. I like what I see so far. I looked at the fighter, since that was something that was discussed the most. I like the changes I've seen.
Fighters have a set of maneuvers that are either offensive or defensive. You have a "combat rhythm" that switches so if you're on offense and use and offensive maneuver, you switch to defense. When you use a maneuver of the same type you're in rhythm with, you roll two dice and take whichever you prefer. I would play this version of the fighter (I didn't like the earlier version and thought it was too fiddly and based too much on what you rolled).
There are a a lot of smallish changes, and things (like "elven grace") are adjusted to be more balanced. I will have the time to answer some questions if you'd like to see how things work now.

 

[ruemere]

(no spoilers)

As per my reading of the Playtest Package, here's a minimalist character sheet template made in Google Docs:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1L5gWO2AWi0wGM01yO-ws9nW0nMQ2VNAlnChOrHK4gRI/edit?usp=sharing

It works in any modern browser (just make sure to make a copy - access is restricted to Read-Only), and best of all, it works on any mobile phone.

Important advantages over a paper sheet:
1. Almost anyone with a mobile phone should be able to read, and with permission, edit a copy of a sheet.
2. It can be printed out, turned into an immutable PDF or edited by multiple people.
3. While minimalist, it is very legible and should support all classes.

Next stop:
1. Need to create a new adventure (I have adapted almost all material that was out there). Needed to test creature and encounter design. And mostly to remind myself how it works.
2. The adventure premise requires availability of almost any kind of monster. My players requested to have an Arcanum experience. So we're looking at a steampunk frontier, with magic vs. technology dissonance, where zeppelins are flying ships, Elves are a mix of degenerate Menilboeans (Chaos god pacts included), Conan Picts (super conservative nearly immortal barbarians) and Wandering Jews, Dwarves are progressives, capitalists, marxists and are definitely NOT DYING OUT (actually, dwarves breeding like crazy thanks to their quite modern medicine is going to be a great angle - so it's going to be Calcutta all the way in their cities), while humans are going to be a new type of blight - initially a refugees from another world, they stole/adapted tech from dwarves, made several questionable pacts with Menilboean Elves, and now they are pushing frontiers for their settlers.

 

[Blue]

I've been running playtest with two groups - had 11 people wanted to take part in it (plus myself). Goes from 13th Age vets to someone who has never played a TTRPG before.