Reaper Minis debuts its own OGL-based RPG system: Dungeon Delvers

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Per the FAQ, minis are not required, which is mildly surprising. (I don't use minis, but I could hardly begrudge a miniatures publisher from requiring them in their RPG.)

They also don't know which license they'll be publishing under, but they're committing to having DDRPG rules be open for other publishers to use.

Ah, and yes, there are more "folk" (not "races") coming:

Absolutely! We intend to expand into many subfolk such as Irontrod Halflings, High Elves, and Mountain Dwarves. We will also venture into various half-folk such as Half-Elves and Half-Orcs.

Exotic stuff like tieflings, planetouched, rabbit and turtle people will be added eventually: "Rest assured, more are coming."

 

[Clint_L]

I'm backing it for the miniatures, because Reaper never disappoints. Interested to see what comes next!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'm backing it for the miniatures, because Reaper never disappoints. Interested to see what comes next!

Yeah, they run rock solid Kickstarter campaigns and are a ludicrously good value for the dollar for the resulting miniatures.

 

[teitan]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/reaperddrpg/reaper-miniatures-dungeon-dwellers-roleplaying-game

This looks like a fantastic deal and delivers in July. A simplified yet differentiated 5e with some unique mechanics and an old school feel. All in is $100 for three, most likely at least 4 hardcover books, dice, counters, a slew of minis and a handful of adventures.

 

[teitan]

Maybe they are hybridizing some 3.X rules for minis combat.

Looks like it is their own sort of system for mini combat but similar yeah. Elves are freaking FAST.

 

[teitan]

The Kickstarter campaign is now live.

It's interesting that the races folk include "Proudfoot halfling," "wood elf" and "hill dwarf." Why specify the variant if they're not planning on other sorts of halflings, wood elves and dwarves in future?

The system, as described on the Kickstarter page, sounds like a 5E/OSR hybrid (more 5E than OSR), which makes sense. I'm mildly surprised they're going with three core books, which is a big ask for a new system.

I had been hoping they would make a big deal of having all the Reaper versions of monsters in their monster book (they often have different names and very often some interesting variant designs compared to other companies' take on the monsters). While that seems logical, I don't see where they've stated that yet. I do like they explicitly mention scalable versions of monsters, which seems like a good idea that is finally spreading like wildfire through gaming.

3 128 page books so not much different from Castles & Crusades plus we won’t wait a decade for their DMG.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

3 128 page books so not much different from Castles & Crusades plus we won’t wait a decade for their DMG.

The DM's book for Castles & Crusades is purely supplemental. Everything one needs to play in C&C is contained in the players book and in Monsters & Treasure.

 

[jdrakeh]

I'm interested. In the heyday of d20, they announced but never published a Dark Heaven Apocalypse RPG based on their wargame of the same name (they did, however, release a d20 adventure module based in the setting). I wonder if this is in any way linked to that.

 

[teitan]

The DM's book for Castles & Crusades is purely supplemental. Everything one needs to play in C&C is contained in the players book and in Monsters & Treasure.

Yes, I am aware, it wasn't originally intended in that way to my recollection and was announced as part of the core 3 and still took way too long to deliver as unnecessary as it is and how it evolved. AKA let my joke abide man.

 

[teitan]

I'm interested. In the heyday of d20, they announced but never published a Dark Heaven Apocalypse RPG based on their wargame of the same name (they did, however, release a d20 adventure module based in the setting). I wonder if this is in any way linked to that.

IT is not but the default campaign setting will be set in the same world and Warlord could be revived if interest is there. This most definitely from the Beta, rules preview and FAQ is built off 5e but abandons Advantage/Disadvantage for bonuses and penalties (applaud), drops death saves (applaud), individual weapons have their initiative dice (interesting), initiative is rolled each round rather than once (applaud, more dynamic combat), three alignments (good, neutral, evil with guidelines for Moorcockian and Gygaxian alignments in the DM book), More dynamic movement (preview elves moves 19 squares, dwarves 6, halflings 9, humans 12), simpler yet interesting monster design (applaud), No feats (huge applause), with plans to expand later.

They also haven't decided if it will be open or closed and it isn't OGL but built off the 5e SRD which could mean they will cite the CC.