This week’s TTRPG crowdfunding roundup features projects that end between February 22nd to the 29th, because it’s Leap Year! It’s Zine Month, so there’s a lot of Zine Quest on Kickstarter as well as Crowdfundr and Backerkit. There are over 300 TTRPG-related crowdfundings live at this time, so I can’t cover them all. Instead, here’s a sampling of what caught my eye.
Sentai & Sensibility RPG from 9th Level Games
Runecairn Wardensaga Remastered from By Odin’s Beard
8-BIT THEATER THE ROLEPLAYING GAME from Brian
To Insanity and Beyond from Bite-Sized Gaming
Gary's Appendix: Issue 5 from RPG Ramblings
Beetle Knight from Brooklet Games
Ratcatcher: The Sewers of Merestal #ZineQuest from Cheatin' Fair Games
Steamboat Willie: A Solo TTRPG from Wannabe Games
Egg Embry participates in the OneBookShelf Affiliate Program, Noble Knight Games’ Affiliate Program, and is an Amazon Associate. These programs provide advertising fees by linking to DriveThruRPG, Noble Knight Games, and Amazon.
Sentai & Sensibility RPG from 9th Level Games
- END DATE: Thu, February 22 2024 2:22 PM EST.
- SYSTEM(S): Powered by Polymorph
- PROJECT TYPE: Core RPG zine
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $15 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the zine as well as the PDF of the cards
- WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? The best offerings during Zine Quest/Zine Month are the random, genius ideas that make you want to break out the dice as you burst out in laughter. Among those is 9th Level Games’ Sentai & Sensibility RPG, which is a pitch perfect amalgamation: “What if Jane Austen wrote Power Rangers? It's Bridgerton meets Kaiju!” The idea of Regency Romance meets Japanese superhero kids show fills me with joy. Using the Polymorph system, which mixes old school danger and modern gameplay, lets you fight and socialize in this homage to the Power Rangers as well as Sense and Sensibility. In the game, you’ll navigate polite society, fight monsters, and manage formal societal events if you ever want to find a good match. Does your 1800s superhero offer a furtive glance? We’ll never know since their eyes are covered in an opaque black visor. Your character could be making Dark-Helmet-at-President-Skroob-faces under there, how’d we know?! If you only back one Regency era tokusatsu homage TTRPG this month, then I recommend Sentai & Sensibility RPG.
Runecairn Wardensaga Remastered from By Odin’s Beard
- END DATE: Thu, February 22 2024 8:59 AM EST.
- SYSTEM(S): “Based on lightweight new school revolution (NSR) systems Into the Odd and Cairn”
- PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: £55 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of both books
- WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This TTRPG is a viking duet. What’s a duet? It’s one GM and one PC. Inspired by Dark Souls and Elden Ring, this game comes as two books: Runecairn Wardensaga Remastered and Runecairn Bestiary. The core rules come in an 84-page book with d20 mechanics, video game inspired options like resurrecting at campfires, and solo gameplay rules. The Bestiary is 64 pages with 100 monsters to ruin any viking’s day. If you’re interested, check out the campaign page for the free quickstart preview.
8-BIT THEATER THE ROLEPLAYING GAME from Brian
- END DATE: Thu, February 29 2024 6:00 PM EST.
- SYSTEM(S): “Based on LUMEN 2.0 created by Spencer Campbell of GilaRPGs”
- PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $32 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the core rulebook, physical standees and stickers as well as additional PDFs
- WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? The full name of this TTRPG is: 8-bit Theater the Roleplaying Game Where You're the Light Warriors Getting Isekai'd to Save a Bunch of Worlds But It Always Goes Wrong Because They Are Real Bad at This (or 8BTTRPGWYTLWGITSABOWBIAGWBTARBAT).
- NOTE: That was my full word count for this review blurb. I don’t have the space to mention that this is GM-less with random table worldbuilding, a resource-based, diceless combat system, that the classes have 8-bit era names like “Black Mage, Fighter, Red Mage, and Thief,” and the art is 8-bit style, as you’d expect. So, back it based on the name. Or not. I’m not your fairy godfather, I don’t tell you what to do, Keith.
To Insanity and Beyond from Bite-Sized Gaming
- END DATE: Mon, February 26 2024 10:00 PM EST.
- SYSTEM(S): Mothership
- PROJECT TYPE: Adventures
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $12 for the PDFs of all three adventures
- WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Three sci-fi modules: The God Number, Blue Infernum, and Neon Midnight. In The God Number, you’ll face a rogue AI with a god complex. In Blue Infernum, it’s a ship mission. In Neon Midnight, you’re on shore leave at an orbital casino where the house always wins. With new enemies, a cult, random tables, original art, Mothership rules, great layouts, and soundtracks, you’ll have enough sci-fi horror to keep your players on edge.
Gary's Appendix: Issue 5 from RPG Ramblings
- END DATE: Thu, February 29 2024 6:00 PM EST.
- SYSTEM(S): Old-School Essentials
- PROJECT TYPE: Source zine
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $16 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the zine
- WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? For the fifth issue of Gary’s Appendix, expect slime, molds, cubes, and old school gaming wisdom. This issue has an article about how to conduct an investigation using OSE, a discussion about how to improve the experience of running into wandering monsters and random encounters, plus pieces about spying, and, as stated, goo, and more. This issue have a mix of GM advice, ideas, and a bestiary. If you’re a fan of old school ideas and OSE, this is the zine for your gaming table.
Beetle Knight from Brooklet Games
- END DATE: Thu, February 29 2024 11:59 PM EST.
- SYSTEM(S): An original system
- PROJECT TYPE: Core rule zine
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $38 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of all 5 zines
- WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Five zines to cover the full rules, world, and adventures of Beetle Knight. You play as arthropod knights in a world called Litterfall. Let me set the mood by throwing some words from the game at you: Millipede’s fortress, innocent flies, feared Fire Ant nation, Summer Web Festival, and many more bug-related phrases. Beetle Knight’s system is interesting. Each character has a stat with an associated die. For any situation, the GM assigns a difficulty represented as a die. The PC and GM roll off and whoever gets higher wins. So, there’s always a chance for success and for failure, but it’s all highly randomized. If you want to try before you buy, check out the campaign page for a link to the quickstart.
Ratcatcher: The Sewers of Merestal #ZineQuest from Cheatin' Fair Games
- END DATE: Thu, February 29 2024 8:00 PM EST.
- SYSTEM(S): X-1
- PROJECT TYPE: Core rule zine
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $15 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the zine
- ADDITIONAL REPORTING: Interested in more zines? Andy Hand of Cheatin' Fair Games and Limitless Adventures shares a roundup on his blog
- WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Under the city, in the sewers, the adventures begin. This 36-page zine gives you a world of foul smells, foul monsters, and a foul way to make a living. It’s not a Mörk Borg setting, but it could be. Using the X-1 engine, you’ll roll a d12 and success will depend on how skilled your character is (4+ for your best, 7+ for your mid-tier, 10+ for the things your character is not the best at). From the co-founder of Limitless Adventures, who have the Further Adventure #1: A Limitless Adventures Zine running on Kickstarter’s Zine Quest, this zine promises easy gameplay and a nasty setting.
Steamboat Willie: A Solo TTRPG from Wannabe Games
- END DATE: Sun, February 25 2024 11:25 AM EST.
- SYSTEM(S): An original system
- PROJECT TYPE: Core rule zine
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $20 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the zine
- WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Steamboat Willie aka Mickey Mouse is in the public domain so bring on the TTRPGs! With this project, the creators are taking a unique approach to Mickey Mouse. Instead of playing as Mickey, you’re playing as the artist that created Mickey. This is a solo roleplay where you’ll journal and, more importantly, draw the creation of this character. You’ll work with storyboards, a deck of cards, and marketing demands. That’s right, marketing wants changes and you have to compromise your vision if you want to make a living. This 36-page zine lets you embrace your artistic dreams even as you concede to corporate directives. If the plight of the artist speaks to you, check out this project.
Egg Embry participates in the OneBookShelf Affiliate Program, Noble Knight Games’ Affiliate Program, and is an Amazon Associate. These programs provide advertising fees by linking to DriveThruRPG, Noble Knight Games, and Amazon.
