The end of February/first week of March was an RPG Kickstarter population explosion. This week’s RPG Kickstarters (those ending between March 8th to the 14th) are a thinner herd by comparison. In this article, I look at 8 of the available RPG Kickstarters and 11 RPG Zine Quests including games for Exalted 3e, D&D 5e, OSR, Powered by the Apocalypse, and more.
Lunars: Fangs at the Gate for Exalted 3rd Ed. by Onyx Path Publishing
Lasers & Liches - New 5E Sourcebooks by Lasers & Liches
Conclave by Willow
Immersive Battle Maps for Tabletop Roleplaying Games by Yarro Studios
The Call of Cthulhu - Illustrated by Baranger by Fria Ligan / Free League
Citadel of Terror - An Adventure for 5E and 1st/2nd Ed. by New Comet Games
Cade's Big Book o' Booze by Justin Ryna Isaac
D.I.R.G.Ezine by SMHWorlds (Sean Hillman), Amanda Makepeace, Andrea Fornero, Rachel Quinlan, Nadia Heller, Dawn Gilreath, and more
Lunars: Fangs at the Gate for Exalted 3rd Ed. by Onyx Path Publishing
- END DATE: Thu, March 14 2019 1:59 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Exalted 3rd Edition
- PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $130 for the Lunars: Fangs at the Gate Deluxe Hardcover PDF and print, plus the POD version, as well as the Many-Faced Strangers - the Lunars Companion PDF
“A deluxe supplement detailing the Lunar Exalted for the Exalted 3rd Edition tabletop RPG. The Lunar Exalted are Creation’s divine apex predators, monster-heroes chosen by Luna to hunt and prey upon the enemies of the gods in the Divine Revolution. Like their divine patron, the Lunars are puissant shapeshifters, devouring the forms of their human and animal prey and making these a part of their own nature. Lunars: Fangs at the Gate is a core expansion for the Exalted tabletop roleplaying game. Exalted 3rd Edition is set in a mythic world where spirits walk openly among men, warring demigods topple kingdoms, and the restless dead roam on moonless nights. Heroes granted power by the mightiest gods war and intrigue against one another for the fate of Creation. These are the Exalted! Lunars: Fangs at the Gate introduces the Lunar Exalted into their 3rd Edition incarnation and includes all the rules necessary to feature them as player characters or NPC antagonists, including character-creation rules and the Lunar Charm set of powers. This book will give an iconic view of the Lunars, from their mythic origins as the apex predators of Creation to their struggles at the boundaries in the current era. It features details of The Silver Pact, as well as detailing Threshold and other locales where Lunar bands are prominent. Overall, it will focus on the legend of the Lunars, the transformations they've made, and lines they've crossed to take back Creation. We will work to create a deluxe hardcover edition of Lunars: Fangs at the Gate, featuring a blue leatherette hardcover with 300+ full-color, silver-edged interior pages and a silver-white silk ribbon bookmark. The front cover will be blue/silver foil embossed with “Lunars” written in Old Realm script, and the spine will be foil-stamped.”
Lasers & Liches - New 5E Sourcebooks by Lasers & Liches
- END DATE: Thu, March 14 2019 11:00 AM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons 5e
- PROJECT TYPE: Campaign setting
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $50 for PDFs of the Game Master's Beats, Test Wave, and The Player's Mix
“A new setting for 5E. Including new races, classes, spells, magic items, monsters, mechanics, and universe! The Retroverse lives! Welcome to an exciting new 5E universe from Lasers & Liches! It is an unbound universe bursting with half-faded memories, barely remembered songs, lost childhood friends, outdated styles, vaporwave, abandoned dreams, lost playthings, vaporware, and time corroded nostalgia. A place both strange and familiar. A place for adventure, chaos, friendship, and the magic of yesteryear. In short, a place that combines your love of the present with your adoration of the past. Do you feel like your 5E game might be missing something? Maybe a little Retro-Futurism? We did too! It's time to get weird, time to get crazy, time for more freaking laser corgis! Lasers & Liches mixes untethered creativity with sci-fantasy and wraps it in the veneer of yesteryear. Expect neon swords, Code Dragons, Pizza Slimes, and so much nostalgia inspired world building. Don't worry though, we know that your memories are sacred, and that's why we're going to treat them with care. This was our childhood too and we are giving it the respect it darn well deserves. Callbacks are easy, and this ain't gonna be easy. The two PDFs we want to bring to you are The Player's Mix and The Game Master's Beats. Both will be filled to the brim with beautiful art, fun new options, and a few surprises.”
Conclave by Willow
- END DATE: Thu, March 14 2019 7:00 AM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): An original system
- PROJECT TYPE: LARP
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $10 for PDFs of Conclave and the play handouts
“Conclave: The Papal Election LARP. You play as a Cardinal of the Church, determining who will be the next Pope. Could it be you? Conclave is a live-action role playing game of the Papal Conclave of 1268. This important event took nearly three years to complete; the Cardinals were bitterly divided, and were only able to resolve their differences once they were threatened with starvation and the very roof was torn off of their palace. As a player in Conclave, you play one of the Cardinals of the Church. Who will you support? What alliances will you forge? What beliefs will you compromise, and which are non-negotiable? Do you have what it takes to rally your peers behind you, and be proclaimed Pope of the Holy Roman Church? Conclave uses simple rules that simulate the real-world conditions of the historical election, including rules for wine and provisions. Elections at various intervals call for the Cardinals to vote, but a two-thirds majority is required to elect a Pope. Should the allotted time run out, you may find yourself with a Papal Schism, with Christendom divided in half.”
Immersive Battle Maps for Tabletop Roleplaying Games by Yarro Studios
- END DATE: Sat, March 9 2019 11:49 AM EST.
- SYSTEM(S): System agnostic
- PROJECT TYPE: Maps
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $35 + $8 S&H in the US for a print copy of Immersive Battle Maps Vol. 1
“The first book of detailed fantasy battle maps that you play directly inside of. As a Dungeon Master you never know where your party is going to get into trouble next. Gone are the days of drawing and redrawing the most basic of maps and landscapes. Open Initiative!”
NOTE: You have to see the maps to “get” this one. I recommend checking out the campaign page here. The Call of Cthulhu - Illustrated by Baranger by Fria Ligan / Free League
- END DATE: Thu, March 7 2019 3:00 PM EST.
- SYSTEM(S): An original RPG system
- PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: SEK 500 + S&H for The CALL OF CTHULHU hardcover printed artbook, art prints, and a PDF of The Great Old Ones RPG. This backer reward level is called the “HIGH PRIEST OF CTHULHU”
- NOTE 1: It’s not *that* Call of Cthulhu.
- NOTE 2: The Call of Cthulhu - Illustrated by Baranger is an artbook kickstarted by Fria Ligan / Free League, publisher of Simon Stålenhag’s Tales from the Loop artbook that became the ENnie Award-winning RPG. One of the unlocked stretch goals for The Call of Cthulhu - Illustrated by Baranger is an RPG based on HP Lovecraft’s short story as interpreted by french artist, François Baranger.
“The Great Old Ones will be a complete roleplaying game based on Lovecraft’s original tales and Baranger’s art. This game will feature Baranger’s art and will present a new take on Lovecraft’s stories. We will make a Lovecraft-inspired tabletop roleplaying game full of Baranger’s art. It’s still early days but we want to let you know a little bit about or plans for the game. The focus will be to emulate the feel of the Lovecraft stories, where characters truly go mad and die. This means we’ll focus on well written and lavishly produced one-shot scenarios with pregens, not longform campaign play. And of course, awesome art and rules. We aim for a 2020 release. Once ready a PDF of the book will be included in all pledges on level HIGH PRIEST OF CTHULHU and above.”
[h=3]RPG QUICK REVIEWS[/h]Citadel of Terror - An Adventure for 5E and 1st/2nd Ed. by New Comet Games
- END DATE: Thu, March 14 2019 10:00 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons 1e, 2e, and 5e
- PROJECT TYPE: Adventure module
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $39 + S&H for Citadel of Terror Book for 5th Edition or 1st/2nd Edition PDF and print, Addenshire Gazetteer PDF and print, and two posters in PDF and print
- “Citadel of Terror is a starting 5E or 1st/2nd Ed. adventure module set in the new World of Darknoth.”
- END DATE: Thu, March 14 2019 2:30 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons 5e
- PROJECT TYPE: Adventure module
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: £1 for a PDF copy of The Hags of Hades
- “A Dungeons and Dragons 5e Homebrew Adventure module for levels 10-13 Set in the plane of Hades.”
- END DATE: Tue, March 12 2019 11:01 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons 5e and Swords & Wizardry RPG
- PROJECT TYPE: Adventure module
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $10 for the 5e PDF of Crypt of the SCIENCE-WIZARD
- “Crypt of the SCIENCE-WIZARD is a site-based adventure for the 5th edition and Swords & Wizardry RPG rulesets.”
Cade's Big Book o' Booze by Justin Ryna Isaac
- Ends: Fri, March 8 2019 3:28 PM EST.
- “An alcohol related zine for use with 5th edition fantasy”
- PDF $5 / PDF & Print $12 US shipping included
- Ends: Sat, March 9 2019 12:00 AM EST.
- “An occult western inspired RPG zine.”
- PDF $5 / PDF & Print $12 + $3 US shipping
- Ends: Sun, March 10 2019 2:01 PM EDT.
- “A Shakespearean RPG of revenge and betrayal”
- PDF $8 / PDF & Print $12 US shipping included
- Ends: Tue, March 12 2019 11:03 AM EDT.
- “A system-agnostic mini-zine for exploring Pentolan Catacombs.”
- PDF $1 (for a single-sheet mini-zine or zini) / $7 multiple PDF zinis. NOTE: No mention of print zinis.
- Ends: Tue, March 12 2019 10:06 PM EDT.
- “Games and other stuff from the regular players at Meguey & Vincent Baker's house.”
- PDF $6 / PDF & Print $12 + $2 US shipping
- Ends: Wed, March 13 2019 12:01 PM EDT.
- “An RPG zine series bringing magical realism, the paranormal, and cryptid terrors to a modern-day setting. Compatible with DCC RPG.”
- PDF $4 / PDF & Print $8 + $2 US shipping
- Ends: Wed, March 13 2019 1:35 PM EDT.
- “Tabletop roleplaying game rulebook zines with pulp storytelling, tactical combat, and classic fantasy art in English and Japanese.”
- PDF x3 $15 / PDF x3 & Print x3 $30 + $5 to $7 (estimated) US shipping
- Ends: Wed, March 13 2019 2:34 PM EDT.
- “a #zinequest full of mini-rpgs about metatextuality, perspective, and creating new meanings.”
- PDF $1 / PDF & Print $5 US shipping included
- Ends: Thu, March 14 2019 10:51 AM EDT.
- “An old-school fan-made, DIY collaborative RPG Zine for Masks: A New Generation, by Magpie Games.”
- PDF $7 / PDF & Print $12 + $3 US shipping
D.I.R.G.Ezine by SMHWorlds (Sean Hillman), Amanda Makepeace, Andrea Fornero, Rachel Quinlan, Nadia Heller, Dawn Gilreath, and more
- Ends: Sun, March 3 2019 10:04 AM EST.
- “An RPG-zine based on encouraging diverse ideas and diverse creators. The focus will be on world building, design, and art.”
- PDF $5 / PDF & Print $10 + $4 US shipping
- Ends: Sun, March 3 2019 1:33 AM EST.
- “Cavaliers, Enchanters, Magic Items, the ideals of Chivalry, the power of Enchantment, and the magic of love deserve a place in your 5th Edition fantasy campaign.”
- PDF $5 / PDF & Print $12 US shipping included
