MCDM's New Tactical TTRPG Hits $1M Crowdfunding On First Day!

Matt Colville's MCDM is no stranger to crowdfunding, with three million dollar Kickstarters already under its belt. With the launch of The MCDM RPG, that makes four!

This new game is not a D&D variant or a supplement for D&D, which is what MCDM has focussed on so far. This is an all-new game which concentrates on tactical play, with a fulfilment goal of July 2025. It comes in two books--a 400-page 'Heroes' book and a 'Monsters' book which is an adaption of the existing Flee, Mortals!

The MCDM RPG: Draw Steel

Whether you’re a group of local heroes sent to investigate mysterious goings-on in the nearby haunted wood, or famous mercenaries plotting and scheming in the big city, the MCDM RPG makes building adventures and fighting monsters fun.

www.backerkit.com

The game takes aim at traditional d20 fantasy gaming, referring to the burden of 'sacred cows from the 1970s', but point out that it's not a dungeon crawling or exploration game--its core activity is fighting monsters. The system is geared towards tactical combat--you roll 2d6, add an attribute, and do that damage; there's no separate attack roll.

At $40 for the base Heroes PDF and $70 for the hardcover (though there are discounts for both books if you buy them together), it's not a cheap buy-in, but with over 4,000 backers already that's not deterring anybody!

Even more ambitiously, one of the stretch goals is a Virtual Tabletop (VTT). There's already a working prototype of it.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

you are also not undercut if they release it in e.g. March 2025, because then everyone who signed on for a June release is missing out on it, or the two books get released three months apart whenever. Personally I do not worry about these details.

Yeah, but you know Matt won't do that, right? If it comes out any sooner than June 2025, he's not going to not give someone who joined in say, January, the book - he'll just change it so it's three months or whatever because that's the style in which he operates - maximal generosity to his Patrons (I know, having been one previously).

I know I watched him say it explicitly in a video.

I can believe that but if it was in the main Backerkit video I sure missed it - maybe I tuned or skipped a bit because he said it was just for Patrons or something though.

I see it's on the FAQ now though - I personally think it should be top of the main page but there you go.

Personally, I think I'll live with it, but it certainly didn't impress me, and if they do the same with future products for the RPG that is really going to not impress me.

 

[Distracted DM]

Yeah, but you know Matt won't do that, right?

If we're not to take MCDM at their word, 5 months a patron to get the PDFs, then why this discussion at all?

 

[mamba]

Yeah, but you know Matt won't do that, right? If it comes out any sooner than June 2025, he's not going to not give someone who joined in say, January, the book - he'll just change it so it's three months or whatever because that's the style in which he operates - maximal generosity to his Patrons (I know, having been one previously).

I do not know that, then he might as well say ‘anyone joining by March 2025’, but that is not what he said

 

[Spectral Anomaly]

Anyone who's joining the Backerkit or Patreon in order to get the "best deal" is going to wind up disappointed. What both of them do assure you is that you'll get the PDFs and/or physical books as soon upon release as possible.

If you're not concerned with being the first to have it, you'll almost certainly be able to pick it up at a considerable discount in either a Humble Bundle/Bundle of Holding or via a sale at DTRPG or retail within a year or so of release.

 

[Zaukrie]

One last thing..... Every game in development is run this way. Some people play test early versions, well before the backers see the game. The only difference this time is that the alpha group is really big.

 

[mamba]

If you're not concerned with being the first to have it, you'll almost certainly be able to pick it up at a considerable discount in either a Humble Bundle/Bundle of Holding or via a sale at DTRPG or retail within a year or so of release.

I have not seen anything MDCM in a bundle of holding yet. As to discounts, chances are those will be happening eventually. I would not expect any in 2025 however.

 

[MNblockhead]

Patreons and Kickstarters are not really meant as tools for those seeking the best discount. You are almost guaranteed to save more money on TTRPG products by being patient and waiting until the materials are released and for the inevitable future sales and Bundles of Holding.

I have no issue with Patreons getting early releases of rules to playtest. I personally, don't have the time or temperment to pay to be a playtester. But many people enjoy being part of the early design process. I've backed far too many Kickstarters over the years and feel confident in stating that if MCDM were to be sending a constant stream of half-baked rules to the large number of Kickstarter backers it would lead to complaints and bad press. It is much better to send out mostly finished and playtested rules to the Kickstarter community for their feedback than to treat them all as playtesters.

I know some other Kickstarters have had higher tiers for those who wanted to be part of the playtest/alpha tester community for a game, but that leads to complaints as well.

Splitting this between Kickstarter and Patreon doesn't bother me in the slightest so long as the creator is clear about what you get and don't get with the Kickstarter tier you backed at.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Anyone who's joining the Backerkit or Patreon in order to get the "best deal" is going to wind up disappointed. What both of them do assure you is that you'll get the PDFs and/or physical books as soon upon release as possible.

If you're not concerned with being the first to have it, you'll almost certainly be able to pick it up at a considerable discount in either a Humble Bundle/Bundle of Holding or via a sale at DTRPG or retail within a year or so of release.

I super-doubt that. I've never seen an MCDM product in either. I wish I had, because I'd have picked it up in a heartbeat. The idea that they're going to put their prestige RPG in one of those seems a tad unlikely.

If we're not to take MCDM at their word, 5 months a patron to get the PDFs, then why this discussion at all?

I'm guess you want me to apologise for being realistic about the personality of the man in charge here? I'm sure he'll stick to 5 months if it's later than June 2025, but I very much doubt he'll enforce 5 months if it's, say, 2 months early, because the moment some person who was previously a Patron re-signs up, then gets hit by not being 5 months before, then complains to him on Twitter, he's going to change this. The whole reason it's 5 months and not a higher value is because he's overgenerous.

 

[Malmuria]

Sorry if this is off topic, but I'm playing Baldur's Gate 3 now and it feels like... tactical heroic cinematic fantasy. I get what crunchier games are trying to do, but if you take a step back it does seem like the core conceit of the mcdm rpg is already covered by 5.5e + variants, pathfinder, and other games.

 

[overgeeked]

MCDM RPG Q&A video up...