D&D 5E Free5e on Kickstarter

[CleverNickName]

This is an excellent idea, and I am happy to support it. Normally I eschew Kickstarter, preferring to do business with their competitors who have taken firmer stances against crypto and AI...but I think it could do a lot of good for the gaming hobby as a whole, so I'm backing it.

 

[Morrus]

. That's the intent of the whole project. Make it as cheap as possible for people to play 5e worldwide.

It’s already free for people to play 5E worldwide! I wish them luck but that’s the perception barrier they’ll be running up against I think. The value add is the art and layout, presumably, so I think they’d need to go all-out on that.

 

[mamba]

Well then it wouldn’t be free. It would just be another commercial 5E variant.

It’s a kickstarter, last I checked that means we are giving money to the project. The pdf would be free, the printed books never will be, whether POD or not

I did wonder when I heard about this how you could have a Kickstarter for something free. It’s definitely going to be harder to get people to back it when the actual product will be available for free afterwards. Good luck to them!

it worked for the Shadowdark monster creation one, the pdf will be free as well, but of course there are limits and they at least had a print version too as an incentive

 

[rhythmsoundmotion]

Try the whole thing before you form a final opinion

Free5e: Players’ Guide​

DriveThruRPG

www.drivethrurpg.com

Free5e Game Master’s Handbook​

DriveThruRPG

www.drivethrurpg.com

Free5e Free Range Monsters​

DriveThruRPG

www.drivethrurpg.com

 

[Morrus]

It’s a kickstarter, last I checked that means we are giving money to the project. The pdf would be free, the printed books never will be, whether POD or not

That wasn’t my point.

My point was — as they also clearly realised — you can’t call your Kickstarter “Free5E” and then charge people for it. Which is why they’re not.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Dale Critchley of Wyrmworks Publishing launched the Free5e Kickstarter today:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wyrmworkspublishing/free5e-a-free-open-source-dungeons-and-dragons-alternative

The intent is to build three full core books for 5e that are 100% Creative Commons and able to be printed anywhere in the world. This significantly helps countries whose economics are far different than other countries (A D&D 2024 PHB is the equivalent of $500 in India for example).

Dale is using the funding for art, editing, layout and the rest. The Kickstarter rewards include lots of accessories since the books themselves will be released digitally for free in a huge host of formats intended to help usability and accessibility.

It looks like an absolutely fantastic project to take 5e outside of the bounds of any one publisher and get it into the hands of everyone it can.

Much of the source material for this book comes from Level Up Advanced 5e. Thanks to Morrus for releasing the largest 5e system in the CC. A bunch of my own material, also released in the CC, is in these books as well but I'm receiving no compensation for this. I'm just happy to help promote it.

Anyway, take a look.

What a wonderful project! I'll have to see if I can swing contributing to it.

 

[mamba]

That wasn’t my point.

My point was — as they also clearly realised — you can’t call your Kickstarter “Free5E” and then charge people for it. Which is why they’re not.

I am not sure I follow, the KS exists to collect some money. Offering something in exchange for money is usually a good way to get more interest. I see no problem with them offering books for money rather than stickers and dice trays. It's not like the printed books would be available for free later either.

The PDF is free in either case, and it is the only thing that will be free going forward too

 

[Morrus]

I am not sure I follow, the KS exists to collect some money. Offering something in exchange for money is usually a good way to get more interest. I see no problem with them offering books for money rather than stickers and dice trays. It's not like the printed books would be available for free later either.

Well, OK. I disagree, obviously. They do, too, clearly.

Dunno what else to say.

 

[Belen]

That wasn’t my point.

My point was — as they also clearly realised — you can’t call your Kickstarter “Free5E” and then charge people for it. Which is why they’re not.

I see your point, but disagree. The free part is the PDF. I would have given up all the swag just to get POD discounts codes for the physical books.

 

[Morrus]

I see your point, but disagree. The free part is the PDF. I would have given up all the swag just to get POD discounts codes for the physical books.

But you are getting discount codes for pod versions. Everybody is. The books will be available at cost on DTRPG.