God Rules: Players Guide (5e)

[Upper_Krust]

Your perseverance in the face of adversity is admirable. If I were to assign portfolios to you, Stoicism would definitely be one. Although, Procrastination might be the other. lol

Definitely Expertise in the procrastination Skill...to my shame.

I'm intrigued by the idea of a simplified epic spell system. Could it be applied to 3.5/Pathfinder?

Almost certainly. Any system with comparable spell damage (of non-epic spells) should be a good fit.

Initially I was trying to match the spell levels of the old 1st/2nd. Editions. Like Karsus Avatar, etc...and indeed a spell for stealing an immortals power is in the book. But it did not mesh 1-for-1 with my scaling. They had spells like Volcano at 11th (IIRC), which is a bit premature.

also note in the magic chapter I explain how to convert 3e epic spell DCs.

As regards scaling, I have noticed Meteor Swarm is notably overpowered compared to what a 9th level spell should do (IMO). I suppose if it's the capstone damage spell then the designers don't care as much about balance...which is an issue for me to solve. It's one of a small handful I label problematic (when used in conjunction with my rules that is).

 

[Dante & Vergil]

How much is the new book going to be?

 

[Upper_Krust]

How much is the new book going to be?

Hey amigo!

The current build is 416 pages. Looking at current pricing (of other books in Kickstarters and on Drivethru) I'll probably have to price it around $34.95 (pdf) and $69.95 (physical)...maybe $99.95 for the Limited Edition version with the gilded page edges and other stuff.

For the Kickstarter I actually need to set a threshold of around $22-23,000 (which may be problematic with limited marketing).

Essentially, for a book of 416 pages I need to Print a minimum of 500 copies and that will cost in and around $18-20k. Kickstarter takes 10% off the top.

Additionally, to get Fulfillment I also need to Print 500+ copies.
Additionally, additionally I need to print 500+ copies to get the special features for a Limited edition (the aforementioned gilded page edges and stuff).

So unlike other Kickstarters where the people know they will hit 100k+ so just set the goal threshold of $5k and then have the whole thing 1000% funded in 10 minutes, this journey might be a bit different.

The other minor fly in the ointment is that Kickstarter will not let me set the funding current to US dollars. I have to set it in GBP (Pounds Sterling) since that is my currency. So it will likely be priced at £28 (pdf), £56 (print version) and £80 (special edition).

The only add-ons are the God Reaper miniature/Cthulhu diorama. Which you can get in STL format, or an actual Printed miniature in a display case. I am not 100% sure what price I will set for these but currently I have them down for:

God Reaper miniature: £6 stl, £28 miniature in case (around $7.50 and $35 respectively)
God Reaper vs. Cthulhu Diorama: £12 stl, £56 diorama in display case. (around $15 and $70 respectively)

If the Kickstarter does not reach the funding goal, then I'll release the pdf on Drivethru. Drivethru have lowered their Premium colour hardcover rates (or they will be lowered at the end of this month), however, the price is still ridiculous - I'd need to be charging around $89.95 to make the same profit as the pdf version.

So a lot of unknown variables.

If I can ever get my website sorted and work out how to sell stuff via my website I'd probably offer the pdf version at a lower price than drivethru. Similarly, if I can print some extra copies and link the website to the fulfillment, I'd be able to offer a lower price. Never having done this before is the slowing factor coupled with working on the website (or Kickkstarter) takes time away from me finishing the book.

If the Kickstarter is not funded, I'll start selling the pdf (either on Drivethru, my website or both), if pdf sales are okay and I can make some money I'll maybe Print 500 copes myself, keep them in fulfillment and sell them via the website.

 

[Impeesa]

If I can ever get my website sorted and work out how to sell stuff via my website I'd probably offer the pdf version at a lower price than drivethru.

For the pdf, is this just a question of DTRPG's cut? As I understand it, itch.io can give you a much better cut of your sale price, and you could just direct traffic there first from your site and anywhere else you personally promote. The tradeoff is that you'd still want to be on DTRPG for discoverability and other tools, and it seems they'll give you a small bonus for staying exclusive.

 

[Dante & Vergil]

I can't wait for it to come out!

 

[Upper_Krust]

Howdy Impeesa amigo!

For the pdf, is this just a question of DTRPG's cut? As I understand it, itch.io can give you a much better cut of your sale price, and you could just direct traffic there first from your site and anywhere else you personally promote. The tradeoff is that you'd still want to be on DTRPG for discoverability and other tools, and it seems they'll give you a small bonus for staying exclusive.

Drivethru take 30% (with exclusive rights) and 35% if they are not the sole seller. They are the #1 online RPG pdf retailer, so I don't have a problem with their cut. At the same time if I could set that up on my website I could offer it at a slightly lower price (to incentivise buying from me) and still make a higher profit.

Without studying the market $35 for a pdf seems to me as a consumer a historically heavy price. But I could easily point out many notable 300 page B&W books selling the pdf for $30. So I feel charging anything less that $35 (or $34.95 etc. ) is just undercutting myself.

Last week at my local game store I paid £50 for the new 2025 Monster Manual (I got the Mind Flayer cover). I could have got the version with the terrible (IMO) standard cover for around 75% that price on amazon. But my point is I am selling a book with more pages and (arguably even) more colour art (as ridiculous as that might sound) than the 5e core rulebooks for only a few GBP pounds more than books that likely had 100k+ print runs.

So as much as I would like to have a slightly lower price, $34.95/$69.95 is probably where it needs to be.

My biggest worry (Re the Kickstarter) is just not having sufficient traction/marketing. dave2008 mentioned getting the preview Kickstarter page up early and I should have done that sooner. I was just concerned I should have got the new website online before the Kickstarter preview and using Squarespace has been a real pain in the bum and I'm worried about setting up the retail aspect of the website (because I have never done that before) and if I spend a day or two on the website I just feel guilty I am not making progress on the book.

I maybe just need to spend a few days on the website, grind it out. Spend a few days on the Kickstarter preview, grind that out, then get back to the book, rather than dipping into one and not making sufficient progress and getting annoyed with myself.

 

[Upper_Krust]

I can't wait for it to come out!

I can't wait to finish it and release it!

Easily the best thing I have ever done (as it should be given 5 years on and off).

The art is unbelievable. The game mechanics are tight. The new stat-blocks are so much fun! The sheer EPIC craziness is off the charts. Thirteen new Planes introduced!

Just wait til you see the new Materials! I even realize how stupid that one sounds - who gets excited for new 'materials', what is Krusty talking about; he's gone mad. But trust me, you will love them!!

 

[Upper_Krust]

Minor update. Good news, bad news.

Bad news: I think the current tariff situation will likely nuke my current Kickstarter plan - which for me was always going to be a long shot, given the number of Print copies I need to print to make the costs viable (500+)...which has probably now risen to 1000+ with the whole tariff business.

Good news: I can just go ahead and release the book on Drivethrurpg (which is more familiar to me and less of a headache overall). Not ideal because I wanted the higher quality (book ribbon, glossy pages etc.), but it is what it is. The good side of that is a far quicker release date (whenever I get it finished that is - progress going okay, added a few pages, but still more than 4 weeks out).

Drivethrurpg: Price wise, not much is changing - though I need to keep an eye on the Dollar-Pound exchange rate.
$35 for pdf. (Current document is 424 pages)
$70 for Standard Quality Colour Hardback + the pdf.
$90 for the Premium Quality Colour Hardback + the pdf.

I make the same profit (give or take 50 cents) whether you buy the pdf or the Premium Quality book. So its not like the Kickstarter where the Special Edition of the book would have been for people wanting to support the work by paying a little extra.

Release Date: Still can't say exactly but at least more than 1 month but hopefully* under 2 months from today. Getting relatively close, but fiddly bits always seem to need 'ironed out'.

*

The God-Reaper Miniature: Still looking into the best way to 'sell' this (now the Kickstarter is unlikely). Its the shipping that is the big issue.

Future Kickstarters? I still think the Epic Bestiary will sell more and be an easier Kickstarter to hit the funding goals, but obviously I need to wait and see how these tariffs play out.

...right I will get back to work. Hope you all have a good day.

 

[dave2008]

Minor update. Good news, bad news.

Bad news: I think the current tariff situation will likely nuke my current Kickstarter plan - which for me was always going to be a long shot, given the number of Print copies I need to print to make the costs viable (500+)...which has probably now risen to 1000+ with the whole tariff business.

Good news: I can just go ahead and release the book on Drivethrurpg (which is more familiar to me and less of a headache overall). Not ideal because I wanted the higher quality (book ribbon, glossy pages etc.), but it is what it is. The good side of that is a far quicker release date (whenever I get it finished that is - progress going okay, added a few pages, but still more than 4 weeks out).

Drivethrurpg: Price wise, not much is changing - though I need to keep an eye on the Dollar-Pound exchange rate.
$35 for pdf. (Current document is 424 pages)
$70 for Standard Quality Colour Hardback + the pdf.
$90 for the Premium Quality Colour Hardback + the pdf.

I make the same profit (give or take 50 cents) whether you buy the pdf or the Premium Quality book. So its not like the Kickstarter where the Special Edition of the book would have been for people wanting to support the work by paying a little extra.

Release Date: Still can't say exactly but at least more than 1 month but hopefully* under 2 months from today. Getting relatively close, but fiddly bits always seem to need 'ironed out'.

*

The God-Reaper Miniature: Still looking into the best way to 'sell' this (now the Kickstarter is unlikely). Its the shipping that is the big issue.

Future Kickstarters? I still think the Epic Bestiary will sell more and be an easier Kickstarter to hit the funding goals, but obviously I need to wait and see how these tariffs play out.

...right I will get back to work. Hope you all have a good day.

You do realize a lot of kickstarter's use DrivethruRPG exclusively for printing. It is not an either or thing. It is a marketing thing. Being a kickstarter will likely get you more eyes then releasing on DriveThru only.

 

[Upper_Krust]

You do realize a lot of kickstarter's use DrivethruRPG exclusively for printing. It is not an either or thing. It is a marketing thing. Being a kickstarter will likely get you more eyes then releasing on DriveThru only.

That might be an idea amigo, didn't know that was an option. It does slow the release by at least the length of the Kickstarter, though that might give me a decent Editing window. It does mean I can drop the £20,000 funding goal down to something silly like £100.

As regards the pre-launch Kickstarter page, is there a way to set it to coming soon (or coming Summer 2025) rather that giving a specific date?