Dungeonesque: Is 5E's 'Pathfinder' Already Here?

As you probably noticed, a new System Reference Document for D&D 5E was released under the Open Gaming License yesterday. Already fans and publishers alike are planning their third-party releases to support the game. There's another interesting development, though -- it seems that clones of the game are appearing already! Stan Shinn, who runs a D&D community over on Google+, has launched an Indiegogo fundraising campaign for a two-booklet red-box project called Dungeonesque: Red Box RPG. Described as "a 5E Compatible RPG Done in Red Box Style", it is very reminiscent of Frank Mentzer's 1983 version of D&D.

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This product consists of two booklets - a Player's Guide and a Gamester's Guide. It includes the four basic classes of Fighter, Cleric, Wizard, and Thief, all up to 15th level. As mentioned, it's on Indiegogo with a $1,500 funding goal (though Indiegogo pays out even if the goal isn't met). You get the PDFs for $5, and print-on-demand copies will be available through DTRPG. Interestingly, despite the name it's not actually a box, but that leads us to the next item....

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Now this one is definitely a box! By the same creator, this will be called Dungeonesque: White Box RPG which contains an entire line of books. Characters & Combat, Eldritch Wizardry, Worlds & Adventure, Concise Bestiary, and so on. "A BOX SET of 5.5 x 8.5" booklets. The first three booklets will make you think of a certain White Box set of old, and will be a complete 5e compatible fantasy game supporting Wizard, Thief, Fighter, and Cleric Classes! Great for basic play with cheap booklets to give to new or old-school veteran players. Plus a series of fantastic gaming aids for sandbox adventuring on the fly! We've already prototyped the content. Booklets will be around 48 pages each."

The White Box isn't up for funding yet. That will happen later in the year.

Interesting times, indeed!

 

[Miladoon]

I don't get the point at all. Why would I play this instead of straight 5E?

Good question.

For no other reason than I am attracted to the look of the product over the 5E Basic pdfs. But it looks like Dungeonesque offers both pdfs and print might be a selling point.

But really, good question. I followed OSR for a while and some of the rules get adjusted even though they try to throw back to the olde days. Like getting rid of THAC0 and such.

As far as a Pathfinder 5.75 goes. I will not buy a Pathfinder 5.75 unless they fix the goblin art. I am not buying goblins that look like gremlins.

EDIT: Partial ninja by Koren n'Rhys

 

[Istbor]

Not my cup of tea, but I am glad that it is there for someone to drink.

 

[delericho]

As far as a Pathfinder 5.75 goes. I will not buy a Pathfinder 5.75 unless they fix the goblin art. I am not buying goblins that look like gremlins.

Pretty sure that will be 'never' then - I'm pretty sure that goblin design is the most iconic design element in the whole of Pathfinder, so I really don't expect them to change it. Heck, I'd almost expect them to drop the d20 first!

 

[Miladoon]

Pretty sure that will be 'never' then - I'm pretty sure that goblin design is the most iconic design element in the whole of Pathfinder, so I really don't expect them to change it. Heck, I'd almost expect them to drop the d20 first!

Maybe Dungeonesque will have porks! The real orcs.

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[WackyAnne]

Maybe Dungeonesque will have porks! The real orcs.

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Great visual shout-out to David Okum's old school-style artwork. You can pickup his paper minis of the p'Orcs and many more over on DTRPG!

 

[mach1.9pants]

Having grown up on BECMI and 1e, I'm tempted to do 5e versions of those. I already have for a home campaign house rules that mimic 1e more, just because it is based on the same world I used in the early eighties. So very much like Frog God Games' first edition feel fifth edition rules.

 

[Valador]

I hope there's no 5e version of Pathfinder or any other serious 5e clone honestly. I'm not a big fan of people making money by just adding some icing on top of other peoples work. I can understand similar products, but building your product off the bones and organs of another game with a new skin is just lame in my opinion.

 

[gyor]

Then you must hate the Dungeon Master's Guild.

 

[darjr]

And.... D&D!

 

[Valador]

Then you must hate the Dungeon Master's Guild.

There's a difference in supplementing D&D and then outright creating your own game, with 99.9% of the same exact everything from D&D in it, slap a new name on it and then compete with D&D. Regardless, this is sadly how most business today works, no one ever has something of their own and pretty much just vulture products from others and leech that success. Im not here to start a brand war, so I'm just going to end my reasoning here.

Only time will tell how well this plays out for D&D this time. I'm excited for new content, but I really don't wanna see Bobs and Joes versions of D&D being sold for a profit.