RPG Crowdfunding News – Deviant: The Renegades, Scarred Lands, Hyper Light Drifter, The Lovecraft Country Holiday Collection, and more

There are at least 23 RPG and RPG-related Kickstarters ending between October 11th and the 17th (with some leftover projects that end on the 10th that I missed last week). Of those, I link many and share a quick preview of eight RPG Kickstarters and one action figure Kickstarter that has a resemblance to Pathfinder’s mascots.

Deviant: The Renegades - a tabletop roleplaying game by Onyx Path Publishing (using Richard Thomas’ Kickstarter account)

• END DATE: Thu, October 17 2019 12:01 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Storytelling System
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $50 + S/H for the PDF, POD, and hardcover versions of the game
• NOTE: On d20 Radio, I reviewed first part of the Deviant: The Renegade Kickstarter Manuscript Preview

“You woke up… different. Someone changed you: on a slab, an operating table, an altar. By luck or by fate, you escaped. Hunted by your creators, they hold all the cards, and it seems they might recapture you. Except, what they don’t understand is they’ve stoked the fires of vengeance; what they did wasn’t right. What they don’t know is that now — you’re hunting them. Deviant: The Renegades presents a game where the victims of experiments band together to bring down the monolithic organizations that twisted and warped them. In Deviant: The Renegades, players take on the characters of the Remade, human beings who have been transformed into something else through the action of human actors. No millennia-old curse, moon-spirit’s favor, or Supernal Watchtower changed the Remade into what they are; their state is the result of chanted spells, long surgeries, experimental treatments, bizarre accidents, or alchemical poisons. Their creators — Progenitors — have human faces; they are people who saw what lurks in the shadows of the world and wanted power for themselves. Many Remade — Devoted — still serve the conspiracies that changed them. The player characters are Renegades, Remade who have escaped the clutches of their creators… for now. Contribute to help us create a traditionally printed version of Deviant: The Renegades, a new game in the Chronicles of Darkness line.”

Scarred Lands Creature Collection for 5th Edition RPG by Handiwork Games (published by Onyx Path Publishing and using their Kickstarter account)

• END DATE: Sat, October 12 2019 12:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons 5e
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $45 + $15 S/H for the PDF and the hardcover and additional PDFs
• NOTE: Travie Legge, freelancer on the Scarred Lands, talked to me his journey to working with OPP in November, 2018 (you can read it here)

“Help create a new Creature Collection hardcover book and get it in stores. We’re bringing the best adversaries from the history of the Creature Collection to 5th Edition! We want to make a full colour, one creature per page, hardcover bestiary for the world’s favourite roleplaying game. Way back at the beginning of the d20 times, when 3rd Edition was the big noise, gamers had two core manuals with which to play. The Player’s Handbook and Dungeon Master’s Guide were available, but there was a pause before we got the official Monster Manual. Into that gap burst The Creature Collection - the very first bestiary of Third Edition monsters! The Creature Collection begins at 160 pages and will feature roughly 140 monsters.”

ONYX PATH PUBLISHING NOTE

Let’s address Kickstarter’s guideline stating, “We don’t permit running multiple projects at the same time, or launching a second project before fulfilling your first one,” and Onyx Path Publishing’s campaigns. On the surface, OPP conducting two Kickstarters in the same month would seem to conflict with KS’s rules; however, there are a few caveats:

• One of the campaigns is run through Richard Thomas’ Kickstarter account, the other through OPP’s account.
• Deviant: The Renegade is an internal OPP project with David Brookshaw and Eric Zawadzki handling a great deal of the heavy lifting. Scarred Lands Creature Collection for 5th Edition RPG is being created by Handiwork Games (headed by Jon Hodgson) based on OPP’s property (developed by Travis Legge) with OPP handling the Kickstarter. There is a delineation of labor.
• The second half of their guideline, “launching a second project before fulfilling your first one,” is a dead letter as publishers routinely have unfulfilled KSs while launching new ones. That is to say, this guideline is not consistently enforced.
• Kickstarter has not suspended or canceled either project as of this writing.

Ultimately, if this is a conflict, its resolution is up to Kickstarter and OPP. Both campaigns are well past their initial goals and demonstrating solid fanbases, and I would not wish to see OPP, Handiwork Games, or the fans negatively impacted.

UPDATE 2019-10-02. Jon Hodgson of Handiwork Games shared this insight into the two Onyx Path Publishing campaigns:

"It is very unusual that Onyx Path/Rich Thomas has two active accounts. This was done with the express permission of Kickstarter, because Onyx Path have done just so many successful projects with them.

The Creature Collection is being created entirely "out of house" by Handiwork Games, and we're also running the Kickstarter on behalf of Onyx Path."

CAPERS Covert RPG by Nerdburger Games

• END DATE: Thu, October 10 2019 9:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): CAPERS
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $10 for the PDF and POD version of the book
• NOTE: While I had nothing to do with this RPG, I game with Craig Campbell of Nerdburger Games and will attend Conapalooza in Kingsport, TN with him. If you’re going, stop by, say hi, and game with us.

“An RPG of Super-Spies and Super-Villains...with Super-Powers! It’s the 1960s and the Cold War rages. Diabolical super-villains implement plans for market, corporate, and global domination. Scientists craft gadgets to help sexy super-spies battle these villains. You are one of these super-villains or super-spies clashing in exciting and exotic locales...and you have super-powers! CAPERS Covert is a supplement for the BAMFsie award-winning CAPERS roleplaying game, which is set in the 1920s Prohibition Era of the United States. In CAPERS Covert, you portray a character with extraordinary abilities living in the midst of an ongoing cat and mouse game between super-villains and super-spies. You'll employ your super-powers, gadgets, and charm to aid you in achieving your goals. Learn more about NerdBurger Games and CAPERS products on our website and Discord.”

Harold the Halfling's Herbology Handbook: Fantastic Flora by Deep Dungeon Games

• END DATE: Sat, October 12 2019 11:08 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): System neutral
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $15 for the PDF of the book

“An RPG guide to fantasy flora! Join Harold as he explores extraordinary plants and vegetation throughout the realms! Take your world to another creative level! Not all apples are poisoned; not all trees walk around with murderous intent! Give your questing party a living world to adventure through, with lush vegetation full of sights, smells, and various uses for heroic explorers who would be familiar with the world and its plant life. Harold the Halfling's Herbology Handbook is an all-new RPG supplement with 70 different types of in-game flora ready for any fantasy-based tabletop game. This compendium, cleverly narrated by Harold himself, focuses on the types of flora your adventurers will commonly encounter: trees, fungi, crops, fruits, vegetables, and more, detailing their origins, environments, and uses.”

Nordlond Sagas for the Dungeon Fantasy RPG by Gaming Ballistic

• END DATE: Sat, October 12 2019 11:30 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): GURPS
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $60 + S/H for all three books in PDF and softcover

“Three new works (two adventure locations, one rules book) expanding the Norðlond setting for the Dungeon Fantasy RPG, Powered by GURPS. Twice before, your generous support—with the kind permission of Steve Jackson Games in granting me a license—has allowed Gaming Ballistic to produce high-quality adventure supplements for the Dungeon Fantasy RPG. Please join Gaming Ballistic to create these new Norðlond Sagas, published under a continuing license for the Dungeon Fantasy RPG from Steve Jackson Games. The Dragons of Rosgarth expansion and adventure scenario details the towns of Midgard and Jarngarðr, and provides a looming threat worthy of a party of seasoned delvers. Forest's End features several threats and three actual dungeons to delve for the Dungeon Fantasy RPG! Norðlondr Fólk brings at least 16 different playable racial templates to supplement those from Dungeon Fantasy Adventurers.”

Hyper Light Drifter: Tabletop Role-Playing Game by Metal Weave Games

• END DATE: Sun, October 13 2019 1:00 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): An original d20 system
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $125 + S/H for the PDF and print for the setting book, the game book, and the starter box

“A tabletop role playing game based on the award-winning video game: Hyper Light Drifter. Hyper Light Drifter: The Tabletop Role-Playing Game (or Drifter for short) is a game of exploration and adventure, as you unearth ancient ruins, defeat the horrors, and discover forgotten knowledge. Based on the evocative and renowned Hyper Light Drifter video game and officially licensed by Heart Machine, Drifter brings this evocative world to your RPG table! In Drifter, you play as a drifter, one who ventures outside the safety of the sanctuaries, in search technology and answers, whether that's out in the wilderness, or in the depths of a Librarian ruin. You are both a competent fighter and skilled explorer—you have to be in order to survive in the harsh wilderness. Drifter uses its own unique system that is rules-light and is easy to learn, facilitating fast-paced combat, creative exploration, and open roleplaying opportunities. Utilizing the famous d20, the system leverages energy management combined with a tiered threshold of success to deliver a rewarding risk vs reward dynamic. Drifter creates stories like those you’d find in Horizon: Zero Dawn, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Bastion, and Hyper Light Drifter. Or if you prefer tabletop comparisons, Dungeon World, Ruyuutama, and Numenera.”

The Lovecraft Country Holiday Collection by Golden Goblin Press

• END DATE: Sun, October 13 2019 11:59 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Call of Cthulhu 7e
• PROJECT TYPE: Adventures and fiction
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $20 for both PDFs

“A collection of 1920's 7th edition Call of Cthulhu scenarios and a six-story fiction companion, both with adolescent protagonists. Kids growing up in Lovecraft country have rather unique childhoods. One set of six cousins growing up in Arkham, Kingsport, Innsmouth, and Dunwich know that shadows hide a darker evil, that ghosts haunt lonely fields, that monsters lurk beyond the walls of sleep, and that their hometowns aren’t like other places. They also know that whatever happens, they can face it together and do what it takes to set things right. They are sure that the light of friendship and family can cast away any shadows. But what do kids know… This 7th Edition Call of Chulhu scenario collection features six adolescent mythos investigators. The adventures tend to be of a lower threat level than your average Call of Cthulhu scenario, with more mystery and investigation, better suited for team of adolescent mythos investigators. This companion book will be a collection of six cosmic horror short stories. Each tale will center on one of the six adolescent mythos investigators as they face the perils growing up in their most unusual communities.”

Wyrdscouts: a storytelling adventure game by Wicked Clever

• END DATE: Thu, October 10 2019 10:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): An original system
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $60 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the game, ten d10s & velvet pouch, thirteen glass faerie stones & pouch, and six character journals
• NOTE: This RPG changed its name from Scouts of the Wyrdwood Forest to Wyrdscouts midway through the campaign. I asked Robert Turk of Wicked Clever why. “It comes down to the realization that our former title created some confusion about what the product was, and making the change helps set us solidly in our own space. I know changing in the middle of a KS is odd, and possibly detrimental, but we didn't want to get all done and then spring it on folks.”

“A tabletop RPG about magical scouts in an enchanted wood! Explore the Wyrdwood, earn your badges, and befriend the Fae! [Wyrdscouts] is a rules-lite, storytelling adventure game about modern, magical kids who spend their weekends exploring an enchanted woodland realm filled with danger, myth, and faerie tales... We are raising funds to create an original tabletop role playing game in a 7x10 softback book, 120 pages long, with full-color illustrations by four talented female illustrators.”

Plunderlings by Lone Coconut

• END DATE: Tue, October 15 2019 11:30 AM EDT.
• PROJECT TYPE: Action figures
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $30 + $6 S/H for a single Plunderling
• NOTE: This not for an RPG or an RPG-related campaign. These goblin action figures bear a resemblance to Pathfinder’s variety so I’m including it here.
  To be clear, these action figures are not licensed from Paizo or related to Pathfinder.

“The 1/12 Scale Pirate Goblin Action Figure. Plunderlings are a new concept of fantasy creature. A little bit goblin, a little bit pirate, united with infectious charm. These greedy adorable pirates travel from island to island looking for treasure and mischief. We're building a fully articulated figure that is versatile and able to sit comfortably next to your Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Master of the Universe, Figuarts, or Mythic Legions action figures! The Plunderling action figure is 1/12 scale and without a hat will stand 3.8 inches tall with over 25 points of articulation. As of now we have 12 unique Plunderling figures already designed in 6 different themes. Each in a variety of colors, each including their own accessories, 3 different heads, a magnetic hat and two pairs of hands (relaxed and gripping).”

RPG QUICK HITS

Sinopa Omnibus, Volume Two ~ 5E Characters, Stats & Stories by Sinopa Publishing LLC

• END DATE: Thu, October 10 2019 11:15 AM EDT.
• “Collection of 6 unique NPC's, stats and stories 5th edition game mechanics and full color illustrations RPG content for your DnD game.”

Hidden Heroes: A one-shot D&D 5E animal adventure by Space Daddy Games

• END DATE: Fri, October 11 2019 9:00 PM EDT.
• “An animal-based adventure for Dungeons & Dragons to save the Awakened Woods from a predator incursion.”

THE STORY ENGINE deck of endless storytelling prompts + book by Peter Chiykowski

• END DATE: Fri, October 11 2019 11:59 PM EDT.
• “Deck of story prompts for writers, teachers, GMs, DMs & tabletop RPGs + a new book of piercing postcard stories from The Shortest Story.”

SLICE: An easy-to-learn RPG by Matt&Mya

• END DATE: Mon, October 14 2019 10:00 AM EDT.
• “Light on rules, but heavy on imagination—SLICE is a role-playing game the whole family can enjoy!”

Roan: World at War by Robert M.

• END DATE: Mon, October 14 2019 8:36 PM EDT.
• “Roan: World at War - A Platoon scale standalone expansion for the Roan RPG system. Enter a World War of diesel-tech and magic.”

Disposable Heroes by Sandy Pug Games

• END DATE: Tue, October 15 2019 10:06 AM EDT.
• “A card-based tabletop RPG with roguelike elements and a funky fresh setting!”

Retro RPGA Inspired 1E&5E Mini-Adventure Set by Art of the Genre

• END DATE: Tue, October 15 2019 3:53 PM EDT.
• “A triple mini-adventure bridge to expand the gaming levels of The Curse of Roslof Campaigns in both 1E & 5E gaming formats.”

MODERN DUNGEON5 by paNik productions

• END DATE: Wed, October 16 2019 12:07 AM EDT.
• “A 5th Edition source book for modern era settings.”

10 Workers United: A Roleplaying Game About Solidarity by Christopher Grey

• END DATE: Thu, October 17 2019 9:27 AM EDT.
• “A tabletop one-shot roleplaying game designed to show the power of organized labor and creating a seat at the table.”

RPG ACCESSORIES

Monster Cards: DnD 5e Reference Cards by Colin Sproule

• END DATE: Sun, October 13 2019 1:59 AM EDT.
• “Easy to use cards with 5e stats blocks, original art, quirks and inspiration.”

Dice of the Ancients: A Tabletop RPG Accessory by David Savedge

• END DATE: Sun, October 13 2019 7:00 PM EDT.
• “Solid brass dice, fashioned by hand, featuring a rich blue-green patina or a fine bright finish.”

Campaign Medals: Collectable medals for your RPG adventures! by Ancient Lai

• END DATE: Mon, October 14 2019 10:00 AM EDT.
• “Metal and resin displayable medals for your RPG group inspired by D&D 5e adventure modules.”

Critical Dice by Giochix.it

• END DATE: Tue, October 15 2019 10:25 AM EDT.
• “Add awesome effects to your Critical Hits in your role-playing games!”

Make GM Binder the BEST Tabletop RPG Content Platform Ever by Levi (ivel) Rosol

• END DATE: Wed, October 16 2019 11:00 PM EDT.
• “We're gearing up to add some amazing new features to GM Binder, and need your help! Click the button below to get notified!”

Damage Dice: roll with power for D&D 5e by Al McWilliams

• END DATE: Thu, October 17 2019 10:42 AM EDT.
• “A set of special dice designed to add style, theme and function to every damage roll in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition.”

 

[Stacie GmrGrl]

Deviants is one of the coolest rpgs I've ever seen. It's really like "What if X-Men, The X-Files, Blacklist and revenge action movies had a baby with the World of Darkness."

 

[Ancalagon]

Kickstarter is getting some flack for its anti union activities. It should be noted that at this time, said union is asking people not to boycott, but...

Kickstarter To Workers and Project Creators: Drop Dead ❧ Current Affairs

<p>The company doubles down on its anti-union stance and says it plans to fight its workers to the bitter end… </p>

www.currentaffairs.org

 

[Egg Embry]

Kickstarter is getting some flack for its anti union activities. It should be noted that at this time, said union is asking people not to boycott, but...

Kickstarter To Workers and Project Creators: Drop Dead ❧ Current Affairs

<p>The company doubles down on its anti-union stance and says it plans to fight its workers to the bitter end… </p>

www.currentaffairs.org

Ancalagon,

Several weeks ago I gave this a small share at the conclusion to this article including mentions of alternatives. I'm interested to see how this journey progresses.

 

[Staffan]

Speaking of Kickstarters, Reaper Bones V started just over 24 hours ago, and is at about $1.2 million so far.

 

[EthanSental]

I’m curious if and when 3rd parties start pathfinder 2e various games. Have we seen anything on here?

 

[Egg Embry]

I’m curious if and when 3rd parties start pathfinder 2e various games. Have we seen anything on here?

EthanSental,
That's a fair question. In the two months since PF2e dropped, I've covered Douglas Sun's adventure, Oasis of the Elementals (for D&D 5E and Pathfinder 2E), here. I think there will be more as time rolls on, but at this point it's early days. ;-)

 

[EthanSental]

I think once PF2 gathers some steam, we’ll see more 3rd party Kickstarters that use the rules.

 

[Wraith Form]

This looks pretty fantastic, for the OSR crowd:

Night Shift: Veterans of the Supernatural Wars RPG

Elf Lair Games presents a horror/urban fantasy RPG by two industry veterans, debuting a new system derived from old-school mechanics.

kck.st