In this article, I share two week’s worth of RPG crowdfunding projects, all ending by October 15th. Why share two weeks? Because Morrus and Peter Coffey’s podcast, Morrus’ Unofficial Tabletop RPG Talk, uses this column for their “The Greatest Game In All The World” segment and the end date for each project needs to be moved up to make sure the podcast is timely. That means this week has more projects to share.
Heckna! Carnival Horror Campaign Setting for 5e DnD from Hit Point Press 
Creatures: Complete Monster Compendium for 5E from Agate Studios
Monte Cook’s Diamond Throne RPG from Here Be Dragons Games 
Judges Guild Deluxe: Dark Tower, Caverns of Thracia, & More from Goodman Games
Lost Tomb of the Bitchin' Chimera - Dead Milkmen RPG Module from Severed Books
SKULLKICKERS: Caster Bastards and the Great Grotesque from Jim Zub
Parselings from Smunchy Games
Light Strikers from Code of Light Studios
Monsters of Murka: Restaurants and Retail from Action Fiction
RPG Quick Hits
The BOLT RPG Engine from Ajey Pandey
- END DATE: Thu, October 8 2020 2:01 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
- PROJECT TYPE: Adventure module
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $20 for the PDF of the book
“Will you see through the glitzy and glamorous charade or fall prey to Heckna’s everlasting torment? Heckna! is 5e adventure story designed to take characters through levels 1 to 10. This book is both a setting and a campaign guide with plenty of replayability. Game Masters and players alike will delight in this whimsical, dark carnival setting. This is a book that combines dark fantasy and fun, campy escapades. It’s designed for players ages 14 and up. However, it’s very easy to adjust the tone and the atmosphere for your party. There’s plenty here that will satisfy horror fans, and just as much that will entice fans of humor and whimsy.”
Creatures: Complete Monster Compendium for 5E from Agate Studios
- END DATE: Fri, October 2 2020 8:00 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
- PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $40 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the book
“200 monsters & NPCs + exclusive archetypes, rules, and playable species for your campaign, by the most awarded French RPG studio. Designed by the creators of Shadows of Esteren and Fateforge, Creatures is a love letter to fantasy bestiaries. Its 400 pages detail more than 200 illustrated creatures using the 5th Edition ruleset of the most famous of roleplaying games. Its contents include 6 playable species, NPCs with related adventure hooks for all levels, reimagined classic creatures and brand new ones, as well as 15 archetypes, providing you with material to design new monsters for your games!"
- END DATE: Thu, October 8 2020 5:30 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Cypher System
- PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebooks
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: €30 for all of the PDFs
“We’re bringing back Monte Cook’s acclaimed Diamond Throne setting as its own RPG powered by the Cypher System. Monte Cook’s Diamond Throne is based on Monte’s popular Arcana Unearthed and Arcana Evolved series of supplements. Those books, among the most popular third-party titles created under the d20 License build a magical setting – a setting we’re bringing back using Monte Cook’s Cypher System! Unearthed: Corebook 1: The story of the people and the land. Evolved: Corebook 2: The heroes and the land.”
Judges Guild Deluxe: Dark Tower, Caverns of Thracia, & More from Goodman Games
- END DATE: Sat, October 10 2020 2:59 AM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons
- PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $150 + S/H for the deluxe collector’s edition of the book and a slipcase
“An oversized compilation with The Caverns of Thracia, Dark Tower, rare Dungeoneer zines, and more from the Golden Age of Role Playing! This Kickstarter funds the scanning, digital restoration, and print publication of an oversized deluxe collector's edition of classic Judges Guild RPG adventures and zines. This second volume in the series focuses on materials created, illustrated, and produced by Jennell Jaquays: the Dungeoneer zines; Dark Tower; The Caverns of Thracia; The Book of Treasure Maps; and more. In lieu of a royalty from the production of this volume of the Deluxe Collector’s Edition, Judges Guild has agreed to donate their royalty to philanthropic causes, and Goodman Games will match that donation. Therefore, a total of 20% of the proceeds from this Kickstarter will be donated to charity. 10% will go to the Anti-Defamation League and 10% to GLAAD.”
Lost Tomb of the Bitchin' Chimera - Dead Milkmen RPG Module from Severed Books
- END DATE: Thu, October 8 2020 10:45 AM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): System neutral or Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
- PROJECT TYPE: Adventure module
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $18 + S/H for the PDF and print copies of the book
“An official Dead Milkmen themed RPG module by Andrew Ervin. 5e compatible and system-neutral. Severed Books is thrilled to announce Lost Tomb of the Bitchin' Chimera, an officially licensed Dead Milkmen roleplaying game module set in the weird world of Tiny Town. Written by Andrew Ervin and illustrated by Justin Sirois, this one-shot adventure blends fantasy and punk into a hilarious story your players will never forget. A monstrous seabird is terrorizing the hamlet of Tiny Town. The distraught Mistress Brownnose calls for aid. If our adventurers hope to placate the beast, they must cross the Swampland of Desire and find the Life-Is-naughty word Boneyard. There, if they’re brave enough—or dumb enough—to enter the lair of the Burrow Owlbear, they might just find the Tomb of the Bitchin’ Chimera. The adventure is ultimately system-agnostic, and can also be enjoyed using the rules of the world’s greatest roleplaying game. It has been designed for player characters of levels 3 to 5 and you can play it as a stand-alone game or easily fit it into your ongoing campaign.”
SKULLKICKERS: Caster Bastards and the Great Grotesque from Jim Zub
- END DATE: Fri, October 2 2020 10:00 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
- PROJECT TYPE: Comic book and tabletop RPG adventure
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: CA$89 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the book plus NPC cards and map
- NOTE: My interview with Jim Zub about this project is coming soon. In the meantime, listen to Morrus and Peter Coffey’s interview with game designer Mike Olson about this project
“We're celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Skullkickers with a new story and a companion tabletop RPG adventure! Skullkickers is the story of monster-mashing mercenaries caught in a whirlwind of adventure as they seek gold, glory, and good times. 2020 is our 10th anniversary, so we’re bringing you- CASTER BASTARDS AND THE GREAT GROTESQUE. This brand new Skullkickers 10th Anniversary hardcover will include a complete comic story (30+ pages) AND adventure campaign (60+ pages) for the world’s most popular tabletop role-playing game (whose name we dare not invoke lest we be struck down in a manner most violent.) If you've already read Skullkickers, you'll feel right at home with this new comic + adventure but, even if you haven't, Caster Bastards is completely new reader friendly. You don't need to have read any of our previous Skullkickers stories to enjoy this one.”
- END DATE: Wed, October 7 2020 9:00 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): An original system
- PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $85 + $10 US S/H for 2x PDFs, 2x books, and a deck of cards
- NOTE: At d20 Radio, I spoke with Leo Cheung, the game designer of Parselings, and publisher, Sean Fallon (SMUNCHY), about this project (here)
“Parselings is a modern Deck building RPG about using collaborative word magic and discovering your place in it. The game takes place in a world like our own, but with one major difference – to some, words have literal power. Parsecytes, swarms of ravenous ink-like parasitic organisms, have emerged into the world causing irreversible changes to society and our ecosystem. When a Parsecyte invades a human host, it forms a symbiosis with them, together becoming an entity known as a Parseling. At a glance, Parselings are indiscernible from most other humans except for the labels on their skin and the ink mixed into their blood. When brought together in groups, these individuals become greater than the sum of their parts. The infected hosts can use their tattoos to form phrases and sculpt the world to their desires. This power has come to be known as a Parse. You will play as one of these beings. Struggling to strike a balance between appeasing the Parsecyte within, and proving you are a complex human being who cannot only be defined by a few careless words. This is both a curse and a blessing, but with the others that share your affliction, the world is your oyster.”
Light Strikers from Code of Light Studios
- END DATE: Fri, October 2 2020 2:59 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): An original system
- PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $25 for all of the PDFs
- TRY BEFORE YOU BUY: Code of Light offers several free Light Strikers previews via DriveThruRPG
“A multi-platform, scifi & high fantasy TRPG campaign setting & system inspired by comics, anime, and retro cartoons. The Light Strikers RPG blends scifi, fantasy, and super powered heroes into an anachronistic landscape. Everything epic you’ve ever dreamed of exists here in some form. You’ll find a never-ending mixture of races, mystical treasures, enchanted areas, transforming robots, mythic beasts, supernatural powers, evil monsters, and wicked villains. So be prepared for full-on immersion and surprises.The stories that take place here focus on heroic battles, powerful enemies, timeless romances, whimsical fairytales, intriguing mysteries, and legendary adventures. In the world of Adamah, underneath the trisuns, the Altasharon kingdom of humans spans across the vast majority of the openlands, across three continents. The other dominant races are new breeds of Elves, Dwarves, and a sky full of dragons. There are many possibilities to roleplay with your powers, skills, abilities, and personal background. The combat is filled with tactical choices, and spur-of-the-moment creative originality. You'll need to roleplay and use your powers in creative ways to overcome obstacles. As a Light Striker, you'll explore different dimensions, travel through enchanted lands, venture into dangerous territory, and encounter all kinds of new enemies, creatures and races. And you'll be given missions from the Altasharon kingdom, and assignments from the Light Striker Academy, as you train and study to reach your full potential.”
Monsters of Murka: Restaurants and Retail from Action Fiction
- END DATE: Fri, October 9 2020 11:59 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
- PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebooks
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $50 + S/H for the PDFs and softcovers of both books
“A satirical 5e campaign supplement and resource book expanding the world of Monsters of Murka with new items, subclasses, and monsters! Restaurants and Retail is the first full-scale expansion for the United States pop-culture parody campaign setting: Monsters Of Murka (a gold best-seller on DriveThruRPG). Designed for 5e DnD, Restaurants and Retail includes new subclasses for every class, over 20 horrifying monsters, over a hundred weapons, spells, and magic items, and a host of tools to enhance play. Murka was once a kingdom of great promise. In its earliest years, it quickly became a melting pot of myriad creatures, creeds, and connections, though it was not without its fair share of missteps. In recent years, many citizens of Murka have turned to adventuring in the hopes of finding a mythical artifact: The Murkan Dream. But now, these brave citizen-adventurers must face Murka’s oldest and most powerful foe: Late-stage Capitalism.”
The BOLT RPG Engine from Ajey Pandey
- END DATE: Sun, October 4 2020 4:59 PM EDT.
- “The lightning-fast RPG system! Fast and tense action, setting-agnostic rules, and flexible hacking tools.”
- END DATE: Thu, October 15 2020 11:00 AM EDT.
- “A new version of the rules light fantasy horror roleplaying game, Best Left Buried.”
- END DATE: Sun, October 4 2020 1:00 PM EDT.
- “A ttrpg that imagines the tabletop as a virtual space, like an MMO.”
- END DATE: Fri, October 9 2020 11:00 PM EDT.
- “Where characters from across the Cosmos have been inexplicably trapped on a single planet. Will you escape Planetbound?”
- END DATE: Sat, October 10 2020 8:00 PM EDT.
- “Role playing for the Masses.”
- END DATE: Thu, October 8 2020 2:00 PM EDT.
- “The ‘just redundant enough’ cards and calibration tools to give your roleplaying the safety net you need to amp up the drama!”
