This week I look at crowdfunding projects from Kickstarter, GameOnTabletop, and IndieGoGo that end by June 4th. The number of RPG-related projects available jumped from prior weeks to twenty including ten Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition-related RPGs as well as two RPG news-related campaigns. As you’ll see in the charts, the numbers continue to be steady for many projects.
Shadows of Esteren RPG: Dark Romanticism from Studio Agate
The Troubleshooters: action adventure tabletop RPG from Helmgast
The Bloodlines & Black Magic Roleplaying Game from Storm Bunny Studios
DCC RPG: Fred Saberhagen's Empire of the East from Goodman Games
Escape from Skullcano Island from Levi Combs
RPGnet 2020 Membership Drive from Skotos Tech
RPG QUICK HITS
Knights of Gartania 2: Lords and Ladies - a D&D 5E book from Nathan Hill
- END DATE: Tue, June 2 2020 12:00 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Shadows of Esteren
- PROJECT TYPE: Artbook
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $99 + S/H for the PDF and limited edition art book as well as a portfolio of six art prints
- NOTE: Try before you back with the free Shadows of Esteren - Book 0 Prologue at DriveThruRPG
“Celebrate the 8th anniversary of the most awarded French RPG, grab the last printed copies and discover our first art book. This 200 page hardcover art book will be organized in eight themes, providing material to learn more about the lore of Tri-Kazel, the process of creating the artworks and illustrate your roleplaying sessions.
- END DATE: Thu, June 4 2020 4:59 AM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): An original system
- PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: SEK 700 + S/H for the PDFs and print copies of both books as well as the 3-pack of passports
- NOTE: Try before you back with the quick start scenario, The Minoan Affair
“Welcome to The Troubleshooters, an action-adventure tabletop roleplaying game of international mystery. Inspired by European comics, The Troubleshooters will take you all across the world for exciting adventures! The Troubleshooters tabletop roleplaying game will take the characters to the mid-1960s all over Europe and across the world. They will find themselves at exotic locations, glittering metropoles, deep in the wilderness, or even in cozy country villages, where they face horrible foes: spies, wild beasts, mafia, mad scientists, villains, and relatives! The characters, ranging from athletes and explorers to journalists and inventors, are drawn into other people’s troubles and band together to solve them. The Troubleshooters core book is a gorgeous hardcover book in full colour, about 200 pages. Richly illustrated, the core book is all you need to participate in the adventure of The Troubleshooters. The book is available in the standard edition, or in a deluxe edition with a beautiful embossed cloth-cover. The U-Boat Mystery is the first Troubleshooters adventure. It will take your players’ characters from Paris via New York to the island kingdom Sitomeyang and its tropical archipelago in Southeast Asia, chasing a lost German submarine. The book will be a hardcover and about 48-60 pages.”
The Bloodlines & Black Magic Roleplaying Game from Storm Bunny Studios
- END DATE: Sun, May 31 2020 11:28 AM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): d20/OGL
- PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $21 for the PDF and POD of the second edition core rulebook and the PDF of the first edition
- NOTE: Try before you back with the free The Neophyte's Guide to the Invisible at DriveThruRPG
- NOTE TWO: My interview with Jaye Sonia of Storm Bunny Studios is live at d20 Radio [UPDATED WITH LINK]
“Bloodlines & Black Magic is a darker, modern roleplaying game with strong occult and horror elements set in a world that mirrors ours. Unlike ours, it is a world filled with monsters - human and cryptid alike - that lurk in the shadows, just beyond the ken of most of the mortal realms. As such, it is also a game of heroes - calling on the player characters to step into the Invisible World to destroy the things that, left unchecked, would devour the very world they love. Bloodlines & Black Magic is a different kind of d20 game. While it uses a mechanical model most GMs will find incredibly intuitive, it does so with a completely different set of mechanical assumptions; Bloodlines & Black Magic doesn't track XP in the way a lot of fantasy roleplaying games do. While Bloodlines & Black Magic uses a CR (or Challenge Rating) system to help GMs gauge the power of foes, traps, and similar hazards, it does so only as a guide. PCs instead earn XP by participating in play, engaging with the story, pursuing their character's goals, and by completing episodes with their friends. To help players and GMs alike, Bloodlines & Black Magic uses a unique storytelling deck called The Arcana.”
- END DATE: Fri, May 29 2020 11:59 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeon Crawl Classics
- PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $30 + S/H for the PDF and hardcover
“Thousands of years ago, nuclear fire changed the world. Magic returned, a vile empire rose, and resistance fighters fight for freedom! Welcome to the Empire of the East role-playing game sourcebook, designed for the Dungeon Crawl Classics rules set, and also compatible with Mutant Crawl Classics. Herein you’ll find information regarding Fred Saberhagen’s seminal trilogy of novels, which set the stage for his rich fantasy world and were among Gary Gygax's stated Appendix N inspirations for Dungeons & Dragons. Officially licensed by the estate of Fred Saberhagen, this hardcover sourcebook offers everything you need to play DCC RPG campaigns in the world of the Empire of the East. Lead designer Jason Vey has adapted the world in a simple, clean style that is easy to integrate into your DCC game, and Harley Stroh provides one of the introductory adventures included inside. Presented with stunning cover art by Ian Miller. Using this sourcebook requires the DCC RPG core rulebook. While this sourcebook contains all you need to play a campaign, Saberhagen’s novels are an invaluable resource in understanding the setting. We highly recommend you also read the Saberhagen Empire of the East series, available as a modern compilation or in the original three individual volumes, titled The Broken Lands, The Black Mountains, and Ardneh’s World (or Changeling Earth).”
Escape from Skullcano Island from Levi Combs
- END DATE: Tue, June 2 2020 2:00 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
- PROJECT TYPE: Adventure module
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $35 + $5 US S/H for the PDF and print of the book
“A high-level adventure module compatible with 5E. Escape from Skullcano Island is an old school, grindhouse-style combination of classic role playing adventure and 5E roleplaying style cram-packed with b-movie, monster movie-era badassery to challenge even the most seasoned of adventurers. This is our most ambitious and outright crazy adventure module yet. It clocks in at over 100 pages and if the stretch goals are met, it could be as large as 140 pages! A fellow writer got a sneak peek and said "If the Isle of Dread dropped LSD with the island from Lost while watching old giant monster movies and listening to Black Sabbath, this is the adventure that you'd get". I honestly couldn't think of a better endorsement. Escape from Skullcano Island is a high level adventure designed for a group of Tier 4 player characters, but is easily scalable for Tier 3 level challenges. If slappin' down apocalyptic death cults or taking on titanic kaiju in a land that time forgot is in your wheelhouse, then you're in the right place.”
- END DATE: Fri, May 29 2020
- PROJECT TYPE: RPG news site
- MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $30 for RPGnet Membership and the PDF game pack
- NOTE: This crowdfunding campaign is running on IndieGoGo. Unfortunately, Kicktraq does not track crowdfunding projects on IndieGoGo as of this writing
“Become an RPGnet member, support the site, get cool games! Like roleplaying games? Like board games? Like computer games? Support the top independent tabletop roleplaying site on the internet with a membership! Not only will you help the site, but you'll also receive membership privileges and several great roleplaying PDFs!”
RPG QUICK HITS
Knights of Gartania 2: Lords and Ladies - a D&D 5E book from Nathan Hill
- END DATE: Sat, May 30 2020 2:00 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
- NOTE: Link to this project’s Kicktraq information (here)
- “A character supplement book to D&D 5E that contains a range of Knight themed characters for NPC or player use.”
- END DATE: Sun, May 31 2020 2:41 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
- NOTE: Link to this project’s Kicktraq information (here)
- “An epic adventure in six parts for 1st to 20th level PCs.”
- END DATE: Wed, June 3 2020 5:00 PM EDT.
- PROJECT TYPE: Podcast
- NOTE: Link to this project’s Kicktraq information (here)
- “The Secret Cabal is ready for more crazy, wild, magnificent, bombastic and meshuggeneh tabletop gaming podcasts and videos in 2020!”
- END DATE: Wed, June 3 2020 2:18 PM EDT.
- PROJECT TYPE: RPG accessory
- NOTE: Link to this project’s Kicktraq information (here)
- “Spice up your DnD one-shots with a set of 52 story-building cards. Get players involved and challenge your DM!”
- END DATE: Mon, June 1 2020 6:11 PM EDT.
- PROJECT TYPE: Clothing
- NOTE: Link to this project’s Kicktraq information (here)
- “Car Wars, GURPS, and The Fantasy Trip are featured at launch. Unlock stretch goals to add even more shirts to the campaign!”
- END DATE: 05/31/2020 23:00 (GMT-4)
- SYSTEM(S): Adventurer Conqueror King System™ (ACKS) and other OSR systems
- NOTE: This crowdfunding campaign is running on GameOnTabletop. Unfortunately, Kicktraq does not track crowdfunding projects on GameOnTabletop as of this writing
- “An old-school adventure for ACKS and other D20 fantasy RPGs.”
- END DATE: Fri, May 29 2020 2:00 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
- NOTE: Link to this project’s Kicktraq information (here)
- “An original D&D 5e level 6-8 adventure: A river-fort siege, a magical lodestone, and a relic-tower hidden deep in the Broken Lands.”
- END DATE: Mon, June 1 2020 10:57 AM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
- NOTE: Link to this project’s Kicktraq information (here)
- “An introductory guide to Fading Embers: a Frozen Age, a game setting in 5th edition, to be published under the Open Gaming License.”
- END DATE: Fri, May 29 2020 5:57 PM EDT.
- NOTE: Link to this project’s Kicktraq information (here)
- “The Quest Begins! Cyclopedia of the World of Glatheriel book for the upcoming swords & sorcery hexcrawl sandbox solo/coop tabletop game.”
- END DATE: Fri, May 29 2020 6:30 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons
- NOTE: Link to this project’s Kicktraq information (here)
- “A Humorous RPG Role-Playing Parody of Daily Life...at home.”
- END DATE: Mon, June 1 2020 3:00 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
- NOTE: Link to this project’s Kicktraq information (here)
- “A 5E three-part adventure featuring an epic tale for new and experienced players. Face up against the Tyrants from Another Dimension!”
- END DATE: Mon, June 1 2020 11:59 PM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
- NOTE: Link to this project’s Kicktraq information (here)
- “The Shadow Gates is D&D 5e Campaign book that I am creating. The content will cover levels 1-20 with new subclasses, monsters and more!”
- END DATE: Mon, June 1 2020 9:51 AM EDT.
- SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
- NOTE: Link to this project’s Kicktraq information (here)
- “We are a two-person team of writer/artists, here to create a 5e SRD-based setting that presents toy-scaled heroes in their own context.”
- END DATE: Sun, May 24 2020
- SYSTEM(S): System neutral
- NOTE: This crowdfunding campaign is running on IndieGoGo. Unfortunately, Kicktraq does not track crowdfunding projects on IndieGoGo as of this writing
- NOTE TWO: For those concerned about coverage of a project from a subsidiary of Frog God Games, I’m linking the Joint Statement of BJ Hensley and Frog God Games
- “Two fully-detailed, highly-unusual fantasy taverns for 5e or other RPG systems.”
