RPG Crowdfunding News – The Devil Made Us Do It, Druids, Fedora Noir, and More

In this article, I look at RPG crowdfunding projects ending between July 30th to August 19th. This week’s offerings include an idea fit for TV, multiple 5e products, magazines, a convention, and more.

The Devil Made Us Do It from Monte Cook Games

END DATE: Fri, August 13 2021 8:00 PM EDT.
SYSTEM(S): An original system
PROJECT TYPE: Core rules boxed set
MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $110 + S/H for the PDF and deluxe print versions of the game
WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Monte Cook strikes again, this time telling tales of time travelers pulling heists using the power of well-placed lies. This is involved, so let me try to break it down without butchering the quality of MCG’s new project: You’re from the far future, you’re stuck in our now as it’s falling apart due to dimensional anomalies, but, because you’re part of the problem, you can reshape reality. Using your ability to literally lie answers into existence, you steal back the items that are ruining the planet in a series of three act, zero prep heists. But, you’re not the only person that can lie to reality and the other liars are fighting against you and your efforts to avert the apocalypse. This game is more like the plot of a TV series than a standard tabletop RPG pitch, but that isn’t a bad thing as this really solves for character motivations, powers, and more. If this project sounds like a winner to you, check out the free primer via the campaign page.

Stargazer's Guide to Aroria from Ink and Lyre

END DATE: Wed, August 18 2021 12:56 PM EDT.
SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $50 + S/H for the PDF and print book
WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Interested in a 5e system in which characters are made based on their zodiac sign? This 250-page book offers 12 subclasses, 3 ancestries, new monsters, a new way to create characters, and a campaign setting. If this setup aligns with you, check out the campaign page for a preview of the book.

Druids: Secrets of the Primal Circle from Home Brewed Games

END DATE: Thu, August 19 2021 8:00 AM EDT.
SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $50 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the book plus the PDF of the map and more
ADDITIONAL REPORTING: At d20 Radio, I interviewed the creative team behind this project (here and here)
WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? If you’re a fan of 5e Druids, this book is a hefty expansion. It offers a new Druid class, 13 new subclasses, more options for wild shape, a hundred druidic spells, 60 monsters, and lore. While this book is full of crunch, the lore might be the most interesting feature as it deep dives druid beliefs and more. For players looking to take their druid to another level [Oy], this book is worth checking out.

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ZEITGEIST: Death of the Author -- An Adventure For D&D 5E from EN Publishing

END DATE: Tue, August 3 2021 5:00 PM EDT.
SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition or Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
PROJECT TYPE: Adventure module
MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: £7 for the PDF of the book
DISCLAIMER: EN World is a subsidiary of EN Publishing
WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This 65-page 5e adventure is designed for 3rd level characters as they investigate a murder on an island. This is a D&D whodunnit with a victim everyone has a reason to want dead, a huge NPC cast, a mansion on an island, a storm to keep you all in place, and your party there to be the detectives. EN Publishing is working on its next major project, Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition, and they’re offering this product in standard 5e rules and with notes to run it for Level Up. If you’re looking for the classic setup for your campaign table, interested in checking out the ZEITGEIST setting, or want a preview of the upcoming Level Up, this is a good product to pick up.

Bloodshadows: Chronicles of Guf from Battlefield Press

END DATE: Thu, August 19 2021 7:30 AM EDT.
SYSTEM(S): Savage Worlds Adventure Edition
PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $150 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the books, portfolio, and cards
DISCLAIMER: I have written for Battlefield Press, but not on this project
WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Interested in hardboiled detectives, vampires, werewolves, cults, fisticuffs, magic machine guns, 1940s noir and horror, and Savage Worlds? This project brings the Bloodshadows setting to a new system, keeping all of the darkness and intrigue of a world where the things that go bump in the night bump up against the Law/Mob mythology of that period. This campaign will create the 150-page Bloodshadows: Chronicles of Guf core rulebook and the 100-page Antagonists and Abominations, a bestiary to populate the dark corners of your world. If you are a fan of Savage Worlds, horror, and noir, this is going to be a great mix.

Fedora Noir from Less Than Three Games

END DATE: Tue, August 10 2021 10:00 PM EDT.
SYSTEM(S): An original system
PROJECT TYPE: Complete game
MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $30 + $7 US S/H for the PDF and print versions of the game
WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Keeping with the hardboiled detective theme, in this game, you play a hardboiled detective, their partner, their flame, and their hat. The game is about the detective and his companions solving a case while the player acting as the hat narrates the detective’s thoughts on the affair. It allows you to detect and work, yet gives one player the option to add in the hardboiled voiceover. [“Egg’s thoughts on the game were as useful as the ‘Baby Shark’ song lyrics translated into Middle English.”] It’s GMless and diceless opting for cards that direct the investigation. If you’re looking for a four-player game, this one has a lot of potential.

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The Oracle Issue 13 - Floating Islands from The Oracle

END DATE: Fri, July 30 2021 2:00 PM EDT.
SYSTEM(S): System neutral
PROJECT TYPE: RPG Magazine
MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: £6 for the PDF of the magazine
WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This RPG magazine offers 56 pages worth of system neutral ideas for a world with floating islands/sky islands. While the concepts of sky monkeys, harpies, sky magic, and more are system neutral, they’re done to make the conversion to 5e reasonably easy. In addition, there’s an interview with Glynn Seal of Monkey Blood Designs. If you need an RPG magazine with a track record of a dozen prior issues, try this one out.

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Delver: Resources for the Random-Rolling Referee from James Floyd Kelly

END DATE: Sun, August 15 2021 11:59 PM EDT.
SYSTEM(S): Old-School Essentials
PROJECT TYPE: RPG Magazine
MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $10 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the magazine
WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? If you’re a fan of Old-School Essentials or OSRs in general, this 32-page RPG magazine offers multiple random tables, an adventure, magic items and more. Like The Oracle above, this project continues the resurgence of RPG magazines. As the quality of these projects continues to increase, I expect to see more ongoing RPG magazines offering original content to an engaged audience.

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AB Con - The African Boardgame Convention from Cowrie Games

END DATE: Tue, August 10 2021 8:04 AM EDT.
PROJECT TYPE: Tabletop gaming convention
MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $10 donation
DATE/LOCATION: December 2021 in Nigeria (possibly Abuja, dates and location are in flux)
WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This is inspiring, witnessing a gaming community grow itself. For the fifth iteration of AB Con, these gamers are crowdfunding the setup of a dedicated convention including options to play as well as help new and existing gamers create their games. I shared their infographic showing the growth of gaming in Nigeria, which is at the start of a wonderful run. Publishers, the convention is open to accepting games to get them in front of a growing audience. If you’re interested, check out the campaign page for details to support AB Con.

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