RPG Crowdfunding News – Arora, Everyday Heroes, Bloodpunk, and more

This week, I’m drowning in RPGs to report on. The first six on this list have raised six-figures each. As of this writing, there are ten live RPG campaigns at seven or six figures. That’s a nice number. As always, this list is just a sampling of what’s available through crowdfunding right now. Normally, I like to share projects from FASA, Richard A. Knaak, Nerdburger Games, Bloat Games, Philip Reed Games, Christian Eichhorn, Laidback Dungeon Master, and Planet X Games, but that list would be a full article onto itself, and are many worthy projects to choose from this week. So, I’m going to share some of those projects that sparked my interest.

Bloodpunk: a Victorian Setting and a Dark Adventure for 5E from Dream Realm Storytellers

• END DATE: Thu, June 16 2022 2:30 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Adventure module
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: £68 + S/H for the PDF and print versions for both books plus maps, a GM screen, and a box
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? In this world, blood powers trains, zeppelins, many weapons, and factories as everything cyberpunk/steampunk is made bloodpunk. This is a subversive setting. Right now, we put our time and energy into a job. In this world, you put in your blood, everyday. In Bloodpunk, you play 5e adventurers that both use and are used by blood power. There are two cities, one ruled by vampires, the other by blood sorcerers, and both connected by a blood-fueled train. This project comes as two books, one featuring mechanics including archetypes, ancestries, feats, and more, the other offering an adventure across levels 1 to 7. If you’re looking for a fantasy take down of the concept of pouring your blood, sweat, and tears into a corporation, check out the campaign page to learn more and download the demo booklet.

Arora: Age of Desolation from Ghostfire Gaming

• END DATE: Sat, June 18 2022 12:00 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $55 + S/H for the PDF and hardcover of the game plus the player’s journal
• DISCLAIMER: My blogs appear at Ghostfire Gaming, but I am not involved in this project
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? In this world, it’s the Age of Desolation, a time when natural and magical environmental catastrophes endanger the world. Arora provides a new environment and exploration rules to make exploring the core of these adventures. This 5e setting offers one of my favorite options, random character tables with over 80 charts to roll on. For Arora, characters are more customized than stock, which means each player’s character will feel special. Add to that, Shardscale-maddened dragons which are wyrms with a magical version of rabies, roam and threaten the land. If you need a world where the environment itself is against you, where the dragons part of “Dungeons &” carries the threat, this campaign page gives you a great idea of the epic adventures that await your gaming table.

Everyday Heroes™: The Roleplaying Game from Evil Genius Games

• END DATE: Sat, June 18 2022 2:59 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook and sourcebooks
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $50 + S/H for the Roll20, PDF, and print versions of the book
• ADDITIONAL REPORTING: Charles Dunwoody interviewed Dave Scott about this project
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Billed as the “spiritual successor to d20 Modern,” this 5e update gives you everything you’d need to enjoy the game in a modern setting, plus a series of sourcebooks to game in the settings from eight different movies. In terms of details, the core book includes eighteen classes, professions and backgrounds, a new wealth system, and car chase rules; all of this and more comes from the original creators of d20 Modern from twenty years ago. But, the most striking part to me are the Cinematic Adventures, 100+ page sourcebooks with adventures. Set in the worlds of Kong, Pacific Rim, Highlander, The Crow, Total Recall, Rambo, Escape from New York, and Universal Soldier, these officially licensed books are what will drive interest and make this project a piece of history. Prior to this point in the 5e era, cinematic licenses tended to be for single movies or specific cinematic universes. This project opts for eight licenses may be the start of more numerous crossover RPG licenses. If so, this project would hold a special place in history. But only time will tell. Regardless, if you’re a fan of 5e, modern settings, or these movies, this is worth your time. Check out the campaign page for a link to the free preview.

Original Adventures Reincarnated #7: Dark Tower from Goodman Games

• END DATE: Tue, June 14 2022 10:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition and Dungeon Crawl Classics
• PROJECT TYPE: Adventure module
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $100 + S/H for the 5e PDF and print versions of this project
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This project updates and expands the first AD&D 1979 adventure by Jennell Jaquays for 5e and DCC. This multi-volume set gives that adventure the deluxe treatment with three hardcovers in a slipcase. First, the original adventure is reprinted with essays, the second features the rules updated to your chosen system, and the third gives an all-new adventure based on the original, expanding the fun and potential of this setting. If you’re looking for a classic adventure treated with reverence, beautifully packaged and illustrated, this is worth your time.

Monsters of Feyland 2 for 5th Edition from Cawood Publishing

• END DATE: Tue, June 7 2022 9:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: CA$45 + S/H for the PDF and hardcover of the book
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? 140 to 160 pages featuring 100 5e monsters, that’s quite a temptation for me. Of all D&D sourcebooks, it’s monsters that speak to me. This book has a unifying narrative, creatures from seven regions, encounter tables, event tables, and enough detail to keep this from being a collection of unrelated monsters. In addition, if you want more monsters, Cawood Publishing has four other books to add to this. Check out the campaign page for a preview version.

Household from 2LM Press

• END DATE: Wed, June 1 2022 9:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Fortune System
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $150 + S/H for the PDF and hardcover of all three books, a slipcase, GM screen, die, figure, and more
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? In this game you play as Littlings: faeries, boggarts, sluaghs, and sprites. Each group lives in a large abandoned Regency-era mansion, having to coexist and content with the estate’s history. Instead of a wider world, this is the world of the house and all of its history, some of which the Littlings crafted. From the ENnie nominated authors of Broken Compass, Household won Roleplaying Game of the Year (2019) in Italy. This game uses custom six-sided dice which require the player to roll two or more of the same symbol to succeed. Check out the campaign page for a free preview of the game.

Reign of Discordia for 5e/White Star from Rogue Genius Games

• END DATE: Mon, June 20 2022 1:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $45 for the PDF and POD versions of both systems for the book as well an electronic copy of the tie-in fiction
• DISCLAIMER: Owen KC Stephens has written for EN World
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Another bygone RPG is back this week. Reign of Discordia was a True20 RPG that is returning as a White Star, the Old School Renaissance game, and for the 5e ruleset. Expect alien player ancestries, setting information, space battle mechanics, starships, and psionics, which replaces magic. Coming in at 168 pages, this universe is inspired by Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and Starblazers as the empire has fallen and your characters have a rare opportunity to seize their destiny.

A Good Book for Bad GMs and a Book of GM Inspiration from Post World Games

• END DATE: Thu, June 2 2022 3:17 PM EDT.
• PROJECT TYPE: RPG advice
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $19 for the PDF of the book
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Do you need GM advice from a gamer, creator, and publisher that has 40 years of experience [points]? If you’re looking for useful advice on how to deal with difficult players, how to respect what players and the GM are bringing to the game, and how to reduce your workload as a GM, Jim Pinto is likely to offer you funny, real world advice that will improve any game. If you want over 100 pages of content, delivered post-campaign in previews three times a weeks for review and comment, then compiled with notes at the end, this project will be a winner for you.

CharCon 2022 - THE West Virginia Gaming Convention

• END DATE: Thu, May 26 2022 2:31 PM EDT.
• PROJECT TYPE: Tabletop gaming convention
• LOCATION AND DATES: Charleston, West Virginia from Friday, July 15th through Sunday, July 17th
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $40 for weekend admission and a die
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Tabletop gaming conventions are returning in 2022. CharCon, after a two-year hiatus, is back offering RPGs, board games, and all of the activities you’d expect from a local gaming convention. While they will require full vaccinations to attend, the mask policy will be determined closer to the time of the convention. If you’re in the West Virginia area and feel confident about returning to a convention gaming table, this may be worth your time.

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[Charles Dunwoody]

I really like the movie tie ins for Everyday Heroes. The rules will get immediate campaign and adventure support in some amazing settings.

 

[ART!]

Household looks beautiful, and I love the concept.

 

[TheAlkaizer]

I'm not sure how good of a title "A Good Book for Bad GMs" is. I consider myself at least an adequate GM, but if I was new to the hobby, I certainly wouldn't be tempted by a book with such a title.

 

[Sethnidilaw]

Monsters of Feyland 2 is the fifth of Cawood Publishing books I'm backing and I actually just recieved the fourth a short while ago in the mail.
They are all exceptionally well written, incredibly creative and the art and layout make them all just overall amazing books that.
Not only do they make great complimentary ressources for your games, they even look gorgeous on the coffee table.
Each book has held a wonderful variety of creatures and locations and Monsters of Feyland 2 will be no different with the same amazing creative team behind it.
Those books are always a treat!
Go treat yourself!

 

[antiwesley]

So, I’m going to share some of those projects that sparked my interest.

So your interests must lead to a lot of 5E playing then.
A good majority are 5E projects. A vast wasteland of KS projects after projects for one system.

but that list would be a full article onto itself

Like all 5E Kickstarters should be. Their own list, so products for other systems can have their moment in the sun, rather than a cheerleading post for the most unneeded advertising.

 

[TrippyHippy]

Hmmm...Everyday Heroes.

And yet.....no word about Die Hard, Top Gun and Evil Dead II.

 

[Kovar Valechnik]

So your interests must lead to a lot of 5E playing then.

From memory, the author is a big fan of Shadowrun too! Always a plus in my book!!

 

[dave2008]

So your interests must lead to a lot of 5E playing then.
A good majority are 5E projects. A vast wasteland of KS projects after projects for one system.


Like all 5E Kickstarters should be. Their own list, so products for other systems can have their moment in the sun, rather than a cheerleading post for the most unneeded advertising.

I guess I disagree. I appreciate them being all in one place. If 5e KS were spun off in their own thread, I would pretty much only look at the 5e thread (because that is what I play) and I wouldn't find out about these other interesting projects.