Well, now, that was strange. I started putting together this issue of the RPG newsletter, the weekly Routinely Itemised summary, with the idea it had been a slow week.
Am I silly?
It’s been a busy week! Loads of D&D leaks, PaizoCon write-ups, and reviews. In truth, I’m nearly out of time to finish this introduction before the deadline!
Perhaps it seems quiet because Kickstarter has been slow. In fact, while there are some significant project launches this week, the Heat score has not been this cool since Christmas.
I guess D&D leaks aren’t as dramatic as they once were. Yes, the company is getting pretty good at handling the almost impossible task, but it’s not every week that two books escape the net ahead of the planned announcement?
Of course, if leaking and breaking news is your cup of tea then there may be swifter ways to get that than an end of week summary. Check out Geek Native’s social media for other channels which broadcast the blog. Discord and Telegram are both especially quick and not filtered by algorithms.
Right now, here’s the rest of the RPG news!
Win Paranormal Affairs Canada | Off Duty Gamemaster
RPG news from Geek Native
- Wizards of the Coast confirmed The Wild Beyond the Witchlight: A Feywild Adventure after the
Feywild campaign cover leaked and after Witchlight and Strixhaven appeared on Amazon. - There’s even a Wild Beyond The Witchlight accessory kit.
- Also sneaking out and into the wild are photographs from the D&D movie.
- Although the book is coming out later this year, the latest Unearthed Arcana playtest is about the Mages of Strixhaven.
- In old Dungeons & Dragons news the auction for an original AD&D manuscript is fierce on eBay.
- Geek Native signal boosted work by Seed of Worlds on stats to show that It’s not kids driving the growth in D&D.
- GAMA is voting on dramatic restructuring.
- Big Dice Games bought the Risus RPG.
- Grim and Perilous sunset some Zewihander books.
- Astral Tabletop added a different type of video chat.
- Marius Solstice released a free to download supplement Free to Download: D&D – Options for characters with disabilities.
- Ahead of a Kickstarter, Will Power Games released the free download Synthicide – Shapers in the Dark.
- The First Edition Society put all 400+ pages of OSRIC on DTRPG as a free download.
- Loke Battle Mats announced a new Box of Adventures range starting with Valley of Peril.
- There’s a bit of a Warhammer theme this week and to start it off is Geek Native’s review of the latest Death on the Reik.
- Geek Native reviewed the doom-challenging ARC RPG.
- Gamers outside America can now order print versions of Thirsty Sword Lesbians.
- Alderac took The World’s Largest Bundle to the Bundle of Holding.
- There’s a mix of tabletop RPGs and computer games in this 1,000 games for $5 to raise Palestinian Aid.
- In what looks like a generous bundle, you can get $366 worth of VTT maps a fraction of that at Humble Bundle.
Spotlight Samurai Sheepdog
RPG news from around the web
- 9th Level Games and Restoration Games have announced a standalone hardcover powered by MAZES for Return to Dark Tower.
- Critical Role announced Exandria Unlimited, a new show without Matthew Mercer as DM, and here’s what you need to know before watching.
- Paizo shared their Pathfinder Society: Year 3 announcement, wrote up Starfinder Galaxy Exploration Manual aaand recapped PaizoCon 2021: Secrets of Magic.
- Handiwork Games shared a preview of the second edition and Forged in the Dark version of a|state.
- Wizards of the Cost announced the Week of Legend Lore.
- Vampire the Masquerade is now on Roll20.
- SmiteWorks hired two more people for FantasyGrounds adding Joshua Utter and Jean-Paul Barard to the team.
- As previously suggested by Geek Native, Wizards of the Coast confirmed they’re taking control of some non-English D&D translation work.
- First Edition Society, publishers of OSRIC and Monster of Myth, launched on DriveThruRPG, with both games free.
- Pegasus Press released the Talisman Adventures – Errata and FAQ.
- Matt Forbeck blogged about the freshly announced Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game (Playtest Rulebook).
- Dicebreaker covered Dungeons & Dragons’ next adventure Wild Beyond the Witchlight sends players into the Fey.
- The Gauntlet announced their next game is heading to DriveThruRPG next week. It’s The Between RPG.
- World Anvil released their Dune RPG character manager.
- Goodman Games shared A Retrospective: Eight Years of Goodman Games Yearbooks.
- The Op announced a limited supply and a planned restock of the RPG Onward – Quests of Yore: Barley’s Edition.
RPG reviews and interviews from around the web
- Egg Embry interviewed B. Dave Walters about the afrofuturist RPG Into the Mother Lands.
- So did Charlie Hall at Polygon, noting that Mother Lands is a tabletop role-playing game free of slavery and colonialism.
- At d20Radio, Egg interviewed Home Brewed Games’ Shamus Williams about Druids.
- Charles Dunwoody reviewed Warhammer Fantasy Role Play’s The Horned Rat.
- ICv2’s William Niebling was also doing Warhammer and reviewed Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound Starter Set.
- Ynas Midgard reviewed Warlock!
- Jared Rascher reviewed the Unearthed Arcana playtest Mages of Strixhaven and Modiphius’ Achtung! Cthulhu (2d20).
- Meanwhile, on Gnome Stew, Jared reviewed the Iron Kingdoms Requiem Campaign Setting.
- Thilo Graf reviewed The Vertical Halls.
- Throat Punch Games reviewed Starfinder Society Scenario #1-16: Dreaming of the Future.
RPG new releases
- Already a silver best-seller, Onyx Path Publishing unleashed Trinity Continuum: Aberrant.
- Markus Linderum released the minimalist OSR game Down We Go.
- Cubicle 7 published the Wrath & Glory scenario Bloody Gates.
- Jimmy Shelter released the solo journaling game A Visit to San Sibilia.
- Chaosium shared a free to download RuneQuest Adventurer Reputation Sheet.
- Lazaro Izaguirre released the InfiniteD20 Roleplaying Game Engine.
- Blackwell Writer published the solo journaling RPG about being the village witch. It’s Apothecaria.
- Splinterverse Media say that potions don’t need to boring with Potions Unlocked (5E).
RPG bundle deals
- Save $52.47 (57%) with Modiphius’ Vampire: The Masquerade Summer of Blood bundle.
- Save $15 (30%) with Red Genie Games’ The Fools Haven Adventure Pack Vol 1 bundle.
- Save $14.33 (50%) in the Ra Press Complete bundle.
- Save $12.34 (23%) with Third Kingdom Games’ World Building Softcover bundle.
- Save $4.99 (20%) with Michael Tresca’s Primal Lands bundle.
- Save $3.98 (36%) with Family Friendly RPG’s Complete Set bundle.
RPG ideas, tips and discoveries
- Tyler Gamba and Brandon Gurwitz asked Everybody knows there are flaws in the alignment grid… Why haven’t we changed it?
- Charles continued his Warhammer World Building with the Gilead System.
- Working with new D&D players? Here’s a visual guide to classes.
- Readers think there’s scope for an RPG along the lines of Space rescue response.
- Tribality’s Brandes Stoddard put together Unearthed Arcana 2021: Mages of Strixhaven breakdown.
- Derek Garcia wrote up How Long Each Edition of D&D Was Actually in Print.
- Coleman Gaillotero offered Tips For Roleplaying a Competent Evil Mastermind in an RPG.
- Mike Bernier at D&D Beyond penned Welcome to the Feywild: A Beginner’s Guide to the Plane of Faeries.
- Angel’s Citadel dug into Game Publishing: Licenses.
RPG Crowdfunding
You can see those Kickstarters and other crowdfunding campaigns that caught Geek Native’s attention over at Kickstarter watch. Here are some industry projects worth a mention;
- Dan Hass has a whole collection of standalone Dungeons & Dragons adventures suitable for almost any campaign. They’re the DnD 5E Dimgaard Alone Adventures.
- Tim Krause has funded a 5e (and AD&D, DCC) compatible adventure called Bine Yag: Enchanted Gardens (5E D&D) RPG.
- Meteor Tales is providing more open world adventuring content with the Lore & Quest – Volume 1: Tabletop RPG Aid.
- Travis H. is funding a storytelling game for 12-steppers called Pink Cloud: An Adventure Game for Friends of Bill
- Legendary Games have smashed their targets for a book of legendary creatures. They are Asian Monsters: 90+ magnificent monsters for DnD 5E!
- Bruce Heard has hit goals for a campaign about two warring elven realms and sentient skyships. It’s the system-neutral Calidar “Alfdaín Ascendant”.
- Derik Duley has a game for 1 to 5 space truckers trying to make a delivery. It’s Dice Trucking – a Roll and Write Revolution Game.
- King Games are offering up a line of thugs and shady townsfolk from The Kingpin of Dunkeldorf.
- Benito Garcia hits the campaign target this time for “Relaunch” RPG GM Screen LEDGES.
- Timothy Lewis has launched a campaign for a post-apocalyptic Action RPG. It’s Tha Den Gaming’s In The End: Faith in Humanity
- Awfully Queer Heroes have funded a huge 65 subclasses, 56 spells, 8 races and more in a project called The Sunblade Subclasses, Spells & Pantheon.
- Aaron Mullins has launched a campaign for a D&D world full of mystery and adventure called Vaiden
- Medusa Miniatures are offering STL files for 3d-printing in Twelve-and-a-quarter TROLLS sculpted by Medusa Minis 7 days!
- Swen Harder is making the loudest gamebook ever with Metal Heroes and the Fate of Rock [ENGLISH HARDCOVER].
- Alex Bouchard and CUlt Adventures have an adventure that will get characters Marked for Slaughter – Standalone Adventure (DnD 5E).
- Bite-Sized Gaming has a deadly supplement of subclasses and NPCs in Den of Assassins 5e.
- Mirchuchu has some enamel and Perfectly Natural D20 Pride Pins
- Brian DiGioia and their wife are looking to begin a business by painting custom minis for people. It’s Miniatures by Katie.
- Ivan Danielewicz is funding a dark priestess who has awoken in undeath. For parties level 5 to 8 it’s the Temple of the Fallen Moon: A 5E Adventure.
- Peach Garden Games are offering an RPG based on the epic highs and lows of a season of reality TV. I Came Here To Win.
- C. Scott Smallwood is funding an RPG of urban survival inspired by games like Vampire and Necromunda. Welcome to Kinopea: An Urban Adventure Crawl.
- Falconian Productions have launched a city-making tabletop game of hidden magic with Paved in Blood: Tabletop RPG.
- Midlam Miniatures are offering a set of 10 28mm scale minis for your tabletop with Junior Townsfolk & Villagers – Volume 2.
- Baldrick, a humble Gnoll, launches a series of D&D adventures based on the works of Shakespeare. It begins with The Bard’s D&D: Macbeth.
If there’s a source or news you think is worth monitoring, please get in touch or leave a comment below.
