It’s Friday the 13th today yesterday, and if you’ve visited Geek Native while it was Friday the 13th on your desktop, you would have seen our Jason Cat sitting politely in the bottom left corner.
If you missed it, fear not, you’ll notice I’ve swapped Mr Root for Jason Cat for today only.
Now, let’s get into the RPG news summaries of summaries.
- Wizards of the Coast as a new RPG with Exodus.
- Sebastien de Castell explains how licensing deals hinder TTRPGs.
- Pazio and others are contributing generously to Free RPG Day.
- Hero Forge apologises.
- In a sign that Darrington Press’s Daggerheart is doing well, it’s getting localised into more languages.
Team Geek Native went to Cymera this weekend and had fun. Apologies for being very far behind on email admin as a result. Is there a festival this weekend too? Yes, just a local fair and a thunderstorm predicted to hurry me home and so I should catch up.
Cymera is a horror and sci-fi author event, and it oozed with TTRPG chat (and merch). I hope it does not clash with the UK Games Expo in 2026, as I want to make every effort to attend. If that pans out then I’ll add to Geek Native’s event sponsorship page, as, based on this year, we could get a half dozen posts out of it.
On with the TTRPG news!
Spotlight: Diane Ramic.
RPG news from Geek Native
- Wizards of the Coast’s money funded a D&D “rival” with the Exodus TTRPG.
- Adrian Tchaikovsky really wants a TTRPG for a potential forthcoming fantasy book.
- Sebastien de Castell’s explanation as to why there’s no Greatcoats TTRPG is logical and tragic.
- Geek Native wrote up the forthcoming On Your Own RPG.
- I reviewed Venger’s Decks’ thoughtful Guide to Mastering Chaos at the Table.
- In the Bundle of Holding, there’s a Fantasy Age 2e deal and a new one for Coriolis – Mercy of the Icons.
- On Reddit, there was a big debate as to whether a woman should wear a Dungeon Mommy – Roll for Mercy t-shirt.
- From the 15th, it’s KiwiRPG Week.
Support: Patreon
RPG news from around the web
- Paizo wrote up Starfinder Player Core Explained.
- Pazio also gave us a look at what they’re contributing to the forthcoming Free RPG Day .
- Hero Forge apologises for mishandling a thoughtless “Mini of the Day” and offers to unban people (on X).
- It must be selling well enough as Darrington Press announced that New Translations for Daggerheart Are on the Way!.
- Chaosium confirms that they’re going to Origins Game Fair.
- Dungeon & Dragons Fanatics writes up New DnD Gunslinger Class Gets the Drop On D&D Beyond.
- Monte Cook Games are showcasing and taking pre-orders on Gunslinger Knights.
- Egg’s poll on EN World suggests most readers would not be interested in a controversial Deathstalker RPG.
- RPG-tangent, and at ICv2, Modiphius will be reviving the “Hardwar” Miniatures Game.
RPG reviews and interviews from around the web
- Ill Met by Morrslieb gives us their Review: Warhammer 40,000 Dark Heresy (1st Edition) – part 2 as well as WFRP 4e’s Patrons of the Old World.
- Reviews from R’leyh writes up Ship of Fools, the adventure Tales of Argosa, Vast Grimm, Dread Shores & Black Horizons and Cosmic Dark.
- Rolling Boxcars also looks at the Kickstarter for Graham Walmsley’s Cosmic Dark.
- Throat Punch Games has a ring side report of Quest Calendar Preview Cartographer’s Quest.
- On RPG.net, Ed Kabara has a short review of REDEMPTION Assignment 01: Meat the Enemy.
- Grognardia shares a retrospective on Traellers’ Alien Module 7: Hivers.
- Gamereactor writes up their look at Dungeons and Dragons Player’s Handbook (2024) Review.
- TTRPG Insider looks at Twin Suns Rising and asks Has Chaosium Finally Created the Next Masks of Nyarlathotep?. (Quickstarter)
- You’ll need a subscription to finish Tomas Manuel’s interview with Chrys Sellers, but even without one, you can get a good crack at Defy the Gods’ creator wants a game “intensely full of life” .
RPG new releases
- Black Engine Studios has released their grimdark and medieval apocalyptic Sin Eater.
- Chaosium is getting rave reviews, already has a best seller, and is dealing with the King in Yellow in 1980s Japan with Call of Cthulhu: The Sutra of Pale Leaves – Twin Suns Rising.
- GrubyBang has published their BRP-based dimension-hopping Aurora The Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook along with a premium edition.
- Get Haunted Industries has already picked up a 5/5 review for Weird Heroes of Public Access: The Book.
- Darrin Drader Designs has a 5e campaign setting with Daring & Dread.
- FASA has released 1879 RPG Samsut Sourcebook.
- Zenith Entertainment Group has published their beta playtest (pay what you want) for VALOROUS: The Heroic Fantasy Role-Playing Game.
- Snowbright Studio updates their nonviolent RPG with a second edition of Teatime Adventures.
- Verseluft has released a system-neutral Gods & Avatars: Norse Gods.
- In physical goodies and from FLGS, you can pre-order Dungeons & Dragons: Sirius Dice Xanathar’s Treasure Pack.
RPG bundle deals
- Save $21.99 (20%) through Avantris Entertainment’s The Crooked Moon (5E 2014 – PDF + Roll20) bundle.
- Save $14.54 (39%) in the DMsGuild’s Zanios’ Comet of Secrets bundle.
- Save $7.74 (34%) in NueloGames’ The Deadlier of the Species bundle.
- Save $4.99 (33%) with Limithron’s PIRATE BORG: The Sinking of C’Thagngn Cross-Platform bundle.
RPG ideas, tips and discoveries
- Designer Graeme Davis reflects on WFRP 1 Memories: Ogres and Trolls.
- Of interest to more than one DM, Sly Flourish shares thoughts on How to Get Your Group to Play Other RPGs.
- Mike Bourke talks about splitting the party with Distributing The Narrative.
- Roleplaying Tips penned New House Rule: Do Anything.
- Deeper in the Game writes up “Good Enough” Directives.
- The AngrDM’s weekly rant is on Open-Endedness, Open Challenges, and Hat Theory.
- ScreenRant debates Should you allow PvP in Dungeons & Dragons.
- James Maliszewski opined Traveller Distinctives: World Generation.
- Redditor TheBardsCollege shared Inferno: A Dastardly Dice Game for DnD!.
- Another from Reddit, this time from ProfessionThin3558, who went public with their goal to use PowerBI to manage their D&D campaign and shared Dice Rolling in EXCEL! A LAMBDA function for you and me.
RPG Crowdfunding
There’s more! You can catch up with the Kickstarter campaign we’ve written up in more detail at Kickstarter Watch. Here are some noteworthy industry projects to mention:
- Baby Owlbear Soaps! from Adventurers Essentials proposes “Hand Made Baby Owl Bear Soap with a choice of Over 10 Scents! & With a 7 Piece Polyhedral dice Set Inside! RPG Themed!”
- SAGE & STEEL from Mitchell Tierney introduces “Traditional Fantasy Role-Playing Game”
- Dog dice collection Dice set (Handmade) from MicroToys nominates “Various cute double-sided dice”
- Square RPG Puzzle Tiles – SEASON 4 from Hermann Hillmann nominates “Complete sets of RPG tiles, optimized for quick and hassle-free printing on FDM 3D printers.”
- Dragonbane: The Maiden’s Isle from Dunderdagar submits “A third-party adventure for Dragonbane from Dunderdagar about a brave rescue party who land on a mysterious island.”
- Clans & Cave Lions from Past Adventures introduces “Clans & Cave Lions is a complete roleplaying game set in Pleistocene Europe, employing the 5th Edition SRD rules.”
- Islands of Ruins and Relics from Adventure Squared submits “A solo, journal writing RPG”
- The Master 2 Dice Collection from Antonio S is working on “Handcrafted Normal and Loaded dice sets with sharp edges and beautiful Design for the aesthetic conscious tabletop RPG player.”
- D&D 5e campaign – A World Devoured from KingOfGames submits “The Fall of the Living, (PDF +Softcover + Hardcover)”
- Runes of Fate: Norse Compass Brass Dice Set for D&D (5-in-1) from FeDesign pitches “Brass-crafted relics from Norse myth—woven by the Norns, blessed by Yggdrasil, and forged with Odin’s sacrifice.”
- 450 Steampunk Battle Maps for TTRPG and VTT from Agnieszka Polanowska crowdfunds “Explore steampunk cities, alchemy labs, airships & more with 450 detailed battle maps for your RPG adventures.”
- Gone Campin’ – Cozy DnD 5e One-Shot | Pay What You Want from Betta Games pitches “Treat your adventuring party to a camp vacation! Test your teamwork, compete for prizes, & roast marshmallows in the cozy D&D one shot!”
- CBR+PNK: OVERLOAD from Mythworks pitches “A three-pack of thrilling scenarios and supplements for CBR+PNK, the award-winning portable cyberpunk TTRPG, Forged in the Dark.”
- A Tome of Set Items for D&D from CraftRiot submits “A tome of magical item sets that unlock hidden powers when united. Fully compatible with 5e!”
- Fantasy World Creator: Chronicles from GAME START kickstarts “Design your TTRPG maps in the BOOK and bring them to life on the game TILES. Write, build, and unleash epic D&D adventures in seconds.”
- Bloody University – Grindhouse Horror Tabletop RPG from Eric Bloat introduces “Earning your degree might kill you!”
- Titanholm RPG & Fortune’s Coast: A Pirate’s Wrath Board Game from Arcane Ink Publishing LLC raises funds for “A steampunky pirate resource/skirmish game by land, by sea, and by air. With TTRPG Pathfinder/5e sourcebook and adventure game.”
- Desert Encounters (5E) from 5E Encounters pitches “A collection of 50 5E D&D desert encounters suitable for parties of all levels.”
- Roll Player Adventures: Silver Threads of Fate from Keith Matejka suggests “⌛A new time-bending storybook for Roll Player Adventures!”
- Game Toppers 5.0 Game Table System, Game Mats & Accessories from Game Toppers LLC nominates “Game Toppers is a Game Table that is affordable, versatile, portable, durable, heirloom quality proven & owned by thousands worldwide”
- Legends of Aetheron: Galadren, Marchwarden Queen from Alessandro Di Cesare pitches “Build your Elven Army! High-quality resin & STL statues, miniatures, and 5E Booklet! One Page Rules Compatible army!”
- Guild Trials from Printer Vomit is working on “A Roll-and-Write Quest of Arcane Mastery and Dice-Forged Destiny”
- Defy the Gods RPG from Chris Sellers suggests “Queer sword & sorcery tabletop role-playing game”
- Captain Dumpling Vs Samurai Sushi Master from Sumida introduces “A flavorful D&D 5E homebrew module with 2 quirky new classes, 4 subclasses, and extra content in stretch goals. Taste the battle!”
- Lone Wolf: U-Boat Command from Solo Wargame introduces “A Solo Print & Play Wargame About Commanding a German U-Boat during WW2”
- Orders of Inquisition [5E] from The RPG Professor is working on “Discover 27 specialized orders that hunt spellcasters in this grim book, featuring 3 new classes, spells, items, & terrifying monsters!”
- Port Mirror from Cranky Clydesdale Publishing is working on “Port Mirror is a 0-Level gauntlet/funnel adventure for Shadowdark and the DCC RPG”
- Dance with the Serpent from FASA Corporation suggests “Adventure Trilogy, Classic Novels, creature concepts book, Earthdawn dice, and two plush dragons”
- MECH Dice : The Architect’s Compendium D6 Collection from ARTHUN introduces “Premium stainless steel dice | 3 exclusive modern designs | Distinctive & stylish | Perfect for collectors, gamers, or gifting”
- Polyhedral Dice Advent-ure Calendars 17-19 from Black Oak Workshop raises funds for “Satisfy your sense of adventure and love of dice with one or more of our fun Advent-ure Calendars! Three new themes await you!”
- Ammistris’ Guide to the Secrets of the Dragons from Chamomile Has A Project offers “A ‘zine-size sourcebook of sorcerers, dragons, and the Cult of Tiamat”
- Pharaohs and Phantasms: An Archaeology TTRPG from Holly Garard introduces “Pharaohs and Phantasms is a TTRPG in which you create historical fantasy stories through the eyes of an archaeologist.”
- Monster Miniatures: Folio of Fiends Vol VIII from Rocket Pig Games kickstarts “The eighth installment of creature collections for tabletop gaming & dungeon crawl adventures! Always .stl format for your 3D printer.”
- UFO Spinning top Dice – I guarantee you’ve never seen it. from Ideas Ark raises funds for “My D&D group went crazy when I used this spinning dice! Future Tech Aesthetic Maxed Out Fingertip Stress Relief Gadget!”
- Faces of the Forge from Mystic Forge Press proposes “80 NPCs, 5 One-Shots, Endless Trouble, 5E”
- Sunroot Dice Tower – Pay What You Want Vol.18 from Fantasy3DTabletop is working on “3D Printable Fantasy Dice Towers for Board Games & Tabletop RPGs. Expertly Optimized for Support-Free 3D Printing on FDM Printers.”
- The Ork Forge RPG rooms from Nathan Proctor nominates “A campaign to fund the creation of our dedicated, private rpg rooms for immersive gaming”
Do you know of any RPG news sources we might not know? If so, please let us know or leave a comment below.
