Routinely Itemised: RPG #346

I’m 12,000 rows into a spreadsheet trying to categorise TTRPG publishers by country. I’m less than halfway through. Who knew there would be so many?

Let’s start with the summary of summaries. It’s a smaller task!

• Japan is getting an Elden Ring TTRPG.
• Numenera: The Amber Archive is the latest Numenera edition.
• GURPS turns 40 this year.
• Wizards of the Coast has hired Taylor Navarro.

We’re nearly through the longest January in history. Hang in there! But, warning, both February and March will have a Friday the 13th. There’s another in November, and we won’t get three in a year again until 2037.

There’s still time for incredible patrons to vote for one of the following Spotlight candidates.

• Monkey Business Games
• Surbook Press
• Hero Level Games
• Demons & Dungeoneers Gamebooks
• Monster Mage Games

If you’re bold enough to get Geek Native’s daily email, then you might have seen I’ve been tweaking the format.

On with the TTRPG news!

Spotlight: d20Play.

RPG news from Geek Native

• Late, but we’ve published an RPG Publisher Spotlight on GearGames.
• There’s a new edition of Numenera on the way.
• Japan will be getting an Elden Ring Nightreign TTRPG.
• We interview the actual play and Heroes of Brightmount Rigamaroll.
• Sirius Dice has Baldur’s Gate 3 treasure packs.
• There’s a limited edition Collector’s pack for the 11th printing of Castles & Crusades.
• It’s taken a while, but you can now buy the second edition Witch.
• Vortex Verlag signals the last chance to get into the pre-order for Serenissima Obscura.
• The Bundle of Holding has a deal on Sleepy Hollow.

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RPG news from around the web

• At Wargamer, Timothy Linward pens Japan’s #1 tabletop RPG hires the director of Solo Leveling anime as art lead on its first ever English edition.
• On a role, Timothy also shares thoughts about Crows “This indie RPG is part old-school DnD, part Resident Evil, and I’m already hyped“.
• GURPS turns 40 and Steve Jackson Games shares their plans.
• At EN World, Christian Hoffer writes Taylor Navarro Joins Wizards of the Coast as D&D Designer.
• Polygon runs Matt Mercer says Critical Role’s future isn’t about Critical Role.
• World-building site World Anvil upgrades its search function.
• In mainstream news, The Guardian runs Patrick Lenton’s I don’t like organised fun, but Dungeons and Dragons is my shining nerdy light amid the darkness.
• In less mainstream news, Seattle’s Dungeons and Drag Queens is a critical hit.
• Rascal asks How Does Tabletop Journalism Function Today?.
• Jeremy Crawford might be coming to Gary Con (because Gary Con just published a Jeremy Crawford page.

RPG reviews and interviews from around the web

• Wargamer’s Mollie Russell opines Alien RPG Evolved review – A sleeker sci-fi killing machine with new ways to play.
• Reviews from R’lyeh tackles Fate’s Fell Hand and Cities of Bone
• MJR RPG reviews None More Black.
• The Kind DM looks at The Adventurous Vampire.
• TTRPG Insider reviews Il Fantasma Del Giallo.
• Four Letters At Random writes up Trail of the Sky Raiders.
• In a Polygon interview Chris Perkins explains why big adventures defined D&D 5e.
• RPG Drop gets into Why the First 48 Hours Matter: Bob World builder on Kickstarter and Trust.
• Art at RPG Drop also interviews Mike Shea on Writing, RPGs, and Resisting the Algorithm.

RPG new releases

• WatcherDM invites you to pay only what you want for the ‘cozydark’ Wyld TTRPG.
• Zozer Games has released the second edition of the Fantasy Companion.
• Miniature Dragon has released the core rules for Cybersymbiosis.
• Grit & Ire has published the pay-what-you-want campaign book for Arena.
• Stefan Djuradj Kovacic has released the pay-what-you-want Brigand: A Tabletop Roleplaying Game Introduction Edition.
• Conner Dejecacion (spot the trend) has published the pay-what-you-want PWNED – Extraction RPG.
• Ali Ribelli Edizioni has released La Notte Eterna 5E Core Rulebook.
• Angry Hmaster Publishing has given up Witch 2e.
• Critmaker Publishing has written up The Critmaker Guide to Dice Craft.
• Exotic World Designs has an AI-free 2nd edition of Transdimensional.
• Nick Shepley has released Vaesen Okinawa: The Spirits and the Sea.
• On the Foundry VTT market, you can now find Pendragon.
• If you’re following the rollout of the R. Talsorian Games store, there’s now the PDF of Cyberpunk 2020 and back titles like the Rough Guide to the U.K..

RPG bundle deals

• Save $13.87 (58%) in the DMsGuild’s Swords Against the Crawling Dark bundle.
• Save $6.47 (25%) with Jeff Stevens Games’ Allies & Enemies PDF + Foundry bundle.

RPG ideas, tips and discoveries

• Roleplaying Tips scribes Design First, Draw Second.
• Dungeons and Dragons Fanatics details Why D&D Desperately Needs a New Campaign Setting.
• Bat in the Attic scribes Practice First: An Approach to Campaign and RPG Design.
• DungeonSolvers gets into Using Players’ Fan Theories in Your D&D Campaign: Turn Wild Guesses Into Epic Adventures.
• D&D Beyond carries Let’s Build a Maverick Artificer from Exploring Eberron (With Keith Baker).

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:

• Gracewindale: Dungeon Master Screen II from Gracewindale Mini Scenery proposes “3D Printable Modular Game Master Screen and Accessories for TTRPG games”
• Hex Tokens from Jacob Pflugfelder raises funds for “Custom made tokens for tabletop gaming (Compatible with the TCG Riftbound). These tokens are metal and double-sided.”
• Libertines Season 1 from We Are Legion Podcast introduces “We Are Legion Presents: Libertines, a Dungeons & Dragons ’24 Actual Play podcast set in and against the Roman Empire.”
• Tripack Rol Gaming – All-in-One RPG Set from Israel Lajara Berto is working on “A complete tabletop RPG experience with miniatures, cards and a rich narrative world inspired by runic legends.”
• dnd TTRP agnostic MAP PACK VOL 3 from strange arcade kickstarts “A system-neutral supplement for any RPG. Hand-drawn B&W fantasy art and tabletop maps. 10 maps for €10.”
• Obelisk from Cameron Tressler pitches “Delve into the world of Obelisk, a horror-fantasy roleplaying game filled with magic, monsters, and madness.”
• Twilight Pantheon: Fading Gods & Rising Cults from James raises funds for “Guide your chosen gods to power with blood, belief and story. Zero-prep divine quests with 50 fading gods for 5E and OSR.”
• Coin & Character: Shops & Merchants for DnD 5e from The Traveling Tome proposes “A D&D tabletop RPG book of NPC shopkeepers, items, and trade”
• MITHOS – Gamemaster’s RPG Toolkit from Michael DeLeo kickstarts “Building a system agnostic TTRPG toolkit for Game Master’s and Dungeon Master’s.”
• Tales the Raven Tells: Dark Gothic D&D 5e One-Shots (NO AI) from Ravenora kickstarts “25 handcrafted dark gothic one-shots for D&D 5e, inspired by Edgar Allan Poe and written for story-driven Dungeon Masters.”
• Beyond the Mist from Into the Mist nominates “A D&D actual-play series from the team that brought you ‘Into the Mist’.”
• Eternal Ruins: The Roleplaying Game from Mythworks introduces “The Eternal Ruins is a tabletop roleplaying game about exploring an endless labyrinth of ancient mysteries.”
• 🧭 RPG Maps – The Expedition: 424 Ruined Victorian Maps 🕯️ from Gergely Papp suggests “Victorian-era maps from a dying world. TTRPG maps inspired by a ruined France.”
• Write Through the Fear: A SOLO JOURNALING RPG by CULLEN BUNN from Outland Games crowdfunds “Write Through the Fear: A Dark and Hungry Place is a Solo Journaling RPG in which players create a horror story in a mysterious town.”
• Creed Shadow Stalker 5E from Knight Vision Creative offers “Eberron meets Dark Sun in this 5E supplement with animated illustrations, reimagining the boundaries of digital books.”
• Traps & Trials: Urban Dangers & Social Perils from Red Sigil Studios raises funds for “System-agnostic urban traps, social conflicts, and dangerous situations for fantasy RPGs”
• Artifacts of Power: Magic Item Sets for D&D from Story Forge proposes “Hunt, collect and combine magic item sets that grow stronger together. With lore, quests, and party-wide bonuses.”
• Forbidden Snacks: High Tea from Raven & Riddle nominates “A collection of TTRPG dice inspired by the teas of the Great British Bake Off, Bridgerton, and the coast of Ireland”
• Ancient Rome Subclasses compatible with DnD 5e/5.5e from Fool’s Hand Studio offers “Two subclasses: the disciplined Roman Legionary (Fighter), the divine Voice of Jupiter (Warlock), wielder of thunder and imperial will.”
• Destiny’s Role Gamebooks #6: Blind Nemesis (Solo RPG) from Mark Lain offers “The 7th adventure gamebook in the ongoing and highly-acclaimed DESTINY’S ROLE GAMEBOOKS series”
• Meet the Hatchlings: Magical Baby Dragon Pins from houseofpins suggests “Show off your inner dragon with this collection of super cute soft-enamel baby dragon pins.”
• SEWER SCUM from Dice Cats submits “A pulp-fueled plunge into dystopian 1980s NYC. Inspired by ’80s action movies and comics, and compatible with MÖRK BORG and CY_BORG.”
• Make100:Handmade Dice with Origami Dragons Tea Party Edition from Blue Crystal Atelier offers “Handmade dice with hand folded origami dragons, wearable dragons, and limited tea party themed goodies! Celebrate with the dragons!”
• Reigns of War – 100+ Medieval Fantasy Tokens from Silver Scales Studio suggests “100+ printable pawns & VTT tokens for fantasy war gaming sessions. +1 pawns for every backer! Up to 300 pawns! D&D/Pathfinder/Wargames.”
• The Maiden, Mother and Crone from Paul Smith crowdfunds “A Dark and Unholy Trinity of the Youth, the Warrior and the Sage”
• Additional Solitaire Tools for the Dragonbane RPG from Philip Reed offers “Created by Philip Reed, these new tools build on those found in the official Dragonbane solo rules. Also includes two solo adventures!”
• Dark Shores – A Pirate TTRPG zine from Thomas Baird offers “Dark Shores features a rules-light, push-your-luck ethos in a rotting world where magic is feared and coveted.”
• Recipes For Adventure: Culinary Crafting in D&D5e from SideQuest20 raises funds for “Create Food That Grants Power, Perks & Protection!”
• 210 Pirate Battle Maps from Alex1805Kings crowdfunds “210+ Pirate RPG Maps for VTT & TTRPGs – Endless Adventures Await!”
• Beyond the Gates: Toolkit for Journeys Between Cities in D&D from James Kay crowdfunds “The Ultimate Travel Toolkit for DMs, compatible to DnD 5e and other TTRPGs.”
• The Painter from Echo & Rune Studio pitches “New class and dedicated subclasses for D&D 5e 2024 (inspired by Expedition 33 and Final Fantasy 14)”
• Dungeon Trader: Live Tabletop Trading & Character App from Felix S raises funds for “The companion for real-time trading, merchant interactions & character management”
• Elise-City of Adventure from Necromancer Games suggests “Lost Lore of the Lost Lands-Book 3”
• Dangerous Situations: Dungeons & Encounters | 5e | EN & DE from Björn Zorkin is working on “Drop-in dungeons and encounters for any fantasy campaign Available in German and English!”
• Dungeon for Epic Adventures, printable game, stl files from 3D-Print-Terrain is working on “Print you own dungeon. A couple of walls, floors, wall types”
• Moonblins by Marcello Rizza from Andrew May submits “A new collection of Tabletop Miniatures for Gamers, Collectors and Painters.”
• Tales from the Hearth from Lloyd Metcalf proposes “A Zinequest compilation of short open-ended tales to inspire and enjoy”
• Word Dungeon from Joe Shimwell nominates “Print-and-play solo dungeon scrawler where letters become loot. Spell your way through hand-drawn depths and leave with treasure!”
• Legendary Lairs: Elemental Lairs (5e-Compatible GM Toolkit) from MageGate Games suggests “Plug-and-play lair templates that turn any boss fight or location into a deadly, unforgettable encounter—at any level.”

[What’s this chart? We use Kickstarter Heat to measure how busy the crowdfunding season is.]

Do you know of any RPG news sources we might not know? If so, please let us know or leave a comment below.