Kobold Press is currently navigating the high seas of crowdfunding with its latest project, Campaign Builder: Pirates & Plunder. This supplement, designed for both the fifth edition of the world’s most popular roleplaying game and the publisher’s own Tales of the Valiant system, seeks to provide a comprehensive toolkit for maritime campaigns.
Having already secured over £100,000 against a modest £40,513 goal, the project arrives at a time when interest in naval mechanics remains high within the tabletop community. The campaign, which remains open for funding until mid-May 2026, promises to expand the horizon for players and Game Masters alike with fresh rules for naval combat and gunpowder weaponry.
Swashbuckling Mechanics and Sea-Touched Lineages
The book is structured to cater to both sides of the screen. Players gain access to eight new subclasses, including the Shanty bard and the Gunmage sorcerer, alongside three wave-touched lineages. Notably, the Sea Dragonborn and the Ratfolk make an appearance, joined by the Deep Ones, providing a variety of aesthetic and mechanical choices for characters born of the brine.
For the Game Master, the expansion introduces a “burst mechanic” for black powder firearms, intended to deliver significant damage during deck-side skirmishes. It also addresses the logistical side of piracy with an Infamy System and a Treasure Map Generator.
The design is complete and editing has begun, so the primary risks are in layout, art direction, and manufacturing. However, this project is so far along that while staff or manufacturing issues might delay a release, they cannot prevent it.
Mastering the Tides
One of the more innovative mechanical additions is the Shipwreck Escape Rules. Rather than a static encounter, these rules utilise chase-like mechanics to simulate the desperate scramble for the top deck as a vessel succumbs to flame or the encroaching depths. This ties into an expanded ship combat system that iterates on the foundations laid in the publisher’s previous Book of Blades supplement.
The campaign also highlights environmental sustainability, with Kobold Press noting its use of FSC paper and “free-range pixels,” and avoiding plastic shrink wrap in its manufacturing process. This commitment to physical quality is paired with high-end digital options, including a Map Folio featuring ten poster-sized battle maps for coastal fortresses and tropical island beaches.
High-Value Bounty and Limited Editions
For those looking beyond the standard hardcover, the campaign offers several premium tiers. The Limited Edition provides a more aesthetic shelf presence, while the Captain’s Bundle scales up the experience by including the Captain’s Log, a 32-page booklet designed to track crew, cargo, and navigation details across multiple voyages. At the highest level, collectors can secure the Whale tier, which encompasses a massive hoard of physical and digital extras, though these are limited in quantity.
- Pledge $29 (approx. £23): Digital Buccaneer. A PDF copy of the main book plus all digital stretch goals.
- Pledge $59 (approx. £48): Hardcover Hero. The physical hardcover edition and the PDF version.
- Pledge $89 (approx. £72): Limited Edition. The deluxe version of the book features a premium cover.
- Pledge $199 (approx. £161): Captain’s Bundle. Includes the Limited Edition book, the Map Folio, and the Captain’s Log.
- Pledge $569 (approx. £461): The Whale. The ultimate collection, including all physical rewards and premium limited-run items.
The project is an “all-or-nothing” campaign with a funding deadline of 15 May 2026. Kobold Press estimates that delivery for physical rewards will be finalised following the post-campaign survey stage, typically aligning with a twelve-month production cycle.
