All posts by Rodney
Can We Make RPG Death Exciting Again?
RPG players spend way too much time trying to stay alive. Okay, I’ll give it to you that staying alive is an acceptable way to play. But what if we could make RPG death exciting? What if we could add a spin on dying that could make your RPG sessions more challenging and rewarding for your players?
I recently released Just Get Better, which — let’s be honest — was an attempt to shoehorn my sword & sorcery ideas into the GMTK Game Jam’s theme. Surprisingly, it worked. But I didn’t realize how well it had worked until I played Blood West.
The Genius of Blood West
Blood West is pitched as a Wild West survival horror. What makes the game great is that it turns grinding into a fun and repeatable challenge.
You’ve got to work hard for your first kill. You might feel more confident about your second, but eventually, you’ll slip up. You’ll get too close, miss your shot, or fall off a cliff.
When you — inevitably — die, you gain a curse. Your first curse isn’t a big deal, maybe a 2 percent reduction in health, but it feels like you’re up against the wall. You can tell that dying will eat into your meager supplies and make an already challenging game harder. So you dig in, ready to be more cautious and cunning.
Now you kill tactically, thinning out an area from the periphery before plunging in where the monsters are thickest. You save whatever you can scrounge. And headshots become your signature move.
But then you die again.
Now you realize that some of the monsters respawned. You have to clear areas a second time. And you remember how hard you worked to clear them the first go around. However, you notice you’re getting better at anticipating how monsters react. You’ve even got some swanky new weapons to kill ‘em with.
The cycle of death repeats. Old areas become speed runs. You can headshot a zombie at a run and have a few tricks for those wendigo. And man, it’s a helluvalot of fun.
Hard As Hell with a Soft Reset
The genius of Blood West is that it tempers a hard game with soft resets. You have options to soften the impact of curses when you die, and not all your enemies return. You also benefit from experience and skills, both programmed and personal. Die often and quickly though and you’ll still get a hard enough reset.
Likewise, Just Get Better works when you combine a player character’s immortality with deadly difficult, repeatable, and short encounters. The fun happens when the players try something different, and it works. That sense of achievement is priceless.
Effectively, you give the players a deadly puzzle and all the retries they need to solve it.
One last note on encounter design: spreading out an encounter gives players some breathing room. If one skeleton can see another but would need a turn to enter combat, then the party has a good reason for executing the first with a quick kill. If they botch the attack they have a round to figure out a contingency.
Hi there, I’m Rodney.
Writer, Game Designer, Editor, Kitbasher, Skateboarder, and Ork ‘Ed Banga. But Nothing Without Christ!
How do DriveThruRPG Medals Work, and Why do They Matter?
DriveThruRPG medals are an important detail that’ll help you make good buying choices on the Internet’s largest RPG store, DriveThruRPG. Let’s explore how titles earn them and why you should pay attention to these shiny bits of digital metal.
How RPG Titles Earn DriveThruRPG Medals
According to the DriveThru Partners Help Center, medals are awarded for sales of products priced at $0.20 or more. A title needs to pass the following number of units sold to earn the related medal:
- Copper: 51
- Silver: 101
- Electrum: 251
- Gold: 501
- Platinum: 1,001
- Mithral: 2,501
- Adamantine: 5,001
Running the Numbers
Let’s put those numbers into perspective.
On DriveThruRPG, Platinum (a total of 2,538 titles at the time of writing), Mithral (555 titles), and Adamantine (264 titles) account for 2.22% of all titles with medals. That’s 3,357 titles — the cream of the crop.
We know that major publishing houses, like Penguin Random House, rely on repeat best sellers — such as The Bible, Lord of the Rings, celebrity bios, Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, etc. — for their income. The rest of their offering consists of titles that sell less than 1,000 copies, each. That, however, is mainstream publishing. RPG titles, which fall into the tabletop hobby niche, are a minuscule slice of a tiny pie in comparison.
However, this insight indicates that anything under Platinum Seller is still a respectable achievement.
Our Example: Rising Phoenix Games
Selling 51 units is sometimes a small feat for small publishers like us.
While we have a Mithral title (Player’s Companion for D&D), a Gold title (Aurora’s Whole Realms Winter Catalogue), and a handful of Electrum titles (also all for D&D 5e) most of our titles are Silver or Copper sellers. We’ll typically hit Copper Seller in weeks for a Pathfinder product.
Despite releasing multiple titles a year and marketing to an established customer base, many of our titles, like our Apothecary alternate class for D&D, may take years to break the 50-sales mark. Hobby publishers with no social media footprint are in for a harder time. Especially publishing their own game or creating content for less popular systems than Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition or the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.
We love DriveThruRPG medals. They motivate us. But what do the medals mean for customers?
Why DriveThruRPG Medals Matter
Medals don’t prove quality. Since a publisher earns them from sales, good marketing can conceal problems like poor mechanics, bad art, or fumbled layouts. If enough customers want and pay for the product it’ll earn medals.
But when a product has medals and reviews you’ll start to see a clearer picture of the game’s worth. In my experience, customers won’t leave a review unless they’re angry about something or they’re a reviewer. Does a lack of ratings and reviews indicate a good game? Does it mean customers were generally satisfied if a product has earned medals but customers left no feedback? Maybe.
My advice is to read whatever reviews you can find, either on DriveThruRPG or on other great stores like the Open Gaming Store, Paizo, or Itch. Ultimately, if the game looks good to you, drop some money on it. That way you’re supporting creators and showing them that their creation resonated with you.
Every cent is appreciated.
Hi there, I’m Rodney.
Writer, Game Designer, Editor, Kitbasher, Skateboarder, and Ork ‘Ed Banga. But Nothing Without Christ!
Tea-Inspired Plot Hooks for your D&D or Pathfinder Game
Tea! A hot cup of bliss. Writing fuel. Gaming fuel. I can’t GM without it, and now I’ve discovered all sorts of inspiration from the humble beverage. Let’s look at some tea-inspired plot hooks for your game.
Throughout real-world history, the humble tea plant has inspired human determination and greed. Kingdoms have sent men to fight and die to secure their control over the tea trade. Fortunes have been made, and lost, under the hot sun as plantation workers, and slaves, coaxed the tea crop to grow. Add a magical element to the intriguing history of tea and you’ll find plenty of inspiration for your campaign. Below are some ideas.
The Smugglers’ Ring
Tea is a valuable resource. However, tea doesn’t grow naturally in many kingdoms, and some lands don’t have a suitable climate to grow the crop. Consequently, these countries are at the mercy of traders and pay high prices for imported tea. This situation is ripe for enterprising fortune-seekers. The illicit trade of tea supports a vast black market that extends to the highest power in the land. But this shady economy was created by pirates, bandits, and smugglers. Those people daring or desperate enough to risk their lives to capture armed trade ships and caravans, and make off with their cargo. Unsurprisingly, kingdoms with both the climate and a domestic tea plant go to great lengths to protect their tradeable tea harvest. So, it falls to the smuggler to keep the tea flowing.
Cargo for Coin
Smugglers mainly move captured cargo, but also traffic plants. A rival plantation owner or a kingdom may see a single seedling as the key to their future empire. The powerful are willing to pay handsomely for such opportunities—provided their involvement remains a closely guarded secret.
The party might be involved on either side of a tea-smuggling plot, as smugglers or investigators. Involve the player characters further by binding them to the tea trade. It’s not just a job. Must they carry tea plants across mountains and rivers, through orc lands, to pay the ransom for their village? Does the loss of their village tea harvest — taken by bandits — threaten their livelihood?
A smuggling ring can have many tiers, and dealing with each might take many sessions. Who do the smugglers work for? Is the smuggling ring one of many? Is the tea plot the first incursion of a great war between nations? Add a fantasy twist and you might have a vampire queen building her kingdom’s dominance through the tea trade. Or a lich who uses his smugglers as scouts, probing for an initial invasion of his undead hordes.
It’s hard for us to imagine tea’s value when it’s readily available in our modern economy. In a fantasy world, where growing and moving crops might face other problems, such as dragons or magical catastrophes, tea might be even more valuable and hard to come by than it was in our real-world history. Consider the realities of the tea trade in your fantasy world and you’ll add an authenticity that helps your shared story come alive.
The Magic of Tea
Does lemon and ginger tea really help to cure the common cold? Does tea truly have health benefits? While modern science cannot confirm the miraculous properties attributed to tea, in the realm of fantasy, the possibilities are boundless. Is tea an important component of resurrection magic? Has one of the heroes died? Are tea leaves difficult to obtain? You can control the importance of tea in your campaign by dialing up the usefulness of hot beverages, while making tea rare. If a cup of tea is the only way to restore mana, your players will go to great lengths to secure a personal tea crop.
There are means to tie nonmagical characters to tea. Clerics might incorporate tea into sacred rituals, alchemists may seek to distill its essence for potent brews, and rogues could be hired to pilfer rare tea leaves or exquisite silver tea sets. The infusion of magic into these scenarios adds further depth and intrigue.
Supplement these tea-inspired plot hooks by making tea evocative. The champion’s cup of chai exudes an aroma that evokes faraway lands. It reinvigorates her with power drawn from the very earth. It holds the warmth of life. Then, just maybe, she connects to her god through the deep magic of tea.
The Politics of Tea
Tea grows in the dirt, yet kingdoms, with their centers far from those fields, depend on that crop. As we’ve seen, the business of tea is as important to a king as it is to the muddy worker who sewed and harvests it. The heroes begin their story as modest farm hands, at level 1, and through facing monsters and deadly quests grow to become tea barons and baronesses by level 20. Throughout this progression, the heroes’ progression is indelibly tied to the tea harvest and its trade.
At first level, the party might defend their harvest from goblins, those little fiends who love setting fields ablaze. Goblins never need a good reason for arson. At second level, the harvest is collected and taken to market and will need an escort. At third level, a trader bargains for the entire harvest and stout hearts to accompany it to his ship. Perhaps the trader has a decree from the queen and drafts the party into the kingdom’s service. Can the party navigate the dangerous river voyage to bring their cargo of supplies (including that tea) to the besieged allies of their monarch?
That same tea cargo might cross many more kingdoms and oceans before its journey is done. With the party traveling with it, there will be plenty of opportunity for intrigue and adventure. When the party finally returns to their fields, they do so as champions of the kingdom, with wagon loads of treasure creaking along behind them.
Join Us for a Cup!
The Magic of Tea is our latest supplement for Pathfinder Second Edition, and it contains a bunch of treats for your campaign. It’s a perfect addition to these tea-inspired plot hooks. The book includes:
- 18 new spells inspired by tea. Another cup, anyone?
- Tea Master background
- Brewpot Dragonet and the Teaboy creatures
You can find The Magic of Tea on DriveThruRPG and Itch.IO.
Hi there, I’m Rodney.
Writer, Game Designer, Editor, Kitbasher, Skateboarder, and Ork ‘Ed Banga. But Nothing Without Christ!
How to Become an RPG Designer
Do you want to be an RPG designer? Maybe you’ve created some great homebrew content, have a few products on sale already, or have a cool tabletop RPG (TTRPG) idea you want to publish. Maybe you’re just curious about what it takes to create RPGs for a living and wonder where to start. Whatever the case, this article’s for you.
First Steps
The first thing you need to do is start.
TTRPGs involve a lot of creative energy. From creating your first character to running a months-long campaign, the hobby expects your creative investment at many levels. The trick is to take that creative investment, develop your craft (the ability to create and package that creativity), and ultimately deliver professional products.
Those customers might be an RPG publisher like Paizo, Wizards of the Coast, or Rising Phoenix Games, or you might be self-publishing on a site like DriveThruRPG or Itch.io. Either way, produce good work and be an asset to the roleplaying community.
An RPG designer is often part of a team. I’ve written rules, edited stat blocks, laid out books, created covers, made art assets, drawn maps, managed development teams, and made the tea. Mostly, that work is shared by a team of talented individuals, each with strengths and flaws. Being a team player is important, as is balancing your ego with a healthy dose of humility.
So, it’s worth learning as much as possible about writing and game design to be an asset to any development team you’re a part of. This collection of resources has proved very helpful to me, and I hope it’s helpful to you too.
Recommended Reading
I maintain a bookshelf on GoodReads with great RPG design resources. Check it out. All of the books I’ve listed are ones I refer back to often.
Writing
RPG Design Courses
Various courses on RPG game design:
RPG Product Marketing Courses
- Title Descriptions DriveThruRPG course video.
RPG and Fiction/Fantasy Writing Courses
Rapid Prototyping
The following tools are useful for making quick, iterative versions of your game ideas.
- Video about rapid prototyping for card games.
Pathfinder Second Edition
Specific tools and resources for creating Pathfinder Second Edition supplements.
Dungeons and Dragons Fifth Edition
- Rising Phoenix Game Monster Builder We’re building a 5e monster builder based on the excellent Blog of Holding’s monster maths.
- The Home Brew is a useful tool for formatting 5e content. Why not use it to inspire your own, unique formatting?
- How to Run Underwater Combat in 5e. We do love undersea content.
AI Tools
Many people take issue with AI tools, but — like any tool — knowing how to use the tool gives you more options to create better works. Enhance, rather than replace.
- Grammarly for AI-assisted text editing.
Free Web Tools
I use the following tools to improve my workflow, manage projects, and supplement my digital and real-world tools.
- Trello is a great management tool.
- Cloud Convert concerts file formats. Useful when you do a lot of work with PDFs.
Hi there, I’m Rodney.
Writer, Game Designer, Editor, Kitbasher, Skateboarder, and Ork ‘Ed Banga. But Nothing Without Christ!
What’s the Simplest Way to Play Pokémon Games?
Do you have a stack of unused Basic Pokémon you’d like to get some use out of? Or do your kids have a bunch of Pokémon cards but not enough Energy and Trainers to make a proper deck? Are they looking for simple games to play with your Pokémon cards? Here are two simple Pokémon games you can play with your collection of Basic Pokémon cards.
Poké One-Up
Make a pack of Basic Pokémon. You’ll need at least 16 cards for a short game, or about 20 cards per player. Split these equally between all players.
Number of Players: 2–8
Deck: Basic Pokémon only
Now each player flips over their first Pokémon. Look at the damage value for each Pokémon’s first attack. The player with the highest attack damage wins all the cards revealed in this round. If there’s a tie, put all the cards from that round aside. They’ll go to the winner of the next round.
The winner of the game is the player with the most cards after a player has been knocked out.
This simplest of Pokémon games is based on Top Trumps, and you can make it more interesting by picking other card traits to compare. Here are a few:
- Retreat cost
- Highest attack cost
- Greatest resistance
- HP
- Shiny!
Energy Unleashed: Basic Poké Battles!
Make equal packs of Basic Pokémon for each player. Don’t worry too much about what Energy cards they need, but pay attention to their attacks and abilities. Remove any cards that won’t make sense for this type of game.
Number of Players: Best for 2, fine for 3~4 players
Deck: Basic Pokémon only, but you’ll need a pile of Energy cards or tokens to use as Energy cards.
Each player shuffles their deck, then draws 7 cards (just like a regular game of Pokémon). Put the rest of your cards away, since we won’t need them for the rest of the game.
Then, each player chooses one Pokémon from their hand to be their active Pokémon, and then places 5 on their bench, which is the row behind the active Pokémon. This is just like a regular game of Pokémon too, but you don’t have Power cards or Trainers to worry about. Keep the last Pokémon in your hand until a spot opens up on your bench.
During each turn, put an Energy card on one of your Pokémon. It doesn’t matter what energy it provides, although if you have enough Energy cards you can rule that it does. Make attacks as in a normal game of Pokémon. A player wins if they knock out 6 Pokémon.
Did you enjoy these Pokémon games? Do you have other games you play with your Pokémon cards? Let us know, in the comment below.
Hi there, I’m Rodney.
Writer, Game Designer, Editor, Kitbasher, Skateboarder, and Ork ‘Ed Banga. But Nothing Without Christ!
Mystery Dice: Can we Unravel D&D’s Greatest Mystery?
Dice. Can you ever own enough? Will they roll high when it matters? These questions might be the greatest mysteries of our wonderful roleplaying hobby. Or it’s “What’s in a pack of Mystery Dice?” I’m here to rip open that mystery like a frenzied goblin oracle tearing apart a loot sack!
Mystery Dice? What’s in the Bag?
Mystery Dice, from UK-based Mystery Dice Goblins, are blind bags of 7 RPG dice. They’re perfect for games of Dungeons & Dragons or Pathfinder. There’s the caltrop-of-doom D4, the ubiquitous D6, the D8, the pair of D10s (units die and tens die), the D12, and the mighty D20. Each bag’s contents are colour-matched, so you get a complete, colour-coordinated set. However, the transparent purple set I opened has 5 dark purple and 2 light purple dice. I call it my “Berry Blast” set. Although the variation is noticeable, they still look fantastic together. I love them!
The dice are a good, standard size. The set I’m playing with are slightly rough distressed blue dice. The D4 and D6 are slightly bigger than the same dice from the Pathfinder Beginner Box set, which is only noticeable when you carefully compare them.
All the numbers on the dice are clear, and that readability is important to me. We need to see those numbers! In our third set, the gold paint on green and white marbling produces a low contrast, but I’ll take elegance over readability in this case. These are some of our most beautiful dice — the other being a green and black marbled set, which belongs to my wife. She has excellent taste.
Blind Bags are a Party, in a Bag
Skeptical of blind bags? Me too, but I remember being a kid and the fun we had opening those Monster in My Pocket packets. The fun’s still there today. Opening each pack was an exciting rush of endorphins, and I was happy with every dice I got. Several older sets are getting the boot from my collection to make way for the new arrivals.
Grab some bags with your gaming group, then figure out who gets the first pick. You’ll have a blast and get a set you love as part of the deal. Christmas is far off, but Mystery Dice are the perfect stocking filler. They’re also a great gift for gamer friends or prizes for your gaming club.
Where to Buy Mystery Dice
You can buy Mystery Dice from the Mystery Dice Goblins website.
Keep Rolling!
Hi there, I’m Rodney.
Writer, Game Designer, Editor, Kitbasher, Skateboarder, and Ork ‘Ed Banga. But Nothing Without Christ!
Party Up: Friends vs Monsters, and Life
Do you ever feel alone? Do you feel like the world’s too much, and it’s banging on the door, trying to get you? I sometimes feel that way.
When that happens, it’s a struggle to stop my gloom-and-doom thought train and change my perspective. Recently, it was my RPG publisher friends who helped me see things differently. So, I want to talk about those friends and I want to give you a light to hold onto when things get rough.
When the Going Gets Tough, Collaborate
I reached out to a few indie RPG developers and asked if they’d join me on a bundle. The Hidden Indie RPG Treasures Bundle is available on DriveThruRPG, right now, until the end of February. I’m mentioning it now and again at the end of this post only, so the marketing is clear for you to see. Anyway, I had a great response from those friends and we made a neat little collection of indie RPG games.
I’m mentioning the collaboration because it provided a healthy change of perspective.
Toughen Up, RPG Creator
The perspective I’ve had for a long time is a warped idea of what success in the industry means. You can’t get a true sense of where you stand in the industry without friends to help you gauge it.
It’s important to understand the context here. Many of us do what we do with limited resources. We use our free time, our own money, and our sweat equity to make games. We’re passionate about the hobby, and that drives us. But it’s hard competing against bigger companies like Wizards of the Coast for those RPG dollars. If you don’t have a hit RPG title or a large social media presence, then it’s hard to get eyes on your work. Even professional, high-quality work can be ignored. Burnout is a real threat because of that. We work hard but don’t always see recognition for that effort. It can become a depressing, black hole.
Anybody, no matter what they do, might be a step away from that deep, dark abyss. Watch the news, suffer a string of bad luck, get hit with unexpected financial pressure, and the cracks start to show. Part of the issue is a false sense of the truth. Essentially, thinking we’re not good enough is a result of a foggy perception of reality.
Reaching out is incredibly hard for me to do. I’m a busy introvert. I spend a lot of time chatting with friends online, but these interactions are often superficial. The medium is restrictive. Those conversations seldom touch base with reality. That changes when friends are struggling with the same thing, like how to market an indie RPG bundle. Working together, we challenged our perceptions. We could better perceive the truth, but only together.
Perspective
I realized that Rising Phoenix wasn’t as insignificant as I thought we were. We could help guys with a handful of titles because we have a bucket-load of titles. We also saw how each effort brought in a few extra sales. Without data (or friends with experience) it’s hard to anticipate what sort of sales we might get, which leads to frustration if those sales seem lower than we hoped for.
There’s a Biblical aspect to this worth considering. In Galatians 6 verse 2 (that’s in the New International Version for this and the rest), Paul says: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” If you draw this back to Jesus’s words of “love one another” (John 13:34) and then further back to the 10 Commandments’ “Love your neighbour” (Leviticus 19:18) then it’s clear: we should help people.
I have no scientific research confirming what we gain from helping others, but my experience has been that it’s good to step into a leaking boat with someone. Struggling together sharpens a person and helps us see the same problem from different sides.
I’m just a dude trying to make great games and figure out this crazy thing called life, and those are my two cents. I hope it’s a useful idea for you to think about.
The Hidden Indie RPG Treasures Bundle
Now, let’s talk about that bundle one last time. Our goal is to make 50 sales. That boosts overall sales since customers are more likely to buy a best-selling title, and 50 sales gives you a Copper Best-Seller badge. With roughly nine days left, we currently need another 31 sales to hit that goal. Please consider telling a friend about the bundle. Ask them to tell their friends about it too. That’ll help us in the greatest way possible.
Here’s a copy of Road to Rhune, at rogue prices (free), to help you get the bundle even cheaper.
Get the Hidden Indie RPG Treasures Bundle on DriveThruRPG today. Sale ends end of Feb.
Hi there, I’m Rodney.
Writer, Game Designer, Editor, Kitbasher, Skateboarder, and Ork ‘Ed Banga. But Nothing Without Christ!
Is AI Art Killing the TTRPG Industry?
What’s up? We’re in the final stretch of 2023, and it feels like the year is about to slip by way too soon. What a busy year! Wizards of the Coast kept things interesting, a new version of Pathfinder dropped, and then AI tools further divided the community.
We have several projects ongoing, and the evolution of our process has some interesting insights into how AI tools are changing the TTRPG industry. For example, I used AI art tools to colour and detail my monsters. First, I’d draw them in pencil and ink them. Then I’d colour them in Photoshop. I’d run this through a few AI generations. These I’d then composite with Photoshop.
An intelligent tool, turning mediocre art into something evocative. The process worked and I felt that it wasn’t the same copout as generating images from scratch. Are artists losing out with this process? I don’t think so. I still pay for art when it makes sense, and there’s still a lot of drawing being done. If anything, the process has helped me compete with the competition that can afford good art.
The above image is AI art, and I think it’s obvious that the technology is improving. Less obvious is how the artist is still important. I love The Simpsons, and part of the charm of the series is the deformed art style. Flaws, it turns out, are beautiful. I don’t mean weird fingers and third legs. Put another way, the craftsmanship is a thing of art. This is ultimately why every artist owes it to themselves to keep working at their craft. Even when it looks like the machines are taking over.
What I’m Playing
Years ago I bought the physical Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game, but I now play the Steam version. The game has terrible achievements and no support, so some of the achievements are impossible to achieve. Still, it’s a fun solo card game that scratches my Magic: the Gathering itch.
I recently picked up Strange Brigade, which is a lot of fun with friends. If you love action archeology as much as I do, then this one is for you.
What I’m Listening To
My song for Christmas is Children 18:3’s “Bethlehem”. The Christmas message is for everyone, no matter what you believe. It isn’t true if it isn’t.
I’ve also been listening to a lot of ska music, and that, right now, means The Interrupters. Their music will build anyone back up.
You gotta kiss the ground
What are your thoughts on AI art and AI tools? Tell us in the comments below.
Related Tabletop News
Here are some hot news items. Check them out!
Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance is coming to Netflix next year. Will it be the show fans deserve?
Christmas is around the corner. Here are five tips for saving money on Pokémon cards this festive season.
The RPG Advent bundle has 25 products for only $24. It’s even cheaper if you already own some of the books (and you probably do). It’s a great chance to build your collection.
Hi there, I’m Rodney.
Writer, Game Designer, Editor, Kitbasher, Skateboarder, and Ork ‘Ed Banga. But Nothing Without Christ!
Our Goblin Spy Reveals Santa’s RPG Advent Bundle!
Greetings, fellow goblin adventurers! Gather ’round, for I, Snozgrot the Stealthy, have just returned from the heart of Santa’s secret workshop with jaw-dropping news! Prepare yourselves for an epic treasure trove of tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) with the RPG Advent bundle! You don’t want to miss it.
A Peek Inside the Stocking:
In my daring mission through the snowy north, I discovered a hidden treasure trove that would make even the most stoic dwarf break into a jig. Santa, it seems, is not just crafting toys for the good little humans — he’s been secretly working on a magical bundle of 24 TTRPG products! And get this, my fellow goblins and goblinettes, you can snag this treasure trove for a mere $24! Yes, you heard that right, just one shiny gold coin for a bundle worth over $150!
Unveiling The Mysteries:
The bundle is shrouded in mystery, much like the wonder of reading (I kidnapped an elf and made him write this post). What I can share with you, however, is that these treasures include rulebooks, adventures, maps, and tools crafted by the finest TTRPG creators in the universe. Old Santa has truly outdone himself.
What’s In the Bundle:
Santa’s elves have collected 24 TTRPG products* to excite every little goblin. Yes, it’s even more exciting than playing with fire!
Player and GM Options: Looking for more ways to build the characters you want to play? We’ve got several titles covering a variety of games, including Dath (New Race), Monstrous Personas, Archetypes of the Ages: Dragons (5e), ARMR Studios Compendium – 2015, Black Powder Rebellion – Firearms and Historical Campaigns (PF2), Pocket Lint, Light Loot & Tiny Treasures, and The Book of Many Things Volume 2: Shattered Worlds. These titles cover a wide array of games, so you’ll have a wealth of options to mine.
System Hacks and Expansions: If you love playing new games with familiar systems, then check out The Ruin 5th ed RPG or Ghost Ops Second Strike – 5th ed.
Indie Games: If you’re looking for innovation and creativity, then indie games have it in spades. The RPG Advent bundle has many indie TTRPG titles, including Big Eyes Small Brains, Bullet, Camp Karate, How to Plan a Murder, KARMA: A Roleplaying Game About Consequences, Onyx Sky, Samurai Androids, Something Wicked, Static Dawn, Teenage Mutant Dirtbags: A Roleplaying Game and Hero Kids – Fantasy RPG.
Impressive!
Adventures and Maps: My library of maps and adventures always has room to expand. The bundle has several stunning additions in this category, including Time Is of the Essence (A New Year’s Eve Adventure), Bokafesh’s Never Ending Dungeon, Santa Claus CRUSHES the Martians, and Ships: Terran Frigate.
This bundle looks set to include something for everyone, all for the cost of a modest goblin hoard of $24.
Genres Under the Christmas:
Santa’s workshop brings gifts from every dimension! Dive into the realms of high fantasy, traverse futuristic landscapes, or explore the shadowy corners of post-apocalyptic tent markets – this bundle spans genres, ensuring there’s something for every adventurer’s taste. It’s like a digital bag of holding filled with possibilities!
Limited Time Offer:
The stars align for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Santa’s bundle is available from December 1st until Christmas only! Gather your party, summon your familiar, and don’t miss out on the chance to acquire this legendary collection. Whether you’re a seasoned dungeon master or a curious newcomer, this bundle gives you 24 products, so you can enjoy one for each day of Advent, and for months to come.
But How Do I Snag the Bundle?:
Santa’s elves aren’t done yet, but you can claim your bundle from the first of December, from Drive-Thru RPG. Trust me, this is a deal you won’t want to miss. ‘Tis the season for epic tales and unforgettable quests, and Santa’s got your back!
So, fellow adventurers, let the word spread like wildfire across the realms – Santa’s Advent RPG bundle is the ultimate gift for TTRPG enthusiasts! Unleash your imagination, roll those dice, and embark on an RPG journey of a lifetime with this magical collection. Don’t let this slippery opportunity slip through your buttery fingers!
Happy gaming!
Buying on Itch? We’ve got a bundle running right now.
* Note that the books in the bundle may change. We don’t think they will, but we’re just covering our butts in case it does.
Hi there, I’m Rodney.
Writer, Game Designer, Editor, Kitbasher, Skateboarder, and Ork ‘Ed Banga. But Nothing Without Christ!