The anticipated sequel with over 500 game-ready magic items, player options, settings, and more for 5e. Give out better treasure!
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Finalizing test prints and prototype materials. Plus, see me SATURDAY at PAX Unplugged!
over 1 year ago
– Fri, Dec 02, 2022 at 12:31:34 AM
Hey everyone!
First of all, if you're at PAX Unplugged this weekend, come see me at the Hit Point Press booth, number 3631! I'll be there between 12:30 and 2:30 on Saturday, and I would absolutely love to see you!
Prototypes and other progress
This past month I've been finalizing some prototype materials and color proofs for the book. You can see the video below for a look at what I've gotten, including the wooden card box option!
I also got a video of the lenticular pin! This one doesn't have the enameled outter edge yet, but you can see the winking animation in action! It looks so cute.
The beanie is also making progress! We've got the materials and sizing about right, so now we're just getting (hopefully) final prototypes made for it. Turns out that getting beanies made can be a little more complicated than I'd imagined!
The journals are about ready to get sent off to print and manufacture, too. Just waiting on the final character sheet designs. Once they're all ready, I'll be able to upload their designs to Backerkit for you to enjoy ahead of time!
Similarly, the griffon bestiary is almost finished with its illustrations! Actually statting the griffons will go much faster, and then the assembly of the PDF should be similarly quick. Nearly there!
That's it for now! I hope to see you this weekend, and until next time, keep on adventuring!
-g
Prototypes, prototypes, prototypes!
over 1 year ago
– Thu, Nov 03, 2022 at 04:13:32 AM
Hey everyone!
Whoo, have I got a lot of prototype news to share! In general, things are moving along at a good pace! I've also got some bonus griffon art to showcase, plus the GM screen insert designs!
First, though, let me also say that a bunch of creators have launched some very cool Kickstarters in the last month. I've got four links down at the bottom that I think are truly worth your time to at least check out. :)
What's covered in this update with video:
The backpack
The coins
The keyloop
The dice bag
The bookmarks
The banners
What's covered in this update without video:
The GM screen (sneak peak AND bonus download)
The cards
The griffon bestiary (sneak peaks!)
There's a fair bit to cover with these, so I put them into videos so you had visual context, too. Again, in general, things are moving along well! I think, with most everything, just one more round of prototypes will be all it takes to pull the trigger on manufacturing.
Things look great with it. The tricky prototypes to get the interior are taken care of, so the last thing that it's come down to is getting the page inserts done. Which, they are now! Here's a preview of all four pages in a row, approximating what you'd see in the screen:
If you ordered the screen (or choose to add it now), the full size, print-ready version of this file is now available in your Backerkit downloads. This way you don't have to wait for it to get use out of these sheets! Have fun!
The Cards
I'll be getting the wooden box prototype really soon. The cards and normal box themselves are good to go, I just need to update one of the box files, which I'll be doing right after this. I haven't gotten a prototype of it yet, but it's not doing anything crazy in terms of production. It'll be fine right off the bat, I'm sure.
The Griffon Bestiary
Thanks for your patience with this bestiary! We're down to the last few griffons remaining. Here's a preview of some of the latest: the tempest griffon and a rakshasa griffon!
In summary
The long and short of this is that things are moving along! I always do my best to keep production moving at all times as soon as I get emails in or prototypes in the mail. Because of the complexity of a lot of these products, pandemic-driven restrictions placed on manufacturing plants, and holiday rush orders (that superseded these orders in many cases), some of these products will be arriving at the warehouse in mid spring. So while we can expect to ship after February now, we're still on track and in high spirits.
Again, thank you for your patience and enthusiasm, and I really hope you enjoy the digital downloads I send out while you wait and while I work towards getting mass production to start.
Other great projects that I think you'll like:
Psst! You can click the images to be taken to their respective pages)
DMDave is a good friend of mine and extremely talented writer, tactician, and (aptly) GM. The Survival Guide is a (what I consider to be) must-have field guide that gives you believable and dangerous tactics to use with hundreds of monsters in 5e. It's all too common to have baddies be sacks of hit points, but with this guide, you'll be all too ready to have your monsters be truly monstrous. I backed this project and am really excited about it.
The folks at Nord Games, who are handling this Kickstarter's delivery, just launched this lovely compendium and associated sets of materials for, well, foraging, harvesting, and natural discovery! In it are means to find new materials and create fabulous new magic items! If you liked this campaign and the bonus crafting guide from Kibbles, this is probably up your alley!
Heretic's Guide to Devotion and Divinity expresses new and thoughtful ways to handle divinity and those who worship it in Fifth Edition. Slay and become gods, divine sacred rituals and ceremonies, and be tempted by hunts for ancient holy relics! If you're looking for divine inspiration for your 5E game, look no further. Heretic's Guide to Devotion & Divinity has everything you need to make the divine feel real!
I'd linked to this campaign already, but now it's in its final 48 hours! Check back in to see what new stretch goals have been unlocked and get your hands on a ton of top-notch battlemaps to bring to the table.
That's it from me for now! Thanks again, as always, for all your energy and support: I'm working hard every day to make sure it's worth it for you!
Keep on adventuring!
-g
A quick note on when orders will be locked (you have time). PLUS, Alchemy codes for Book One now out!
over 1 year ago
– Thu, Oct 06, 2022 at 09:03:22 AM
Hey everyone! Man, I've been chatty lately! A couple things today.
Orders will be locked/charged closer to shipping.
Locking and charging is important for when I need to pull the trigger on placing final orders with manufacturers or preparing for shipping from the fulfillment warehouse. However, I'm in a bit of prototype purgatory with a few products for the time being (holiday demands start early, so production is slow), and can't place those orders until everything is approved. As a result, locking and charging your orders now would only box out new pre-orders and prevent you from making changes to your orders prematurely. All in all, the more time we can let it remain open, the more flexibility is left for everyone.
In the meantime, please rest assured that I'm remaining vigilant on my end to keep moving products forward. Lots of emails. Thank you for your patience!
This means, at least in my mind, that you have around 3 or 4 months left. I'll be able to place final orders from the manufacturer (with some wiggle room, to account for any changes) without charging or locking your orders. I'll be locking everything when it comes closer to shipping, as that's when those final numbers really matter! Don't worry! I will be very vocal about when orders will start being locked and charged closer to when it happens.
If you got a Book One PDF, you now have an Alchemy RPG code for it!
First off, thank you everyone for enjoying the platform. I love Alchemy and the team that works on it, so I am thrilled to know how many of you share my enthusiasm for it.
A few folks asked about Book One codes for Alchemy yesterday, so I generated a bunch of codes for you all. If you ordered a Book One PDF through this campaign, you got a code for it on Backerkit now! Or, if you pledged to the first Kickstarter campaign, too, you got a code through that!
Common problems that've come up with redeeming Alchemy codes:
Make sure that you're only pasting in characters, not errant spaces before your code. That's tripped up a bunch of folks. I've let the Alchemy team know that that can happen, so they should be able to address that in the future.
Alchemy codes are not the same as Ledger+ codes! Make sure you're grabbing the right code from Backerkit!
If you're having trouble getting into your Digital Downloads on Backerkit, search your inbox for your old Backerkit survey link. That'll let you get right back into your account and access those downloads with minimal fuss.
So, if your code says it's invalid, it's probably one of the above things! I always double check codes that people say have given them trouble, and so far we've gotten everyone set up in no time. :)
My pal and well-known cartographer Tom Cartos has just launched his Kickstarter, which offers a wide range of battlemaps for use in person and online. The books are dry-erase friendly and serve as a quick means of making custom encounter maps for your players (who just insisted on starting a fight where you couldn't have planned for). There are a bunch of books to choose from, with each one boasting a unique series of maps in a different environment.
I, personally, love battlemap books. I've long used simple dry erase maps, but these are far and away easier and more immersive to use!
Get all of Book Two on Alchemy RPG for free with your PDFs! Add items, choose subclasses, and more!
over 1 year ago
– Wed, Oct 05, 2022 at 09:48:14 AM
Hey again everyone! I'm back with some bonus digital rewards for all you PDF-holders!
I've just hit the distribute button on a bank of codes for you that will let you enjoy the entirety of Book Two on Alchemy RPG, my personal favorite online TTRPG platform.
Alchemy is a beautiful system that you can use to host your favorite (and home-made) 5e content and play with your friends online. It has the backing of creators like me and Hit Point Press, and I can speak with certainty when I say I believe in the product and the team's vision. What they have is already beautiful, and they're lightning-quick with development updates and bug-smashing. Working with this team is always a highlight for me.
Much like the PDF, you'll be able to read every chapter, item, character option, and setting detail with this code on an incredible and immersive digital platform alongside your fellow players. The bonus here is that you can add these items to your games, complete with art, descriptions, and flavor text. More detailed built-in actions for equipped items will come down the line, too!
If you haven't seen Alchemy in action, I took some screenshots of how Book Two looks in-app. Again, you all get this forfree if you also have the PDF (which almost all of you do).
Exploring the book's chapters.
Navigating items is very similar to how you're already used to on the Ledger+
To activate the book on Alchemy with your codes from Backerkit, you only need to create an account (email, username, password; less than 30 seconds), navigate to the Marketplace tab on the left side of the screen, and select the Redeem Code button in the upper right. Paste this code in and you'll instantly have a brand new and beautiful way to enjoy and integrate this book—forever! You'll find everything you've gathered in your Universes, which are found at the bottom of the left menu under the Marketplace.
And, if you like this, Book One is also available on Alchemy!
I, for one, can't wait to get this second book. The first served as valuable design inspiration for me when putting together the designs for Book Two! The art, world, and story these books weave together in a 5e-ready package is top notch. They're well past their funding goal and have a track record of successful fulfillment, so you can rest easy with any support!
Dark Symmetry is the next installment in the Lore of Aetherra saga, dedicated to exploring the underwater city of Chrysalea and its technological mystery. A 300+ page campaign setting and adventure, your party can continue the Lore of Aetherra saga or start fresh and uncover the mysteries of Chrysalea on your own. If you missed the first campaign, you're in luck! Pick up The Lost Druid as a part of several pledge tiers or as an add-on in both the Standard and Limited Editions. Together these two books form the first half of an epic saga that will take your players from level 1-10 with nearly 600 pages of content.
Itincludes:
Aethercraft rules for crafting
100+ pages of setting
200+ pages of adventure
13+ animated scenes
2 hour original soundtrack
12 all new subclasses
5 pre-made player characters
50+ new magic items
40+ new NPCs and monsters
That's it for now! I hope you like the bonus content, and have a blast with Alchemy!
Until next time! Keep on adventuring!
-g
Kibbles Crafting Guide to The Griffon's Saddlebag is here! Let's get crafty!
over 1 year ago
– Fri, Sep 30, 2022 at 01:42:22 AM
Hey everyone!
Whoo-hoo! The 65+ page crafting guide PDF is now distributing. You'll find this file next to your PDF for Book Two on Backerkit. If you don't see it now, check back in a bit. In general, items are always available within 24 hours.
The recipes and mechanics for making these items were devised by KibblesTasty, a good friend and creator whose work I truly admire. Within the guide, you'll see how to spend your downtime creating magical items from Book Two using materials and magical components collected on your journey. This system can also be expanded further using Kibbles' other guides, including a free one, that will let you get even more in-depth about your characters' specialties.
You can find more from Kibbles here, including his own bookon crafting like this! I'm a very happy patron and supporter of his work, in case that's also something that sounds interesting to you! You can let him know I sent you.
In any case, happy crafting! I'll be back soon with more goodies in another update!
Speaking of friends making cool TTRPG stuff, a very close personal friend (and old art director) of mine has launched a beautiful Kickstarter campaign for his new sci-fi legacy role-playing game, SALVAGE: Deep Space. The video alone is stunning, and I can speak from personal experience that I believe in the team and their vision. With countless hours of scenarios built into the core mechanics of the game, this is a game for any 5e fan that's interested in something a little more sci-fi and hands-on.
