Overworld - The Tabletop Roleplaying Game

The madmen at Bloat Games. are back at it. Their new project is Overworld RPG. This game expands previous releases and fleshes them out into a full game. I’ve loved their series of video game monster books. This takes the SURVIVE THIS!!  stats, adds appropriate classes, and all you need for a complete game. There will also be a separate world/setting book. 

This project makes me think of Captain N the Gamemaster  and Super Smash Bros. Also since it uses SURVIVE THIS!! rules there is great crossover potential with games like Dark Places & Demogorgons. What happens when your J-Town crew get sucked into their Nintendo? Overworld RPG gives you the tools to find out.

There are only a few days left for the Kickstarter, so don’t delay.

Gremlins Invade 5e

You have less than 48 hours left to back Bloat Games,
Goblins - Anarchy in the RPG. I've had the privilege of reading the final pdf and it's phenomenal. You can read my review here. The project has expanded since the project launched. Do to feedback, two more goblin zines have been added as add-ons (with an all-in option). 

The first is Space Goblins - Anarchy in Space. While I don't know much about it, I'm guessing it will be great for 5e supers and Spelljammer games. The second additional zine focuses on a type of fey closely related to goblins, gremlins. While the final version of the zine isn't finished, Eric let me look at the manuscript. The zine will have the same format as Goblins - Anarchy in the RPG. 

Josh gives us Gremlin species trait. Being nocturnal, gremlins hate light. Like real world legends, they have an aura that hinders machinery and technology. This is attributed to them being the embodiment of chaos and destruction. Like the film versions of gremlins, each has it's own special condition to multiply and vulnerability. Being chaotic, these are determined with a random chart. Additionally, like the vampires of The Lost Boys, when exposed to sunlight and killed each gremlin goes out in a random way (again determined by a chart).

We're presented with several different gremlin variants (as well as the standard variety). Counting the "common" variety there are 7 different variety of gremlins. There are varied and included bat-winged, undead, and mechanical ones. Being creatures of chaos, they can also mutate and their is an extensive chart with new abilities and features for Happchance Gremlins. Think of these gremlins and the mutated ones from the second film. Finally we get a CN gremlin wizard npc that can be friend or foe. 

I don't think I've ever included gremlins in my game, but after reading this I want to. I like that Josh combined the stories of gremlins from WWII fighter pilots with the film versions. This is a worthy add-on to the campaign and personally I went all-in. Seriously if you haven't backed this project, I highly recommend you do so. And remember you have less than two days left to do so.

Bree-Yark!

Goblins: Anarchy in the RPG is an upcoming Kickstarter from my friends at Bloat Games. It's written for 5e and while I don't see any direct mention of it, it looks like it's done in the current 2024 version. Update: After talking to author, Josh Palmer, I can confirm it was written in the 2024 format. 

Before I get into the content, I want to talk about the design. The background of each page is black with white-bordered pink text boxes. The text itself is either black or white. While I'm sure some may find this jarring, it really makes the zine pop. Along with the name, it gives the book a great punk aesthetic. Most of the art is stock art, but its really good stock art.

Goblins tend to be used as low level fodder for games, which is cool, but they can be so much more. This zine is a toolkit to get you the most goblin bang for your goblin bucks. Most of the books content is unique goblin npc's and different variation and mutant goblins. Additionally, Josh has create species traits in case a player wants to create a goblin PC.

Something I appreciate the NPC's is there's a good mix of alignments represented. My favorite, Golloc Gloomgash is a Robinhood-esque master thief. There's also a goblin cult leader who made me chuckle. He also seems like the kind of villain I'd want to include. There are seven unique goblins to cause chaos in your game. Mixed in with those heroes and villains are fourteen goblin variations. These show how goblins can adapt to any variety of environments and also include a few goblins organizations. There's even a centaur-like goblin! The background of each includes great flavor for your games. There are also a few fun subtables. "Bree-Yark!"isn't the only goblin phrase you're going to want to include. 

I don't know if it was intentional or not, but this book pairs nicely with the latest Starter Set. Even if your players have entered the Caves of Chaos in the past, you can introduce a new experience by incorporating these goblins into the tribes. I think my first D&D 2024 campaign will start with the Keep and that's my plan.

If you love goblins this zine is for you! Even if you don't like them and find them boring, I think this one will change your mind. Don't be a ebbalsmeg and back it when it launches in the next week or so.

Astonishing Heroes of the Public Domain Kickstarter

Y'all know I'm a fan of using public domain superheroes and villains. Almost all of my New Punverse posts were 5e adaptations and updates of these classic characters. While looking up stuff for my upcoming Crisis In Infinite Zines series I discovered another upcoming DCC superhero project. The book will feature original art and judging by the Kevin Maguire Justice League tribute it's going to rock. 

 

Built using DCC RPG as a backbone, Astonishing Heroes of the Public Domain allows for superheroic action. The legendary wizard Merlin has gathered champions of truth and justice for the good of all. Among these iconic heroes are:

• The Black Terror
• The Phantom Lady
• Dorothy Gale
• Santa Claus
• Stardust, the Super Wizard
• Achilles
• The Golden Bat

The book will include brief new rules to help facilitate superheroic play, rules for using the above characters as pc's or npc's, and a short point crawl adventure to kickoff a campaign.

I think the ways the characters are presented is interesting. Instead of having classes they specific hero is given starting equipment, stats, HD or starting HP, and a few abilities. Instead of leveling up the typical way, there you choose from a list of advancement options when a level is gained (at least I assume that's how it works looking at the two samples shown). After the pc version of the character, there's a npc stat block.

I'm really excited for this one and it should work nicely with Comic Crawl Classics, Evolved, and any other DCC comic related game.

You can follow along by clicking "Notify me on launch" on the project's page.

Coming Attractions: Bloody University

The next installment of Bloat Games Bloody Horror Universe, Bloody University launches on Kickstarter in a few days. Go here and click "Notify me on launch" to stay in the loop. Eric and crew always do a phenomenal job and this grindhouse inspired collegiate slasher game will be no different.

Is Your View Askew?

Are you a fan of the 90's slacker films of Kevin Smith? Do you dig monster of the week shows like Buffy?  If you answered yes to one or both of these, then you should check out the latest Kickstarter by Bloat Games. Askew is the 1990's slacker subculture and supernatural tabletop roleplaying game. 

This RP heavy game is about teens and 20 somethings saving their small town from demonic and other supernatural threats. The game is a hack of Cairn. Sessions are treated as an episodic tv sitcom. 

I think it sounds like a blast and if you enjoy this blog, you might too.

The 5e Vigilante City Kickstarter Is Live!

 The 5e Vigilante City for 5e Kickstarter launched earlier today. With this project, Bloat Games is taking the street level vigilante spirit of the SURVIVE THIS!! Vigilante City and rebuilding it from the ground up for 5e (both the original and 2024/2025 version). Now I know some folks think, 5e doesn't need to be everything, and I agree with that. However, there are a lot of us that really love 5e and a system and are totally down for this. The plethora of 5e supers content I've created shows this. The content is going to be released in two hardcover books, one for players and one for GM's.

Like the original game, classes will be divided into two groups: Human and MegaHuman. The human classes will be Archer, Athlete, Crime Fighter, Dark Avenger, Gadgeteer, Martial Artist, Mercenary, Protégé, and True Vigilante. The MegaHuman classes are Anthropomorph, Borg, Mutant, Mystic, Powered Armor, Psion, Speedster, and Super Soldier. Additional content will include, but won't be limited to, rules for super drugs, background/origins. new weapons/equipment/gadgets. and vehicle combat. GM's will be given tons of advice and tools, including adventure seeds, npcs, hooks, an optional setting.

This is going to be an awesome game and you should definitely check it out.

Music Monday - Bogus Operandi

Last week the amazing Eric Bloat recommended this love letter to The Evil Dead to me.

Eric's SURVIVE THIS!! games are perfect for Evil Dead-inspired games  (especially if you use the Evil Dead content I've made for it that has been gathered here). Bloat Games is running a Kickstarter that ends next week and features some fantastic adventures.

Ash Wednesday - Evil Dead 2: The Roleplaying Game

I haven't done an Ash Wednesday post in a while, but seemed liked a good time to do one because the Evil Dead 2: The Roleplaying Game projected launched on Kickstarter today. Already funded, this will be a 250 page hardcover supplement and campaign setting for 5th edition D&D. I know not every concept needs a D&D 5e adaptation, but I'm all in for this. I love all things Evil Dead and I love 5e. While Army of Darkness makes more sense as a D&D setting, from what I've seen Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn is the easiest to get the license for. 

The book will contain the following:

• 12 New Subclasses: Hair-Trigger Barbarian, College of Bravado Bard, Sycophant Domain Cleric, Circle of Decay Druid, Steeljaw Fighter, Warrior of the Phantom Limb Monk, Oath of Interference Paladin, Illusory Terrain Ranger, Liar Rogue, Cursed Bloodline Sorcerer, Warlock of the Necronomicon, Wizard of the Occult
• Blood Splatter Rules
• Necronomicon Curses
• New Items and Feats 
• Deadite Creature Stat Blocks
• Survival Campaign Mode
• Limb-loss and Grating Rules
• Necronomicon Spells

According to the video the game will feature PvP elements (as some characters might secretly be Deadites) and will be compatible with the D&D 2024 rules set. I want to give the video props because the throwback to the film it does made me smile. There are a few pledge levels. Honestly I see the pdf or hardcover/pdf combo being the most popular. There's some cool stuff if you've got the green though (including GM Screen, dice bag, dice, and dice tray).

If you want a taste of the rules there's an 6 page preview. It introduces some the corruption rules. A new 7th attribute, Virtue, is included and your descent to becoming a Deadite is directly tied to it. We're presented with a taste of the blood splatter rules and two modern items, shotguns and chainsaws. Want to see one of the new subclasses? Well you're in luck because we're presented with the Path of the Hair-Trigger for Barbarians. It's a shotgun-centric barbarian path. I love it. Finally, we get a sample foe, a mother f*cking Deadite Sasquatch.  These stats don't look like the new 2024 monster stats, but the format could change by the time the book is released. 

I'm stoked for this one. I know Evil Dead 2 Kickstarters don't have the best track record, but this one looks like its in good hands. 

Oh The Horror (Kickstarters)!

My friend Eric Bloat has two projects on Kickstarter that you should check out.

Bloat Games is releasing SURVIVE THIS!! Zombies - Ultimate Edition in its final form. It will include all previous content (STZ 1e, The Body In The Road adventure, STZ 2E, and STZ 2E Among the Living). There will be content as well. Like the other ST Ultimate Editions this will be a gorgeous full size hardcover. I love the new art commissioned for the cover.

The other Kickstarter I wanted to mention is the Bloat Zines THE HORROR OF IT ALL Kickstarter.

This is a collaborative fanzine that discusses all things horror, such as:

• Horror Novels
• Horror Movies
• Horror Video Games
• Horror Toys
• Horror Comics
• Horror Conventions
• Tabletop RPGs
• Cosplay
• Pop culture 
• Halloween
• Cryptids
• Monsters 
• Community content and much more!

The project has less than three days left. If you love horror, check it out!

He’s The Best At What He Does And What He Does Is Terrifying

I’ve talked about my love for Terrifier many times. Check out this fantastic Wolverine homage by stephenstrangeart for an upcoming Terrifier issue of Gore Noir.

Here is the original Wolverine cover for comparison.

#RPGaDAY2024 - Day 1

I have participated in AUTOCRATIK's #RPGaDay off and on for several years now. With everything going on I kind of forgot about it this year.

Today's topic is "First RPG bought this year." While technically I paid for it when the Kickstarter ended in 2023, the first I received was Swann Castle. It was waiting for me at my parents' house when I got out of the hospital. 

Swann Castle is a mutliversal setting written by Leighton and Blumiere Connor. The are three versions of the book: Old-School Essentials, Troika, and QAGS. As you can see above, I have the OSE version. Swann Castle is a hub and connected to all worlds. It's a great collection of new characters, as well as those from the public domain (including at least one superhero). This is a really fun setting and I'll try to talk more about it soon.

You can grab any version of the pdf from the Hex Games DriveThruRPG page or from Leighton's itch.io. 

Add Some Brutality To Your Action Figure Collection

The first item from Severed Toys is live on Kickstarter. In a partnership with Johan and Pelle of Stockholm Kartell, they're releasing an action figure based on the cover of Mork Borg. There are four different versions: Dread Risen (pictured below),  Blood Drenched, Glow in the Dark, and Cursed. The figures are 1/12 scale, which means they'll look great alongside my Marvel Legends figures. I will probably only be able to get one and I'm still deciding which one. I'm leaning towards blood drenched. The zine (written by Mork Borg's creators) will let you summon your own undead in the game.  The project has already funded funded and three stretch goals have been met. If you think you're going to want it you should back now. If you do so before 11 am EST on May 2 you can get the Flanged Mace add-on for free. Back it here.

As an aside this is really cool for me. Before I rolled dice, my friend Chad and I would "play D&D" with our action figures. This won't be the first action figure I've got based on a rpg, but every time I add another to my collection it makes me smile.

Mörk Borg Action Figure w/ Zine by Stockholm Kartell

Dread Risen will be a fully articulated Mörk Borg action figure with accompanying zine released by Severed Toys, the new company from Justin at Severed Books.

The project doesn't lunch until April, but I wanted to help spread the word. If you back within the first 48 hours you get a Kickstarter exclusive flanged mace for it. 

The Cryptid Manual - An Unusual Creatures RPG Monster Manual Kickstarter

 You only have 5 days left to back The Cryptid Manual by Bloat Games. This tome of beasties will drop for multiple systems: Dungeons and Dragons 5e, DCC RPG, Old-School Essentials, and SURVIVE THIS!! and SURVIVE THIS!! Ultimate Edition.

In my opinion, the original Cryptid Manual is one of the best looking monster books of all time. This Kickstarter will update that (in some versions) and all the versions include the Cryptid Manual II content, which features all new original art from Holly Wholahan, a really cool artist I met at the Goatman Festival.

Bloat Games never disappoint and this awesome collection of cryptids are getting stats for some great games. You should definitely consider backing the Kickstarter today.

Valiant Adventures Roleplaying Game Kickstarter

The Valiant Adventures Roleplaying Game is in it's final days on Kickstarter. If you aren't aware of this project it takes the Valiant comic book universe and converts it to Mutants and Masterminds (much like the previously released and now out of print DC Adventures Roleplaying Game). This will use the 3rd edition of M&M (again like DC Adventures), though I believe it's a bit more streamlined and updated (thought still fully compatible with previous 3e content).

The project as two books: Valiant Adventures Hero's Handbook and the Worlds of Valiant. The Hero's Handbook is everything you need to play. Worlds of Valiant is a larger sourcebook that will talk about the setting and give stats to the characters inhabiting it. There is also a Gamemaster's Kit, cards, and more. 

Mutants and Masterminds used to be my go-to supers game. I have some wonderful memories with it and one of my all time favorite campaigns I ran used the system. That being said it just seems so crunchy to me now. I'm personally on the fence about this one, but I'm glad to see the project is doing well.

If you want to check out the rules and setting, there is a free Quickstart that can be found here.

Spreading The Good (Kickstarter) Word

Wanting to help spread the word for some current and upcoming Kickstarter projects from my friends.

Fantastical Classes: Blobs vs Blades is a class compendium for OSE by Josh Burnette. The classes are inspired by classic JRPG video games and include Adept, Blob, Dancer, Fury, Ophidian, and Swordmage. Josh makes fantastic content and I am looking forward to great things from this one. 

Further Adventure #1 is a system-neutral zine from my friends at Limitless Adventures. The first in a series, Further Adventure will feature adventure, puzzles, traps, locations, fiction, micro games, interviews, and GM advice. The zine is system neutral and works with whatever game you prefer.

Speaking of Limitless Adventures, Andy from LA has an independent project up now too. Ratcatcher: The Sewers of Merestal is a dark fantasy game set in the sewers beneath a corrupt city. They game with use the X-1 core mechanic (which unsurprisingly is really similiar to the X-2 core mechanic used in another of Andy's works)

Martian Crawl Classics is an upcoming sourcebook that sees the Martians from H.G. Wells "War of the Worlds invading Mutant Crawl Classics Terra A.D. Honestly, I'm kind of lukewarm about MCC in general (I prefer Umerica). However, Tim Snider, the author, makes fantastic content and I am stoked to have a War of the Worlds sourcebook that compatible with a "Crawl Classics" game.

Ninja City: Drug Demon Disco is now legendary Gen Con after hours adventure that will finally see print and an official release. While I don't know much about the adventure, Joey Royale is one of the most talented cats in the game and Ninja City is awesome.

Vampire Queen 5E and 10 Year Anniversary

Hanging Coffins of the Vampire Queen is getting a 5e update for it's 10th anniversary and I'm pretty stoked. You can also snag a 10 anniversary update of the 1e adventure if that's more your style. Written by my friend Mark Taormino the original 1e version was an funhouse dungeon full of traps, magic, and sexiness. I suspect the 5e update will be the same. While we didn't finish it, I ran a 5e version of the original for my birthday years ago. I turn 40 next year and might plan a D&D weekend running this version for friends. 

Camp Blood!

Camp Blood is the latest Kickstarter from my fam at Bloat Games. It's a grindhouse style tabletop that uses the SURVIVE THIS!! rules to emulate slashers like Friday the 13th, Sleepaway Camp, Fear Street II: 1978 and others. Characters will play campers and/or counselors trying to survive a deadly camp. 

It is a stand alone game, but also a part o of the "Bloody Horror Universe" of games. That means its totally compatible and goes great with Bloody Appalachia. Like that game it will have companion book. Whereas Bloody Appalachia's Beware the Locals let you play members of the community, These Campers Are Different will let you play campers with abilities beyond the normal (as well as supplement the game as a whole).

I'm really excited about this one. Bloody Appalachia is an amazing book and this one is going to be just as good. I have no doubt. Peter Frain has done an amazing job on the cover and the interior will feature more brutality from Christopher Torres.

Greasers & Ghouls Is Live!

Greasers & Ghouls is the newest project seeking funding from Bloat Games. It takes the tried and true SURVIVE THIS!! system and gives it a 50's B Horror movie makeover. That means you can use the 14 new classes in your other ST games. While they are designed for a 50's setting, I'm sure most of them would work fine, as is, in a Dark Places & Demogorgons game. Additionally there are at least 12 new monsters/adventure hooks that would definitely be suitable for DP&D, We Die Young, or What Shadows Hide.