StartPlaying is back with another batch of tabletop RPG news! In this week’s roundup, Dungeons & Dragons’ new Dungeon Master’s Guide gets a sweet cover, Final Fantasy 14 isn’t so critically acclaimed, and two big Kickstarters smash their goals.
DnD 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide Cover Features Cartoon Characters
The Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Edition is keeping up the throwbacks with the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Cover art for DMG 2024 was revealed on UK news source Mirror, featuring the likes of classic cartoon villain Venger. In the reveal article, DnD Head of Art Josh Herman spoke on how the art choice ties into the design philosophy of the 2024 DMG. One of the chief complaints of the 5E DMG is how it doesn’t provide organized guidance for Dungeon Masters. The new version is meant to better show how DMs can craft threats all the way from skeleton mobs to big bad Venger, and the cover art reflects that goal.
Final Fantasy 14 Catches Flak For Defeat Rules
The Final Fantasy 14 TTRPG is making its way into the hands of reviewers and content creators. As early thoughts start to reach social media, one aspect of the gameplay is garnering a lot of attention: it advises that players shouldn’t lose. A viral Twitter post reveals a section called “Handling Party Defeat.”
Four suggestions are given to Game Masters on what to do if all player characters hit 0 HP. Rather than simply call it a Game Over and start a new campaign/characters, the text instead calls for GMs to restart the encounter, retry the whole scenario, call in a deus ex machina, or just skip the fight altogether. Discussion has been heated, with some criticizing what seems like a lack of consequences and others claiming it is exactly in the spirit of an MMO video game like Final Fantasy 14. Whatever side one falls on, it does raise fascinating thoughts about how much the new wave of franchise-based TTRPGs should borrow from video games.
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DnD Collabs With Destiny 2
Destiny 2 announced a collaboration with DnD starting on June 4. The content will mostly be aesthetic, with special armor for characters inspired by fantasy armor and monsters like Mind Flayers. Bikes and Ghost assistants get in on the action too with looks referencing Owlbears, dragons, and an Eye Tyrant. Dice rolling is also featured in some capacity, perhaps via an emote.
Kids In Capes And Blade Runner Meet Kickstarter Goals Easily
Two highly-anticipated games recently launched on Kickstarter to quick success. First is Kids in Capes, a spin-off of Kids on Bikes. Like its predecessors, Kids in Capes focuses more on inter-party relationships than it does the wielding of awesome powers. In fact, players don’t begin the game with superpowers. Instead, they’ll choose their abilities and team role as the story progresses. The project is well over its $10,000 goal with 20 days remaining. Check out the Kids in Capes Kickstarter here.
In a very different genre, the Blade Runner RPG by Free League launched its crowdfunding campaign for the Replicant Rebellion expansion. As the name says, the expansion gives players options to revolt against the powers that be in 2037. As Replicants and humans of an underground resistance, players will face new rules like Heat and Cover as they try to topple the exploitative system. The Replicant Rebellion Kickstarter has 14 days left and raised over $285,000 so far.
And now this week’s edition of TTRPG news is finished. Thanks for reading, have a wonderful weekend, and may your dice be kind!
