Kickstarter Notes
There are things about the Numenera Kickstarter that I want to describe and highlight, but there is no longer room on the Kickstarter page, so I have included them here. This information supplements the information found there.
The Products
The Corebook: This will be a full-color book over 400 pages long. It will be lavishly illustrated and carefully organized, referenced, and annotated, not unlike the Ptolus: City by the Spire book that I released. It will come with a fold-out poster map. The goal is to make it a breeze and a joy to run this game game, and–if you get the print version–something beautiful that game lovers will want to keep on your coffee table in between games. Signed versions of the book will be numbered in the order in which contributors pledge their support. ONLY Kickstarter contributors’ signed books will be numbered.
Deluxe Leatherbound Version of the Corebook: This limited edition will be really special. The deluxe nature of this book will include an embossed leather cover, special endpapers, bound-in cloth bookmarks, and six color plates of Numenera artwork. Every backer who purchases one of these will have their name on a special page found only in these books, listed as a “Dedicated Numenera Supporter.” These books will all be signed and numbered, and the numbering will be separate from the numbering of the regular signed and numbered corebooks.
The Character Creator App: Designed and developed by 3 lb Games, this will be available for iOS and Android phones and tablets. It will guide anyone through character creation in minutes. My plan is that there will be upgrades that turn it into a way to reference all the rules during play as well, and maybe even some GM adventure creation and game management tools.
The Player’s Guide: This will be a 64-page book that will give a brief intro to the setting and provide info needed for character creation. GMs can give this to their players to introduce them to the game. At higher levels, you will get multiple copies of this as a color softcover print product.
The Kickstarter Exclusive Adventure: I’m going to write an introductory adventure called The Nightmare Switch that will be available ONLY to contributors to this Kickstarter. It will never be available elsewhere. This is different than the adventures mentioned in the stretch goals. It is unique. It’s going to be called The Nightmare Switch. This will be a PDF, and printed out and signed versions will not be bound. This is different from the three adventures from the stretch goals.
The Other Adventures: After the corebook is released, I’ll be putting out three standalone (but easily linked) full color 32-page adventures to support the game. These will be called The Devil’s Spine, The Mechanized Tomb, and The Other Side of the Maelstrom.
The Ninth World Bestiary: This full-color, 160-page hardcover book will be lavishly illustrated, featuring creatures and some unique characters to use in Numenera games.
Sir Arthur’s Compendium: This 160-page hardcover book will be a manual of technology. Named in honor of Arthur C. Clarke and his “indistinguishable from magic” quote, this won’t just be a “gear book” (although it will be that), but also a storehouse of ideas for players and GMs, describing all kinds of wild, imaginative technologies (and the results of such technologies). This would include nanotech, genetic engineering, gravitic manipulation, interdimensional technologies, alien tech, and more.
The Ninth World Guidebook:This will be a setting guide building on what’s in the Numenera corebook. It will be a 200+ page, full color hardcover book with lots of art and maps, presented in the style of a traveler’s guide. It will contain lots of great information as well as adventures, new creatures, new items, and so on. Like all the Numenera line books, it will be so chock full of cool ideas, stories, characters, and concepts for your game that you’ll have the most amazing campaign anyone’s played in a long time.
GM’s Screen: This will be a four-panel vinyl screen with a landscape orientation. Rather than being printed upon, it will have clear plastic sleeves on both sides to allow you to insert your own picture or charts, maps or notes. It will come with Numenera specific images and charts to use as well.
Dice Set: This will be a matching set of high quality dice: 1d20, 1d6, and 2d10 (percentile). The twenty sider will have special, distinct 1, 17, 18, 19, and 20 to make it specific to Numenera play.
Cypher Cards: This deck of 120 full color cards will allow GMs and players to randomly determine different kinds of cyphers. Some (the item cards) will include illustrations, while others (the power cards) will offer three different powers based on the type of cypher found.
Experience Point Cards: This small deck of 30 full color cards offer a tangible way for GMs to award xp, and for players to spend them.
Creature Cards: This will be a deck of 100 full color cards, each offering an illustration and game stats of a Ninth World creature. These will be useful as GM reference and for generating random encounters. Together with the cypher decks, they will also contain additional information to work as an entire story generation system.
T-Shirts: These special, two-sided t-shirts will proclaim to the world that you are a fan of Numenera, and offer you a way to explain the entirety of character creation to new players in a visual manner.
Special Kickstarter Rewards
“Playtester” Updates and Sneak Peeks: Beta-playtesting for Numenera will start in November. I sincerely appreciate everyone’s interest, but I don’t have the resources to handle all the playtesters that are likely to want to help out. In other words, playtesting will be limited. Contributors who get the playtester exclusives will get the same advance materials that the playtesters get. Those receiving this information can provide feedback along with the playtesters, or they can just enjoy the advance look at the rules and see how they develop over time.
Online Game Design Seminars: I’m going to host a series of two-hour game design seminars, one in November, one in December, and one in January. Each will be different. Topics included will be writing flavorful source material, designing adventures, crafting rules, and getting your material published. I have access to a cool way of hosting these with a large number of people but still making them interactive. However, “seating” will still be limited, with Kickstarter contributors being assured a place in each.
Contributing a Character: Some of the higher levels allow contributors to provide a character or a group for the setting, and some allow for them to be illustrated. All of these levels also include the playtester “sneak peeks” so you’ll be able to create a character using the rules and the setting material you have seen. I reserve the right to edit and develop these characters within reason to make sure they fit the tone and rules.
Numenera Thunderstone Game: AEG, under license from Monte Cook Games, will produce a Numenera-based deck-building game next year. Backers of this Kickstarter can recieve a special edition of the game limited to only 500 copies. This is available in the COMPLETIST backer level or as a Reward Add-On. All backers outside the United States (including Canada and Mexico), regardless of level, must add $20 for shipping if this product is included in your reward. (Sorry, but shipping this big cool boxed game is expensive.)
Unique Character: This is something that is for your own use. I will create a character, specific to the Ninth World setting with an original one-page background, for you to use when you play. It will include at least one, if not more, unique features: an ability, an item, etc. that will exist nowhere else–not in any book. These characters will not be published anywhere.
On-Line Games: If you haven’t used Google+ to play rpgs yet, it’s amazingly fun and easy. I’m doing much of the playtesting for Numenera that way. You’ll want a webcam and mic.
Visiting Your Home or Store: If you live in North America, I’ll cover all the expenses of this trip. We’ll just have to work together to find a date that works for both of us after July of 2013. If you don’t live in North America, I might need some help with travel or accommodation, but we can work it out.
Reminders
Retailer Levels: If a backer level has the word “RETAILER” in it, we will be confirming that you are an actual retailer when the Kickstarter campaign is over.
Shipping: All reward levels cover shipping costs within North America, not just the US, except in the case of the Numenera Thunderstone deck-building game, in which case anyone outside the U.S. must pay $20 extra for shipping. Sorry about the shipping costs, but it’s out of my control. For reward levels $250 and above, I’ll cover the cost for shipping anywhere in the world, except for the $20 for the card game (it’s a big heavy box full of cool stuff). Shipping costs are per item, as many of these will have to be shipped separately.
Reward Level Dates: The Numenera corebook will ship in July 2013. The adventures, the bestiary, and other products will ship in the months following. The exclusive playtester information and the online design seminars will begin in November of 2012.
Successful Goals
The initial goal, of course, was $20,000 and we’ve reached that and gone way beyond. There’s no longer room for them on the Kickstarter page, but here are the stretch goals we have already reached. Please note some of the really cool ones, like the $100,000 and $200,000 goals.
$40,000: Everyone contributing at the $50 level or above will get a special pdf of Numenera 3-D paper fold-up terrain in addition to their normal rewards.
$60,000: I will expand the main rulebook. I had been thinking about 300 pages, but we’ll make it 400 pages. This means considerably more setting material, creatures, NPCs, and, of course, more gorgeous art.
$70,000, I will personally write a 32-page adventure for Numenera. This will be released as a PDF and print-on-demand book, softcover, with art and maps–the whole shebang. I’ll add the pdf in for free to anyone who gets THE REAL DEAL or who selects THE ULTIMATE EBOOK FAN level, and the print adventure at all levels $180 and above.
$80,000: I’ll write another 32-page adventure and distribute them into the existing reward levels as described above.
$90,000: I’ll complete the trilogy of adventures and do the same. Just to be clear, this means that everyone ALREADY getting the THE REAL DEAL will get a 96 pages of adventure for no extra charge. The same is true for people selecting THE ULTIMATE EBOOK FAN level. Those contributing $180 or more will get them as print adventures.
$100,000: I will make 300 copies of the corebook (in print format) available FOR FREE to educators and libraries who want it. Tell your teacher and librarian friends that once the book is out, they will be able to contact me to get this book to use as a tool or to make available in libraries. (I’ll have all the formalized details posted on our website by then.) Please help me promote this particular goal, because I think it could be really cool and rewarding on a lot of levels.
$120,000: I will create a 96-page Ninth World Bestiary full of beautifully illustrated creatures usable in the Numenera game. I’ll add the pdf in for free to anyone at THE ULTIMATE EBOOK FAN level or who gets THE REAL DEAL. I’ll add the print book at all levels $200 and above. So spread the word! If you’re already a contributor, get your friends to contribute, because you’ll benefit directly from it (and so will they).
$140,000: I will drop everything I’m doing and write a Numenera short story that will be free to all. I will write this with the idea of introducing people to the setting, so hopefully it’s not just something you’ll enjoy reading, but something you can give to your players and fellow gamers to introduce them to the setting. This was requested by multiple backers.
$160,000: The Ninth World Bestiary will be full color with lots of great art pieces (which is starting to really be a hallmark of the line). I’ll also make it longer, and open up space for backers to contribute creatures, or at least creature ideas. I’ll make reward levels available for backers to do this, in the same way that I did with the adventures. This will be a hardcover book.
$170,000: We’ll do a PC version of the app as well as one for Android and iOS, and you’ll be able to choose which one you want.
$180,000: Kieran and I will make three different pieces of Numenera art available for use as high res computer wallpapers. These will be free to any backer. This was requested by many backers.
$190,000: I will partner with AEG to develop a Numenera deck building game. I’ll offer a special, limited edition of the game for Kickstarter supporters.
$200,000: This is another big one for me. At this level, I will ship (at my own expense) 200 copies of the game to military bases around the world for use by our armed service personnel. These won’t go to specific individuals, but to central points on various bases (so military backers, please don’t feel bad for contributing). I’ve done this in the past with Malhavoc Press product.
$210,000: We’ll add a special card to the Numenera Thunderstone deck-building game. I’m thinking a card of the Amber Monolith pictured lower on this very page!
$220,000: We will put together yet another new book–a manual of technology. I am considering calling this 96-age book, “Sir Arthur’s Compendium” (in honor of Arthur C. Clarke and his “indistinguishable from magic” quote). This won’t just be a “gear book” (although it will be that), but also a storehouse of ideas for players, describing all kinds of wild, imaginative technologies (and the results of such technologies). This would include nanotech, genetic engineering, gravitic manipulation, interdimensional technologies, alien tech, and more. The PDF for this book will be added to the rewards of anyone who gets THE REAL DEAL or those choosing THE ULTIMATE EBOOK FAN level. Print copies will be available to add on to all to add to their existing rewards.
$230,000: I will create a special Numenera dice set. This will include a d20, d6, and a set of percentile dice. These will be available to all to add to their existing rewards.
$235,000: I will increase the size of Sir Arthur’s compendium to 160 pages and make it full color. This will be a hardcover book. This was requested by many backers.
$240,000: I will create a Numenera GM’s screen. The PDF for this product will be added to the rewards of anyone who gets THE REAL DEAL or those choosing THE ULTIMATE EBOOK FAN level. Print copies will be available to all to add to their existing rewards.
$250,000: I will have a professional composer create a lengthy piece of music specifically for Numenera. This will be the “Numenera theme.” This will be a free download for all backers.
$260,000: The Numenera corebook gets a poster map packaged with it at no additional cost to you. Everyone getting a copy of the corebook will get a corebook. PDF versions will have a PDF map.
$270,000: I will create a two decks of Cypher Cards. These cards will be really useful to GMs during play to generate cyphers quickly. And in turn useful to players as a tangible object to keep track of what they have at their disposal. The PDF for this product will be added to the rewards of anyone who gets THE REAL DEAL or those choosing THE ULTIMATE EBOOK FAN level. Print copies will be available to all to add to their existing rewards.
$280,000: I will create a deck of experience point cards for use during play AND a Numenera t-shirt that says “I am a _____ ______ who ______s” (a bit of a joke on the character creation system) on the front, with the Numenera logo on the back. The shirt will come in men’s and women’s styles, and all sizes. The PDF for the experience point cards will be added to the rewards of anyone who gets THE REAL DEAL or those choosing THE ULTIMATE EBOOK FAN level. Print copies will be available to all to add to their existing rewards. The t-shirt will be available to all to add to their existing rewards.
$290,000: I will create a deck of creature cards. These will be useful as GM reference and for generating random encounters. Together with the cypher decks, they will also contain additional information to work as an entire story generation system. The PDF for this product will be added to the rewards of anyone who gets THE REAL DEAL or those choosing THE ULTIMATE EBOOK FAN level. Print copies will be available to all to add to their existing rewards.
$300,000: At this amazing amount, I will produce a limited number of leatherbound, deluxe edition copies of the Numenera corebook. I’ll pull out all the stops to make it really special. The deluxe nature of this book will include an embossed leather cover, special endpapers, bound-in cloth bookmarks, and six color plates of Numenera artwork. Every backer who purchases one of these will have their name on a special page found only in these books, listed as a “Dedicated Numenera Supporter.” These books will all be signed and numbered, and the numbering will be separate from the numbering of the regular signed and numbered corebooks. This will be available as an upgrade to anyone getting the print corebook–basically, for an add on to your pledge, you’ll be able to switch out your “normal” corebook–which is already pretty deluxe, to be frank–for a mind-blowingly extra beautiful version.
$325,000: We’ll add in an upgrade to the Numenera tablet/phone/PC app that will include all the rules and GM story/adventure design tools. This upgrade will be free to all who gets THE REAL DEAL or those choosing THE ULTIMATE EBOOK FAN level.
$350,000: I will add yet another book to the line. It will be a massive worldbook for Numenera, with more great art, flavor, gear, creatures, adventure material, and more.
$370,000: Everything will be in color: Player’s Guide, the adventures, everything.
$380,000: We will release a short anthology of Numenera fiction (a la The Amber Monolith) to come out early next Spring to help tide everyone over until the release of the corebook. This ebook-only release will be free to everyone at a backer level containing THE ULTIMATE EBOOK FAN or THE REAL DEAL.
$400,000: We’ll design deluxe, beautiful, double-sided character sheets and make them free on Numenera.com for easy downloading and printing.
$425,000: Size Matters! If we reach $425,000, we’ll increase the size of the Ninth World Bestiary, Sir Arthur’s Compendium, and the Ninth World Guide at no extra cost to you.
$450,000: If we reach that point, we’ll add significantly more art to the corebook and the hardcover books in the line. Like, say, at least 15-20% more than we were planning (and these were already art heavy books). This is going to make these books downright lavish, in my opinion.
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The technology book tipped me over – I’m an Ultimate eBook fan
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Monte, could you please expand a bit on the physical GM screen, and what differentiates it from picking up a couple of 3-ring binders with clear pockets?
Everything else seems to be obviously cool, but I’m having difficulty picturing the screen well enough to bump my (already on the high side for my budget) pledge.
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It will be landscape format, so it will be lower than a 3-ring binder. And likely sturdier as it will be one solid piece.
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Hi Monte, any thoughts on if the add-ons will still be available through paypal after the kickstarter promotion ends? Will patrons be potentially able to upgrade their pledge level through Paypal after that date?
System looks great and the world even better – a billion years can be hard to swallow at first, but in reflection is the PERFECT amount of time!
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Perhaps for a short time after, yes.
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Can you describe the Sir Arthur’s Compendium print version? Specifically, will there be new art present within and if so, how much?
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New art as opposed to… ?
All the books will have great art, specific to them.
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I read you want the symbols for 1s and 20s, and the highlights on the higher-range, just curious what color schemes you’ve been thinking over. Some of the contrasts in Kieran’s artwork are incredible, and was wondering if that sort of contrast was going to be on the dice as well – thanks.
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I can’t wait to download the music for numenera. Do you have a composer in mind already or do you start looking for one now this stretch goal is reached?
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I’m already talking to a couple of different people.
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Monte, I am not completely sure what this setting is or how the mechanics of the game will work, but once I saw you’re heading the game, I sunk my money down.
I always trust the Cook name when it comes to RPG!
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Thanks!
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If I could give a humble suggestion, I would recommend the german project “Erdenstern” http://www.erdenstern.de/?lang=en
They’re great musicians and have already done music for roleplaying settings… just my 5 cents… I’m not afilliated to them, I just love their music. -
Out of curiosity, how will things work once the Kickstarter is over? For instance I’m only getting the Core book and Player’s Handbook. Will other options be available for sale should I want to expand my collection after playing the game?
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Yes, most of the other options will be for sale in conventional outlets when they release.
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Please make the app available to all backers in all formats.
How about adding a stretch goal to open source the app? Then the community could make it even more awesome, and perhaps bring more people to the game.-
The app is available to all in all three formats at $3 and above. Is it listed incorrectly somewhere?
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I think the confusion is in the wording: App (Android, iOS, or PC).
The “or” suggests you have to pick one.
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I am wondering about the Thunderstone DBG. You say it is limited, how will that work with the add on. Lets say I add the extra to my pledge amount and at the end I don’t finalize that I want it early enough to be one of the 500 (400 after the Completist level). Does that mean that I don’t get the game and I just have to spend the amount on other add ons?
Also since it is limited does that mean that you will not be able to get it anywhere else? Cause I am really interested in it but I don’t know if I will have enough money for the add on by the time the Kickstarter ends.
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The guys at AEG (who will be creating this) assure me that if more than 500 people order the game through the Kickstarter, they will all get the limited edition. I don’t know if it will be available elsewhere in the form that it will take for the Kickstarter, but I doubt it, as that’s not the idea. The regular version of Numenera Thunderstone will be available in normal channels though, as will any specific content that goes into making the special edition special, but perhaps not together. You’ll have to ask AEG for more specifics.
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Thank you for this info. I am just really excited about this project and enjoy myself some DBGs, so the two mixed is great.
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Monte it would be nice if you specified a reward level to get print copies of everything. I know that might be hard now but if it’s not that would be nice.
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Here’s for hoping we reach the 290k mark!
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Will the playtest material backer have to sign an actual paper form and mail it back to you or will an electronic signature be enough. I ask because the adress that I gave is my american home address but I will be overseas this fall only coming home for christmas. (My husband had to go where he could find work and I came with him.)
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We’ll work it out. Don’t worry.
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Hey Monte, I’m in at the Completist level, and very happy, and I’m looking at those physical cypher and creature decks – I wanna make sure I get them all in print (since I’m already getting the PDF), so I added $40 to my pledge to get both the Cypher and Creature decks. Now my question is this: under your “products” section of this post, you list the XP deck separate – is that included with the Cypher deck (as it’s implied since the stretch goal lists 2 decks) or is this a separate item, and will it not see print, i.e. not be available to add on? I could just use some clarification on if the XP deck is included with either of those decks, and/or if it’ll be available in print otherwise.
I have some other questions involving details about future stretch goals, but I can wait on those until we get there! I don’t want to jinx it.
Frankly, Monte, this game looks fantastic! I’ve loved all of your products I’ve played before, and this setting and game mechanics look absolutely incredible. I can’t wait to get my hands on some play test materials!
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It’s a separate, smaller product.
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Ah, thank you! I was missing it, there’s so many pledge add-ons!
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Will characters created on one platform (PC, Android, iOS) be modifiable on the others?
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I hope so, but I don’t know at this stage.
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Hello Monte,
I am already a suporter but I am looking for the following rewards and I am not sure how to change my pledge to get them. Should I choose a base pledge and just sum all amounts (I am outside US (So I understand a +10 is to be added)
THE REAL DEAL $60 Pledge
+$40 A print copy of the 160-page full color, hardcover Ninth World Bestiary.
+$40 A print copy of the 160-page full color, hardcover Sir Arthur’s Compendium.
+$60 Upgrade your standard copy of the Numenera corebook to a special edition leatherbound version of the book.This means what ? a $200 dollar pledge for all printed books, leatherbound one and PDF adventures ? And to thrown in other rewards, how to proceed ? Thanks!
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Looking for the nth time, maybe I will be happy with the [COMPLETIST $270 Level (+$20 shipping outside the United States), just the leatherbound will need a +$40.
Is that right ? $270+$40+$20 (including shipping)
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Sounds right.
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How do I note in my pledge which add-ons I want? I don’t want to throw in for a t-shirt or the deluxe LB edition only to have them run out.
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If there is no reward level that offers everything you want, you can tailor your reward by using the “Manage My Pledge” feature. Look toward the bottom of the page for a list of Reward Add-On items you can add onto your existing reward. Just add the appropriate amount to your pledge. When the Kickstarter campaign is over, you’ll be asked which add-ons you want.
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Is it possible to get the Playtester Updates as a pledge add on? Possibly made available only to those pledging above a certain amount? I love the Just the Stuff level, and will add the leather corebook, just wondering if that could be a possibility.
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Never mind, after a week of constant refreshing I was able to snag the sold out Completist level when somebody switched! Yay!
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Question about the app: Will at least the PC version feature an output format that can be viewed outside the app? For example, a PDF that I could print or email to someone?
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Everyday, I’m looking more and more forward to this.
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Hey Monte the unique character add on seems wicked! Could I channel the uniqueness a bit if wanted? I’m a 25 yr dnd geek vet and have never played a wizard/ sorcerer, and would love to start one. We at the bearded dragon games in oneonta play 3-7 yr campaigns starting at 1st lvl. So would like to not have fighter.
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You can have as much input into what kind of character you want. Obviously it would be a Numenera character, though, not a D&D one.
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Okay, since this kickstarter decided to be completely awesome, it’s entering the super-sweet categories of longer books and more art! I am 100% okay with this!
However, this does raise a question. I know this is far off and probably not a consideration at the moment, but will making the books longer and have more art add to the MSRP once this ships? I know our kickstarter rewards will be unaffected, I’m more thinking in terms of convincing my friends to buy this once it hits brick and mortar stores, and convincing said stores to carry the books!
Also, I know I’m a few hours early with this, but congrats on an awesome drive!
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