Numenera Product Line-up (Part 1)
This weekend, I finished making the last few adjustments to the Numenera rules based on playtester feedback. Sean Reynolds, the developer, has taken a pass through most of the rules now too, and editors Shanna Germain and Ray Vallese are now editing some of the initial material. We’re also looking at some initial page layout options.
And, if you missed out on the Kickstarter, you can preorder the game now directly from us.
It occurred to me over the weekend that–thanks to the Kickstarter campaign and all the great support we got–we have a big product line-up. I wanted to start talking about some of the upcoming products so you know what it is we’re actually creating.
Today I’m going to be talking mainly about the Numenera Corebook and the Numenera Player’s Guide.
The Numenera Corebook
The Numenera Corebook is the main rulebook. It’s a 416 page hardcover with color art, some of which we’ve previewed for you. This book gives you all the rules of the game as well as the Ninth World setting, GM advice, and even some adventures to get you started. We’re taking the lessons that I learned creating Ptolus and applying them here, so if you liked the way that book was presented and organized, you’re going to like this book.
These are the sections of the book:
Welcome to the Ninth World: This is a brief overview of the setting to give you a feel for things as we go forward.
An Introduction to Numenera: This is an overview of the rules. Basically, in just a few short pages, you’ll learn everything you need to play the game.
Creating Your Character: All the stuff you need to make a very memorable character, with an emphasis on story and getting to play exactly the character you want to play.
Playing the Game: This is the more complete and in-depth explanation of the rules. (Although it’s still pretty short as RPG rulesets go.) While “An Introduction to Numenera” teaches you to play, this is the chapter you’ll refer to when you want to remember how to use the rules to do something.
Optional Rules: I didn’t want to clutter the very simple and straightforward rules with a lot of options or complications, so they all go here. If you want a more complex, robust game, you might want to add in some or all of these optional rules. If you want to keep things simple, just skip this chapter.
Discovering the Ninth World: The longest section of the book, this provides a lot of information about the setting, with an emphasis on weird things to discover and exciting things to do.
Creatures and Characters: The Ninth World is filled with interesting creatures and NPCs. This chapter provides details on a number of them.
The Numenera: This section provides you with heaps of interesting items and weird technologies to include in the game.
Running the Game: Perhaps the most important of the book, this lengthy section provides GMs with all the advice and insight in running a Numenera game. This is very much the blueprint for “running an rpg the Monte Cook way,” so if that’s of interest to you, you might want to give this a read.
Adventures: There’s really no better way to learn a game than by playing, and these adventures will get you playing right away. Further, they provide insight for GMs into what kinds of adventures they might want to create on their own, and what can be done in a Numenera scenario.
The Numenera Player’s Guide
Just like it sounds, this is a guidebook aimed at players. It’s short–only 64 pages–and includes only material for the corebook. In other words, there’s nothing in the Player’s Guide that isn’t in the corebook. However, it’s very useful, because there’s no need to hand a new player a 416-page rulebook to get them started. It has only the material that a player needs to get a feel for the game and the setting, and to create a character. More or less, it’s a distilled version of the first three sections of the corebook that I listed above.
There are a lot more products in the line-up, but these two form the foundation of the line.
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Loving it Monte!!!! I got the impression though that the Player’s guide was going to be more detailed than just a reprint of corebook material, but I admit that was probably me not paying attention, and I can definitely see the benefit of having that material separated.
Can’t wait!! (and can’t wait for the next snapshot of what’s to come)
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Hi there! Sadly, I didn’t back the project in Kickstarter, I just couldn’t afford it back then. But now I have preordered the corebook. I couldn’t resist, the system is really appealing and the illustrations are simply incredible. From the product line-up you have listed here, the Player’s Guide looks really interesting. I know it was intended as a reward for Kickstarter, but will it be available for non-backers? Will it be printed, or only available in PDF? I would really like to get my hands in a copy…
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It will be available for sale in August in both ebook and print.
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Awesome, thanks for the response!
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I find the The Numenera Player’s Guide a great idea.
Can’t wait for the final product! Also I’m very curious to see the other books you are planning. -
Hi Monte,
Any schedule for the Cypher cards? I admit that I was hurtin’ for them during the playtest.
Likewise, do you plan to release a beta version to the playtesters? I know I’d love to be able to run with the rules-as-written while we continue; the players don’t wanna wait!
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It’s our hope that the cypher cards will be out around the time or very soon after the corebook is released.
The playtest you have already taken part in was the beta version. There won’t be any more versions between that and the release of the product.
Thanks!
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Hello!
As Jorge I didn’t back the Kickstarter (found about Numenera too late) but I want to buy it.I’ve found that the only preorder option is the printed version: any chance you’ll add a PDF only preorder option?
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The ebook will be on sale in late July or early August. We might put together a preorder option before that, but the preorder program we have set up now is to help us ensure that we print enough, and for ebooks, that isn’t an issue.
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Is this going to be at Gen Con?
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That’s the plan!
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Speaking of Kickstarter, I’m delighted that the Torment KS includes the Numenera books. It will make the wait for the cRPG a little less tortuous, having the RPG to play in the meantime.
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Loving how everything is going.
Just one technical thing, on the Design Diaries blog at numenera.com the “newer posts” link at the bottom should actually be “older posts”, if I’m not mistaken. Commenting here since I didn’t see a way to contact on the website.
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I’ve been watching and waiting for this ever since you announced the project; August will not get here fast enough. I regret not being able to back the Kickstarter, but I’ll be dragging a few folks along when ordering! Great work all around sir!
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I’ve been digging the fiction and world book stuff that’s come out for Numenera, and I was remembering you’d mentioned a bibliography back in your post on character advancement and experience points. Has that been posted online at all, something to expect as an appendix to the core book?
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Monte, I missed the KS, is there a way to get a signed leather bound copy?
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We might have a couple extra at GenCon. Otherwise, I don’t think so. Sorry.
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I have just preorder the book, I’m from Spain and it is more dificult to make people to play games in english here, but I will try to do my best
. Thanks for the game. I can’t wait to read it. -
Really sad as well that I missed this on kickstarter!
I preordered the corebook.. If I preorder the (printed) players guide later.. Can you add the shipping together? -
I am really looking forward to this game. Unfortunately I just found out about it, so I missed the kickstarter, but I will definitely be supporting the game!
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