Tag: Chris Birch

The Weekly no.281 – Sigil DOA, Wildsea Bundle of Holding, Black Powder and Brimstone and RipCrypt Dungeon Sprint

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Wizards of the Coast’s virtual tabletop project, Sigil, appears to be in trouble after mass layoffs eliminated 90% of its development team shortly after launch. Originally announced as part of the One D&D initiative in 2022, Sigil was intended to integrate with D&D Beyond and provide a high-end 3D alternative to existing VTTs like Roll20. However, the platform struggled with performance issues, unclear monetization plans, and a lack of a distinct purpose. Despite high-profile showcases, its reception was lukewarm, with a rushed release in February 2025 requiring a paid D&D Beyond subscription for full access. The layoffs suggest Wizards may be abandoning the project, leaving questions about future updates and support. With only a small team remaining, Sigil risks becoming another failed digital experiment by Wizards of the Coast.

The Wildsea, a narrative-driven weird-fantasy TTRPG by Mythworks, is set in a world overrun by rampant greenery, where chainsaw-powered ships navigate a vast, toxic forest canopy. Players take on roles as wildsailors—descendants of humanity and other strange beings—exploring ruins, hunting creatures, and trading rare goods. The complete Wildsea game line is now available for $19.95 in a Bundle of Holding, including the 368-page core rulebook, two sourcebooks (Storm & Root and Ship Gardens), and two full-length adventures (One-Armed Scissor and Red Right Hand). While the game offers deep immersion and unique mechanics, some rules may require careful interpretation. This limited-time bundle provides everything needed to dive into the richly detailed world of the Verdancy.

Blackpowder & Brimstone is a grimdark fantasy RPG by Benjamin Tobitt, published under Free League’s Workshop label and powered by the MÖRK BORG ruleset. Set in a world of religious schism and war, players take on the roles of desperate adventurers navigating a conflict between the Orthodox and Puritans of the Church of the Sacred Blood. The game blends swashbuckling action with gothic folk horror, featuring black powder weapons, demonic threats, and forbidden magic with dangerous consequences. It offers a rules-light, art-heavy experience with unique weapons, deadly combat, and rich lore. After a successful crowdfunding campaign, Blackpowder & Brimstone is now available through Free League’s store and DriveThruRPG, promising intense, fast-paced gameplay where survival and profit go hand in hand.

RipCrypt, a fast-paced “dungeon sprint” TTRPG, is set to launch in 2025 through a partnership between indie studio Gritsilk Games and major publisher Modiphius Entertainment. Following a successful Kickstarter campaign, the game will be released in both retail and online stores, featuring a core rulebook, premium edition, and a control board. Set in the Undergrade, a maze of crypts and catacombs, RipCrypt blends tactical gameplay with immersive storytelling, catering to both newcomers and veteran RPG players. The game emphasizes quick character creation, fast combat resolution, and streamlined mechanics, with a roll-high d8 dice pool and unique progression system. With its lo-fi analog aesthetics, concise 148-page rulebook, and a wealth of illustrated content, RipCrypt aims to offer an engaging, accessible RPG experience that redefines the dungeon-crawling genre.

#sigil #wildsea #freeleague #ripcrypt

D&D Beyond Sigil:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sigil

Wildsea Bundle of Holding:

https://bundleofholding.com/presents/Wildsea

Black Powder and Brimstone (affiliate link):

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/515145/black-powder-and-brimstone-core-book

RipCrypt:

https://gritsilk.com/

Support Us by Shopping on DTRPG (afilliate link):

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Matt’s DriveThruRPG Publications:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse.php?author=Matthew%20Robinson

https://substack.com/@matthewrobinson3

Chris on social media:

https://hyvemynd.itch.io/​​

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https://www.twitch.tv/abusecartoons

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The Weekly LIVE 248 – Modiphius Acquires Strato Minis, CRIT Awards at GenCon, Caverns of Thracia and Rascal News

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Modiphius Entertainment has acquired Strato Minis Studio, a Polish company known for its resin miniatures and games such as Hardwar, Retrobots, and Stratoyager. Modiphius will take over the development of these lines, starting with a re-launch of Hardwar, a 6mm scale miniatures game centered on sci-fi mech, armor, and aerial combat. Modiphius co-founder Chris Birch praised the Strato Minis team for their intricate world-building and expressed plans to expand the game’s audience. The new Hardwar line will be released in stages, including a reprint of the core rules and a free quickstart PDF to help new players.

The CRIT Awards, organized by Ivy, announced on June 24 that their in-person ceremony would not return to Gen Con due to safety concerns. This decision followed social media backlash after the nomination of a performer associated with WafflesMapleSyrup, a studio criticized for its Zionist stance. Omega Jones, the intended host, suggested that Gen Con forced the awards to withdraw due to their anti-Zionist stance. The CRIT Awards emphasized the difficulty of the decision and urged the community to avoid harassment or violence. No official comments were received from Gen Con or CRIT Awards at the time of publication.

The Caverns of Thracia, a legendary mega-dungeon adventure, has successfully raised $352,007, far exceeding its $10,000 goal. The campaign offers both 5E and Dungeon Crawl Classics (DCC) editions, featuring a rich narrative set in an ancient dungeon filled with formidable foes and numerous secrets. The project supports a full-year campaign with extensive content, including new monsters, magic items, and spells. Stretch goals have expanded the adventure’s scope, and new scenarios and add-ons have been introduced. Backers can choose between classic hardcover or special limited editions with unique cover art and custom dice sets inspired by the adventure’s theme.

Rascal News, an independent TTRPG and culture outlet, is running its first pledge drive to ensure sustainability and support freelance writers. Launched in February, Rascal has grown to 4,150 members, including 1,050 paying subscribers. The drive aims to enable the co-founders to write full-time and commission more freelance content. Subscriber goals range from increasing contributors to attending conventions and launching a podcast. The drive runs from July 1 to August 3, with various events planned to engage the community and attract new subscribers. Rascal remains committed to reader-funded, ad-free journalism and seeks support to continue its unique, voice-driven coverage of the TTRPG world.

#modiphius #critawards #cavernsofthracia #rascalnews

Caverns of Thracia on Backerkit:
https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/goodman-games/caverns-of-thracia-legendary-adventure-5e-dcc

Rascal News:
https://www.rascal.news/rascal-pledge-drive-2024-goals-schedule-calendar/

4-Hour Dune RPG Review:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/review-dune-in-106781242

Humble Bundle (affiliate link):

https://www.humblebundle.com/?partner=upturnedtable

Check out our new shirts on Red Bubble:
https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/161648028?ref=studio-promote

Try Fantasy Grounds VTT (affiliate link):

http://affiliates.fantasygrounds.com/360148/15958

Outgunned RPG – Action Hero Pledge UNBOXING:
https://youtu.be/IYDyzNvQQKo

Outgunned Adventure on Backerkit

https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/two-little-mice/outgunned-2

Shop at Noble Knight Games (affiliate link)
https://www.nobleknight.com/affiliate/aw.asp?B=3&A=1312&Task=Click

10% off First Purchase from Modiphius:
http://r.sloyalty.com/r/vhbUPnHm6tIp

Dragonbane Actual Play Episode One:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC9u841QuXM

Dragonbane Core Set:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/418106/Dragonbane-Core-Set

Dragonbane Free Quickstart:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/409397/Dragonbane-Quickstart

Support Us by Shopping on DTRPG (afilliate link):
https://www.drivethrurpg.com?affiliate_id=2081746

Matt’s DriveThruRPG Publications:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse.php?author=Matthew%20Robinson

Chris on social media:
https://hyvemynd.itch.io/​​

Abusecartoons Weekly Cartoons:
http://www.abusecartoons.com/​​
https://www.twitch.tv/abusecartoons
https://twitter.com/abusecartoons

​​Support Us on Patreon:
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Intro song is “Chips” by KokoroNoMe
https://kokoronome.bandcamp.com/

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The Weekly LIVE 157 – WotC Sues NuTSR for Reprehensible Content, Indie RPG Future in 5th Edition, New Vallejo Xpress Color Paints and New Kings of War Book

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Wizards of the Coast, the Dungeons & Dragons publisher, aims to prevent racist, bigoted, and transphobic work from being published. Citing concerns over racist and transphobic material, Dungeons & Dragons publisher Wizards of the Coast is trying to take back an old game to prevent its publication. Star Frontiers New Genesis, is a reboot of a classic 1982 game with some very problematic content. NuTSR just won’t learn. Or is this some 4D chess move to get free publicity? Keep an eye out for their legal funds crowdfunder.

With the announcement of the new walled garden of One D&D, independent designers are looking toward a future divested from the weight of D&D. Many believe the tabletop RPG, lifestyle brand, and massive culture juggernaut will keep rolling under its own inertia creating Hasbro shareholder happiness. The sooner they can stop trying to compare themselves to that continued success or worry about capturing part of that fan base, the easier their jobs will become. SRDs, or whatever their next form might look like, may provide fledgling artists waystones through an open field instead of fence posts around private property. Several indie designers gave their input on the state of tabletop roleplaying and the future of platforms like the DM’s Guild.

Vallejo’s entry into the speed painting trend was recently demonstrated with their new Xpress Color paints. Vallejo is known for great paints already, so it’s interesting to see them going this route with a more contrast-style paint. Now we can see how it works and what it can offer in terms of a one-coat solution that sets it apart from the rest. More alternatives are always better. The paints were developed in part by Angel Giraldez and Juan Hidalgo. They will definitely cost less than Citadel Contrast Paints but how will they compare to Army Painter’s Speed Paint and the upcoming release by Green Stuff World?

Instead of complaining about Games Workshop let’s bring some attention to a worthy competitor and look at what is coming out from Mantic Games. Two new army updates, a giant tome collecting all of the updated rules and new styles of play for Kings of War and a new app to make all their games more accessible. If they can just resist the temptation of a monthly subscription they may be onto something. Check these guys out if you like good rule systems and minis that don’t break the bank.
#wotc #nutsr #vallejo #mantic #kingsofwar

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https://kokoronome.bandcamp.com/

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The Weekly LIVE 137 – WotC Ignores Original Creators, Modiphius Announces Cohors Cthulhu, Warzone Eternal Kickstarter Launch Date and Kutulu Hits Japan

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Wizards of the Coast has announced the return of two popular settings now for 5E. Unfortunately, according to Twitter, Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis, creators of Dragonlance and Jeff Grubb, creator of Spelljammer, were not involved in the announcement and found out at the same time everyone did during the announcement. We talked previously about the lawsuit involving the new Dragonlance novels. It doesn’t make WotC look great to ignore the original creators of these settings. Is this to emphasize a break from the past or a chance to save some money?

During the D&D Direct announcement last week, Modiphius Entertainment had a strange announcement of their own. In an attempt to possible distract from WotC, Modiphius had an hour long livestream announcement that was just a torchlit wall that eventually crumbles after a very long wait with only some slight change in lighting. They revealed their new TTRPG Cohors Cthulhu set in ancient Rome, a spinoff of Against the God Themselves, set in the same universe as Achtung! Cthulhu. I guess they were following the old adage “if you can’t beat ‘em, just be boring and confusing” or something like that.

We finally have a date for the Kickstarter campaign for Warzone Eternal. It will be launching May 17th, but be sure to listen to the entire livestream to make sure that date is correct. We talked with Alex Kanous from Res Nova Games previously about the new game and crowdfunding campaign. This should be a fun game to follow and hopefully a big success on Kickstarter. Hopefully with either the Cardinal’s blessing or the influence of the Dark Symmetry we will see the return of wargaming in the Mutant Chronicles universe.

Finally, there is a new release in Japan a a Swedish TTRPG, Kutulu by Mikael Bergström. Call of Cthulhu is the most popular tabletop roleplaying game in Japan. This is a much more rules light and streamlined d6 system. The insanity mechanic especially stands out as a great innovation to the Lovecraft setting. The Swedish language PDF is available as pay-what-you-want PDF on DriveThruRPG. With a little language software translation magic you can get an idea of how this system works. Hopefully we will see an English language release. Free League are you listening?

Modiphius website for Cohors Cthulhu:
https://www.modiphius.net/pages/cohors-cthulhu

Kutulu in Swedish on DTRPG (afilliate link):
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/m/product/382400?affiliate_id=2081746

Support Us by Shopping on DTRPG (afilliate link):
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