The 13th Age 2nd Edition Launches on Kickstarter, Funds In An Hour
The 2nd Edition of 13th Age, the “Storytelling Action Fantasy Game” promising “crunch” d20 combat and “no class left behind” hits Kickstarter.
13th Age was an RPG that came out towards the tail end of 4th Edition D&D. But despite the timing, it was a love letter to 3.5E. Originally hailed as a “story-focused” D20 game with “streamlined crunch,” 13th Age found a place in the hearts of many gamers who were looking for that classic D&D feel while also having more story/narrative-oriented mechanics.
Now, 11 years later, the game is set to launch a 2nd Edition. With a Kickstarter campaign that succeeded in a scant 62 minutes, 13th Age, 2nd Edition is off to an explosive start. 13th Age 2nd Edition promises “crunchy but streamlined d20-rolling combat” while still giving every character class, even Fighters, time to shine.
With 29 days to go, the campaign has already unlocked all listed stretch goals. So it’ll be really exciting to see what else the publishers roll out for backers.
13th Age 2nd Edition on Kickstarter
Per Pelgrane Press’ Kickstarter campaign:
13th Age brings crunchy but streamlined d20-rolling combat to the table, where every character has their moment in the spotlight and no class gets left behind. For 2E we’ve revised almost every core class spell, power, and talent to give players a wide array of effective options to choose from.
Whether you want heroic, over-the-top story arcs in your d20-rolling campaign or intense personal drama, 13th Age is for you. Every character has One Unique Thing that sets them apart from all others, and provides the raw materials for adventures and campaign arcs. Also, your character’s background provides a bonus to relevant skill checks so every skill roll might reveal a new facet of your story.
3th Age 2E strengthens the game’s other major storytelling mechanic: icon connections that link the heroes to the world’s powerful magical archetypes, including the Emperor, Elf Queen, Prince of Shadows, and Great Gold Wyrm. Like Greek heroes and their complicated relationships with the gods, your connections provide both powerful narrative advantages and . . . let’s say, interesting consequences. New icon connection examples will help players and GMs improvise stories and add twists that feel perfect, even though no one will see them coming!
Essentially, the new edition streamlines and clarifies a lot of the more experimental parts of what set 13th Age apart in the first place. This refinement may well make its identity that much stronger.
The campaign includes two books: a Player’s Handbook and a Gamemaster’s Guide. Between the two books, you’ll have everything you need. The player’s handbook will, of course, focus on character creation, combat rules, and everything else that connects players to the world. Meanwhile, the gamemaster’s guide will have rules for running the game, campaign guidelines, monsters, setting details, and more.
What’s more, there’s a free preview document that you can check out, or backers who pledge at the $50 level get immediate access to a fully playable draft of the game. Because everything releases in early access these days.
