Learn more about Tales of the Kytin Age and its creator, Geoff Gray, who has been developing the game and setting for 35 years in our recent interview.

A World Reclaimed by Insects

The setting of Tales of the Kytin Age is Earth, but not as we know it. This is a world that has emerged from the ashes of an apocalyptic event known as the Day of Fire. All the technological wonders of our age—electricity, cars, computers—are gone, replaced by a society reminiscent of our medieval past.

The Kytin Age is a time when great insects have evolved to become the dominant life forms. These creatures, from towering tarantula spiders to aquatic horrors, have flourished in the harsh setting. You, the Folk of the Kytin Age have evolved to also survive in this world, but only if you learn how to deal with or avoid these creatures.

The Devil Beetle is a monstrous 20-foot-long carnivorous horror that roams the wilderness in search of prey.

Evolved from the Devil’s coach horse beetle, the Devil beetle is a 20 feet-long carnivorous horror that roams the wilds alone, ceaselessly hunting prey to feed an immense appetite for destruction.

From the Tales of the Kytin Age website.

But the dangers don’t end there. The Franzian Greenback Tarantula, the largest of its kind, lurks within the dense forests of the Western Kingdoms.

25-feet from mandible to spinneret, the formidable Franzian Greenback is the largest tarantula spider in the Western Kingdoms. Found in forest and woodland environments, where they dig burrows or inhabit caves and abandoned buildings, these enormous, black and green coloured monsters leave their lairs at night to hunt for prey amongst the tall trees and shrooms.

From the Tales of the Kytin Age Core Game Book

Even more horrors lurk in the depths of the ocean. The Krythid, mutated crustaceans resembling insectile humanoids, swarm along the coastlines.

A scourge of seafarers and coastal communities alike is the krythid, a semi-sentient, mutated crustacean that bears a shocking resemblance to the insectile, human-sized and able to walk upright on one, two or even three pairs of legs. These humanoid horrors swarm in multitude amongst the pitted and cave-riddled reefs that lie a few miles offshore, and they can sustain long periods of time out of the water.

From the Tales of the Kytin Age Core Game Book

The Spindle Crabs are another terrifying presence in the waters of the Kytin Age.

A fully-grown spindle crab is a monstrous sea-beast boasting a leg span of almost fifty feet. Six long legs extrude from a tough blue carapace. Enormous pincers lie at the end of even longer forelegs, their powerful claws able to wreak untold damage to even the most well-armoured kytin-clad.

From the Tales of the Kytin Age Core Game Book

The deluxe edition pledge includes the adventure book “The Ing Sagas; Ribvale” where players are pitted against many of these great insects including The Naiad, a 21-foot-long aquatic predator

A 21′ long, 10th instar, adult naiad has been menacing the trios farmers island. After depleting the waters around the island of other prey, it has taken a perverse attraction to the area. Rather than move on, it continues to lurk and patrol the waters around the isle, alert to the smallest disturbance in and around the water.

From The Ing Sagas; Ribvale Adventure Book.

Visit the Tales of the Kytin Age Kickstarter or the official website to discover more about the great insects and the other unique elements that make up the Kytin Age. The campaign ends November 24th.

Sol’Kesh is on Kickstarter now. Created by Terry Maranda, the project explores a land without humanity—a primal, speculative evolution setting. We had a chat with Terry to discuss his inspirations, the unique challenges of transitioning from working on established brands to creating his own, and how the community has played a vital role in shaping Sol’Kesh.

The Journey Behind Sol’Kesh

The inspiration behind Sol’Kesh stems from Terry’s lifelong passion for sketching and world-building. Terry explains:

“I’ve always been sketching—it’s something I do to relax and unwind, and for years it was just that. Even as I sketch, there’s always a seed of worldbuilding growing in the back of my mind. Thinking of the village a character might live in, or the alien landscape a creature could roam, and over the years I drew maps, wrote out histories and created peoples, but always fell into the trap of trying to explore the whole world too quickly and losing motivation as an exciting new world idea took over.

I realized that the problem I was having, and that many creators have, is that I was trying to establish a world before it had any substance, trying to answer questions that nobody was asking. So instead I started a small, with a river. Sol’Kesh originally was just a basic fantasy land with tribal people and creatures, and was honestly nothing too special.”

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 played a major role in reshaping Sol’Kesh. During the height of “death tolls and the fear of not knowing when it would stop”, Terry found new inspiration in stories of animals reclaiming spaces. He describes this feeling: “This gave me a peaceful feeling that life doesn’t end with us, that we’re not as pivotal as we make ourselves out to be.” This realization led to a significant shift—Terry decided to build a world without humanity, focused entirely on beasts and nature. The concept evolved into an ecosystem inspired by speculative evolution, imagining how creatures might develop 82 million years into the future without human presence.

Speculative Evolution Meets TTRPG

Blending speculative evolution with tabletop roleplaying games was less of a deliberate decision and more of a natural progression.

“Originally I was drawn to speculative evolution because of the way it can generate its own world-building. By considering the creature’s design as the product of the natural world, you’re forced to consider why an animal is built as it is, and through making choices on its design, it begins to reveal ecological voids in the world around it.

For example, the leg design of a horse implies an existence of running on open plains, this would then have an impact on the type of plant life that can fill such an open space, and the surrounding predators that must keep pace and hunt it. This method of establishing a living breathing world began to align with something I always loved in the old out-of-print Monster Ecologies from Dragon Magazine, and something I felt lacking in most mainstream TTRPG bestiaries.”

While the art within most bestiaries are spectacular, the depth in their descriptions/rules never delved deeply enough into how they live or why they’re designed as they are for me. I started to feel I could fill my own niche there, do more than just creature art, I could get these creatures into the hands of other world builders by giving them statblocks, let them feel like they could either add them into their own campaigns, or use the island of Sol’Kesh for discover a new unexplored wild. 

Building Momentum From Scratch

Transitioning from working on established brands like D&D and Diablo to creating Sol’Kesh from scratch came with unique challenges.

“The reason many gaming studios pay for the rights to a brand to build a game from is because the audience, the reputation, the world building, is already established and the game has an almost guaranteed player base on day one. I would say the largest challenge in building my own, was building that momentum of interest. Getting people invested and feeling like they can have a part to play in it.

I worked with a creative director that once said “The first rule of world building is that nobody cares about your world.”’ and that really resonates with me when I see people on reddit lore-dump pages of text of their ideas. While many of them are really well thought out and unique, I’m just not going to sit down and read all that unless I know the person.”

To overcome this, Terry focused on starting small and gradually gathering interest by sharing his work in increments.

“It took a lot of luck and constant daily incremental progress to get there and juggling both a full-time job and this passion project has been a real challenge, but despite the lack of sleep, it’s always been worth it.”

Lessons from Sol’Kesh: World-Building and RPG Design

Working on Sol’Kesh has taught Terry a lot about the art of world-building and RPG design.

“Working on Sol’Kesh has completely changed how I perceive the difference between writing a story and writing tools for someone else to tell a story, and what it takes to find that balance to make a compelling sandbox setting. I could have created a book that details the island and creatures within, much like the World of Kong book from Weta (which I highly recommend for those interested in speculative evolution) but instead, with the tools of TTRPGs I saw so much more value in letting others explore the world through their own narrative storytelling and gameplay.”

Terry also shared how he learned the intricacies of RPG rules writing and 5e monster stat design.

“Originally I had worked and paid several designers to help with the creature rule writing, but after 2 years I’ve learnt how to do it on my own, and it’s just so much fun that way,”

Community Influence

The Sol’Kesh community has played an important role in the project’s development. Terry was surprised by the passionate response from speculative evolution enthusiasts, noting how their feedback directly influenced the creation of some creatures.

“It’s one thing to design a monster, but it’s wholly another to look at some animal today and brainstorm about what pressures could force an animal to gain the ability to fly, spit venom, or generate electricity. There are many spec evo social media groups that do just this and getting stuck in these discussions have led to quite a few of the creatures within my bestiary.

One wonderful example happened on my own Sol’Kesh server, which ended up leading to the creation of the Farplains’ apex predator (which happens to be the cover art of the Journal book). It was only through talking about how wild a hummingbird could potentially get through evolution, and eventually turned into a massive swarm that strips the plains of meat during their mating season.

That hummingbird is just one of many creatures that are based on the ideas of these types of chats and I can’t thank the spec evo community enough for that. I honestly have a pile of saved brainstorming sessions, and I’ve cherry picked creature ideas from them many, many times.”

Fan Favorites and Future Plans

The project gained significant traction on social media, with some creatures becoming fan favorites.

“While it was the gomitoad that got my own project popular enough with the algorithm gods and led to the decision to create a Patreon. The one creature I can safely say has become a fan favorite since the launch of the Kickstarter is the gurubara, also another product of fun brainstorming conversations on discord.

This rodent was the idea that the chill and easy-going capybara is already near evolutionary perfection today, and in the far future of Sol’Kesh’s 82 million year setting, does it only just grow a beard to reach its true peak.”

Looking forward, Terry does have plans for expanding Sol’Kesh. He says, “I’d like to start exploring other parts of the planet in another microcosm fashion, and I have an idea for a much more exotic and unique environment to do so.” He remains cautious about not getting distracted from completing the initial project, though, and is keeping these ideas on hold for now even if he’s ” itching to get sketching them out.”

Sol’Kesh is on Kickstarter Until December 5th

Terry is particularly enthusiastic about one of the unique rewards that was unlocked during the Kickstarter campaign.

“The Kickstarter recently unlocked through stretch goals to do statblocks for juvenile forms of the creatures, and while I’ve drawn only two of them so far, I’d love to do more. There’s an upcoming stretch goal that will also give them miniatures, so I’m just excited to do a bunch of cute versions of the beasts that players can breed, raise, and adventure with. And with them I can’t wait to see what Worldshaper, the 3D modeler I’ve partnered with will do with them. “

Ending the interview Terry emphasizes the importance of small, incremental progress and the passion to keep going every day. Terry encourages aspiring creators:

“No world building project starts big, no story is immediately deep. For those who want to tell their own story, just start writing, sketching, coding, whatever you do, in small steps. It takes time and luck to pick up momentum, but what’s important is to keep at it.”

Sol’Kesh is a comprehensive tabletop RPG project that brings a speculative evolution-themed world to life. Divided into three main components—a Bestiary, an Art and Story Journal, and a set of 3D-printable miniatures—Sol’Kesh offers a unique exploration of what life might look like on a future Earth shaped by evolution long after humanity’s extinction.

Currently live on Kickstarter, Sol’Kesh represents the culmination of years of passion and independent work, inviting backers to support a project built around both creativity and community. The campaign ends on December 5.

A free STL creature pack for Sol’Kesh is available on DrivethruRPG, and the Tabletop Gaming News exclusive Esslinter STL package is available here.

Created by Geoff Gray of Kytinous Games, this post-apocalyptic TTRPG explores a distant future of Earth, dominated by colossal insects and sprawling fungi-forests. I recently asked Geoff a few questions about his motivations, challenges, and experiences while developing this unique project.

Head over to the Tales of the Kytin Age Kickstarter to learn more about the game.

What inspired you to work on “Tales of the Kytin Age” for 35 years, and what motivated you to keep going for so long?

“I didn’t intend it to take up 35 years of my life, but existence got in the way. Family, work, health, friends moving away, growing out of the hobby, etc. Oh yeah, Skyrim caused a pretty big delay too. As for motivation… two things; I guess I discovered a tenacity I didn’t know I had, and the world of the Kytin Age itself. It deserved to be documented, and I was the only one with access.”

Which aspect of game development did you find the most challenging, and which was the most enjoyable for you?

Gray shared that while the initial concept phase was enjoyable, as ideas were free-flowing and unbound by practical constraints, the journey of transforming those ideas into a comprehensive, playable game was incredibly demanding.

The most rewarding aspect of the project is simply getting it to the stage we’re at. It’s been the toughest thing I’ve ever done and is comparable to writing four doctorate thesis. The world and it’s peoples have taken on a life of their own and it’s been a long time since I felt like I was dreaming up all these ideas. I now feel like a scribe, simply chronicling what’s going down in the Kytin Age. It’s weird, but it does make life easier, like I’m just describing a place I’ve visited many times.

You describe yourself as a “beer and pretzels” kind of player. How did you balance simplicity and depth in the game to ensure an enjoyable experience for different types of players?

“Well, one, I’m a teetotaler, and two, I don’t like pretzels, haha! What I mean by that – and my interpretation may differ from yours is that I really dislike ‘rules over immersion’. To me, rules are just guidelines and, with roleplaying games especially, are more suggestions than anything ‘hard and fast’. If there is one genre where ‘house rules’ rule, its RPG’s, in my opinion. Of course, the rules are important – I didn’t spend years writing them for them to be casually disregarded – but not at the expense of immersion.

The essential answer is ‘if I can play it, anyone can!’

Geoff shares that he has played games where an engaging story is marred by the need to constantly consult a rulebook. “If a game has a manual the size of Nebraska, I kinda back away from it,” he jokes. While Tales of the Kytin Age is indeed a hefty book, Geoff points out that the size comes from the world-building elements rather than the complexity of rules. It’s intended to serve as an encyclopedia of the game world, with actual gameplay rules spread across fewer pages, and many of them summarized on crib sheets and character sheets. This design choice was a deliberate effort to keep the focus on the game rather than getting lost in rulebook consultations.

Geoff emphasizes that the only section the Hivekeeper (the game’s GM) needs readily available is the skills chapter, as each skill has unique outcomes for success and failure. “The book is big, not because it’s overly complex, but because we wanted to provide value to our readers and players,” he explains. The emphasis is on providing lore, story hooks, and details that bring the world to life.

The game’s core mechanics are straightforward. Geoff explains that the Skill Rating Modifiers (SRMs) and the difference system—which accounts for degrees of success—are fundamental to the game. These mechanics add nuance without overwhelming players with complicated processes.

There are very few central concepts players must learn in order to play, the most important being ‘SRM’s’ – Skill Rating Modifiers that affect the chance of successfully employing a skill due to context, and the second being the ‘difference system’ – where success is not only reliant on rolling lower than a given number, but also by how much lower one can roll. This allows for degrees of success, a vital part of skill resolution.

Beyond these core ideas, players have the freedom to choose how in-depth they want their experience to be.

You may keep combat to the simple actions of attack and defence and have a good time, but the rules also cover charging, ripostes, knockdowns, mounted combat, lancing charges, capture, pulling blows, air-to-air and surface-to-air combat, grappling, etc. Being a ‘beer and pretzels’ kinda guy (I now regret using that term), I’ve attempted to keep all of those ‘advanced’ actions as intuitive and easy to implement as possible. I’m not saying I’m stupid and I’ve made a game for fellow stupids, but maybe I am? If so, it’s the ultimate game for stupids!

Ultimately, Geoff says the game is designed to ensure everyone can have fun, whether they prefer a straightforward approach or want to explore all the game’s intricacies.

How did you approach character design to ensure players can create unique characters beyond the classic archetypes?

Gray explains that from day one, a classless system was a must. He has always disliked the idea of locking skills into rigid archetypes, as it limits creativity and hinders the immersive experience that role-playing games can offer. In Tales of the Kytin Age, Gray wanted players to be able to create characters without being restricted by arbitrary limitations. “It should be the player, not some arbitrary rule, that stops a local healer from also being a fearsome mace-wielder,” he says. This flexibility ensures that players can craft their characters in a way that feels true to their vision, without predefined boundaries.

The character creation system in Tales of the Kytin Age revolves around a classless skill structure and customizable mutations, allowing for a multitude of unique combinations. Gray elaborates that while skills can differentiate characters, they are just the beginning.

Our approach to giving players the freedom to create whatever character they wish is to present their physiological ‘differences’ in an almost menu-like fashion; a smorgasbord of mutation Depending on their character’s form of being, a player chooses a given number of mutations, or effects of mutation, from a list. There’s no randomness involved, rather most mutations have pros and cons (mostly pro’s), that the player must weigh up.

“Take, for example, wings,” Gray says. “You gain the amazing ability to fly great distances at speed if you choose them. That sounds like a no-brainer, right? Well, not so fast! The airspace is also the domain of the Great Insects, and they all fly better and faster than you can. There’s nowhere to hide up there, and retreating to low altitude exposes you to the webs of crowned spiders stretching from tree to giant tree.” Wings also come with other limitations—they are noisy, reduce carrying capacity, and can make the character vulnerable in certain situations. These trade-offs mean that two players might both be playing insectile characters, but their decisions—such as whether or not to have wings—will lead to entirely different playstyles and experiences.

Gray is particularly proud of how every choice presented during character creation has meaningful, in-game ramifications. The emphasis on player agency during character development is intended to enhance role-playing opportunities and encourage entertaining table banter.

Could you share more about your collaboration with Yasen Stoilov and how his illustrations have helped shape the visual aspect of the game?

Gray considers himself incredibly fortunate to have collaborated with Bulgarian artist Yasen Stoilov, whose unique art style helped bring the game to life over five years of dedicated work. Originally, Gray envisioned a manga-style presentation inspired by Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, but Stoilov’s art shifted the direction to full-color illustrations throughout the book.

Yasen’s work gifted Tales of the Kytin Age with a look all of its own and, despite his reticence of looking at any creepy crawlies in real life, he’s captured the flora and fauna in a remarkable way. I couldn’t have wished for a better partner to work with and I consider myself blessed he chose to stay the course over all these years.

Head over to Yasen’s ArtStation page or Instagram to check out more amazing artwork from both Tales of the Kytin Age and other projects.

What inspired the setting of “Tales of the Kytin Age”?

The game takes place in a world where humans have evolved to adapt to extreme conditions. Toxic storms and the poisoned legacy of humanity’s disregard for nature have reshaped civilization, leading to four distinct forms of human beings: the neotype, the metamorph, the telempath, and the insectile. Society has rebuilt itself akin to medieval times, thriving by binding itself to nature, farming giant fungi, and domesticating insects.

Ahh, an easy question! Inspired by the giant, nuclear-borne monster movies of the 1950s, Miyazaki’s ‘Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind’ manga and anime, plus a blend of medieval, fantasy and science fiction literature, Tales of the Kytin Age presents a re-imagined world to explore – a new sandbox to play in! In 1989, when I began this project, just the idea of a game about knights in armour versus rampaging bugs the size of trucks with just a strong will and a stronger sword-arm was (and is) incredibly exciting, but I quickly realised the depth and scope of TotKA could afford so much more; it gave me an opportunity to explore themes that were uncommon in the genre, subjects I felt were deeply important to the way we live and connect with our world and each other.

What are some unique challenges players might face in the world of the Kytin Age that differentiate it from other post-apocalyptic RPGs?

I can think of several, from the mundane to the extraordinary, and all stem from the level of immersion we’re aiming for.

Gray highlighted the immersive, environment-focused gameplay as a key differentiator for Tales of the Kytin Age. Unlike many other RPGs, where survival often comes down to gear and combat proficiency, in Tales of the Kytin Age, a player-character’s life is deeply intertwined with the natural world around them.

A player-character’s life is strongly intertwined with the environment. Natural-based products are essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle regardless of the form of being, and even common ants, the universal beasts of burden, require daily attention to prevent sickness. Being aware of the various herbs, potions, ointments that can buff a character’s abilities is an important consideration and can distinguish a seasoned adventurer from a naive ‘larv’.

Owning mounts is considered essential by many players, not only for transportation and carrying capacity but also for their role in survival tactics. “Many travelers maintain two or more common ants
to act as decoys should they run into any arthropod action on the road.“ Gray shares. “Due to the danger that the Great Insects represent, great care and preparation is a must if one is planning to step beyond ‘city limits’”

Gray also touches on the great insects that dominate the Kytin Age, describing them as the most formidable challenge for players. The Great Insects are not merely enemies to be fought—they are forces of nature to be respected, avoided, or confronted strategically. “Survivability is knowing how to deal with the Great Insects—either by avoidance or the use of martial arts” he explains.

The insects are designed with realistic behavioral cycles, changing throughout the year.

The creatures of the Kytin Age follow cyclical patterns of behaviour which change throughout the year. There are obviously important events, such as the mating seasons which see increased insect activity, and periods of the year where certain bugs enter ‘diapause’ – a state comparable to hibernation. The weather plays an important role too, with many species migrating to alternative biomes during the wet and dry seasons. Knowing how the natural world functions is probably the best protection one can possess when out in the wilds.

Players must learn to read these environmental cues and adjust their strategies accordingly.

The key takeaway would be whatever we can do to increase the level of immersion players have within the game, the more we’ll push it. From a ‘Hivekeepers’ point of view (Hivekeeper being our term for GM, or referee), there’s not much thought given to a player-characters chance of survival in a particular scenario; the world is how it is. If a 45’-long, heavily armoured scorpion rocks up and you’re not already running away, you’re pretty much doomed! From the plant life to the very air itself, the world has many, many ways to end a character’s adventure real quick. Be vigilant!

Combat is another area where the challenges are unique. Gray emphasizes that the combat system in Tales of the Kytin Age encourages thoughtful decision-making rather than brute force. Injuries can be severe, and recovery is often long and painful. “There are no magical health potions, injured party members can rely on” he points out. Instead, players must rely on foresight, such as using items that can mitigate damage or counteract venom—often preemptively. This requires players to think ahead and be strategic about when and how they engage in combat.

In addition to the natural threats, there are also insectile habits that can influence a character’s actions, sometimes taking control away from the player. Certain elements of the world can have fatal effects on characters if they are not cautious, whether it’s poisonous plants or the influence of larger insect predators. Geoff points out that “There’s enough challenge to persuade any native to remain indoors!”

The game has a strong emphasis on ecological themes and humanity’s adaptation. Was there any particular inspiration or message you wanted to convey through this aspect of the game?

“Pollution, the wilful destruction of the environment and the near or impending extinction of other species remain increasingly present threats, and cataclysmic climate change appears inevitable. Topics such as forced migration and the status of refugees, the struggle faced by minorities and those whose appearance or sexualities differ from our own are more relevant today than just 35 years ago. These issues have always been part of the larger narrative behind the setting and cultural landscape of this game world. One takeaway behind the character sheets and dice rolling is how we, as a race, can change – must change – in order to survive. We have to reset our notions of humanity to become humane. Only through respecting and embracing each other’s physiological, psychological or cultural differences can we truly identify as human beings.”

Is there anything else you would like to add?

“Yeah, be nice to each other folks, it’s a bad world out there so let’s not make it harder for each other. And back the game, of course!”

Tales of the Kytin Age is on Kickstarter Now!

As of now, Tales of the Kytin Age has raised $5,442 out of its $6,460 goal, with 62 backers and 20 days remaining. The campaign ends on November 24th, so there is still time to help bring this project to life. Head over to the Kickstarter page to pledge and to learn more about the game.

The expansions, Mythic Carpathia and City of My Nightmares, will take players deeper into the eerie world of Nordic and Eastern European folklore. Alongside these expansions, a new Starter Set and updated Core Rulebook will be available, making this a significant update for the RPG.

In Mythic Carpathia, players will explore the folklore of Central and Eastern Europe, facing creatures like Vampires, Rusalkas, and Baba Yaga. Set against the backdrop of cities like Prague, the expansion offers new mysteries, mythical beings, and adventure locations. Developed by a team of Polish and Ukrainian writers, this volume brings new depth and content to the Vaesen universe.

City of My Nightmares transports players to the bustling streets of 19th-century Stockholm, where grisly murders and a deep mystery threaten the city’s stability. This four-part campaign can also be adapted to other Gothic cities such as London or Prague.

The Kickstarter campaign goes live at 3 pm CEST (9 am US Eastern) on October 29. To celebrate the upcoming campaign, the Vaesen Core Rulebook is now 50% off in the Free League Webstore.

Image Gallery

Chris shared that Dungeons Reforged is designed to address some key challenges that the company has faced in recent years. “For years, we were running off of a Kickstarter-based model where we were just focused on getting from campaign to campaign,” he explained. “The way the sets were laid out was optimized around the Kickstarter pledge structure, which meant that at the end of the day we had a lot of sets and pieces that were difficult to restock, or didn’t make a ton of sense to new customers trying to get started on our webstore.”

With Dungeons Reforged, Dwarven Forge has reorganized their offerings to make it easier for new collectors to dive into the hobby while also appealing to long-time fans. “We’ve made new ‘core sets’ that let new customers get a ton of table coverage affordably,” Chris noted. There are also new dressing packs and some long-awaited pieces that have been out of stock for years, like the Bladed Ziggurat and Acid Furnace.

One of the standout features of the campaign is the introduction of the “Sinister” paint scheme. This darker, more eerie color palette brings a completely different atmosphere to Dwarven Forge’s dungeon terrain, perfect for constructing necrotic or corrupted environments. “The Sinister paint scheme is also jaw-dropping on the table and gives a Shadowfell Keep or Necromancer’s lair feel.” Chris added.

For existing Dwarven Forge fans, Dungeons Reforged offers a chance to fill in some gaps in their collections, with new pieces like the trapdoor insert or corner pillar. These additions enhance the functionality of the sets, allowing for more dynamic and varied dungeon builds. The campaign also offers the opportunity for backers to provide feedback and influence the final product before orders are placed.

When asked about the inspiration behind the reworked dungeon terrain, Chris pointed to the timeless appeal of classic dungeon crawls. “The dungeon is the classic fantasy adventure setting,” he said. “We were heavily focused on making modular, interactive pieces that would bring all of the classic dungeon-crawling tropes to life. Now that we’ve played with these pieces for over half a decade, we’ve had ideas on how to execute on the classic dungeon trappings even better.”

Looking ahead, Dwarven Forge has plenty more in store for fans. With their Lowtown city-building Kickstarter nearing fulfillment and the Starforged Sci-Fi campaign on the horizon, the company is gearing up for an exciting few years. “We’re planning to share details on our next campaigns before the end of the year, after Dungeons Reforged launches,” Chris hinted.

Be sure to check out the campaign tomorrow at Noon Eastern on Gamefound to see it all in action.

Gray has dedicated himself to every aspect of the project, from writing, proofreading, and graphic design to book layout, website design, video production, and miniature design. Geoff describes himself as very much a “beer and pretzels” kind of player, disliking game systems where fun and immersion are obscured by overly complicated rules and superfluous detail. In Tales of the Kytin Age, players will find just enough rules to enhance role-play without sacrificing the story. Where detail truly shines is in the lore, the setting, and the narrative—the elements that breathe life into the game. It’s not often we see such an all-encompassing labor of love, and it makes “Tales of the Kytin Age” stand out as a special project.

Tales of the Kytin Age invites players to a distant future of Earth, one transformed into a sprawling landscape of massive fungi-forests and barren badlands—a world almost destroyed by the hubris of mankind. In this new world, insects have risen as the dominant force, evolving into colossal monsters that loom over the surviving remnants of humanity. While civilization as we know it is gone, humanity persists, adapted into four distinct forms: the neotype, the metamorph, the telempath, and the insectile—each adapted to thrive in a post-apocalyptic ecosystem shaped by the folly of their ancestors.

Set amidst a richly detailed landscape, “Tales of the Kytin Age” promises players an adventure where characters are more than archetypes—a chance to craft their own stories beyond the classic fighter or mage. Players will take on the roles of refugees fleeing a sinking island, embarking on a journey to start anew in a world that demands resilience and ingenuity. The game draws players into a setting full of complex social dynamics, ecological challenges, and the ever-present threat of giant insect overlords.

At its core, this game represents a love letter to the genre, with an astonishing level of world-building. It’s clear that Gray has poured his heart into every aspect of the project—crafting lore, designing mechanics, and even dreaming up the game’s intricate illustrations. To bring these visions to life, he has collaborated with talented Bulgarian artist Yasen Stoilov, a veteran of the genre who has worked with some of the most successful IPs in the hobby. Stoilov has embraced the weird and wonderful denizens and locales of the Kytin Age, showcasing his vibrant individual style through over 130 original pieces of artwork, adding depth and visual immersion to the gameworld. The depth of “Tales of the Kytin Age” is a testament to Gray’s devotion, with its nuanced approach to character creation, a classless system that offers nearly limitless character growth, and evocative storytelling that echoes the resilience of humanity.

The Kickstarter campaign offers two main pledge tiers for backers to choose from: the Standard Edition and the Deluxe Edition.

The Standard Edition includes the Core Game Book, which is a hefty combination of rules manual and encyclopedic lore tome. It features premium production quality, including a heavy casebound hardcover. The 340-page book is printed in full color throughout, with ‘printer-friendly’ player aids such as an equipment list, character creator note sheet, 4-page Character Sheet, and Hivekeeper’s player character and NPC record sheets.

The Deluxe Edition offers an expanded experience, envisioned as a boxed set packed with additional content. This edition includes:

• Core Game Book
• Adventure Book: “The Ing Saga’s: Ribvale”, which begins the player’s adventures in the Age of Kytin.
• A2 Poster Map: A large map of the Western Kingdom.
• Game Screen: Includes common tables and rule tips, such as the Combat Summary.
• Deluxe Character Sheets: A set of heavy paperstock, faux-parchment, four-page Character Sheets to record character development in style.
• Slipcase: A robust, gloss laminated slipcase designed to store all the items intended for the campaign, plus a bonus art card.

As “Tales of the Kytin Age” prepares to launch on Kickstarter, it’s clear that the dedication and effort put into the project make it a standout in the world of fantasy RPGs. If you’re ready for a world where giant insects rule, where human beings have adapted to survive, and where adventure is a constant call—mark your calendars for October 25, and be sure to visit the Kickstarter page to get notified when the game launches.

The game, which is pronounced as “MIR” (MИP in Cyrillic), places players in the roles of agents fighting to protect reality from monstrous entities known as the Echoes of the Ruin. The agents, members of the MIR organization, wield the dangerous Arts—powers that enable them to alter reality while risking corruption. Their struggle is to fight off the manifestations of suffering, protect the world from the Ruin, and contend with the distrust of the very people they strive to protect.

In a recent talk with TGN, Adrien Dumonchau and Valentin Reverdy, the creators of MIR provided insight into the driving inspirations behind MIR’s concept, visual design, and the meaningful touches they’ve added, like an exclusive soundtrack.

The Inspiration Behind MIR

When asked about the inspiration for MIR, the creators shared that the game was born out of a desire to bring real dilemmas into the TTRPG space. The creators wanted to avoid simply depicting gore and action, which they consider to be more epic rather than dark. Instead, MIR’s focus is on the psychological aspect—forcing players into moral decisions that have emotional resonance.

“Having to tell someone close to you that your loved one has died, having to confess betrayal to someone, having to condemn the innocent: that’s dark.
In a word: the psychology of the characters is too often skipped in favor of action scenes that are too unrealistic to elicit emotion. That’s not to say I don’t like epic action, quite the contrary, but like salt in a dish, you have to know how to dose it.
MIR’s universe places players in the position of judge and executioner. They’re not the victims, or the weak ones.
The dark side of the game comes from having to take responsibility for one’s decisions and their consequences on the universe. I wanted to create a universe that would help game masters to easily create dilemmas, both through the themes and the game system.”

The game draws inspiration from several iconic RPGs, including World of Darkness, Warhammer, Call of Cthulhu, and Game of Thrones RPG. Works like George Orwell’s 1984 and movies such as Perfect Blue, Seven, and The Witch have also been instrumental in shaping MIR’s thematic direction.

A Visual and Artistic Experience – From Alphonse Mucha to Black Metal

One of the standout elements of MIR is its art direction. The creators emphasized that every visual component of the game has been crafted without the use of AI—a conscious decision in the face of growing debates within the role-playing community. The art draws on several influences, from Romantic engravings to Art Nouveau, and incorporates stylistic choices meant to evoke feelings of the sacred, dangerous, or magical.

“Valentin and I have always tried to ensure that form meets content. Having a collector’s edition with an imitation leather cover that costs twice as much doesn’t say anything.
The physical object is the extension of the universe, inspiring the game master as much as the words. And our job is to inspire people to tell memorable stories.”

The pair explained that they wanted to make it clear that this is a sacred book, and chose a sacred script for the graphical work: Vyaz, an ancient decorative Cyrillic lettering which the duo describes as gothic for the Slavic Orthodox.

“We imagined our book as an initiatory rite to help players enter the universe more easily,” they explained. Each book in the range corresponds to a different grade within the MIR organization, and no illustrations are reused. Everything is tailored to convey the unique atmosphere of the game.

Illustrations in MIR come in three styles. Black and white engravings in reference to the Romantic movement and Gustave Doré, Illustrations in chiaroscuro inspired by the Flamand painters, and Art nouveau illustrations inspired by Alphonse Mucha.

The game also comes with an accompanying music album, composed by Guillaume Galaup, a musician known for his work in the black metal scene. The art and design for MIR also draws inspiration from Black Metal and the music is designed to be an extension of the game, enhancing the mood and immersing players deeper into MIR’s dark setting. “Like a film, a role-playing game can leave a lasting impression with the help of music,” they said, noting that the album is included as a physical object within the collector’s edition.

While writing the compendium scenario “At Shadow’s Glory”, we met Guillaume Galaup, a musician known for LIMBES, a Black Metal one-man band. He’s a role-player at heart, and has thrown himself into the project heart and soul. Before composing the album, he played and read the scenario compendium to create a musical universe designed for it. 

Guillaume wanted to avoid the “dedicated track” effect where you have one track for the fight scene, another for the plot scene etc. His philosophy is to create a long, thematically rich musical layer to adapt to situations without asking the game master to become a DJ. 

What Sets MIR Apart

MIR isn’t just a game of dark fantasy—it’s a game of emotional weight and consequence. The creators wanted to design a setting where dilemmas arise intuitively from the world itself. This approach helps players face decisions that feel more nuanced than the simplistic “good vs. bad” choices.

With MIR I tried to offer a universe where each level of description offered the possibility of creating a dilemma intuitively. Even though this is still only the discovery book, it offers enough information to enable you to create your own scenarios in the MIR universe. The French community has already produced plenty of them, and we’ve bought two of them – which are stretch goals, by the way, and one of them has already been unlocked!

Finally, I’d like to conclude on the subject: I don’t know of any role-playing game – with the possible exception of Degenesis – where content meets form. We want to bring our work to life on a different medium, to allow all its themes to express themselves.

Dark Ambience: Therapy with Monsters

MIR embraces its dark ambiance wholeheartedly, and the creators hope that players will not only feel immersed in its sinister atmosphere but also find catharsis through play.

The first thing we want MIR players to do is to have fun and feel free to express their fear, shame and anger. In a playful and controlled way, but to be able to express them nonetheless. Censorship is never the solution, however, even if other means of expression do exist. 

The game has even attracted the attention of mental health professionals. One psychologist, Dr. Wayne Guillaume, has contributed an upcoming scenario, highlighting how the themes of MIR resonate with real-world experiences of trauma and healing.

Final Weeks of the Campaign

As the Kickstarter campaign for MIR enters its final stretch, backers can look forward to more unlockable content, including new scenarios, music tracks, and civilization cards. The creators have confirmed that backers will receive a PDF of the discovery book as soon as the campaign concludes, allowing them to dive into the world of MIR right away.

Tabletop gaming has always been about coming together, sharing creativity, and enjoying time with friends. While commercial products are a huge part of the hobby, they aren’t the only way to enjoy your favorite games. With the right resources, you can explore entire worlds, build miniatures, or create your own games—without spending a dime. The most popular game out there, Dungeons & Dragons, can be played for free for a lifetime with all the free resources available, despite what Wizards of the Coast wants you to think.

I’m not trying to make anyone feel bad for buying things. But maybe give an extra thought to what you buy and from where. If you’re making a big or expensive purchase, make sure it’s something you’ll truly enjoy and use for a long time. And whenever possible, consider supporting your friendly local game store (FLGS) or independent publishers before turning to Amazon.

Free TTRPG Resources

Many talented creators offer free modules, rulebooks, and character sheets for a variety of tabletop RPGs. Whether you’re looking to try a new system or find fresh ideas for your current campaign, there are tons of free options available online.

• DriveThruRPG Free Section: DriveThruRPG offers a vast selection of free TTRPG content, from full rulebooks to adventures and supplementary materials. It’s a great starting point for expanding your library without cost.
• Itch.io Free TTRPGs: A treasure trove for indie games, Itch.io has a wide selection of free and “pay-what-you-want” TTRPGs. It’s a great place to find innovative, community-driven projects.
• D&D Basic Rules: Wizards of the Coast offers the basic rules for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition for free on their website. Combine these rules with free fan-made resources and you won’t ever have to spend money on D&D.
• Pathfinder and Starfinder System Reference Documents: The SRD (System reference documents) for Pathfinder are Starfinder are available for free. These are the rules for the game and contain everything needed to play. Many other TTRPGs also offer SRDs.
• The Dungeon Master’s Guild (Free Section): Another excellent resource for D&D players, the Dungeon Master’s Guild has a wide selection of free adventures, supplements, and maps.
• Tabletop Audio: Perfect for enhancing the atmosphere of your game, Tabletop Audio provides free background music and soundscapes for a wide variety of settings, from fantasy taverns to sci-fi space stations.
• Dungeon Map Doodler: A free, easy-to-use tool for creating dungeon maps that you can use in your own campaigns. Great for GMs who want to create unique encounters without spending money on professional map-making software.

Free Miniature Game Resources

You don’t even have to buy miniatures to play miniature games. While the hobby is often associated with expensive armies and detailed models, there are countless free resources that allow you to play with homemade standees, print-your-own miniatures, or even repurpose everyday items. From free rule sets to customizable tools, here’s a collection of resources to get you started in the world of miniature gaming.

• One Page Rules: Offering streamlined rules for many different miniatures games, One Page Rules gives you everything you need to play, with rulebooks and army lists available for free.
• Terrain Tutorials: Many creators post free tutorials on how to build your own terrain pieces for wargaming using inexpensive materials. Channels like Black Magic Craft on YouTube can guide you through creating impressive terrain.
• Infinity (Corvus Belli): Infinity is a sci-fi skirmish game by Corvus Belli, and they provide free rules and army-building tools on their website.
• Mantic Games Free Rules: Mantic Games provides free downloadable rules for several of their games, including Kings of War, Deadzone, and Warpath. They also offer free army lists and scenarios to help players get started.
• Print Your Own Miniatures (Thingiverse): For those with access to 3D printers, Thingiverse has a huge collection of free, downloadable miniature files, from fantasy characters to sci-fi vehicles. This is a great way to expand your collection without spending on official models.
• Fan-Made Army Builders (BattleScribe): BattleScribe is a free, community-driven app that provides army-building tools for many miniatures games. While it doesn’t provide the rules themselves, it makes managing and building your armies a breeze.

Free Board Game Resources

The world of board games can be as expansive as you want, and there are many free options out there, especially in the realm of print-and-play games.

• PnPArcade: With a regularly rotating selection of free print-and-play board games, PnPArcade is a great place to find unique, fun games you can print out and play at home.
• Board Game Geek Print-and-Play: In addition to user-made content, Board Game Geek has a thriving community of designers offering free print-and-play versions of their games. You can find a wide range of games, from simple card games to complex strategy titles.
• Print-and-Play Games on Itch.io: Just like with TTRPGs, Itch.io has a growing library of free or “pay what you want” board games. Many indie designers offer their games as print-and-play, allowing you to explore unique designs at no cost.
• Print-and-Play Dice Games: There are plenty of free, printable dice games out there that you can enjoy with just a few dice and some paper. Roll and write games have become especially popular, and many designers offer free versions online.

Publisher: Wizards of the Coast

Release Date: September 17th, 2024

Links: D&D Beyond, Amazon

At a glance

• Beginner-Friendly Design: Clearer structure and explanations make it more accessible for new players.
• Expanded Customization: 12 classes, 48 subclasses, 75 feats, and 389 spells offer plenty of character-building options.
• Weapon Mastery System: Adds tactical depth to martial classes.
• Balance Concerns: Some combinations and feats can still create overpowered characters and exploits.
• Crafting System Disappoints: It’s not even a system.
• Beautiful Artwork: Vibrant, polished illustrations throughout, but the worldbuilding still feels a bit bland.
• Backward Compatibility Issues: Not as seamless with previous editions as advertised, creating challenges for ongoing campaigns.
• Great Value for New Players: At $30 digital or $50 physical, it’s affordable—but much of the content will be available for free in Creative Commons.

The long-anticipated 2024 Dungeons & Dragons Player’s Handbook is finally here, clocking in at nearly 400 pages and packed with content for both new and returning players. It’s a beautifully illustrated hardcover that promises to expand on the familiar 5e framework, but the question is: does it offer enough to justify its price?

At first glance, the handbook feels like a decent attempt to refine what made 5th Edition so successful, but many of the issues might leave long-time players wondering if the heart of the game has been lost in the process.

Presentation and Accessibility

The first thing that stands out about the 2024 Player’s Handbook is its beginner-friendly design. The book starts with a detailed explanation of what the game is, how it’s played, and the basics of a D&D session. From combat to social interaction to exploration, new players will appreciate the clarity provided.

The restructured flow of information, beginning with general gameplay before character creation, is a welcome change. Chapter One walks readers through what they can expect from a D&D session, what dice they’ll need, and what a typical game looks like. By the time players arrive at character creation in chapter two, they’ve got a solid understanding of the basics, making the process of rolling up a character feel smooth.

However, while the presentation is clearer overall, some sections suffer from confusing wording. Certain areas, like character creation, still have vague explanations that could leave new players scratching their heads.

Players who enjoy fine-tuning their characters will find endless ways to build unique heroes. But for casual players, the sheer amount of content may feel more like homework than fun.

The first part of the handbook—roughly the first 30 pages—lays out the core mechanics of D&D in a way that will be instantly familiar to veteran players. However, it’s the next 300+ pages that cater specifically to players who enjoy making character builds. This section is essentially a “game within a game,” where the focus shifts to exploring an overwhelming array of character options. With 12 classes, 48 subclasses, 10 species, 16 backgrounds, 75 feats, and more, players who enjoy fine-tuning their characters will find endless ways to build unique heroes. But for casual players, the sheer amount of content may feel more like homework than fun.

Character Creation

Character creation in the 2024 edition is more straightforward than ever before, but it’s not without its hiccups. The new background system, where backgrounds provide your ability score bonuses and a starting feat, is an interesting change.

The system simplifies character creation by offering ability score increases and a starting feat directly tied to your background. This change is meant to provide more flexibility, allowing players to separate species from stat boosts. While this flexibility is great for those who want to focus on role-playing rather than optimizing, it does come at a cost.

What’s missing are the flavorful, unique features that make backgrounds feel personal and immersive. The backgrounds feel more mechanical, serving as a way to power up characters rather than deepen the story. In a game about storytelling, this loss of flavor is a noticeable step backward.

While character creation is easy to follow, the process of leveling up could benefit from being presented in a more streamlined and user-friendly way. Though the rules are clear, they aren’t always laid out in the most accessible format, which can slow down the process for both new and experienced players. It seems likely that Wizards of the Coast hasn’t fully optimized this aspect, perhaps to push players towards D&D Beyond, where the platform’s automation makes leveling up much more intuitive and seamless. For those sticking to physical books, the experience can feel unnecessarily fragmented in comparison.

Stronger Classes, Streamlined Abilities, and Weapon Mastery

One of the major changes of the 2024 Player’s Handbook is the significant improvements made to the D&D classes. Classes feel more powerful, and key abilities have become easier to use and recharge more frequently.

Weapon Mastery, a new system that adds tactical depth to martial classes, allows fighters and other weapon-focused classes to manipulate the battlefield more effectively by inflicting conditions, creating advantages, and even guaranteeing damage on missed attacks.

Another change is the overhaul of the action economy. Many abilities that used to take a full action are now bonus actions or even free actions. This lets players make the most of their turns, focusing on the most crucial moves in combat. Weapon Mastery, a new system that adds tactical depth to martial classes, allows fighters and other weapon-focused classes to manipulate the battlefield more effectively by inflicting conditions, creating advantages, and even guaranteeing damage on missed attacks.

Balance Issues

Despite claims of balance from WOTC, the 2024 Player’s Handbook introduces a range of powerful new combinations and exploits that challenge the idea of a well-balanced system. Some spells, feats, and mechanics have been reworked, but rather than addressing all balance concerns, new opportunities for overpowered builds have emerged. For instance, the spell Conjure Elementals has been reworked to create a 15-foot radius that inflicts extra damage, but its scaling at higher levels leads to an extraordinary output of damage. A 6th-level Conjure Elementals spell, combined with other spells like Scorching Ray, can unleash an astonishing amount of damage in a single round.

Similarly, the Grappler feat allows for some extreme tactics. With certain combinations, such as using Spike Growth and wild shaping into a bear, players can drag enemies across hazardous terrain repeatedly, stacking massive amounts of damage. These combinations, while fun and creative, can quickly spiral into game-breaking territory, especially when optimized with other feats and abilities.

Spirit Guardians in the hands of a hasted character can result in devastating damage output across multiple enemies in a single round.

While the game promotes teamwork and creative play, certain feats and class features, like the revamped War Caster and Spirit Guardians, push the boundaries of balance. For example, War Caster now allows players to cast powerful spells on allies using a reaction, significantly boosting the action economy in ways that can outpace enemy challenges. Similarly, Spirit Guardians in the hands of a hasted character can result in devastating damage output across multiple enemies in a single round.

These combos, while entertaining, raise concerns about whether the new ruleset has fully addressed balance, especially at higher levels where action economy and stacking damage effects can make encounters feel trivial. While balancing mechanics to maintain fun and challenge is always a tightrope walk, the potential for exploits in the 2024 Player’s Handbook is undeniable and may require careful consideration by both players and dungeon masters.

Personally, I don’t mind an unbalanced game. Perfect balance is an unrealistic goal and often breaks immersion. Older editions and RPGs were never truly balanced—after all, a fighter and a spellcaster wouldn’t have the same power in the “real world,” and the difference in their abilities added depth to the game. Every class had its strengths and weaknesses, excelling in specific situations, which made the game dynamic and interesting. Today’s obsession with balance feels more like a symptom of power gaming, where players expect their characters to excel at everything.

The issue with the 2024 edition isn’t simply that it’s unbalanced—it’s that the game now leans so heavily into making characters feel all-powerful. When adventurers are so strong they rarely face real danger or death, the imbalance becomes more noticeable and frustrating. It’s harder to overlook when every class seems to excel at everything, and players no longer feel like normal adventurers navigating a dangerous world. Instead, they feel like superheroes, which diminishes the sense of adventure and challenge. That shift, where characters are overpowered and death feels like a rarity, makes the lack of balance feel like a much bigger problem.

Feats and Equipment: Stronger but More Homogeneous

The feats section has received some updates, and while most of the classic feats return, they now often include ability score increases, which can make them more appealing, but it also means feats feel less unique and more standardized, lacking the variety that 5e players have enjoyed.

The equipment and crafting system in the 2024 Player’s Handbook leaves much to be desired for players seeking depth in customization and resource management. While the Weapon Mastery system offers a few tweaks, giving martial weapons some unique properties, it’s not revolutionary and is already freely available on D&D Beyond.

There’s no interaction with materials, no skill checks, and no complications—just a straightforward, uninspiring transaction.

Crafting, on the other hand, is a major disappointment. The rules for creating items are overly simplified: you pay gold, wait a few days, and the item is yours. There’s no interaction with materials, no skill checks, and no potential for complications—just a straightforward, uninspiring transaction.

Additionally, the book introduces Spellcasting Services and Hirelings as part of the equipment chapter. The idea of hiring spellcasters or mercenaries for gold is interesting but poorly executed. For spellcasting, there’s no real detail on how it could impact your campaign beyond paying for basic services, and mercenaries can be hired for two gold pieces a day, but the rules give no stat blocks or guidance on what the hirelings can actually do. It’s another instance where a potentially exciting system has been left underdeveloped, offering little more than a superficial nod toward something that could have been much more impactful.

Art and Design

Everyone looks like a superhero rather than an adventurer. The characters, all smiles, and glowing eyes, seem untouched by the harsh realities of the world they’re supposed to inhabit.

The art and design of the 2024 Player’s Handbook are undeniably stunning, with Tyler Jacobson’s cover featuring a gold dragon—a nod to D&D’s 50th anniversary—immediately catching the eye. Throughout the book, the artwork is vibrant and polished, capturing the larger-than-life, heroic spirit the game aims to evoke. However, just as the power creep has made characters feel more like untouchable superheroes, the art reflects this shift strongly as well. There’s a brightness and almost “Fortnite-like” quality to the illustrations that makes the world feel less like a dangerous, medieval fantasy setting and more like a cheerful, risk-free playground.

Everyone looks like a superhero rather than an adventurer. The characters, all smiles, and glowing eyes, seem untouched by the harsh realities of the world they’re supposed to inhabit. In modern D&D everyone has a punchable face, but looks like they’ve never been punched in the face. There’s no grit, no dirt, and certainly no fear or hardship—whether it’s the band of orcs grinning in one illustration or adventurers looking like they’re on a vacation rather than a perilous journey. If you’re living in a world where everything wants to kill you—undead crawling out of the ground, dragons torching entire towns, and bandits ambushing you at every corner—this cheerful tone feels out of place.

A minor issue worth noting is that not all the artwork in the book is original to the book, with some pieces being reused from previous D&D products, such as the illustration borrowed from the Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Magic: The Gathering set seen below. While this isn’t a major flaw, for a release of this scale and from a company the size of Wizards of the Coast, it’s surprising they didn’t invest in entirely new artwork for the occasion.

Lack of Identity

The 2024 Player’s Handbook also has a clear lack of identity. The new edition seems to stray far from the roots of previous versions, leaving many long-time players unsure of who this version is really meant for.

Fans of earlier editions, particularly those who appreciated the grittier, more complex nature of 3.5, the stylized feel of 4e, or the classic fantasy feel of 5e might find little to connect with in this updated rulebook. The visual shift from darker, more serious artwork to a neon-colored, almost cartoonish style has only amplified this disconnect.

D&D is slowly losing its sense of identity. While many other RPGs maintain a distinct and consistent style, D&D seems to face an identity crisis with each new edition.

While the changes may appeal to new and younger players, the drastic departure from the aesthetic and tone of earlier editions leaves veteran players questioning whether this new version was made with them in mind. It feels as though Wizards of the Coast is trying to appeal to a broader, perhaps more casual audience, but in doing so, they may have alienated the core base that has sustained the game for years.

Backward Compatibility Issues

While marketed as an update to 5e, it seems more like the 2024 Player’s Handbook is a mix between that and a new edition, changing and adding just enough to make switching from 5e to 5.5e troublesome. It introduces many small but impactful changes, akin to the shift between 3rd Edition and 3.5.

One of the key promises made by Wizards of the Coast for the 2024 Player’s Handbook was backward compatibility with all previous 5e content. However, while the new edition doesn’t completely overhaul the system, it’s clear that this compatibility claim isn’t as seamless as it sounds. The changes in the 2024 rulebook, especially the various buffs to classes and abilities, make characters noticeably more powerful than their 2014 counterparts. These power boosts, while exciting for certain players, could upset the balance of previously released campaigns and adventures, which were designed with the original 5e rules in mind.

The issue is further complicated by the fact that DMs are left in a tough spot. While seasoned Dungeon Masters might be able to make necessary adjustments on the fly, balancing the older adventures for more powerful parties will require extra effort. Moreover, with the Dungeon Master’s Guide and Monster Manual delayed until 2025, DMs lack the updated tools they need to effectively challenge these new, stronger characters. Even when the 2025 Monster Manual arrives, it’s unclear whether the tweaks will fully address these balance issues or if DMs will still be left struggling to maintain the intended difficulty of their campaigns.

In practice, this backward compatibility isn’t as plug-and-play as advertised. While some elements of older 5e material can fit into the new framework with minimal tweaks, more substantial changes like revamped class abilities and spells will create challenges, especially in ongoing campaigns. The promise of backward compatibility sounds reassuring, but it seems that integrating the new rules with the old content will take more effort than many players and DMs may have anticipated.

Day One Errata and Issues

Perhaps one of the most frustrating aspects of the 2024 Player’s Handbook rollout is the overwhelming sense that it feels like an “open beta” rather than a polished, final product. Players who purchased the physical book are already noticing discrepancies between the printed rules and the digital updates being pushed to D&D Beyond. This is especially concerning for those who prefer physical copies, as it makes their newly purchased book feel outdated almost immediately. Additionally, the need for errata and fixes so soon after release reinforces the idea that this edition was rushed to market, possibly to meet deadlines tied to D&D’s 50th anniversary, rather than being fully ready. The staggered release of essential core books like the Dungeon Master’s Guide and Monster Manual further exacerbates this feeling, as many players are left with the sense that they are playing an incomplete version of the game, waiting for crucial updates and fixes.

The release of the 2024 Player’s Handbook has quickly revealed a host of discrepancies between the printed physical copies and the digital version available on D&D Beyond. Almost immediately, players began noticing a variety of errors and inconsistencies, ranging from minor typographical mistakes to rules that didn’t seem to function as intended. For instance, specific spells, character traits, and even core mechanics were found to be different between the printed book and the online platform. In response, updates to D&D Beyond have quietly corrected some of these issues, but the physical copies remain outdated as soon as they hit the shelves.

These early issues have resulted in some “day one errata,” where fixes and clarifications are being implemented almost immediately after release. However, the lack of an official errata document or clear communication from Wizards of the Coast compounds the problem.

Moreover, D&D Beyond itself is experiencing technical issues. Users have reported bugs when trying to integrate 2024 content with older material, such as spell preparations and class features not working properly. The Issues and Support thread for the 2024 Player’s Handbook on D&D Beyond is currently 69 pages long with players reporting all sorts of issues.

Is It Worth the Purchase?

In the end, the 2024 Player’s Handbook feels like a product that was rushed to meet the deadline for Dungeons & Dragons’ 50th anniversary.

If you’re a player who loves deep character customization and wants the latest options right away, this book delivers in that regard. The updated layout makes navigating the vast array of rules much easier, and the new glossary is a welcome addition for quick reference. But it’s important to ask yourself if you’re really going to use all these new options. While 75 feats and dozens of subclasses sound exciting on paper, most players don’t reach the high levels where these options come into play. The majority of campaigns don’t even use a fraction of the content in the Player’s Handbook, making it more of a theoretical exercise for many players.

For Dungeon Masters, there’s even less reason to rush into this purchase. The bulk of the changes in the 2024 edition are geared toward players, not GMs. You won’t need to memorize every new feat or spell—those are for the players to dive into.

Ultimately, if you’re looking to expand your D&D experience with intricate character builds, this handbook will provide plenty of material to keep you busy. When considering the value of the 2024 Player’s Handbook, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, the book offers a huge amount of content—12 classes, 48 subclasses, 389 spells, and a wealth of feats, equipment, and background options. At $30 for the digital version and $50 for the physical copy, it’s a relatively affordable entry into Dungeons & Dragons. However, much of the material will soon be available for free under Creative Commons.

Welcome to episode 2 of the new weekly Tabletop Gaming News roundup which covers everything that has been posted on TabletopGamingNews.com this week.

00:00 Intro
00:16 Fastest-Selling D&D Book in History
01:16 MTG Bans
02:05 Secret Lair: Camp Totally Safe Superdrop
02:25 Dungeon Master’s Guide Premium Map Collection
02:39 Dungeons & Dragons Vinyl Album for 50th Anniversary
02:52 D&D Beyond Releases Adventure with Characters from D&D Cartoon
03:10 Kobold Press Launches Labyrinth
03:40 Ars Magica to Be Released Under Open License
04:02 Osprey Games Launches Through The Hedgerow
04:32 Symbaroum: Agrella – City of Eternal Euphoria
05:10 Chaosium Releases Call of Cthulhu: The Order of the Stone
05:24 Green Ronin Publishing Releases Fantasy AGE Cthulhu Mythos
05:48 Titmouse Announces New RPG: ‘Drunkards, Druggies, & Delinquents’
06:07 Mythmere Games Launches Tome of Worldbuilding and The Nomicon
06:18 Wrath of the Sea Lich by Gaxx Worx Now Live on Kickstarter
06:38 SoloQ: A New RPG Weekly Planner on Kickstarter
06:55 Horizons: A New Magazine for TTRPG Fans, Launches October 9
07:22 Master of Fables, A Family-Friendly TTRPG is Now on Gamefound
07:42 Dragon Town and the Darkness Below Now on Kickstarter
08:03 Ares Games Announces New Releases for Essen Spiel
08:50 Speakeasy by Eagle Games Hits Kickstarter
09:12 Deliverance: Council of the Fallen Launches on Kickstarter
09:28 Build Your Own Wild West Town in WEST STORY
09:40 Story of Many: A Fantasy Adventure Board Game Now on Gamefound
09:59 StarDriven: Gateway Campaign Preview Now on Gamefound
10:30 Steamforged Announces “Bardsung: Tale of the Forsaken Glade”
11:02 Osprey Publishing Announces “Line of Fire: Burnt Moon”
11:26 Star Trek: Lower Decks ‘Buffer Time’ Card Game Available for Preorder
11:49 Loot Studios Introduces Miniatures Card Game: Malediction
12:33 Steamforged Games Reveals Warmachine Roadmap
13:11 Mantic Games Confirms November Launch for Halo: Flashpoint
13:37 Kromlech’s Orktober Begins with New Orc Miniature Releases
13:57 Bolt Action: Third Edition Launches
14:34 GW is Hoping to Covert Space Marine 2 Fans Into Tabletop Wargamers
15:00 Games Workshop introduces the Mechanicum Battle Group
15:22 Games Workshop Saturday Pre-Orders
15:35 Games Workshop Sunday Preview