Check Out These 6 Cool TTRPG Kickstarter Projects

We at Nerd Caliber enjoy the mainstream as much as any other fan, but we love watching growth and individuality shine through in all spaces of fandom. One of the biggest leaps forward in community-driven innovation has been in the TTRPG and Dungeons & Dragons communities. 

Thanks to Kickstarter, all types of one-of-a-kind assets, systems, and stories can be brought to life with a little help from the most enthusiastic among us. We’ve found a variety of projects that are from new Kickstarter creators, bringing new TTRPGs to your table, or which have unique spins on old systems with new content. Below, enjoy six that we think you will find interesting.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/vander/vault-of-the-ivory-queen-a-dandd-5e-compedium

Our first option is my own effort, a book that brings new content into the 5th Edition D&D arsenal, called Vault of the Ivory Queen. While stories and encounters are possible as stretch goals, the book itself is filled with content for the players. Some things are purely for the Dungeon Master to pass along, like magical items. Many of the other assets such as the new feats, spells, and subclasses, are for the players to enhance their character, finding more new ways to make your DM question their sanity.

There are still some fun toys for the DM of course. New mechanics, magical items (with digital cards to send off) to get your players to fight over, and both the lore and statblock for an NPC that can be treated as a party’s friend, foe, or patron. And an active stream to watch these assets in use.

Vault of the Ivory Queen, A D&D 5e Compendium, has three days left, with rewards releasing as soon as May 2022, as low as $5 for a reward.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/seaserpentgames/into-the-jungle-a-dandd-5e-sourcebook

Fan of the Chult jungle setting in D&D? Do you like George of the Jungle? Want some high stakes stalking of wild creatures that you can fight or barter with? Including additional capabilities for exploration and dealing with disease progression, Into The Jungle starts with 11 new subclasses before hitting stretch goals. These stretch goals include even more feats, subclasses, and magical goodies. Whenever a creator gives a weapon like the blowgun a boost, they immediately earn some renown. The most exciting part of their rewards is gaining access to biomes to easily add to any D&D setting, because we know your players deserve a jungle to swing around in. Also, a potential for crocodile vs dinosaur fights? Yes please!

Into The Jungle has 15 days left, with rewards releasing as soon as December 2022, as low as $16 for a reward.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/darkrealmroleplay/the-zombie-crypt-for-5e-rpg-for-only-3-gbp

Have you ever read a zombie survival guide and spent the next five days thinking about how you were going to plan out your new Z-life? No? Yeah, not me either…

A 5E adventure for lower level characters, The Zombie Crypt comes with detailed, immersive maps for you to plan out your undead killing. While this is the second book in the series, the first is not needed to enjoy the wide range of zombie monsters coming in the appropriately named Zombie Tome. Send your party to stop this undead curse from spreading further beyond your homeland, get the funeral back on track, and make something of this abandoned building.

The Zombie Crypt for 5e RPG has 15 days left, with rewards releasing as soon as June 2022, as low as $4 for a reward.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/goblinkings/elemental-extras-vol-1

A more straightforward Kickstarter you’ll never see. With a subclass designed for each class specifically related to an elemental force, Elemental Extras can scratch that “never-enough-subclasses” itch many of us get with 5th Edition. A solid Bard College is always appreciated, so I’m excited to see what the College of Pyrotechnics has waiting for it. With this labeled as Volume 1, support of this product means more are sure to come. The possibility of artwork for all subclasses to help with that extra kick of immersion never hurts either.

Elemental Extras Vol. 1 has 17 days left, with rewards releasing as soon as July 2022, as low as $10 for a reward.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/losttomes/recipe-for-adventure-expeditions

Holy immersion Batman! What a wonderful, culinary confection for our taste buds. One of the more unique projects that just happens to include a way to taste the journey, Recipe of Adventure is a set of adventures that allow the players to experience a bit of the fantasy in real life with recipes to match with the unique encounters. Have you ever done a Lord of the Rings marathon and attempted a day of Hobbit meals? It feels like that, but actually doable (this is an opinion of large man with a healthy appetite who struggles with 7 meals a day). Including maps, encounters, monster stats, and recipes, whether you’re the combat friend or the one who likes to actively be moving and grooving while session is in play, you’ll find something to love in this card collection.

Recipe for Adventure Cards has 19 days left, with rewards releasing as soon as October 2022, with a single tier at $27.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zakbfree/animon-story

Are you a fan of Pokémon, Digimon, Monster Rancher, Medabots, probably Neopets, or any other animal sidekick fandom? Well, we’ve found the game for you! Thanks to the famous Manny of Nerd Caliber for pointing out this amazing new TTRPG.

With a D6 die system for easy learning and a unique set of Kid and Animon character archetypes to build from, you can build bonds and evolve your friend to more powerful stages. With most of their stretch goals crushed and so many reviews to check out on their Kickstarter page, there’s only so much to go over here. It’s going to be prodigious and you should get prepped to begin your journey with so many new friends.

Animon Story TTRPG has 23 days left, with rewards releasing as soon as July 2022, as low as $20 for a reward.

Hopefully this insight into the new and exciting works coming to a tabletop near you helps gather your players and gets the journey on the first step. Check out these diamonds in the rough to see new communities begin to form. But always make sure you’re finding a gem that suits you. As Professor Oak said so many years ago, “A world of dreams and adventures awaits! Let’s go!”