The centerpiece of Cypher Tools is the Character Builder, an intuitive tool for crafting and managing TTRPG characters within the Cypher System framework. It provides users with multiple pathways for character creation: a guided process for ease of use, a manual option for those who prefer a hands-on approach, and a quick selection feature for immediate character generation based on user preferences. This inclusivity ensures that the tool caters to a wide range of needs, from detailed character customization to rapid character creation for immediate gameplay.

Characters created with the Builder can be saved for future modification and advancement. The tool also allows for exporting characters to a variety of formats, including form-fillable PDFs for online play or print, and direct integration with Virtual Tabletops (VTTs) like The Foundry, with Roll20 support anticipated to follow. This flexibility in character management and use aims to accommodate diverse gaming setups and preferences.

In addition to character-related features, Cypher Tools encompasses the Creature Index for GMs, facilitating the creation of engaging encounters by allowing for creature selection based on specific criteria. This feature is designed to draw from an extensive database, including upcoming additions like the creatures from the Cypher System Bestiary.

For those seeking inspiration or guidance on setting their games within the Cypher System’s versatile framework, the Setting Finder tool aids in identifying suitable genre and setting books from Monte Cook Games’ expansive catalog. This feature is intended to help players and GMs align their game’s theme with the appropriate resources.

Monte Cook Games plans to expand the Cypher Tools suite further, with additional features and enhancements slated for release over the course of 2024 and beyond. This commitment to development reflects the company’s dedication to supporting the evolving needs of the Cypher System community.

Delve into various post-apocalyptic scenarios, from zombie outbreaks to supernatural invasions, as the toolkit provides practical campaign-building advice and intriguing plot ideas. Explore the genre’s themes of survival, despair, and hope, gaining insights into when, where, and how your world met its demise.

“Rust and Redemption” introduces a host of character options, including new foci, descriptors, and abilities, empowering characters to navigate the challenges of a ravaged world. Embrace unique rules for scavenging, repairing, handling exposure, mutations, and more, with the inclusion of apocalyptic artifacts and cyphers to aid in survival.

Game Masters can leverage abundant resources covering nuclear winter effects, radiation perils, and the shelf life of common goods. Face terrifying creatures such as the radioactive bear and the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, along with an array of end-of-the-world threats.

Immerse yourself in the Radio Quiet Zone, a fully developed campaign setting featured in “Rust and Redemption.” With multiple adventures and the introductory adventure “Safe Zone,” the toolkit provides a robust foundation for launching your post-apocalyptic campaign.

A Unique Setting and Gameplay

Invisible Sun offers a highly original setting and gameplay mechanics that have set new standards in the TTRPG industry. Known for its surrealist setting, complex mechanics, and astonishing beauty, the game has been highly praised by critics and gamers alike. Players are introduced to a multidimensional universe called the Actuality, where magic, reality, and secrets blend seamlessly. Adventures take players to Satyrine—the surreal city under the Indigo Sun—and into the realms of seven other suns, each with its own unique rules and denizens.

What’s in the Black Cube?

The Black Cube is an exhaustive boxed set containing:

• Four hardcover books totaling over 600 pages.
• Roughly 1,000 cards equivalent to about 200 pages of book content.
• The Sooth Deck, a tarot-like deck that plays a crucial role in the game.
• The Path of Suns game board, used with the Sooth Deck.
• The Testament of Suns, a resin-cast figure to display the currently ascendant Sooth Card.
• Character tomes for all four orders, plus apostates.
• A variety of tokens for tracking game info.
• Custom Invisible Sun dice.
• Two cloth maps.
• A GM’s notebook and a character grimoire pad.
• Five pregenerated characters.
• Numerous in-setting handouts and props.
• A dedicated art book.

Intriguing Characters and Rich Storylines

Players, known as “vislae,” are wielders of magic in this unique universe. They explore various realms and seek out the secrets of reality. One example of the intricate storyline includes a character named Anestra, who, after a celestial phenomenon called a keyfall, finds a wicked key capable of unlocking anything. With this key, she discovers a library more ancient than that of Rhol, the Left-Handed God, and uncovers the secret name of a long-forgotten demon.

What’s Next?

Monte Cook Games has announced that the crowdfunding campaign for the Invisible Sun: Return of the Black Cube will launch this autumn. The campaign promises to bring back the core game, along with other items that have been unavailable for some time, such as the Vislae Kit. Additional items for existing Invisible Sun fans may also be unveiled during the campaign.

Every RPG is filled with classic elements like dragons, alien planets, magic spells, superheroes, and werewolves. But, why not infuse it with a little more weirdness? ‘The Weird’ challenges this notion by offering a reservoir of peculiar and engaging ideas, intended to refresh those familiar concepts.

“Weird might mean dark, unsettling, or difficult to understand, but it doesn’t have to. Weird can fit into any game, at any table,” explained Charles Ryan, the creative mind behind this exciting initiative. “It brings mystery, interest, and curiosity to places where things might start to feel stale or repetitive.”

‘The Weird’ caters to a wide spectrum of weirdness, be it something intriguing, surprising, extravagantly bizarre, or even whimsical. Each idea is categorized under the following classifications: Interesting, Surprising, Gonzo, and Whimsical, offering a tiered system to match any game’s ambiance.

The offering is a result of meticulous curation and invention, yielding over 100 lists, each comprising more than 100 entries. That adds up to an overwhelming 10,000 (and likely much more) distinctive bursts of inspiration.

“Perhaps there’s an unexplained object sitting on the bar colored by an entry on the Weird Typical Item Enhancements list. Or some of the patrons use a Weird Way to Communicate. Or there’s a resident dog, affected by a Weird Creature Appearance. You’ll never run out of ways to make any scene unique and memorable,” Ryan elaborated on the possible implementations of ‘The Weird’.

The options range from the mildly strange, like a cat that is bright red, to the utterly fantastical, like a magical bow that creates and fires snakes as arrows or a sword that inflicts wounds that scream. The ideas are not just diverse but span across genres, making it a perfect companion for game preparations or even spontaneous game changes.

Monte Cook Games’ ‘The Weird’ is the perfect tool to shatter the monotony of repetitive RPG tropes and to keep fueling the captivating feeling that gamers experienced when they first started playing RPGs. It serves as an infinite wellspring of inspiration that will help all game masters and players run and play amazing, engaging, and memorable games. With ‘The Weird’ in your game toolbox, you will surely never run out of weird.

In traditional RPGs, the Game Master (GM) constructs the story, setting, and context while the players mold characters to fit that world. “Who the Devil Are You?” flips this approach, presenting a fast-paced, creative role-playing experience where the players, through character development, help establish the story’s universe and the overarching narrative.

The game begins with an image prompt that sets a scene across genres—be it science fiction, fantasy, horror, modern, or even comedic. Players collectively decide what the scene represents, who the characters are, and the context behind the scene. The GM then sketches out the conflict, plot points, and other details from the players’ creative input. Thus, the game becomes an exercise in improvisation, leading to a unique, coherent story with unexpected twists and turns.

Monte Cook, the creator of “Who the Devil Are You?” said, “I love to see people create. I love to be surprised—or actually thrown for a legitimate loop—by the gamers at my table. This is one of my favorite games.”

The game package includes a 50-page PDF rulebook encompassing fast-paced rules, a toolset for transforming improvised gaming into an engrossing story, and a wealth of GM advice for maximizing the experience. A deck of 50 cards, provided in PDF and self-print format, regulates play, introduces an element of unpredictability, and fuels player and GM creativity. Six scenario cards offer players a game-inspiring image on one side and provide useful prompts and notes to the GM on the other. The emphasis is firmly on encouraging a world that’s a limitless “creative sandbox”.

“Who the Devil Are You?” promises to deliver an original, rapid, and enthralling game within two to four hours with zero preparation. Available exclusively in PDF format, the game can be purchased for $9.99.

Whether you’re running a space horror game, a weird steampunk campaign, or a high fantasy adventure, the Cypher System offers hundreds of unique creatures and NPCs that can seamlessly blend into your gaming universe. From extraplanar creatures from “Path of the Planebreaker” to quirky fey from “We Are All Mad Here,” these characters can easily be integrated into different campaigns with no kitbashing required.

With the vast number of creatures available, finding the right creature for a particular situation can be a daunting task. This is where the Cypher System Creature Index comes into play. The tool allows users to select a range of appropriate levels, choose one or more vibes that suit their needs, and filter by other optional criteria to narrow down the selection. The Creature Index then provides a list of creatures that fit the specifications, along with information on where to find them, offering an essential prep tool for GMs.

At its launch, the Cypher System Creature Index boasts nearly 600 creatures from over a dozen Cypher System titles, and the number is growing weekly. Monte Cook Games plans to add creatures from every Cypher System title it has published over the course of the summer. This creature index is just the beginning, as the company also disclosed that it is developing a suite of new Cypher System tools.

Set in an alternate 1920s and 30s Appalachia, “Old Gods of Appalachia” is a complete standalone TTRPG powered by the acclaimed Cypher System. The game promises an intimate, atmospheric take on cosmic horror that remains faithful to the lore and narrative of its original podcast source.

This tale of terror unfolds in Central Appalachia where ancient gods have slumbered beneath the mountains for millennia. As the once towering mountains now lay bare and worn, the prison walls of these old gods have thinned, and their stirring has begun. In this grim setting, players must protect what matters from various supernatural threats, including the ravenous creatures of the Inner Dark, the sinister Hollow Men, and unearthed beasts from the dark depths, all while seeking to know the unknowable.

The core rulebook, a 418-page hardcover or PDF guide written by Shanna Germain, includes complete rules for the fluid, story-based tabletop roleplaying experience, an intuitive character generation system, a richly detailed setting, and two complete adventures to launch a campaign. The rulebook is priced at $69.99 for the hardcover edition and $22.99 for the PDF.

Alongside the core rulebook, the Old Gods of Appalachia Player’s Guide will also be made available. This 32-page softcover or PDF supplement provides players with a detailed overview of the setting and key game rules, character creation guidance, and six pre-generated characters to allow for immediate play. The Player’s Guide is priced at $19.99 for the softcover edition and $7.99 for the PDF. Note that every group will need at least one core rulebook to play the game; the Player’s Guide alone is insufficient.

Pre-orders are now open, and the game will ship a couple of weeks before its street release date. The eerie and atmospheric world of the hit Old Gods of Appalachia horror podcast awaits those brave enough to step into the role of a protector of the heartland. With countless tales of horror, hardship, and heart ready to unfold, this immersive narrative setting offers a unique roleplaying experience for fans of cosmic horror and alternate history settings.

In Planar Character Options for 5E, players can explore characters shaped by their experiences in the planes, each with their own unique backgrounds and abilities. The book offers a range of fascinating options, from the Way of the Amethyst Fist monk, who channels power through a psionically resonant prosthetic, to a traveller with a mysterious cosmic map imprinted on their skin, to a character with the Limbo Touched feat, who has the power to change objects at will.

In addition to the new character options, players can also choose from three new backgrounds: the cosmic rambler, crossplane refugee, and reformed fiend backgrounds. The book also includes 14 new feats, nearly 50 new spells, and dozens of new magic items related to the planes, making it a must-have for any player looking to expand their character’s abilities.

The six new character species introduced in this book include the lava elf, born from dimensional warfare, and the surk, a machine-like being that was not born at all. Players can also choose from 16 new subclasses, such as the Unearthly Gleaner sorcerer, the Gun Jack rogue, and the Oath of the Angelic Perfection paladin, each with its own unique abilities and powers.

Planar Character Options for 5E is a 96-page softcover or PDF that can be enjoyed on its own or as an inspiring companion to Path of the Planebreaker. Although some of the content in this book is duplicated from that title, most of it is new and not duplicated, making it a great way to find all character-related content in one place.

The softcover version of Planar Character Options for 5E is priced at $29.99, while the PDF is available for $11.99. With this book, players can create even more diverse and intriguing characters, and delve deeper into the planes of Dungeons & Dragons.

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From the campaign:

The campaign’s headed to 20x funded with 22 days left to go.

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From the website:

From fending off an attack by bloodthirsty pirates to delving into dank caverns, roleplaying games allow you to explore and experience things you probably don’t want to face in real life—or to approach topics from the perspective of characters who may be very different than your actual self. This shared experience is intended to be fun for all involved, but RPGs can put characters in life-or-death crises, intense emotional situations, or traumatic environments. Whether it’s body horror in a scary game, violence against children or animals in a fantasy world, flirty, romantic, or sexual relationships in any setting—or numerous other challenging scenarios—the line between fun and awkward, difficult, or downright unpleasant can be difficult to identify, and varies dramatically from player to player.

Mature or controversial elements can and should be a part of many RPGs. But how do you know what topics to include or leave out of your games? How do you include potentially difficult elements while ensuring that nobody’s game night is ruined? Consent in Gaming gives you the strategies you need to make sure everyone at the table has a great experience, even when the game goes in a challenging direction.

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