The Swords & Wizardry Kickstarter Campaign Brings Back Classic Vibes
by Anton Kromoff
Welcome to the table,
As a seasoned tabletop gamer, I’ve played my fair share of games, from rules-lite systems to crunchy* ones that require hours of rolling, arguing, and throwing wads of paper at each other to decide if a door opens or not. While my personal favorite systems lean towards things like Pathfinder First Edition and 3.0/3.5 Dungeons and Dragons, as a storyteller, I always run games in the systems my players want to play.
Currently, Pathfinder 2 and D&D 5e are the flavors of choice, but we’re always open to trying out new gaming systems to challenge our creativity and explore unique storytelling opportunities. That’s why the Swords & Wizardry Kickstarter campaign has caught my attention.
The first thing that caught my eye about Swords & Wizardry is the cool-looking logo and the classic vibe emanating from its cover. Out of the gate, it makes no bones about the fact it is a throwback dupe* of the original 1974-1978 rules for Dungeons & Dragons.
Mythmere Games, the producers of Swords & Wizardry, are clear from the start that they are not affiliated with Wizards of the Coast, the current trademark and publishers of D&D. They make it plain that this tabletop roleplaying game is not compatible or designed to be used with modern editions of D&D.
All of this feels like a very clear move to set themselves apart from the tension felt in the gaming community after the recent discourse about the Open Games License and what changes and updates to it could mean for every aspect of the tabletop gaming space.
Swords & Wizardry is a complete game system, providing everything you need for character creation, from nine character classes to creatures and combatants to populate your dark dungeons and haunted hillsides with. It also includes magic items, encounter tables, and more, ensuring that you have all the tools necessary to create a rich and immersive gaming experience for your players. But the excitement doesn’t stop there. The Kickstarter campaign offers two intriguing adventure add-ons that are sure to pique the interest of any seasoned gamer.
The first adventure add-on is Legacy of Black Lagoon, a 32-page low-level adventure written by James Spahn. Set in the swamps of Blackscale Lagoon, this adventure promises to capture the classic spirit of the renowned adventure Keep on the Borderlands. As a fan of classic adventures, I can’t wait to see how Legacy of Black Lagoon pays homage to this iconic module and brings its own unique twists to the table.
The second adventure add-on is a solo adventure called The Doom of Malakar, spanning 48 pages. While the details are currently scarce, the haunting cover of this adventure hints at a mysterious and eerie storyline that is sure to provide a thrilling solo gaming experience. I’m eagerly anticipating getting my hands on a copy to unravel the secrets of Malakar and discover what challenges await.
As of the time of writing this article, the Swords & Wizardry Kickstarter campaign still has plenty of time to reach its stretch goals, which include Digital Spellbooks for Magic-Users, Druids, and Clerics. These additional resources are sure to enhance the gameplay experience and provide even more options for players to explore the depths of magic in this classic-inspired tabletop roleplaying game.
The Long and short of it all is that the Swords & Wizardry Kickstarter campaign has clearly captured the attention of tabletop gamers who seem to be looking for a nostalgic trip back to the roots of the game and a more rules-lite system that focuses on group play and storytelling over combat turns that are bogged down with dice roll driven mechanics.
Be sure to check out Swords & Wizardry on Kickstarter before the campaign ends on April 25th.
Until next time, enjoy how you play your way. This whole hobby should really be about just having a good time with your friends. If you like crunch, great! If you like something more rules-lite, great! Just play in a way that lets you and your friends can enjoy each other’s company and make memories. The world is so bogged down by so much horrible stuff right now and life is too short to argue over how someone plays make-believe. If it does not hurt someone else, do what makes you happy.
Wishing you the best from this side of the table!
*Crunchy – very dense and rules-heavy with lots of math and systems baked in.
*Dupe – a duplicate or clone of something.
