WARDEN is best described as a cinematic game, built on the bones of Pathfinder 2e, with its d20 resolution, Proficiencies, Feats and 3-Action combat procedure. But WARDEN also takes heavy influence from elsewhere: Genesys, Shadow of the Demon Lord, Powered by the Apocalypse, Old School Renaissance, and Blades in the Dark, to name a few places.
These games and movements have all contributed to the existence of WARDEN. It's a d20 game, but it'snot attribute-based. It has tactical combat, but also robust exploration, long-term and narrative mechanics. It has a node-based map system and clocks, but it also pushes players to explore their characters' own narrative goals.
All this, in a single, condensed game, of roughly 200+ pages long, including the tools for creating your custom material: everything from custom opponents and abilities, to weapons and maps. The final game will feature around 20 or so inked-style black-and-white art pieces (more if stretch goals are fulfilled), which are the primary reason I'm seeking funding.
After the Backerkit, you can choose whether you want your items in Metric or Imperial measurements. Metric matches 1-to-1 with a Grid, where as Imperial uses 5-foot jumps.
WARDEN WILL BE RELEASED UNDER ORC LICENSE
How does it work?
WARDEN is a d20 RPG that focuses on characters' Abilities. And for that, there are more than 120 robust abilities spread into various themes (Monsters, Magic, Vehicles etc), each with feats you can take to improve them or gain new actions to use. All abilities have either a mechanical or cinematic hook, making them engaging and intuitive to use. You may even figure out specific moments in media the rules coincide with.
A mechanic may give a vehicle Percussive Maintenance to force it to work. An investigator can retreat to their Mind Palace to revisit a location they were to previously. A spellblade may use Blink to teleport behind an opponent and kick them off a moving vehicle. A gadgeteer can use a spanner or wrench as effective weapons with Hardware. A mage can shoot Light Beams as they Fly.
These Abilities are just some of many, and each of them have additional Feats that modify and improve them.
More than just Fantasy
WARDEN is also built as a setting- and genre-agnostic game, allowing you to play with different tech levels (Classical, Industrial, Digital, Futuristic), and combine them with various Setting Alterations (such as Magic, Hacking or Superpowers). Almost any setting you can imagine is possible with the rules given, as long as characters work on a human scale.
The best part is that there's little to no integration necessary. Most of the Setting Alterations and Tech Levels are as simple as checking a box (and when VTT integration comes, eventually it might literally be just checking a box). It really is that easy.
If you do want to come up with custom material, from Abilities to Weapons or Items, there are rules for it. Additionally, almost all material in the base game itself is made using these same guidelines, meaning your homebrew will fit right in with the existing material.
There are a thousand games vying for your attention right now, so what makes this one special? Here are some reasons that might speak to you:
READ NOW: You can read the game in full, right now, if you so desire. See the Playtesting section below.
EASY: Incredibly easy setup when starting a campaign, regardless of setting. Like checking boxes to make any campaign setting you can imagine.
OPEN PLAY: Fast Prep and open gameplay style, with focus on prepping situations, not plots.
LOW SCALING: Fast Action with Low Hit Points. A 10th level character can have as little as 10 Hit Points (note: This is very little). Going down means you are Defeated and gain an Injury, but dying is quite difficult.
VERSATILITY: Solid rules for Exploration and Horizon Phases for longer time scales.
SOCIAL: Social mechanic based on actually speaking and making points, instead of just rolling dice. Additionally, it includes mechanics for interaction between player characters, as an important method of pacing the game.
FLASHY: Cinematic Abilities outside of conflict and within it. Accelerate a car with an explosion, ricochet bullets from the scenery or use magic to stop time (depending on the type of setting, of course).
OPEN CHARACTER CREATION: No level requirements for Abilities and Feats. That feat you want for your character? Available on 1st level, if you so desire. The only exception for this are the incredibly powerful Capstone Abilities, of which each character can gain just one at Level 10.
TRY ANYTHING: You can use any Ability or Feat in the game, even if you don't have it. It's just harder. Want to grab and wrestle someone down even though there is a feat for that? You can use the rules even if you don't have that Feat.
FREE SUPPLEMENTS FOREVER: All official setting and adventure modules for the game will be free in PDF form, forever. You will only need the Core Rulebook to use them. If imported to a VTT platform, they will be free there, as well.
Digital Warden pledge means you will gain a PDF of the game. These copies will be distributed before the game's official launch, because going through the printing process and proofing copies of the game usually takes a couple of months. Note that the PDF of the game will be available at regional pricing after the release!
Physical Warden - Hardcover is the premium hardcover version of the book. Includes the Digital Warden PDF.
Physical Warden - Softcover is a softcover version of the book. Includes the Digital Warden PDF.
All pledge tiers also include a Thank You in the credits of the game, and a free DIGITAL copy of my previous game, Pathwarden. If you have bought Pathwarden after the February 1st, you can just refund it.
SHIPPING
There are no additional shipping costs, they are included in the pledges!
ADD-ONS
Add-ons to the game are only eligible for physical copies of the game. You can get an extra copy of the game with no extra shipping cost. You can double up on your chosen book or mix-and-match to get the other book as well (I personally like the styles of both).
The game's Playtest is free, and live right now. It is unedited, so it's not illustrative of the quality of the final game in writing, layout and art, but it has all of the mechanical bones of the game.
NOTE: If you have read the playtest version previously, this is a new version, 0.2.
The money gained from the Backerkit will primarily go to three places: The fulfillment of the pledges, paying taxes, and paying the artists for the various art commissions in the game.
I have no plans to make this process any more complicated. I am committed to finish this game in a timely manner and release the game as soon as possible.
Stretch Goals
The stretch goals for the project will be handled through the Community tab.
You might be curious about the people behind this project.
Main Developer (Me)
I am Teemu Pennala, writing under the alias Raven Haunts / Ghost Spark. I am a Finnish Game Developer who has been doing this for a decade now. I released my first TTRPG in 2018, and I usually specialize in off-the-wall narrative RPGs, but I do also like grounded and simple games.
I have written, researched and layouted the game to its current status. Basically, almost everything you see has been done by me, with the exception of editing and art.
Everyone Else
Now, that is not to say that this is simply the efforts of one person.
Art Team
The art team will expand as I hire more people to make the art for the game, but in its current iteration, the art has been made by:
If you want to find out more about the game, contribute to the ongoing playtesting, or just ask me some more questions, you can join the communities for the game:
