Thrilled to talk about how the Exalted Essence Player’s Guide crowdfunder on BackerKit SMASHED through to its funding goal in less than an hour! BOOM, baby!
Thanks to all of you who got onboard and backed so fast on a Thursday start!
Really, we’re only a few days in and we’re just short of a thousand backers, so please don’t feel like you’ve missed it – still time to back, and maybe even put us over that thousand-backer mark!
With all those backers, we’ve achieved five Stretch Goals so far, building up the Exalts of Creation Expansion: I (Solars and Sidereals), and II (Lunars and Dragon-Blooded), and the Exalts of Other Realms Expansion: I (Infernals and Abyssals), and II (Liminals, Getimians, Alchemicals)! Plus, our ever-popular RedBubble Shirt Design Stretch Goal!
Next up is the Exigents Expansion I (2 new Exigent write-ups) Stretch Goal!
We’re looking to tweak a bit how the Stretch Goal rewards work sometime in the next week, so check the campaign page on BackerKit for further info from our devoted Crowdfunding Concierge, James Bell!
Here’s Monica Speca with a note that expresses how she and the rest of the team approached to direction and tone of the Essence PG:
Absolutely thrilled for everyone to get their hands on the Player’s Guide. It’s doing something we see quite infrequently in other Exalted books: speaking directly to the player. This is an entirely player-facing book that really digs into what it means to play an Exalted character and how to think about crafting a story together with the people at your table. Lots of RPG books tend to speak only to the person running the game, which always seemed a little silly to me. After all, of the three to six people at the table, only one of them is the Storyteller. Exalted is a game best played together, so the Player’s Guide is doing its best to guide players, like it says on the cover. Each chapter delves into the Exalt Type’s theme, concepts for roleplay, new Exalt milestones, and an example character which can be used to make a quick build. Each Exalt has a fully fleshed out identity, mechanically and thematically. Hope you’re as excited as we are!
If you back, you’ll be able to read for yourself just how the player-facing emphasis really comes together via the text drops we send out to every backer during the course of campaign!
i do have a soft spot for zipatone
Anybody out there also remember the plastic with lil dots on it that artists used a lot in the 70s/80s, and we saw in manga in the 90s? If you were limited to b&w printing, no greyscale, it was a way to add a grey to your b&w line art. You’d burnish a piece down on the art and cut the parts away you didn’t want with an x-acto knife.
You used to be able to tell comic book artists (and art students) because they’d have little pieces of plastic with dots on it stuck to their clothes in strange places. Well, it came up in conversation about the upcoming Monster Kingdoms today, and the above quote was shared. Make of that what you will!
Also talked about today, as it is every week, were the various numbers relating to our various social media. We like to keep track and note trends across all the venues.
That’s how we’ve noted the increased interest in our community for our Blue Sky account, and as we’d like you to join if you haven’t yet, here’s my favorite note from Dixie about it:
For those who aren’t aware, Onyx Path is now on Bluesky (https://bsky.app/)! Bluesky is a microblogging app similar to the old days of Twitter. One of the features on Bluesky is Starter Packs, which allow you to follow multiple accounts at once, so we’ve made one for our freelancers you can follow here: https://bsky.app/starter-pack/theonyxpath.bsky.social/3laz43eiw3u22
We’re continuing to update it as freelancers let us know their Bluesky handles, so never miss a skeet (that’s what they’re called) from the Onyx Path team! You can also just follow us for company updates at @theonyxpath.bsky.social
Hope to see you all in bluer skies!
We also talked a lot about Reddit today, as we’re going to up our presence there as well in the weeks to come. We were all thrilled by the reaction to our AMAs on various subReddits before and during the Curseborne Kickstarter, so we want to repay those communities with more of us checking in!
Of course, once I mention Curseborne, it’s time to mention that the Gentleman Gamer continues his exhaustive video reporting on the various Curseborne Families! Today, it’s the Battleground Angels – one of the most commented on Families during the KS campaign. You can find the link to that below, or go right to YouTube and look for it on the GG page there, or the Onyx Path one!
Dunno when you’re reading this, but if it is still March 31st, today is the last day for the two ongoing sales on IPR and Studio2, respectively. These are both for physical, traditionally printed books and other items!
As for PDFs, keep an eye out on DTRPG for the Explore the Hedge Sale, containing discounts on both Changeling 20th and Changeling: The Lost PDFs! Starting SOON!
As I wrote about a bit for the last two weeks, our Monday Meeting crew got together virtually for a day-long Online Retreat this last Friday. Happy to say that the gang all reported having really enjoyed the opportunity just to chat about everything except work (as we do that every day!) and play a few of the JackBox games over Discord. Supposed nice guy Eddy Webb showed his cruel and competitive streak by skunking me out of two wins at the last second, but I’m not bitter… Cheatery of the Pugs!!!
There are already talks of when we can do it again, which is a super-good sign that the event was a fun one!
So, not a huge amount of stuff this week, but almost all of it is good news, so let’s not jinx it by drifting into April 1st – only a fool would do that, and we ain’t got any fools engaged with our:
Many Worlds, One Path!
Blurbs!
Crowdfunding!
Exalted Essence Players Guide
Fully Funded in Less Than One Hour on BackerKit!
* A book full of player options for Exalted: Essence
* Each of the ten Exalt type gets their own chapter
* Lots of new Charms for your game
We’ve already achieved these Stretch Goals!
* Exalts of Creation Expansion I (Solars and Sidereals)
* Exalts of Creation Expansion II (Lunars and Dragon-Blooded)
* Exalts of Other Realms Expansion I (Infernals and Abyssals)
* Exalts of Other Realms Expansion II (Liminals, Getimians, Alchemicals)
* REDBUBBLE SHIRT DESIGN
With more to come!
You can check it out here! https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/17e590f2-e5ed-428f-ab1e-fa3b178c6e84/landing
Onyx Path Media!
Check out our attached media schedule for the videos on our Twitch channel this week!
On this week’s Onyx Path News Matthew discusses Exalted: Essence Player’s Guide and The Living Epoch! Check it out right here: https://youtu.be/6xBv4KJEZQo
On The Gentleman Gamer’s YouTube channel, we have a new Gentleman’s Guide to the Accursed with his video focusing on the Battleground Angels family! Check out this official lore drop here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LSbVEq_32I
Virtual Tabletop!
They Came From Beneath the Sea! on Roll20 VTT!
https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/bundle/22308/they-came-from-beneath-the-sea
The Scion: Origin and Scion Hero Compendiums are now available on Roll20!
https://marketplace.roll20.net/browse/publisher/1716/onyx-path-publishing
Scion is just the start! They Came From Beneath the Sea! and other
Onyx Path RPGs are in development for Roll20 virtual tabletop!
The first of our official Scion sheets designed for Foundry VTT are
now available! https://foundryvtt.co
Looking for more virtual tabletop resources? We have a selection of
Tokens, Encounters, and more available now at DriveThruRPG! https://bit.ly/3SnrNJ7
Our Sales Partners!
We’re working with Studio2 to provide our traditionally printed books out into your local game stores. Game stores can order via their usual distributors, and can also contact Studio2 directly. And individuals can check out our projects via the links below!
LAST DAY! Select Chronicles of Darkness Screens and Monarchies of Mau books,
screens, and dice 50% off at Studio 2:
https://studio2publishing.com/collections/onx-onyx-path-publishing
Looking for our Deluxe or Prestige Edition books, dice, and screens? Try this link! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Onyx-Path-Publishing/
LAST DAY! The Excessive Accessories Sale is on now at IPR:
https://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Deals-and-Specials/
75% off Dice, Screens, and more.
As always, you can find Onyx Path’s titles in PDF and PoD versions at DriveThruRPG.com!
The first part of the print shopping experiment is live on DTRPG:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/browse?format=1000240-book-printed-publisher-fulfilled
This is limited to the USA only at first, but will expand later after
data crunching and review.
Amazon and Barnes & Noble!
You can now read our fiction from the comfort and convenience of your Kindle (from Amazon) and Nook (from Barnes & Noble).
On Sale This Week!
With Great Power for Trinity Continuum: Aberrant‘s Advance PDF comes soaring through the sky like a bird, a plane… on sale this Weds on DTRPG!
Conventions!
Here’s where you can find out more info on physical and virtual conventions we’re going to be involved with!
This year’s Onyx Path Virtual Game Con will be happening on June 6-8! Mark your calendars!
Envoy will be running multiple demos of Curseborne at Gen Con, Thu, Jul 31, 2025 – Sun, Aug 3, 2025 in Indy, so sign up and get to actually play the game if you’re curious (but do it as soon as you can because Curseborn has been getting a lot of attention and is sure to sell out like happened at PAXunplugged), and we’ll have books and screens for sale at the Studio 2 booth.
Game Night With Onyx Path Publishing at StartPlaying is the last Friday of every month! Come play some Curseborne that night! (But any of our game lines are welcome all day long!)
Here’s a link to give anyone $10 credit to play games on Start.Playing:
https://startplaying.games/referral/clog9y0v10006ju0968iev95m
Please spread the word about GMing games as much as possible! Details on how list a game are at the bottom of the page in the FAQ:
https://startplaying.games/event/game-night-onyx-path
Project Status Updates!
Our full list of projects will be available monthly on our blog! Check out February’s full list report here: https://theonyxpath.com/release-roundup-february-2025/
DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM EDDY!
Here are the projects that moved to the next stage of production:
FINAL DRAFT
Curseborne – Curseborne Jumpstart
- A mysterious death encourages the crew to investigate a strange house all alone in the woods. “The Wolf You Feed” is shaping up to be a great introduction to the world of Curseborne!
POST-EDITING DEVELOPMENT
Exalted – Alchemicals
- The next big “fat splat” of Exalted is back from editing! Now it’s time for the developers to carefully pour over the edits to make sure they’re happy with the manuscript.
Curseborne – Curseborne Antagonist – Quisivore (Apr 2025 Tasty Bit)
- The quisivore slithers its way to post-editing development! I would review the edits today, but I’m suddenly exhausted after talking to this strange man I met in an alleyway.
ART DIRECTION FROM MIKE CHANEY!
In Art Direction
- Ex3 Miracles of the Divine Flame – Getting art over to Paradox. Map Contracted.
- Ex3 Exigents Jumpstart – Maria is pinging DAC to find out the art status.
- TCF the Danger Zone – Figuring out the roster.
- Curseborne – Contracting.
- SCION Wild Hunt – Yet more finals coming in.
- SCION Dragon Companion – Contracting.
- Curious Cats – Contracted.
- At The Gates – Reviewing some stuff and contracting out a little bit more.
- Ex Essence PG (BK) – Funded in less than an hour.
Layout
- Scion Tasty Bit Combo
- TC Aether Screen
- SCION God Storyguide Screen
- Pugmire 2e Screen
- SCION God Storyguide Screen
- World Below Screen
- Ex3 Abyssals – This week for me.
- SCION Mythic Shards – To Ron Thompson this week
Proofing
- TCF the Lost City of the Oracle’s Amulet
Indexing
At Press
- Reprints:
- Scion Origin – Starting shipping to backers.
- TC Core – Starting shipping to backers. PoD files uploaded.
- Ex 3 Exigents – Quoting.
- Ex 3 Exigents Screen – At Studio 2
- Ex 3 Sidereals – Quoting.
- TC Aether – Fixed stuff and uploaded. Printing soon.
- Scion: God – Fixed stuff and uploaded. Printing soon.
- TC Aeon Reprint – PoD proof ordered.
- Pugmire Conversion Doc – files uploaded to DTRPG.
- Ex Essence Pillars of Creation – Awaiting Errata.
- SCION Titans Rising – Prepping PDF for backers.
- TC: Aberrant – With Great Power – Advance PDF on sale Weds on DTRPG!
Today’s Reason to Celebrate!
Happy International Transgender Day of Visibility, often simply Trans Day of Visibility (often shortened online as TDOV)! And, of course, we mean “as visible as you are comfortable being”. In 2021, U.S. President Joe Biden proclaimed March 31 as a Transgender Day of Visibility, stating in part, “I call upon all Americans to join in the fight for full equality for all transgender people.” Biden was the first American president to issue a formal presidential proclamation recognizing the event. Biden issued a similar proclamation a year later, welcoming Jeopardy! contestant and transgender woman Amy Schneider to the White House and announcing a set of measures intended to support transgender rights.
Woooo! With Great Power! Super-excited.
I also wanted to say that the Essence PG looks fantastic so far. I am, though, a bit annoyed that the stretch goal expansions only go to people who back at the physical copy level. I have no need for physical books and, while I could just buy the darn thing eventually, it means a delay in accessing it (since backers get the advance version a few weeks early) and it sucks some of the excitement out of the backer campaign.
Why do some OPP books get the stretch goal rewards out to everyone, and others only go to hardcover backers?
In the decade-plus of doing crowdfunding campaigns we have continually varied which stretch goals go with which reward tiers in a lot of different ways. We look for the best combination of what works for backers and what works for us. Maybe you can help us with that – why is it important to you to get the PDF versions a couple of weeks early? Thanks in advance for your taking the time to answer-
I backed at the physical level, but hearing about the stretch goals not going to pdf backers left a bad taste in my mouth. It feels. . . ungenerous.
I backed at the collectors level, because I am crazy like that and because it fits better alongside the collectors Essence Core, but I would still like to give my 2 cents.
One of the main reasons for myself to back crowdfunding projects, instead of just waitin for the book to come on sale, is to both unlock stretch goals and to receive what I helped to unlock. There have been several projects I wouldn’t have backed if not for the stretch goals, I would have just bought the pdf when it is ready, but since I got more stuff for my buck by backing I could not resist. This is also true of some of Onyx Path crowdfunders. Personally even on a book as pivotal as this I would not have backed at all if I wasn’t neurotic enough to get the collectors edition, simply because I the pdf level doesn’t include the stretch goals. I could wait to get the pdf when it comes. But since I like physical books a million times more than pdf’s I am of course here backing this.
Then to your question of why is it important to get it a few weeks ahead?
Simply because, especially books like this and Pillars, are filled with game changing stuff that the players will need access to as soon as possible. So depending on your gaming schedules a few weeks can mean several sessions without access to this stuff. For example I play at my current Ex:Essence campaign at least 4 times per week. The wait for pillars was agonizing. And the thought hat had I not backed Essence I would still be waiting is horrifying.
Sure thing.
I think the number one point is that I am part of a fairly substantial hobby community for TTRPGs and, when a new book drops, the fun of it is in everyone getting to flick through and go “Oh hey! Look at this!” or “Oh, that’s cool!”. By the time people who didn’t receive it get it later, a cooling off has happened, and those who didn’t get it missed out, while those who did missed out on the additional excitement and joy.
Second is that it does also feel like a bit of a baffling snub. If I back something, it’s because I want to show support for it. If someone backs at the PDF tier, they’ve shown interest. The add-on book is already being given away to some people as a freebie, but for people who can’t afford the money or shelf space, it just feels… As John said, ungenerous. A part of the point of a crowdfunding campaign is to generate excitement by letting people participate and feel they’re helping make a product a reality, so stretch goals can feel like something the community earned. Giving it for free to some but not others feels off.
I’m also just not honestly sure why this is the route chosen. The PDF backer level has a lower cost to you as a publisher. You don’t need to produce or store or ship physical media, all of which adds to your costs. If there is a difference in profit margin, you could add a tier to the PDF level that’s marginally more expensive and make up the cost difference. Or slightly increase the price of the PDF tier, since that feeling of being charged extra would probably still rankle people.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for answering my question so thoroughly, it really does help to learn about your specific value propositions (as they say) when backing. Very much appreciated, and James has already added an Add-On to the campaign for the PDF of the SG companion book as I write this.
I didn’t realized that the stretch goals were for physicals backer only…
As a digital-only backer, logistically and financially, it doesn’t make sense for me to back a project like this. I’ve noticed that the cost of the PDFs on Drivetru are always a few dollars less than the crowfunding price… So, if there is no “extra free goodies”, the only reason to back a project on digital level is for A) the early backer pre-release (only a few weeks earlier) and B) the “at cost2” POD discount (witch a use only a few times, and with these uncertain times…)
It’s only a few bucks in difference, but still… You’ve always been a generous and consumer-oriented publisher, and I know these are difficult times for any printing-related industry, so I understand that it’s not a “consumer-milking strategy”, but, as already said, it leave a bad taste…
One of the reasons we haven’t yet just made the PDF an Add-on is exactly because the PDF rewards are sometimes less, sometimes more, than what we price them for on DTRPG. We have always hoped and intended that the access to the full text be of value to folks when that happens. But we’re considering adding an Add-on, at what we are guessing/estimating will be a discount, for a PDF at the size we expect the companion book to arrive at, is such a solution helps towards that bad taste.
I’m going to turn that question around on you Rich, and ask why bother with a PDF only tier if you believe the only benefit is getting the PDF a couple of weeks early? With that, I’m also going to disregard that the “couple of weeks” thing is a relatively recent change in your sales strategy and that not too long ago the lead time between the backer PDF and general sale was often over half a year.
I’ve commented elsewhere that I’m not backing this crowdfunding effort because of the decision made on stretch goals. That makes this your first Exalted campaign I’ve not backed. I didn’t back SteamWars for the same reason, making that your first Trinity campaign I’ve not backed. Bluntly, and I know that you won’t disagree with me, the international shipping fees on these books are far too high. I know that you have been looking for solutions to that problem for many years, but the reality is that you’ve not found one and so for a UK backer that sixty bucks hardback is going to cost a hundred and twenty. For that reason I will go PDF almost all of the time.
PDF backers were something like 40% of your Exalted Essence crowdfunder. Take us out then that does a lot worse. I’d like to think that you didn’t intend to come across as high handed toward your PDF backers, and dismissive in your question here, but unfortunately you did.
Currently purchasing hardbacks is punitive for non-US customers due to those additional costs. Your decision regards who benefits from stretch goals has created a two tier system. If I feel that I’m being signalled that I’m less “valuable” as a customer then, unfortunately, my response will be to stop engaging. I hope that provides another perspective.
I was responding to the poster who stated that a few weeks was the difference, that was not my estimate. I politely asked for an explanation to help us understand how that poster, and others who might also be in the same position, are using the PDFs. I’m taken aback by your comment that I was dismissive, as that was the complete opposite of my intention at asking the question. Since none of us here have exactly the same situation as the person I replied to, I am grateful that they took the time to follow-up my question with why they value getting the PDFs before folks who didn’t back. I don’t need to ask for an explanation when someone tells me that international shipping is too high, I know that issue and agree. If, when we get to charging for shipping, the prices for international shipping have dropped according to our fulfillment partner at that time, and are lower than our estimate, backers will only pay what it actually costs. But if we make a lower estimate now and the shipping costs are higher, that seems like an ugly situation for all of us.
I didn’t realize either that I wasn’t going to get any of the stretch goals. You might want to focus on that on a future update on the crowdfund, as I think there are a few of us that don’t know that, since a majority of your recent KS/BK campaigns have had pdf stretch goals with any product (digital or physical)
I don’t have space for physical products and frankly the printing and looming tariffs make shipping costs a gamble. So even though I know you didn’t intend it, I feel that I am kinda being penalized for being digital only.
As the above poster said, this is leaving a bad taste for me.
Hi, I responded to some of your comment in my response to the poster you mentioned, but you also bring up a big issue that is worth taking the time to focus on. You mention printing and tariffs making shipping costs a gamble, and I just want to put it out there that, as far as I know, the tariffs that exist and could be raised as early as tomorrow as I write this, don’t effect shipping costs to backers. They may in a more widespread economic way effect shipping, but we, the publisher, are affected by US tariffs as we have to pay them when the books are delivered to the US from a non-US printer before they get to Studio2 for fulfillment. Now if a non-US country puts their own tariffs on individual packages coming in from the US, that’s a different thing and could totally be a concern, but it’s not what we’re trying to deal with right now in fulfilling crowdfunding campaigns, which should not affect backer reward shipping.
If I post a video about an Onyx Path Publishing product, who should I let know so that it can be added to the Monday Meeting Notes?
Matthew and/or Travis send me their media info each week, so you should let them know- thanks!
I know a lot have changed in the last 3 years, and that inflation is a worldwide problem, but still…
2022 Exalted Essence 25$ Pledge The book is now 30$ on Drivethrurpg
A big PDFs (around 400 pages), Companion PDF, RMC, 3 novellas
2025 Player Guide 25$ Pledge
A medium -sized book (around, let’s say, 260 pages… I hope…)
It’s not just about a 5$ price reduction or a 2-months early release.
I’m not sure what point you’re making here, sorry. Looks like backers got quite a deal on Essence core when all was said and done, which is not uncommon for a core book, are you expecting exactly the same for a supplement, even if it’s a PG?
Yes, the core books are quite a deal!
My point was, to me the main incitative for backing a digital book is not for the price discount, because uwe’re talking about a 5$ difference. There was even some crowfunding, witg OPP and with other publishers, where the cost of the book on Drivethru was even cheaper than the campaign itself, but it was OK because there was some backers rewards included. (There was some games funded where the total cost with was higher than the store price AND I received them after it was available in stores… I no longer back board games…)
So, it’s not mony nor early access. For me, the goodies are what I’m looking for, especially since there are so many interesting RPGs to back nowaday and we can’t back them all (my limit is 1 each month – if Otherscape:Cairo hadn’t been delayed by a few weeks, I don’t think could have afforded Essence.) When I have to choose, I look for wich one who give me more for my money, and wich one can wait (and possibly will come on sale in 2-3 years.)
Onyx Path almost always have been the one winning this contest. You are one of the most “client-friendly”, open and generous publisher in the market. Perhaps you’ve spoiled us too much!
But there are still that “bad taste” feeling… For me, I think it’s the “physical backers are more important-er than digital backers” that some posters have mentioned. I know this view is not your intention nor opinion, and that you respect all your fans equally, but I hope you see how it can be seen that way, especially when previous campaigns had “physical rewards for physical backers and digital rewards for all” options (nobody can argue than physical backers should received even more rewards – after all, they pay more.)
But I think
Sincere thanks for taking the time to run through your thoughts on this, it really does help. James has already added the SC PDF as an Add-On to the campaign page as I write this. Thanks again!