Dungeons and Dragons competitor Chaosium has launched a Kickstarter campaign to crowdfund Pendragon: Classic Edition, a "faithful recreation" of the influential 1985 tabletop RPG. Pendragon introduced character-focused roleplay to an industry dominated by dungeon crawls, and designer Greg Stafford has previously said, "I consider it my masterpiece".
The Call of Cthulhu publisher isn't the only one to praise this Arthurian fantasy game to high heaven. A 1986 review in Dragon magazine called it "the best designed, most attractive, and most effective traditional role-playing game I have ever seen". In 1990's The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games, author Rick Swan says "Pendragon is as close to a work of art as a role-playing game can get".
Much of this praise is dedicated to the character-focused elements of the system, something that was absent from games like D&D at the time. For example, Pendragon's stats focus on your Arthurian Knight's unique mix of virtues and vices, which you must roll a D20 to use or resist. Chaosium combines this with the rich worldbuilding we've come to expect from titles like Call of Cthulhu and 7th Sea.
Pendragon: Classic Edition celebrates the 40th anniversary of the tabletop RPG. This revamp includes an 88-page player book, a 16-page Gamemaster booklet, various play aids, and a color map of King Arthur's Britain. The boxed set also features a special anniversary dice set. Also available in the campaign are The Nobles Book expansion and three early adventure scenarios and campaigns.
Chaosium has kept its pledge levels relatively simple. $25 gets you a PDF copy of the core box set. $49 adds a PDF copy of the expansions and campaigns, while $99 offers a physical copy of the core set, too. A handful of stretch goals - upgraded dice, a GM screen, bonus creatures, and standees - are promised if the crowdfunding campaign sees success.
You can learn more on Pendragon's Kickstarter page. If you'd like to share your thoughts on this system, you can hit us up in the Wargamer Discord. Or, for more on TTRPGs, here's all you need to know about DnD classes and DnD races.