THE SEASON OF CHANGE - DEV TALK 23.10 (Patreon)

Hello, Bestiarum Adventurers,

As the leaves turn golden and a chill fills the air, we hope you’ve been enjoying the spooky ghosts and villainous knights in our most recent monthly release! For today’s dev talk, we're once again excited to unveil a cornucopia of updates, improvements, and fresh perspectives for our beloved community. October is shaping up to be a pivotal month in our journey through the world of Doaden, so lets jump right in -

1) Path of Penitence Update: Crusade Progression

Our campaign support supplement this month takes a unique turn. Introducing the Penitent Crusade progression system—an advancement tool designed specifically for our 5e campaign to bring more depth and character progression to your worn-out parties!

Here's a taste of what's in the module:

· Rank Up in the Crusade: As your party's deeds become legends, so too will their standing in the Crusade. Ascend the ranks, gain recognition, and unlock exclusive gear and other enticing benefits.

· Crusade Camps Across Doaden: Each major city in Doaden will now boast its own Crusade camp, breathing life into the landscape and adding layers to the political and social dynamics of the world.

· The War Wagon Awaits: While we're on the topic of advancement, here's a teaser: Next month, prepare for the War Wagon system. Not just a mode of transport, this will serve as your party's mobile base, complete with mechanisms for exhilarating chases and intense vehicle combat.

Download the Latest Path of Penitence Campaign Guide .zip on MMF to access the Crusade Progression Module!

2) Monster Stat blocks

We've heard your cries! Starting in November, we’re pleased to announce the return of a community favorite—Monster Stat blocks. For every new model we release each month, we'll provide full stat blocks and lore descriptions. While not all these creatures will feature in the monthly adventures due to balance and flexibility concerns, their presence will surely enhance the depth and versatility of your sessions, making it easier for you to draw inspiration and get them on the table for your homebrew nights!

3) Quality over Quantity: Crafting Unforgettable Journeys

In recent testing and reviews, we’ve found strong support for our new easy-to-run adventure structure, as well as support for our older, atmospheric adventures with more narrative depth. Hence, we're recalibrating our approach to accomplish both styles. We'll shift to producing one high-quality adventure per month, infused with a richer atmosphere and a range of engaging activities, however, we will retain the same easy-to-run format.

These more complex adventures tend to require significantly more development time, and with the added stat block support, this means our team must make a few sacrifices to bring these target goals together. From November onward, we will be releasing just one of these higher-depth adventures. But for those of you who wish to get the remaining models down on the table, fear not! Our monster stat block packets will surely spark your creativity and be invaluable aids in quickly thrusting your parties on your own dark adventures.

4) Streamlining the Experience: Uniting Under the All-In Tier

To grow our community and to ensure a cohesive journey for all, we've made the tough decision to sunset the RPG-only tier.

Going forward, our RPG content will only be available from the All-In Tier. With the re-integration of the Stat Blocks, the full access to the Adventure Archive, upcoming completion of the core PoP campaign experience, and some larger plans we're not quite ready to share yet, we need to consolidate our Tiers into clearer package, we believe this is a key step to grow our audience in this arena, and offer y'all the best possible experience.

We’ll be closing the RPG-Only Tier before the end of the month - RPG-Only Subscribers, check your DM's we've reached out to you with further instructions on what happens next.

All-In Tier Subscribers - Nothing will be changing for you, your subscription and rewards remain the same!

In these times of change, we're deeply grateful for your continued trust and enthusiasm. Our commitment to the Bestiarum community remains unshaken, and every decision we make is geared towards elevating your Doaden experience.

Keep your gear close and your spirits high. Adventure awaits!

Warmest Regards,

Alex Dovermann

5e Lead Designer