The ZWEIHANDER Reforged campaign on Kickstarter has notably surpassed its funding goal, gathering over $128,000 against an initial target of $10,000. With 18 days remaining until its conclusion on April 7th, the project has attracted 1,371 backers, signaling strong interest in the next installment of the tactical dark fantasy TTRPG, which has previously won an ENNIE award.
ZWEIHANDER Reforged invites players into a world characterized by its epic scale, grit, and the potential for peril at every turn. The game emphasizes themes such as gothic horror, survival, low magic, and elements of the eldritch. It utilizes a d100 system ruleset that compares in complexity to systems used in Dungeons & Dragons or Pathfinder, consolidating the Player’s Handbook, Game Master’s Guide, and Bestiary into a single volume.
The game aims to offer something for players with varying backgrounds in RPGs. Those with experience in Dungeons & Dragons 5e will find combat in ZWEIHANDER to be more dynamic, offering a variety of choices each turn and more character customization options from the start. Pathfinder players can expect a shift in mood to darker narratives while retaining the game’s intricate mechanics. Fans of Warhammer Fantasy might find familiar atmospheres, as ZWEIHANDER acknowledges its origins while introducing new mechanics and narratives.
For those already acquainted with the ZWEIHANDER series, the Reforged edition promises an expansion of lore, new content, an improved reading experience, streamlined gameplay mechanics, and compatibility with existing ZWEIHANDER adventures and books.
The Kickstarter campaign also highlights a range of add-ons, including standard and collector’s editions of the core book, custom dice, coins for in-game use, character sheets, a GM screen, a deck of cards, and digital files for 3D printed miniatures. Among these, a noteworthy inclusion is a carbon steel blade available to US backers, emphasizing the collectible nature of some campaign offerings.
ZWEIHANDER Reforged introduces several changes and enhancements over previous editions, including a new approach to handling character injuries and afflictions, rebalancing of combat, reimagining of ancestries and talents, and an expanded magic system. Additionally, the game’s mechanism for handling Corruption introduces a deeper narrative and gameplay element, emphasizing the consequences of characters’ actions and choices.
The campaign extends its reach to third-party content creators, offering support and resources to encourage the development of ZWEIHANDER-related content. Moreover, plans for virtual tabletop (VTT) support are in progress, with aims to make ZWEIHANDER Reforged accessible on platforms such as Roll20 and Foundry VTT.