Yesterday, the Branch Riders Kickstarter campaign went live. It is the first major original TTRPG project by The Bodhana Group, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the therapeutic application of tabletop gaming. The campaign was fully funded in eight hours.
The Branch Riders Kickstarter
According to the campaign page, the Branch Riders Kickstarter is a narrative-driven TTRPG built on the concepts of action, investigation, and creative play. Players are the titular Branch Riders, a secret organization sent on missions across the eight realms to protect the people from a cosmic threat known as The Blight.
Those eight realms are a blend of different genres. There are familiar staples like The Crags (High Fantasy), The Heights (Superheroes), The Borderland (Westerns), The Terminal (Sci-Fi), and The Boroughs (Pulp Noir).
There are also more creative realms. The Party is a dystopian world where punk-rock wizards rebel against an emotion-repressing city state. And The Rails is a post-apocalyptic world where anthropomorphic animals tear through the ruins of the old world in shows of dominance.
Gameplay in Branch Riders is handled with an elegant three dice system. Players decide on an Approach and a Technique from their sheet and roll the two corresponding dice. The third die is based on the Exposure Tracker, which acts as an in-game measurement for tension and danger.
According to the Branch Riders Kickstarter page, the game is designed both for casual play as well as therapeutic use. Therapists, educators, and parents can use the system to help players work on important goals.
The campaign has several modest stretch goals and add-ons. These include printable exposure trackers, and official Branch Riders shirts via Redbubble. For those interested in the game's therapeutic applications, the campaign includes a Facilitator's Guide.
The pledge tiers in the Branch Riders Kickstarter are as follows:
- Branch Riders RPG for $25: PDFs of the game, condition cards, and a link to purchase a print-on-demand copy at a discounted price.
- Branch Riders RPG + Facilitator's Guide for $30: Everything above and a Facilitator's Guide PDF.
- Play It Forward for $45: Everything in the Branch Riders RPG tier as well as a donated copy of the game to a partner organization.
- Name An NPC for $125: Everything in the Branch Riders RPG tier and the opportunity to create an original non-player character.
- Create a Custom Blight for $150: Everything in the Branch Riders RPG tier and the opportunity to create an original monster.
- Suggest a Gift for $175: Everything in the Branch Riders RPG tier and provide the idea for a superpowered gift.
- Describe a Character Illustration for $200: Everything in the Branch Riders RPG tier and the opportunity to describe a character to use in the art notes of the rulebook.
- Play In A Game With the Designer for $225: Everything in the Branch Riders RPG tier and a chance to participate in a game with one of the designers.
- Learn The Game With A Designer for $250: Everything in the Branch Riders RPG tier and participate in an online training session on the game's application in education, capacity building, and therapy.
At time of writing, the Branch Riders Kickstarter has raised $7,386, beating its modest stretch goal of $5,000. The campaign ends July 11.
