Ryokos Guide to the Yokai Realms⁚ Overview

Ryoko’s Guide to the Yokai Realms is a 350-page tabletop role-playing game supplement, enhanced for 5e, featuring kaiju battles, a crafting system, and new player options. It’s inspired by Japanese folklore. This digital PDF is available through Backerkit.

What is Ryokos Guide to the Yokai Realms?

Ryoko’s Guide to the Yokai Realms is a comprehensive 5e supplement, a 350-page tome created by DnD Shorts and published by Loot Tavern, designed to immerse players in a world inspired by Japanese folklore. It offers a unique blend of kaiju battles, detailed crafting mechanics, and new player options including unique classes and subclasses. This guide is not just a rulebook; it’s a journey into a realm of yokai legends, allowing players to explore and engage with creatures both whimsical and dangerous. It presents a fresh take on 5e, with a focus on strategic combat and character customization.

Content of Ryokos Guide

This guide includes kaiju battles, a crafting system, and player options. It offers a unique experience with folklore-inspired creatures and mechanics, providing a rich and diverse gameplay.

Kaiju Battles and Mechanics

The guide features thrilling kaiju battles, incorporating unique mechanics for combat against these colossal creatures. It includes rules for improved extra attacks, weapon masteries, and combo attacks, enhancing the strategic depth of encounters; Players will also find details on equipment and prostheses to aid in their battles. These mechanics are designed to challenge players and provide a captivating experience. Bombukus Notebook supplements this, offering a player-friendly guide to these complex rules, ensuring easy access during gameplay without needing to sift through the main hardcover guide. This system aims to create memorable and exciting kaiju encounters.

Crafting System Details

The crafting system in Ryoko’s Guide allows players to create unique items and equipment using resources gathered throughout their adventures. It features detailed mechanics for crafting various items, including weapons and prostheses, enhancing character customization and gameplay. This system is deeply integrated into the game, offering players a meaningful way to interact with the world and personalize their characters. The crafting rules are accessible through a hyperlink in the Bombukus Notebook, providing a quick reference for players without revealing adventure spoilers or kaiju details. This allows for an engaging and streamlined crafting experience.

Player Options and Classes

Ryoko’s Guide to the Yokai Realms introduces new player options and classes inspired by Japanese folklore. These include unique subclasses such as the Circle of the Yokai Druid, which allows players to transform into construct yokai. The guide also features new feats, backgrounds, and customization options tailored to the setting. The player options are designed to be both thematic and mechanically engaging, allowing for diverse character builds that fit the Yokai Realms. These expanded choices ensure a rich and immersive experience. The player-facing supplement, “Bombukus Notebook,” provides essential mechanics for these new options.

Availability and Access

The digital PDF of Ryoko’s Guide to the Yokai Realms is available for download through Backerkit. It was released after the beta testing period, and is accessible to backers.

Digital PDF Release

The digital PDF version of Ryoko’s Guide to the Yokai Realms was released on Backerkit after a period of beta testing and community feedback. This digital format allows backers to easily access the 350-page tome, filled with rules for kaiju battles, crafting systems, and new player options. This PDF is considered the final version, incorporating feedback from the extensive playtesting group. Access to the digital PDF is granted through the Backerkit platform after purchase. The PDF includes all core mechanics for players and allows easy reference during games. It is designed for both online and offline use, providing a convenient way to experience the Yokai Realms.

Backerkit Platform

The Backerkit platform serves as the primary distribution channel for the digital PDF of Ryoko’s Guide to the Yokai Realms. Backers who supported the Kickstarter campaign gained access to download the PDF through this platform. Backerkit manages digital rewards, updates, and project communication for the Ryoko’s Guide project. Users can log in to their accounts to find the files ready for download, and any additional supplements, such as the Wrath of the Kaiju PDF and the art book. Backerkit ensures a streamlined process for backers to receive their digital rewards and stay informed about the project’s progress. The platform is used for all digital access to Ryoko’s Guide and its related materials.

Beta Testing and Community Feedback

A beta version of Ryoko’s Guide was released to gather community feedback. This playtest document aimed to refine the game mechanics and ensure the final product met player expectations.

Playtest Document Purpose

The playtest document for Ryoko’s Guide to the Yokai Realms served a crucial function in the development process. Similar to “Unearthed Arcana” releases, this beta version was designed to collect player experiences and thoughts. This allowed the creators to refine the game’s mechanics, balance, and content. Feedback from the community helped ensure the final book reflected what players wanted to see in the game. The purpose was to identify issues, gather suggestions, and make necessary improvements before the final release of the PDF, ensuring a polished and enjoyable product for everyone.

Community Involvement

Community involvement was integral to the development of Ryoko’s Guide. The creators actively sought feedback from a large playtesting group, which included over 10,000 people. This feedback was crucial in refining various aspects of the game. The community’s input led to balance adjustments, content revisions, and overall improvements to the final product. Players were encouraged to share their experiences, report any errors, and suggest changes via platforms like the Loot Tavern Discord server. This collaborative approach ensured the game was shaped by the players themselves, making it a better experience for everyone.

Additional Materials

Beyond the core guide, supplementary materials include “Wrath of the Kaiju,” an art book showcasing the game’s visuals, and digital tokens for virtual tabletop use, enhancing the overall experience.

Wrath of the Kaiju Supplement

The “Wrath of the Kaiju” supplement is a digital PDF expansion to Ryoko’s Guide, focusing on the colossal battles with these legendary creatures. It provides additional content and rules for engaging with and surviving the might of the Kaiju. This supplement was released after the main guide, and contains extra scenarios to use in your campaigns. It also includes new tokens and assets. The supplement is still in development and may have minor changes before final printing. This exciting addition expands the gameplay by offering new challenges centered on these imposing monsters, enhancing the overall experience. It allows players to test their skills against some of the most powerful creatures in the Yokai Realms.

Art Book and Visuals

The art book for Ryoko’s Guide is a digital PDF containing a collection of stunning artwork, in-progress pieces, and alternative sketches. It features various creatures, characters, and landscapes from the Yokai Realms. The book also includes vignettes discussing the inspiration behind the Kaiju. It is considered a special, magical addition to the main guide, and showcases the beautiful artwork created for the project. The digital art book provides a deeper insight into the visual development of the game. It also includes additional creature artwork and character design. The art book is available to download on Backerkit.

Tokens and VTT Assets

Ryoko’s Guide includes top-down tokens for use in Virtual Table Tops (VTTs). These digital tokens are available on BackerKit. The tokens represent all creatures and kaiju featured in both Ryoko’s Guide and Wrath of the Kaiju. The physical versions of these tokens are printed on punch-out boards. The boards provide multiple copies of tokens that are needed in multiple for adventures. These assets ensure players have everything necessary to run games in VTT or on tabletops. The inclusion of these digital assets provides ease of use for online play.

Development and Production

The development of Ryoko’s Guide was funded through a Kickstarter campaign. It is created by DnD Shorts and published by Loot Tavern. The project involved extensive playtesting and community feedback.

Kickstarter Campaign

The Kickstarter campaign for Ryoko’s Guide to the Yokai Realms successfully funded the creation of this 5e compatible supplement. The campaign highlighted the 350-page tome filled with kaiju battles, a detailed crafting system, and unique player options. It drew significant attention, particularly from fans of DnD Shorts and those interested in Japanese folklore. Early backers received bonuses, such as a free Yokai Dawn dice set, adding to the campaign’s appeal. The campaign also emphasized that the content was entirely new, separate from previous publications by DnD Shorts. This successful funding paved the way for the development and release of the digital PDF.

Loot Tavern and DnD Shorts

Ryoko’s Guide to the Yokai Realms is a collaborative project between Loot Tavern and DnD Shorts, the latter being the creator of the supplement. DnD Shorts, known for their short and long-form content, leveraged their platform to promote the Kickstarter campaign. The Loot Tavern Discord server also played a key role in building community and sharing updates, and offered a place for supporters to discuss the project. This partnership combined DnD Shorts’ creative vision with Loot Tavern’s publishing expertise, leading to the creation of the Yokai Realms supplement, with content that was completely new and separate from other DnD Shorts publications.

Manufacturing and Shipping

The manufacturing process for Ryoko’s Guide involved careful attention to detail, ensuring the print quality of the 350-page book was perfect. Print tests were conducted to achieve the highest standards before mass production began. The physical components, including tokens, were designed for both tabletop and virtual tabletop use. The team worked on minimizing packaging. Once the print tests were approved, the books and other physical items were shipped to backers. Regular updates were provided throughout the manufacturing and shipping process, keeping backers informed on the progress.