The latest entry in our series Why You Should Kickstart The Runelords Board Game Kickstarter. This is a very cool skirmish game with a well thought out fantastical setting brought to you by a great team. The game launches on Kickstarter on January 19, 2021. Check out the link below to go directly to The Runelords Board Game Kickstarter page or continue on to read the interview with the creator.
The Runelords Board Game on Kickstarter
1. How would you describe your product in a few sentences?
The Runelords Board Game is a hybrid gaming experience for one to four players based in the world of the best-selling fantasy series by David Farland.
At its core, the game is a card-driven skirmish game where players choose a runelord and deploy their unique armies onto a battlefield and fight it out using powerful abilities found both on the recruits and on the cards drawn and played from their hand. In the optional Sovereignty Stage, players can mix the runelord armies into a single deck-building engine and, over twelve rounds, build the best army they can before battle. The game also supports solo and coop play through scenario-based adventures.
2. Who is the team bringing this to market? What is your background that brought you to launching this?
Red Djinn Productions is a first-time publisher out of Las Vegas. I myself oversee the runnings of the company itself as well as am the codesigner of the game and one of the artists as well. The co-design, Shawn Engle is an elite video gamer that has put in countless hours with me over the last three years fine-tuning and developing the Sovereignty game system on which The Runelords is built.
Aside from that, we have worked with some amazing artists on a commission basis including Pavel Leksin, Raul Garcia, Tom Lishman, and more. When it comes to Kickstarter itself, we have teamed up with some really experienced minds like Brandon Rollins and Ben Aitken to ensure we avoid as many first-time pitfalls as possible.
3. What existing games would you compare your game to?
Well, The Runelords at first glance would call to mind skirmishers like Warhammer or Gloomhaven but under the hood, there is something really special and unique about its system. We bring the robust and evolving meta of a CCG (MTG, Hearthstone) and combine it with a fast-paced, easy to learn skirmish experience that will evolve as new runelords and battlefields are released. And with our optional Sovereignty Stage deck builder, players will always be able to mix those new runelord armies into their already existing collections.
4. What sets your game apart?
Two things:
First: we set out to dilute the mechanics of a skirmish as much as possible without losing the strategic depth of the genre. We have done this by leaning on the recruit cards having everything you need to know right there in front of you and by making the rules as intuitive as possible. When designing, it is very easy to approach something like elevation for example and a week later you have a two-page ruleset on how it works. When we found ourselves approaching systems like that, we aimed to keep it explainable in a single paragraph or less.
Secondly, it’s the way our game expands. New runelords, battlefields, adventures, and game modes are all modular and can be designed and implemented over time giving players the ability to find what they love most about the experience and enjoy it the way they choose to. Want more solo/coop? We will release those separately. Only care about skirmish battles? New runelord armies are already designed and ready for release and can be purchased without having to buy other aspects of the experience you may not find yourself ever playing.
5. How can everyone be assured that they are going to get quality components and you are going to deliver on all the promises you are making?
This is a great question. I have personally spent the last two years cultivating a fantastic relationship with the industry veterans at Eastar games. Having shown the game now at ten conventions worldwide including Essen Spiel, UKGE, and more, this has given me a lot of time to communicate and cultivate a relationship that I am confident will pay dividends when it comes time to manufacture the game. And since they have made some of my favorite games, I am fully confident that they will be able to deliver that same quality and timely production for The Runelords.
6. Why should someone back your project?
The Runelords is super competitive, has incredible replayability, and supports fantastic solo and coop play with so many exciting things planned including legacy campaigns written by some of the best fantasy authors. When you back this game you aren’t just backing what’s in that initial box, you are investing in its future. And that means everything to us.
Well we are satisfied!
Great insight and enthusiasm from a passionate design team. Everything about this game screams that there is tons of epic gameplay here but that it is accessible for all. It has clearly been guided by passionate hands and looks like it is going to be a top-notch product. Take a look at their Kickstarter or social media pages for more info!
