Deathstalker: For Love and Cash
Deathstalker options motion, beautiful poster art work from Boris Vallejo, and nostalgia, a potent mixture for any TTRPG followers of a sure age. As mentioned within the “The place’s The Beastmaster Roleplaying Sport?” article, publishers create tabletop roleplaying video games for love and cash. Creating the Deathstalker Roleplaying Sport, like several TTRPG, could be a labor of affection, so let’s speak in regards to the economics of the equation.
Deathstalker was the topic of two 2024 crowdfunding campaigns. These Kickstarters weren’t TTRPG associated, however they offer us some perception into the sum of money that the property would possibly increase:
- Vault Comics’ Slash presents DEATHSTALKER Kickstarter by Tim Seeley, Jim Terry, and Steven Kostanski reached 645 backers that pledged $51,177 in 2023.
- Steven Kostanski’s DEATHSTALKER Kickstarter reached 592 backers that pledged $95,457 in 2024.
- RELATED ENTRY: Lawrie Brewster’s The Slave and the Sorcerer – Sword & Sorcery HORROR MOVIE! Kickstarter, which takes inspiration from the Deathstalker collection however isn’t an official Deathstalker movie, reached 803 backers that pledged £78,751 in June, 2023. Plus, they did a stretch marketing campaign that added 90 backers who pledged a further £7,446 in July, 2023.
Utilizing these numbers, any Deathstalker TTRPG would attain 600 to 900 followers of the movie plus any viewers the RPG writer brings to the desk. Elevating a aim of $50,000 through crowdfunding is possible.
As a result of these films function Boris Vallejo posters and the comics have art work from Jim Terry and Nathan Gooden, that beautiful artwork together with photographs from the films might and must be recycled in any Deathstalker TTRPG. A hypothetical writer might save a little bit of finances when creating this TTRPG by repurposing present photographs. Followers would welcome the posters, covers, comedian panels, and actor photographs from Deathstalker gracing an RPG of the identical title. This e book might supply some context and a little bit of the visible historical past of the Deathstalker franchise to make this half RPG and half movie historical past.
What Writer Would possibly Tackle the Deathstalker TTRPG?
As mentioned, this collection of films isn’t for everybody. Alongside the identical strains, this undertaking is not going to match into each writer’s publishing plan. Whereas researching this text, at the very least one writer let me know that producing a Deathstalker TTRPG isn’t on their publishing wishlist. Which is smart as a result of a writer must imagine within the properties that they publish.
Assuming that there’s curiosity, a hypothetical writer must deliver a couple of gadgets to the desk. Amongst these, the power to work with the licensor. Andreas Walters provided some steerage on the topic right here (the feedback on this Fb publish in regards to the article are additionally illuminating). Working with a licensor means Shout Manufacturing facility, Slash, and Steven Kostanski plus distributor Raven Banner Leisure and, probably, Vault Comics. The Deathstalker Kickstarters talked about every of those people and firms by title, so it’s a protected guess that every one must seek the advice of on this undertaking. The flexibility to construct consensus whereas staying true to the property and followers can pay dividends.
As well as, the writer wants a built-in fanbase that can embrace an OSR model of Deathstalker. This property screams out for an old style OSR sourcebook influenced by the period of Deathstalker and the ‘80s sword-and-sorcery movies. Doing one other system could be a disservice to the spirit of those films. Subsequently you’ll want an OSR writer.
I’m going to share a listing of potential publishers, however I wish to make it clear that none of them have said that they’re or actively pursuing this property. That is my listing of prospects together with Darkish Wizard Video games, Bloat Video games, ThrowiGames, Pickpocket Press, Lamentations of the Flame Princess, Mudpuppy Video games, and plenty of extra are potential publishers. All they want is a robust want to make this occur, and the contacts to barter the contract.
Will There Ever Be a Deathstalker RPG?
We could by no means get an official Deathstalker TTRPG, or a sourcebook devoted to an present system, however there may be all the time the likelihood. TTRPG followers have lifted components of Deathstalker for his or her residence video games and one, Pun Issac on the Halls of the Nephilim weblog, mixed the setting with an present system for avid gamers to take pleasure in. Utilizing Bloat Video games’ The Blackest of Deaths engine, Pun offers stats in his articles “Deathstalker (1983)” for the “True Orc” and “Deathstalker II (1987)” for “Deathstalker (John Terlesky).” Pun supplied Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Version (2014) stats for “Pig Face” in “Swords & Saturdays – Deathstalker (1983)”.
Final yr, I spoke to Michael Paszt, Managing Companion at distributor Raven Banner Leisure Inc., and he report that there was an inquiry about licensing Deathstalker for a tabletop roleplaying recreation, however the IP has not been licensed for TTRPGs at the moment. Which means we could also be inching nearer to a Deathstalker TTRPG.
In case you are on this world to your gaming desk, what system would you utilize for an amazing recreation of Deathstalker? Which of the Deathstalker movies and comics did you want one of the best? Tell us within the feedback, and have enjoyable stalking dying!
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