September Update
12 days ago
– Sun, Sep 20, 2026 at 12:45:18 PM
Hello, folks!
Bradly here, back with the latest Wares Blade monthly update!
Today, we're showing off the material production samples that arrived late last week. These aren't samples of the actual finished products; rather, they're meant to give us a look at the quality of the materials we've requested for each item. And I have to say, this new printer we're working with, while more expensive than our previous printing partners, really knows how to produce a quality product. What we received may very well be the best material quality we've ever seen on one of our projects.
Print Samples
Below, you'll find photos of most of the reward items. The one thing you won't see is the acrylic standees. We did receive a material sample for the acrylic, but I didn't take photos of it since it's essentially just a straightforward piece of acrylic. That said, it has excellent thickness and density, and we're very happy with it. Everything else they delivered also came out exactly as we'd hoped, with one exception: the dice tray was a bit too small, and the red didn't quite match the reds used on the other products. We've already had them resize it so the final version will be larger and better match the color. That leatherette material used for dice trays always prints a little darker because it absorbs color, so we won't be able to match it perfectly, but I want to get as close as we can.
Other than that, these are beauties. Take a look!
With the materials now signed off on, we're moving into the next stage: actual samples of the finished products. We don't have a firm timeline for those just yet, but this printer has been moving pretty quickly now that we've gotten through the most difficult part of the process: converting all of our files into the specific formats their production process requires.
Wrapping Up
So from here, we should be cruising along at a pretty good clip!
And that'll do it for today. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out here or through any of the links below.
Until next time!
Bradly & the LionWing Team
August Update
about 2 months ago
– Mon, Aug 17, 2026 at 12:37:57 PM
Hello everyone,
Bradly here, back with your latest Wares Blade Kickstarter update! I hope everyone's been doing well; we certainly have been busy behind the scenes, getting the book ready for primetime. We’ve got a lot to share on that front, so let's get right to it, starting with the beta!
Beta Update
First and foremost, we want to extend a huge thank-you to everyone who participated in the beta and helped us proof the book. All beta corrections are now officially implemented! Opening the beta up for what essentially became a massive community proofing effort was absolutely the right decision. Wares Blade is going to be a better, tighter, and more polished book because of it, and we genuinely appreciate everyone who took the time to read, report, correct, and contribute. We'll be doing one more pass internally before we're considering the book 100% complete, but for all intents and purposes, the book is done done.
And speaking of the book itself... It’s gotten big. As the final layout comes together, Wares Blade is now looking like it will clock in at 600+ pages, considerably larger than we originally accounted for. At this point, calling it a “rulebook” almost feels inadequate. We are apparently publishing a tome. 😂 The good news is that the content side of production is rapidly approaching the finish line. In addition to the corrections being implemented, the additional content for the Deluxe Edition, including the translation notes, is complete.
Timeline Update
We’ve also moved into serious production discussions with our manufacturer. With the final size of the book and the various components involved in producing Wares Blade now much clearer, they’ve been able to give us a much more concrete picture of the manufacturing timeline.
Based on their current production schedule, we are now tracking toward a very early 2027 release. We know that is beyond the target we originally set, and we apologize for the additional wait. At the same time, this is the most informed production estimate we’ve had thus far: it comes directly from the manufacturer after reviewing what the finished project will actually entail, rather than being a date we’re projecting ourselves. That gives us considerably more confidence in it. It’s taken longer, and apparently several hundred more pages, than we initially anticipated, but we’re incredibly excited about the book that is emerging on the other side of all that work.
Wrapping Up
And that's it for today's update! Thank you again for your patience, your feedback, and especially to everyone who helped us put Wares Blade through its paces during the beta. You’ve helped us make this a better book.
If you need to reach out to us for whatever reason, you can drop us a message here or at any of the socials below.
Until next time!
Bradly & the LionWing Team
June Update
3 months ago
– Mon, Jun 29, 2026 at 09:52:56 AM
Hello everyone!
Bradly here, back with your monthly Wares Blade update. Hopefully you've had a chance to dig into the beta versions of the core book and appendix! That's the bulk of today's post, so let's get to it.
Beta Update
First off, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to send us feedback! We've received a ton of great comments about the book, which means the world to us. You never realllllly know how a book from the 80s and 90s is going to be received in the year 2026, so it's been fantastic to see so many people sing the book's praises. That's not a testament to us but rather to the Japanese team who were dialed in when they designed the game and its world. I know they are especially appreciative of all the compliments.
Speaking of appreciation, I've got to give a special shoutout to everyone who has been spotting typos, formatting issues, and other little gremlins hiding throughout the book. At nearly 600 pages, this is the largest book we've ever produced, and our editorial team for Wares Blade was only a handful of people. Having so many extra sets of eyes on the beta has been an enormous help.
Of course, nobody was under any obligation to proofread the book when we released the beta. The fact that so many of you took the time to do so means a lot to us. Every correction helps make the final product that much stronger, and we're incredibly grateful that you've all played a part in helping us release the best version of Wares Blade possible.
Status Report
Our primary focus is continuing to work through all of the feedback and corrections we've received. There's quite a bit to get through, so this stage is going to take a little time, but it's time well spent. At the same time, we've been working closely with our printer and have provided the specifications for all of the products included in the campaign. This is often one of the more involved parts of production, as every detail from dimensions and materials to finishes and manufacturing requirements needs to be finalized before printing can begin.
We're still a ways away from having books arrive stateside, but we're being very deliberate with this project. Wares Blade is by far our biggest release to date, and we're taking the extra time now to make sure the finished product is something we're all proud of. We genuinely believe the wait will be worth it.
Wrapping Up
And that's where things stand for this month! Once we move into the actual printing phase, we'll start sharing photos and hands-on impressions of production samples. That's likely to begin sometime in August. As always, thanks so much for your patience, your encouragement, and all of the help you've given us throughout this process. It truly has made a difference.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out using any of the links below or send us a DM here on Kickstarter.
Until next time!
Bradly & the LionWing Team
May Update
4 months ago
– Thu, May 21, 2026 at 09:12:09 PM
Hello everyone,
Bradly here, back with your latest Wares Blade update! It's been a little bit since our last post, and we've got some news to share. So let's get to it!
Status Report
First things first: delivery timeline! We're running a bit behind schedule and, perhaps obviously, delivery won't be landing in May. We're moving as quickly as we can, but we're also being extra thorough with the book. This is one of LionWing's most successful projects to date, and we want to make sure the final product reflects that. Ultimately, getting it right matters more to us than getting it out fast.
We don't have a revised delivery date to share just yet, but we're not sitting still while we finalize things. We're already in active coordination with our printer so that the moment our files are ready, they can move directly into samples and proofing. We're front-loading as much of the manufacturing process as possible to keep the back end tight. We apologize for this delay and appreciate your patience on this.
Beta Release
The beta has also taken longer than expected, but we're happy to report that its release is now imminent. We will be releasing the beta in two parts: part 1 will be all of the book’s chapters, while part 2 will be the book’s appendix. The appendix is the only part of the book not yet finished, though it’s currently sitting at about 85% finished. But to avoid any further delays with the beta, we’re pushing ahead without the appendix for now. So, keep an eye on your inboxes!
For those of you who want to participate in the most meaningful way, here's what we'd like you to look out for as you're reading through the book:
- Typos and grammatical issues
- Graphical/graphic designer issues
Anything you find, we need you to report it in our Discord, specifically our Wares Blade beta channel found here: https://discord.gg/j4ehujE7
Please use the following format when reporting: Page number - issue
Keeping all reports in one channel in this format makes it much easier for us to track and act on everything you find. Do not leave your findings on the Kickstarter page. Thank you in advance for helping us make this the best it can be. We haven't done as many passes on the laid-out book (the majority of our editing passes were in the text docs), so keep that in mind as you go through the text.
Wrapping Up
And that will do it for today's update! We'll be back with another next month. Thank you, as always, for being part of this. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to us!
Until next time!
Bradly & the LionWing Team
March II Update
6 months ago
– Sun, Mar 22, 2026 at 11:39:46 AM
Hello everyone,
Bradly here, back with your latest Wares Blade update. We’ve got a few things to cover today, so let’s jump right in.
BackerKit
First things first: BackerKit! By this point, most of you have received your survey and already completed it. We’re currently sitting at around 70% completion, which is fantastic; thank you all for jumping on that so quickly. I’ll be honest, I think I underestimated just how excited people would be for the pledge manager. Not only did folks complete their surveys quickly, but a lot of you picked up add-ons you missed during the campaign. Seriously, thank you for the extra support. Just a little inside baseball: the top three add-ons, in order, are the two scenario booklets and the GM screen.
If you’re having trouble completing your BackerKit survey, don’t hesitate to reach out here, on Discord, at any of the socials below, or via email at [email protected]. BackerKit is generally pretty intuitive, but if this is your first time using it, or even your first Kickstarter, it can definitely feel a bit confusing at first. We’re happy to walk you through it.
Shipping
We’ve had some questions and comments asking for clarification, especially from backers seeing higher-than-expected rates (particularly outside the U.S.). There are a few factors at play here. For this campaign, we’re using a weight-based shipping model, meaning your shipping cost is directly tied to your package's total weight. The challenge is that nearly every item came in slightly heavier than originally estimated. On their own, small increases don’t move the needle too much, but when you combine slightly heavier items, rising global shipping rates, and multiple items (especially Collector’s Editions or add-ons), it starts to add up, and that’s where those higher totals are coming from. I'm really sorry that this is the state of shipping; it sucks, and there's no real way around it. I wish we could go back to 2019 when rates weren't offensively high.
A couple of important notes, though. We are not collecting shipping charges yet. Even if you’ve completed your survey, your card won’t be charged for several more weeks. So if timing is a concern, you’ve still got some breathing room. In the past, to combat high international shipping costs, we've had some backers choose to use a forwarding services. It's not ideal, and it's a bit of a hassle, but those who have done it, it's worked well for them.
If you have specific questions or want to talk through options, drop me a line.
Variant Covers
Quick note on the variant covers: When we launched BackerKit, I forgot to upload the two cover options, so if you were confused, that’s on me. When you confirm your pledge, you’ll be able to choose between the 1986 cover and the 1994 cover. I’ve included both below for reference so you can pick your favorite.
Stretch Goals Recap
We’ve also had a few questions about stretch goals, so here’s a quick recap of everything that was unlocked. As a reminder: you’ll receive all stretch goals that apply to your pledge level (for most backers, that’s everything).
- Custom endpapers (physical book backers)
- Foreword by the game’s designer (all backers)
- Custom dice bag (Collector’s Edition or dice add-on backers)
- Pull-out, full-color map of Western Ahan (physical backers; digital copy of the map included in the PDF)
- Quickstart Guide (PDF, all backers)
- Spot UV cover (physical books and Collector’s Editions)
- Pre-generated character pack (PDF, all backers)
- Afterword by the localization team (all backers)
- “The Mountain Where the Devil Slumbers” scenario (PDF, all backers)
Wrapping Up
That’s it for today! We’re still hard at work on the beta version, so stay tuned; that’s coming up next. As always, if you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to reach out here or through any of the platforms below:
Until next time,
Bradly & the LionWing Team
