October Update: The playkit is here!
8 months ago
– Tue, Oct 14, 2025 at 07:35:39 PM
Hello, everyone!
Bradly here, back with your monthly Wares Blade update. It's been a little less than a month since our last post, and in that time, we've been capital-b Busy! So, let's dive right in!
Playkit
Today's update is a good one, as it brings good news! By now, some of you will have already received your playkit code from DriveThruRPG—and those who haven't gotten their code yet, you will in the next hour or so. We've been discussing this playkit for some time and have been working hard on it since the campaign's midpoint. Today, what you get is an 80+ page look at all the key elements of the game. With these 82 pages, you'll be able to run through a (relatively lean) session of WB to get a feel for what the game has to offer. While the final book's page count will be three to four times that of the playkit, this will give you just enough to work with to have some fun with the game while we wait for the beta version of the book at the end of the year.
A big shout-out to the team for cranking this thing out. While we'd initially planned the kit to be about 45 pages, as we got into putting it together, it became pretty clear that there was no way to give you all a playable demo of Wares Blade with just 40-50 pages; it's simply too dense a book for that low a page count. 82 pages is what it took. Please note that the kit's contents are subject to change as we complete the translation and further edit the full rulebook; thus, nothing in the kit is set in stone.
Beta
All of this talk about the playkit might make you forget about the beta release of the rulebook. As with all of our past TTRPGs, we'll be offering a beta version of Wares Blade so that you all can get an early look at the whole book and, more importantly, help us catch any errors that may have made it by our translation and editing team. This process of having thousands of sets of eyes on the book helps us spot issues that our limited perspective might have missed.
This mass proofreading exercise has always helped us produce very tightly edited and proofed books, and with this being our biggest book yet, this exercise will go a long way in making sure that what you all get in the end is a clean and polished product. We'll be opening up an editing channel in our Discord just as we have with all past projects, where folks can report the issues they find. I'll talk more about that when the beta hits, so stay tuned!
Wrapping Up
And that's it for today's update! As I mentioned in September's update, post-campaign, I move to monthly updates rather than daily or weekly ones; however, we're continually monitoring the comments and our DMs if you should need to reach out about something between updates.
And speaking of reaching out to us... If you want to chat with us or other Wares Blade fans in real-time, be sure to drop by our Discord. Or if you have a question and you'd rather get hold of us through social instead of Kickstarter, you can do that too! All of those links are below.
Once again, thank you so much for your support and continued enthusiasm for Wares Blade, and we hope you enjoy the playkit!
Until next time!
Bradly & the LionWing Team
That's a wrap! 2,400% funded!
9 months ago
– Thu, Sep 18, 2025 at 06:56:26 PM
Hello everyone!
Bradly here, back with your very first post-campaign update! That's right, the Wares Blade Kickstarter campaign has officially come to a close. And what a wild final 24 hours it was!
When we launched this project three weeks ago, I didn't know what was in store for us. This was the hardest campaign thus far to predict what the turnout was going to be. As I mentioned in my thank-you video, and then again in the week-one AMA, I wasn't sure if anyone was going to care about Wares Blade the way the LionWing team did. After all, no one has brought a Japanese TTRPG to the West 35 years after its initial release. And while retro TTRPGs are becoming more of a thing lately—though they're still not a huge market, relatively speaking—retro TTRPGs that never left Japan have most definitely NOT been a thing (until now!).
So while I certainly hoped people would show up for this project, never did I imagine they'd do so to the tune of 2,500 backers and 2,400% of our funding goal. Truth be told, I thought that if it were a success, the campaign would likely come in somewhere below the numbers we usually put up on Kickstarter, just given the niche nature of the game. It was wonderful to be so wrong.
So then, a huge thank-you goes out to everyone who showed up for this campaign, who wanted a retro Japanese TTRPG, and who was willing to trust us with this particular one. We've never seen success like this on Kickstarter, and it wouldn't have been possible without all of you. I'm so glad that so many people are along for the ride with us. And what a ride this campaign was.
Of course, there's still a lot of work to do! In fact, the real work starts now. We'll be keeping you updated every step of the way going forward as development continues. Which begs the question: What is next, now that the Kickstarter is over? Well, let's talk about that.
Playkit Release
If you've kept up with the comments or the conversations in our Discord, you know that we've been working on a playkit. This kit will allow folks to run some simple games of WB, to get a general feel of the core mechanics. This kit is also complete; we just need to format it, which is what we're currently working on. We expect to have this ready in the next week or so.
Beta Release
If you've backed any of our TTRPG Kickstarters, the following information won't be a surprise to you. However, if this is your first time checking us out, then I've got good news to share. While the delivery date for this project isn't until May 2026, we expect to have a beta copy of the book ready for all backers by the end of the year (with the exception of $1 backers who haven't upgraded by the time the beta drops). Right now, we're eyeing December as the release window. In years past, we've dropped betas right around Christmas—last year we released the beta on Christmas Eve—just as a little holiday present.
Pledge Manager & Late Pledges
Like with all of our previous campaigns, we'll be handling post-campaign shipping through a third-party. We've used a platform aptly titled PledgeManager in the past for these purposes, but we may go a different route this time around. We used BackerKit for our very first Kickstarter back in 2019, and we may revisit that partnership, just given how much larger this project is compared to our past campaigns. Regardless of which platform we use, the user experience will be the same; via that platform, you'll confirm your shipping address, pay for your shipping, and then add on any items you may have missed while the campaign was live. As we get closer to opening up the pledge manager, we'll give you all a full rundown on how to navigate things, so stay tuned for that!
If you missed the campaign while it was live, you can still support the project, right here on Kickstarter, in fact. Kickstarter now allows for late-backing right after a campaign ends (if the creator enables that option). You do that right from the campaign page, just as you would if you were pledging while the project was live.
Wrapping Up
And that will do it for today's update. Going forward, I won't be posting updates every few days. We'll be shifting to a monthly update, but we'll still be answering your questions in the comments section and elsewhere in real-time. We'll also post more than once a month at certain points, specifically when we achieve a milestone, so the stream of updates will continue, just with slightly reduced speed.
Naturally, if you want to keep the hype train going for Wares Blade, you can join our Discord, where there's always some WB conversation happening. That link, and the rest of our socials, are below.
Once again, thank you so much for your support over the past three weeks. You've shown that Wares Blade probably should've come to the West years—or perhaps decades—ago. But I'm glad it's coming to the West now, and everyone on the LionWing Wares Blade team is honored to be playing a part in the ushering in of this beloved franchise to a brand new audience.
We'd also like to say that we've seen your enthusiasm and desire for additional Wares Blade content, be that in the form of more TTRPG releases or other WB media, like the novels. I think it's safe to say that, after how successful this Kickstarter was, we're not going to be done with Wares Blade any time soon.
And with that, I bid you all a good night. You all are the best.
Until next time!
Bradly & the LionWing Team
Gameplay Spotlight: Ryude Creation
9 months ago
– Sun, Sep 14, 2025 at 03:29:59 PM
Hello everyone!
Bradly here, back with your latest Wares Blade update. I hope you all had a great weekend. We're heading into the final four days of the campaign; it's wild to think that the Kickstarter is already coming to a close. I feel like we've only just gotten started!
In tonight's update, we're dropping another Gameplay Spotlight entry. In our last update, we detailed character creation—tonight, it's all about Ryude creation. Let's get to it!
Gameplay Spotlight: Building a Ryude
In addition to the standard character creation rules mentioned in our last post, the Wares Blade rulebook also includes provisions for creating a Ryude from scratch. While these are mainly intended for Wares Makers rather than players, it’s a convenient way to expand the rulebook’s already substantial roster of machines.
You begin by choosing a Ryude Rank and Masque Rank. These are graded using letters, running from J (barely functional) to C (extremely powerful). B and A Ranks theoretically exist, but represent legendary machines well beyond the scope of the standard creation process. The Ryude Rank defines a unit's basic attributes, including how much damage it can take and how challenging it is to operate. The Masque Rank, on the other hand, decides how hard it is to attune with a unit and imposes additional modifiers—positive and negative—on its capabilities.
Ability Scores are determined by rolling a D10 and adding a bonus based on the Ryude Rank. This gives you a pool of 13 to 36 points to divide between the machine’s four attributes: SPE, POW, BAL, and ARM. These can be assigned as you see fit, as long as at least 1 point is put into each Ability Score. The SPE and BAL values are then adjusted based on the Masque Rank: Masques of Ranks J through H reduce them, while Masques of Ranks F and higher provide a bonus.
Next, Unit Durability is generated. Once again, you roll a D10 and add a bonus based on Ryude Rank. If the Masque Rank is high enough to unlock Ryude-Mind Durability, which acts as a reservoir of additional power for Word-Casting Techniques used while inside the unit, this is determined in the same way. All other attributes are then copied over from the relevant tables in the rulebook.
The final step is to pick some equipment. The weapons Ryude have access to are broadly the same as those that characters can purchase, but naturally much, much bigger in size. There are also shields, a small selection of armor, and special equipment like extra coolant tanks, snowshoes, and overcoats for protection against harsh weather.
All that’s left then is to decide how the players get their hands on the machine—or see how they fare when they battle it.
Wrapping Up
And that will do it for today's update! In the next one, we'll be talking about Gates and helping you determine which one is right for you.
As always, reach out to us if you have any questions or comments. You can find us on any of the platforms below.
As we're heading into the final 96 hours, keep sharing the campaign! Thank you to everyone who's done that and who's supported the project thus far.
Until next time!
Bradly & the LionWing Team
Stretch goal 9 unlocked! Gameplay Spotlight: Character Creation! Physical scenario booklet added!
9 months ago
– Thu, Sep 11, 2025 at 07:27:12 PM
Hello everyone,
Bradly here, back with your next Wares Blade update! It's been two days since our last post, and in that time, we've unlocked our 9th stretch goal! That means we are officially translating the Mountain Where the Devil Slumbers scenario. With this SG unlocked, everyone will be getting a free digital copy of the scenario!
Mountain Where the Devil Slumbers Scenario Physical Booklet
We've had a lot of folks reach out about offering a physical version of this scenario. While we initially planned to only provide it digitally to all backers for free, we have heard from enough people to decide to also offer a physical version of it as an add-on. It's priced the same as the Plunder of Lesquard booklet, as it's comparable in length to that adventure. And like Lesquard's physical version, this too will be a softcover release. It's available now as an add-on, so if you want to grab it, just go in and modify your pledge. If you got in on the earlybird for the Collector's Box Set, you won't lose access to that earlybird if all you're doing is modifying your pledge to add on something to your order.
Gameplay Spotlight: Building a Maverick
There have been a few questions regarding character creation in Wares Blade in recent weeks, so let’s take a quick look at what the process entails.
Players start by generating the six Ability Scores—SEN, AGI, WIL, CON, CHA, and LUC—in order by rolling 3D5 for each value. If this leaves your character with three or more stats below 9 or any one stat higher than 13, all six Ability Scores are re-rolled. This ensures that characters are broadly equal in terms of capabilities.
The next step is to select a Class, preferably one that aligns with the Ability Scores you have generated. Each Class prioritizes different stats, so high SEN, AGI, and CON are better suited for a Warrior, while Word-Casters benefit more from higher WIL.
Next up is Skill selection. Every Class begins with a set of default Skills, plus a limited number of Character Points (CP) used to either improve existing Skills or purchase new ones. The CP cost for acquiring new Skills depends on their type, with Specialized Skills like <Drive> and <Word-Casting> being the most expensive of the lot. This means that while you can “multi-class,” the tradeoff is a less skilled character overall. If you’re in a hurry or don’t want to dig through all of the Skill descriptions, the rulebook also offers a number of pre-made “Skill Packages” for each Class.
Finally, we get to the equipment. All Wares Blade characters start with a few essentials free of charge and then get an additional (3D5 x 10) golda for weapons, armor, and general items. If they have any CP left over from buying Skills, this will be converted into additional golda at a 1:1 ratio. For those who have a hard time deciding, a few recommended equipment loadouts are also provided. Once all equipment is purchased, the player can then calculate the character’s remaining stats and finish filling out the character sheets.
Word-Casters, however, have one additional step to take care of: selecting their Techniques. Every Word-Caster has a bank of Memory Points to spend on acquiring Techniques, determined by their AGI, WIL, and <Word-Casting> Skill Level. A Technique’s Memory Point cost is based not only on its Level, but also whether it belongs to the character’s chosen Gate, opposing Gate, or another Gate entirely. Any Memory Points not spent during character creation are kept in reserve for future use.
An experienced player will likely be able to get through the entire creation process in about 15 minutes, give or take.
Wrapping Up
And that will do it for today's update! We'll be back again this weekend with the next update, so keep your eyes open for that.
As always, reach out to us if you have any questions or comments. You can find us on any of the platforms below.
As we head into the final week of the campaign, keep spreading the word, and let's finish strong!
Until next time!
Bradly & the LionWing Team
Lore Spotlight: Giant-slaying 101! A closer look at the standees!
9 months ago
– Tue, Sep 09, 2025 at 04:43:51 PM
Hello everyone,
Bradly here, back with your next Wares Blade update! We have just 9 days left in the campaign and are a mere $200 away from unlocking our 9th stretch goal—how fitting! As mentioned in the last update, if we hit $170,000, we'll be offering a new scenario to all backers for free. We're really excited about this stretch goal in particular, and we hope you are too!
Mountain Where the Devil Slumbers Scenario
We've had some folks ask questions about this scenario, primarily what it is and if there'll be a physical version of it. This isn't a scenario that's being created from scratch; instead, it's one that was released originally in Japan at the time of the game's initial launch.
While the stretch goal specifies that the scenario will be a digital reward, we are talking internally about offering the new scenario as a physical add-on for purchase. For those wondering, this scenario, entitled Mountain Where the Devil Slumbers, is about the same length as the Plunder of Lesquard scenario.
Lore Spotlight: Giant-slaying 101
In our last update, we kicked off our "Lore Spotlight" series, where we got into the weeds a little about maintaining a Ryude. Tonight, we're back at it, looking at what it takes to fell a Ryude. We talked briefly about this in our AMA and in one of the older updates; tonight, however, we delve a bit deeper.
In a one-on-one fight, a human doesn’t stand much chance against a Ryude, and even a contingent of troops will struggle to make much headway against their powerful armor. Over time, however, the armies of Ahan have devised a number of special weapons to even the playing field.
The ballister, also known as a stone bow, is one of the more versatile anti-Ryude tools. Similar in construction to a crossbow, it fires heavy metal balls rather than quarrels, usually with the aim of cracking a Ryude’s Masque. However, a ballister can also be loaded with chalk or paint projectiles that can temporarily obscure a machine’s vision if the firer is skilled enough.
For those who prefer a more direct approach, the siege-bow fires massive arrows at effective distances of up to 120 meters with enough force to even give a Courser worries. This power does come at a cost: preparing a siege-bow for firing takes 2 Rounds (1 full minute) unless there is a second person on hand to assist with the winding. Its sheer size also makes it impossible to move around the battlefield without the aid of a horse.
Meanwhile, the more underhanded may appreciate knowing that specially formulated poisons exist that can induce clotting in the Ryude’s all-important blood supply. The difficulty lies in getting said poison into the machine’s bloodstream—a task usually accomplished by means of a special “stinger” that can be fired from a ballister or mounted on the tip of a cavalry lance. Better still, this poison is effectively harmless for humans and other living beings, allowing it to be used with impunity.
Standees
As you've probably seen, we're offering acrylic standees in this campaign. These are provided as part of the Collector's Box Set, and we've had some folks ask if we could show off some close-up pics of these. So that's what we're going to do! Below are three of the standees on offer. We hope you like 'em as much as we do!
Wrapping Up
And that'll do it for today's update! We'll be back on Thursday with another, so keep your eyes peeled for that! As always, if you have any questions or need to contact us, drop us a message or comment here on Kickstarter, or reach out to us through one of the platforms below.
Thank you to everyone who's told a friend or two about the campaign and who has supported us thus far. Truly, we are so appreciative of you all and love the enthusiasm there is for this project.
Until next time!
Bradly & the LionWing Team
