Hey there, folks. I'd like to share a few quick updates and timelines for all the free stuff you'll be able to pick up and experience later this month.

This Wednesday, we'll be previewing the next alpha packet and answering your questions. Be sure to leave comments beneath this update so we can bring them up on stream!
-> Add a reminder to your Apple, Google, or Yahoo calendar.

May Monthly Digest
During the Livestream, we'll also be dropping the Distal Monthly Digest for May, for free! The digest is a lightweight, monthly supplement dedicated to:

Here's a peek at one of the spreads in this month's edition.

If you missed the April edition, you can download it for free here.


Alpha 06 Packet
The next (and final) free alpha packet is coming along nicely, and the visuals are getting a bit of a glow-up, too! Alpha 06 attempts to polish some rough edges with the rules, and address slowdowns where they exist -- for example: character creation is getting a cleanup, particularly in the sluggish equipment selection step.

Here's an example page using the updated layout.


That said...

I'm interested in hearing how many folks have given the alpha material a run, and how many are waiting for a full launch. Let me know in the poll below, and thumbs up, reply, and comment to help boost the page!

Thanks folks!
-Wrel

The title of Embergut is given to those who've shamelessly entered a pact with a powerful being from the Plane of Fire.

The being offers a portion of its power, and marks you with a prominent brand in exchange. For many, this mark is kept a secret from the world, especially in the sphere of politics where stooping so low for power is, at its most generous, a point of controversy.

--

Hey there folks, today I'd like to share some details on one of the classes in Distal, and show off some of the unique mechanics it has access to.

The Embergut class has "warlock" feels with a pyromantic twist, and their abilities convey the volatility of power drawn from the Plane of Fire.

Embergut have access to a handful of spell slots (renamed invocations, in the next alpha update,) that can be recovered during downtime. This is pretty standard fare. However, they can also Bargain for more.

Bargaining for Spells
Once every 24 hours, an Embergut can speak to their pact entity through a telepathic connection -- and they must choose a specific attribute (Str, Dex, Fort, Int, or Wis,) when doing so. They immediately gain a number of extra invocations equal to the attribute they chose. So, if you had 3 Dex, you immediately gain 3 extra invocations.

So, if you're in combat, and really need some extra spell juice -- you can always take the devil's bargain...

But here's the drawback... For the next 24 hours, that stat becomes a -2, as you've effectively sacrificed that part of yourself to your pact entity for them to do -- whatever it is they do with it. Eeeesh.

This is a moment of radical transformation. Your body becomes charred and ashen, and molten rivulets replace your veins. Maybe your Dexterity depletion is represented by sacrificing your arms or legs to the all-devouring furnace.



Fortunately, once your Bargain ends (24 hours later,) your attributes return to what they were.

Power and Control
A lot of the Embergut's dynamic is a give and take between stability and chaos, power and control. This is also represented by their use of willpower die, which they lean on far more than other classes in the game.

One of the class signatures you can choose at level 3, is that of the Volatile Embergut. When your pool of willpower die is empty, you can gain a willpower die if you take on the burning condition in exchange. Separately, whenever they're burning, they can "combust" to deal damage in an area around them, at the cost of willpower.

So, set yourself on fire. Get a willpower die. While you're on fire, expend that willpower die to explode! Synergy!

Alternatively, another signature you can choose at level 3 is that of the Herding Embergut, which allows you to summon just a lil guy known as a Brandling. These lil guys act as a (limited time) companion that can bite your enemies, detonate into flames -- or be sacrificed as fuel for one of your other abilities.

There are loads of fun abilities and setups you can take advantage of when playing the Embergut, and the timeless trope of being on the leash of an entity more powerful than yourself leaves a little fuel for the narrative fire.

Let me know what you think about the Embergut, and if you dig these class overviews in the comments section!

Thanks folks!
-Wrel

Hey there, folks.

Work is underway on the final alpha version that will be available for free before moving into closed beta testing. Since the game is in a pretty good place overall, we're taking some time to assess the highs and lows to see what still needs to be improved.

Example: Building a character is loads of fun -- until you get to equipment selection, which feels like a slog.

Polishing those rough areas is our mission with Alpha 06, and we've already started addressing some of them.  In the next alpha, you'll see (at the very least) the following...

If you have any alpha feedback to share, join the conversation in our development Discord!

On yesterday's Livestream, I answered a lot of great questions from you all, announced the giveaway winner, and talked about what's on the horizon!

Watch the VOD here.

We're now a eight days into the campaign, and we've got a ways to go before we hit our campaign goal. If you can, help spread the word, and keep pushing!

Thanks all!
-Wrel

Distal launched almost a whole week ago, how are we doing?

Tomorrow's livestream (May 1st, 1pm EDT) we'll check in on the project, preview some design work being done on the next (and likely final) alpha version of the game! We'll announce the giveaway winner on stream, as well, all you need to do is play the BackerKit Mini-Game below!
--> Convert to local time, or add to your Apple, Google, or Yahoo calendar.

Yesterday we ended up in the #10 Trending 🔥 spot, thanks to all the folks engaging and pledging! Let's keep pushing! Take the following actions and get a chance at winning a free pledge upgrade.

Giveaways upgrade an existing pledge to a higher tier (or add a bonus standard edition book to a limited edition pledge,) but you must be in a place we can ship to, and pay for the shipping when we send our surveys. You can't win a giveaway multiple times... but you can still help the project by playing the game!

Thanks folks, let's keep it going!
-Wrel




Side Note: To the folks that won giveaways in the last stream (BenBRockN, Kittling, Novy, and IncendiumRPGs), I've got your names down. Originally I was going to send giveaway codes to hold onto, but it turns out that BackerKit doesn't let me match up usernames and email addresses until after the campaign ends. No worries,  either way though, I've got you covered!

We are so close to getting to the top #10 trending on BackerKit. We started yesterday at #15, and currently we're at #11 thanks to some dedicated folks pledging and engaging with the community.

Here's why that matters.

Getting to #10 trending means we show up on the front page, which will help boost our project further. It's super easy to keep pushing us that direction, and only takes a couple minutes! Here's how:

Quick Guide to Supporting the Project - Watch Video

Reminder: The early bird reward expires very soon!

Back a physical order and get a free art print of the Temple Grizzly (art by: Lailamon) before 7pm EDT tonight!



We're doing great so far, and are more than a quarter of the way toward our funding goal. You've all been doing a great job interacting with the project and keeping us moving. Let's keep it going!
-Wrel