We've got some exciting progress to share—both for Dungeon Dwelling Creatures and for what Rugby-Melee Games has coming next!
The Wet Proofs Are on the Way!
We just received word from the printer that the wet proofs—physical proof copies of the books—are on their way to us from Hong Kong!
Once they arrive, we'll carefully review them to make sure everything looks the way it should. If everything checks out, we'll give the printer the go-ahead to begin the full print run!
Having the proofs in hand should also allow us to finalize our shipping estimates and begin sending out BackerKit surveys.
We're getting closer, Creatures! We'll continue keeping you updated every step of the way.
🎲 The Dice Are Bagged!
Another job is officially checked off the list: the dice are sorted and bagged!
Sorting all those dice was definitely a process, but we had some fantastic friends pitch in and help us get it done.
That's one more piece of fulfillment ready to go—and one step closer to getting everything into your hands!
🐉 Dragon Kings Is Coming to DCC!
If you're a fan of Dark Sun, we've got some particularly exciting news.
We've been working with Timothy Brown to bring Dragon Kings—the spiritual successor to Dark Sun—to Dungeon Crawl Classics!
Timothy's Strange Owl Games has already launched crowdfunding for the 5E version and Dragon Kings sourcebook. Rugby-Melee Games will soon be launching our own campaign, bringing the world of Khitus to DCC with fully compatible rules, mechanics, ancestries, magic, and more.
There will be some overlap between the two campaigns, along with special incentives for those who choose to back both.
And because you're already one of our Creatures, you're getting an early look before we announce the campaign to everyone else later today.
Check out the Dragon Kings for Dungeon Crawl Classics pre-launch page and hit Follow so you'll be there when the campaign goes live:
We've got a lot to share this month, so let's jump right into the biggest news!
🎲 Dungeon Dwelling Creatures Dice Have Arrived!
They're here!
Impact! was kind enough to let us pick up the custom Dungeon Dwelling Creatures dice at Gen Con, and we're thrilled with how they turned out. They look fantastic!
As you can see in the photo below, they still need to be sorted before they can be packed. It's a bit of a time-consuming task, but it's the perfect project to tackle while we wait for the book proofs to arrive.
One more step closer to getting everything into your hands!
📚 Printer Update
I (John) had the opportunity to meet with our printer during Gen Con, and things are moving along nicely.
Before the convention, we submitted all of the production files. The printer requested a handful of minor revisions, and Stefan—our incredible editor and layout wizard—turned those around almost immediately.
We're now waiting on the printed proofs and expect to have a clearer production timeline very soon.
Based on our current schedule, we're estimating that the finished books will arrive sometime in November. While that's still an estimate rather than a guarantee, everything is progressing smoothly, and we're optimistic that physical rewards will be on their way to backers well before Christmas.
📖 Check Out Stefan Surratt's New Crowdfunding Campaign
Many of you already know Stefan Surratt as our editor, layout guru, contributing author, and Goodie Award-winning designer. If you've enjoyed Dungeon Dwelling Creatures, you've already seen firsthand how much talent he brings to a project.
Stefan is launching a crowdfunding for his newest DCC-compatible setting, Academia Arcana—a magical academy where students embark on adventures both on and off campus. The project includes new spells, new classes, strange monsters, and plenty of opportunities for magical mayhem.
I'll definitely be backing it myself, and if you follow the campaign early, you'll receive a free copy of the quick-start rules.
Dungeon Dwelling Creatures had a strong showing, with multiple games running throughout the convention. I had the chance to run a successful playtest of an upcoming DDC adventure planned for release next year, and the feedback was fantastic.
Frank Bidwell also ran several games, including full DDC adventures as well as crossover games featuring other DCC-compatible content. It's exciting to see the game continuing to grow and expand in new directions.
Beyond the gaming table, it was wonderful catching up with friends old and new. I spent time with Kevin and Sean from Palladium Books, visited with many of our playtesters and contributing authors, and had a fascinating meeting with Tim Brown about the future of Dragon Kings.
Let's just say... there are some exciting things on the horizon.
As always, thank you for your continued support. Every update brings us another step closer to getting Dungeon Dwelling Creatures into your hands, and we can't wait for you to finally crack open the books, roll those new dice, and unleash a few monsters of your own.
Hey, Creatures! The PDF is here. You should have received an email with your copy via drivethrurpg just a moment ago.
What now? We want to give you a week to digest the PDF and see if there are any edits or clarifications that we missed before we send it off to the printers. If you do find anything, please submit it here. We will only leave the form open until 7/19/26. After that, it is off to the printers!
Thanks again for your help, and enjoy reading!
P.S. - If you see me (John) at Gen Con (or someone else wearing a Dungeon Dwelling Creatures shirt} please let us know you are a fan for some free swag!
Good evening, creatures! We're making every effort to keep you updated without bombarding you with notifications.
To the important things - we are very close to getting to the printers. The layout is finished, and we are doing some last editing before we send the book off to our printer. Additionally, I was surprised at NTRPG Con with a "proof" from Eddie, and it looks great! This is a soft cover and not the full page count, but I was very pleased with how the cover looks.
Our friends over at Long Con Press (who did a significant amount of work on DDC) are wrapping up a really interesting crowdfunding campaign - Eldritch Wastelands: The Weird South. It's a gonzo post-apocalypse RPG using the Shadowdark rules set. Admittedly, I was not a huge Shadowdark fan until I was in a playtest earlier this year. I was blown away by how unique and fun this game is. If you're a Shadowdark, post-apocalypse, Mad Max, or fan of having fun, I'd check it out. They funded quickly and are approaching more stretch goals.
Last, we will be at Texoma Dungeon Con this weekend, running some of the final playtests of DDC! Eddie, Stefan, and I will all be special guests. If you are there and want to check out one of the proofs, please say hi. Many of us will be spending time at the Long Con booth and even the Goodman Games booth. We'd love to chat with you and might even have some cool swag for you.
The next update will be when we are off to the printers!
Hey, Creatures! I know it has been a minute since an update, but con season is in full swing, coupled with us getting the final touches on the DDC core rule book. The writing is pretty much complete, but we are waiting for some of the art to be finished. Dax Hamon has done an amazing job. Here is a preview of one of the awesome pieces that will be in the book.
Dungeon Con was a blast! If you are not familiar with it, it's the official con put on by Goodman Games. It was a much larger con this year (both in size and length). We got to playtest some more DDC (including a new adventure that we'll be putting out after the book is finished), Dragon King's for DCC (coming soon), Weird Frontiers, and play in some amazing DCC/MCC/XCC and related games! If you have not gone to the con, I highly recommend it. As always, Goodman puts on a great show!
John Showing off his Dungeon Con body and Cosplay!
Last, our buddy Luau Lou (also a big contributor to DDC) is running a crowdfunding campaign for an adventure for the Dare-Luck Club. If you are not familiar with the Dare-Luck Club, it is a game where you take on the role of an adolescent going on adventures with their friends. It has strong vibes from The Goonies and Stranger Things. There is also a touch of the supernatural in it. It's a great system and setting that Lou has poured much of himself into. Follow it here, take a look, and back it. Luau Lou always does amazing work!
