Ascendant: Platinum Edition

A project in Durham, NC by Autarch
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Funding Successful

A revised second printing of the core rules, the game’s first official sourcebook, and our premiere graphic novel, all in one bundle!
Backers: 307
Average Pledge Per Backer: $114

Funded: $34,858 of $10,000
Dates: Feb 28th -> Apr 14th (45 days)
Project By: Autarch
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$34,858

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Last Updated: April 14 @ 12:03 -0400 GMT

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Latest News

20-20-20-24 Hours to Go! I Wanna Be Ascended

April 13th - via: kickstarter.com
There's twenty four hours to go in the Ascendant: Platinum Edition Kickstarter! Here's the last sneak preview from the Rogues Gallery -- the new power INERTIAL CONTROL.  Inertial Control takes advantage of Ascendant's comic-book physics engine to... (Read More)

20-20-24 Hours to Go

Inertial Control takes advantage of Ascendant's comic-book physics engine to create remarkable gameplay and it seems a fitting finale for our campaign! (Read More)

Power Preview #1: Reflective Skin

April 10th - via: kickstarter.com
There's three days left in our Kickstarter campaign! Thank you to everyone for your generous support. It's great to be 300% funded, and on par with Ascendant Kickstarter. Today I wanted to share a power preview from the Rogues Gallery. This was one... (Read More)

Never Fudge The Dice!

If that sounds like the game for you, please check it out. And if superheroes just aren’t your genre of choice, don’t worry — Adventurer Conqueror King System II is in the works, and it’s going to be amazing. But you should still buy Ascendant, because it is also amazing. (Read More)

Sneak Preview: Rogues Gallery Backstory + An Appearance by Alex on Dungeons, Dragons, & Discourse

April 8th - via: kickstarter.com
Hello heroes (and villains)! We're in the closing days of the campaign now. It is with great delight I can share with you this sneak preview of the Rogues Gallery backstory. Click here to download it:... (Read More)

Kickstarter - Ascendant: Platinum Edition (Supers)

April 7th - via: tenkarstavern.com
Ascendant: Platinum Edition is 20 bucks for the core book in PDF, and 60 for print plus PDF. (Read More)

Stretch Goal #2 Unlocked!

April 6th - via: kickstarter.com
I'm excited to announce that our second stretch goal has been unlocked.  The new Hero Archetype SUMMONER will be added to the Rogues Gallery. What are the Hero Archetypes, you ask? They are pre-generated characters with easy customization options.... (Read More)

Character Preview #10: Declassifier of Dark Emerald

April 5th - via: kickstarter.com
We're stuck in that terrible limbo just before a stretch goal. If anyone reading this has Emotion Adjustment (Lust for Logarithms) or Mind Domination, please use your powers on your wealthiest friend(s) ASAP to help us get over this hurdle. If you... (Read More)

Character Preview #9: Ghost Ring of Dark Emerald

April 3rd - via: kickstarter.com
We're in the home stretch, the final 10 days of the Ascendant: Platinum Edition campaign! We're also only a few hundred dollars from our $30,000 stretch goal.  If you've been waiting for the right time to back, the time is at hand! In the meanwhile,... (Read More)

It's NOT the GM's Job To Make Sure Everyone Has Fun!

If that sounds like the game for you, please check it out. And if superheroes just aren’t your genre of choice, don’t worry — Adventurer Conqueror King System II is in the works, and it’s going to be amazing. But you should still buy Ascendant, because it is also amazing. (Read More)

Character Preview #8: The Commander of Dark Emerald...And the Reveal of the new Ascendant Character Generator!

March 30th - via: kickstarter.com
Today we have another character preview for you from Ascendant: Rogue's Gallery.  But, even more importantly, we are announcing the Ascendant Multiversecharacter creation tool! Using Ascendant Multiverse, you can build characters for Ascendant in... (Read More)

Character Preview #7: Parabellum of Dark Emerald

March 27th - via: kickstarter.com
In today's update, I want to introduce the sinister private military corporation DARK EMERALD and its CEO, Ryolond Praetorius, AKA Parabellum. Parabellum, who is something like a cross between Lex Luthor and Elon Musk, is one of my favorite villains... (Read More)

Ālea Iacta Est!

Ascendant was designed to be a physics-based simulation of a superhero universe with 1990s Image Comics aesthetics. (Read More)

Meet the Team!

March 23rd - via: kickstarter.com
In today's update I want to introduce  the team that has brought Ascendant, Ascendant: Rogues Gallery, and Ascendant: Star-Spangled Squadron to life.  Art Mel Joy San Juan (Artist and Cover Artist): Mel Joy began writing, drawing, and coloring... (Read More)

Character Preview #6: Living Buddha of the Soaring Sabers

March 20th - via: kickstarter.com
Today we'll round out our deep dive into the Soaring Sabers by looking at the last, but not least, of its members... Huó Fó (Living Buddha) Briefing The world was introduced to the Fēi Jiàn (“Soaring Sabers”) at a National Day military parade... (Read More)

The Map is Not the Territory

In RPGs, a well-designed simulation can serve as the foundation for exciting and enjoyable dramatist and gamist experiences, but the converse is not true. Ascendant was designed to be a physics-based simulation of a superhero universe with 1990s Image Comics aesthetics. (Read More)

Character Preview #5: War God of the Soaring Sabers

March 17th - via: kickstarter.com
Presenting the fifth member of the Soaring Sabers, the formidable War God.... Zhàn Shén (“War God”) BRIEFING Zhàn Shén (“War God”) is one of the six named team members of the Fēi Jiàn (“Soaring Sabers”). The world was introduced to... (Read More)

Character Preview #4: Strategist of the Soaring Sabers

March 15th - via: kickstarter.com
Continuing our sneak preview of the Soaring Sabers, we turn to Strategist... Jūn Shī (Strategist) Briefing Jūn Shī (“Strategist”) is one of the six named team members of the Fēi Jiàn (“Soaring Sabers”). The world was introduced to the... (Read More)

Character Preview #3: Universe Wanderer of the Soaring Sabers

March 13th - via: kickstarter.com
With today's update, we'll continue our sneak preview of the Soaring Sabers. Today we'll introduce Universe Wanderer... Xiāo Yáo Zǐ  (Universe Wanderer) Briefing The world was introduced to the Fēi Jiàn (“Soaring Sabers”) at a National Day... (Read More)

The Philosophy of Simulationism

If the Simulationist culture I’ve described in this essay appeals to you, I hope you will take a look at my current crowdfunding campaign, Ascendant: Platinum Edition. Ascendant was designed to be a physics-based simulation of a superhero universe with 1990s Image Comics aesthetics (you know what I mean). (Read More)

Character Preview #3: Karma Fire of the Soaring Sabers

March 10th - via: kickstarter.com
In our prior update, we unveiled the Soaring Saber and their leader Sword Master. Today I'm introducing Karma Fire, one of the Saber's most popular members. Karma Fire is the cover model for Ascendant: Rogues Gallery. Tina Francisco did such an... (Read More)

Character Preview #2: Sword Master of the Soaring Sabers

March 8th - via: kickstarter.com
In today's update I want to introduce the Soaring Sabers, the government superhero team of the People's Republic of China. The Soaring Sabers are one of the four super-groups in the book, and are the team we used to playtest the new material found in... (Read More)

A Manifesto: In Defense of Simulationism

Ascendant, for instance, was ridiculed in one early review for including rules for parasitic infections. But why is that ridiculous? AD&D had rules for parasitic infections, too, and it was avowedly not a simulation. Indeed, Gary Gygax was among the earliest and fiercest critics of Simulationism. (Read More)

Ascendant Core Rules and Live Plays

March 6th - via: kickstarter.com
We're just finishing up the first week of our 45-day campaign and we're already fully funded and on our way to our second stretch goal. We've also entirely sold out of our $960 tier! Thank you for the outpouring of support.  Some potential backers... (Read More)

Update #2: First Stretch Goal Unlocked!

March 3rd - via: kickstarter.com
I'm excited to announce that our first stretch goal has been unlocked. The new Hero Archetype SCIENTIST will be added to the Rogues Gallery. What are the Hero Archetypes, you ask? They are pre-generated characters with easy customization options.... (Read More)

Character Preview and Actual Play #1: Flashmob

March 1st - via: kickstarter.com
Thank you everyone for the outpouring of support! It was a record-setting first day for Autarch. To kick our updates, I wanted to share with you the first of many character previews we'll be offering. Today's preview is of the superfast duplicating... (Read More)

Update #1: We Hit Our Goal in 3 Hours!

February 28th - via: kickstarter.com
Thank you all for the outpouring of support. The campaign has not even been live for 6 ours and we already exceeded our baseline goal. We've also exceeded my prior first-day record for an RPG ($9149) and there's still 18 hours left in the day. I... (Read More)

Ascendant: Platinum Edition is Here!

February 28th - via: arbiterofworlds.substack.com
It became a #1 bestseller and hit the Platinum tier on DriveThruRPG within weeks of its launch in January 2022, and the first printing sold out within a month. (Read More)

Opening the Year with a Bang!

January 4th - via: arbiterofworlds.substack.com
ACKS II is not just a new compilation of existing material published previously. It has many new features and improvements, both to the design and the layout. It corrects many longstanding complaints about the presentation of the rules, and subtly improves the game in ways that build on my 12 years of experience since first drafting it. (Read More)

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