Avatar Legends. The Most Successful RPG Kickstarter in History!
I wanted to take some time today to shine a spotlight on a project that I am really excited about. Before you even ask, no, this is not a paid advertisement, just a shout-out for a really cool project that has been getting a lot of positive response lately. And that project is Avatar Legends from Magpie Games! The Kickstarter has entered its second week and has broken the record for the highest grossing RPG Kickstarter of all time (on its third day!). At the writing of this article, the Kickstarter has raised over 4.5 million dollars. Incredible! But what makes this roleplaying game so special and why all of the love? Avatar: The Last Airbender and its successor The Legend of Korra are beloved series not only in our household but across the world as they redefined American animation. Avatar: The Last Airbender is widely regarded as one of the greatest animated series of all time. Both series contain equal amounts of humor and drama and are respectful of the deep themes that the series cover.
Both Avatar: the Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra are coming of age stories in a world that is heavily inspired by East Asian, South Asian, Inuit, and other cultures. The Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads represent the peoples of this world. Each of the cultures are able to manipulate one of the four elements: Water, Earth, Fire, and Air. There is of course one individual who has mastered all four elements known as the Avatar. The Avatar is reincarnated with each passing and serves as the bridge between the mortal world and the spiritual world. The story of ATLA and TLOK tackle deep topics such as war, the consequences of imperialism, morality, spirituality, and even genocide. As they are coming of age stories, one of the major themes is growth and many of the characters grow and change over the course of the series. [Avatar: The Last Airbender has one of the best executed redemption arcs I have ever seen in any media.]
Now, back to the Avatar Legends RPG! At the writing of this article, there is currently a Quickstart Guide out that players can use to test drive the system and take their first steps in roleplaying in the world of Avatar! (The Quickstart Guide also talks about the various eras that you can choose to play in including the Hundred Years War, Aang’s Era, and Korra’s era.) Using this, I am going to cover my initial thoughts of the roleplaying game in broad strokes but please be aware that none of this is to be considered final material as the game is still in development.
I really like how the first thing that is outlined even before character creation is the scope, focus, and the details on what brought the group together. I think this really helps the characters focus on what kind of game they are getting themselves into. The scope covers the location(s) the players can expect to explore while the focus is the main plot point of the story, such as protecting a person or a place or defeating a tyrant. I haven't encountered many other games that set this focus first and It is a really good idea.
When creating your character, you first choose your playbook which helps define your social role in the group. [I am not sure I like the term playbook-- it feels hamfisted--but that is me being nitpicky.] Some examples of your social role include The Guardian who wants to defend someone close to them and The Idealist who draws upon past trauma to strengthen their hope and beliefs. You then name your character and the Quickstart Guide includes a great guide when it comes to naming conventions for all of the nations. You also choose your training and signature fighting style. The cool thing is that this part of character generation seems pretty open for interpretation and expression.
Next, you determine your character's background. Were they a hermit, a noble, or even an outlaw? After that you determine your character’s demeanor or how they behave in social situations; the Quickstart Guide suggests six or you can create your own! This is followed by some history questions about your character, including your character’s motivation, important relationships with NPCs, and, perhaps most importantly, why you are committed to the group. This last question is SO important and more RPGs should start by considering this question or include it in character creation. Balance is an important theme in the world of Avatar and so it makes sense that it is included in this game. Every PC has a balance between two ideals and these ideals are in constant tension with each other. As discussed earlier, one of the primary concepts in the world of Avatar is coming of age and growth which is also reflected as a mechanic in the game and at the end of each session you will ask yourself if you accomplished your growth objectives. Finally, when creating a character you will also create how they are connected to another in the group, setting you both up for some good roleplaying! One of the things I really like about character creation is how they tie the players to the group and to each other and reward creativity and good roleplaying! Top marks!
The mechanics of the game revolve around rolling two d6 and adding a modifier to see if you have succeeded. The higher the challenge, the higher the roll required to succeed. This is a nice divergence from the standard d20 method without rolling too many dice. [I'm looking at you Shadowrun. . .] Combat in the game also seems to be much more cinematic than tactical. The basic techniques break down to the following three types: Advance and Attack, Defend and Maneuver, and Evade and Observe. Each of these has some sub-techniques and can be affected by additional techniques the characters can learn throughout the game. You could probably run the entire session in the theatre of the mind which I like. The game feels like it rewards players for thinking creatively and playing true to their character’s fighting style. I hope to see bending and combat techniques flushed out when the final product is finished and cannot wait to see all of the adventures they have written for the game too!
So what are your thoughts on Avatar Legends? I for one am very happy to see one of my favorite franchises get the RPG treatment it deserves. It seems that Magpie Games has remained faithful to the world of Avatar with this wonderful game and I cannot wait to see what other secrets the Kickstarter will include and what they will do next!
At the writing of this article, the Kickstarter is still live and can be found here. If you would like to test out the RPG be sure to check out the newly released Quickstart Guide!
‘Til next time!
Take Heart!
Karington Hess
Game Master and Founder of Open Heart Games
