White Veil Celebration Technique!
about 6 years ago – Fri, Apr 27, 2018 at 07:59:13 AM

Sorry, Dragon-Backers,

There is no White Veil Celebration Technique. That is not a thing that exists.

But... if it did, WOW, it would involve a lot of high-fives and rounds of congratulations on a job well done! IF it existed, which it doesn't, it would acknowledge the mad rush over the past few days and the unbelievable number of Stretch Goals achieved in this campaign.

So, let's stick with Mantis style, and a word from Onyx Path's Richard Thomas:

>>>

Fantastic! No other word could describe how this Kickstarter has gone thanks to all of you! Over 30 Stretch Goals (and one helluva great Companion out of them!) and some fantastic commentary that I'm sure has helped our Devs in seeing what info you folks are really interested in. Thank you all so much for your love of Exalted and your support and trust with this project!

And a big round of thanks to Eric and Robert and Dixie and James for their efforts during this crazy thing!

Thanks-  

-- rich thomas  

<<<

THANK YOU  

So, thank you to all the backers who supported us and made this happen. And a personal thanks to everyone who participated online, either in the comments section of the kickstarter or on social media around the web. If you look at the number of comments, especially broken out by day, there was a ton of engagement and interest throughout this campaign.

COMMUNICATION  

So, as noted, I'll be sending out updates once a month and whenever we've got a new goal, survey, or other item to cover.

If you have any questions or need clarification on something related to the kickstarter, you can leave it in the comment section - I will be notified with every addition. Or, you can find the Contact Creator button and Rich will forward your message to me.

For rules stuff and questions about the game itself, it's probably best to visit the Onyx Path forums and talk directly with the team there: http://forum.theonyxpath.com/forum/main-category/exalted

(If you want to see amazing engagement, check out the ASK THE DEVS thread and see a TON of pages of questions and answers from the awesome team responsible for this book!)

So, thanks again everyone! And let's celebrate White Veil style!

Which is not a thing.

#EX3DB

- James

Final Hours: Checklist & What Comes Next
about 6 years ago – Thu, Apr 26, 2018 at 10:21:43 AM

Hello Dragon-Backers,

We're about to enter the final three hours of the campaign. It's going to be quite exciting - the past 24 hours have been a rocket ride, and I don't see that slowing down until the very end.

First off, huge welcome to all new backers! A quick tour of the basics:

CHECKLIST

1. REWARD TIER, ADD-ONs, PLEDGE TOTAL

Please ensure you've selected the Reward Tier that best represents your desired rewards for this project. An update breaking down all of the Reward Tier decisions is HERE <link>, summarized by this chart:

 There are also a handful of premium, special reward tiers that offer some greater interaction with the setting and developers:

Click HERE for the Reward Tier Master List.

Once you're sure you've selected the correct Reward Tier, double-check to see if there are any rewards that you want to include via ADD-ON, as described in the update HERE <link>.

Your PLEDGE TOTAL is the sum of your REWARD TIER + SHIPPING + ADD-ONs.

Shipping is calculated automatically by Kickstarter, based on your location. Add On rewards will be selected in the post-campaign pledge manager sent out once payment processing is complete.

SO: Ensure that you've selected the Reward Tier you want, and included funding for any Add Ons you wish to include. AND - make sure that you are comfortable with the Pledge Total amount, in terms of it covering everything you want and its' affordability.

2. PAYMENT AND CONTACT INFORMATION

Once you're comfortable with your pledge, please ensure that the payment and contact information in your kickstarter account is up to date and correct. Making sure your e-mail is entered correctly and your credit card isn't expired will speed up the next step process. (I have learned from experience!)

 
WHAT COMES NEXT? 

3. AFTER THE CAMPAIGN ENDS

First, we celebrate. Kickstarter will send out a "Hooray!" email confirming the campaign ended with final totals. We'll give high fives in the comments section.

Then, the Kickstarter payment process begins. Over the next two weeks, kickstarter will begin charging your payment methods for the total amount you've pledged.

If there is an issue with your payment method (expired credit card or incorrect number or pre-paid Visa awaiting funds, for example), Kickstarter will keep trying to process payment during this time. 

Once this step is done, which will likely be mid-May, Kickstarter will confirm everything with Onyx Path and transfer the funds over to them (less the Kickstarter fees, of course!).

Once the payment is confirmed, I can begin to set up the project with BackerKit and link it to the Kickstarter data.

Backerkit is a robust fulfillment management program that will allow us to work with all of the data and distribute the rewards to you. It will take me around a week to set the project up. Once I've got it all entered and built, the team from BackerKit will review to ensure I didn't mess anything up too badly, and then I'll make any changes they've suggested and we can move on to the Survey stage.

4. BACKERKIT SURVEYS

Once BackerKit says I'm good to go, I will send out a survey to all backers. This is why confirming your e-mail is important! The survey will list the reward tier you've chosen, confirm all of the rewards associated with that reward tier, and confirm your total pledge amount. I expect Surveys to go out 3-4 weeks into May.

If you opted to include any Add-On rewards to your pledge, this is the point where you will select them. BackerKit will deduct the cost of your reward tier (+shipping) from your total pledge and show you how much you have to allocate for add-on purchases. You simply select the ones you want and proceed. From that point forward, those add-ons will be included in your list of rewards.

During the Survey period, you can also also choose to increase your reward tier. If you've managed to get a tax refund and decide it's time to trade up to get two copies of the book or include another add-on, you can do so at this time. Note, you will not be able to reduce your reward tier selection, only increase.

If there was an issue with payment to Kickstarter, you should also be able to address that at this point.

The survey will ask you to confirm your shipping address, even though it'll be some time before we ship out the final product. Do not worry about moving before shipping begins - you will be able to update BackerKit right up until the point that we begin fulfilling the final book. We will send out a notice prior to lock down so you can update any information.

5. REWARD DISTRIBUTION

Once we've got the majority of the surveys confirmed, I will be able to begin some of the digital reward fulfillment - primarily the Records of the Before PDF Bundle. I'm targeting mid-June to July for this (assuming surveys are mostly complete).

After that, Onyx Path continues the process of building the Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought deluxe edition, and begins work on the other items added during this campaign (Heirs to the Shogunate, the novellas, etc.)

This is a long process, but I will send out regular updates (usually at the beginning of the month) to keep you up to speed on our progress. There will be strings of updates that are just "still working on it," but I will share new artwork or information when I can.

Eventually, we will have a completed PDF of the What Fire Has Wrought. We'll take some time to distribute, review, and compile any errata or corrections that need to be made. When we've made any necessary changes, we'll send out updated copy of the PDFs and then begin creating print-ready files for the deluxe hardcover version.

It's a long road ahead, but one that we wouldn't be on if not for your support.

STRETCH GOALS

Last night, we hit another target, adding full color artwork to Heirs to the Shogunate (as well as one additional future supplement for Exalted 3rd Edition!)

And here are the targets for our final Stretch Goals:

At $325,000 in funding - HEIRS TO THE SHOGUNATE – REALM EXPANSION #4: War in the West Part 2 - noteworthy factions and characters involved in the War in the West get added to the Dragon-Blooded Companion PDF.

At $335,000 in funding - HEIRS TO THE SHOGUNATE – WARSTRIDERS EXPANSION - two fully statted-out warstriders, one each for the Realm and Lookshy get added to the Dragon-Blooded Companion PDF.

Three hours left! Let's make it happen!

#EX3DB

- James

Final Day: Stretch Goals
about 6 years ago – Thu, Apr 26, 2018 at 07:28:51 AM

Hello Dragon-Backers,

We're officially in the final 24 hours of the campaign. It has been nothing short of tremendous! 

We've had, and will have, a lot of new backers join in during these last few days. I want to take a moment to highlight some key Update posts that new backers may want to check out (and existing backers may want to read as a refresher!).

April 24 Update - Backers Only Manuscript Preview Part 5 - contains links to all 5 preview sections covering the entire manuscript for Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought. Yes - the actual book, in its entirety (well, consider it about 97%, as there may be a few tweaks and adjustments during the proof-reading stage).

April 22 - Final Days: Reward Tiers - your best starting point for figuring out which Backer Reward Level to choose to help support this project.

April 23 - Final Days: Add Ons - the important companion piece to the Reward Tiers topic.

 Click this link for the Reward Tier Master List.

Choosing the correct Reward Tier for your desired rewards, and then filling in any "gaps" with add-ons, ensures that you'll be claiming all of your desired rewards as a thank you for supporting this project and bringing this world to life.

Remember, your TOTAL PLEDGE AMOUNT is equal to your REWARD TIER + SHIPPING + ADD ONS. And we will confirm your Add On selection with our post-campaign pledge manager, Backerkit, a few weeks after the campaign ends.

On April 26th, I'll be posting one further "Final Day" update, covering What Happens Next and outlining what to expect once the campaign ends.

But until then, we're going to hopefully be racing through our final Stretch Goals of the campaign!

STRETCH GOALS

Over the course of the campaign, we've achieved an amazing 30 Stretch Goals! And, by the time you read this, we may have already hit another target!

A few of our Stretch Goal targets were themed around improving the deluxe hardcover edition of Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought, as well as rewarding the developers and their team. Thanks to continued backer support, we've increased the art budget for the book, added additional silk book marks, and added a pay bonus for the DB:WFHW team.

We've also added a few cool rewards that will go out to backers of all Reward Tiers to further enjoy the world of the Dragon-Blooded: a digital wallpaper and two Dragon-Blooded themed novellas. If you've loved the fiction in What Fire Has Wrought as much as I have, you'll join me in looking forward to more short stories set in this world.

We've also added a few more support options via Stretch Goal. Some new Add On rewards (the storyteller screen, the cloth map of the Blessed Isle, and the cloth map of Creation) as well as a few limited premium Reward Tiers.

The main focus of the Stretch Goal targets has been building the Dragon-Blooded Companion supplement, Heirs to the Shogunate. I don't want to say we started from the bottom now we're here, but look at the current contents for this book (all of which were added as Stretch Goal achievements):

• CHARMS EXPANSION - new Charms 
• LOOKSHY EXPANSION - Additional setting detail and mechanics for Lookshy, including stats and Evocations for their fabled gunzosha armor 
• LOOKSHY EXPANSION #2 - Additional setting detail and mechanics for Lookshy, elaborating on military forces and redoubts 
• LOOKSHY EXPANSION #3 - A section on the gentes and individual Lookshyans of note 
• FOREST WITCHES EXPANSION– Additional setting detail and mechanics for the Forest Witches, including mechanics for the dead of Atsiluth Eternal 
• FOREST WITCHES EXPANSION #2– Additional setting detail and mechanics for the Forest Witches, including stats for numina of the mists 
• FOREST WITCHES EXPANSION #3 - Forest Witch factions such as the Company of Thrones and the Table of Fiends, and individual Forest Witches of note 
• OUTCASTE EXPANSION - Additional setting detail and mechanics for outcaste groups 
• OUTCASTE EXPANSION #2- Additional setting detail and mechanics for more outcaste groups 
• OUTCASTES EXPANSION #3 - more outcaste groups and individual outcastes of note 
• CADET HOUSE EXPANSION – Additional setting detail and mechanics for the Scarlet Dynasty’s cadet houses 
• CADET HOUSE EXPANSION #2 - additional cadet houses and noteworthy cadet house members 
• PRASAD EXPANSION – Additional setting detail and mechanics for the Empire of Prasad 
• PRASAD EXPANSION #2 - the Dragon Clans and noteworthy Prasadi characters 
• REALM EXPANSION #1: War in the West – A section dealing with the impending war between House Peleps and House V’neef 
• REALM EXPANSION #2: Secondary Schools - materials to run games set in the secondary schools 
• REALM EXPANSION #3: Realm Civil War - a section discussing the run-up to open war between the Great Houses of the Realm 
• QC EXPANSION #1 – Quick Character write-ups for Tepet Arada, Ragara, Karal Linwei, Peleps Deled, and V’neef 
• QC EXPANSION #2 - Quick Character write-ups for Sesus Eshuvar, Kingfisher Swift, Left Hand Chalima, Righteous River, and Yushoto Mathar 
• CHAPTER FICTION - a short fiction piece illuminating the world of the Dragon-Blooded will be added to the beginning of each chapter

Those are some remarkable accomplishments. But we're not done, are we? With less than 24 hours, we've got a few more targets we can look at hitting:

At $305,000 in funding - HEIRS TO THE SHOGUNATE – PLAYER HANDOUTS - 2-page player handouts for the five Dragon-Blooded background options (The Realm, Lookshy, Prasad, the Forest Witches, and Outcastes) get added to the Dragon-Blooded Companion PDF.

At $315,000 in funding - HEIRS TO THE SHOGUNATE – ART UPGRADE - interior illustrations for the Dragon-Blooded Companion - as well as one future supplement for Exalted 3rd Edition - will be upgraded to full-color.

At $325,000 in funding - HEIRS TO THE SHOGUNATE – REALM EXPANSION #4: War in the West Part 2 - noteworthy factions and characters involved in the War in the West get added to the Dragon-Blooded Companion PDF.

At $335,000 in funding - HEIRS TO THE SHOGUNATE – WARSTRIDERS EXPANSION - two fully statted-out warstriders, one each for the Realm and Lookshy get added to the Dragon-Blooded Companion PDF.

More Stretch Goals, Not Much More Time

I know these numbers may seem daunting, but they wouldn't be STRETCH goals if we didn't have to really STRETCH to reach them!

So, as every update concludes: let's keep the enthusiasm rolling! Keep spreading the word and letting others know about this project. They've got less than 24 hours to jump in and share the THIRTY (soon to be THIRTY-ONE) Stretch Goals we've already achieved!

And every backer who joins in as we approach the end is not only able to enjoy the additional rewards already added by the early fans and backers, but also help reward those early backers by expanding everyone's stretch goal rewards!

Remember, only the funds generated during the Kickstarter campaign go toward achieving these Stretch Goal targets, so the time to act is now! Together, we can make great things happen!

#EX3DB

- James

Final Days: REWARD TIERS
about 6 years ago – Wed, Apr 25, 2018 at 12:33:50 PM

Hello Dragon-Backers,

We are about to officially enter the 4-day countdown! It's been an awesome journey and we've hit a ton of Stretch Goals, and there are still more to come!

I'm expecting things to pick up even more over these final days as we approach the end of the campaign. With that in mind, I wanted to touch on some of the basics to make sure that everyone has got all of the information they need to support the project in the way that works best for them.

Over the next few updates, in addition to the final manuscript preview, I'll be covering:

• Reward Tiers 
• Add-Ons 
• Stretch Goals 
• Next Steps
  

These updates will also give me an opportunity to share as much amazing Exalted artwork as possible!

BACKER REWARD TIERS

Like it says right at the top of the campaign page, we've come together to help create a deluxe version of Exalted 3rd's Dragon-Blooded fantasy gaming sourcebook. To borrow an analogy that I've used in past Kickstarter campaigns, this works similar to the "Viewers Like You" support campaign from your local PBS Station (for those who get American television channels): There are various levels of support that you can pledge to, and these come with various levels of rewards. Like getting a tote bag or t-shirt when you give money to public broadcasting to fund them doing their thing, you can get rewards for helping Onyx Path work on this project.

Let's review the Backer Reward Tiers to ensure that you've pledged to a Reward Tier that provides all the rewards you wish to receive.

First Decision: DELUXE HARDCOVER or Strictly Digital

The main reward, and main goal, of this campaign is the limited edition Deluxe Hardcover version of Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought. The total print quantity for this book will be based on support generated through this campaign - it will not be available in deluxe form at traditional retail storefronts. If you want a deluxe hardcover version of this book, you must ensure that you've selected an appropriate Reward Tier.

Strictly Digital - If you only want a PDF copy of this rulebook, there are 9 different options. This may seem complicated at first, but the difference is all in the additional rewards that you want to include with your PDF. Each of these will be outlined below.

Deluxe Hardcover + PDF -  Note that all Reward Tiers that include the Deluxe Hardcover version of Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought ALSO include a PDF copy of the book. Again, there are 9 different "core reward" configurations, each including a different assortment of additional rewards.

The only Reward Tier that does not include the PDF version of the book is the Realm Patrician Previews tier. You should select this Reward Tier if you want to read the manuscript previews posted in the Backers-Only updates but do not wish to receive either a PDF or deluxe hardcover version of the final book.

Second Decision: ADDITIONAL REWARD CONFIGURATION

Click HERE to open a larger version of the full Reward tier chart.

Once your primary decision between PDF-only or deluxe hardcover + PDF has been made, it's time to consider which additional rewards you wish to receive.

MANUSCRIPT PREVIEWS – All Reward Tiers include access to Backers-Only manuscript previews. By Tuesday, I will have posted the entire manuscript in 5 sections. You must be a backer to access these previews.

DRAGON-BLOODED: HEIRS TO THE SHOGUNATE – A PDF of supplemental rules and extra material for the Dragon-Blooded of Exalted. Together, we have built the list contents via Stretch Goal additions. At the time of this posting, the contents for the book include:

• CHARMS EXPANSION - new Charms 
• LOOKSHY EXPANSION - Additional setting detail and mechanics for Lookshy, including stats and Evocations for their fabled gunzosha armor 
• LOOKSHY EXPANSION #2 - Additional setting detail and mechanics for Lookshy, elaborating on military forces and redoubts 
• LOOKSHY EXPANSION #3 - A section on the gentes and individual Lookshyans of note 
• FOREST WITCHES EXPANSION– Additional setting detail and mechanics for the Forest Witches, including mechanics for the dead of Atsiluth Eternal 
• FOREST WITCHES EXPANSION #2– Additional setting detail and mechanics for the Forest Witches, including stats for numina of the mists 
• FOREST WITCHES EXPANSION #3 - Forest Witch factions such as the Company of Thrones and the Table of Fiends, and individual Forest Witches of note 
• OUTCASTE EXPANSION - Additional setting detail and mechanics for outcaste groups 
• OUTCASTE EXPANSION #2- Additional setting detail and mechanics for more outcaste groups 
• OUTCASTES EXPANSION #3 - more outcaste groups and individual outcastes of note 
• CADET HOUSE EXPANSION – Additional setting detail and mechanics for the Scarlet Dynasty’s cadet houses 
• PRASAD EXPANSION – Additional setting detail and mechanics for the Empire of Prasad 
• REALM EXPANSION #1: War in the West – A section dealing with the impending war between House Peleps and House V’neef 
• REALM EXPANSION #2: Secondary Schools - materials to run games set in the secondary schools 
• REALM EXPANSION #3: Realm Civil War - a section discussing the run-up to open war between the Great Houses of the Realm 
• QC EXPANSION #1 – Quick Character write-ups for Tepet Arada, Ragara, Karal Linwei, Peleps Deled, and V’neef 
• QC EXPANSION #2 - Quick Character write-ups for Sesus Eshuvar, Kingfisher Swift, Left Hand Chalima, Righteous River, and Yushoto Mathar
  

Additional Stretch Goal achievements may add additional sections on Cadet Houses, Prasad, the War in the West, as well as new fiction at the beginning of each chapter, player handouts for the Dragon-Blooded background options, full-color artwork, and possibly even some fully statted-out warstriders. We've added so much already, but by spreading the word, sharing our enthusiasm, and recruiting additional backers, we can continue to grow this supplement into something even MORE amazing.

RECORDS OF THE BEFORE – A bundle of relevant PDFs from previous editions of Exalted, the Records of the Before can provide inspiration and ideas for your Dragon-Blooded game. This bundle includes the following titles:  

• Exalted: The Dragon-Blooded (1E) 
• Aspect Book: Earth (1E) 
• Aspect Book: Fire (1E) 
• Aspect Book: Air (1E) 
• Aspect Book: Water (1E) 
• Aspect Book: Wood (1E) 
• Exalted: The Outcaste (1E) 
• Blood and Salt (1E) 
• Thousand Correct Actions of the Upright Soldier (2E)
  

PDF Rewards will be fulfilled by DriveThruRPG. Previously-released titles are the ones currently available from DrivethruRPG.com and were created as best they could be depending on the state of the files. So quality may vary from title to title.

EXALTED 3RD EDITION PDF – the core rules for playing Exalted, and the foundation for the Dragon-Blooded rules presented in What Fire Has Wrought. Exalted 3rd Edition depicts both a revitalized and expanded Creation, and the triumphant return of the Solar Exalted—but whether their rebirth will herald the salvation or destruction of the world, none can say. The system redesign takes the best parts of the previous editions and streamlines the mechanics for maximum playability.

THE REALM PDF - The next expansion being released for Exalted, The Realm is an in-depth guide to the Realm's history, culture, and politics. It details the institutions of the Scarlet Empress' control: the ministries of the Thousand Scales, the Immaculate Order, the mighty Imperial legions, and more. It also explores the many lands the Realm holds, from the prefectures of the Blessed Isle, to the conquered satrapies of the Threshold, to the weird continent of the Caul.

We've been sharing previews of The Realm on each Saturday during the campaign.

Finally, the "at cost" Print-on-Demand option, backers receiving the deluxe hardcover version of Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought will have the option of using DriveThruRPG’s Print-On-Demand service to purchase a physical, printed copy directly from their PoD partners at as close as we can get to the cost of printing and shipping (this cost is not included in your pledge, and you do not need to increase the cost of your pledge to use this option). When the PoD versions are available to order (which will be some time after the deluxe hardcover has gone to print), you will receive links to purchase these versions of the book from DriveThruRPG.com. You DO NOT need to take advantage of this PoD offer as it does not affect in any way your pledge rewards.

There's been a lot of churn - a lot of Reward Tier adjustments and changes by backers throughout the campaign, as Heirs to the Shogunate grew or budgets changed, or options were contemplated. However, in these final days, it's best to ensure that you've selected the Reward Tier that offers you the options and rewards you want to receive and are ready to lock down. This timing - before the campaign ends - is the absolute most affordable and inclusive these rewards will be, and will save headaches and heartbreaks if fully considered now.

WAIT! WHAT ABOUT SPECIAL REWARD TIERS?

Right! In addition to our "core" Reward Tiers, we've got two other areas for consideration. These are Multiple Copy rewards and Premium Rewards.

MULTIPLE COPIES

If you are backing for yourself and a friend (or just want a second copy for your collection), the Two Princes Conjoined in Marriage Reward Tier was designed for you. 

If you are the point person for your entire gaming group and need 5 copies of the deluxe hardcover, the Sworn Kinship is your clear choice.

And, finally, if you are a retailer interested in making this available in your store -again, this will not be available through traditional distribution, this is the only way to get it - a special retailer tier, The Master of Orphans, is open to you upon prior approval from Onyx Path (please email [email protected] prior to selecting this reward to confirm your status)

PREMIUM REWARD TIERS

These special reward tiers offer some enhanced interaction with the setting, from naming characters to helping develop custom Charms and heirlooms. These options are limited, however, and as of this posting, the remaining availability is

• General of the Maelstrom Legion - 6 spots
• Sorcerer of the White Register - 13 slots
• Admiral of the Fire Fleet - 5 slots
• Honored Elder of a Great House - 6 slots

DELUXE EXALTED 3RD EDITION

One final Reward Tier to mention - limited copies of the deluxe hardcover version of the Exalted 3rd Edition core rulebook were made available as rewards for this campaign. These were the very last of Onyx Path's copies of this book. As of this posting, there are 14 slots left for this reward. Once these are gone, Onyx Path will no longer have copies on hand or available to offer.

SUMMARY

So, with all of that said - consider your Reward Tier selection. Are you backing to receive your copy of the limited-printing deluxe hardcover edition of Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought? Have you considered which secondary rewards you're most interested in and selected the configuration that best works for you? Are you jumping on one of the limited premium reward options? 

Make sure your Reward Tier matches what you're looking for - or, at least, covers most of what you're interested in. Tomorrow, we'll cover Add Ons and talk about how to tweak your Reward List to ensure you're getting anything that's missing from your list.

And, with that, the final countdown begins. Let's lock in our Reward Tiers and keep working towards growing the project so everyone has a chance to join in. DO NOT MISS OUT!

#EX3DB

- James

Final Days: Add-Ons
about 6 years ago – Tue, Apr 24, 2018 at 09:37:03 AM

Hello Dragon-Backers,

Final 72 hours! This is another entry in my final days updates, covering:

• Reward Tiers (posted yesterday)
• Add Ons (today's topic)
• Stretch Goals (coming Wednesday)
• Checklist and Next Steps (coming Thursday)

Yesterday, I sent an update all about Reward Tiers. I hope everyone has had a chance to evaluate each Reward Tier and decide what the perfect level is for what you're interested in. Today, I'm going to write about small tweaks that you can make to your Pledge to ensure you've got everything covered. I'm also going to share some more artwork, because I think it's awesome!

 
First Step: Reward Tier

The absolute best way to ensure that you're getting all of the available rewards you want from this kickstarter is to ensure you've selected the appropriate Backer Reward Tier, as detailed yesterday. Selecting the right Reward Tier covers about 95% of the options available to you. If you want PDFs only, make sure you've selected the correct reward. If you want the deluxe hardcover version, double-check your reward tier to ensure it's featured. If you want the Records of the Before 1E and 2E PDF Bundle, make sure your Reward Tier includes that selection.

 
Click HERE for the Reward Tier Master List.

Once you've completed that important step, you're going to want to look at the extra rewards or any reward "bits" that don't automatically fall into your reward tier. That takes us to Add On rewards.

Step Two: Add-Ons.

If you've selected one of the "core" Reward Tiers, you've likely already included most of the rewards you most want. If you have one of the multiple reward tiers, or one of the limited premium tiers, you may want to make sure you've added on any other of the "regular" extra rewards that might not automatically be included (such as The Realm PDF). In addition to the rewards offered as part of the Reward Tier configurations, there is a Storyteller Screen add-on, as well as the two Cloth Map add-ons. All Add-On Rewards will be described below.

Each add on includes an extra amount to add on to your total pledge amount. Remember that your total pledge amount includes all shipping charges and not just your reward tier level.

Using myself as an example, my Archimandrite of the Immaculate Order Reward Tier is a $305 pledge, but my total pledge amount is $315 (inclusive of +$10 shipping charges to Canada).

To add an extra Reward from the Add-On list, I need to Add On the appropriate amount to my total pledge level. To do this, I click the MANAGE MY PLEDGE button on the top right, above the reward tier list. The system displays my current pledge, and with another click I can decide to CHANGE YOUR PLEDGE.

I'm urging everyone to be very careful and not hit that sneaky Cancel Pledge selection by accident!

I have decided to add the Cloth Map of the Blessed Isle to my reward list. That is a +$80 Add-On reward, so I need to increase my total pledge amount by +$80 to $395.

• $305 for my Archimandrite of the Immaculate Order Reward Tier
• + $10 for shipping to Canada (shown automatically by Kickstarter)
• + $80 for the Cloth Map Add-On

Once I've updated my amount, I click CONTINUE, and then double-check to make sure I didn't enter the incorrect total. 

It's important to note that there is NO PLACE in your kickstarter reward tier pledge to indicate which add-ons you wish to include, or give any reason why you are adjusting your pledge to a new amount. You aren't adding items to a shopping cart in this scenario - instead, you're adding pledge dollars that you will assign once the campaign ends. With this in mind, you may want to make a note of which add-on items and the associated add-on dollar amounts you've included if you're forgetful like I am.

Once the campaign ends and Kickstarter processes the payments, I will send out a survey via Backerkit - a complex system of tools used to manage the back-end of the kickstarter fulfillment process. When you receive the survey, you will confirm your Backer Reward Tier and assign your pledged dollars to any add-on items that you wish to include. I'll repeat and expand on this information in an upcoming post about "What Happens Next?" on the final day of the campaign.

ADD ON REWARD AMOUNTS

Note that physical rewards (hardcover books, reference screens, cloth maps) can only be added to Reward Tiers that already include the deluxe hardcover version of Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought, and therefore, appropriate shipping charges.

ADDITIONAL PDF REWARDS (can be added to any Reward Tier)

• Add $10 to your pledge total to include the Records of the Before PDF Bundle on your reward list.
• Add $15 to your pledge total to include a copy of Heirs to the Shogunate PDF on your rewards list.
• Add $15 to your pledge total to include a copy of The Realm PDF on your rewards list.
• Add $20 to your pledge total to add a copy of the Exalted 3rd Edition PDF to your rewards list.
• Add $25 to your pledge total to add an additional copy of the Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought PDF to your rewards list.

ADDITIONAL PHYSICAL REWARDS (can only be added to Reward Tiers already receiving a copy of the deluxe hardcover edition of What Fire Has Wrought)

Note options for US / Non-US Residents

• Add $110 to your pledge total to add an additional copy of the Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought deluxe edition to your rewards list. This Add-On can only be selected by US residents who are already receiving a deluxe hardcover edition as part of their reward list.
• Add $130 to your pledge total to add an additional copy of the Dragon-Blooded: What Fire Has Wrought deluxe edition to your rewards list. This Add-On can only be selected by non-US residents who are already receiving a deluxe hardcover edition as part of their reward list.
• Add $20 to your pledge total to add a sturdy three-panel Dragon-Blooded Storyteller Screen featuring the beautiful Dragon-Blooded art on the outer side, and a selection of charts and other info on the inside to make the Storyteller's job a little bit easier.
• Add $80 to your pledge total to add a 2' x 3' heavy canvas material printed with the amazing fully-painted, full-color new map of the Blessed Isle.
• Add $80 to your pledge total to add a 2' x 3' heavy canvas material printed with the amazing fully-painted, full-color map of Creation.
• Add $150 to your pledge total to include TWO CLOTH MAPS as part of your reward list.

After seeing that list, I realize that I'll need to add $15 to my pledge total to ensure that I receive a copy of The Realm PDF as part of my rewards. My pledge total is now $410

• $305 for my Archimandrite of the Immaculate Order Reward Tier  
• + $10 for shipping to Canada (shown automatically by Kickstarter)  
• + $80 for the Cloth Map Add-On
  
• + $15 for The Realm PDF

Add Ons AFTER Reward Tiers

Again, your first step should always be choosing the proper reward tier. In my example, if I had selected the Curator of the Imperial Registry Reward Tier instead, I would already have a copy of The Realm included on my rewards list, so adding a cloth map would put my total pledge at $250,

• $160 Curator of the Imperial Registry Reward Tier
• + $10 shipping to Canada
• + $80 Cloth Map add on

Similarly, rather than adding a second copy of the deluxe hardcover book to a Dominie of the Spiral Academy Reward Tier as an add-ons, I'm better off selecting the Two Princes Conjoined in Marriage multiple copy reward tier, which includes 2 copies of the deluxe book. 90% of the time there will be a reward tier already including the items you want.

The Hard Sell

That should explain the process of increasing your TOTAL PLEDGE AMOUNT to account for any additional rewards you wish to receive. Since increasing your pledge amount increases the overall funding level of the project, add-ons can help us achieve stretch goal targets, so it benefits us all to suggest that:

IF YOU WILL HAVE DRAGON-BLOODED CHARACTERS IN YOUR EXALTED GAME, I suggest you strongly consider a reward tier that includes Heirs to the Shogunate, the Dragon-Blooded Companion PDF supplement. We've built this book by achieving Stretch Goals, and while it may have been sparse at the start of the campaign, it's expanded into an incredible resource.

IF YOUR GAME IS SET IN THE REALM, you may want to look at selecting a Reward Tier that includes The Realm PDF as part of your rewards. The next supplement coming for Exalted 3rd Edition, The Realm features additional lore, information, and story hooks that will serve your campaign well.

IF YOU ARE JUST STARTING OUT WITH EXALTED, I recommend a Reward Tier that includes the Exalted 3rd Edition rules PDF. These are the core rules for Exalted, and the basis for playing a character in this epic setting. Also handy if you already have a physical version of the book but want something digital and portable (because the physical book is MASSIVE and HEAVY).

IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT, I'd suggest looking at one or both of the Cloth Maps as possible Add Ons to your reward list. Like the deluxe hardcover book we're funding, these items will see a limited print-run and limited availability. They will not be available through traditional distribution. These are not cheap add ons, certainly, but if you can afford it, they make excellent display items.

Additionally, this may go without saying, please review your budget and ensure you've selected the appropriate reward tier and add ons for your current financial situation. Kickstarter will begin charging your payment method once the campaign ends, so ensure you've budgeted correctly.

CONCLUSION

As we move through this final days of the campaign, please ensure you've chosen the correct Reward Tier for the rewards you want. And beyond that - please make sure you've adjusted your TOTAL PLEDGE AMOUNT to include the additional funds that will cover any add-ons you wish to receive.

On Wednesday, I will send another update detailing some information about Stretch Goals and what we've achieved so far, and what we hope to achieve in the final few days. Just before the campaign ends, I will also send an update detailing the steps that occur after the campaign concludes, including how and when to confirm your add-on rewards.

So, just like every update: Spread the word! Share your excitement on social media! Tell your friends! We're about to enter the rapid race to the finish line, so let's make sure that none of our friends miss out!

#EX3DB

- James