Swords & Sorcery & Mecha. One of Japan's most popular games from the golden era of RPGs finally arrives in English

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Swords & Sorcery & Mecha. One of Japan's most popular games from the golden era of RPGs finally arrives in English. Be a part of history.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — LionWing Publishing, a leading publisher of localized Japanese tabletop roleplaying games, is excited to announce that it will launch crowdfunding for its English-language edition of the landmark Japanese mecha-fantasy RPG Wares Blade via Kickstarter on August 26. A free set of quickstart rules will be provided alongside the campaign, giving potential backers a first taste of everything the game has to offer.


Wares Blade is the debut release in LionWing’s Legends of Japan retro-revival series, and marks the first time this seminal ‘90s title has ever been made available in the West. Developed in close cooperation with the game’s creators, the English edition will replicate the classic feel of the Japanese original while also including new clarifications, errata, and an updated layout. The aim is to provide nothing less than the definitive version of this much-loved title, extending its legacy to a new generation of players!


OVERVIEW


Released in 1989 by Hobby Japan, Wares Blade offers a unique blend of Western-style fantasy roleplaying and mecha action set on the sprawling continent of Ahan. Aside from its sheer size – and the dozens of theocracies, city-states, republics, kingdoms, and empires that inhabit it – Ahan’s most notable feature is the existence of Ryude, semi-sentient bio-mechanical warriors animated by enigmatic technologies. Tightly controlled and widely coveted, Ryude have fundamentally changed the way wars are fought and won.


The source of their power, the arcane Wares-Stones, also form the basis for magic in this land, being the foundation for both simple cantrips and apocalyptic wizardry. Practitioners of the art of Word-Casting use Wares-Stones to make the forces of nature their own, harnessing everything from sunlight to the powers of life and death. Other arcane disciplines of Ahan include Numenism, which draws its powers from the body’s vital essences, and Invocation, the manipulation of divine forces.


Wares Blade has the distinction of being the first major mecha-based RPG to see commercial release in Japan and became one of the most popular roleplaying games on the market, with 14 supplements and adventures released for the original line between 1989 and 1994. Hobby Japan also published a d20 version based on the Third Edition Dungeons & Dragons ruleset in 2008.


The game itself was a spinoff of Wares 1092, a popular novel series developed by the creative planning company Shindosha. Shindosha, whose experience includes work on properties such as Transformers and Mobile Suit Gundam, has overseen the Wares franchise since its inception in 1986, and continues to manage it to this day. Over the past four decades, the universe of Wares has been continuously expanded across multiple novel ranges, audio dramas, manga, model kits, and even console RPGs. A miniatures game, Wares Legion, was also released in 2019.


THE GAME


Wares Blade is a classic old-school fantasy RPG with an emphasis on exploration, grit, and luck. Players enter the lands of Ahan as "mavericks," wandering opportunists looking for a way to make a living by any means necessary. In their quest for fortune, they’ll inevitably have to contend with ancient relics, dangerous beasts, political intrigue – and the towering Ryude!


The English-language rulebook will be based on Wares Blade: The Revival, the revised and expanded starter book published by Hobby Japan in 1994. It features:


Four playable classes – Warrior, Word-Caster, Spiritualist, and Tradesfolk – each with their own distinctive perks and play styles
Flexible d10-based task resolution with a special Luck mechanic for overcoming insurmountable odds
A distinctive advancement system that allows characters to gain and improve skills by succeeding – or failing – at crucial tasks
Over 500 unique arcane techniques to learn and master
More than 40 unique mecha units to control and do battle with
A rich bestiary running the gamut from giant spiders to ghost ships and zombie mechs
An extensive setting guide introducing the lands and peoples of Western Ahan


In addition to securing a copy of the Wares Blade core rulebook in print or PDF format, crowdfunding backers can gain access to a number of Kickstarter-exclusive extras, as well as further game content through stretch goals.

About LionWing


LionWing is a highly specialized localization and publishing company committed to bringing captivating and imaginative Japanese tabletop games to the global audience. Founded in 2018, the company’s keen focus on quality and authenticity has made it a leader in the tabletop localization industry, bringing expertly translated and highly sought-after tabletop games from Japan to the English-speaking market.


LionWing believes that tabletop games should be accessible to everyone, regardless of language barriers. Their team of professional translators, editors, and designers work tirelessly to ensure that each game is accurately translated and beautifully presented.


For more information about LionWing, see our website. Follow LionWing on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.