Palladium Books® – Weekly Update – October 27, 2023

One game system – every genre – countless worlds – endless adventure

By Kevin Siembieda and Sean Owen Roberson

To say we are busy is an understatement. A glimpse at the three BIG events happening here in Palladiumville will explain everything.

1. NEW Sale! The Palladium Apocalypse Bundle of Holding launched Monday afternoon. It continues thru November 13 and is off to a great start. Enjoy gigantic Bundle savings on three fun apocalyptic horror settings – Dead Reign® (the Zombie Apocalypse RPG and sourcebooks), Splicers® (dark future, insane A.I., monstrous robot legions against the human survivors armed with bio-tech), and Systems Failure™ (human survivors battling against the aliens who devastated the planet). Limited time offer. It ends November 13, but getting in early offers the biggest savings. And maybe ask for some of these titles as physical books via Palladium’s Christmas Surprise Package offer (signed if you want autographs) to round out your physical book collection as well as your digital one.

2. NEW Sale! The 2023 Palladium Christmas Surprise Package offer is now shipping! Get your orders in now to beat the holiday rush and so you can buy 2 or more before the offer ends Christmas Day. This is the 25th year we are offering this fan favorite Christmas bargain. It is truly the best deal in gaming. Big savings, surprises, and autographs that thrill the purchaser. No other game company offers anything like it.

May we suggest the following plan of action: Halloween is one of mine and Kathy’s favorites, so we suggest you order some horror titles while you’re the mood for Halloween scares – Dead Reign®, Nightbane®, Beyond the Supernatural, Splicers®, etc. (terrifying fun anytime of the year). For the Thanksgiving holiday, order one or more Surprise Packages to get Christmas gifts for your favorite gamers – Rifts®, Heroes Unlimited, After the Bomb®, Palladium Fantasy RPG®, etc. Then for Christmas, order a Surprise Package to treat yourself, you deserve it. Just saying.

See more details elsewhere in this update and in the online store description, but do not miss out! One madman ordered NINE Surprise Packages this week! A few others ordered two, and there have been plenty of single Grab Bag orders. Keep ‘em coming and tell your friends.

3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness RPG Kickstarter! Please tell everyone that this beloved RPG launches as a TMNT Kickstarter on Halloween (October 31) as a super-deluxe, full color redux edition.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Other Strangeness RPG Turtles Go Hollywood Truckin' Turtles

* The 256 page, hardcover, core rule book collects the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness RPG, Turtles Go Hollywood and Truckin’ Turtles sourcebooks, and has oodles of bonus material that includes: tribute artwork, written tributes, the story behind the making of the RPG, and never before seen concept art. Artwork by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird (including their 8 page comic strip originally created exclusively for the RPG), Kevin Long and others, as well as new art by Freddie E. Williams, Sophie Campbell, Steven Cummings, David Petersen, and many others, all in glorious color.

Transdimensional TMNT Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures TMNT Guide to the Universe

* The 256 page, hardcover, sourcebook collection presents Transdimensional TMNT, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures, TMNT Guide to the Universe, including time travel rules, spaceship creation rules, dimensional magic, adventures galore, and more bonus material like tribute artwork, written memories by TMNT creators and a surprise or two. Artwork by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird (including two 10 page comic strips originally created special for these sourcebooks), as well as new artwork by Jim Lawson, Ben Bishop, Freddie E. Williams, Sophie Campbell, Kevin Long, and many others, all in glorious color.

* New Homage Covers by:

Freddie E. Williams II and Michael Majestic

* New Variant Covers by:

Kevin Eastman
Sophie Campbell
Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird

* NEW Black, White, and Red Special Edition Covers by:

Freddie E. Williams II and Jeremy Colwell
Yes, we are doing a special black and white edition with red masks for all the Turtles, plus red spot color for blood, headlines, etc.

* New Tribute art by:

Nick Bradshaw
Ben Bishop
Sophie Campbell
Jeremy Colwell
Steven Cummings
Luis Antonio Delgado
Kevin Eastman
Vincenzo Federici
Michael Gustovich
Scott Johnson
Peter Laird
Jim Lawson
Michael Majestic
Michael Mumah
Apollo Okamura
David Petersen
Ramon K. Perez
Fero Po
Kevin Siembieda
Michael Ruth
Freddie E. Williams II
Michael Wilson
John Zeleznik
And others may be added.

* New TMNT Game Master Screen

KICKSTARTER EXCLUSIVES

* Heroes Miniature Set (8 figures + stretch goals; the TMNT, Casey Jones, and more.)

* Villains Miniature Set (8 figures + stretch goals; Shredder, The Foot, the Terror Bears and more.)

* Custom Dice Sets created by FanRoll

Donatello Dice Set
Leonardo Dice Set
Michelangelo Dice Set
Raphael Dice Set
Shredder (aluminum) Dice Set

* Custom Dice Bag created by FanRoll

* TMNT Dice Tower

* TMNT Dice Tray

* TMNT Poker Deck

* Print Sets

* Stretch Goals and maybe a surprise or two.

Kevin Eastman, co-creator of the TMNT said, “This is incredibly exciting! I am 1000% onboard to help bring this historic and original TMNT Role Playing Game series back in a truly deluxe collector’s edition that will thrill original fans and open the door for new ones. I've made all my archives available for expanded behind-the-scenes content as well as a few top secret surprises you need to be part of. Stay tuned!”

Yin-Sloth Expeditions

UPDATE: Bestiary Volume 2 is far from forgotten. It, Yin-Sloth Expeditions, and Rifts® Antarctica, are the three books at the top of our To Do Next list. All of the Palladium stalwart fans are remembered and appreciated. Things got weird during the Pandemic and then when this opportunity with TMNT manifested we had to seize the day. The success of this license will only make Palladium stronger and help us move forward on many fronts to get you the books you want and have been patiently waiting for. The return of TMNT & Other Strangeness is just the first of many things being nurtured behind the scenes.

Bundle of Holding – Palladium Apocalypse – Now thru November 13 –

Dead Reign^® (Zombie Apocalypse) – Splicers^® – Systems Failure^™

Enjoy tabletop horror in the ruins of the apocalypse. Whether it is beating the odds against the hungry dead (Dead Reign), fighting the robotic army of an insane Artificial Intelligence (Splicers), or standing against inhuman alien invaders (Systems Failure), this Bundle has a little something for everyone. All use Palladium’s Megaversal game rules.

For those of you new to the Bundles of Holding, you pay less when you buy during the first week or so of the offer. Ah, but a Bundle of Holding is always a bargain no matter when you get in. Even on the last day! We recommend getting the Starter AND Bonus collections; $147 worth of PDF books for $28.36 at the current threshold price. Or get the 3 core rule books for just $9.95.

Bundles of Holding are a great way to build your PDF library on the cheap AND support a worthy charity at the same time – in this case, it is Direct Relief. Direct Relief sends protective gear and critical care medications to health workers, with emergency deliveries to medical facilities across the US and Canada and to regional response agencies around the world.

What’s that? You don’t use the Palladium game system. No problem. Dead Reign and Systems Failure are excellent introductory games; easy to learn and fun to play. Moreover, the characters, villains, weapons, skills, and settings are easy to adapt to 5E and most any game system. So get the PDF Bundle for the fun read and hundreds of ideas for adventures and heroism. Give power to the human spirit against all odds.

Please tell everyone about the Bundle before the offer ends. This really is a great way to build your super-hero PDF library at discount prices and help a charity at the same time. See details below.

The Bundle lineup is as follows:

STARTER COLLECTION starts as $9.95 US Dollars – retail value $47):

Splicers® RPG ($12.50)
Systems Failure™ RPG ($12)
Dead Reign® RPG ($11.50; zombie apocalypse; Palladium style)

BONUS COLLECTION: The threshold starts at $27.95 US Dollars – retail value $78. Seven Dead Reign sourcebooks + I am Legion (Splicers)

Civilization Gone ($6.50)
Dark Places ($6.50)
Endless Dead ($8.50)
Fear the Reaper ($6.50)
Graveyard Earth ($6.50)
Hell Followed ($10.50)
In the Face of Death ($14)
Splicers I am Legion ($19)

https://bundleofholding.com/presents/PalladiumApoc

How the Bundle of Holding Works: The customer can pay any price (minimum $9.95) to get all the titles in the Starter Collection. If you pay more than the threshold (average) price, which was set at $27.95 to start (but goes up as more people make purchases), you also get all the titles in the Bonus Collection.

Bargain price and charity support. The charity receiving 10% of every purchase for the Apocalypse Bundle is Direct Relief. Its sends protective gear and critical care medications to health workers, with emergency deliveries to medical facilities across the US and Canada and to regional response agencies around the world.

The Palladium Apocalypse Horror Bundle ends November 13; get yours now.

https://bundleofholding.com/presents/PalladiumApoc

All PDF bundles are hosted in association with OneBookShelf, DriveThruRPG’s parent company, and you get your PDF bundle added directly into your DriveThruRPG library. What? You don’t have a DriveThruRPG account yet? No worries, they are FREE and very easy to set up.

Please spread the word and tell everybody about this PDF bundle.

NOW SHIPPING! Christmas Surprise Package offer

What is a Christmas Surprise Package?

A smile and a hug that comes in a box filled with signed game books from available Palladium staff and freelancers. It’s a way for you to get physical books (and autographs if you want them) at PDF prices! $100+ worth of Palladium products for only $60 (plus shipping)! That can nab you four or more items when these days one core rule book can cost you that alone.

These Christmas Surprise Packages are our way of saying thank you for your support and showing you our love and appreciation. It’s a surprise because you never know exactly what you’re going to get or who will sign your books, because we pick from your Wish List and may surprise you with stuff you are not expecting. Extra items may include other RPGs, sourcebooks, issues of the Rifter®, novels, miniatures, prints, art books, greeting cards, T-shirts, negatives, and other items. Some books may be slightly damaged (scuffs, scratches, dings, a bent or crunched corner, etc.) so we can send you more.

No other RPG company on the planet has an offer like this. Truly the best deal in gaming to get unique and special holiday gifts for the gamers in your life, or for yourself.

Christmas Surprise Packages are not just for Christmas. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or the Winter Solstice, or you are looking for that special gift for a birthday, anniversary, graduation, or any special occasion that falls between now and the end of the year, a Surprise Package may be the ideal way to go. You get a ton of stuff on the cheap, you can get a bunch of autographs (if you want ‘em), and you look like you spent a fortune.

This is also a great way to try that game setting you’ve wondered about – Splicers®, Dead Reign®, Chaos Earth®, Palladium Fantasy®, Nightbane®, Beyond the Supernatural, Rifts®, RECON, After the Bomb®, etc. – or to get something for your favorite Game Master. Or perhaps, to get your player group to consider a new game or setting.

Your “Wish List” is vital – the Palladium Surprise Packages are designed to simulate the joy and surprise of the Christmas Season of Giving. To do this, you submit a list of 10-15 Palladium products (or more) FOR EACH Surprise Package you order. This list of 10-15 items for EACH Grab Bag is critical, because you will not know which items we will select to send you. That makes it just like a Christmas gift because it’s a surprise. Plus, Santa Kevin, who personally hand-picks every item for every Grab Bag, may toss in something extra like a limited edition print, or a negative or similar collector’s item, or an issue of The Rifter®, or something else he thinks you’ll enjoy.

Autographed books. For those of you who want them (which are most people), available members of the Palladium staff, and any freelancers we can lasso at the time, are happy to autograph each and every book in your Surprise Package. This is the only way many fans across the country and overseas can ever get signed books.

Send us your brief comments. There is a special form and format to fill out for Christmas Surprise Packages, including a place where you can offer your brief comments, suggestions, greetings and salutations.

First-timers are always nervous until they see the great value in their first Surprise Package. A typical Grab Bag has $100+ worth of product. Yes, often more for only $60 plus shipping. Many people order 2-3. Some order 4-6, and some maniacs order even more! It makes sense, because it is a great way to fill holes in your own collection, treat yourself, get autographs, try new games and settings, rebuild your collection, replace worn out books, and get your gaming pals gifts. Only from PalladiumBooks.com – happy holidays. PLEASE spread the word about this great offer.

To those of you outside the USA, the X-Mas Surprise Package is a way to get books and circumvent the damn high cost of shipping from the United States, since you are getting $110 (often more) worth of product and only paying $60 plus shipping. Shipping via Priority Mail International (required for packages weighing more than four pounds) to most locations in Europe, Canada and many other countries is around $70-80 US dollars. HOWEVER, because the cost of the product is so low, that’s the equivalent of paying retail for the products and only $20-$40 for shipping. A very good deal. Plus you get autographs if you want them! X-Mas Surprise Packages are the way to go for those of you outside the USA. Please take advantage of it to get all those products you’ve wished you could get except the shipping was too prohibitive. We feel your pain. Game on!

Please spread the word. The Christmas Surprise Package is only publicized by word of mouth, on Palladium's website, and social media, so please tell everyone you know. Buy one for every gamer you know. They make astonishing gifts for every occasion. Only from PalladiumBooks.com – happy holidays.

NEW on DriveThruRPG.com – Creature Feature^™ sourcebook for Beyond the Supernatural^™

NEW! Creature Feature™ PDF book on DriveThruRPG.com – due to popular request, this epic Beyond the Supernatural(BTS) sourcebook is now available on DriveThru for you digital enjoyment.

Creature Feature is for players and Game Masters alike and a fun read for anyone.

15 detailed and expansive supernatural horrors unlike any you see in most other horror games.
Creature encounter tables.
Tips on making (and playing) better creatures.
Rules clarifications (lots of them).
Player and G.M. tips.
BTS world information.
One full adventure and numerous adventure hooks.
Dynamic art by Steven Cummings, Phil Stone, and Siembieda.

Also available on DriveThru: The 1st and 2nd Edition Beyond the Supernatural RPG, and Boxed Nightmares sourcebook; not to mention Dead Reign® (zombies) and Nightbane® (Urban Fantasy/superhero horror). All these books, including BTS 2nd Edition (softcover and hardcover), BTS RPG 1st Edition hardcover, and the Boxed Nightmares™ (1st edition rules) are available as physical books from PalladiumBooks.com offering a Megaverse® of adventure.

NEW! FREE Nightbane® RPG digital Sneak Preview on DriveThruRPG.com – Have you been wondering what the buzz is all about for Nightbane® and Urban Fantasy? Well, now you can see for yourself with this fun Preview of the core rule book. There are also free Sneak Previews of Creature Feature™, Dead Reign®, BTS, and numerous Rifts® books and other titles, including Rifts® Manhunters™, Titan Robotics™, Northern Gun™ One and Two, Lemuria, and more.

300+ RPG titles from Palladium Books

No other game company offers game worlds for so many different genres. Best of all, learn to play one Palladium RPG and you can play them all, because each uses the same basic core rules and combat. There are differences, but the fundamentals are the same. This also means you can bring characters, villains, monsters, powers, magic, weapons, gear, and adventure ideas from one setting into another or mash them together!

Rifts® titles. Rifts® is the ultimate setting in which you can combine any number of genres and play any style of gaming you may desire: science fiction, fantasy, supernatural horror, heroic adventure, dimensional travel, modern knights, cyborgs, giant robots, dinosaur taming, sleuthing, magic, monsters, heroes and legends. Or combine them all. There has never been a game quite like Rifts®.
Rifts® Chaos Earth® titles. Live through the Great Cataclysm and the Coming of the Rifts. Rifts® Chaos Earth® RPG, Creatures of Chaos™, Rise of Magic™, and Chaos Earth® Resurrection™ are all available.
The Rifter® #1-85. Each issue is a wealth of source material for Rifts® and 3-5 other Palladium game settings. More than 8,600 pages of source material and counting. Most issues are only available in digital form.
Palladium Fantasy RPG® titles. A rich, original setting in which you can play humans or any number of nonhuman species of people in a world of magic, heroes and wonder. All of it epic.
Dead Reign® RPG and sourcebooks. The Zombie Apocalypse unleashed. A great introductory RPG that is surprisingly uplifting, fun, fast, and easy to learn.
Heroes Unlimited™ RPG Second Edition titles. Create any type of superhuman you can imagine to build your own super-hero universe.
After the Bomb® RPG and sourcebooks. Play anthropomorphic, intelligent, mutant animals as crime-fighting mutants and super-heroes or survivors of a crumbling post-apocalyptic Earth.
Ninjas & Superspies™ RPG and the Mystic China™ sourcebook. 41 types of martial arts, ninjas, super-spies, gizmos, mystic powers, and magic in the main book, plus even more in Mystic China.
Nightbane® RPG and sourcebooks – Urban Fantasy. Only you know the truth. Only you can see the Nightlords and their demonic minions, and you have the power to stop them. But you must transform into a monster yourself in order to use your powers. Trust no one.
Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG and sourcebooks. Modern horror; 14 character classes, 42 occupations for “ordinary people,” 100+ psychic abilities, 16 monsters, and more.
300+ Palladium titles in all, plus G.M. kits, paper miniatures and more. Palladium Books has settings for every genre: Fantasy RPG, science fiction (Rifts®, Splicers®, and The Mechanoids®), super-heroes (Heroes Unlimited and After the Bomb), superhero horror (Nightbane®), modern horror (Beyond the Supernatural), zombies (Dead Reign®), The Rifter® sourcebook series, novels, paper minis, and more.

Closing Thoughts – Ninja Turtles Excitement

We are bowled over by the outpouring of love and appreciation for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness RPG. Fans of the old game, people who have heard about it but never played it, comic book fans, and folks new to role-playing are all excited and talking about the Palladium TMNT Kickstarter launching on Halloween! We knew people loved this game but even we never realized how much.

We are seeing that same passion among the artists contributing new art splash pages – all of them amazing – and among the writers, artists, and celebrities writing their fond memories of what the RPG and the Turtles have meant to them. Comic book fans as well as gamers are going to want these two books (and variants) just for the gorgeous, full color artwork. And our partners at FanRoll are knocking out beautiful dice and dice bags.

We were thrilled when Kevin Eastman volunteered to paint a new cover and that Peter Laird wants to contribute as well. I love those guys; they are the greatest. We love TMNT super-fan and super-friend Freddie E. Williams’s covers and tribute art. The same goes for Sophie Campbell and her impressive cover and artistry. Heck, that goes for Kevin and Pete, Mike Majestic, Ramon K. Perez, Jeremy Colwell, Luis Antonio Delgado, and all our contributors. EVERY single person from artist to sculptor to celebrity is giving their all to every contribution. It’s been a truly beautiful experience to see their passion and love for this project. Wow.

These books, the dice, the miniatures, are going to be spectacular keepsakes and collectibles as well as being fully functioning role-playing game materials.

Please spread the word. You might think everyone will hear about this Kickstarter and these awesome products, but they won’t. So please, tell your friends, post on Facebook, Tweet and chat about it, and tell everyone you know.

A super-successful Kickstarter opens a lot of doors for Palladium Books, and will enable Palladium to accelerate our plans to bring you all the books you’ve been waiting for and more. Thank you for your support, friendship, and love for what we do. This is just the beginning. We have so much more planned.

Remember to take advantage of the Palladium Horror/Apocalypse Bundle of Holding happening right now. It’s a phenomenal deal and helps a worthy charity. And nothing beats our epic, 25th Annual Christmas Surprise Package offer, happening now till Christmas. I have been loading them up full of RPG goodies. Cowabunga!

Kevin Siembieda – Game Designer, Writer, Friend