ProgCore is many things, including an aesthetic for your 5e TTRPG. It offers a system-agnostic sourcebook, actual play, a soundtrack, and even animation.
There’s a steep goal, though, with a target of $150,000 to meet but the campaign has a month to go and is about 33% of the way there. You can see progress on Kickstarter.
Todd Stashwick and David Nett are actors and writers with a combined 85 years of tabletop RPG experience. They’ve collaborated on various RPG projects, including streaming shows, web series, and books. They founded ProgCore Fantasy LLC to focus on progressive, collaborative creative endeavours in RPGs and other media.
The pitch for ProgCore is that there should be Wonder, Mystery, and Danger in the spirit of 1970s and 1980 fantasy movies. Todd and David cite Dragonslayer, Legend, Labyrinth, and Ladyhawke as inspirations along with bands like Rush, Styx and King Crimson. I’m getting touches of Dark Metal from their sample animation.
In the Dark Age of Theer, magic is a rare and awe-inspiring force, and this setting is brought to life in the book’s second half. The remnants of a fallen civilization both taunt and intrigue, while dragons embody the terror of the unknown. The inhabitants live amidst the ruins of past greatness, their lives shaped by mystery and ever-present danger.
5e isn’t forgotten, and there’s an official conversion guidelines should people need them,
Given that we’re dealing with actors, there’s also an actual documentary-style play series on offer.
We start with a group of seven friends (David Nett, Todd Stashwick, Marc Bernardin, Anjali Bhimani, Felicia Day, Dr. Drea Letamendi, and Yuri Lowenthal) in a cozy, comfortable, real gaming setting (Todd’s garage, often referred to as The Nerd Lair). We add a whole bunch of cameras and microphones, and then leave us to play the game we love in the ProgCore style, the way we play when we’re alone together. With the help of a great documentary video team, we plan to capture the feeling of intimate, real-life play, those moments of connection and joy and fear between friends as they band together to help their characters (hopefully) triumph over darkness.
Backers at $20 get a signed postcard and can upgrade to the digital soundtrack.
It’s an expensive sourcebook reward, $50 being enough to unlock the ProgScore digital sourcebook and 5e Conversion Guide.
The print edition of the sourcebook and early access to the actual play episodes are added in at $75. Early access to the animation and soundtrack added (back) in at $100.
$150 gets backers a signed print edition of the sourcebook, plus everything we’ve seen before. That feels like a much more alluring offer than the digital one.
Special thanks, behind-the-scenes videos and stretch goals layer in at $200, $250 adds a virtual party invite and from here are many different tiers until competing $10,000.
ProgCore Fantasy LLC estimates December 2025 for delivery, except for the opening signed postcard tier, which is December 2024, and the Kickstarter runs until August 1st.
What do you think? Share your thoughts below in the comment section below.
