Project Essence

An upcoming Tabletop RPG we are producing. This will be a xianxia game, a cultivation game, a roleplaying game, and a game about discovering yourself. We’ve crafted this game in a fundamentally different manner than what most people are used to out of tabletop games. Everything has been balanced and improved upon compared to tradition systems from speed of play, depth, switching from a combat focus to a balanced combat and narrative focus, as well as a few other changes we believe you’ll find pleasing whether you’re a player or a GM.

One of the most fundamental changes is getting away from combat based experience and leveling as a core focus. While improvements to characters can and will be made through combat, you do not cultivate(progress your character’s “level” through combat but through the act of cultivating. For more information on this, look on our blog for a short education on these concepts if you’ve never been exposed to cultivation fantasy.

A second improvement we believe players and DMs alike will enjoy is that the majority of the systems in place will reward experimentation and creativity. Everything from alchemy, artificing, and formations to beast farming and techniques, most aspects of this game are designed to allow creative thinking.

The objective for all characters is simple: To cultivate immortality. Whether you do so through body or through spirit, your aim is to shed your mortality to defy time and age. The path, however, is never simple, and there are many roads to Dao.

Now to address the elephant in the room: What is Xianxia? What is cultivation? We have posts about this on our main page if you’re curious. Go take a look. However, it’s not entirely necessary for you to enjoy this game as a player. GM’s however may want to do some research, but it can very much be part of the fun in allowing your players to discover the entirety of the subject through a fresh lens as it is very exciting to do so during a game. If you’re curious and don’t know, start here: https://immortalforgestudios.com/2024/11/what-is-cultivation/

Some elements have been added to this game that you will not find in traditional tabletop RPG’s. This is a cultivation game and we intend to keep it lore accurate. The focus of the game is to allow the players to discover the unique aspects of cultivation, of dao comprehension, of the intricate social systems present in xianxia and even the grand strategy elements of Sect interactions.

This is the type of game to build intense and extraordinary team dynamics. It is entirely possible for players to have many complex social dynamics with each other and the characters they meet in the world as the demand and drama of the cultivation world unfold for them.

Now, for Tabletop RPG fans:

What we’ve created here isn’t just another d20 system with a cultivation coat of paint. This is a ground-up reimagining of what a tabletop RPG can be, merging the strategic depth TTRPG veterans crave with the rich progression and worldbuilding xianxia fans love that you keep seeing them rave on about, and rightfully so.

Let’s talk about what makes this different. First, forget everything you know about traditional RPG advancement. There’s no XP grind here. No killing monsters for levels. Instead, your character grows through cultivation – a deep, personal journey of understanding both themselves and the fundamental laws of the universe. Your breakthrough moments aren’t just stat increases; they’re dramatic events that can reshape the world around you, complete with heavenly tribulations that might just kill you if you’re not prepared.

For the TTRPG veterans: Yes, we have crunch. Our system features intricate crafting systems for pills, artifacts, and formations that reward creativity and experimentation. Want to create a formation that turns your sect’s mountain into a flying fortress? There’s a system for that. Want to refine pills that let you survive in the void between stars? There’s a system for that too. Every subsystem is designed to interact meaningfully with every other, creating a web of possibilities that tactical players will love to explore.

For the xianxia fans: We’ve stayed true to the core of what makes cultivation stories compelling. The system includes detailed mechanics for:

• Face and reputation management that can affect your character’s destiny
• Complex social dynamics between sects and individual cultivators
• Dao comprehension that grows through both meditation and action
• Multiple cultivation paths including both body refinement and spirit cultivation
• A karma system that ensures heaven’s laws are always watching

One of our proudest achievements is the breakthrough system. Unlike traditional level-ups, breakthroughs in our game are dramatic events that require careful preparation, strategic resource management, and sometimes a bit of luck. Each breakthrough can grant unique insights into the Dao, affecting not just your character’s power but their understanding of the universe itself.

We’ve also revolutionized how combat works in cultivation games. While you can absolutely have epic battles that reshape mountains, combat isn’t the focus – it’s just one path among many. A clever cultivator might achieve their goals through pill refinement, formation mastery, beast taming, or social maneuvering. Every path is viable, and each offers its own rich progression system.

Speaking of progression, our realm system perfectly captures the exponential power scaling of xianxia while remaining balanced for gameplay. A Qi Condensation cultivator can still contribute meaningfully to a party even when adventuring with Foundation Establishment peers, thanks to our innovative formation combat system that rewards tactical cooperation.

For GMs, we’ve created robust tools for managing everything from sect politics to heavenly tribulations. The system includes detailed guidelines for crafting appropriate challenges, managing power scaling, and creating the kind of rich, multilayered plots that define great cultivation stories.

Whether you’re a veteran TTRPG player looking for something fresh, a xianxia fan wanting to create your own cultivation story, or someone entirely new to both – we’ve created something special here. This isn’t just a game about getting more powerful (though you absolutely will). It’s about the journey of discovering yourself, understanding the Dao, and maybe, just maybe, achieving immortality.

Ready to start your path to immortality? Join us as we explore what it truly means to cultivate.

Keep cultivating, fellow daoists. The path to immortality is long, but damn if it isn’t worth every step.

This game will be releasing under a soon to be announced name Late Q4 2024 or January 2025 at the latest.