Hello, million-dollar backers!

We have a double bill of info this time, with updates from both Bruce and Shanna, so grab a drink and read on. 

Full time design for The Strange “2.0” is in full swing. That means new iterations of the mechanics for types, foci, and descriptors are in progress, as are some minor conceptual tweaks to the rules of translation. Translation is the process through which your character moves into new limited realities and takes on the context of a limited dimension seeded by Arthurian myth, a popular video game, or a series of novels about a murderous android. Making the process easier to understand and use at the table is one of my goals for this effort.

 

Many other updates are planned, including new adventures, organizations, and the evolution of campaign-spanning threats…

 

However, for this design insight peek, let’s return to the basic types. The Strange was originally published with three types—the Paradox, the Spinner, and the Vector.

 

The new Strange is probably going to have about seven. Working names are:

 

Vector 

 

Take a gander at the draft text introducing the first of these—the Librarian. 

 

Your love of reading sustains and nourishes you. Books number among your oldest friends. They’ve always been your most profound refuge. The more you read, the more you feel like you know the characters as well as or better than your actual friends. That eventually proved literally true—somehow, you’ve learned to pull animals, objects, and even individuals from fiction and directly into the real world.

 

Plus the draft names of the Librarian’s tier 1 special abilities:

 

Sound like fun? Yeah, I can’t wait! 

                                                                                                    – Bruce Cordell, June 2026
 

Predation is nearly complete, and it’s full of all kinds of new character options, abilities, cyphers, dinosaurs, and adventures! Here’s a sneak peek at the types that you’ll be able to choose from for your characters:
 
Baronyx. Much like an ambush predator, you’re a sneaky, rogue-y type who leans toward light armor and light melee weapons.
 
Dino Whisperer. You have an uncanny ability to interact with the creatures around you and you work best in collaboration with them.
 
Dinophile. A walking encyclopedia, you’re full of useful (and perhaps some less-than-useful) knowledge that just might save the day and solve the mystery.
 
Karn. A strong, fighter type, you like heavy weapons and getting right in the middle of the fray.
 
Mimic. Your style is ever-changing, as you pull tricks and techniques from those around you and put them to good use.
 
Osteon. Storytellers and soothsayers, you’re able to connect to the future and the past through your tales of wonder and woe.

Pteryx. Explorer, wanderer, wonderer—you love to move through the world, discovering it (and yourself) as you go.
 
Sawbones. You’re a caretaker who patches up your team and can turn your healing skills into hurting skills when necessary.
 
Scav. The world gives you what you need if you know how to find it—you scavenge and combine whatever’s around so that you can survive and even thrive.
 
Tachyon. Wielding dual weapons and moving at the speed of light, you harness the power of time in every action you take.

Tec. A geek through and through, you use science and technology to solve problems, defend your allies, and save (or possibly) break the world.

                                                                                                       – Shanna Germain, June 2026

Next time we'll have more how to use Cypher in your game right now. Thanks again for your support. 

– Team MCG