Yes. This new version of Numenera is a setting for the Cypher roleplaying game; unlike past editions it isn't a standalone game on its own. The new Cypher corebooks are in production now, and will be out this summer—well ahead of Numenera. You will need the Cypher Character Rulebook (and ideally the Cypher GM's Guide, though that's optional) to play Numenera. You can get these books at a specially discounted backer price as an add-on through this campaign, and they'll be delivered as soon as they're available.

Obviously, if you’re very familiar with the Ninth World, you’ll see familiar regions like the Steadfast and the Beyond (we want new GMs to experience the wonders of these places just like you did), but we’re creating additional details within those areas for you to use. Plus, we’re also adding new regions to discover and explore. And expect to see new creatures, cyphers, artifacts, and all-new adventure content as well. We want to make sure new players have access to the fundamentals of the Ninth World you may already be familiar, while adding loads of new content for experienced players to discover.

We don’t have details of that sort to share at this time. Design is ongoing, and at this point even some of the bigger design decisions haven’t been finalized. What we can promise is all of the mystery, astonishment, mind-blowing inspiration, and just plain fun that’ve been the hallmark of Numenera and the Ninth World for thirteen years!

Most content in the many existing Numenera products is compatible with the new edition of Numenera and with the new Cypher rules. Here’s a breakdown: We aren't rebooting or retconning any of the existing world lore. All of the content describing the vast Ninth World, in the dozens of existing Numenera products, remains "true" in the new edition. (Furthermore, it's always our position that your campaign is, well, yours. There is no official "canon" Ninth World; there's only the canon in your version of it. So if we do slip in a discrepancy, we absolutely encourage you to interpret it as best fits your vision.) The central mechanic in Cypher for resolving tasks isn’t changing. If, for example, disarming a trap in an existing adventure is a difficulty 4 task, it’s still a difficulty 4 task, and it works the same way. Anything with a level (and that’s everything) resolves the same way. You can use any of the hundreds of existing creatures that appear in Numenera products by making a simple change to the damage it inflicts. The instruction is a single sentence, and takes a mere second or two to implement. Creatures and tasks are the primary mechanical element of most adventures. So if you can make the small damage adjustment to creatures encountered, you can use any adventure as written! Existing cyphers, artifacts, and other items are generally compatible with the new Cypher (because their effects are generally tied to their level), but you may find similar options in the new edition that are easier to use (due to streamlined duration rules and similar changes). Likewise, many character options like types, foci, and specific abilities have been updated in the new Cypher rules, and you may find the new versions easier to use. You can still use character options that haven’t been updated—abilities that give skills, Pool points, or a special attack work pretty much the same—but you may want to tweak some of them a bit to fit the new rules.

Absolutely! We’ll provide guidelines when the new edition is available.

Yes. The decks are accessories that speed play, add convenience, and give you inspiration. Their content comes from the books. All of the creatures, cyphers, artifacts, and so on that appear in the decks are also included in the books.

Backers at the ALL-IN pledge levels get early access to the text content of the new Numenera. This will consist of text documents for those books. We’ll deliver them as soon as the text is complete and presentable (meaning through the early stages of editing, but not necessarily proofed or finalized). We expect to deliver these documents later this year. Although these drafts will not be formatted or laid out, they’ll include the full text of the book, so you can start experiencing this new version of Numenera!

The existing PDFs offered as a free bonus at each pledge level are just that: A bonus. A gift to you for your support in making the new edition of Numenera a reality. A freebee. The cost of these items isn’t factored into the price of your pledge—they’re literally a free extra. If you’re a past backer, or you’ve purchased these titles in the past—thanks! You’ve helped keep us in business, and your support of Numenera has brought us to where we are now! We hope you’ve enjoyed them. Please remember that even if you’re missing one single title (out of the nearly 50 we’re offering), you’re getting something extra for free. And if you have every single title, well, again—thanks! But we can’t replace this offer with anything else. THAT SAID: If you’d like to gift your free PDFs to another gamer who might love to discover or explore the Ninth World, we’ll facilitate that. You’ll be able to give the corebooks, or any or all of the three collections, to a friend. You’ll tell us your friend’s email address in the pledge manager, and we’l deliver the PDFs to them instead of to you. There’s no practical way to do this on a title-by-title basis. For each collection (the corebooks, the Adventure Collection, the Sourcebook Collection, and the Ninth World Collection) you’ll decide whether the PDFs go to you or someone else instead. Gifted PDFs will be delivered via the MCG Shop or DriveThruRPG (your friend can choose either one), but they won’t be downloadable directly via BackerKit.

The original Numenera spawned Cypher, a game engine optimized for the sort of discovery-oriented, narrative-focused, character-driven experiences Numenera is all about. If you want a game that’s fast-paced, easy to GM, and filled with tools for building the stories you really want to play, you’ll love Cypher. If you’d still rather stick with 5E, that’s fine too. You can already experience the Ninth World for use with 5E; check out Beneath the Monolith at the MCG Shop!

As a thank-you to you, our backers, we’re going to give your copy of Numenera some premium features that won’t be available to future purchasers. The content won’t be any different, but look for premium features to be added as stretch goals the campaign progresses.

Both VTT implementations include complete compendium access for the titles they’re associated with, along with other resources like character sheets and creature tokens for the game they’re made for. Thus, they are different things, in the same way that the books are different things.

At this point, we only have the resources to support Roll20 and Alchemy. We're looking into even more options, however, including Foundry, and maybe it's something we can explore through this campaign.

Unfortunately, that’s a glitch in BackerKit’s system. There’s only the one special d20; you receive it by meeting either (or both) criteria: signing up and/or backing early.

The Catechism of Lore is a campaign-length adventure book that takes beginning characters through a journey that will see them advance substantially through the tiers. It’ll be a great campaign for any Numenera fan, but it’s specially designed to make it easy for those new to the game and the Ninth World. It’s great for beginning characters (and players, and even GMs!), and will take them on an epic journey!

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