ElfQuest TTRPG Returns For New Printing

Chaosium is bringing back the ElfQuest roleplaying game. Today, Chaosium announced that it would produce a "classic reissue" of ElfQuest: The Official Roleplaying Game, which was originally released in 1984. The game is an official adaptation of the popular fantasy indie comic created by Wendy and Richard Pini. A Kickstarter for the RPG will launch in October 2024, with plans to publish the game in its original box edition format, with later supplements included. The Kickstarter will help fund new printings of all the 1984 publications.

ElfQuest is a culturally significant comic first published in 1978. The Pinis chose to self-publish the original series, although it was later reprinted by Marvel and DC, with Dark Horse publishing a follow-up series called The Final Quest. ElfQuest was one of the first "indie" comic successes, bridging the divide between the underground comics movement and the later explosion of indie comics during the 1980s and 1990s.

The ElfQuest TTRPG uses Chaosium's Basic Roleplaying System and was originally written by Steve Perrin, Sandy Petersen, and Yurek Chodak. Chaosium president Rick Meints will lead the Chaosium team working on the new reprint, with Meints also having led the Call of Cthulhu Classic and RuneQuest Classic reprints. The Pinis will work with Chaosium on the new ElfQuest RPG's development and presentation.

 

[overgeeked]

Sweet. I still have my original paperback on the shelf.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

One of these days, I need to get around to finishing at least the original storyline. (I gather the later stuff was a big step down in quality.) I feel like I only got as far as them reaching the elves who had the first hints of space stuff going on and stopped there.

 

[sevenbastard]

I rember seeing a lot of ELFQuest back in the day but never reading any more than a glance. Never been a comic guy. But the pedigree on the RPG design team is fierce.

Steve Perrin, Sandy Petersen, and Yurek Chodak.

Might need to check it out

 

[Sketchpad]

One of these days, I need to get around to finishing at least the original storyline. (I gather the later stuff was a big step down in quality.) I feel like I only got as far as them reaching the elves who had the first hints of space stuff going on and stopped there.

From the comics? It's been the Pinis behind the wheel in some way or another for most of the series. So the quality has been maintained to the modern era IMHO. As far as the game goes, there wasn't a horde of books made for it. In fact, I believe that the KS will have most of it.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

From the comics? It's been the Pinis behind the wheel in some way or another for most of the series. So the quality has been maintained to the modern era IMHO.

That doesn't necessarily make a difference. See Alien: Covenant.

As far as the game goes, there wasn't a horde of books made for it. In fact, I believe that the KS will have most of it.

Didn't the game introduce dolphin-riding elves, which -- at least at the time -- hadn't appeared in the comics?

 

[heptat]

ElfQuest is a culturally significant comic first published in 1978.

1978. Clearly re-releasing for the nostalgia market (not a criticism). Had it (the RPG), read it, never played it.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

1978. Clearly re-releasing for the nostalgia market (not a criticism).

The people who love ElfQuest often really love it.

 

[Christian Hoffer]

1978. Clearly re-releasing for the nostalgia market (not a criticism). Had it (the RPG), read it, never played it.

Generally speaking, ElfQuest has a very loyal following of fans so I wouldn't call it a pure nostalgia play. Plus, Fox recently picked up an animated series based on the comic (although, several previous adaptations have died on the proverbial vine).

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Fox recently picked up an animated series based on the comic (although, several previous adaptations have died on the proverbial vine).

This is probably the best time since the late 1970s for A) animated fantasy and B) sexy animation, so fingers crossed.