Summer is traditionally convention season. Conventions are kind of a big deal nowadays, and they run year ’round. But the oldest and biggest conventions in the U.S. still fall in the summer.

And lots of publishers time their major releases with these big opportunities to show their games off to thousands of eager customers. Here’s just a smattering of what’s coming this con season:

Boldly Returning

Modiphius Publishing is rolling out the second edition of their Star Trek RPG. It’s Star Trek Adventures all over again!

The new edition is said to be compatible with first edition, with some clean-up and improvements. The new edition boasts the abiltiy to play a game outside of Starfleet, so you can be a crew of Klingons, Romulans. Probably an Orion crew in there. It also adds Strange new Worlds to the mix, so it’s got all the Treks now.

This has been on pre-order since May and is slated for a “mid-August” release. But that usually means they have a few for sale at Gen Con.

Price: $65.42 pre-order.

Just Assassin Questions

Paizo Publishing launches a new Pathfinder 2E adventure taking characters from 14th–17th levels. Prey for Death lets players play as members of the notorious assassins’ guild, the Red Mantis! When the Red Mantis assassins kill you, you stay dead.

But when you dangerous assassin types meet with unexpected treachery, you must clear your names while remaining faithful to your murderous calling. Twists and reversals ensue.

Pathfinder Adventure: Prey for Death will be available in standard hardcover, special edition faux leatherette hardcover, and PDF format.

Price: $44.99 (Standard Hardcover), $64.99 (Special Edition), $29.99 (PDF)

Eversink Your Teeth into This

Pelgrane Press has a new collection of four one-shot adventures for Swords of the Serpentine available at Gen Con. These adventures were initially featured at a previous Gen Con, but now they’ve been collected and expanded with designer notes and updated rules.

The four adventures in this collection are a nice cross section of what Swords of the Serpentine does well: fun characters, unusual mysteries, high action, and devious plotting. From fledgling tier play, as plucky urchins fighting back against monsters when no adult will believe you, to Sovereign tier play, as rich and influential members of society’s elite who need to determine a corrupt judge for the good of the city.

Price: $21.95.

Find Some New Stars this Summer

Paizo Publishing is bringing a physical copy of their Starfinder Playtest Rulebook to Gen Con. This playtest rulebook brings Starfinder into the same rules engine that powers the second edition of the Pathfinder RPG.

This playtest book contains six new classes, ten ancestries (we call those “lineages” in Tales of the Valiant terms), new skills, new feats, futuristic equipment including augmentations and upgrades, new science-fantasy spells, and more! Playtesters are encouraged to fill out surveys and keep up with the process via starfinderplaytest.com.
Price: $47.99 (Softcover), Free (PDF). Check the Paizo Publishing Site for more information

Tales of the Valiant Comes in Books!

This year’s Gen Con features the launch of Tales of the Valiant hardcover books. The PDFs have been on sale, but now you can add protons and neutrons to your electrons and get atomic matter! To read!

The 2-book set consists of the Player’s Guide and Monster Vault. The Player’s Guide is a complete, 5E-compatible rule set featuring streamlining, upgrades, and a cartload of quality-of-life improvements to classes. Plus downtime rules, weapon options, and a feat system that you’ll want to use, which we call talents.

Meanwhile, the Monster Vault has like a gazillion monsters in it (over 400) with thorough guidance on how to make your own monsters and change them up to match your own game. It is a worldbuilder’s delight.

Be Bold. Be Brave. Be Valiant.

Price: $59.99 Player’s Guide, $59.99 Monster Vault. Check out our Tales of the Valiant RPG page for more information!

Hat’s All Folks!

You’re going to need something to keep the sun off your head and long hair out of your face this summer. That means we’re talking either bandanas or hats. Really, just hats. We’re talking hats.

Kobold Press, renowned haberdashers of gaming, has you covered. The head part of you, specifically.

Show your Kobold pride and you can also hide some snacks up there. They come in trucker and “dad” variety in an assortment of colors to match your favorite dice, perhaps? I hear some GMs give extra Luck when you’re all matchy-matchy.

Price: starting at $19 (trucker) TeePublic

This summer, Kobold Press will have booths at Game Con Canada and Gen Con, and we’re sponsoring the tabletop games track at Dragon Con this year! While you’re in the area, stop by to say hi!

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