I stand, quite apparently, very much corrected.

I'll just state this up-front: I suck at "deadlines." Unless they're work-related, in which case, I'm a Viking. Which is precisely what happened in all of 2016, the bulk of 2017, and why the Chimera Core still isn't finished.

But enough excuses, for progress has been made and things are afoot. To whit:

Chimera RPG® Core Rules

I've just finished the editor's revisions to the 2nd draft, and the final rulebook is weighing in at 128 pages--a deliberate figure, to be sure. The next step is playtesting, and you can expect an official announcement as early as next week, along with an application form if you'd like to participate. To keep this phase manageable, there will be only 12-15 playtesting slots, and playtesting will last only a month. After that, I'll collect written feedback, commit any updates, and release the material.

The only caveat is artwork: The playtest version has FPO graphics only, and while I have a short list of artists I'd like to work with, there are no deals yet, and I'm reluctant to delay any further. This means I'll likely use stock art in the final version, and perhaps run a Kickstarter for original artwork later. Suggestions on this tactic are welcome.

Finally, as frequently promised, the final release will be in PDF, RTF, and The Keep formats. Existing customers will receive the upgrade for free.

Chimera RPG® Basic Rules

You may already know that the Core Rules are not compatible with the previous Basic rules. This wasn't my original plan, but it is intentional. Basic had a few bugs, and fixing them was part of why I wrote the Core. But some of the fixes were more drastic than I anticipated (namely switching the primary mechanic from a 20- to a 12-sided die). Two outcomes from this:

1. I'm releasing a revised Basic ruleset to be compatible with the forthcoming Core. These rules will be a lightweight version of the Core and designed to be a low-barrier entry point into the Chimera RPG®. I'm pulling material from the Core now and expect the rulebook to be about 32 pages; it will be available when the Core Rules are released.
2. I'm renaming the current Basic rules to The Chimera RPG®: Beta Rules. This is the original, 2011 version of the Chimera rules, using the d20 Action Roll mechanic. While I do not plan to support it going forward, I have opted to release it under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license, which allows authors to revise and share their updates for personal or commercial purposes, provided they do so under the same Creative Commons license.

Final Words

Chimera Core is finally wrapping up. Look for a playtesting announcement next week. As always, I am vastly appreciative of your patience and support.