You can read about the premise and overview to Numenera here, but here’s some quick answers to very frequently asked questions:
What products are there?
Right now, first and foremost, there is the 416-page full color rulebook, which we call the corebook. There’s also the 64-page Player’s Guide.
We also have two card decks, the XP Deck and the Cypher Deck. More products are on the way.
Is it a d20-based system?
While it uses a d20 prominently, it does not use the “d20 system.” It’s a brand new game, and quite different from d20 and D&D.
What’s in the Player’s Guide?
The Player’s Guide is material taken from the corebook. It has all the character creation material, and a brief overview of the setting and the rules. Basically, the stuff a player needs to get started. The idea is that a player shouldn’t have to buy a 416-page book just to play. The GM needs the extensive setting material, creatures, NPCs, adventures, and other material, but the players don’t.
Is the corebook available as an ebook/PDF?
Yes. Currently, from DriveThruRPG.com.
Is the corebook available as a print book?
Yes, from your local game retailer.
Are special dice required for the game?
We created some special dice for our Kickstarter backers (and are working on making them more widely available) but you can use an ordinary d20 and d6 (and the very occasional 2d10 if you want).
What other products are out there?
There’s an adventure that is exclusive to Kickstarter backers called the Nightmare Switch. We also did some signed promotional posters of the cover. But there’s a lot more on the way.
What products are still to come?
Well, as I said, we hope to have dice (from Q Workshop) available in the future. But perhaps more importantly, in October we’ll have a 96-page adventure collection called The Devil’s Spine. In January, we’ll release a 160-page bestiary. The line will continue with cool, beautiful products after that.
We’ll also have a number of eb00k-only releases we call “Glimmers.” These short, inexpensive products will cover varied topics, from adventures to setting material to variants to additional rules options. The first of these will be released very soon–it is the adventure we ran at GenCon called Vortex. Look for it in just a few weeks.
There’s a computer game too?
Ye, there’s Torment: Tides of Numenera, a computer game based on Numenera and set in the Ninth World from inXile Studios.
When will the computer game be out?
2015.
Does Monte have a role with the Torment game?
I’m writing a part of it, as is Numenera editor Shanna Germain. We also will be overseeing all of it to make sure it is true to Numenera. So far, it is amazing.
I was a Kickstarter backer or I preordered the corebook from you. When should I expect it to arrive?
Books started shipping more than a week ago, but it’s a huge process and sometimes shipping can be slow–particularly overseas. Depending on where you live, you can expect your shipment anywhere from now to a week or two from now. Many people have already received theirs, so yours should arrive soon!
Also, please keep in mind that follow-up books, such as the Bestiary, will ship when they are available. The Kickstarter launched an entire product line, so backers will be getting cool stuff shipped to them for months to come!
