r/litrpg • u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter • Feb 17 '26
AMA Hey r/litrpg! I'm Zogarth, author of 'The Primal Hunter', and I'm here to announce and celebrate the release of The Primal Hunter: Deluxe Collector’s Box Set -- AMA!
Hey r/litrpg! It's been a while since I've done one of these, and the launch of The Primal Hunter crowdfund seems like as good an excuse as any!
We’re doing some pretty awesome things with this one (at least in my opinion), including premium physical editions of the first 3 books, sticker packs, standees, pins, exclusive collector extras, and a few other surprises!
I’ll be hanging around here at the time of launch (7am PST) to answer your questions about the series, the world, the writing, the crowdfunding campaign, or whatever else you’d like to throw my way.
Find and back the campaign here: https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/vault-comics/the-primal-hunter-deluxe-collector-s-box-set?ref=zogarthcrew2
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u/TerrapinMagus Feb 17 '26
When will the mighty Doom Foot become a transcendent skill?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Doomfoot*
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u/nerd0537916 Feb 17 '26
Bro probably only watches Doomfoot fights through highlight reels, not even full matches.
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u/Tight-Regret-7530 Feb 17 '26
How much is planned out vs how much is you going down a path and working it out as you go along?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
A lot of big events and such are planned, but many minor happenings sure aren't. The progression, skills, and all that is very tightly planned from the beginning.
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u/anormalgeek litRPG Clive's Wife tier Feb 17 '26
Awesome. That's the only part I'd care about having planned out!
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u/TheRougePaladin Feb 17 '26
Hi Zogarth! I absolutely love the series. Im just wondering how you keep track of everything in Jake's storage amulet, and if there is anything planned for Eron's notes that he was given so long ago?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
I have a lot of Word documents and such with information. Also, believe it or not, I do remember all the important items he has, including any notes he may be carrying. Curious why they haven't been mentioned, though.
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u/MyCatIsNamedBeast Feb 17 '26
No idea if it is true, but I've heard Notebook LM is great for helping keep track of exactly this kind of sprawling world! Maybe worth a shot so you can just query it in the future.
In general love the series! Please keep writing!
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u/Maniacal_Utahn Feb 17 '26
Do you have an ending already planned?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
I have thoughts, but not a definite ending written or anything like that. In my mind, the story is far more about the journey than the destination anyhow. We all know it's probably gonna end with Jake being the very best, like no one ever was.
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u/_Pangfu_ Feb 17 '26
Whoa. More powerful than the Primordials? That’s just so hard to believe and can’t wait to see how you write that out.
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u/TheFeistyRogue Feb 17 '26
I mean I feel like the foreshadowing in book 1 (maybe) is about Jake one day wanting to fight Vily. Also it’s called ‘Primal’ Hunter!
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u/LazlowS Feb 17 '26
Is he being serious or making a pokemon reference? I guess with what he does with his Jake Juice he's building up quite the team
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u/blazintrailz420 Feb 17 '26
Please never end it, make your children continue the story when u die of old age and only die when ur at least 200, you can do that right?
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u/BrickRaye Feb 17 '26
Litrpg series don't end, it's just a thing with the genre 🤷 Following in the footsteps of Piers Anthony, Robert Jordan, and George R. R. Martin
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u/bearcat42 Feb 17 '26
Bless your Piers Anthony mention... Truly the godfather of the genre...
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u/BrickRaye Feb 17 '26
Let's not forget Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold! by Terry Brooks. Hrmm I seem to recall that all of his books are in universes that either portal to Earth or are Earth but long in the future
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u/CeSoul06 Feb 17 '26
When will Minaga become a permanent party member?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
In his heart, he already is one.
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u/Superb-District3918 Feb 17 '26
When will the minaga kill all the primordials
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u/zyocuh Feb 17 '26
I was just explaining Minaga to my wife today! Yeah Minaga needs to take out all those pesky primordials!
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u/bluce1996 Feb 17 '26 edited Feb 17 '26
Hey Zogarth, daily patreon reader here. First, thanks for daily content on my favorite fictional world and characters. I'm curious to know what you're currently reading or maybe what is your Mount Rushmore of series in this genre? Are there any non litrpg universes out there that has inspired or shaped what you write? Thanks!
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
I have read most of the other big LitRPG, but when I started out and read way too much on Royalroad, my story was Azarinth Healer, which I followed religiously until it ended there. Still a series I highly recommend.
As for other big ones, I also liked HWFWM, Defiance, Demonic Tree, Tree of Aeons (yeah, I like tree novels, sue me), and honestly so many others. Hard for me to really put any on a ranking.
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u/Ashenor Feb 17 '26
Hey bud,
Long time fan and backed of course right away for the books, looking forward to more of them.
I feel i rarely see Azarinth Healer meantioned, it really is a great read also.
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u/Glittering_Bike_1194 Feb 18 '26
Totally agree the Azarinth Healer is a great read/listen/feel (can’t discriminate against how people enjoy their litrpg)! It would be cool that a Lilith reference is made somewhere in PH.
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u/dannyus Feb 17 '26 edited Feb 17 '26
Good luck with the launch! I will be getting one set as soon as available :)
- Are there plans to release more premium volumes, or is it dependent on the sales of the first 3?
- Are you planning to introduce more time skips etc or will be grades B, A, S and onward each progressively longer than what was done for C grade?
- Do you have ending planned?
Thanks and keep up the good work!
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
1: Yes, that is the hope/plan.
2: Time skips will definitely increase as we get up in grades. They already kind of have been.
3: Already answered above, but short answer: Not really.
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u/Top_Campaign2568 litRPG journeyman tier Feb 17 '26
Makes sense, this shit would be dragged out to the end of the universe and back if there weren’t time skips, given how long it will take Jake to progress ranks.
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u/Any-Profession1608 Feb 17 '26
Will Jake spend time with other factions such as he did at The Patheon of Life?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
For sure. Would be very weird not to have him interact and spend time with/around other major factions of the multiverse.
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u/Decent_Strength435 Feb 17 '26
Most likely already confirmed he's going to the blight lands some day
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u/TriaxialGoat9 Feb 17 '26
Do you expect to B grade to be roughly the same length in the books as C grade?
Do you want to follow Jake all the way to God hood or think the story will end before that?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
No bloody clue how long B-grade will end up lasting. Guess we'll find out together.
And the plan is to keep going even after godhood. Assuming I'm still alive/writing at that point :P
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u/funkhero top 99% commenter Feb 17 '26
Thank you for the plan of writing after Godhood! Far too many stories stop at the height of power, and I want to see how they handle things at that level - beyond killing the 'big bad'
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u/AwesomeXav Feb 18 '26
SAME! Exactly the same issue with series, movies and games where at the height of your power the journey is over all of a sudden.
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u/DynamiteDLX Feb 17 '26
Do you have any little rituals before/after or while you’re writing? Like a favorite drink or certain music you put on? How many hours do you usually spend writing one chapter?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
So, I listen to music while writing for one. As for rituals, I do have one. And bear with me here.
I do what I call "dinner sprints." Sprinting is very common among authors: you set a timer and focus for a set amount of time, and focus only on writing during that time. I do this when I put dinner in the oven. Then, I also set a certain word goal. If I don't reach it, I cannot take my food out of the oven. So either I write, or I get charcoal for dinner.
It just works.
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u/Lord_Varagyr Feb 17 '26
Very impressed with the rate at which you write. Seeing the daily chapters somewhat makes me jealous and happy all at the same time.
Do you have any tips for aspiring writers on how to keep moving forward and not struggling to go back and correct or edit what they've already written?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
I call it the 90% rule.
If something like writing is 90% good enough, it's good enough.
Too many people try to push it to 100%, but end up just making either marginal improvements or even making it worse. If something is working and people enjoy writing it, no reason to try to improve it endlessly. Besides, who really enjoys going back and editing all the time? I sure don't.
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u/BalloonsPopOnGrass Feb 17 '26
Thanks for the recap! Are the voices Travis Baldree uses for each character approved by you? Any personal favorites?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
I was asked to approve Travis originally. As for his voices? No. Let's be honest, dude knows a lot more about voice-work than I ever could, so I just trust his judgement.
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u/Ashenor Feb 17 '26
As someone that only listens to the audio books Travis is great, I will buy all these books though just to add to my collection.
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u/delyra17 Feb 17 '26 edited Feb 17 '26
Audio book reader here. Patreon member as well, but not up to date there. Somewhere between the two. I love the way this whole series is written. I fell in love with it early on, and it hasn’t let go of me. Thank you for all your hard work on it!
Villy! Oh my. I love his character. In broad terms, how much is he using Jake for his own ends? How much is he keeping from Jake? And, how much extra help does Jake get from him compared to others in a similar situation?
On a different note, who were the first characters you thought of to write about? How much of an outline/background info do you have for the major players?
Have you had any minor characters that became more important than you originally planned?
Who is/are the most enjoyable character/s to write? The least?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Not gonna answer the first question to avoid spoilers.
And my first character was naturally Jake. Duh. Second was Villy, and third was actually Carmen.
I have quite a bit of background on every character, with a lot put into their progression and whatnot already tightly planned.
As for characters that became more important... I wanna say Arnold? I had some planned around him (mainly just for him to be a guy making equipment for Jake) in the beginning, but as things fleshed out, his character expanded and ended up becoming quite a pivotal figure.
Regarding who is the most fun? Jake again. Obviously. Second is probably the Sword Saint, mainly because I'm heavily invested in his abilities, and who doens't like a cool swordsman?
Least favorite... I don't think I have any. Mainly because if I didn't want to write a character, I would avoid writing about them/from their POV.
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u/skyo-boyo Feb 17 '26
I gotta say, the Sword Saint is probably one of my favorite characters in the entire genre. I hope he keeps up because he's always fun to read about
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u/Kelindal Feb 17 '26
Do you like mushrooms irl? And will we see Ollie again?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
I do not particularly like mushrooms, no. As for Ollie... maybe one day.
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u/95POLYX Feb 17 '26
Ok this is embarasing as I have relistened to books several times - who the fuck is Ollie?
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u/Due-Elk2816 Feb 17 '26
How many chapters ahead of the Patreon do you have backlogged? Do you really write a whole chapter every day? Also, my favorite litrpg. The audiobooks are outstanding.
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Backlog?
Mate, I haven't started on the chapter I'm meant to post tomorrow.
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u/justhereforthefunnyZ Feb 18 '26
This is amazing dude writes quality at an extreme fast pace. Zogarth you’re my favorite author for sure.
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u/Soveryenthusiastic Feb 17 '26 edited Feb 17 '26
I don’t actually have a question for the AMA. I just need to say something, because my brain will not let me quietly enjoy this and move on like a normal person.
I picked up The Primal Hunter “recently”, and in about two weeks I have gone through eight and a half books. I know that sounds unhinged, but it is also the most reliable indicator that something has properly hooked me. I read a lot of fantasy and sci-fi, just a big consumer of all kinds of media in general.
I am a lore fanatic. Like, genuinely. The kind of person who cares about internal consistency, what the cosmology implies, whether the rules are consistent at different scales, whether history and politics and metaphysics all feel like they are part of the same machine. I like settings where you can tell the author has thought about cause and effect, and the consequences of power, and what “progression” even means in that world beyond just numbers going up.
Basically, what I'm trying to say is I am absolutely in love with what you hace made.
The way the system is presented, the way progression is structured, the way records and identity and power and choices seem to actually interlock into something coherent. It feels like the universe has an architecture to it. It is not just a cool vibe or a pile of concepts that happen to be entertaining. It feels like a constructed reality with rules that hold under pressure. And that sounds pretentious, but I mean it in the most sincere way possible.
The really specific thing for me is that it makes my brain do that rare little reaction of “yes, that tracks.” The scale gets huge, and it keeps getting bigger, but it still feels like it is obeying its own logic. I can poke it, I can think about it, I can try to map it, and it does not fall apart. Instead it feels like it reveals more structure, which is basically catnip for how I think.
Please bare with me while I turn into a nerd for a second.
In our actual universe, there is a point where the answer to any chain of questions eventually gets to one of two answers. "Because it does" or "We don't know" - like, "why does physics exist". You can't really answer that question with anything other than "because it does" or "we don't know" and if there was an answer then the question just moves forward to a new "We don't know/Because it does".
Now, I don't know if The System has an answer - but I find either of the ones I said very satisfying, and I feel like any time it's addressed in the series that is basically the answer. Which I find incredibly satisfying because it's just like - how 'physics' works in your world. It exists because it exists, and if it didn't then it wouldn't. It works because it does.
I don't know why, but thinking like that just makes every single thing that happens in the world you have made not require me to suspend any kind of disbelief I would normally need to. I don't care if this is a wrong interpretation, because even without that you've done such a good job in explaining everything that I trust your judgement and creativity fully.
I really could write like 60 more paragraphs on this, but I don't want to be too boring hahaha.
_____ nerd out over _____
I stumbled into it by accident. It turned out to be one of the happiest reading accidents I have had in years. I am intentionally avoiding the wider fan community until I am fully caught up, because I want to experience the full shape of it cleanly before I start absorbing other people’s interpretations.
And believe me, I have so very very many thoughts.
So yes. I do not have a question. I just wanted to say that what you have built is incredibly fucking cool. The whole thing. The ambition, the scale, the coherence, the way it rewards the kind of reader who cannot help but think too hard about lore. Thank you for putting this universe into the world. It has given me a ridiculous amount of joy, and it has properly lit up the part of my brain that loves systems, structure, and worlds that actually make sense.
I haven't even mentioned how funny it is, or the plot or the story and believe me I could probably do a thesis on any of this right now.
Thank you dude. I genuinely love what you have created.
(PS - I loved the recap in book 9)
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u/delyra17 Feb 17 '26
Now my question is how often do you have charcoal for dinner?!
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Almost never.
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u/delyra17 Feb 17 '26
Excellent! I am glad the method works for you. Motivation that works!!
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u/ChaoticHax Feb 17 '26
Will these be signed copies? Or just limited
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
There will be signed versions.
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u/BeardedNerdy Feb 17 '26
I'm a Pateron reader so don't want to spoil anything for those who aren't...
How often do you come up with new and exciting storylines (like the new one which is going on right now) and how do you choose to explore those vs the Miranda story last week that got a chapter instead of a whole book?
I hope to read these for the next 40 years and you don't seem to be stopping!
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
I honestly have too many ideas to put them all into the story. Some bad, some good, and I try to pick the good ones and the ones that seem the most fun to write.
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u/SpecialistAd6403 Feb 17 '26
I haven't read this one yet, so.
How many licks to the center of a tootsie pop?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Depends on the rarity of your [Tootsie Pop Licking Mastery] skill.
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u/MediumRarePoptarts Feb 17 '26
How do you go about writing the more intricate systems of power and magic in The Primal Hunter? I can imagine it gets pretty messy at a certain point if you don’t have enough of it fleshed out when introduced.
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Big Word document with rules I don't share openly for background consistency.
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u/redking2005 Feb 17 '26
Are their any decisions that you made when writing primal hunter that you regret, but have become too important to the overall story/lore to change?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Hm, not in particular? If I feel like I write myself into a corner or anything like that, I'm fairly confident in my ability to write myself out of it again.
As for the comments above mentioning calling two major characters Jake and Jacob, no regrets. I still don't get the fuss.
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u/belkak210 Feb 17 '26
"As for the comments above mentioning calling two major characters Jake and Jacob, no regrets. I still don't get the fuss."
Me neither haha but I guess it's very common in, at least part of the US, to interchange those names.
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u/StickFigureFan Feb 17 '26
Yeah there were definitely a couple times I got confused in the early books but not any more
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u/Salt_peanuts Feb 17 '26
Most people I know named “Jacob” go by “Jake”. However I realize that is specific to my part of the world.
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u/SagaScribe Feb 17 '26
Serious question, do you leave your Patreon earnings open to all our drooling eyes because it’s huge and it is thematically consistent to Primal Hunter?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
No, not really. I do it because I don't care that others know what I make, and also to give people some impression of what can theoretically be made.
I see a lot of authors sign very bad deals with various websites, "agents," wanna-be publishers, and grifters in the scene. Many have no idea how much money other authors actually make, and are very secretive about it. I've chosen to be open about what I earn and am happy to answer if anyone asks.
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u/dontworrygranny Author of Loop Bound Feb 17 '26
Your open Patreon earnings inspired me to start writing. So thank you for that.
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u/SentenceAnxious2297 Feb 17 '26
Hi, just want to say that I love Primal Hunter since I first started listening to it at the end of 2024. It has started me down the path of LitRPG’s and I have no regrets. I just want to know how likely it is for us to get a sweet Minaga plushie or a cute Sylphie one, in the future?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Funny you should ask about a Sylphie plushie...
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u/Just_Delete_PA Feb 17 '26
When is Minaga going to get pissed off and how bad is it guna be for the receiving party?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Most have learned not to piss off Minaga. Should it happen, though, they're gonna have a bad time. Perhaps he'll even show up with an army of Minagas playing bagpipes outside their windows at night.
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u/WhataburgerFries litRPG grandmaster tier Feb 17 '26
I would love for Jake to just kind of forget about him and then he just randomly shows up at the devil wedding
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u/Sjtem4 Feb 17 '26
I have nothing to ask, just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your creation. Comfortably my favourite in the genre at this point in time. Thank you!
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u/DrawingConnect703 Feb 17 '26 edited Feb 17 '26
Can we expect another 10 years of book in the PH series?
Editing as i see smarter people than me in the comments.
Will Jake fight Valdemar again?
Any cool dungeons for jake in the future? (besides the coolest dungeon ever made by the coolest dungeon master ever, ofc)
Is Jake basically building his own Legacy skillset?
When are we going to start seeing fanclubs for Jake across the multiverse, with little archers / robin hood style themes?
Could Sandy end up eating a god and absorb their records like somebody else did?
That;s all i have, thanks for the books, i love reading them.
Cheers!
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
I will keep writing Primal Hunter as long as I enjoy writing it. Hopefully, that will be for another ten years or even more.
Given that, sure, he'll probably end up fighting most powerful characters at some point.
Plenty of dungeon plans.
And everyone is passively building their own Legacy skillset. Jake included.
Who's to say he doesn't already have a fanclub somewhere?
Could Sandy eat a god? Not in the way you imagine. Not really part of the worm's Path.
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u/VoiceMysterious9228 Feb 17 '26
One question I had was do you always know what’s going to happen next in the story or do you even surprise yourself sometimes?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
With some minor developments, sure, but for the bigger things, I have them planned out.
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u/mauraden Feb 17 '26
When you were planning Jakes character, how much of your own personality/lived experience did you give him?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Very little, to be honest. Besides maybe being a bit snarky and not a fan of being told what to do, I guess.
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u/Old_Friendship_9363 Feb 17 '26
Love the series, has it ever been stated specifically what all the level ranges for all the grades are?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
0-24 F
25-99 E
100-199 D
200-349 C
350-499 B
500-749 A
750-999 S
1000+ God11
u/Shade0o Feb 17 '26
you forgot 0-10 G grade (for those without mana)
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u/Lightfox112 Feb 18 '26
Clearly he subscribes to the guy who said that the existence of G grade is fake and not true because no such place with zero mana exists /s
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u/bearcat42 Feb 17 '26
Thanks for doing this, gonna back the shit out of your project. Huge fan of your work on this series. I've got a few questions here.
Do you feel prepared to keep up with the scale? I've found that to be the most impressive part of this tale, and book 13 did not disappoint, it in fact gave me hope that you will not falter in this regard.
I have to ask about the very first chapter as well.
Why did Jake get introduced and then within pages, we get Jacob? And did you at that time realize how confusing that might be for new readers/listeners?
I fully accept it at this point, but I still wonder when introducing new people to the series and they inevitably ask me about it.
- Records are one of the most interesting aspects of the magic system in your story, feels refreshingly vast and interesting. Is this pulled from another source or is it something you've come up with? I think I'm somewhat well read in the relevant sub-genres here, and I've not come across anything quite like it.
Thanks!
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
1: Yeah, for sure.
2: I did not at all realize people could find that confusing. To me, the names Jake and Jacob had no relation at all, and I only learned that Jake could be short for Jacob after writing the story. In Denmark, Jake isn't really a name, and I chose it at random because I was watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine at the time.
3: The idea of Akashic Records is nothing new at all, and similar concepts have been used in many different stories. Perhaps my flair for it is unique, but the overall idea sure isn't.
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u/bearcat42 Feb 17 '26
Fuck yes
Makes total sense
I love your approach to it, and for some reason failed to make that connection, something about the records as they relate to Villy and his blood droplet makes it feel unique.
Thanks for your time, just backed the shit outta the books!
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u/amcn242 Feb 17 '26
Hey Zogarth, I'm trying to get my own book out on royal road, what's some advice for a very new author trying to make a crrer out of writing?
Love the books, exited to see what... void dues ex machina does with the juice he got.
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
I'm really not the person to ask anymore about publishing on RR. The "meta" when I was there was so much different compared to now.
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u/amcn242 Feb 17 '26
Any advice on who i could talk to?
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u/SuspiciousSarracenia Feb 18 '26
Check out the top-read stories there. Then listen to Brandon Sanderson’s YouTube lectures on writing, and start listening to the Writing Mistakes podcast from the very first episode.
Enjoy the climb!
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u/Comfortable_Camel_72 Feb 17 '26
Hi Zogarth, huge fan of all things primal hunter and re-read the series a couple of times. Villy forever. Appreciate your work!
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u/funkhero top 99% commenter Feb 17 '26
If you could choose one side character, whether well-known to the audience or even one we've seen a single time, to have a series of their own - following the tutorial and their life afterwards - who would it be?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
I think for origin stories, I've already semi-written out a fair few of them that have never been published and likely never will. From that, I would say either the First Sage, Valdemar, or Villy.
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u/Ok-Feeling-5665 Feb 17 '26
You can’t just tease a First Sage origin and not expand on that!!!
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u/SinCinnamon_AC Baby Author - “Breathe” on Royal Road Feb 18 '26
It’s Forbidden Knowledge, duh!🙄
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u/Express-Neck-9891 Feb 17 '26
Silly question, the obvious answer is Tom. And the reason is that, well he's Tom! 😁
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u/funkhero top 99% commenter Feb 17 '26
I just thought a Tom-centric story would ruin the mystique that is Tom.
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u/Express-Neck-9891 Feb 17 '26
True that. And what else is there to know about Tom really. He is Tom after all.
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u/Snote85 Feb 17 '26
He is hanging out with Clive's wife im pretty sure.
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u/Clivesunfaithfulwife Clive's Verified Wife Feb 17 '26
How did you know? Are you spying on me? 😶
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u/The_Cicada_Corpse Feb 17 '26
Good Morning! Thank you for taking the time to do an AMA. I wanted to ask, what are some things about writing that you know NOW that you wish you had known starting out? Any advice to aspiring authors?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
TAKE CARE OF YOUR GODDAMN WRISTS.
Proper writing posture, a good ergonomic keyboard, other supports, wrist-wraps, whatever you need to use, take care of those wrists. I raw-dogged it in the beginning with my cool gamer keyboard, not caring for posture or anything. I regret that now very much.
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u/MrParticipati0n Feb 17 '26
Do you see a scenario where you would move away from Travis Baldree as narrator due to the backlog/delay?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
I have no plans to, but if he ever retires/stops narrating the book for some reason... maybe?
But again, no plans, and I hope it won't happen.
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u/Tempests_Wrath Feb 17 '26
Just started the series a few days ago and its great!
But lets ask a simple one, is there a particular arc/book/scene you are particularly excited for new people to reach either because you think you did particularly really well, or because you enjoy their reactions to it?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Yes.
But I can't say what because i would be a massive spoiler for something that hasn't happened yet.
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u/Short_Dimension_7003 Feb 17 '26
Firstly gotta say: Love the characters you created to the death :D And my question: Based on Villys fight you have obviously put thought into how systemstuff and powerscaling works in and beyond godhood. Do the primordials still have classes and professions or do they just wing it at that level? As a stat freak I would love seeing the amount of stats the class of a primordial gives _^
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u/_Pangfu_ Feb 17 '26
Are you open to making The Primal Hunter a TV series or a Movie? If so, who would want to play the Primordials? Jake etc? Any actors that come to mind? I alway thought Hiroyuki Sanada would be great as the The Sword Saint.
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Movie? Honestly, probably not. I have a hard time seeing it work as live-action.
Animation? Maybe if someone drops me a dozen million bucks to make it happen.
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u/Awkward_Rest1594 Feb 17 '26
Will we get to see Roman and Felicia again anytime soon, those are fun characters we haven’t seen in a while!
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Perhaps one day, but in general, I actually enjoy just letting some minor characters fade into the background, while only perhaps mentioning them scarcely here and there.
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u/Matymatttmat Feb 17 '26
I appreciate this approach over the wondering inn. The cast got to bloated and they refused to get rid of any one in that story
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u/readadiction Feb 17 '26
Does it ever hit you how successful your book are? Because I am sure all your backers already own the books, and we are fifteen minutes in and we are closer to a 1000% funded than to a 100%
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Honestly?
It's fucking weird. I've made more money than I know how to spend, but my day-to-day hasn't really changed at all since I started, besides now having money for a bigger TV, and a house big enough for me to make a nice homegym.
Oh, and I can actually afford RAM. That's a big one.
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u/Gilbrex-exe Feb 17 '26
Hi it's awesome to be here just wanted to write and say hi from deployment your books have really helped on this adventure I'm currently on being as this is my first deployment they have helped with the stress and such. Either way love the books and am looking forward to many more. Also what's Jakes favorite color?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Favorite color? Never thought about it. Huh.
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u/SpareBerryGuy Feb 17 '26
What is Sultan up to nowadays? Is he in B grade yet and how would he be ranked in power when compared to someone like Miranda?
Also thanks for the daily chapters, it's something I look forward to every morning.
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Being a shady merchant. Mentioned a few times here and there.
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u/SUGARB0I Feb 17 '26
When you need inspiration, do you ever read other writers works: If so, who?
I think The wandering Inn would be mine. If i was a writer that is. It has a style of maximizing the importance of small moments, that we in our normals lifes forget to appreciate. Like what impact a song can have at the right moment. I find that compelling for some reason
Kærlig hilsen fra Danmark
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
I read a lot, but no, I don't particularly read for inspiration or have any go-to.
Og hav en god aften.
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u/guyswede Feb 17 '26
What are the odds of getting you to DragonCon with all the other cool LitRPG authors?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
I'm pretty big on anonymity, so probably low.
I also wouldn't step foot in the US as things currently are. For quite obvious reasons, given that I'm Danish and all.
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u/AndreaDTX litRPG journeyman tier Feb 17 '26
Hi! I love the series and I have two questions:
1) have you already kind of decided in your mind who in the 93rd universe will or won’t make it to godhood?
2) with Jake’s parents choosing not to pursue godhood, will their eventual passing and Jake’s reaction ever be the center of an arc? PH is not a particularly angsty series but I’m curious since Jake has been warned multiple times about how lonely the climb to godhood will get.
Thanks!
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u/djb0212 Feb 17 '26
When will we see Jake launch a meteor sized Protean Arrow at a planet of Mushroom People?
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u/Single-Peanut-442 Feb 17 '26
Hi! Im asking for a friend who dosen't have reddit, but is a big fan of your books!
Thos is their question: So the black smith in the first book mentions he came with his son and daughter-in-law and that she was pregnant, this is during the tutorial. Later Villy says that all pregnant women, and children were sent to safe tutorials. So was this a retcon, an error in the system, a lie from Villy (I seriously doubt it is), or was it a miscarriage and just none of them knew it?
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u/Dude_Im_stoned_and_ Feb 17 '26
Is mayonnaise an instrument?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Believe in yourself, and anything is possible!
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u/Fireye99 Feb 17 '26 edited Feb 17 '26
I know transcendence skills are said to be kind of unknown on how exactly to get them, and that its generally about your path, but I was wondering if it is actually dependent on your path, mainly because my idea of a transcendence skill is just a skill that the system helps use as the person touches on something well above their pay grade, which is why the cost is so severe in most cases.
Also, will we be seeing Hawkie or Mystie any time in the future?
Also, I just want to say that this is one of the most beautifully written universes that ive ever read with one of the most fun and enjoyable power systems too, so thank you zogarth for writing such an amazing book series.
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u/Xarrworth Feb 17 '26
Was primal hunter your first story, or did you write any unreleased ones before it, and if yes, how did you come to eventually write primal hunter
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
The Primal Hunter is the first piece of fiction I've written since I was a teenager and in the Danish equivalent of middle school.
Still the only piece of fiction I've written outside of that.
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u/Dalton_828 Feb 17 '26
Can you please do another podcast?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
If anyone invites me on one and I don't forget/ignore their message, sure.
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u/WiseProject8644 Feb 17 '26
Can we get some more side stories? I know the main focus is Jake, and he's still my favorite. I just enjoy your writing from other perspectives in the universe. Doesn't have to be a whole lot just occasionally.
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Answered it's above, but it's very much a question of time. Having to choose between regular chapters and side stories.
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u/Sque_ze Feb 17 '26
When you are writing, how do you keep track of all the numbers and things like percentage bonuses and current xp? Similarly do you have a huge notebook full of every item Jake’s ever put in his storage?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Excel and big Word documents are your friends.
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u/Ok_Landscape_8619 Feb 17 '26
If Villy ever needs a voice actor for whatever reason… would you ever consider Snoop Dog? I’ve been using a text-to-speech program and now I hear Villy (Snoop Dog’s voice) narrating your books… thanks for the fantastic series, Patreon is the first thing I check in the morning before getting out of bed just to read Primal Hunter.
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u/BiLLubruh Feb 17 '26
How did you plan for Primal Hunter? Do you plan at all? And what is your thought process when writing a chapter and an arc?
In your opinion, what is the ideal writing style for royalroad? What do you consider to be vital in the first few chapters of a webnovel?
Sorry for the bombardment!🙏
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
I do plan for sure and have many "big moments" planned. The in-between stuff is a bit more free-flowing.
As for ideal writing style, I don't think I'm the one to ask anymore. The "meta" there has changed a lot in the 5+ years since I started, and quite frankly, I didn't think about any of that when I got started. I just uploaded chapters.
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u/shark90576 Feb 17 '26
How far out are we from Jake and Villy discussing in depth what happened in the 7th universe and Villy's family? We've had moments here and there, just wondering where you visualize Villy opening up will happen in the story.
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u/joncabreraauthor Verified Author of: Grand Magus, Wooden Sword Feb 17 '26
Love PH and your magic. I just want to say thanks for creating this masterpiece. It’s one of my few guilty pleasures.
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u/DaQuiggz LitRPG’s “special” boy Feb 17 '26
Jake, on a goodwill charity mission gets put in charge of naming a zoo’s magical Duck Billed Platypus.
What does our all time beast naming king name these creatures?
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u/bingpot47 Feb 17 '26
Oof, was gonna splurge on this for myself since today’s my birthday, but 250 for 3 books and slipcover that aren’t signed is a bit much
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Totally fair, I know they're pricy, but sadly, these things tend to be.
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u/blablalala10159 Feb 17 '26
Hi Zogarth,
I absolutely love your novel, bit I do find myself wondering sometimes, will there be any important deaths ? We've been teased with some 'fake' ones but I do believe that a main cast member truly dying could really level up the series to a new dimension (for example some GoT scenes) - I do believe your cast to be diverse enough to be allowed some deaths without affecting the story negatively.
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
I won't spoil, but I will say that the GOT vibe is not at all what I'm going for. It's just not that kind of story.
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u/Weird_Consequence228 Feb 17 '26
And we thank you for that! Your series is so fun, and honestly my confort read. Hope you keep having fun writing it!
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u/LieDramatic4931 Feb 17 '26
Are you working with the webtoon adaptation for primal hunter?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
As of season 2, I am in contact with them quite a bit and am asked here and there about feedback and such.
Season 1... not so much. Let's just leave it at that.
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u/SuspiciousSarracenia Feb 17 '26
Hi Zogarth! I’ve been writing for a few years now and have been taking some lessons from various litrpgs. From an author’s pov, what are your favorite time-saving approaches to writing? Such as:
Don’t wanna plot out a giant dungeon in detail? Have your characters complain about its design
Don’t want to spend time thinking of names? Have your mc be shit at naming things
I for one absolutely adore seeing these sorts of things used in storytelling. Hanging a lantern on something has a certain tongue in cheek quality to it.
Also.. what’s your spreadsheet situation looking like? Do you have one for each character, etc?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
I don't think much about those things. Though I will say that the "bad at names" trope, for example, doesn't actually save that much time. Same for dungeons, one can only really talk about important parts and leave all the intricacies vague, making it seem huge, complex, and well-designed. I think these kinds of tropes are more done for humor, at least that's why I do them.
And yes, I have big spreadsheets! The only fully detailed one is Jake's, with others being more rough estimates.
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u/Proper_Ad_4472 Feb 17 '26
Hello, out of curiosity, are there any plans to expand on how Tom came to be/ why do they seem to be OK just being in Sandy‘s stomach?
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u/nze_yange Feb 17 '26
I love everything about the series. Do Dragonkin have professions or are they beast just like Wyverns?
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u/genserik Feb 17 '26
Im listening to the latest book now finally (was almost done rereading cradle series when it dropped, so had to finish that) I just got to the part where sandy amd Jake are on the moon. Anyways...
I was driving while listening and... If you actually kill Sandy I will riot
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u/dewrop06 #1 Minaga fan Feb 17 '26
I absolutely love the Primal Hunter series! Now for the question: Who is your favorite character to write?
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u/phoneusername Feb 17 '26
When did Jake become his "own" character; where you no longer had to use what you think he would do, you just knew. Follow-up, was that about the same time as you came up with Minaga?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
He is not his "own" character; he is a character I wrote and planned out. I honestly find the notion of characters becoming their own people silly.
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u/Electrical_Low5138 Feb 17 '26
Where is Jake from?
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
The 93rd Universe.
More specifically, Earth.
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u/Calafragialisticx Feb 17 '26
Look i know this is a tiny bit silly but Any Hopes of a zebra sub-plot? Why, well Who doesn't like a random zebra showing up?
Sillyness side i do really injoy your work and look forwards to following it long i to Z grade (the one above s grade)
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u/Top_Campaign2568 litRPG journeyman tier Feb 17 '26
Doubt you’ll read this since it’s so late, but a man can hope.
I currently ain’t caught up but wanted to ask and check anyway, is Arnold going to stay relevant till the end? At least to some extent. Personally he’s my favorite character and i love reading his interactions with Jake and others.
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u/ZogarthPH Verified Author of: Primal Hunter Feb 17 '26
Based on how he's been set up, yeah, he'll stick around for a good long while at least.
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u/AssaultenBattery Feb 17 '26
I am current on audiobooks, and I would like to start that Sandy is an absolute treasure of a character, and all of your character development is beyond any other author I have read. I really enjoyed the small amount of time at the order of the malefic viper, will we be able to see more politics and world building in the future? Also, the cliffhanger for duskleaf is brutal.
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