Why do you even want to patent the game mechanics? Are you expecting to be able to sell a lot, LOT, of copies of the gamebook(s) you will create? Is this something so fundamentally incredible that a major company will buy the rights from you so they can create a game based on it?

I don't think patenting your unique system is going to be a good idea. I'm also of the belief, though I can't remember the source of this information, that game mechanics can't be patented.

What magic patented was not 'turning the card' but the term "Tap", which caused so much stupid bullshit among other game designers to come up with new words for the exact same mechanic that everyone else was using. And everyone who played other CCGs still called it tapping because it was a lot easier to remember one word than a dozen for doing the exact same thing.

So, on to promoting: There are several threads with practically the same questions. Search reddit and you'll find a lot of good advice.

My advice is not an expert. I haven't run any kickstarter campaigns, so I'm just guessing... I remember the advice being:

• Have the game pretty much ready to market already, do the kickstarter to get funds to make hardcopies

• have an artist already lined up and show samples of their work that would be like what will be going into the book

• make some of the rules, game mechanics, core concept, setting information, races, whatever - available so kickstarter patrons can look at what they'll be getting

• Don't even mention how spiffy and unique your game is by comparing it to D&D. Many games have nothing in common with D&D except the core idea of Gamemaster + Players. It's like saying "my action movie set in WWII is completely different from Die Hard, except that I have actors and a screenwriter and a director". Mention what is cool about your game being different from every other game of the same general theme/genre/setting.