With the release of the new Magic Item Compendium our thoughts naturally turn twoards all the wonderous loot contained therin. If I had a copy, I’d be reviewing it, but since I don’t yet here is my current favorite type of magic item…
Handle Animal has been made into a more useful , user-friendly skill now that class-specific skills have been eliminated. However, the way it is presented is a bit confusing for those of us who are still working out the nuances of its usage. I’d like to focus on the use of this particular skill in the D&D RPG, a skill that is important for at least two classes and very useful for a few others.
Which provides practical knowledge about how to balance a complex dungeon encounter…
I’m fresh off a little vacation in Puerto Rico. Well, “fresh” is a relative term, since the trip was sandwiched in between trips to California both the week before and after, and there was also a house-moving in there somewhere too. Honestly, it’s a bit of a blur now. But no, I have the peeling bits [...]
Previously, I’ve shared with you all my frustration with those (Sunshine!) Elves. Now I would like to tell you about my favorite race and the problems I have with they are portrayed.
I was at work today, thinking about the differences between the various gamers I know and trying to reconcile why the differences exist. I came up with the following conclusion: Regarding role-playing games, some people game and some people are hobbyists.
Some quick thoughts on some cute “tile-based” games…
Smite’s off gallivanting across the country again so Random’s filling in with his take on the 300.
Most of my friends have a good grasp on history, and I mean History with a capital H . They know more than me and this causes all sorts of problems as I look at starting a new adventure…
Illusions. One of the most confusing types of spells ever developed for the D&D game. This week I’ll show you the evils that crept in and took this deceptively simple spell in directions no one ever dreamed.
Phantasmal Forces (Original D&D 1974) (Magic-User 2nd level spell): The creation of vivid illusions of nearly anything the user envisions [...]
In which MetalJim hangs out with a bunch of very cool meeple people…
I went to Game Developer Conference 2007 in San Francisco, mainly to attend to Independent Games Summit, a two-day tutorial aimed squarely at – you guessed it – the indie game developers out there. Or maybe more specifically, to future hopeful indy developers – a group I fit into, for sure – because I think the [...]
The Roads Must Roll is a short story by Robert Heinlein. The title is the motto of the workers who keep the transportation system in it running. This is also my philosophy when I am driving, do what you have to keep traffic flowing, and is rapidly becoming my gamemastering philosophy.
Working off the fine article put forth by MetalJim yesterday, I would like to touch base on a subject that I find particularly frustrating about the current D&D game. Namely, how powerful an NPC is compared to a party and how many are appropriately challenging in an encounter.
Rhelik examines the Unhallowed Lawful-Evil spoilers.
In which Metaljim explains the “fuzzy math” behind the everyday use of Challenge Ratings…
Rhelik takes a look at what is now the strongest faction in DDM.
I am away this week, attending the 2007 Game Developer’s Conference in lovely San Francisco. Aside from catching up with Mystagogue (yeah, he’s from downstate – only 6 hours away from me – and still we have to fly to the Left Coast to catch up!) mostly I’ll be there to check out the Independent Games Summit.
GDC, [...]
I’ve recently finished my newest character foundation. I have no campaign to play it in but it is fairly well built and versatile enough to be placed in many game worlds. Now I am going to take you inside the shop, show you where the work is done, and what the future holds.
For years we’ve fought against the giveaway-game mentality that many have labeled the ‘Monty Haul’ campaign. However, at some point, you just might find yourself giving in to save your game. But is it wrong?