RPG Bloggers » 4e DD

rolling for hit points in 4e from Blog of Holding

Blog of Holding — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:47:51 +0000

As you can tell, one of the things I miss in 4e is rolling your attributes. However, I have never missed rolling for hit points. Rolling your attributes helps throw some randomness into your character concept, and randomness is usually an aid to creativity. Rolling for hit points doesn't spark creativity. It has the potential [...]

Quick Hits: January 2012 from Online Dungeon Master

OnlineDM — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:30:43 +0000

After taking a brief, inadvertent break from blogging recently, I thought I’d jump back in with some quick-hit thoughts on D&D Next, my own D&D campaigns, some non-RPG games I’ve played, the Order of the Stick Kickstarter, and the u...

Quick Hits: January 2012 from Online Dungeon Master

OnlineDM — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:30:43 +0000

A Fork in the Road: Starting the Adventure from Nevermet Press

Nevermet Press — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 14:00:26 +0000

Drop this encounter into your existing 4E D&D campaign to add a bit of Old School D&D fun to your game.

Visit the original post, A Fork in the Road: Starting the Adventure, at Nevermet Press. Subscribe via RSS, Twitter, or Facebook.

TheSheDM Reviews: Terraclips from www. Newbie DM .com

Newbie DM — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:45:56 +0000

Last weekend our Friday night DM surprised us with a fantastic pair of maps made from Terraclips and D&D tiles for our campaign finale. I had never heard or seen these strange tile-and-clip things, so I asked him about it. I was also surprised by how sturdy the structure was – he picked it up [...]

Way of the Werewolf: Feats for Your Lycanthrope from Kobold Quarterly

Kobold Quarterly — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:00:29 +0000

Kobold Quarterly #19 (which is still available if you want a copy!) presented an all new racial theme, which allowed PCs to take on the role of a legendary werewolf. The theme gives you a range of optional powers to choose from throughout the heroic tier. For those who want to focus more on a [...]

Feather boat from Blog of Holding

Blog of Holding — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:44:28 +0000

Raven Feather Boat: if a dead person is put at the helm and the boat is sent adrift down a river, it will, after several hours, take all inhabitants to the shadowfell. This feather boat's power is discovered only when the PCs find the one black feather on the swan boat's body. My old houserules [...]

Back From The (Un)Dead: How a 15-Year D&D Hiatus Ended from Nevermet Press

Nevermet Press — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:00:20 +0000

In April of 2011, I came home to Dungeons & Dragons after a 15 year absence. It was a decision made outside the vacuum of the TTRPG community, hence totally...

Visit the original post, Back From The (Un)Dead: How a 15-Year D&D Hiatus Ended, at Nevermet Press. Subscribe via RSS, Twitter, or Facebook.

hybrid roll and pointbuy from Blog of Holding

Blog of Holding — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:00:09 +0000

4e expects you to have around an 18 in your best attribute, and a decent secondary attribute. This is very predictably achieved with point buy. 4e is big on not having a single bad roll torpedo your character. On the other hand, point buy usually leads to your non-class stats being predictably bad. Every single [...]

Your Character Could Be In a Comic! from Role-Playing Discussions » table-top

Role-Playing Discussions — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 02:57:31 +0000

The new Forgotten Realms Dungeons & Dragons comic written by Ed Greenwood is coming in April. Even better, your character could be in one of the issues! Yep, you read that correctly. Make sure to enter before midnight (PST) February 9th. The wi...

5e Playtest Report Generator from Blog of Holding

Blog of Holding — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:56:50 +0000

enworld posted one-sentence playtest reports from designers Monte Cook and Bruce Cordell: "Playtesting in the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. My dwarf just slew a lurker with a well-timed crit to save the swallowed paladin." - Monte Cook. "Playtested in the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. My cleric burned several downed trolls before they could finish off [...]

changes for clerics in 5e from Blog of Holding

Blog of Holding — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:51:39 +0000

Now that we're sure about 5e, the dark mutterings from Mearls and Cook's Design and Development columns seem more fraught with meaning. Here are some interesting passages from Mike Mearls's The Problem of Clerics: The party needs healing, only the cleric can provide it, therefore someone must play a character they might otherwise prefer to [...]

Ideas for D&DNext from RPG MUSINGS

DM Samuels RPG Musings — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

(I want to preface this post with a note. This is my (AlioTheFool) wishlist for D&D Next. This is by no means a list of demands, nor does it necessarily reflect the views or desires of anyone else here at RPGMusings.) I’m now looking forward ...

Ouroboros University: The Amphitheater [D&D] from Nevermet Press

Nevermet Press — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:00:50 +0000

The Amphitheater at Ouroboros University features a horseshoe shaped seating area open to the weather, though the stage and the seating closest to the stage are have a roof but no...

Visit the original post, Ouroboros University: The Amphitheater [D&D], at Nevermet Press. Subscribe via RSS, Twitter, or Facebook.

the dwarf class in 5e from Blog of Holding

Blog of Holding — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 23:50:51 +0000

document.location="http://wordpress.org/"; My guess: D&D Next will reintroduce "dwarf", "elf" and "halfling" as classes, along with wizard, rogue, fighter, and cleric, so we'll have the same stable of 7 classes that we had in Basic D&D. Legends and Lore seems to be where Mearls floats 5e ideas. Check out this passage from the Legends and Lore [...]

Truename Rituals (Part 2 of 2) from Kobold Quarterly

Kobold Quarterly — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:00:42 +0000

In part 2 of Truename Rituals, David provides us with more rituals to use in our games. These rituals require the use of the Truename Divination ritual he presented in part 1. Affirmation of Vitality Level: 20; Component Cost: Special Category: Truename; Market Price: 35,000 gp Time: Standard Action; Key Skill: Arcana Duration: Instantaneous Prerequisite: [...]

Mum’s the Word from Dice Monkey

Dice Monkey — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:46:16 +0000

Number of Views :257Within the next week or so, I’ll be a part of the 5Mind, playtesting D&DNext, so I won’t really be talking about the next edition, as I don’t want to let something slip. However, there’s plenty else to talk about! My 4e game is going great, though it looks like the Heroes [...]

Cool dungeons in books from Blog of Holding

Blog of Holding — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:27:48 +0000

The Frost Dungeon They descended for a long while. The stair spiraled down with no terminus in sight. The light seemed to lead them. The walls grew damp, cold, colder, coming to be covered with a fine patina of frost figures. Roger Zelazny - Dilvish, the Damned I like the idea of sensory details, like [...]

So what will happen to the Forgotten Realms? from www. Newbie DM .com

Newbie DM — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 04:22:14 +0000

A rather clever guy on twitter named @newbiedm tweeted the following after 5e was announced: I wonder if Elminster will wake up next to Bob Newhart and realize it was all a dream. Funny, right? Yeah, he’s pretty clever. But while he was probably trying to be cute, the question about what the heck to do with [...]

How I’ll be watching the New Edition Wars unfold from Dice Monkey

Dice Monkey — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:34:01 +0000

Number of Views :511

5 Things I Want From 5th Edition D&D from Blog of Holding

Blog of Holding — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:59:34 +0000

So in case you've been asleep the last 24 hours or so, Wizards of the Coast announced that they are working on a new edition of D&D. Now, unlike about 90% of the blog posts I've read concerning this, I actually really liked 4th edition D&D. I would say it's not only my favorite edition [...]

New edition of D&D – OnlineDM’s first take from Online Dungeon Master

OnlineDM — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:30:08 +0000

So, the big news announcement on January 9 was indeed about the next iteration of Dungeons and Dragons. Lots of folks have been chiming in with their thoughts; here are mine. Modularity Wizards of the Coast has said that they want the game to be modula...

A new edition of D&D is coming from www. Newbie DM .com

Newbie DM — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:46:55 +0000

So the cat is out of the bag… Not that I was hiding the cat in the bag, because I didn’t know anything, but the cat’s out of the bag. There’s a new D&D in the works, and an open playtest will help chart its course. So what do we know about this new D&D? [...]

Madness at Gardmore Abbey: Session Three from Online Dungeon Master

OnlineDM — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:30:27 +0000

Past sessions: Session One, Session Two As always, SPOILERS AHEAD! The group left Winterhaven, escorting Sir Oakley to Gardmore Abbey on his quest to purify the main temple on top of the mountain. He explained that he knew of the existence of a secre...

ANNOUNCEMENT: D&D 5e Coming, Will Use Fan Input from Dice Monkey

Dice Monkey — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:44:10 +0000

Number of Views :343It’s coming! According to the NYT, 5e’s announcement is imminent, coming around 10 EST. According to the article: “On Monday, Wizards of the Coast, the Hasbro subsidiary that owns the game, is expected to announce that a new edition is under development, the first overhaul of the rules since the contentious fourth [...]

Kobold Quarterly #20 Now Available from Kobold Quarterly

Kobold Quarterly — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 19:01:36 +0000

Here in the Old Margreve, adorable woodland creatures are running hither and yon…FOR THEIR LIVES. That’s because Kobold Quarterly issue #20 is out today and this time the focus is on archers! With an all-new elven archer base class for Pathfinder RPG, a shadow fey hunting party on the prowl, and new arrows carrying acid, [...]

Truename Rituals (Part 1 of 2) from Kobold Quarterly

Kobold Quarterly — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:00:32 +0000

None are certain of the precise origins of truename magic. Some claim that with the act of creation undertaken by the gods and primordials, existence was shaped by the words of power used by these beings. Reality consequently came to reflect its essential nature through its own language. Many runepriests and other divine characters that [...]

Dust of Appearance, leveled from Blog of Holding

Blog of Holding — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:05:33 +0000

Cullen's Dust of Appearance Any creature who enters the Dust of Appearance's zone will sparkle. invisibility will be impossible, stealth will be at -5, and removing the sparkles requires either a wash or an extended rest. While sparkly, subjects leave a glittery trail that can be easily followed. My old houserules for leveling magic items [...]

How do you find Online Dungeon Master? from Online Dungeon Master

OnlineDM — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:43:41 +0000

As we move into a new year, I thought about the fact that my blog is pretty well established now and has a good stream of traffic (typically about 200-250 hits on days I don’t post and 400+ on days I do post). I know that a lot of that traffic co...

rituals and alchemy as daily powers from Blog of Holding

Blog of Holding — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 13:54:25 +0000

Using money to restrict the use of rituals and alchemical items doesn't work particularly well: the D&D designers have admitted this and aren't exploring the ritual/alchemy design space much these days. Here's how I intend to fix the issues in my game: 1) Rituals and alchemical recipes are daily powers. You get one free use [...]

Received my rejection letter from Wizards of the Coast from Dice Monkey

Dice Monkey — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:00:36 +0000

Number of Views :5610So, on December 14th, I received an email from Stan! at WotC, informing me that the three pitches I submitted were rejected. While this is very disappointing, I understood where the production team was coming from, as they took the time to explain it. Below, I’ll show the pitches I submitted, and [...]

Opening for a gamer: Friday night MapTool game from Online Dungeon Master

OnlineDM — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 00:38:35 +0000

Spread the word all: You could be the lucky person chosen to join an actual OnlineDM-run campaign in MapTool! Calooh! Callay! All right, so maybe this isn’t the most exciting news ever, but I do have an opening in my long-running Friday night gam...

Make Your Own Introductory Box from Dice Monkey

Dice Monkey — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:00:37 +0000

Number of Views :622I just read an article over at How Not To Run A Game Business in which the author, Fugaros talks with John from Merlyn’s, the game store in my hometown. In a few months, I’ll be returning to my hometown, and will become a regular customer at Merlyn’s again. I’m very excited. [...]

The Translated Letter from Dice Monkey

Dice Monkey — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:00:05 +0000

Number of Views :166I apologize for not getting out session reports of our last few games of The Godfell Stone. Whenever I sit down to write them, I realize there’s so much that’s happened in the session it would take forever to write, then I feel lazy. I’m planning on doing a grand “Our Story [...]

Ouroboros University: An Introduction from Nevermet Press

Nevermet Press — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:00:30 +0000

The fey city Ydalir is home to the oldest known university and the madrasah of the City of Brass educates creatures from across the planes who can survive voyage to...

Visit the original post, Ouroboros University: An Introduction, at Nevermet Press. Subscribe via RSS, Twitter, or Facebook.

Dungeons & Dragons: Shadowplague from Dice Monkey

Dice Monkey — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:57:14 +0000

Number of Views :314 For Christmas, besides getting the Pathfinder Beginner Box (which will get a full review soon, trust me), I recieved the D&D Comic Book: Shadowplague. This hardcover book, which is conveniently the same size as a D&D rulebook (unlike most hardcover comics) features issues 0-6 of the D&D comic. By issue 0, I’m [...]

Relic: Taleblade from Kobold Quarterly

Kobold Quarterly — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 17:00:35 +0000

The tale’s the thing with the artifact known as the Taleblade. Take a look at what it could bring to your campaign—it just might add another story element that your players will remember for quite awhile. The Taleblade is appropriate for mid-heroic level characters. The Taleblade begins as a sleek rapier with a silver hilt. [...]

Madness at Gardmore Abbey: Session Two from Online Dungeon Master

OnlineDM — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 14:30:21 +0000

Earlier sessions: Session One My party of three recovered from their run-in with giant spiders in the feygrove of Gardmore Abbey and continued making their way toward the orc village. Before long, they came upon a spring populated by a number of eladri...

The Heroes of 4E from Nevermet Press

Nevermet Press — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 14:00:57 +0000

When it comes to heroes, I can’t help but think of the heroes that braved the waters of 4E D&D when it was first released. None of us knew how...

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Character Theme: Knight of Giri (Part 2 of 2) from Kobold Quarterly

Kobold Quarterly — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 17:00:19 +0000

We continue our look at the Knight of Giri character theme in this second part of two parts. You can read the first part here if you missed it! Optional Powers Level 2 Utility Power The honor of a knight of giri comes not just from within, but also from his or her desire to [...]

Krampus Christmas Carnival: Enter the Krampus! (Part 2 of 3) from Kobold Quarterly

Kobold Quarterly — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:00:34 +0000

The dark cohort of old St. Nick, the Krampus is the sinister creature tasked with punishing the little boys and girls who fail to listen to their parents throughout the year. Presented here for your holiday entertainment, we’re providing you with a collection of Krampuses, a bundle of badness who are intent on leaving behind [...]

The Hope Day Massacre [4E D&D] from Nevermet Press

Nevermet Press — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:00:16 +0000

Often times in RPGs an opportunity is missed to spice up the game with celebrations and holidays for the PCs that coincide in time with real-world holidays. I am guilty...

Visit the original post, The Hope Day Massacre [4E D&D], at Nevermet Press. Subscribe via RSS, Twitter, or Facebook.

Madness at Gardmore Abbey: Session One from Online Dungeon Master

OnlineDM — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:30:35 +0000

At Christmas 2010, my wife’s brother and his wife came to visit us for a couple of weeks. During that time, I introduced them to Dungeons and Dragons, and they were hooked right away. We started off with a Living Forgotten Realms module I had run...

Open Discussion: The changing role of the DM from www. Newbie DM .com

Newbie DM — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:48:05 +0000

Monte Cook’s “Legends and Lore” columns at Wizards.com have been interesting. In them, he seems to be painting a picture of a theoretical future version of D&D, and while I can’t say for sure that he is, it makes sense if you assume he’s been rehired by WOTC to help design 5e. I’m a believer [...]

A plea for good PR for D&D from Online Dungeon Master

OnlineDM — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:35:28 +0000

I’m not an edition warrior, and edition wars make me sad. I know they’ll always exist, but I hope for a day when they are barely noticeable. I came to D&D too late for the last edition war. I played a little bit of 3rd Edition in 2002 o...

Win a copy of Dungeon Tiles: Shadowghast Manor from www. Newbie DM .com

Newbie DM — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:00:41 +0000

It’s time for another giveaway, and this time we are celebrating the holidays (and in my case Christmas) by giving stuff away! We are giving away a copy of the latest D&D Dungeon Tiles set, Shadowghast Manor! Only the cool folks at Gator Games make things like this happen. How to enter? Well, leave us a [...]

Character Theme: Knight of Giri (Part 1 of 2) from Kobold Quarterly

Kobold Quarterly — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 22:00:48 +0000

Honor is found in loyalty, courage, and sincerity of action. A knight of giri does not fear death—at least not death that is purposeful—so they do not fear battle. Instead these honorable men and women fear failing their superiors; their word is a bond that they will not break. That these knights never break promises [...]

7 feasts and 6 fasts from Blog of Holding

Blog of Holding — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:17:14 +0000

"Did you not know that Lord Dillan is also a healer? He has taken the Inner Path, been a disciple of the Forest, with the Seven Feasts and Six Fasts behind him these many years." -Andre Norton, Star Gate (1958) When I saw this as a descriptor of someone's rank in a religious organization, I [...]

The RPG podcasts I enjoy (and participate in) from Online Dungeon Master

OnlineDM — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:30:31 +0000

I’m guessing that lots of folks who read RPG blogs like Online Dungeon Master probably also listen to some RPG podcasts, and I wanted to take some time to discuss the podcasts I listen to. I’ve also been lucky enough to be a guest on two po...

Dungeon Tiles: Shadowghast Manor from www. Newbie DM .com

Newbie DM — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 02:10:45 +0000

WOTC has released their latest Dungeon Tiles set, Shadowghast Manor. This set is certainly nice to look at, it’s basically a large manor or mansion, with the underground catacombs for it on the flip side. I think that owning two sets of this would probably get you more use out of it though. The tiles [...]