Never Get Involved in a Land War in Asia ("Unmasking the Traitor," Session 1)
After Silas’ chat with the Raven Queen, he found his companions lying in some coffins in the next chamber. Once they all regained consciousness, the eladrin vampire briefed them on his encounter with the Raven Queen a[...]Read on >>
Running A Game With New Players
Over the past couple seasons of D&D Encounters I’ve had the opportunity to play with a lot of new players. Many of these players (usually the younger ones) were competently new to D&D or any RPG fro that matt[...]Read on >>
Review Round-Up: Tristan & Isolde; Dungeons & Dragons, Volume 2 – First Encounters; The Court Jester
Tristan & Isolde (2006): A modern retelling of an old Celtic tale that was clearly the precursor and blueprint for the Lancelot, Guinevere and King Arthur love-triangle (and also Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet[...]Read on >>
DMRT: The Geek Ken Opinion for Jan. 2012
The folks over at 4 Geeks 4E have a pretty fun podcast covering different topics on D&D. One part of the Dungeon Master’s Round Table show is taking twitter questions... Read more »[...]Read on >>
Initial Impressions of the New D&D
30 Second Summary Though we know little about the final game, the foundations of the new D&D are solid. The focus on ability scores, flatter power progression, and faster gameplay give freedom to both players and du[...]Read on >>
[D&D4E][Rules] Badges of Achievement house rule.
It's some time that I puzzle about how to show my players that the road that they are travelling is not the only one they have available. Let me go deeper in this problem. they have entered into the 4th consecutive yea[...]Read on >>
review: kobold quarterly 20
Metric: Kobolds. They've proven their worth even in these straitened times. One of nature's survivors and what's this - next issue they can go into a tavern? Must be doing something... Click the title [...]Read on >>
"Let’s Play 1st Ed. Dad!"
Those are the words I heard after I told my boys that 5e was on the way and there were going to be reprints of the 1st Ed AD&D books. Part of me is thrilled, another part of me is wondering what the hell am I going t[...]Read on >>
D&D Encounters: Beyond the Crystal Cave (Week 11)
After navigating the hedge maze and fighting the thieving Boggles, the PCs took a short rest before using their four plant keys to activate the magical sundial gate. The maze around them began to spin until the hedge maz[...]Read on >>
DDXP 2012 Recap: Running the New D&D and Playing Games
This year's DDXP was a very interesting one, as I suspected. We were actually able to get there, unlike last year, though Fort Wayne's weather seems persistant in its attempts to keep us out. In order to help finance the[...]Read on >>
Publisher Interview: Joseph Goodman of Goodman Games
February 2, 2012 from Game Knight Reviews
Filed under: 4e, design, dungeons & dragons, Game Design, GM, news, roleplaying, RPG, RPG Hub
The “Old School” gaming movement continues to impress me with the enthusiasm of the gamers and game companies supporting it. One of the games many gamers are excited about in 2012 is the Spring release of the[...] Filed under: 4e, design, dungeons & dragons, Game Design, GM, news, roleplaying, RPG, RPG Hub
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Now I have a machine gun
Quick question about modern firearms in your (d20) gaming. How have you seen automatic fire handled? I want an option that is reasonably balanced against single shot, or a grenade, or any other standard action. I’m[...]Read on >>
Cure Selfish Wounds
Today's D&D Next post at the Wizards site by Bruce Cordell is titled Time to Heal and discusses the role of the Cleric class and how it relates to healing through the life span of Dungeons & Dragons. There's a [...]Read on >>
[Review] Kobold Quarterly 20
“”Do not throw the arrow which will return against you. - Kurdish Proverb“ - Civilization IV tech quote The kobold mines have produced a new issue of Kobold Quarterly. Issue 20 takes a look at archers,[...]Read on >>
Kobold Quarterly #14 for Free!
So, do you read Kobold Quarterly? It’s pretty great and has stuff from Pathfinder, 4e and AGE. Also, non-crunch stuff. Still not sure? Well, it’s your lucky day. Download Kobold Quartlery #14 for FREE up unti[...]Read on >>
Month in Review: January 2012
The announcement from Wizards of the Coast confirming that they are indeed working on the next iteration of D&D was the biggest news in gaming this month. A lot of people began speculating on what’s to come, but f[...]Read on >>
DDXP 2012: “Charting the Course: An Edition for All Editions” and “New Products” Seminars
This past weekend was DDXP, and since this the new edition of D&D was announced recently, this was both the first chance the public would both find out directly from the mouths of the people making the game what it [...]Read on >>
Switched at Birth – An Origin Story
A good background should help define who the character is, especially early in the adventurer when he’s relatively inexperienced. Your PC’s backgrounds should do more than just provide him with skill bonus or a free [...]Read on >>
Critical Failures And Magical Mishaps
Everyone loves magical items. Whether they’re common or rare, equipping yourself with the latest Flaming Sword or Circlet of Mental Might is part of the fun of playing. The abilities these items grant make you feel[...]Read on >>
A Fork in the Road: Starting the Adventure
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, [...]Read on >>
The One with the Dragon and the TPK ("Seeds of Chaos," Session 7)
The highlights of “Seeds of Chaos,” Session #7 included a dragon!, a TPK!, and a special cameo appearance by a god! The heroes of our campaign are: Boojum—a pixie wizard, played by SteveSilas—an eladrin[...]Read on >>
My Fellow Gamers, Stay Classy
Hatorade, Vancian Magic, Tactics, and Other Things I’m here at DDXP and after yesterday’s Class Design Seminar, the internet has seemed ablaze with irrationality. I’d like to quell this uprising somewha[...]Read on >>
The Fifteen Minute Workday
One of the things that plagues some D&D games (my own included, on occasion) is what is known as "the fifteen minute workday problem". To wit, characters in a dungeon go through two or three rooms, find themselves do[...]Read on >>
It’s All About Who You Know
In Dungeons & Dragons, as in real life, there are two things that help people succeed where others fail: what you’ve done and who you know. In D&D we already make a big deal about “what you’ve done” and[...]Read on >>
DDXP 2012 Report: The First Glimpses at the New Edition of Dungeons & Dragons
E's at DDXP and reporting the news on the newest edition of Dungeons & Dragons. And she got to be in a playtest group with Monte Cook DMing![...]Read on >>
A Game For All People: The Perfect DnD Recipe
This article is being written in advance of reading any material concerning the actual content of DnDNext from WOTC. Unless you’ve been living under a rock somewhere, the odds are that you’ve heard the announ[...]Read on >>
D&D Encounters: Beyond the Crystal Cave (Week 10)
After battling the Xivorts during the night, the PCs managed to complete their extended rest and began this week’s adventure at 100%. Knowing that the Hag Soryth was expecting them, they hurried to storm her Palace of [...]Read on >>
RPG Blog Carnival: Toronto’s Underground PATH is a Fantastic Location
Everyday as I venture to work in downtown Toronto I make use of the PATH. The PATH is Toronto’s underground labyrinth of shops and corridors connecting office buildings, shopping centers and public transit together. In[...]Read on >>
The Advantages of Using 3d6 Over Point Buy
Have you ever played a character in 4e D&D without optimized stats? A Fighter with a Strength score below 14 or a Wizard with an Intelligence under 14? I think it’s safe to say that none of us have done it. Why wo[...]Read on >>
Back From The (Un)Dead: How a 15-Year D&D Hiatus Ended
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 1[...]Read on >>
Quintessential D&D for D&D.Next
Remember my idea back from the late Summer, the one I was calling Quintessential D&D where there are five linked adventures that used all the rules of all D&D?Here are the links to bring you all back up to speed.[...]Read on >>
Year of the Dragon
Today is the start of the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Dragon. And what a year it is turning out to be so far."May you live in interesting times." goes the old saying (which may or may not actually be Chinese [...]Read on >>
Adventure Hooks – Moral Choices
Adventure hooks are indented as a way to get the PCs into the action quickly. Dangle something interesting in front of them and hope that they take the bait. It might be a greed trap where you offer them a pretty bauble [...]Read on >>
Adventure Review: The Haunting of Larvik Island (4E) by Stephen Newton from Thick Skull Adventures
January 23, 2012 from Game Knight Reviews
Filed under: 4e, design, dungeons & dragons, GM, Reviews, roleplaying, RPG, RPG Hub
Though The Haunting of Larvik Island has been out since June 2011, I’m coming very late to the party. Written by Stephen Newton and published by Thick Skull Adventures, this adventure for a group of five 1st level [...] Filed under: 4e, design, dungeons & dragons, GM, Reviews, roleplaying, RPG, RPG Hub
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Critical Hits Podcast #34: The Id DM and the Psychology of D&D
Mike Shea of Sly Flourish and Michael Mallen, practicing psychologist and author of the Id DM D&D blog, discuss the psychology of the gaming table. This podcast discusses some of Mallen’s excellent studies into th[...]Read on >>
Adventure crowd sourcing
Afternoon all.I am looking for good 1st level adventure for about 5 characters that can be run in a little more than an hour.I have some ideas, but want to know what my options are.Any version of D&D is fine since I [...]Read on >>
Three Down, One to Go ("Seeds of Chaos," Session 6)
So, of course, the hot topic of discussion as we gathered together at Total Escape Games on this particular Thursday night was WotC’s recent announcement that a new edition of D&D was in the works. The initial rea[...]Read on >>
inns & taverns: the devil-porter inn
The Devil-Porter Inn sits halfway up a market town's hill, astride an alley's entrance. Locals passing by always smile at it's statue. The wooden icon of a portly gap-toothed devil... Click the title if you [...]Read on >>
I Want To Have Dungeon Bastard’s Babies
January 20, 2012 from Geek's Dream Girl
Filed under: 3.5, 3e, 4e, dungeons & dragons, pathfinder, RPG Hub
"Does it have dragons? Does it have dungeons? I want to play it!"[...] Filed under: 3.5, 3e, 4e, dungeons & dragons, pathfinder, RPG Hub
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Ameron Answers 23 Questions
The latest trend sweeping the D&D Blogosphere is to answer the GM Questionnaire. It was posted on Wednesday by Zak S at the website Playing D&D With Porn Stars. He’s asking people to post their answers in the[...]Read on >>
News from Around the Net: 20-JAN-12
January 20, 2012 from Game Knight Reviews
Filed under: 4e, design, dungeons & dragons, Game Design, GM, Inspiration, news, Reviews, roleplaying, RPG, RPG Hub
Welcome to the gaming news roundup for the week of 20-JAN-2012! This week was “one of those” weeks with work, so I’m gleeful that it’s Friday! Yay! The debate continued this week about “D�[...] Filed under: 4e, design, dungeons & dragons, Game Design, GM, Inspiration, news, Reviews, roleplaying, RPG, RPG Hub
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Thoughts on Thunderspire
As we wrapped up Thunderspire I have a few thoughts on how things went overall.MinionsWe all missed minions. It’s a little weird actually, but the one-hit wonders actually made some battles a lot of fun, especially whe[...]Read on >>
On the Reissue of the 1E Core Books by WotC
James Raggi says it better than I ever could.Bastard.[...]Read on >>
D&D: On-again, Off-again, On-again
I’ve had a strange relationship with the grandfather of all RPGs. I speak, of course, of the venerable Dungeons & Dragons. You see, as a child of the 80s, I originally bought in to the “Satanic PanicR[...]Read on >>
D&D Encounters: Beyond the Crystal Cave (Week 9)
Last week the PCs found Orlando (fused with Propherio) and defeated the Verbeeg Basal who was trying to kill him. After the contest of champions in which the PCs emerged victorious, Basal rewarded the party with a magica[...]Read on >>
In Defense of 4e
Wizards of the Coast announced this week they are working on Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition. Unlike previous releases they are now courting player input. Many long-time players were upset by 4th edition. They[...]Read on >>
Thunderspire Session 6 part 2
This session was played on 1/7.Cory ran:Dietrich the Human KnightAnder the Halfling RogueAlex ran:Barakas the Tiefling WarlordChan Lee the Human MonkThe death of the demonic gnoll freed the slaves from the ritual, and th[...]Read on >>
Do You Have The Right Tools (or PCs) For The Job?
I’ve played in a lot of games where things could have been a lot easier if we’d only had a Cleric in the party. Or an archer. Or someone trained in Thievery. Or a controller. The point is that some obstacles are goin[...]Read on >>
Ouroboros University: The Amphitheater [D&D]
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 Un[...]Read on >>
The Dragonslayers and the Books of Vile Darkness
The Dragonslayers are currently wandering around the Greater Caverns of Iggwilv's lair (The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth). They have been sent to recover the rumored "Golden Treasure of Iggwilv" which of course is Drelzna. [...]Read on >>
