The 30 Day Challenge - Day Five “Favourite Set of Dice/Individual Die”

Day Five “Favourite Set of Dice/Individual Die”

I assume this means “that I’ve owned” – one of each really, I loved (and still do love) my TORG D20 it’s always rolled really well for me, so much so that my players took a Vote once and unanimously wanted me to stop using it (which I did, because I’m Nice).

Favourite “Set” is a Q-Workshop set I was given by a friend (sadly no longer with us), it’s Purple with golden yellow “inking” and is (so I’m told) limited edition in those colours.

I love them so much, I’ve even used the D20 as my Profile Picture on Facebook.

The 30 Day Challenge - Day Two "Favourite Playable Race"

The 30 Day Challenge - Day Two "Favourite Playable Race"

I've been more of a DM all my "Gaming Life" than a Player, so I haven't actually had that many Characters compared to most players.

But the majority of my own Characters have been Humans (boring to most I know) - as a DM, I've always had a soft spot for Dwarves, although I've not had the privilege of Dungeon Mastering for many.

The 30 Day Challenge

"The 30 Day Challenge", not not a weight loss thing - but a challenge to talk about D&D for 30 days, full of memories and (hopefully) a little fun.

Day 1 - "How did I Start".

It was the day before my Birthday in 1976, my Nan (Maud, my Fathers Mum) had not long returned from visiting relatives in the US and gave me a small White Box with some booklets inside. "You like rubbish like this" she muttered (Maud was a grumpy old cus at best).

I read it, and did some "one on one" games with my Friend Philip Berryman (sadly now, no longer with us) but no other friends were interested. So it got put away (as these things do).

Skip ahead a couple of years, 1979 - I was reading Starburst Magazine (a UK Sci Fi Mag) and there was an Advertisement for Dungeons and Dragons - I almost jumped out of my seat, I was in a Band by then and they guys seemed really interested, and so we started gaming together - and the rest, as they say, is History.

DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS IS EVIL!

No, I don't REALLY believe that - I just wanted to get your attention.

The irony is more Evil has been done throughout History in the name of Religion than an other "cult" thing. Obsession, Evil, and addiction can be for anything - Gambling, Religion, Shopping, Sex, etc - it really makes me smile when they pick on a Hobby that improves Social skills, Basic Math, and Literacy.

And yet, people keep Spouting Crap like this - 

http://notthesingularity.com/4900/dungeons-and-dragons-once-again-attacked-as-demonic/

It's almost like they don't want you to think for yourself, isn't it . . . . .

Bad Press

Sorry I haven't been Blogging for a while, but I've not been well - and tons of family crap got in the way too.

In between reading the new Castle Keepers guide for C&C and going over my AD&D 1st Ed Books Again (I love doing that) I've been watching Movies, and Mazes and Monsters crept into my schedule.

A lot of people STILL think Mazes and Monsters is an accurate account of the ACTUAL events that led Rona Jaffe to write her Book Mazes and Monsters.
 

No doubt the TV Movie Myths and Monsters had its damaging effects, but the original Novel by Rona Jaffe - was more damaging in my opinion. 

 

Mainly (again in my opinion) because it came out at a time when Dungeons & Dragons was being attacked by various religious groups who alleged that it promoted Satanism and other forms of occult practices. 

 

The irony is that the novel is based in large part on the largely apocryphal (as in of "questionable authenticity") "steam tunnel incidents" of the late 1970's. 

 

The RIDICULOUS urban myth that developed during the infancy of Dungeons & Dragons, generally purporting that university students playing a live action version of Dungeons & Dragons disappeared into the utility tunnels of the school and became lost, and in some cases died of hypothermia or other causes - has actually little basis in reality. 

 

These legends had arrisen because to newspaper reports concerning the disappearance of a Michigan State student named James Dallas Egbert. Egbert had played Dungeons & Dragons and did in fact go into the steam tunnels of his school, but with the intent of committing suicide. 

 

When his attempt to end his life failed, he hid at various friends' houses for several weeks. During that time a private investigator hired by Egbert's parents- speculated in the press that perhaps Egbert had gone into the tunnels to play a live version of D&D and somehow gotten lost. 

 

The media did their usual thing and reported the theory as fact - thereby controversy over the effects of playing Dungeons & Dragons. 

 

IN ACTUALITY THE WHOLE THING WAS BUNK! But that didn't stop the religious freaks, zealots, and morons jumping on it whole scale!

 
The Dungeon Master: The Disappearance of James Dallas Egbert III is the 1984 book written by private investigator William Dear, in an attempt to "cash in" for his own gain - giving his own personal account of the 1979 "steam tunnel incident", which he claims was only written because the actual events were misrepresented by the news media.

The book recounts his experience investigating the 1979 disappearance of James Dallas Egbert III, a student at Michigan State University - and is just as flakey as Mazes and Monsters in its own way.

Egbert was a 16 year old child prodigy who was battling intense academic pressure, drug addiction, and personal issues - IN ACTUALITY, if you are interested Egberts personality and character was evenly distributed  between the four main characters Robbie Wheeling (Tom Hanks), Kate Finch (Wendy Crewson), Daniel (David Wallace), and Jay Jay Brockway (Chris Makepeace) - yet ANOTHER innacuracy compared to the reality.

He had entered the school's utility tunnels with the intent of committing suicide and went into hiding after that attempt was unsuccessful. After learning that Egbert had played Dungeons and Dragons, Dear, who was unfamiliar with the game, suggested that Egbert may have entered the tunnels to play a live action version of the game. This theory was taken as fact by the media and caused intense controversy over the psychological effects of role playing games. After several weeks, Egbert gave himself up to private investigator Dear.

In 1980, less than a year after the incident, Egbert successfully committed suicide by self-inflicted gunshot wound. Dear kept the true circumstances of the disappearance a secret until four years after Egbert's death, due to a promise he made to the boy not to reveal them.

Although Egbert was indeed a player of D&D - it was later found that his entry of the steam tunnels was TOTALLY unrelated to Dungeons and Dragons.

At the time, the 16-year-old as struggling with depression, was under INTENSE academic pressure from his family, AND was battling drug addiction. In addition, his young age, advanced intelligence, and other issues had made it difficult for Egbert to make friends.

Egbert entered the steam tunnels on August 15, 1979 with a bottle of methaqualone intending to end his life - the suicide attempt was unsuccessful and when he awoke the next day he went into hiding at a friend's house - leading to the search for the "missing boy".

When you know the real story, and understand the poor lads confusion and desperation - you realize all the scandal over D&D was LITERALLY drummed up by the press. All the bible bashing about the game that ensued and became more and more exaggerated led to increased sales and awareness of Dungeons and Dragons - so in reality, all these news hounds and god botherers did was do TSR a favour.

I don't know about you, but I find that kinda funny!

Difference in D&D Editions

I came across this somewhere (if anyone can remind me I would be most grateful) and saved it because it amused me.

BUT - the more I ponder this, the more true it becomes - anyone who's run games/played games of every edition of D&D/AD&D (as I have) will love this!

Difference in D&D Editions

Original Edition D&D -
 “That fight was really hard.” -> The party was wiped out.

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st Edition -
“That fight was really hard.” -> Half the party is dead.

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition -

“That fight was really hard.” -> One member of the party is dead.

Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition/3.5 -
“That fight was really hard.” -> One member of the party was close to 0 hit points.

Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition -

“That fight was really hard.” -> I can’t believe we were down to using At Will powers.

Dramatic Structure in Your Dungeon Crawls

There were some interesting thoughts this month over at D&D Insider, a Dungeon Editorial (from Dungeon # 185) about "Dramatic Structure".

Now I've never really thought about this personally, I just sort of "do it" without any bells and whistles or fuss.

You know, theres a beginning, a middle, and an end to every adventure - but it was REALLY interesting seeing it laid out and discussed like that.

Of course an RPG is different to other Mediums, but a lot of elements are the same - Protagonists (PC's & NPC's), Antagonists (NPC's & Monsters), the Setup (Act 1 if it were a Play - in RPG terms the PC's meet an NPC in a Tavern who "hires" or "Quests" them with a task), a steady build of conflic/tension through Confrontation & Encounters (Act 2), and sorts it all out for Better (Comedy/Resolution - funny moments in a game are very important, as is your Players achieving their goals, should they repeatedly fail - you WILL lose some or possibly all, of your group) or Worse (Tragedy/Resolution/Failiure - SOMETIMES your PC's HAVE to fail, for the sake of the plot - so you HAVE a "place" for them to go in your Game World) in the Final Part of a Scenario or Story (Act 3).

I've ALWAYS found Players enjoy "Dungeon Crawls" more than any other type of Scenario, now thats not to say that I DON'T run "non" Dungeon games - I do, its just that when I hear my Players chatting/reminiscing about games - the Dungeon "elements" always seem to stick in their minds. So I like to stick to whats fun, for both my players and myself.

One of the "pitfalls" DM's find when running extensive or repeated Dungeon based Scenarios is blandness, things always seem "the same" with no real variation in plot. Now THATS where following the rules of dramatic structure REALLY come in handy.

ALWAYS (and I mean always too LoL) follow the Dramatic Structure and you really cannot go wrong, by having a fairly "rigid" structure - you actually "free" your imagination up - giving you the ability to insert more "flavour" into your Dungeon based Scenarios.


ACT I - The Setup


Whether you actually run the Setup as part of the Scenario, or its just there as "fluff" for the players so they know why their characters are intering the Dungeon - it should be rich and fully realized. Don't skimp of detail, don't skimp on information. There SHOULDN'T be a Villain in every game, but by the same token don't have endless streams of "lost artifacts" for the PC's to retrieve.


Other options could be - rescue a Kidnap Victim, a Lost Child, Deliver a Message, Bury an NPC's Remains, or even (as I did in one scenario) rescue a lost Cat.


ACT II - The "Meat" of the Story


Keep things fresh, don't be afraid to "roll" with the punches your players throw at you. I remember one game I ran, the Party were storming through my carefully planned Dungeon - Kicking in EVERY wooden door. It was boring for me, so when they moved onto Level II - SUDDENLY all the Doors were stone, and very heavy (there was one moment in a Pit room with a sliding stone door, the Players spent nearly an HOUR trying to get out of that room. Searching for Secret Panels, JUMPING up and down to activate pressure plates etc - it didn't occur to them to check if it slid LoL).


ACT III - The Resolution


Again, keep things fresh and exciting - Don't "force" the ending. If someone Dies (a PC or beloved NPC) roll with it, play up the Pathos - ONLY ON VERY RARE OCCASIONS should you Plan to kill even an NPC. It just pisses of your Players when you do. By the same token, if your "Main Villain" (if you have one) fails to die, or manages to Escape - go with that too, then you have a Plot for later on (Revenge or Track him Down) - and never EVER get pissed off when your Players kill off a Carefully Crafted Major Villain or Monster! Thats what they are there for!!!


So, there you go - just some thoughts that I find useful and might help.

Snobbery & Pre-Painted Miniatures

I have quite a few WizBro D&D miniatures, you know - the pre-painted bits of rubber.

The reason why is simple really, when I travel to run games or am running games for Kids - NO WAY am I carting my Metal Miniatures around with me.

If they got stolen It would quite simple kill me (some are VERY rare indeed), plus you have to worry about damage (chipping, broken arms etc) - so the PP Minis fulfill a specific role as far as I am concerned.

Then there is the fact they have produced monsters you can't find elsewhere, I really REALLY don't like the "collectable" aspect tbh - thats the one thing that puts me off.

But, for the most part they are a LOT cheaper than their metal counterparts too.

FOR EXAMPLE -

WizBro Purple Worm - around £10 plus Shipping.

Reaper Purple Worm - around £20 plus Shipping.

Otherworld Purple Worm - around £30 plus Shipping.

I FINALLY aquired an Aboleth the other day, more than likely to the upset of my players LoL!

Then, there is the "snobbery" angle with PP minis, that they are "collectable" (something I mentioned earlier I'm not 100% a fan of), and for the most part the paint jobs are pants - OCCASIONALLY they are "OK".

I have (as part of painting commisions) re-painted some, and I have to say once stripped the detailing on the Vinyl is excellent and they paint up well.

The "miniature" snobs have to remember not everyone has the time or the skill to spend hours and days painting hordes of Miniatures, so these are a BOON in those circumstances.

So don't discard the idea of using PP WizBro stuff, its got its uses after all . . . . . . 

Morality & Responsibility

Even though I’m no moralizer - I have commented in the past about the moral “grey area” of WizBro’s marketing. How it’s an example of corporate greed, and that I believe it’s going to be damaging to the hobby in the long run.

I’ve had my dissenters, (you know who you are Mister B) and there have been yells and whines about how they are a business and need to make money.

Whilst that is true, I don’t think it’s right dumbing it all down to the level it has been (the rumour is character sheets are going next, to be replaced by cards – another product in the line no doubt) whilst exploiting it to the level they have.

D&D T-Shirts have been around for years, worn in “geek pride” by many a gamer – but a line of Soft Drinks, even a ‘limited edition’ one is taking the p**s IMHO.

A lot of parents have been running 4e with their kids, and whilst I think it’s a good thing – the ages concern me. Getting very young kids (even in one instance a pre-schooler) taught to play D&D – feels a little more like indoctrination than a family activity. As at very young ages they hear the word “game” and are up for anything, without the ability to make a decision about wanting or not wanting to play it on their own.

D&D has been aimed at kids before – that’s a fact I know.

Sure there have been colouring books in the past - and the Classic Animated Series (which I still adore). But if it IS to be marketed at kids, it should be done in a more appropriate and responsible way – Making a "kiddy friendly" product.

The Harvesters RPG from Troll Lord Games is a brilliant example of a game designed to be played by kids and their parents.

But, if such marketing exists – it should be tempered with a little morality and responsibility. Something WizBro seems to be lacking.

Still not convinced – then scoot over to the Virgin Casino and check out “Crystal Caverns” – a Dungeons and Dragons slot machine game (I kid you not).

“Adventure & fortune awaits in Dungeons & Dragons: Crystal Caverns. Now with Tumbling Reels® plus free spins & a scatter feature.”

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS - CRYSTAL CAVERNS

Of course, you can play for free – but to allow such an obvious abuse of the D&D brand and linking it to gambling - is despicable behaviour at best.

Well done WizBro – you really suck now!

Converting D&D/AD&D/D20 System to Castles & Crusades.

For those of you who doubt it as easy as people claim, or want a formulaic way of converting Monsters and Scenarios to Castles and Crusades - presented here are some guidelines.

These ideas were originally posted on the Goodman Games Forum way back in 2006 by Chris Rutkowsky (who did the conversion of the Mysterious Tower from d20 to Castles and Crusades, and has written an original module using the Castles and Crusades system for Goodman Games).

If the monster you want to convert is not in the Monsters and Treasure Book, the easiest way is to consult your AD&D/D&D Monster Manuals and find the Creatures entry in there (or the NEAREST suitable entry) and use those stats.

But for those of you who want a more calculated approach -

Converting from D&D/D&D.

Armour Classes.

To convert a D&D Armour Class to C&C, simply subtract the given AC from 19. Remember that subtracting a negative number equates to the same thing as addition.

So a D&D monster listed as AC 5 would be AC 14 in C&C (19-5= 14). A monster with AC -3 would become AC 22 in C&C (19+3 =22). Saves are easier to convert. If the creature saves as a fighter, thief, dwarf, or halfling it is Physical prime. If it saves as an elf, cleric, or wizard it is mental prime. Use the creatures HD as the bonus to all rolls (including saves, attacks, etc).

If using 1st or 2nd Edition AD&D as a resource, Armour Class is also easy to manage. Simply subtract the listed AC from 20. So an AC 5 creature would be AC 15 in C&C and an AC -3 character would be AC 23 in C&C.

Converting Save Throws

Older editions of D&D had 5 saving throws. C&C has 6 and they are roughly the same, except the C&C saves are directly linked to stats. The old D&D saves were as follows and converts to C&C as presented below:

Saves vs. Paralysis – Castles & Crusades Strength Based Saves
Saves vs. Breath Weapon (and area of affect spells like fireball) – Castles & Crusades Dexterity Based Saves
Saves vs. Poison, Death – Castles & Crusades Constitution Based Saves
Saves vs. Wands, Staves, Wands (and Illusions) – Castles & Crusades Intelligence Based Saves
Saves vs. Spells (except illusions and area of affect spells like fireball and charm or sleep spells) – Castles & Crusades Wisdom Based Saves
Saves vs. Enchantment spells (sleep, charm, etc) and fear – Castles & Crusades Charisma Based Saves

Converting damage from Traps.

If the Traps Damage is related to a spell, look up the C&C equivalent and adjust the effect accordingly.

If the Traps Damage is related to a weapon, look up that weapons damage in C&C and convert it.

If damage is listed as a die with a damage bonus exceeding the die types, add another die to the damage instead. If it has a damage bonus less than the die type, get rid of the bonus damage.

So if a trap is listed as doing 5d6+7 damage, convert it to 6d6 damage for C&C. If it does 5d6+4 damage, its damage is just does 5d6.

Converting from the D20 System.

The Creatures/Monsters in D&D 3rd/3.5 scenarios are 90% compatible with C&C rules. A lot of the work can simply be done as you go along "on the fly" so to speak.

If you want to convert DIRECTLY from d20 system, use the same Hit Dice and die type as the creature already has, but get rid of the bonus hit points.

So a creature listed as 5d10+15 HD in d20 would convert to 5d10 in C&C.

You should also take away any bonuses to the damage dice listed.

If the bonus listed is higher than the die, just make the attack use the die type, and double it.

Therefore a creature listed as doing d4+5 damage - change it to 2d4. If a creature had d6+3 damage - just convert it to d6.

These changes are because hit points and damage are harder to come by in C&C than they are in d20.

D20 System Saving Throws.

If a creature's good saves are FORT or REF, it is Physical prime. If it is WILL the creature is mental prime. If they are all good saves, it is physical and mental prime.

Converting Character D20 saves is a little trickier and involves a judgement call by the DM converting it. You just have to use some logic as to which converts to what.

FORT - STR or CON (depending on the effect)
REF - DEX
WILL - INT, WIS, or CHA (Depending on the source of the spell/effect, DM's call)

Converting DCs to Challenge Levels.

I use a simple formula for this. I assume that DC 15 is the average DC of a check in d20. In C&C, the average difficulty of a task is CL 0. So every 1 the DC is higher than 15 in D20, the CL is 1 higher. So a DC 19 check would convert to a CL 4 check. For every 1 the DC is lower than 15 in D&D, the CL is -1. So a DC 12 check would be CL -3 in C&C. The CL of course is added to the base of 12/18 depending on if the character is prime in the required stat.

Converting D20 System Skill Checks .

Simply make the skill check into an attribute check for the skill that is normally tied to that attribute. You may want to give certain classes a bonus in this, or even restrict who can try based on class. For instance a Search check would simply convert to an INT check, which anybody can do, but a Survival check to track somebody should be limited to rangers or maybe druids (with a penalty as it is not a class ability for them).

The First Dungeons and Dragons Movie

I make no bones about the fact me and the Mrs actually like the first Dungeons & Dragons Movie (I like the second one too, she does not) - They are great fun, and I find them entertaining.

A lot of people REALLY don't like them, to the degree of spitting venom whilst discussing them!

BUT, did you know that technically the Dungeons & Dragons movie that was released in 2000 ISN'T the first D&D Movie -

Krull (1983) is . . . . . .

Upon its conception Krull was supposed to be the official Dungeons & Dragons movie adaptation, and was even titled so, with artwork and press releases prepared under that name.

At some point before the completion of the film, the Dungeons & Dragons license was removed from the project.

As there was turmoil in the TSR camp bubbling into life at the time, one can only imagine as to why the license was pulled out from under the production.



An interesting piece of trivia about the Dungeons & Dragons Movie that never was . . . . .

Interesting . . . .

I was looking at the various releases for D&D, I found this interesing -

To play AD&D 1st Edition - you needed the following to play it fully (I've inlcuded EVERYTHING in this list, including "side" books - not essential, but useful) - and I've included publishing dates . . . .

1977
2009 Monster Manual (Note that in 1980 the MM1 was reprinted with another cover)

1978
2010 Player's Handbook (Note that in 1980 the PB was reprinted with another cover)

1979
2011 Dungeon Master's Guide (Note that in 1980 the DMG was reprinted with another cover

1980
2013 Deities & Demigods (Note there are 2 versions, the older one having the Cthulhu and Melnibonean Mythos, the other omitting them - the earlier edition was the best

1981
2012 Fiend Folio

1983
2016 Monster Manual 2

1985
2017 Unearthed Arcana
2013 Legends & Lore
2018 Oriental Adventures

1986
2019 Dungeoneer's Survival Guide
2020 Wilderness Survival Guide

1987
2022 Manual of the Planes)

So, for AD&D 1st Edition - a total of 12 Core Books published over a period of 10 years. Gary and TSR were in it for the long haul with AD&D 1st Ed. Then disaster struck, and Gary left TSR . . . .

So, on to AD&D 2nd Edition - still a nice set of rules (at its root it was basically the same as AD&D 1st Ed) the then (NOT) TSR had tidied it up - BUT they had ADDED the "Complete" Character Books to the lineup of books needed to play the game fully as the new TSR envisoned it.

1989
2100 Dungeon Master's Guide
2101 Player's Handbook
2102 Monstrous Compendium, Vol. 1
2103 Monstrous Compendium, Vol. 2
2110 PHBR1 The Complete Fighter's Handbook
2111 PHBR2 The Complete Thief's Handbook

1990
2108 Legends & Lore
2113 PHBR3 The Complete Priest's Handbook
2115 PHBR4 The Complete Wizards's Handbook
2114 DMGR1 Campaign Sourcebook & Catacomb Guide
2112 DMGR2 Castle Guide

1991
2118 MC 8, Monstrous Compendium, Outer Planes Appendix
2117 PHBR5 The Complete Book of Psionics
2124 PHBR6 The Complete Book of Dwarves
2123 DMGR3 Arms and Equipment Guide
2121 Tome of Magic

1992
2129 MC 14, Monstrous Compendium, Fiend Folio Appendix
2127 PHBR7 The Complete Bard's Handbook
2131 PHBR8 The Complete Book of Elves
2128 DMGR4 Monster Mythology

1993
2140 Monstrous Manual
2138 Book of Artifacts
2134 PHBR9 The Complete Book of Gnomes & Halflings
2135 PHBR10 The Complete Book of Humanoids
2136 PHBR11 The Complete Ranger's Handbook
2133 DMGR5 Creative Campaigning

1994
2145 Monstrous Compendium Annual Vol. 1
2147 PHBR12 The Complete Paladin's Handbook
2150 PHBR13 The Complete Druid's Handbook
2144 DMGR6 The Complete Book of Villains

1995
2159 Player's Handbook, revised
2160 Dungeon Master's Guide, revised
2149 Player's Option: Combat & Tactics
2154 Player's Option: Skills & Powers
2156 Dungeon Master's Options: High Level Campaign
9504 Dungeon Master's Screen and Master Index
2158 Monstrous Compendium Annual Vol. 2
2148 PHBR14 The Complete Barbarian's Handbook
2155 PHBR15 The Complete Ninja's Handbook
2151 DMGR7 The Complete Book of Necromancers

1996
2163 Player's Option: Spells & Magic
2164 Sages and Specialists
2167 AD&D CD-ROM: Core Rules
9532 World Builder's Guidebook
2166 Monstrous Compendium Annual, Vol. 3

1997
2170 Of Ships and the Sea

1998
2167 AD&D CD-ROM Core Rules Version 2.0
2140 Monstrous Manual
9556 Dungeon Builder's Guidebook
2173 Monstrous Compendium Annual, Vol. 4

1999
11349 Priest's Spell Compendium, Vol 1
11383 AD&D Campaign Option: Council of Wyrms
11453 AD&D CD-ROM Core Rules Version 2.0 (Re-release)

I HAVE NOT INCLUDED in this list, because they weren't really needed, the variant Historical Books, the Spell Compendiums, or the various Card Decks released.

So, for AD&D 2nd Edition - a total of 53 Core Books published over a period of 10 years.

So, since Gary leaving TSR you have gone from 12 Books to play to a whopping 53! FFS! Talking about over-egging the pudding (Black, or course).

Now, onto the WizBro years - I never really got into Wizards (not) DnD - I bought the books, read them - even ran a couple of games - then went back to 1st Ed (with a little 2nd) when 3.5 Came out!

28 'essential' Books released for 3rd Ed in four years making it (on average) the most expensive edition so far.

That was until (also in 2003) 3.5 started pouring out . . . . .

42 Books (correct me if I have fallen short, again I've left out compendiums and such) in just 5 years - putting 3.5 on the top of the expense list.

I have a question for WizkBro - how come thier version of 3.5 (not) DnD needed so many Books to run the game properly. Whereas Pathfinder needs less than a quarter as many books to be up and running properly.

GREED thats why, WizBro and TSR 2 were greedy - Gary made a good living out of AD&D - he did it by producing good, solid product - not by "blanket bombing" the market . . . . .

Right, onto 4th (not) DnD . . . .

In just 3 years, WizBro have released 42 "essential" products for (not) DnD (I've included the Power Cards etc - because they are now essential for smooth play) - FORTY TWO - now thats NOT including the now important Miniature Releases - If you include them the grand total becomes silly (including the 5 Floorplan sets that you will need to go with your miniatures).

Congratulations to WizBro - they have out done themselves this time.

Compare that to Castles & Crusades wich will be 6 essential Products when the Castle Keepers guide finally comes out, Labyrinth Lord which requires but two books (and can be gotten for free), and Pathfinder (if you have a 3.5 leaning) needs only 8 Books (including the Screen) - 9 if you need the conversion guide to bring Characters over from 3.5!

So, to all the 4th Edition (not) DnD fans out there - WHAT A BUNCH OF SUCKERS . . . . . . . . .

Otherworld Miniatures Sale

It's nearly 3 years since Otherworld Miniatures sold their first casting of the 'Demon Idol' on 3rd November 2006, and they've come a long way in just 3 short years.

There are now 169 different figures in their range of 28mm fantasy monsters, with many more on the way!

To celebrate their first 3 years,they are holding a sale,until 3rd December all of their figures have been discounted by 20%, and worldwide shipping will be free of charge for orders over £75.00 in value.

They won't even let the Royal Mail strike spoil your shopping, as all orders placed during the sale period will be shipped by either 'Airsure' delivery for international orders or Special Delivery within the UK.

My very first order arrived yesterday and - OH MY GAWD!

The are even better 'in the flesh' than the pictures show on the website!

Anyway, here is a quick rundown of what was in my Treasure Chest (lol) and my initial thoughts.

DD1 - Demon Idol
The Demon Idol is, to put it as succinctly as possible - a work of art. A brilliantly executed sculpt, with little or no casting residue on it. Its a real joy to behold. I just need some Wererats for my PC's to kill and I am set!

DM3a - Ogre I
I was initially unsure of the Ogre, the photos on the webstore really don't do it justice. I am REALLY pleased with this model now I have it finally an Ogre with proper 1st Ed feet! He's a big bugger too! He should imtimidate a party of adventurers nicely.

DM11 - Shriekers & Violet Fungi
A great addition, as I only have one Shrieker, an old Grenadier one (my Citadel one got swiped years ago). Plus the Violet Fungi tendrils are a great bonus too! The beaty of these little fungi is they are nice and easy to paint too, just a case of black undercoat and wet/drybrushing.

DM9a - Stirges
Stirges are one of my fave beasties, not so hard as to wipe out a party - and not so weak as to be beaten easily. I only have 4 of the Citadel stirges, and knowing I now have a ready supply is great. These new sculpts are far superior to the citadel ones in my humble opinion.

KB1, 2, & 3 - Kobold Warriors I, II, & III
Stunning, absolutely superb - these little buggers are spot on. can't wait to start plaguing my players with these! A lot of other manufacturers Kobolds are to squat or chunky, these are nicely wirey and you can imagine them easily fitting through the tighter places wthin a dungeon.

DM17 - Hook Horror
A great 1e style re-imagining of a Hook Horror. The illustration in the Fiend Folio didn't really cut it, as (to me at least) it looked like an overgrown parrot. This beastie looks much more dangerous.

DM1a, 1b, & 1c - Bugbear Warriors I, II, & III
Again these are great - less comical that the citadel bugbears - but just as much fun! There are 6 different sculpts amongst the warriors, and a Bugbear Chieftain too!

G1b - Hill Giant
Other peoples sculpts of Hill Giants either look to noble (those that are too muscular with thick hair and beards) or comical (like the ral-partha Hill Giant that looked like an oversized neanderthal) - this guys looks exactly the same as in the 1st Ed AD&D Monster Manual - sweet!

DM6 - Minotaur
I realy REALLY cannot stand minotaurs with hooves - according to greek myth they were huge men with the head of a great bull, no mention of hooves. This model is spot on!

DV2a - Giant Ticks
These little buggers are wonderfully gribbly, and will no doubt scare the crap out of the lady players - I cant wait Lol.

DM4a - Troll I
Again, very impressed - out of all the 'proper' AD&D Trolls produced, this is my new favourite (it used to be the ral partha one). Again, tick 'VG'!

O4 - Pig-faced Orc Warband
FINALLY Otherworlds Pig Faced orcs, I've never owned many pig faced orcs - in fact I only ever had two before. One was a VERY old Minifigs model (dreadful it was too LoL) and a Prince August model. These are amazing to be honest, funny (without being comical) and the detailing is amazing!

Now, I know people reading this might be calling me a fan boy (or possibly worse) but I can honestly say, if I wasn't happy (and very impressed) I WOULD be posting 'appropriate comments' LoL!

I've been a Dungeon Master for D&D/AD&D (and now my AD&D/C&C Hybrid) since the white box edition of Dungeons and Dragons all those years ago - I've bought and painted a LOT of miniatures over the years. Its a shame I've had to wait over 30 years to find a range that fits the bill!

To Richard of Otherworld Miniatures, long may you run your company - and many thanks for starting it.

Keep Rollin'

4th Edition, 38 products and rollin'

One of the things that bothers me the most about companies like WotC is the fact their games come over as just 'product' now.

Whilst I am sure some of the design team are truly behind D&D 4e as a game, I have no doubt in my mind that as a whole it is regarded as a saleable entity with little or no regard as any other product produved by any other corporate entity.

Why do I think thats such a bad thing? Because D&D 4e i fairly soulless IMHO - now I know 4e has its detractors and its admirers and I really REALLY am not trying to start a flame war (I hate arguments they really stress me out)but when alls said and done, there really is something not quite right with (not) D&D 4th Edition.

I truly believe any Role Playing is a good thing, its a healthy hobby with benefits way beyond those of just playing a game - Stress Relief, the Social Aspect, encourages Literacy and Numeracy etc . . . .

But in just 17 Months since its release they have released 38 products (including a Starter Set and the 4th Edition Core Rulebook Gift Set) and whilst not all are important for play, they are promoted in such a way certain gamers will either think they need them all or simply want them all.

4th Edition is brilliantly laid out, the Artwork is evocative and eye catching - I'm not even going to debate rules here; as rules are like food - not everyone likes the same thing. But its so slick, its soulless and just lacks any kind of passion of joy (for me at least, and I started buying the range).

I am aware companies need to make money to survive, but to make it at the expense of a Game known and loved by millions of fans seems wrong to me.

Keep Rollin'

The 'Ages' of D&D

Something slightly different today.

I Ran across this blog post by a Mr James Malizewski and thought some of you might find it an interesting read . .

Basically, James takes a look at the history of the game through a Series of "Ages" similar to the "ages of mankind" which the ancient Greek Hesiod used to describe the passage of human history.

The idea is that history Begins with a 'Golden Age' and then descends through the baser metals as Time goes on and the world changes (and not always for the better).

http://grognardia.blogspot.com/2009/01/ages-of-d.html

You will notice in the comments section, there are some interesting debates about viewing the game's history through that prism (or any of Several others).

I am 100% in agreement with him to be frank (and posted a comment to that fact) and just wanted to pass the link on.

I really don't think he's alone in the feeling that change isn't always for the best . . . . . . .

Keep Rollin'

Star Trek D20 (Continued) and Lemuria

Ok, I've read Prime Directive D20, the Decipher Rules, the Last Unicorn Rules, and even the FASA rules - out of all of the the CODA (Decipher) System is the most detailed.

BUT (and there is always a but Lol) its not D20 - so where now. Take a backwards (IMHO) step away from DnD, or press onward.

Never having been the type to step away from a challenge, I shall be endeavouring to Convert the Races, Skill Programs, and even some equipment to the D20 system.

What will result will be a mish-mash of rules and systems that should 'fit' into DnD 3.5 (I've opted for 3.5 over 4e - 4e is much more heroic fantasy IMHO and less suited to the Universe of Star Trek. That MIGHT change as things get converted and written - if it turns out 4e is more suitable, then so be it!).

Another long put-off project will be updating all my old rules for AD&D 1st Edition, most of them center around Lemuria - the ancient continent that was the 'seat' of many of my Games. A Background that got perverted by another DM (including, but not in any order of absurdity - Daleks, an Alien Villain called 'Azra' and my personal favourite - the Horse Plague, which happened because he felt - "The player characters get around to quickly" - I kid you not Lol).

HOPEFULLY there won't be as long a gap before my next Post, if things get a little less hectic around her - but with being busy, helping my Dad (whos on his own now), a new Grandkid on the way, AND one of my Cats had Kittens - its been mental around here Lol!

Star Trek D20

I've been 'gearing up' for some Star Trek Roleplaying, and (of course) I plan on using the Prime Directive D20 Books as a basis.

Even though the games I want to run will be set during the Original Series Era, I still want to add a few tweaks and put my own spin on things.

I've written some, but want to go over the format before 'putting them up - so stay tuned!

Win a Trip to Gen Con!

I don't know if everyone is aware of this yet, but DnD News & Wizards are running a Competition.

If you tell them about your character, you could win a trip to Gen Con in the US this August!

The Eight finalists also will win a 3 Month subscription to DnD Insider, and the overall winner will then be chosen from the finalists!

More information here - www.tellmeaboutyourcharacter.co.uk

How cool is that!

DnD for Everything

I was chatting to my good friend Chris by Email the other day, and I commented about other milieu's I would like to play in - and that I wanted to use DnD (or at least the D20 system in some form) as the basis for all our RPG'ing in the future.

Why I hear you ask (well I don't, but you get me) . . . .

1 - Playability. Its a system that works, not I know a lot of people don't like Experience and Level systems - but we do. They may be an abstraction, but for heroic style Role Playing they are brilliant. Plus in real life many people make a big deal over 'Experience' and such systems represent gains in experience (and training) well.

2 - Familiarity. One of the things that can stall any Campaign before it even begins, is lack of rules familiarity - this applies to both players and games masters. If you are playing a D20 based game, all the basic systems are the same. There will be few (if any) new systems and rules amendments to learn.

3 - Fun. The BEST Gaming experiences of my life have been with DnD or the D20 system - period! Both as a DM and as a Player. I know my group feels the same way.

A (short) list of non-DnD D20 Games, both official and unofficial.

Call of C'Thulhu
Shadowrun
Star Trek/Prime Directive
Traveller
Conan
Star wars
Starship Troopers
Stargate

And so on . . . . . .

Multi-Classing Revisited

WHY can't we just do Multi-Classing the 'old-way' - that is, if you belong to two Classes - you have to earn Experience for each.

The Character then gains the abilities of both Classes, and takes the Average of Hit Points, the best resistances from each etc.

Furthermore, they are restricted to the lesser Armour available - but may take any/all the Weapons available to each Class. If the levels between the Classes become too 'uneven' (i.e. more than one level difference) the Character pays for it with a 10% penalty on all Experience earned.

BALANCE I hear people screaming from the highest tower to the deepest Dungeon - Its no secret that I believe vehemently that game balance comes from the Dungeon Master rather than a set of artificial constraints in a rules-set (White Wolf were the first to instigate this in their Storytelling games, and it became very popular throughout the RPG Industry) - Rules Constraints do indeed make RPG's easier to run for newbies and more accessable to the masses - but IMHO they can also bland out the flavour and suck some of the fun out out the whole experience for both the DM and his players.

Should people REALLY be up-tight about this way of Multi-Classing, we could always limit the number of Encounter Powers etc - to the basic Number available at each level, all the Multi-Classed Character would gain really would be a greater choice. I personally don't like this, as its watering things down again IMO.

HOWEVER - if I were to instigate the 'Old-School' Multi-Classing I would reinstate certain Racial Limitations. Thats not Level Limitations, but rather WHAT Classes each Race may Multi-Class in - Mainly for 'flavour', for example with the Devotion and Piety a Paladin would need - I really don't see a Palading Multi-Classing in this way as Logical.

Just some random musings.