“I got it!” Mekken considered for a second. The sun had already begun to set, and the shadows of the forest grew darker, creeping rapidly closer to the abandoned hilltop monastery. An ominous presence could be felt in those shadows. “Thaln, gather variegated blue-leaf thyme from outside. Aildrer, I think the powdered crystal we need […]
Use Skill Challenges to Start Combat (Part 1 of 3) Read More »
Welcome to Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist. A dangerous journey, forcing him to take a long, hard look at game design. Join him, won’t you… in his ongoing struggle to pass Go. [previously] ___ A couple of columns ago, I mentioned that editors fill a crucial role in the business. They really are the unsung heroes
Now, the Twist: Credit Where Due—Editors Read More »
For generations, the tomb has endured as the most iconic and menacing of adventure sites. Countless campaigns have been carried out in search of relics and lore secreted away, and few creatures inspire such terror as the undead, which wait forever in a disquieting stillness and silence. However, the rumors spread by adroit explorers and
Dust of Candle Snuffing Read More »
For an experienced adventurer, the awe and horror of the living dead has long since faded with zombies commonplace and ghouls just another form of sewer trash. But when a skeleton with bones clad in decaying iron turns a sword to rust, the adventurer again knows fear. The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary introduced a new
7 Variant Undead Templates (Part 1 of 2) Read More »
Alchemists, craftsmen, and madmen with flasks have been known to make interesting discoveries with chemicals. This has not gone unnoticed by adventurers, monster hunters, and other generally crafty buggers. A few creative adventurers — the kind who can find an alternative use for some oddly glowing goo — have been adopted these items. Some adventurers may scoff at the
Industrial Chemicals for Adventuring Read More »
The tetsubo is a fairly obscure but interesting weapon that almost no one had heard of until very recently. Its place in history is a bit sketchy, and it’s difficult to find reliable information on the tetsubo, also called the kanabo, but its place in Japanese mythology is solid. While I know a bit of
Real Steel: The Tetsubo Read More »
The Dark Deeds in Freeport patron project has met its commission! Lead designer Mike Furlanetto will transition into design work immediately with the patrons. This is going to be a wild ride through the Freeport setting, with creator Chris Pramas on hand to keep things official. Chris has promised Dark Deeds good latitude for project
Freeport Project Funded and Underway! Read More »
GOLD, “the web series that does double damage,” is an interesting product. On one hand, it’s a niche within a niche within a niche. What do I mean by that? At its core, GOLD is about tabletop RPG gaming epitomized by Dungeons & Dragons, but it is also a web series with a distinct soap
Dark Deeds in Freeport patronage project is waiting for you! ___ Wolf asked me to talk a little bit about the origin of Freeport, so let’s go on a journey back to 2000. Early in that year, I had decided to start a new company, and I was in the process of putting together the
Last Call for Dark Deeds: The Origin of Freeport Read More »
(Art by Ashton Sperry) A few weeks ago at NeonCon 2010, I ran a workshop called Monster in an Hour. The plan was to do some crowd-sourced monster design. I wanted participants to think up the things that horrify them not only as a player but also as a person—then we’d build it together. After
Making Monsters in Las Vegas: Desiccating Stalker Read More »
The Open Design griffon has a free gift for the lucky recipients of the Kobold Courier this time out, plus plenty of other news: • an interview with designer Dan Voyce, • playtest opportunities for patrons of several projects, • a podcast with some possibly familiar names, • two free previews for Freeport,• Taverncraft contest
Courier #11 Has Shipped Read More »
The kobold staff is delighted to note that Kobold Quarterly magazine has made it on the GeekDad holiday list for this year, along with other worthy items such as the Castle Ravenloft board game and the Pathfinder RPG core rules. We proudly quote their stunningly accurate description from 2009: this independent D&D magazine is known
Kobold on WIRED Holiday List Read More »
Welcome to the Dark Deeds in Freeport patronage project! Dark Deeds in Freeport is a tale of truths and lies—and especially truth’s power, be it cleansing or destructive. Secrets take on lives of their own, and the truth will come out! Usually, players uncover those secrets, but sometimes it’s just as much fun for their
Dark Deeds and Deep Secrets Read More »
Welcome to Greg “Not a Wus” Vaughan’s One Too Many (Voices in My Head). His last, best chance to exercise those pesky demons. In his column, you’ll find… I really have no idea, but he gave me $20, so… all yours Greg! [previously] ___ As an RPG writer, I am sometimes beholden to that merciless
One Too Many (Voices in My Head): There’s No J in Kevin, but there’s a K in Paybacks Read More »
Kobolds are strange creatures. Full of tricks and traps, and then, one day, they get all mushy. Today’s that day. Here’s our Thanksgiving list, and you’re at the top. We’re thankful to our customers, each and everyone one of you who sent a few dollars our way. That vote of cash and confidence allows us
A Kobold Thanksgiving Read More »
Welcome to Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist. A dangerous journey, forcing him to take a long, hard look at game design. Join him, won’t you… in his ongoing struggle to pass Go. [previously] ___ Before launching into the usual snarkery, I’d like to take a moment for a more serious topic. You may have heard that
Now, the Twist: Hubris Read More »
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