Although many a roleplayer may bemoan the lack of women in our community, I’m here to tell you they are out there, waiting to be enticed by goblins, treasure, and adventures. On Friday, April 12th, I hosted the fifth monthly Queer Geek! Ladies’ Gaming Night in Seattle, Washington. Usually we all get together and play […]
Ladies’ Pathfinder Night: Many Adventures Ahead Read More »
Midgard Icons presents some of the Midgard Campaign Setting’s major NPCs as icons for use in 13th Age, the new fantasy roleplaying game from Rob Heinsoo and Jonathan Tweet. Bring them into your 13th Age campaign; run 13th Age in the world of Midgard; or port the icon relationship rules into your system of choice.
Midgard Icons: Queen of Night and Magic Read More »
When you get your players to develop detailed histories, they will see them as ways to explore their own characters, but you, as the GM, know what they really are: game generating fodder. When I’m writing a screenplay, I interweave my plot with the backgrounds of my characters. Often I find ways for the plot
From Screenplay to RPG: Character Backgrounds (For the GMs) Read More »
Last time, we went over a quick system for mutating your monsters so that they can provide a more unknown challenge for your player characters to face. Let’s take a look at a few examples, starting with the humble goblin. Goblins For starters, goblins are not CR 1. To get there, they need 2 player
Old Hat Monsters: Mutated (Part 2) Read More »
A good GM is one part entertainer and one part engineer. And, like a magician, you are only as good as your last trick. Players are like a savvy audience at a magic show—you aren’t going to wow them with the standard magic act. All too often, it seems like they’ve seen behind the curtain.
Old Hat Monsters: Mutated (Part 1) Read More »
In the first part of this series, Charles began exploring exorcism in the Pathfinder game and provided us with the cost of failure. In part 2, he took us into the commandments exorcists can use, as well as how to handle true names. This time, he provides you with some options that allies might have
Exorcism Enhanced, Part 3 Read More »
In the first part of this series, Charles began exploring exorcism in the Pathfinder game and provided us with the cost of failure. This time, he takes us into the commandments exorcists can use, as well as how to handle true names. Commandments Commandments are orders issued with special divine authority. Exorcists learn how to
Exorcism Enhanced, Part 2 Read More »
In stories, exorcisms are exciting events. In fantasy roleplaying games, exorcisms are usually glossed over. Pathfinder, for example, condenses exorcism into a single saving throw. But what if you want exorcisms to receive more attention and provide more opportunities for action? If you want to see this in your game, this blog series might be
Exorcism Enhanced, Part 1 Read More »
Midgard Icons presents some of the Midgard Campaign Setting’s major NPCs as icons for use in 13th Age, the new fantasy roleplaying game from Rob Heinsoo and Jonathan Tweet. Bring them into your 13th Age campaign; run 13th Age in the world of Midgard; or port the icon relationship rules into your system of choice.
Midgard Icons: Exarch Vermes II Read More »
When it comes to putting a party together, it’s important that all the necessary roles are filled. There needs to be a heavy hitter, a trap handler, a healer, and something arcane. That’s the big four that everyone pretty much agrees on, though balances can go one way or another. But what about back stories?
You’re in the Army Now Read More »
“Orcs again—yawn. Wake me up when it’s my turn.” We’ve all been there. No matter what level your players’ current characters are at, your players have seen it all. Like a perpetual arms race, you can frantically try to find new monsters to throw at their CR or make up new ones, but the fact
Old Hat Monsters: Reborn Read More »
Whether it is a few questions on an index card or a twenty-five page questionnaire, character backgrounds serve two important purposes in RPGs: For the characters they provide motivations and personality, and for GMs they provide ammunition for plot hooks, nonplayer characters, and campaign ideas. Why does Indiana Jones hunt for treasures? Why does Emperor
From Screenplay to RPG: Character Backgrounds (Part 1—For the Players) Read More »
The second part of “Get Gavin” unfolds before you. In this follow-up to the quick little adventure vignette, we have the trapsmith himself, plus more rooms and traps. If you missed part 1, you should certainly check it out. 10. Bedroom Two strong wooden doors lead to the terrace. The bedroom is very spacious. Luxurious
Trapsmith: Get Gavin (Part 2) Read More »
Too many deaths, too many friends lost. They were cheated, drowned, and maimed. All died a horrible death—all because of one man: Gavin. It took some effort to track him down, but you traced him to his workshop and home. It is time to settle scores. 1. Gavin’s Interior Defenses Above two stout wooden doors,
Trapsmith: Get Gavin (Part 1) Read More »
In the first part of this series, we explored some things you could do to speed up combat without adjusting the rules. The following are three simple ways to speed combats up by making rules modifications, and each one has an increasingly larger effect on the game system than the one before it. Two-Hit Minions
Faster Combat, Faster (Part 2) Read More »
You might have heard the following words said or written many times since June 2008, which is when 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons was released: “Combat takes forever.” No doubt you have also heard many solutions to this. In deciding what to do about the speed of 4E combat, it is important to know what
Faster Combat, Faster (Part 1) Read More »
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