To celebrate the release of the Kobold Guide to Board Game Design, we asked some of the world’s top board game designers to tell us about the first game they fell in love with, and whether it still holds up for them today. Starting things off is author Mike Selinker. For me, that’s easy: Squad […]
The First Board Game I Fell In Love With: Mike Selinker Read More »
The war club, in the form of a stick, was probably the first or second weapon ever used by human beings—a rock also being on that early list. Although a stout hardwood branch can get the job done, many cultures have improved both the function and appearance of the humble bludgeon. Native Americans have given
Real Steel: War Club Read More »
Quick poll: who would like to take a course in board game design from the creators of games like Dominion, Magic: The Gathering, Betrayal at House on The Hill, Munchkin and Kill Doctor Lucky? What if the price of the course was set at, say, $20 or less? Whoa! Lots of hands. That’s perfect, because
Kobold Guide to Board Game Design Read More »
(Avatars of Legend by Justin “Black Fang” Sluder; Illustration by Chris McFann) Kobold Quarterly #18 debuted the savant, a generalist base class for the Pathfinder RPG. With the knowledge of the ages and a flair for the dramatic, the savant learns heroics from the tomes he reads and summons avatars of legend with the stories he tells.
Bilikarr Sparks: A Sample Savant Read More »
The vow of poverty is a highly restrictive roleplaying challenge. To a certain turn of mind, mine included, the severity of the restriction is the appeal of the vow. As described, a character may own a simple set of clothing, a pair of sandals or shoes, a bow, a sack, a blanket and any one
Wow of Poverty (Part 1 of 4) Read More »
The constant warfare and border skirmishes of the Seven Cities spawn many mercenary companies and warrior orders. One of the largest and most well known is the Order of the Septime Lancers. The order produces cavaliers known for their personal flamboyance and daring tactical maneuvers in battle. Edicts: A cavalier sworn to this order serves
The Order of the Septime Lancers (Part 1 of 2) Read More »
Whether through magic, heritage, blessing, or curse, a rare event occurs when a creature is born with a touch of a dragon’s power. They vary in appearance with or without tinged skin, scaled hide, talons, or a tail. The only consistent feature that is always present is a pair of leathery reptilian wings. Dracontii “Dracontii”
Templates: Fire, Frost, and Fang (Part 3 of 3) Read More »
It’s not easy being a monster in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Over time, adventurers and monster hunters have a significant impact on monster populations, leaving only the strongest, luckiest, and most cunning to survive. Sometimes, though, monsters band together to increase their chances. They use their powers to complement one another and, in turn, present
Bait & Switch: Trolling for Change Read More »
The predatory forbearers of doppelgangers, flesh mimes are feared for their ability to shapechange into mirror-like duplicates of their prey. Flesh mimes are carnivores in every sense of the word, feeding on the bodies of their quarry and the psychic energy of their prey’s accumulated experience. Channeling this energy, flesh mimes are able to duplicate
Anton Swordbender swaggered out of the tavern, heading for Puffin Bluff after a full night of drinking. While he hadn’t succeeded in finding company before he left, he knew he caught the eye of at least one lass who would be easier to persuade later. A forced cough interrupted his thoughts as he reached the
The Kariv language is just as interesting, colorful, and varied as the people who use it. This is just an example of the words they use to help you lend flavor to your speech and to bring your characters to life. The basic units of Kariv society are the familia (fa-MEEL-yah), or family; vitsa (VEET-sah,
The Cherokee people inhabited parts of what is today Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. They were a woodland folk, building permanent or semi-permanent villages along streams and rivers in the mountainous country of the southern Appalachian Mountains. These “Principal People” (as the Cherokee call themselves) migrated south from the Great Lakes 1,000–2,000
Holy Women, Demon Fighters Read More »
As the fire burned higher, a shadow flickered where none should have been. Looming toward the camp, it silently observed the sleeping forms arranged on the far side of the fire pit. Turning toward the one who had summoned it, it slowly drew a single word in the soft sand… The shadowy remnants of once-great
Most adventurers know the sound of a wild boar rustling through the underbrush. But when the boar turn out to be the underbrush, very few are prepared for the surprise. [previously] __ These huge porcine creatures are often thought to be only a rumor. They have never been sighted outside of the fey realms, where
Boarticulture: Brutes of the Swine (Part 3 of 3) Read More »
(Illustration by Chris McFann) The nightmare lords of the forgotten depths often grant mortals power… [previously] Level 12: Dark Pact Invocation Legendary hexblade paragon path feature: Some of the rulers of the unfathomed depths below the earth have dwelt there so long that their bodies have become like the rock surrounding them. Occasionally, you can
The Dark Pact Hexblade (Part 3 of 3) Read More »
It’s raining drakes! Find a whole slew of these fierce mini-dragons in the Book of Drakes. Masters Daigle and Welham can show you the way… Style Feat Drake Style: Mimicking the unpredictability of drakes, practitioners of this style attack their foes with a series of confounding, random movements, which eventually provide a clear opening for
Drake Options: Variant Class Rules, Part 2 Read More »
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