Been thinking a lot about the Exploration pillar in 5th Edition lately—and traps in particular. When you are adding combat scenarios to your game, it’s easy to understand why they’re there: bandits want to steal from the characters, demons want to spread chaos, and for beasts, they just want to defend their lairs. Similarly, it’s […]
Trapmaster: Finding Your Purpose Read More »
The first step of creating any successful skirmish is to set compelling stakes and objectives for that skirmish and to communicate them clearly to the players. The worst-case scenario for a skirmish is the players not caring about the outcome of the fight or not understanding what they need to do to effect that outcome.
The Art of Skirmishing: Why We Fight Read More »
In this post, we’ll get an in-depth look at another of the 13 Midgard icons: Vermes II, Exarch of the Wastes! EXARCH OF THE WASTES Exarch Vermes II is the most influential wizard in the Wasted West, a land riddled with mysteries and horrors. Leader of Bemmea’s Ninemage Council, the Exarch has made that city
Midgard Icons: The Exarch of the Wastes Read More »
Straight from the Editorial Director’s snout, the Dispatch provides a sneak peek at upcoming publications and projects headed from the warrens to gaming tables everywhere, so you’ll know what to watch out for. Greetings, scaly ones! Fall is almost here, and the buzz in the warrens has taken a decidedly red-colored hue.
Kobold Dispatch: September Edition Read More »
Alternate Traits and Actions The following changes allow GMs to alter a flame-scourged scion without modifying its challenge rating. Blight Burst (Recharge 6). The flame-scourged scion showers the area around itself with the ooze leaking from its skin. Each creature within 10 feet of the flame-scourged scion must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw,
Expanding Codex: Flame-Scourged Scion Read More »
Effectively running combat for one-on-one 5E is a major area of concern for many GMs. After all, the monster challenge ratings, player options, and adventure and encounter design guidelines all assume parties of at least four adventurers. When you play one-on-one, those assumptions don’t necessarily work. So how can GMs build encounters that are challenging
One-on-One Roleplaying: How to Scale Combat Read More »
Not only are some of the most popular movies, books, and other media devoid of “balance,” so are our lives. Sure Frodo and the Ring or David vs. Goliath is compelling, but even more so are the actual human stories we can read about on a regular basis. The odds are most certainly never in
The 4th Pillar: Adventure Isn’t Balanced Read More »
The warrens are abuzz today with some exciting news: there’s a new social media Kobold in our midst! Victoria Rogers takes the reins today on Kobold Press’s social promotions and initiatives, including on Twitter, Facebook, and beyond.
Welcome Victoria Rogers, Social Media Kobold! Read More »
In this series, we have chatted a lot about the philosophy of how to run and promote games. Today I want to talk about something genuinely fundamental to starting a successful actual play show: selecting a cast. Gathering a diverse and complementary group of players is absolutely vital to producing an experience that people love
Beyond the Audience: Looking for Group Read More »
Welcome back to Midgard Ley Magic, a blog series dedicated to the mysterious lives of geomancers and other ley magic spellcasters. If you haven’t had a chance to read prior entries in the series, you can find them here. This month we discuss ramag Ley Wardens and some of the ley magic abilities, items, and
Midgard Ley Magic: Secrets of the Ramag Read More »
Deep Magic: Feeding the Need for More Magic Gamers are always eager for new materials in their RPGs. As a GM, I’m always on the lookout for more monsters. After all, who doesn’t want new beasties to challenge their players? As a player, and a gamer in general, the main thing I want to see
The Need for More Magic Read More »
Made of fiery smoke coalescing into a vaguely humanoid shape, a firegeist is little more than wisps of black smoke and spots of brighter flame.
Tome of Beasts: Firegeist Read More »
You could not call such bloodshed a victory. Dwarven pike had met draconic spear wall, neither buckling until lines were met. Hradakh had been in the thick of it, stabbing his way through the brutal melee, and when the fighting stopped, he and his dragonborn kin held the field.
The Art of Skirmishing: To the Death Read More »
Wave that Kobold flag! Kobold Press is teaming up with TeePublic to bring you the coolest Kobold swag available. These are high-quality shirts in many different styles (T-shirts, long sleeve, sweatshirts, hoodies, and more) and in many different colors. And there is a ton of other cool stuff like mugs, magnets, and stickers. New designs
Kobold Press Now on TeePublic Read More »
Alternate Traits and Actions The following changes allow GMs to alter a gloomflower without modifying its challenge rating. Focused Scream. Whenever the gloomflower takes damage, if the creature dealing the damage is within range of the gloomflower’s blindsight, the creature must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or take 10 (3d6) psychic damage.
Expanding Codex: Gloomflower Read More »
Courts of the Shadow Fey! The stand-out adventure of shadowy fey and courtly intrigue, Courts of the Shadow Fey is now available on Roll20. And it has lots of cool, deluxe components included: Over a hundred hours of game preparation 65 full-art tokens with click-to-roll character sheets. 12 fully dynamically lit maps with openable doors
Courts of the Shadow Fey Now Available on Roll20 Read More »
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