“There goes my reputation,” Gavin mused. “Renowned trapsmith caught in baroness’s boudoir.” Being spotted by the household guards had been careless. Getting cornered by those same guards in the baroness’s chambers was unforgivable. If they caught him, well, that would be his undoing. Gavin took in his surroundings: he saw a steel mirror and a […]
Trapsmith: Impromptu Surprises (Part 4) Read More »
In an earlier column, I looked at ways to keep a road trip interesting. That article was about a standard walk in the sun. A different type of journey with problems and possibilities all its own occurs underground. Any fantasy world worthy of the label is practically hollowed out by a network of caverns, tunnels,
Howling Tower: I’ll Take the Low Road Read More »
As a villain in the paragon tier, Karesh actively searches for necromantic knowledge and artifacts, protected by his large kobold war band. His kobolds are so fanatically devoted to him that they will not run when cornered. He also raises a small group of undead wherever he stops, just for extra protection.
Karesh, Kobold Herald of Tiamut (Part 2) Read More »
We’ve all been there. Your party is advancing on the huge, slavering beast that’s roaring and coming right at you. Your paladin is calling on his god of the sword, your wizard is summoning eldritch powers, and your barbarian is readying to charge with a hideous grin on her face. And then, due to a
Getting a Grip: Pinning Down Pathfinder’s Grappling Rules Read More »
Like the Scarecrow, I believe that one of the greatest rewards for having a human brain is the ability to think deep thoughts. To imagine the big picture. To envision a grand machine in your mind and then command its wheels to turn and its gears to mesh. It’s the joy of invention, of imagination,
Howling Tower: Imagine a World… Read More »
Do you need a recurring villain? Karesh is a nasty little boss that you can use at almost any level of Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition play. History Early in his career, Karesh leads a typical band of kobolds. His life changes when his band is forced to relocate to a new mountain cave, where
Karesh, Kobold Herald of Tiamut (Part 1) Read More »
Today we’re going to finish talking about boss battles in your tabletop games, including how you can borrow a few ideas from Diablo 3 and other titles as well. Arenas, Temptations, and Movement: Providing a Memorable and Challenging Environment Another idea to borrow from Diablo 3 when it comes to boss battles is to crank
From Diablo 3 to D&D: Memorable and Challenging Boss Battles (Part 2 of 2) Read More »
Shivering, Gavin longingly gazed at the dungeon’s exit, then at the dim light coming from the dangling, crude chandelier above him. All that stood between him and freedom was a burly half-orc. Gavin drew the bedroll he used as a makeshift cloak closer around his naked form as a cold draft started up. Ordinarily, a
Trapsmith: Impromptu Surprises (Part 2) Read More »
I’m no scholar of Robert E. Howard, just a fan of his storytelling and his best-known character, Conan the Barbarian. Conan first crossed my reading list when I discovered a shelf of dog-eared paperbacks at the local second-hand shop. I was still a relative newcomer to swords-&-sorcery fiction at the time, and Conan was unlike
Howling Tower: Conan the Instructor Read More »
Back in the fall of 2009, Chris Dinkins and I interviewed a host of game designers and novelists who were also experienced game masters. We sent around too many questions to too many GMs and received far too much material for one article to hold. As a result, a lot of great material got scrapped.
The Lost GM Scrolls: Mike Mearls on Stepping Up and Taking a Poke at the World Read More »
Back in the fall of 2009, Chris Dinkins and I interviewed a host of game designers and novelists who were also experienced game masters. We sent around too many questions to too many GMs and received far too much material for one article to hold. As a result, a lot of great material got scrapped.
The Lost GM Scrolls: A Friday Funny with Mike Mearls Read More »
Today we’re going to talk about boss battles in your tabletop games, including how you can borrow a few ideas from Diablo 3 and other titles as well. Making these climactic encounters a true apex to your adventures is crucial, and they are loads of fun to dream up. Remember, folks, D&D invented the “boss
From Diablo 3 to D&D: Memorable and Challenging Boss Battles (Part 1 of 2) Read More »
The trap is a D&D icon. Classic dungeons such as Tomb of Horrors and The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan are famous for their mechanical ambushes. Traps are so central to the concept of dungeons that an entire class—the thief—was developed to deal with them (along with locked doors). In real life, of course, archaeologists have
Howling Tower: Placing Traps to Serve a Larger Purpose Read More »
“Dark Roads & Golden Hells is one hell of an achievement… or perhaps eleven of them. Every chapter offers a world of ideas, every paragraph a vision. Open this to any page, and see if it doesn’t draw you in. Open Design has created a dazzlingly worthy successor to the Planescape legacy.” – Colin McComb,
Dark Roads & Golden Hells Now Available Read More »
Back in the fall of 2009, Chris Dinkins and I interviewed a host of game designers and novelists who were also experienced game masters. We sent around too many questions to too many GMs and received far too much material for one article to hold. As a result, a lot of great material got scrapped.
The Lost GM Scrolls: Will Hindmarch on Clearly Stated Goals Read More »
Demons and devils occupy an odd position in the pantheons of most fantasy RPGs. For the most part, those terms are just two more names in a long list of monster classifications, not much different from fairies or talking animals. They’ve been stripped of their terrifying spiritual implications. That’s a shame, because their unholy aspects
Howling Tower: Plight of the Demon Read More »
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