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You are here: Home / Archives for 2010

Archives for 2010

Keeping up with the PCs: Part 2, What Not to Do and Quick Fixes

January 26, 2010 by The Chatty DM

In part 1, I discussed a common occurrence in D&D 4e where parties becomes much stronger than they should be through what I called the ‘Secret Synergy Bonus.’  This occurs when players figure how to play their PCs as a focused team based on good communication and smart use of power combos to increase combat efficiency […]

Filed Under: Musings of the Chatty DM, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: 4e, DM advice

Uncle Vanir’s Jedi Jamboree

January 26, 2010 by Vanir

I personally would like to see every last one of the Presidents of the United States in a fighting game, their legacy distilled into a couple of special attacks.

Filed Under: Comics, Dire Flailings, Humor, Movies, Television, Video Games Tagged With: ghostbusters, legend of zelda, POTUS Powerups, power girl, presidential fighting game, star wars, super smash bros. brawl, Transformers, wonder woman

Inq. of the Week: Welcome to the New Digs / Hero Minis

January 25, 2010 by Dave

This week it was announced that the Player’s Handbook Heroes series of miniatures from WotC will be canceled. For those of you unfamiliar with the product, the idea was to separate the big “mystery packs” that they had been doing since the beginning of the D&D minis line with Harbinger.

Filed Under: Featured, Inquisition of the Week, Newest Critical Hits, News, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: D&D, D&D miniatures, player's handbook heroes

Keeping up with the PCs: Part 1, The Secret Synergy Bonus

January 25, 2010 by The Chatty DM

Many D&D 4e DMs have experienced, over the last 18 months, a shift in their gaming group’s performance. PCs have become capable of taking absolutely everything thrown at them with more ease than the game rules assume. Encounters at the PCs’ levels barely make a dent in the their resources anymore: “Dude, I lost like, just one Healing Surge”. Higher level encounters are also often dealt with with relative ease.

Filed Under: Musings of the Chatty DM, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: 4e, DM advice

So Long and Thanks for all the Fish!

January 22, 2010 by The Chatty DM

(No I’m not retiring from RPG blogging, no worries) As I stand here by the seaside of Florida, I reflect on the upcoming blog merge with Critical Hits, planned to happen sometime during Sunday Jan 24th. Not so much because I’m having second thoughts about merging with Critical Hits and play the role of Prima […]

Filed Under: blogging, Musings of the Chatty DM, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: Merge, Newest Critical Hits

Why “District 9” is Better Than “Avatar”

January 22, 2010 by joshx0rfz

I realized that District 9 shared quite a few ideas with Avatar and was curious as to why I favored one over the other. I decided to try and break it down. This article isn’t really meant to be a review but more of an analysis of the differences between these two very important movies.

Filed Under: Editorial, Featured, Movies, Science Fiction & Fantasy Genre Tagged With: avatar, district 9

Chatty makes a Killing in Open Gaming Table #2’s nominations

January 20, 2010 by The Chatty DM

I’m still in Florida, getting my head happily baked while my children play in the pool and get their feet frozen in the Atlantic. I got an idea a few minutes ago.  A few days ago, Jonathan Jacobs posted the list of the 375 blog posts nominated for possible inclusion on the second Open Game […]

Filed Under: Musings of the Chatty DM, Roleplaying Games

Railroading in a Good Way

January 20, 2010 by Bartoneus

The term ‘railroading’ usually sends a shiver down the spine of any tabletop RPG player because of the negative implications that come along with it. To be honest, most DMs dislike the term as well and railroading is generally referred to as a problem with an RPG.

Filed Under: Editorial, Featured, Roleplaying Games, The Architect DM Tagged With: D&D, DM advice, dnd, Dungeons & Dragons, railroading, roleplaying, Roleplaying Games, tabletop gaming

Donate to Haiti Relief, Get a Ton of RPG PDFs

January 20, 2010 by Dave

DrivethruRPG is doing something incredibly great. Right now, you can head over there and pick up a mega-bundle of PDF RPG products for only $20. That $20 goes entirely to Doctors Without Borders, an excellent charity providing disaster relief for Haiti. In return, you get what has to be the best deal I’ve ever seen in RPG PDFs.

Filed Under: News, Roleplaying Games

Winners and Losers in D&D

January 19, 2010 by dixontrimline

I want my players to succeed. I really do. I want them to have that spectacular moment. I want them to stare down the ferocious, slathering monster, and say, “Wrong, hellish beast. This is where your reign ends. Prepare to die.” And I want them to win that fight.

Only… only…

Filed Under: Editorial, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: DM advice, playing with strangers

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About the Author

  • The Chatty DM

    The Chatty DM is the "nom de plume" of gamer geek Philippe-Antoine Menard. He has been a GM for over 40 years. An award-winning RPG blogger, game designer, and scriptwriter at Ubisoft. He squats a corner of Critical Hits he affectionately calls "Musings of the Chatty DM." (Email Phil or follow him on Twitter.)

    Email: chattydm@critical-hits.comWeb: https://critical-hits.com//category/chattydm/

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