In a Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting context, canon can be defined as imagined world history up to just a moment ago. It can also encompass dozens of smaller stories, as with the Forgotten Realms setting and its embracing of novels as canon. Game setting canon can also include differences from core assumptions. Defining differences can make a game world stand apart from its peers. You just have to be careful where you point your canon.
Origins 2010: Final Round-Up
Origins has once again come and gone. Due to various scheduling mishaps with the convention and technical problems, we didn’t get to do much in the way of scheduled gaming, and spend our time looking for things to do. Here’s just a sample of some of the stuff that we did do and I was excited about in the convention.
Mailbag 8—All By Myself, Part 5
This final piece is all about the competition for your solos—the players and their characters. You design encounters to challenge those others at your game table, so almost all of this series has really been about them anyway. Rather than the mechanics of making and using solo creatures, this section focuses on engaging players, and keeping them that way, and allowing characters to shine against a solo.
Mailbag 7–All By Myself, Part 4
DMing a solo is at least as rewarding as running encounters with more monsters. It can be even more satisfying, since a solo can and should evoke strong reactions from players as it deals out destruction. But running a solo requires extra care, especially if you’re using the creature as the lone menace in the fight. Make sure your aware of what your solo can and can’t do, then prepare for it.
Antagonistic Viziers and Fleeing Pickpockets
There’s been an awful lot of digital ink spilled on many 4E subjects, but I can’t seem to find anything about skill challenges. Har har. But seriously, I know what you’re thinking: “For crying out loud, not another skill challenge article.” In the words of the poets and philosophers, I feel ya, dawg. Even though […]
Mailbag 6 – All By Myself, Part 3
In this installment of the exploration of solos, we have two statistics blocks based on what we’ve been talking about. First is a dragon. In or out of the dungeon, this monster has to leave an impression. Next we have a third-party-refurbished berbalang. This version jettisons all the complexity and confusion of the original. It’s relatively straightforward. Both show why customizing monsters is fun D&D 4e.
Starcraft 2 is Finally Coming Out
Considering how much I’ve written about Starcraft and Starcraft 2 in the past, it should be a little bit surprising that I haven’t brought it up in the last few months since the official release date has been announced (7/27/10) and the beta has been ongoing since February. Well, honestly I haven’t written about it lately because I’ve been in the beta since early March and have been having the time of my life with it.
Mailbag 5 – All By Myself, Part 2
It ain’t easy DMing, and solo monsters heap some responsibility on your shoulders. You might think that one monster on the field is an easier management task. Sometimes you’re right. But good management starts well before and proceeds throughout an engagement.
The Keys to Con Games
I’m picky. Nay, I’m downright spoiled about my convention time. I’ve been going to conventions since before I was born and going to gaming rooms since I knew enough to not eat the dice (you roll them first, then eat them.) I’ve seen it all, and I’m much more militant about not spending precious time and money at a convention on a game I’m not going to enjoy. So how do I try to mitigate this and only play in the awesome? I narrow my convention game search to the following categories.
Early Friday Chat: Embarassing Campaigns, Geek Influences, and Kitchen-Sinking
Maybe it’s because my early gaming experiences were at science fiction conventions (which definitely included plenty of outside influences) that I do like to weave in plenty of “winks” into my campaigns and lift liberally from pop culture. And yet, at the same time, I’m clearly embarassed by some of the elements that have made its way into my campaigns.
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