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You are here: Home / Archives for Roleplaying Games

Epic Laundry Basket: 4e Vancian Wizards!

August 23, 2008 by The Chatty DM

Want Vancian Magic in 4e? Here’s how I would do it: Leave at Will-Power as is (for fun purposes). Make level 1 and 2 daily spells into level 3 encounter spells. Shift the whole power list like that to have new spells at every 2 levels. Give level 1 Wizard access to 5 level 1 […]

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

Preview: “Dr. Who RPG” and “Starblazer Adventures” RPG from Cubicle 7 Entertianment

August 22, 2008 by Dave

While wandering around the GenCon 2008 exhibit hall, one booth caught my eye: Cubicle 7 Entertainment, which had signs all over the booth advertising the upcoming Dr. Who RPG. I’m a huge fan of the new Dr. Who series, so I had to stop and ask about it. (I also remembered playing in a Dr. […]

Filed Under: Comics, Roleplaying Games, Science Fiction & Fantasy Genre, Television Tagged With: dr. who, gencon, gencon 2008, starblazer adventures

Critical Hits Podcast #9: Actual Play with James Wyatt

August 22, 2008 by Dave

During GenCon 2008, Bartoneus, ChattyDM, GamingSteve, and myself had the privilege to be in a D&D session run by James Wyatt, author of the DMG (who we interviewed later on in the con– this is the game we referenced at the beginning of the interview.) It was a straightforward dungeon delve, with Wyatt starting the […]

Filed Under: Critical Hits Podcast, Roleplaying Games

Chatty’s Bedtime Campaign: Bend it like Nico!

August 21, 2008 by The Chatty DM

Oh yeah, he was expecting it tonight. As soon as teeth were brushed and pyjamas were worn (i.e. an old T-shirt of mine… Enjoy every second of the time when your kids hero worship you, it won’t last), my little 6 year old Laser Knight was ready to continue his adventures. Chatty: Okay so you […]

Filed Under: Musings of the Chatty DM, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: Bedtime roleplaying, gaming with children, Gaming with Kids, Storytelling, world building

One-Sentence NPC contest winners

August 21, 2008 by The Chatty DM

Way back in late June, Johnn Four and I launched a big contest to get readers from both sites to submit one sentence long NPC descriptions.  Summer vacations and Gen Con interfered and the results have been long coming. Well, I’m back and tonight’s post will be to announce the winners and prizes for the […]

Filed Under: Musings of the Chatty DM, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: contest

The Defense of Laser Clerics and Infinite Wizards

August 21, 2008 by Dave

We take a short break from our GenCon writeups to bring you some commentary… ChattyDM likes laser clerics. Tommi does not. There’s one unaddressed tangent to the issue that I really like in relation to 4e. In previous editions, magic was a limited resource, and it was restricted. Wizards memorized spells that did specific things, […]

Filed Under: Editorial, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: 4e, clerics, D&D, wizards

Gen Con 2008, Lessons Learned

August 20, 2008 by The Chatty DM

I started Gen Con  2008 with some doubts about my ability to go up to designers and say hi. I’m an extroverted, exceedingly chatty person.. but when I’m not introduced to someone, I clamp up real good. Except, something happened to me somewhere during the second day. Probably during the 126 players chaosfest that was […]

Filed Under: Musings of the Chatty DM, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: Tropes

Chatty’s Bedtime Campaign: Nico’s Quest

August 19, 2008 by The Chatty DM

I have mails to read and posts I planned to do but this… this I have to share with you. 8h15 PM. Nico, my 6 year old son, is playing in his room waiting for me to come and read him a story. As I come into his room, he tells me he’d rather play […]

Filed Under: Musings of the Chatty DM, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: Bedtime roleplaying, gaming with children, Gaming with Kids, Storytelling, world building

Interview: Mike Mearls, Scott Rouse, and Randy Buehler (Part 2)

August 19, 2008 by Dave

Check out the first part of the interview, then continue on. Here, we mainly talk with Mike Mearls about R&D/rules questions. Critical-Hits: We’ve been hearing complaints about lack of customization on fourth edition. How are you going to add to fourth edition as far as customization, and options for classes? Mike Mearls: One of the […]

Filed Under: Interviews, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: class roles, D&D, mike mearls, Monster Manual, monsters

Critical Hits Podcast #8: Interview with Rob Heinsoo

August 19, 2008 by Dave

Again at GenCon 2008, we spoke with Rob Heinsoo, one of the writers of the Player’s Handbook and lead designer of D&D 4e. (We previously spoke to him at D&D XP.) To start, Rob asked if he could ask US questions, which we were happy to oblige. Then, when we get to ask the questions, […]

Filed Under: Critical Hits Podcast, Interviews, Roleplaying Games Tagged With: D&D, Oriental Adventures, rob heinsoo

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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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