I just received my shipment of Scenes of Chance from Twizz Entertainment via Kickstarter. https://twitter.com/technoskald/status/528321964394299392 This system-neutral supplement basically consists of a deck of cards, where each card is about twice the size of a traditional playing card. Each card has several icons printed on it. I choose a card with an appropriate scene (say, … Continue reading Review: Scenes of Chance
At least, not as originally planned. Trapdoor carefully worded its announcement with passive language, just saying that the two companies "will no longer be working together to develop DungeonScape for Fifth Edition D&D, and we will not be releasing the product in its current form." But Wizards of the Coast wrote a little more actively, taking the … Continue reading No more Dungeonscape
RPGs may be at their most fun when everything goes pear-shaped due to adventurer decisions. The story The group, consisting of a fighter, rogue, cleric, and wizard, explored Phandalin with great caution. They expect intrigue, conspiracies, and betrayal at every turn (meaning I need to find a way to give that to them). The adventurers meandered … Continue reading Play Report: Lost Mine of Phandelver Episode 2
As previously noted, I have begun work on a fresh campaign. Using the working title Madness of Iliasha, I have included elements from the Underdark and Deepholm. This means a fully underground world with no concept of a "surface", filled with mind flayers and aboleths and fungi and stone elementals. I intend to run it more or less … Continue reading Madness of Iliasha: Campaign Concept
Wizards of the Coast released the Table of Contents for the Dungeon Master's Guide as part of their participation in the Extra Life fundraiser this weekend. I've been anticipating this preview for some time, probably like most everyone else playing D&D 5e. Looking at the contents Even from just this table of contents, we can … Continue reading Dungeon Master’s Guide Table of Contents Preview
NB: I'm not using the hashtag or phrases related to recent controversies about women in gaming, because I want no part of that. Hostile comments will be marked appropriately. All my life, I have considered myself a "gamer". That phrase has suffered some tarnish at different times for different reasons. The term "player" has worse … Continue reading Encouraging all kinds of people to play games
I decided a few days ago to cancel my Hoard of the Dragon Queen campaign. The module felt far too linear for me, as it consists largely of a plot rather than situations. For the purpose of organized play across many groups where players can come and go as they please, it probably works fine (at least for … Continue reading Cancelling my Hoard of the Dragon Queen campaign
A recent question on /r/rpg caught my eye and I thought I'd write a bit more on my thoughts about it. Here's the core: I love the game but everyone (including myself) seems disappointed when combat happens. I try to narrate it a bunch and make it exciting with surprises and stuff but it still … Continue reading Gamers who don’t enjoy combat
Compare: You can tell that the goblin is lying. versus The goblin glances from side to side, looking for any excuse to cover his lies. You can tell that the temple has not been visited in some time. versus A thick layer of dust indicates that the ancient temple has not seen any visitors for years. You can … Continue reading You can tell that…
I commissioned this from nabfreelance on Fiverr. The request was: I would like a sketch of a cyborg mind flayer / illithid (the Cthulhu-esque race from D&D etc.). The race is highly intelligent and unredeemably evil. I imagine something cybernetic integrated into the bulbous head or possibly even a limb. I've attached one of the … Continue reading Cyborg Mind Flayer commission
Technoskald's Forge 