Rituals are an underutilized aspect of 4e Dungeons & Dragons. One way to increase the way rituals are used in your campaign is to incorporate them into your skill challenge design. By providing opportunities for your PCs to use their abilities you increase their engagement in the campaign. They feel that they are more involved in what is occurring and are committed to seeing things through. Using rituals in your skill challenges does require a little bit of extra work, but is well worth the reward.

Here are tips to remember when trying to include rituals in your skill challenges.

1. Find out which rituals the party has

Examine the PC’s character sheets. What rituals do they have? This is the first and most basic step to ensure that you allow the PCs to actually use rituals during skill challenges. If you create instances that are tailored around the abilities of your party they should have no excuses for not using the rituals in their spell books. Of course creating skill challenges that play towards your party is a basic step in creating challenges. This isn’t to say make it easy for them or only create challenges that use skills or rituals that they possess. However, there is little point in creating a challenge that the party has no aptitude in. That doesn’t sound like much fun.

2. Learn the rituals

It sounds basic, but if you haven’t read what rituals are available and how they work then you aren’t really able to design a skill challenge that incorporates them. Take some time to read through the rituals that are available, both the DDI Compendium or the Character Builder make this a fairly painless experience.

3. Reward ritual use during skill challenges

Allow PCs who use rituals to either receive a bonus on a skill check. Alternately, the ritual could provide a success to the challenge itself. The goal is to encourage PCs to use what they have available to them. Since rituals also have a cost component you need to make using the ritual worth while. If a PC doesn’t think that they will be rewarded appropriately for using the ritual then they are less likely to spend the gold cost required.

4. Remind the party of their resources

Encourage ritual use by being descriptive during skill challenges. Because rituals are buried on the character sheet and the character builder it is very easy for PCs to forget that they may have one that is appropriate to the situation. As the DM it’s your job to provide verbal cues to the PCs allowing the story to move forward. While this doesn’t mean tipping your hand, you should provide the PCs with the necessary tools to use their skill set to the maximum benefit.

5. Rituals are just one possible option

Avoid making the use of a ritual the only way to complete a skill challenge. There should always be multiple ways for the PCs to complete a skill challenge so this shouldn’t be a difficult one. However, you want to ensure that you avoid this. Always make it an option, but the last thing you want to do is create a skill challenge that requires a ritual a certain PC has and then have the player no show that week.

Another thing to avoid in designing skill challenges is creating instances that purposely defeat the use of a skill challenge. An example of this is a PC who is known to be dishonest. This PC always engages in any social interaction with small talk for about five minutes. This allows them to avoid the affects of the Discern Lies ritual. While this might be smart thinking on the part of a resourceful and intelligent NPC, it doesn’t do the PCs who are the hero’s and focus of the game any favours. In fact it invalidates any proactive thinking the PCs might consider doing. If they spend gold and ten minutes casting a ritual that only lasts for five minutes and then you as the DM purposefully thwart this creative thinking, well don’t expect too much more creative thinking from your PCs.

How have you worked rituals into your skill challenges? Do your PCs take advantage of this resource?

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Yesterday we shared 6 D&D Convention Tips for Players; today it’s the DMs turn. After running a few Living Forgotten Realms (LFR) adventures at the Spellstorm gaming convention this past weekend in Toronto, I’ve put together a list of things to keep in mind when you’re the DM. These tips are applicable to any D&D game, but even more so at a convention.

1. Expect the unexpected

Just because you’re playing an LFR adventure doesn’t mean that the PC will do exactly what the text expects them to do. In fact, the best games usually deviate from the script a little bit. As the DM you have to be ready and know how to handle the unexpected.

For example, in a game I ran this past weekend the PCs needed use a secret passage to enter a warehouse. The only way to access it was through a narrow alley. At the mouth of the alley Halflings playing dice games were paid to keep out uninvited guests. The adventure assumed the PCs would fight the Halflings, and then proceed down the alleyway. However, the PCs learned who had access to the secret entrance and disguised themselves as these people The Halflings had no reason to stop them because the PCs didn’t raise suspicion. Creative thinking allowed the PCs to avoid combat. When combat broke out inside the warehouse I had two of the curious Halflings join the fight after a few rounds, but by then the PCs had things well in hand.

2. Bloody hell

The DM runs everyone who’s not a PC. During combat this is usually a lot of creatures. So sometimes the DM forgets to tell the PCs that one or two of the monsters are bloodied. It’s an understandable oversight, but it needs to be corrected. There are a lot of powers that react differently against bloodied and non-bloodied opponents. PCs will often decide who to attack next based on who looks the healthiest or the most hurt. So DMs, pay attention to those bloodied values (printed clearly in the monster’s stat block) and let the players know who’s down to half health. If you use minis, make sure you mark them accordingly.

Although players are generally much better at denoting when they are bloodied, they do forget from time-to-time. So this reminder applies everyone, DMs and players alike.

3. Don’t forget the details

Most monsters have attacks that are more than just straight-up damage. Whether it’s fire, necrotic, poison or some other damage type be sure to tell the PCs which type of damage just ate away 16 hit points. Many PCs have resistances and may not actually take the full damage. But if you forget to mention that it’s a cold attack they won’t know that their cloak of survival should have softened that last blow by 5.

If the monsters have auras or any other defense or power that the PCs would automatically recognize, be sure to mention it. Don’t wait until they’re standing next to the monster before revealing that it actually has a fire aura 2 and PCs entering this aura take damage and are dazed. If the PC knows about an aura they may decide to attack from range rather than charge in.

4. Give up initiative

When you’re reading the adventure (before the convention) pre-roll initiatives for all the monsters. Even if you don’t expect the PCs to participate in a particular fight, roll it up anyway. It’s an easy thing to do ahead of time and it’s one less thing to do when you’re completely immersed in the game at the Con.

I rarely track initiative myself when I’m the DM. I ask if one of the players will do it for me. I have enough to worry about and handing off initiative lets me focus on all those other things. There’s always one player who is happy to take on the job. When I’m a player I always volunteer to track initiative.

Regardless of who’s tracking initiative, that person should give an “on deck” notice to the next person in the order. This will help keep the game moving.

5. Watch the clock

Most games at a convention are limited to a set time slot. As the DM it’s your job to make sure you give the PCs ample opportunity to complete the adventure. If the game is running slower than you expect and you’re worried about time I’ve come up with two ways to keep things on track.

The easiest way to speed things up during a skill challenge is to determine a challenge breaker (as we discussed in Skill Challenges and Rewarding XP). A challenge breaker is any player action that, if successful, would logically end the challenge immediately. So just because the adventure says that the PCs need 8 successes, I’ll often give the party full XP if the role-playing supports the successful completion of a skill challenge with fewer successful checks.

The easiest way to gain time during combat is knowing when to Call the Fight. When the combat become a war of attrition then it’s time to call it and let the PCs move on.

6. Let the PCs be heroic

This is a mixture of the “say yes” philosophy and the “rule of cool.” If the PC want to try something that’s a little outside of the rules and it makes sense for their character and makes sense for the moment, then I say let them try it.

For example, in a game I ran this past weekend the PCs were fighting on a rooftop. If they fell off they’d take 4d10 falling damage. Needless to say, one of the monsters had a push attack. Two PCs were pushed to the edge but made saves to catch the ledge. The Dwarven Fighter saved and remained on his feet. Next round same thing, two PCs were hit but made their saves to catch the ledge. And again the Dwarf remained on his feet. Third round a PC finally (and unfortunately) failed his save. The Dwarf in the square next to him stood his ground and remained standing. The quick thinking player running the Dwarf asked if he could use his action point to grab his ally as an immediate reaction and catch him before he fell off the roof. I allowed it. Made sense given the circumstances. The next round the pusher was defeated and the combat played out.

Just like the tips for players in yesterday’s article, I’m sure the points I make above are nothing new to most DMs. Some of them may be more relevant during convention play than at a home game, but they’re all good reminders.

If you found these tips helpful I’d also recommend you check out some of the other articles we’re written covering tip, tricks and reminders to improve the way you DM your game.

• Eight Rules That Will Make You A Better DM
• Adjudicating and House Rules
• Don’t Skip the Slow Parts

What other tips should DMs keep in mind when running games at a convention or at the FLGS? Please share your thoughts and ideas. Being a better DM makes everyone’s experience better and more enjoyable.

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D&D is a complicated game. There are the general game rules, the specific rules that apply to player characters and then there’s your character himself. It can be tough just to keep all of that straight, especially if you’re just getting into D&D. After participating in the Spellstorm gaming convention this past weekend in Toronto, I’ve put together a list of things to keep in mind when you’re playing D&D. These tips are applicable to any D&D game, but even more so at a convention where you’re less likely to know all the people at your table.

1. Respect table space

Seven people shouldn’t have too much trouble sitting around a table (1 DM + 6 players). However, every player’s going to have his character sheet, power cards, dice, a pencil and RPGA cards at minimum in front of them. Add to that list a PHB, a beverage, condition markers for minis, and scrap paper for notes and table real estate is suddenly at a premium. Only keep things on the table that absolutely need to be there.

My rule of thumb is to put my PHB and PHB2 side-by-side on the table. Everything else I have out rests atop these books. Anything that doesn’t fit within these confines stays in my bag under the table. If everyone is mindful of their own space everyone should have ample room.

2. Know your PC

We’ve said this before, and I’m saying it again – know your character! Unless you’ve just made your character on the demo of character build at the convention or you’re using a pre-generated PC, there’s no excuse for being lost. You created this PC ahead of time. It’s your responsibility as a player to know what he’s capable of doing. If you don’t understand something, that’s fine. Before play starts ask the DM or one of the other players for guidance. But when the game begins you’re expected to know your character. If you have to look something up every time your turn comes around then you haven’t done your homework. You end up slowing down the entire table and it ruins the flow of the game.

I give brand new players a lot of latitude on this point, but if you’ve played before then you’re just being lazy and inconsiderate when you’re not prepared.

3. Be helpful, but not too helpful

If you need help, ask. Most gamers are very friendly and outgoing. They’re happy to clear up how a power works or what your options are in an unusual situation.

If you’re an experienced player it’s important to ask other players if they want or need your help before offering assistance. If you just assume they need help and keep telling them what’s what you pretty much end up playing their character for them. It also doesn’t give the struggling player a chance to learn whatever it is that he doesn’t understand. By jumping in too quickly or when your help isn’t wanted you run the risk of being the Gaming Jerk and no one wants to be that guy.

4. Act immediately

Most PCs have items or powers that allow them to take immediate actions or immediate reactions. As your PC gains levels you’ll get more and more immediate powers. Since these powers don’t happen on your turn it’s very important that you know what they are, what they do and what triggers them. When you’re ready to use an immediate action announce it to the table clearly and with confidence. Make sure the DM hears you and acknowledges your action before you do anything. If you hum and haw about taking an immediate action then the play will go on you’ll miss your chance. Alternatively if you just say you’re taking an immediate action and start rolling, the DM may ask you to stop, back up and roll again. If you rolled a 20 and are asked to re-roll it you’ll be disappointed with the new result 19 out of 20 times.

5. Plan ahead

Immediate actions aren’t the only reason to pay attention when it’s not your turn. By watching what the other players do you’ll be better prepared to act on your turn. Always try to have your actions ready so that when your turn comes up in the initiative order you can act quickly. State what you’re doing with your standard, move and minor actions before you do them. If you’re going to use an action point, make sure you say that too. When your turn’s over clearly let the table and the DM know.

Planning your actions becomes more important at higher levels. With more options available you need to know which ones you’re most likely going to use and not slow the game down while you flip though all of your cards on your turn. If you’re ready and act quickly on your turn, perhaps the other players will follow suit.

6. Roll your damage first

This applies mostly to controllers. If you’ve got a power that targets multiple creatures, roll the damage along with the first attack or even before the attack roll. This way as you roll to hit your enemies the DM can score the damage as you go. If you roll to attack six targets, hit four and then roll the damage, the DM has to go back at the end of your turn and score the damage. If he knows that each hit does 9 points of fire damage he can score it as you hit or miss your targets. The time saved will really add up over an adventure.

I don’t think any of these tips and reminders will come as a surprise to most experienced gamers, but it never hurts to get a refresher on the basics. If you found these tips helpful I’d also recommend you check out some of the other articles we’re written covering tip, tricks and reminders to speed up play and make your D&D experience more enjoyable.

• 10 Reminders for All D&D Players
• 10 Things I Learned at Worldwide D&D Game Day
• Speeding Up Your Game

Be sure to check out 6 D&D Convention Tips for DMs.

I’d like to give a special shout out to Dominic Amann, Stephanie Amann and Naomi Bernard for organizing Spellstorm. Thank you for all your hard work to make Spellstorm a reality for a second year. I’d also like to thank everyone who volunteered to DM. Your contribution helped make the convention possible.

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Vampires, vampires, vampires. I’m getting sick of vampires. There are plenty of other cool undead out there. We don’t need to spend all of our time focusing on vampires. Take zombies, for example. This week the movie Zombieland was released on DVD. It’s a great movie that was lost in the shadow of all the vampire hype. Don’t get me wrong, I like vampires, but for monsters that shun bright lights they’re sure spending a lot of time hogging the spotlight. So move over vampires, and let the zombies have some attention for a while.

My first exposure to zombies in pop culture was through movies. It wasn’t until recently that I started reading zombie fiction. I was looking for something a little bit more engaging than just people being chased by the mindless undead. I’d had plenty of that on the big screen. I wanted my zombie story to have some kind of twist, something that sets it apart from the classic Dawn of the Dead, we’re coming to eat your flesh, zombies. I found exactly what I was looking for in the zombies stories below. Each combines a unique spin on the zombie genre with an excellent story.

1. World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks

If you’ve read it you’ll agree that this is the best zombie novel written to date. If you haven’t read it, do yourself a favour and pick it up immediately. Whether you’re a fan of zombie stories or not, this is a must read.

The novel is a collection of “real life” accounts from a diverse cross-section of people on how they survived the zombie war. A UN worker interviews as many people as possible to get the most accurate account of what happened. The interview subjects are from various social and economic backgrounds, range in age from the very young to the very old, and live in areas spanning the entire globe.

This is the most realistic zombie story I know of. The people in this book seem real. They act and behave as you’d expect. There are no heroes, just regular people doing whatever it takes to survive.

Score: 10 on a d10

2. The Rising by Brian Keene

At its heart, The Rising is about a father trying to find his son as the world is overrun by zombies. In this reality zombies are not mindless. As people die, their corpses are possessed by entities from another dimension. They come to our reality to destroy every living creature, not just mankind. They are organized and they have a purpose. Their bodies may be dead, but their minds are active. The sequel is called City of the Dead. It picks up seconds after the events in The Rising. Both are really good.

Score: 9 on a d10

3. Monster Island: A Zombie Novel by David Wellington

The book begins after the majority of the world’s population is already infected and are zombies. A UN arms inspector and his family were in Africa when the dead began walking. They were lucky enough to be protected by a ruthless warlord. However, the warlord is sick and the father agrees to lead an expedition to the UN building in Manhattan to get AIDS medicine in exchange for his daughter’s safety.

In New York a terrified medical student knows his chances of survival are slim. He speculates that the reason zombies are mindless is because their minds and bodies are starved of oxygen between death and reanimation. He hooks himself up to a ventilator and causes his own death. When he reanimates he’s amazed and horrified to find out he was right. Although revolted by what he’s become, he gets over it when he realizes that he can exert his will over the mindless drones walking the streets of Manhattan.

There are two sequels, Monster Nation and Monster Planet. I haven’t read either, but got them both for Christmas. If they’re half as good as the first book I’ll be happy.

Score: 9 on a d10

4. The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead by Max Brooks

Were you a member of the Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts when you were younger? Do you remember the Cub Book or the Scout Book. The Zombie survival guide is written in exactly that style. It’s full of easy to follow, step-by-step instructions on how to complete tasks, and it’s got simple illustrations of objects and people performing those tasks.

As I read this I thought that it was a very tongue-and-cheek take on the zombie phenomena. But as I read more I realized that Brooks is taking his material very, very seriously. He’s not mocking or condescending. He genuinely believes that when the zombies come, these instructions will save your life. And you know what, I believe him. I used the tactics and instructions described in The Zombie Survival Guide to create the Zombie Survival Flowchart.

Because of this book, my wife began researching survival techniques. She’s stocked the basement with non-perishable food and essential tools. For Christmas last year she got us “go bags” that we could pick up and run with, just in case. For our anniversary I bought her a crowbar, the most essential and versatile tool required to survive, according to Brooks. Yes, that’s the kind of power this book possesses.

Score: 10 on a d10

5. The Walking Dead (Image Comics) by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore

I’ve only read a few of the early issues of The Walking Dead but it still makes my list. Everyone who knows me and my love of comics and all things zombie insists that I go back and get caught up on this series. There are collected trades in hard cover and soft cover available if you’d rather not pick these up one issue at a time.

The series begins with a small town sheriff who awakens from being in a coma unaware that the zombie apocalypse has occurred while he was unconscious. He fights to survive while searching for his family. It’s a great story with amazing art.

Score: 9 on a d10

There is plenty of zombie fiction out there. These are just my top 5 recommendations. I’ve heard good things about Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, but I don’t think it’s something that I can get in to. Keeping in mind that we’re looking for stories about zombies – not mummies, liches, vampires or any other undead, what zombie books have you read and enjoyed?

The Holidays are here. Time to kick back and relax with family and friends. Perhaps you’re blessed with a few days off work or a slower paced environment for a few short weeks. As a D&D player your mind will invariably drift to your favourite hobby and how you can get a few more hours of game time in.

My normal gaming group is on holiday hiatus and we won’t reconvene until the new year when we begins a new campaign. It’s actually more of a ressurected 3.5e campaign that’s been given a face lift and fresh legs with 4e, but I digress.

Over the next few weeks I know I’m going to want to play D&D. It will start as a small desire. I’ll realize that I haven’t played in over a week and I’ll start to reminisce about the last session. This feeling will grow and eventually panic will settle in. I’ll search feverishly for my dice, looking to get even a small D&D fix. I’ll start telling my wife about my favourite PC hoping to engage her in a meaningful D&D conversation. But she will rebuff me. With a look that says “loser” she will give a self-appreciating smile and tell me that’s nice and that she doesn’t really care about Ethan the Rogue and his daring exploits.

My infant son is no better. He will look at the dice and taste them. Taunting me. He will torment me with his apparent willingness to indulge in my rants, only to walk away and play with his newest Christmas gift. When I’m not looking he will grab my dice and scatter them to the four corners of the house! In a final act of humiliation he will stuff his mouth with my dice, thinking them some new form of candy!

These are my fears. As I look forward with dread to the absence of D&D over the holidays. The horror of the sleepless nights is already upon me, already a gnawing at my gut. I can feel the paranoia of deprivation seeping into my bones.

In an effort to stave off the hallucinations, anxiety attacks and shakes that arrive with extended absences of D&D I have prepared these 10 tips on how to get your D&D fix over the holidays. Print this guide out, keep it with you at all times lest you succumb to the horror that not playing D&D will bring!

1. Find as many of your favourite D&D books as you have washrooms in your house. Put one book in each, that way you always have something of substance to read during your daily constitutional. If your wife disapproves, make a Thievery or Stealth check and hide the book!
2. Read Keith Baker’s new book  Son of Khyber. Keith did not put me up to writing this, but Ameron is reading the book and he says that so far it’s pretty good. Expect a full review in 2010.
3. Play with the Character Builder. There is something about generating new characters, I can spend hours doing it. Dreaming up builds, backgrounds and then repeating it again. For some real fun have the CB auto-build you a 10th level character and then see how many awful choices it makes for you in feat, power and weapon selection. Then correct these errors to make a truly tough PC.
4. Read the archives at Dungeon’s Master. This should probably be point number 1, but maybe it will have greater impact if I slip it in lower on the list. We’ve written over 250 articles this past year, take some time to explore.
5. Visit your friendly local gaming store and get involved with a pick up game. Not sure if one is being run? Organize it yourself, you lazy sod!
6. Dust off all those old copies of Dungeon and Dragon magazines. Put a stack with the books you selected in point #1.
7. Go dice shopping. It’s a new year, and you should buy new dice! New dice are shiny, make sure to test them though. You may even want to road test them.
8. Play Dragon Age: Origins. A fresh spin on the fantasy genre and a game that will engage you, making you forget all about D&D. You will be slave to a new master.
9. Develop a new idea for a long term campaign. Start making your notes, drawing your maps, developing your NPCs, plot lines and encounter combinations. You know this activity could consume your life, not just the few weeks of the holidays.
10. Recruit a new player. Your nephew, neice, cousin, uncle, aunt, mother-in-law or grandmother. Heck, anyone will do! You know they’re closet D&D players. They only need to be tempted by the lure of rolling dice to determine the fate of fictional characters that only exist in their mind. Soon they will start calling you to play D&D, organizing campaigns and coming over all the time. Wait, on second thought, maybe this isn’t a good idea. Or at least don’t tell your spouse that it was your idea.

Keep this list close to you at all times. May it ward the evil that the absence of D&D can bring into your life.

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(Editors note: Wimwick’s wife is a former D&D player. She understands the joy the game can bring. That being said she couldn’t care less about Ethan the Rogue or his exploits. She does humour Wimwick by pretending to care. Wimwick’s son would eat the dice. That’s what 16 month old children do, monsters!)

Christmas is coming and you’re likely looking for a great gift to pick up for that good friend, sibling or yourself. With that in mind I took a look at my bookshelf and selected my top 5 fantasy books of all time. It was tough narrowing it down to only 5 titles, after all I’ve enjoyed most (if not all) of the fantasy novels I’ve read over the years.

I quickly realized that I could stretch the list to 10, 15, 20 books or more very easily. With that in mind I needed to define my criteria for selection. I decided the book had to have had a large impact on me. It had to be a book I had read more than once over the years. Finally, the book had to take the genre in a different direction for me.

Presented below are my top 5 fantasy books of all time in no particular order.

J.R.R. Tolkien – The Lord of the Rings

Perhaps no explanations are needed or perhaps you’re thinking that this was an obvious choice. Perhaps you’d be right. However, Lord of the Rings has a special place in my catalogue because it was my first. I was introduced to this book in grade 5 and it was my introduction to fantasy literature. From that point on, there was no looking back. I can imagine that many others have similar stories. Tolkien was an innovator and without his writing much of our hobby might not exist in its current format.

Michael Moorcock – The Swords of Corum

Most people single out Elric as the #1 most identifiable Moorcock character, but the way Corum deals with his handicaps and then seeks revenge only to find it an empty desire was very satisfying. It was also my introduction to Moorcock’s writing and that is why it ranks above Elric on my list, though I must say I enjoy all of Moorcock’s work and recommend it.

David Gemmell – Legend

David Gemmell is the king of heroic fantasy. Sadly he passed away on July 28, 2006. Legend was the first book written to feature Druss, heroic fantasy at it’s finest. I remember finding this book in the university book store in Durham, England while on vacation. It was a good find and I haven’t looked back since. Legend has been read many times over. My thoughts on Druss are that he does the kind of things we only wish our PCs could do.

Glen Cook – The Black Company

Gritty, dark fantasy at its best. The Black Company will change the way you look at fantasy literature. The story revolves around characters in a mercenary company. Cook’s use of language, imagery and the departure from high fantasy makes it a welcome change to the norms of the genre.

Guy Gabriel Kay – The Fionavar Tapestry

And so it came to pass that I read The Fionavar Tapestry. Perhaps it’s because Kay is a fellow Canadian, and that this series begins on the University of Toronto campus (a place Kay studied). Perhaps, it’s his ability to to merge myth and legend together that makes this series so compelling. Personally, it’s a blend of all of these, combined with his pacing, character development and original idea’s that made this series such a refreshing and enjoyable read.

Now I know I’m not the only one who has a top 5 list of fantasy novels. I’m always looking for something new to read, and I want to hear what 5 books you would select for your list.

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During a recent game I took note of all the things the players at my gaming table, me included, could be doing better or doing differently. What I came up with was a list of general reminders that all players should review. Most of these are common sense kind of reminders, but I’m amazed at how often PCs forget to do the most obvious things. It doesn’t matter if you’re new to the game or the most experienced player in the room, everyone benefits from a quick refresher.

1. Make active Perception checks

I don’t need to make active Perception checks, my passive Perception is 24.

I’ve discovered that DMs love to have their monsters use Stealth. The monsters wouldn’t be sneaking if they weren’t good at it. So make those active rolls. After all, the passive roll is only the equivalent of rolling 10. That mans you’ve got a 50% chance of rolling a higher number. If you can’t see an opponent, make active checks. You’ve got everything to gain and your life to loose.

2. Good DMs employ good tactics

The minions move to flank you, the archers all target you and the Wizard targets you with a spell that won’t hurt his allies.

Just because the PCs are too dumb to use good tactics doesn’t mean that the DM should follow suit. In most cases there are suggested tactics printed right in the monster’s description. So don’t get angry at a good DM for using smart tactics. Even if those tactics result in all the monsters ganging up on one PC.

3. Always do the math

Damn, I rolled a 4. Oh well, that’s going to miss.

Never assume that a roll is a miss. Apply the relevant bonuses and call out the number. Let the DM tell you if it was a hit or a miss. This is especially true if you’re attacking Fort, Ref or Will.

Just because a number missed last time doesn’t necessarily mean that it will always be a miss. Between situational modifiers, one-time powers and ongoing conditions your target numbers will fluctuate as the battle continues.

4. Use you daily powers

I don’t know if I should use my daily yet. After all, he could just be a minion. I want to save my big attack for when it will do the most good.

Use those daily powers! I’d rather use my daily and kill a single minion, or even miss the target all together than get an extended rest and realize I haven’t used my dailies. They’re your biggest and best attacks. If you use them in the first encounter and then get an unexpected extended rest it’s like having twice as many daily powers. Stop hording and start using. This goes for action points too!

5. Ongoing damage adds up fast

You take 5 ongoing acid damage from that bite. And then you take another 5 ongoing necrotic damage from this attack. And because you’re in the creature’s aura at the start of your turn you’ll take 5 more cold damage.

When I first began playing 4e D&D I thought the feat Human Perseverance was dumb. I mean, really, how often will +1 on a save really come into play. As it turns out, a lot! As the PCs get tougher they seem to be subjected to more and more attacks that do ongoing damage. At first it’s not a big deal, but after failing the saves three rounds in a row you realize that you just lost over half your hit points to ongoing damage. Worse still, if you fall unconscious the ongoing damage still hurts you as you inch closer and closer to permanent death. Items that provide bonuses to saves should be coveted above all others. I no longer scoff at feats that only provide a +1 bonus to saves.

6. Don’t be the guy who slows down the game

So on that attack I did 11 points of damage. No, wait, I think I have a power that gives me +1 more damage. Or was it +2. You know it might not really apply in this circumstance. Let me look it up just to be sure.

In the grand scheme of things, 1 or 2 points of damage rarely makes a difference. Slowing the game down to look up some obscure rule is not cool. If you’re not sure about something use your best judgment and move on. If the monster’s not even bloodied then 1 point shouldn’t really matter. Put you time (and the time of everyone else at the table) to better use and just keep the game moving.

7. Stealth is always an option

I may be a Fighter with a measly +5 in Stealth, but I’m going to try and move closer to the camp without being detected. Holy crap, I rolled a 15. Hey guys I’m being stealthy.

The monsters aren’t the only ones who can be sneaky. Although only a few classes provide PCs with the choice to train in Stealth, you can still attempt to be sneaky. Much like the PCs, monsters will generally be using their passive numbers to detect approaching adventurers. This may not be true if they have sentries posted, but in most cases a decent roll will let you gain a huge advantage by moving silently. Never assume that the party will be too noisy until you actually blow a Stealth check.

8. Dice hate everyone equally

Ouch, the monster hit you again. You take 4d6 damage… I don’t believe it: 7 damage. I rolled a 1-2-1-3.

Dice are finicky and indiscriminate. You assume that bad things happen to PCs because their dice roll poorly (and might even be out to get them), but DMs are susceptible to bad rolls too. Don’t count on it happening a lot, but every now and then the PCs catch a break and the DM’s dice go cold.

9. Don’t forget, you’re supposed to be having fun

My character would be so outraged by this turn of events that he’d storm out and refuse to participate in the coming fight.

There are times when the out-of-game decisions are more important than the in-game decisions (as I was reminded not too long ago when a PC was killed). Sometimes it’s more important to ignore the negative, in-game consequences for the betterment of the out-of-game players. Taking an unpopular in-game action may be good role-playing… sometimes. If it creates too much friction or tension at the table for the real life players then perhaps it’s time to just do what’s best out-of-character even if it’s not the best choice for your PC. It’s just a game and we’re all supposed to be having fun.

10. Pay attention

Damn it! I missed again.

Even though it’s not your turn you need to pay attention to what’s going on around you. Many classes have powers that will lower monsters defenses or provide you with bonuses to hit. If you aren’t paying attention when the Wizard casts a spell then you may not realize that the 16 that missed was really an 18 that would have hit.

If you’re playing in an LFR game and there are +1 reward cards on the table, paying attention to these details becomes even more important. Knowing that a 17 hit last round means that using the +1 can turn 16 into a hit.

Paying attention will also let you put immediate actions to their best use. But you have to know what they do and under which circumstances you can actually use them.

If you found these reminders helpful, you should also check out the 10 Things I Learned at Worldwide D&D Game Day.

What other tips and reminders do you think all players should keep in mind? Are there obvious actions or common sense tips that you think we’d all benefit from doing? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Dungeon’s Master was launched in February and since then we’ve published a lot of content that we are really proud of. Today marks our 200th post and to celebrate we’re sharing the top 10 posts of the past eight months with our readers. It was an interesting exercise examining the information provided by Google Analytics and I can honestly say I’m surprised by the results. While I expected some articles to be in the top 10, I didn’t anticpate the order in which they would appear.

I’d like to thank you our readers for visiting the site, and for providing your comments and insight on the game that we all love. So here they are, the top 10 posts as selected by you, our readers.

1. What’s A +1 Sword? – I knew this article would make the top 10, but was honestly surprised that it ranked at #1! An open discussion about how your character sees and describe his magic items.
2. Deal The Most Damage – Ameron loves to crunch numbers. Here he took a look at melee basic attacks at level 1 and creates the most devastating builds he could think of.
3. I’m Your Cleric, Not Your Bitch! – Healing changed with 4e and our group noticed a change in attitude with our resident healer.
4. The Most Powerful Fighter, Is A Battlerager Fighter – An indepth look at how to create a Fighter that rivals strikers in damage output. The Battlerager build has since been “fixed” but the build is still powerful.
5. Overplayed Characters – We’ve all been at a table with someone playing the dumb barbarian or the dual weilding Drow Ranger seeking to atone for unspeakable past acts. Here’s a look at those overplayed characters.
6. Speeding Up Your Game – 4e introduced conditions to D&D and those conditions slowed combat down. Provided here are some common sense solutions to make combat faster.
7. 4e House Rules – I’ve yet to play a game that didn’t have at least one house rule. Here’s a look at some we’ve developed for 4e.
8. Psionics Suck! – The PHB 3 introduces the Psionic power source and Ameron provides his honest opinion about it.
9. Keith Baker Answers 13 Questions – Eberron is the core gaming world for the Dungeon’s Master team. So when Keith Baker commented on our review of the 4e Eberron Campaign Sourcebook we requested an interview.
10. Desktop Killed The Tabletop Game – 4e brought about many advances to D&D. One of them was the digital initiative presented with the DDI. Is it the first step in eliminating the tabletop game? Probably not, but you could make a case for it.

We hope you enjoyed the look at the top 10 articles of the past 200 at Dungeon’s Master. Here’s to the next 200, we hope you continue to journey with us as we explore the great hobby that is D&D.

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To celebrate out 100th post, the team at Dungeon’s Master has put together a list of 100 great things about D&D. Enjoy.

1. Finding a secret passage
2. Ale is a dietary staple
3. Minions
4. Dragons
5. Watching the DM get frustrated after rolling another 1
6. Not always being the good guy
7. Deck of many things
8. Drawing maps
9. Stumping the DM
10. A 10 x 10 room with a chest
11. The brutal property
12. Developing a character over months and years so that they almost seem real
13. Kobolds
14. Divine intervention
15. Blue lightning (DM intervention)
16. No need to tip at an inn or a bar
17. Discovering that not all lawyers work in the courtroom
18. The dice
19. A night away from the wife and kids
20. 20-20-hit = instant death
21. Mariliths
22. Being there when a party member dies and the player rips up the character sheet into 1,000,000 pieces
23. Being in the car of the player who ripped up his character sheet and fearing for your life in the back seat as he swerves through traffic at 70 miles per hour
24. Toilets and bowel movements don’t seem to exist
25. Realizing that most of our gaming sessions have more intricate and sophisticated plot lines than the majority of Hollywood movies
26. House rules
27. Residuum – Is not a drug
28. Making character back-stories
29. Having those back-stories actually affect the campaign
30. Secretly playing an evil character and planning the demise of the rest of the party
31. Taking “trophies” from monster kills
32. Skill challenges
33. Doing the opposite of what the DM expects
34. Playing a Pirate campaign, Arrgghhh!
35. Being able to name every PC you’ve ever played, but forgetting the names of your co-workers and closest friends
36. Scoring a crit
37. A shameless excuse to eat junk food with your buddies
38. Knowing that the D&D movies pale in comparison to the cartoon
39. The excitement of new editions and rules.
40. Knowing that not all dragons breathe fire
41. Kicking down the door and killing the orc that is guarding the treasure chest deep in the dungeon even though there is no logical reason for either the orc or the treasure chest to be there
42. The RPGbloggers network
43. Tiamat
44. Being able to seduce men when playing a male character
45. Being able to seduce men when playing a female character
46. Being able to seduce women when playing a female character
47. Being able to seduce anyone when your Charisma’s that low
48. Vorpal weapons
49. Minis
50. Count Strahd von Zarovich
51. Getting together with friends whom understand your geek interests
52. Drunken Dwarves
53. A natural 1
54. A natural 20
55. Playing like your character actually would
56. Did we mention kobolds?
57. Stealing from other party members
58. Retiring a favourite character and coming up with their epilogue
59. Kill-stealing
60. Slaying a dragon
61. Slaying a dragon by yourself
62. Looting a dragon’s horde
63. Dwarf/Elf animosity
64. Drizzt Do’Urden
65. Asking if you’re drunk yet
66. Developing the mathematical equation to determine if you’re drunk yet
67. Rolling percentile on the equation above to see if you’re drunk yet
68. The character builder
69. Moral and ethical decisions within RPGs
70. The excitement just before starting a session after waiting all week
71. Eberron
72. Munchkinism
73. Introducing your children to D&D despite your wife’s best efforts
74. Pillaging
75. Blogging about the game
76. Creating weird creatures as player characters
77. Interacting with NPC with the above character and not having them react differently at all
78. Attacking the darkness
79. GenCon
80. Sneak dice
81. Killing a monster with one blow
82. Watching our wives eyes roll as we talk about D&D at the dinner table
83. Order of the Stick
84. Stereotypes, you know what I mean Paladins
85. Watching another player roll several 1s
86. Monster’s have feelings too
87. The smell of new rule books
88. Splitting the party to annoy the DM
89. Killing the PCs for splitting the party
90. Min-Maxing
91. Talking about past characters as if they were real
92. Rolling more than one handful of dice (20d6 anyone?)
93. Bag of holding, because who really tracks encumbrance?
94. Watching the player playing a paladin try to figure out how to do something selfish and stay in character
95. Being there when the party accomplishes a major milestone
96. The power to raise the dead
97. Minotaurs
98. Dungeon Magazine & Dragon Magazine
99. Having something in common with other gamers worldwide
100. This, the 100th blog post at Dungeon’s Master

And there you have it. When we hit our 200th post we’ll compile another 100 great things about D&D. Until then, please feel free to leave any additions to the list in the comments below.

I learned a few things participating in Worldwide Dungeons & Dragons Game Day this past weekend. These may just seem like simple, common sense reminders, but I think they’re incredibly useful nonetheless. I encourage you to review this list and keep it in mind whether you’re playing at a convention, Worldwide Dungeons & Dragons Game Day or just at your dining room table.

1. Everyone participates

Make sure that everyone has equal face-time. It’s easy for one or two players to try and control the table. New players may find this intimidating. Everyone there has their own character, so there’s no need to let one player dominate the show. The DM should make sure that he’s not letting anyone get bullied (intentionally or otherwise).

2. Don’t be afraid to ask questions

Gamers in general are good people (at least in my experience). The common love for the game has brought us all together to play. If you have questions, feel free to speak up. You shouldn’t feel embarrassed if you don’t know what a power does or how a particular rule works. I’ve had quite a few rules that I never really understood cleared right up after hearing a new take on the situation from people I just met at a convention.

3. Keep things moving

Everyone wants the game to run smoothly. If you have tips or tricks for speeding up the game that work for your gaming group, feel free to share them. The biggest complaint I’ve heard at cons and Game Day is that the modules take too long to complete. If you can offer advice for speedy game play it will be gladly received.

4. Share your experiences

Experienced gamers should help others. If someone is playing D&D for the first time then the amount of help they require will be a lot more than if they’ve just never played a particular class before. Don’t overwhelm them with everything all at once. Give them a few basic pointers and then help them as particular situations present themselves.

5. Knowing the classes

If you’ve played a particular class for the past six months in your regular game, then feel free to offer advice to the guy playing that class at the event. Share what you’ve learned about that class since playing it, but try not to be too overbearing. You want to be helpful, but you don’t want to tell someone else how to play their character. Most advice will be seen as useful. This is especially true if the player is a first-timer or is unfamiliar with the class.

6. Plan your actions

Many DMswill give the table and “on deck” warning so that you know who’s going to act next. If you know you’re on deck, think about what powers or attacks you’d like to use. Obviously if the PC going before you does something totally unexpected then you’ll need a second to rethink your plan, otherwise be ready. And when you’re finished be sure to announce clearly that you’re finished so the next PC can start his turn.

7. Experiment

It’s unlikely that you would have built the pre-generated characters provided for Worldwide Game Day the way they were presented. You may have selected different equipment, assigned points to ability scores differently or chosen different powers. But that’s not something you can change in this circumstance. So take this unique build and experiment. Try things you wouldn’t normally do. Try playing a class or race you’ve never played before. These are essentially throw-away characters that you’ll never play again. So feel free to go a little nuts and try outrageous things.

8. Don’t be critical

Experienced gamers often feel that certain character classes should be played a certain way. This is especially true if you’ve actually played that class before. So if the guy playing your favourite class doesn’t do things the way you would, don’t be critical. Let that player run the PC as they see fit. For all you know they feel the same way about how you’re running their favourite class.

9. Help the DM

The DM has his hands full. In some cases he may be reading the adventure for the first time as everyone sits down at the table. Offer to help the DM. Remind him when enemies are marked or ongoing effects require a save. Even something as simple as offering to help track initiative will free up a few minutes for the DM and let him focus more attention on running the game.

10. Have fun

At the end of the day the most important thing to remember is that we’re all there to have a good time. Regardless of how a particular encounter played out or who got the magic amulet, as longs as everyone had fun then the event was a success.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. If you’ve got some pointers that you’d like to share please add them in the comments. After all, we’re all in this to have fun and to make the gaming experience a good one.

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