Author: Ameron (Derek Myers)

Categories
D&D Encounters D&D Next

D&D Encounters: Search for the Diamond Staff (Week 6)

search-for-the-diamond-staff-coverOur heroes managed to talk their way past combat during the past two weeks; this week they were not as lucky and nearly suffered a TPK. The session began when the party arrived at the edge of the Elvin runes where the spotted the Zhentarim’s campsite. There were no signs of the soldiers, Phoedele, or the Diamond Staff. Whether the PCs wanted to or not, they were going to have to venture deeper into the woods in search of their prize.

This week at the Silver Snail in Toronto we ran two tables. The 4e table was packed with seven players and the D&D Next table (which I ran) was down to five players. The party consisted of an Elf Wizard, Human Fighter, Human Wizard, Halfling Rogue (re-skinned as a Bard), and Half-Elf Cleric.

In a clearing at the edge of the woods the PCs found the Zhent’s horses. The horses were skittish, but not because of the PCs. Unfortunately with the Ranger absent none of the other PCs were able to get a read on why the horses were acting strangely. Ignoring the campsite and the mundane equipment left behind, the PCs proceeded cautiously into the woods. The path before them was shrouded by sheets of thick spider webs.

Continue reading “D&D Encounters: Search for the Diamond Staff (Week 6)”
Actual Play Podcast at Harry T North (Season 14 Week 6) Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Actual Play Podcast at Silver Snail (Season 14 Week 6) Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Categories
D&D Next DM Resources

Making Healing Easier in D&D Next

life-giver-elmoreOne of the challenges most commonly faced by adventuring parties is the ability to heal wounds quickly and easily. Time heals all wounds, but in the heat of battle time is a precious commodity. You’re not likely to leave the fight and rest for a few days when you can keep swinging your blade or slinging your spells in hopes of defeating the foe in front of you right now. That’s where magical healing comes in.

In 4e D&D the leader classes took on equal responsibility for healing. The powers to heal were abundant, minor actions that you could throw around from great distances. Let’s face it, in 4e any party with a half-competent leader shouldn’t have suffered many losses. Between Healing Word (or the equivalent) and Second Wind there was plenty of healing to go around. Healing was fast and easy.

As appealing as this abundant healing was to some players (me included), it was a radically different approach than what we’d seen in previous editions of D&D. Traditionally in D&D the Cleric was the healer. Other classes had abilities and powers that let them provide supplemental healing but the Cleric was usually the primary medic. This is the direction that magical healing has taken in D&D Next – it’s back to the Cleric as party healer with Paladin, Ranger and Druid providing back-up support.

Making the Cleric special again by giving them exclusivity in the super healing department is fine with me. However, most healing is now limited to a range of touch. The Cleric has to get up close and personal to heal the wounded or revive the fallen. This is how things used to work and it looks like this is how things will work again. Fair enough. But after playing 4e for so long it’s tough to go back to the idea that healers are hands on.

Continue reading “Making Healing Easier in D&D Next”
Categories
DM Resources

Friday Favourite: The Spoils of War

On Friday we comb through our extensive archives to find an older article that we feel deserves another look. From March 26, 2009, Dungeon’s Master once again presents: The Spoils of War.

When the fighting ends and the dust settles, it’s time to look at the spoils of war. How will your PC claim his fare share of the reward when the war ends? Your character’s motives for fighting will be the best guide for the DM when he decides how to reward the players.

But before anyone gets to claim the spoils of war, let’s quickly look at how the PCs got here in the first place.

Continue reading “Friday Favourite: The Spoils of War”
Categories
D&D Encounters

D&D Encounters: Search for the Diamond Staff (Week 5)

search-for-the-diamond-staff-coverPosing as mercenaries hired by Phoedele to ensure her transaction with Barcero wasn’t disturbed, the party avoided a combat encounter last week and convinced the Sembian Wizard that they were duped. When Barcero realized Phoedele wasn’t coming (and had sent the PCs as a distraction) he and his entourage headed to Mistledale hoping to intercept the Zhentarim agent before she could use the Diamond Staff to gain entrance to the Vault of Song.

Still weary from their hard ride to Sandersal Manor, the PCs decided to rest and stay the night at Barcero’s camp before riding on to Mistledale to persuade Phoedele themselves. They did strike a bargain with Barcero before he left. They asked if he would give them the same terms and payment for delivery of the “package” he was offering Phoedele. He agreed and then rode off into the night.

We’re still a week behind at Harry T North, but the group at Silver Snail (whose adventures we followed last week) is on track so we focus on them again this week. As we’ve seen in past years, the attendance for D&D Encounters during the summer fluctuates a lot. This week there were only six players for 4e (down from 15 during week 1). We had five players at the D&D Next table which I ran. The party consisted of the following members: Elf Ranger, Human Fighter, Human Wizard, Halfling Rogue (re-skinned as a Bard), and Half-Elf Cleric.

Continue reading “D&D Encounters: Search for the Diamond Staff (Week 5)”
Actual Play Podcast at Silver Snail (Season 14 Week 5) Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Categories
Player Resources

Ameron’s 2013 GenCon Schedule

gencon-logo-01In less than a month GenCon 2013, The Best Four Days in Gaming will be upon us. I’ve been counting down the days since Christmas and according to the app on my phone there are only 29 days to go.

GenCon, like any gaming convention, presents you with the opportunity to play your favourite games, try new games, make new friends in the gaming community, and essentially geek out for four straight days. Every year I post my schedule for two reasons: 1) to highlight the great events I plan to participate in, and 2) to make it easier for you to find me at the con.

Here’s what my schedule looks like so far. Some things may change on the fly but this is what I already have tickets for or what I plan to wait in line with generic tickets to play.

Continue reading “Ameron’s 2013 GenCon Schedule”
Categories
DM Resources

DMs for GenCon Needed… Badly

Dave Christ (a.k.a. The Baldman from Baldman Games), the guy who spearheads and coordinates all of the D&D events at GenCon, needs your help. With less than a month until GenCon it seems that they’re in desperate need for more DMs to run the D&D Next delve.

If you’ve going to GenCon and have any blocks of free time in your schedule please consider being a DM for even just one slot. DMs are rewarded with free swag and if you’re willing to run multiple slots you can earn a free convention badge and even a free room. For every one person who volunteers to DM, six players get a chance to play at the con.

Continue reading “DMs for GenCon Needed… Badly”
Categories
D&D Encounters

D&D Encounters: Search for the Diamond Staff (Week 4)

search-for-the-diamond-staff-coverThis week’s session marked the beginning of chapter two. The PCs defended Hap against an Orc attack only to realize that the attack was a distraction while the Orcs stole the Diamond Staff. The PCs chased the thieves to their cavernous lair where they battled Orcs and Zhentarim agents. Regrettably the heroes were too late and a Zhent commander named Phoedele had already left with the staff.

The PCs discovered Phoedele’s destination was Sandersal Manor in Battledale. After a brief night’s stay back in Hap the PCs resupplied and followed the Zhent commander as they continued their search for the Diamond Staff.

This week Toronto was hit with a terrible storm and record-setting levels of rain which lead to flooding throughout the city. Most of the city and surrounding area lost power during the storm including Harry T North, one of the two locations where I play D&D Encounters each week. No power = no game. So this week’s recap will follow the party from my other FLGS, Silver Snail.

The good news is that we’re using the D&D Next playtest rules at both locations. Our numbers at Silver Snail have leveled off somewhat. We run three tables most weeks: two 4e and one D&D Next. This week we had nine players for 4e and six for D&D Next. The PCs at my D&D Next table included a Human Wizard, Elf Wizard, Human Fighter, Elf Ranger, Halfling Rogue (re-skinned as a Bard), and a Human Cleric.

Continue reading “D&D Encounters: Search for the Diamond Staff (Week 4)”
Actual Play Podcast at Silver Snail (Season 14 Week 4) Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Categories
Friday Favourites

Friday Favourite: Get a Real Job

On Friday we comb through our extensive archives to find an older article that we feel deserves another look. From November 2, 2009, Dungeon’s Master once again presents: Get a Real Job.

What’s your PC’s profession? I don’t mean what’s his class; I want to know what your PC does for a living. Have you even given any thought to this question before I just brought it up? Probably not. They’re looking to hit it rich by plundering lost dungeon hordes or by slaying monsters and claiming their loot. In short, PCs don’t have real jobs.

Very few classes are in and of themselves professions. I assume you could argue that Clerics and other divine classes generally work for a church, but I don’t think your PC should show up and demand a pay cheque for spreading the good word.

When D&D campaigns begin they usually start after the PCs have chosen to “go adventuring.” But have you ever wondered what all the adventurers did before they threw caution to the wind and sought out this new calling? Has that adventurer always wanted to be an dungeon-delving Sorcerer or an undead-battling Paladin all his life?

Continue reading “Friday Favourite: Get a Real Job”
Categories
D&D Encounters

D&D Encounters: Search for the Diamond Staff (Week 3)

search-for-the-diamond-staff-coverAt the end of last week’s session the party followed the thieving Orcs that stole the Diamond Staff a few miles north of Hap. From the party’s vantage point they could see the entrance to a cave, half blocked by gnarled tree roots and moss. This was definitely where the Orcs went.

Should they wait for the Orcs to come out or should they follow them inside? After a quick discussion to decide whether or not resting was necessary, the PCs decided that the need for speed outweighed any counter argument to wait and rest. Fortunately none of the PCs were too banged up from the previous two encounters so they were confident they could handle the Orcs.

Due to the holidays (July 1 in Canada and July 4 in the U.S.A.), a lot of our regular gamers were on vacation this week. At Harry T North in Toronto we ended up with three DMs and six players. One of the DM volunteered to just run everyone as one massive party. Fortunately we’re using the D&D Next rules this season, so running such a large group didn’t seem as imposing or cumbersome as it would with 4e.

The party ended up with the following cast of characters: Human Monk, Halfling Rogue, Dwarf Fighter, Human Rogue, Elf Cleric, Human Wizard, Human Monk, and Half-Elf Ranger (my character). It turned out to be a very impressive mix.

Continue reading “D&D Encounters: Search for the Diamond Staff (Week 3)”
Actual Play Podcast at Harry T North (Season 14 Week 3) Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Actual Play Podcast at Silver Snail (Season 14 Week 3) Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
Categories
D&D Encounters Player Resources

We’ve Added D&D Next Characters to Our Pre-Gen Library

The Dungeon’s Master Pre-Generated Character Library is one of our most popular pages. It houses all of the character Wizards has provided for D&D Encounters over the years as well as many fan-made characters. We’ve continued to add more characters, including characters above level 1, in order to keep our library useful for all people playing at their FLGS on Wednesdays.

With more and more groups switching their weekly D&D Encounters adventures to D&D Next we felt it was time to create a library for the D&D Next pre-gens. Wizards has provided six pre-generated characters with the playtest packets. These six characters are each available at levels 1, 3, and 4. For your convenience we’ve added links to all of the PDFs in our D&D Next Pre-Generated Character Library. These pre-gens are the property of Wizards of the Coast and the information on these characters fall under the umbrella of the D&D Next NDA.

Continue reading “We’ve Added D&D Next Characters to Our Pre-Gen Library”