Category: Player Resources

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DM Resources Player Resources

Intelligent Magic Items

Having a magic sword is one thing but having an intelligent magic sword is a whole new level of coolness. So far there are no mechanics in 4e Dungeons & Dragons for creating intelligent magic items. However a creative DM can always introduce one as he sees fit.

Continuing our look at magic items that began in yesterday’s article What’s a +1 Sword?, today I’m going to share some of the pros and cons I’ve experienced by introducing an intelligent magic item to my campaign. Over the years I’ve have many games that included intelligent items. It’s not something I would recommend for everyone, especially new gamers, but it can add a new and unpredictable element to your game.

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Player Resources

What’s a +1 Sword?

“That’s a beautiful blade,” noted the barkeep as he served the adventurers their ale. “Is it magical?”
“It sure is,” replied Delian the Paladin. “I found this in the ogre’s lair. It’s a +1 sword.”
“What’s a +1 sword?”

How often do you refer to your PC’s gear only in gaming terms? Sure the people sitting at your dining room table playing D&D know what a +1 sword is, but how would you describe the same weapon in character to an NPC? You’d sound pretty stupid if you called it a +1 sword. Not to mention that no one would understand what you mean when you call it a +1 sword.

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Editorial Player Resources

A Call for Heroes – Ultimate Dungeon Delve

If you want to survive any D&D adventure you need to plan ahead. The better your advanced planning the more likely your chances of survival, and in the case of the Ultimate Dungeon Delve, the better your chance of victory. At this year’s GenCon they are running the next Ultimate Dungeon Delve: Fall of the Tower at Windrock. I’m signed up to play and I’m looking for an adventuring company.

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Player Resources

Character Motivation

Why do PCs do what they do? When you’re creating a new character, do you even give this any thought? Fame and fortune are probably the most common motives for 1st level adventurers, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but is that your PC’s only motivation?

In many cases the DM creates a long-term campaign with a huge story arc designed around a single motivation. It might be something as noble as recovering a stolen artifact or as simple as seeking revenge against the assassin who killed your mentor. These are both excellent examples of broad motivations that bring strangers together and keep the party working towards a common goal. But what of each PC’s individual goals?

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DM Resources Player Resources

Screw Morals, Just Keep the Game Moving

Sometimes PCs need to do what’s best for the game even though it may not be what’s best for the character. The PC’s personal politics, morals and ethics need to be set aside in order for the campaign to proceed.

An example of this scenario happened to our party in a recent game. Although we chose to do what was best for the game, it seemed really out of character for at least a couple of the PCs in the party. We’ve played these characters for almost a year and during that time we’ve worked to make them feel like unique individuals. They have distinct personalities and mannerisms. So what happens to all that character building when the adventure dictates that the role-playing be shelved during certain circumstances in order to keep the larger story arc moving?

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DM Resources Eberron Player Resources Skill Challenges

Skill Aide: Dragonmarks

dragonmark-sivisYour character has just manifested a Dragonmark. In Eberron this is a big deal. Dragonmarks have a huge impact on NPC reactions. Here are some tips on how to get a little extra from your Dragonmark during your next skill challenge.

There are going to be circumstances where having a Dragonmark or being affiliated with a particular Dragonmarked House may provide advantages during a skill challenge. The forthcoming Eberron Campaign Guide will likely cover this to some extent, but until its release here are a few guidelines that you can use.

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Class Discussions Player Resources

The Most Powerful Fighter is a Battlerager Fighter

It pays to do your homework when building a character. I’ve played some tough characters in my day, but the Battlerager Fighter I played in a recent LFR game was the toughest melee character I’ve ever played. This is one of the character builds I presented in the Characters Who Deal the Most Damage article from last month and after seeing him in action I don’t know why you’d want to play any other kind of Fighter.

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Book Reviews Eberron Player Resources

Review: Eberron Player’s Guide (Part 2)

eberron-players-guide-01The wait is over. We have the Eberron Player’s Guide now and we’re reviewing the entire book today. We’re revealing everything about the feats, the magic items and most importantly the Dragonmarks. We covered the races and the classes in the Eberron Player’s Guide Review (part 1) that we posted earlier today. Now we complete the review and reveal all the remaining secrets.

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Book Reviews Eberron Player Resources

Review: Eberron Player’s Guide

eberron-players-guide-01Changes are happening in Eberron. The Eberron Player’s Guide hits shelves next week, but we have our copy now and we’re going to share with you all of its greatness. This is the first of two posts that we are publishing today. So if you’re a fan of Eberron already or just curious to see where this campaign setting is going with 4e D&D, then keep reading.

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DM Resources Player Resources

Playing Two Characters

I like playing two characters. As long as I get to create them both, then I’ll play two characters any time the DM allows it. But playing two characters when one is yours and one belongs to someone else is a lot more difficult and generally not as much fun.

I’ve played in games where the DM gave players the option of playing one or two characters. Most of my friends choose to stick with one character, but not me; if I can play two characters, I will. Here are some of the pros and cons I’ve found over the years of playing two characters in the same campaign.

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