Tag: D&D

Greatest Hits 2012: Undead of Different Races

Post author By Ameron (Derek Myers)
Post date December 23, 2012
2 Comments on Greatest Hits 2012: Undead of Different Races

While the Dungeon’s Master team enjoys some well-deserved vacation time, we’re breaking out the greatest hits and shining a spotlight on a few of our favourite articles from 2012. We’ve searched for hidden gems that our newer readers might have missed and our long-time readers will enjoy reading again. Enjoy a second look at these greatest hits from Dungeon’s Master.

Many years ago my home group played an extended campaign in the Ravenloft setting. In this setting each country (or Domain as they’re called in Ravenloft) is ruled by a Lord. The overwhelming majority of these Lords are undead and exceptionally evil. Any campaign that takes place in Ravenloft is going to be filled with every kind of undead imaginable. Most Lords have undead armies at their disposal so Skeletons, Zombies and Vampire Spawn are the typical foot soldiers that PCs will engage, at least initially.

As much as we loved playing in Ravenloft we eventually just got sick of fighting undead. So when we finally escaped from the horrific setting and returned to the Forgotten Realms we decided as a group that none of the DMs would use undead for a long time to come. For years following our Ravenloft expedition our party never ran into a single undead opponent – which we were ok with.

Looking back on our decision to ban undead from the game I realize that it wasn’t so much undead that we were sick of but the plainness of the undead we fought most often. The only variation between the Skeletons was the weapon in their hand. Even though each new Monster Manual presented us with plenty of new undead creatures, none were really that different than what we’d seen before.

I suspect there are other DMs and gaming groups that have gone through undead fatigue much like my group did, and I’ll bet that in many cases it was the lack of variation that led to the problem. Before taking an extreme measure like we did all those years ago, take steps to make your undead more interesting. You don’t necessarily have to give them new powers (although that is certainly an option); you just have to make them interesting. By describing a detail as simple as their original race you can add life back into your undead, so to speak. And if you feel that giving them access to their racial power that’s certainly a way to make even the most boring and predictable undead foe something to fear again.

From October 15, 2012, Dungeon’s Master once again presents: Undead of Different Races.

Tags 4e, D&D, DM Resources, Dungeon's Master, Dungeons and Dragons, Greatest Hits 2012, skeleton, undead, Vampire, zombie

DM Resources

Greatest Hits 2012: Staying Alive: 8 Ways to Keep Wounded PCs in the Game

Post author By Ameron (Derek Myers)
Post date December 22, 2012

In the original article we talked about ways to bend the rules or tweak the numbers to give PCs a fighting chance when they’re low on hit points and healing surges. One thing that we didn’t really address that I think deserves mentioning are the PCs starting number of healing surges.

There will always be times when the party cannot continue because they’re out of surges. More often than not it’s the PCs that began with few surges in the first place that make the most noise about taking an extended rest. At my tables it always seems to be the strikers, and more specifically the Rogues and the Vampires.

I think it’s important for the DM, and even the other players in your gaming group, to talk to players who choose to run characters with minimal starting healing surges. It is a striker’s job to get into the thick of things which usually results in them talking some hits; however, good tactics and planning ahead can reduce the chances of these PCs running out of surges before everyone else. Yet trying to convince these players to have a good starting Con score, take the Durability feat, or just play smarter is often a challenge.

If the entire group addresses the low healing surge issue early, the party as a whole can develop tactics to overcome this obstacle and ensure the softest PCs stay on their feet and don’t blow through all their surges in the first fight. It’s a behavioural change that a lot of D&D players are not comfortable making but by addressing this early (possibly even during character creation) it can make for better games down the road and eliminate the frequency of the 5-minute work day without the need for any of the tricks we suggest in the article below.

From June 5, 2012, Dungeon’s Master once again presents: Staying Alive: 8 Ways to Keep Wounded PCs in the Game.

Tags 4e, 5-minute rest, 5-minute work day, D&D, DM Resources, Dungeon's Master, Dungeons and Dragons, Greatest Hits 2012, Healing Surge, healing surges

DM Resources

Greatest Hits 2012: The New Initiative – Talk then Fight

Post author By Ameron (Derek Myers)
Post date December 21, 2012
1 Comment on Greatest Hits 2012: The New Initiative – Talk then Fight

Nothing makes me happier than hearing a player say that his PC wants to try and talk their way out of a fight. I try to encourage my players to have their PCs pursue options for resolving conflict that don’t involve combat, but it’s usually a hard sell since they want to fight monsters. When someone actually thinks talking is a better option I will go out of my way to let them have their say before the swords start swinging and the arrows start flying.

In order for the new initiative I’ve proposed to be successful the DM needs to remember the importance of saying yes. Sure it normally takes a standard action to get a bloodied opponent to surrender, but if you’re going to allow for a talking initiative then you need to be flexible enough to allow an Intimidate check done at the beginning of combat as a free action to have a similar effect. If the DM rewards creativity and demonstrates that he’s willing to bend the rules to let something cool and interesting happen, more players will try acting during the talking phase of initiative.

A good DM will let the role-playing and a solid skill check lead to results that the PCs are not used to seeing. These results can vary from an all out surrender to delaying combat for a few rounds. Different skills should result in different outcomes as well. Bluff can be used to distract or misdirect, Diplomacy to negotiate surrender or non-aggression, and Intimidate to command into submission or scare enemies away. Words can be powerful and when delivered at the right time and in the right way PCs will see that a Diplomacy check can yield better results than all of their daily and encounter powers combined.

From September 17, 2012, Dungeon’s Master once again presents: The New Initiative – Talk then Fight.

Tags 4e, D&D, DM Resources, Dungeon's Master, Dungeons and Dragons, Greatest Hits 2012, Initiative

D&D Encounters

D&D Encounters: War of Everlasting Darkness (Week 8.)

Post author By Ameron (Derek Myers)
Post date December 20, 2012
4 Comments on D&D Encounters: War of Everlasting Darkness (Week 8.)

Over the past seven sessions we got used to weekly self-contained mini-adventures with a few small pockets of combat. This week we returned to the old format with one massive battle – and what a battle it was! The heroes found themselves in the right place at the right time to stop Lolth from completing her Demon Weave and usurping the mantle of goddess of magic. If she succeeded the Darkening would likely become permanent and there would be nothing to stop the Underdark denizens from claiming the surface as their own. This was the culmination of the Rise of the Underdark.

This week we had 2 DMs and 9 players at my FLGS for the grand finale. I ended up with the smaller table. We had an Eladrin Cleric (Valenae pre-gen), Shade Warlock (Binder), Half-Orc Barbarian, and Revenant (Pixie) Vampire.

This week’s encounter was tough, intentionally so. Even though it was a lot of combat it was more than just monsters on one side of the map, heroes on the other, and the two sides pounding on each other until they ran out of hit points. There was so much more going on. It was a fantastic conclusion to a very story-heavy season of D&D Encounters.

Actual Play Podcast at Harry T North (Week 8.) Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Actual Play Podcast at Silver Snail (Week 8.) Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags 4e, D&D, D&D Encounters, D&D Encounters: War of Everlasting Darkness, Dungeon's Master, Dungeons and Dragons, War of Everlasting Darkness

DM Resources Editorial

Greatest Hits 2012: How a Blind Player Improved Our Game

Post author By Ameron (Derek Myers)
Post date December 19, 2012

Describing enough detail for a blind player to visualize in their minds what’s happening in a typical game of D&D is tough. It requires a vivid imagination and a good grasp on the creatures and places in the game. Doing it well requires practice. Unfortunately it’s not a skill that too many DMs or players possess. But that’s changing.

A lot of people have had a chance to delve into this kind of gaming experience through the D&D Next play testing. It encourages quick combat encounters that don’t use a map or minis. It encourages exploration through description and experimentation. In essence it expects you to describe places and actions as if there was always a blind person at the table. You may not have thought about it in those terms but it’s true.

It all comes down to details. DMs should stop making generalizations by giving something a title; instead describe the details. When you tell the players the room has a king-sized bed and a dresser and a table they’ll get that it’s a master bedroom and not a kitchen. So why use the term “bedroom” at all? Just describe the contents and let the players determine the function. The same goes for people and monsters. Don’t describe NPC by race and class; rather describe their attire, mannerisms, speech patterns, smell and personality. Let the players decide if this is a noble, a thief, or an adventurer.

By making the players use their imagination to take in a scene it will open their thirst for details. They’ll ask questions they never usually ask like what colour is the carpet or if they smell incense. When players can’t use their eyes to see a map or a mini they’ll fill in the blanks with the details the DM provides and likely add a few of their own. When this happens it will take your game to a whole new level of enjoyment.

From March 19, 2012, Dungeon’s Master once again presents: How a Blind Player Improved Our Game.

Tags 4e, blind, D&D, D&D Encounters, DM Resources, Dungeon's Master, Dungeons and Dragons, Greatest Hits 2012

Editorial

Greatest Hits 2012: The Advantages of Using 3d6 Over Point Buy

Post author By Ameron (Derek Myers)
Post date December 18, 2012
12 Comments on Greatest Hits 2012: The Advantages of Using 3d6 Over Point Buy

Most gamers I’ve met like rolling dice. And most gamers I’ve met like to power game. So when you ask gamers if they’d rather roll their six ability scores randomly or assign them and get the most optimized stats possible you’re unlikely to get a consensus. Personally I like rolling 3d6 for abilities. It makes you play the character and not the numbers. In my experience this always makes for more interesting characters which in turn makes the gaming experience more enjoyable.

I’ve found that experienced gamers are the ones who are most open to the ides of rolling their abilities. This could be in some part because they’ve likely played previous editions of D&D where that’s just how it was done, so they don’t see it as a big deal. I also think experienced gamers are more open to rolling their ability scores because they realize that there is something to be said for randomness. They realize that it’s not the extraordinary scores that make your character interesting, but the lower ones. Rolling your stats makes you intimately and immediately aware that a character is more than the raw numbers on the page; something many newer gamers have a hard time understanding.

By rolling your stats you’re more likely to be appreciative of that one good score, even if it is only a 14. And in cases where an ability score is particularity high, say an 18, it’s going to have a big impact on the PCs and the game. In a world where most people have relatively flat ability scores, anyone with an 18 will be truly extraordinary. Just think of how people will treat a guy with an 18 Charisma? This super-Charisma guy is going to be a spectacle for all the right reasons. His 18 makes him special. However, if an 18 Charisma is extremely commonplace, as it is when everyone uses a point buy system, it denies everyone that chance to feel special because they happen to roll something statistically improbable.

I’m not suggesting that we completely abandon point buy; it certainly has its place and serves a practical purpose. But I think that we should all realize that there is something to be gained from trying the 3d6 method of generating ability scores as anyone who has participated in the D&D Next play testing can attest to.

From January 24, 2012, Dungeon’s Master once again presents: The Advantages of Using 3d6 Over Point Buy.

Tags 3d6, 4e, D&D, Dungeon's Master, Dungeons and Dragons, Greatest Hits 2012, point buy

Editorial Player Resources

Greatest Hits 2012: When the Plus (+) No Longer Matters

Post author By Ameron (Derek Myers)
Post date December 17, 2012

When I wrote this article it was to make a statement about character development. The idea was that having a magic item with a special power you found interesting was more important than whether or not the magic was +2 or +3. But when I reread this article I realized that it’s also a commentary on the abundance of magic in 4e D&D. When we have so much magic in the game it really belittles all of it.

In a game where only one PC has a magic sword (think King Arthur and Excalibur, for example), everyone will look at the item and the character wielding it as extraordinary. But when every member of the party has a magic sword none of them are seen as special. This is compounded even further if all the bad guys have magic swords. Yet this is exactly how games in the 4e D&D world play out. There’s magic everywhere. And with so much choice it’s no wonder that players will overlook some items for the promise of something more to their liking later. Or in the case of the examples I use in this article, the PCs won’t trade up to better items because they’re happy with the ones they’ve got.

Personally I like games that are magic rich. To me that’s D&D. I’ll admit that eventually too much magic can complicate things (as we’ve learned during 4e epic play) but I’m ok with that. On the opposite end of things I’ve played games in low magic settings (Dark Sun, for example) and I’ve realized that this is not something I enjoy. There needs to be some kind of middle ground and I believe that we’re seeing that shape up in the D&D Next play-test packets.

There seems to be a definite shift with D&D Next towards making magic items special again. The mechanics are being retooled so that adding a +1 sword to any character is going to be a big deal. Tack on some kind of additional special property like a fire, lighting, or acid and now you’re really got something unique. I have high hopes that there will be a lot more balance in the distribution of magic items when they land on final rules. If done right, any magic treasure will be coveted and players won’t find that they reach a point where they no longer care about the plus on their item because they’ll just be happy to have any item at all.

From May 29, 2012, Dungeon’s Master once again presents: When the Plus (+) No Longer Matters.

Tags 4e, D&D, DM Resources, Dungeon's Master, Dungeons and Dragons, Greatest Hits 2012, Player Resources

Editorial

Greatest Hits 2012

Post author By Ameron (Derek Myers)
Post date December 17, 2012

With 2012 nearing completion the Dungeon’s Master team is taking another look at some of our favourite articles from the past year. In 2012 we posted over 165 articles (down from the 250 we’d posted in previous years when we were running new content 5 days a week). This is still a huge number and there are bound to be a few that you missed somewhere along the way.

Beginning today, and continuing over the next two weeks, we’ll dig up those hidden gems that generated a lot of discussion among the gaming community or that we think best represent what we’re all about. It gives us a chance to make sure our newer readers are exposed to our best work and for our long-time readers and subscribers it allows us to highlight a few articles we think you might enjoy a second time.

Each of our greatest hits will include the original article in its entirety, along with a new introduction. In some cases our opinions may have changed since the article was originally published and in others we’re still holding fast to our initial stance.

You’ll have to check out the greatest hits every day to find out which articles from 2012 made the cut and what new insights we have to offer on those topics. Each day, as we run another of our greatest hits, we’ll list the title below and provide a link for easy access. If you don’t think you’ll be able to visit Dungeon’s Master every day between now and New Year’s you may want to bookmark this page so that you can come back in January and see which article made the cut.

Even though we’ll be running our greatest hits for the next two weeks we will provide our weekly recap of the D&D Encounters (week 8.) finale this Thursday and the season report card the following Thursday.

In January 2013 Dungeon’s Master returns to its regular publishing schedule. Be sure to visit Dungeon’s Master regularly for great 4e D&D articles.

Tags 4e, D&D, Dungeon's Master, Dungeons and Dragons, Greatest Hits 2012

D&D Encounters

D&D Encounters: War of Everlasting Darkness (Week 7)

Post author By Ameron (Derek Myers)
Post date December 13, 2012
3 Comments on D&D Encounters: War of Everlasting Darkness (Week 7)

After last week’s stellar encounter there was regrettably nowhere to go but down. What was even more unfortunate was that this week’s encounter had problems all on its own, and having it follow such a strong outing in week 6 made it seem all that much more troubled. But I guess every week can’t be gold as we learned in week 7.

This season has provided the PCs with plenty of freedom to make their own choices. There was very little railroading compared to previous seasons of D&D Encounters. This week the train made its ugly return and all the PCs were forced to take a ride. In a season that’s been so good on so many levels this week they really lowered the bar.

This week at my FLGS we were right in that awkward attendance zone of nine players – too many for one table but not quite enough for two. The second DM decided to leave early and take the night off so I ran a table of seven. Not ideal, but I knew I could make it work. The party rounded out like this: Revenant [Gith] Bard, Eladrin Cleric (Valenae pre-gen), Shade Warlock (Binder), Human Swordmage, Drow Assassin, Pixie Vampire, Shade Ranger (Hunter).

Actual Play Podcast at Harry T North (Week 7) Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Actual Play Podcast at Silver Snail (Week 7) Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags 4e, D&D, D&D Encounters, D&D Encounters: War of Everlasting Darkness, Dungeon's Master, Dungeons and Dragons, War of Everlasting Darkness

D&D Encounters

D&D Encounters: War of Everlasting Darkness (Week 6)

Post author By Ameron (Derek Myers)
Post date December 6, 2012
11 Comments on D&D Encounters: War of Everlasting Darkness (Week 6)

Best. Session. Ever. Yeah, I said it. This was my favourite session of D&D Encounters that I’ve ever played. It had everything I want in a game including thrilling combat and lots of great role-playing.

After defeating the Drow spellcasters last week the PCs found battle plans outlining a Troll invasion of Nesmé. If Nesmé were to fall, it could spell disaster for nearby Silverymoon. So this week we picked things up with the heroes arriving at Nesmé. And not a moment too soon as Troll were attacking the town, two of which divert to intercept the PCs. Right off the bat the PC found themselves in a really tough combat.

This week we had ten players and two DMs. I had one brand new player at my table which is always a welcome addition. The party consisted of the following characters: Revenant [Gith] Bard, Half-Orc Barbarian, Pixie Vampire, Shade Warlock (Binder), and Eladrin Cleric (Valenae pre-gen).

Actual Play Podcast at Harry T North (Week 6) Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Actual Play Podcast at Silver Snail (Week 6) Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags 4e, D&D, D&D Encounters, D&D Encounters: War of Everlasting Darkness, Dungeon's Master, Dungeons and Dragons, War of Everlasting Darkness