Tag: D&D

Categories
Month in Review

Month in Review: July 2012

It was another strong month here at Dungeon’s Master. We covered a wide variety of topics including sex and drugs in D&D, Wheaton’s Law, social media, essential RPG books and of course D&D Encounters. If you missed any of our articles from July than now is the time to get caught up. We’ve provided links below to everything we posted in July along with a brief description of each.

Our readership increased in July thanks to a couple of controversial articles and some amazing Star Wars pre-gens for D&D Encounters. We want to thank everyone who visited our site last month, especially those of you who comment regularly. Your feedback lets us know if we’re doing a good job and the overwhelming majority of comments are usually quite positive. Please keep reading and please keep providing your comments and questions.

Continue reading “Month in Review: July 2012”
Categories
Editorial

Dungeon’s Master Joins Twitter, Follow @ameron_dm

Today Dungeon’s Master takes a bold step forward into the world of social media. That’s right I’ve finally joined Twitter (@ameron_dm). Buried way at the bottom of Friday’s article in which I shared my GenCon schedule I discretely announced that I’ve joined the Twitterverse. Today I’m shouting it from the virtual rooftops: Ameron is on Twitter! That’s right, I’ve given into peer pressure and realized that if I’m going to be part of the social media world that I need to be doing more than just blogging.

To follow me on Twitter just click on the “Follow @ameron_dm” button in the right nav. The same button will now be included at the bottom of every article along with the subscribe link.

Continue reading “Dungeon’s Master Joins Twitter, Follow @ameron_dm”
Categories
Editorial

Ameron’s 2012 GenCon Schedule

GenCon 2012, the best four days in gaming begins on August 16. That’s only 19 days from today. This year I’ll be making the 9 hour road trip from Toronto to Indianapolis with Marc Talbot (aka Alton from 20ft Radius). This will be my fifth consecutive year at GenCon but it’s his first. I’m expecting this year to be my best GenCon yet and I’ve got a wide variety of events scheduled. Of course some of the best parts of any con are the things that aren’t scheduled ahead of time so I’ve made sure to leave plenty of gaps in my itinerary.

Continue reading “Ameron’s 2012 GenCon Schedule”
Categories
D&D Encounters

D&D Encounters: Web of the Spider Queen (Week 10)

Last week the heroes managed to get through the gates of Zadzifeirryn. They ended last week’s session when they found a safe place to hide and took an extended rest. This week they awoke refreshed and leveled up.

This week’s encounter is another unusual one for D&D Encounters. It’s possible that this week could end up as just role-playing and skill checks, which is how it played out at my table. In order to keep my group interested I had to make a few changes on the fly but all in all things worked out ok. The encounter still took about 90 minutes (without any combat) and it certainly allowed for some interesting character development and NPC interactions.

The numbers at our FLGS continue dwindling as we were down to only seven this week, two DMs and five players. The other DM decided to take the week off and my table ran business as usual with our regular five.

  • Drow Druid
  • Drow Cleric
  • Drow Rogue #1
  • Drow Rogue #2
  • Drow Wizard (Bladesinger)
Continue reading “D&D Encounters: Web of the Spider Queen (Week 10)”
Categories
DM Resources

Only Ten – Ameron’s List

“If you could only keep ten of your printed RPG books, which would you pick?”

This is the question Brendan from the gaming blog Untimately asked on Monday. He then proceeded to share his ten. Many of his readers shared their list in the comments section of the original post and I’ve seen more than a few bloggers post their essential ten list around the blogosphere. Today it’s my turn to join in this show and tell exercise and share my list.

Yesterday I looked around my gaming room to try to narrow it down to just ten books. After giving it some consideration I finally narrowed it down to just ten (which was a lot harder than I thought it would be). I’ve actually cheated in a few instances and grouped a few books together as one entry, but the reasons will be apparent as you read through my list.

You’ll notice the absence of any PHB, DMG and MM from my list. This was a deliberate choice. In my opinion some iteration of these books should be on everyone’s list; after all they’re called core books for a reason. I approached this task with the assumption that the core books were a given and these were the next ten I’d choose after those.

Rather than struggle with ranking, I decided instead to list the books alphabetically. I want you to see my list as a collection. Theses all made my list and that’s all that should matter, not which one is more important or useful that the next.

Continue reading “Only Ten – Ameron’s List”
Categories
Humour

Master of the Dungeon Webcomic – Epic Treasures

Back by popular demand, Matthew Domville has created another Master of the Dungeon, D&D-themed webcomic based on situations that came out of our weekly D&D game. I guess all the kind words for his first Master of the Dungeon contribution, Epic Combat, Round 1, convinced him to keep dong these comics for us. If you want to see more comics, let us know in the comments section below.

Be sure to check out Matt’s other webcomic, Cinema Bums, a comic about movies and the folks who love ‘em. If you enjoy his stuff be sure to leave him a comment and like his page.

Continue reading “Master of the Dungeon Webcomic – Epic Treasures”
Categories
D&D Encounters

D&D Encounters: Web of the Spider Queen (Week 9)

Worst encounter of the adventure. Yeah, I said it. I felt that this week’s encounter was poorly designed and completely unnecessary. I always try to find the positive side of things when I share these weekly field reports, and there were a few bright spots this week, but overall I did not like this encounter and really felt it was the low point of the adventure. Read on and find out why.

Last session the heroes defeated Drow slavers, and fought some Goblins, a Bugbear, and a Giant Spider in the stalactite fortress called the Demonspur. They continued across the rope bridge and headed towards the gates of Zadzifeirryn. This week’s encounter began when the party arrived at the gates. Two portcullises blocked a walkway passing between the massive walls of Zadzifeirryn. Close to the gate a winch was bolted into the rock and an Ogre was chained to the wall beside it.

Continue reading “D&D Encounters: Web of the Spider Queen (Week 9)”
Categories
Editorial Player Resources

Never Leave a Man Behind

Pop quiz: Your ally just took massive damage and fell unconscious, what do you do? If you’re the leader this is an easy one; use one of your healing powers and revive your fallen comrade. If you’re any other role your answer had better not be leave him for the leader. When a PC falls during combat it’s everyone’s responsibility to bring him back into the fight – not just the leader. Admittedly the leader is usually the one that can revive unconscious PCs easiest and fastest, but you’re part of a party, a team, and everyone should look out for one another. Don’t shrug your obligation to your teammates and let a dying ally make death save after death save while you keep fighting.

Now I know there will be times when it might make more sense for the striker to keep attacking or for the defender to just keep the bad guy locked down, especially if either of them has an incredibly low Heal check, but these should be the exceptions. Regardless of circumstance unconscious PCs should not be forgotten or ignored. Dismissing your dying ally is the same as leaving him behind.

Continue reading “Never Leave a Man Behind”
Categories
Editorial Player Resources

Don’t Be a Dick – 4 Tips for Following Wheaton’s Law

I’ve been gaming a long time and for the most part I’ve had very positive experiences. This is especially true when it comes to public-play gaming. The people who come out to my FLGS to play D&D Encounters, Lair Assault, LFR, D&D Game Day, Free RPG Day, or just a pick-up game are for the most part really good people. I’ve found this to be true when I’ve gone to conventions as well. Gamers in generally are pretty good people who enjoy the hobby and want to have fun.

However, every now and then you get a player that is the exception. In some cases they’re genuinely trying to be extra helpful and come off as the Gaming Jerk, and in other cases their inexperience and lack of gaming protocol leads them to step over the line. At the end of the day it’s important to follow Wheaton’s Law: Don’t be a dick! Obviously, no one comes to the gaming table planning to break Wheaton’s Law but it happens. Regrettably I’m seeing it happen more often so I felt it was time to help the newer players by sharing a few words of wisdom and providing four tips on how to avoid breaking Wheaton’s Law.

Continue reading “Don’t Be a Dick – 4 Tips for Following Wheaton’s Law”
Categories
D&D Encounters

D&D Encounters: Web of the Spider Queen (Week 8.)

After last week’s fight against the elite Drow of House Jaelre the PCs advanced though the secret passage. The tunnel eventually led them to a vast, wide-open cavern so deep that they could not see the floor. Extending out into the darkness in front of them was a rope bridge clearly made in part from spider web strands. Three other similar-looking bridges stretched out from other walls of the cavern. All of the bridges converged at the top of a huge stalactite. The naturally inverted tower seemed to be hollowed out with chambers within.

This week our numbers were down at both locations where I play D&D Encounters. At Dueling Grounds we were down from 12-15 players most weeks to only seven this week. At Harry T North (which is the group I write about) we were ready to split into three tables but with a few players absent we were down to two tables of five. So my group kicked out the non-Drow interloper and ended up all Drow once again. Here’s how the party broke down.

  • Drow Rogue #1
  • Drow Rogue #2
  • Drow Wizard (Bladesinger)
  • Drow Druid
  • Drow Cleric
Continue reading “D&D Encounters: Web of the Spider Queen (Week 8.)”