Tag: Dungeons and Dragons

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DM Resources Editorial

Greatest Hits 2013: 9 Ways to Improve 4e D&D

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 2013. 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.

D&D is in a strange place right now. As we move towards the official release of D&D Next there is less and less support for 4e. This isn’t a surprise; in fact it was an inevitable reality. That’s just the way things work when the game transitions to a new edition. But until D&D Next officially becomes the edition some people are still playing 4e, including me and my home group.

I think that a lot of players want to get behind D&D Next but are waiting for the rules to go beyond the play testing stage. Until the official rules are released what’s a gamer to do? If you’re planning to stick with 4e then the tips we preset in this article might be just what you need.

About a year ago my home group decided to take a break from 4e. At first we tried D&D Next. Some liked it; some did not so we moved on. For the next few months we tried a few other RPGs before finally returning to 4e. It was nice to return to something familiar. However, if didn’t take long before we remembered why we’d stopped playing a year earlier. That’s when we decided to tweak things a little bit.

By making a few adjustments to the rules, we breathed new life and new excitement into our game. It was still 4e at heart, but we had a lot of fun trying new things. Our experience playing other RPGs actually helped a lot in this regard. Sometimes distance provides perspective and we found that to be the case this past year with our RPGs.

We didn’t end up using too many of the “improvements” for very long (except #2, #8, and #9), but just having the courage to try them in game said a lot about our desire to stick with 4e for a little bit longer. My advice to gamers stuck between 4e & D&D Next is to keep playing 4e and try tweaking the rules to keep your experiences fresh. And if you find something that really works be sure to share it.

From January 8, 2013, Dungeon’s Master once again presents: 9 Ways to Improve 4e D&D.

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Adventure Hooks DM Resources

Greatest Hits 2013: The United Nations… of Monsters

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 2013. 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.

The idea is really quite simple; introduce a governing body to your game world that has representation from all races in your fantasy campaign. In the article we suggest a few ways to make this work. At the end of the article we provided some possible adventure hooks. Today we’ve got a few more.

These hooks will certainly work better if the DM knows he’s going to include the UN of Monsters in his campaign when the PCs are developing characters. The DM can provide direction without revealing too much. Enjoy.

  • Every party member is a different race (not that uncommon). They are approached by a mentor early in their adventuring career. The mentor explains that they are being considered for membership in a very exclusive club. Every time the PCs take on a quest they are scored and judged. Eventually some or all of the PCs are offered seats on the UN of Monsters’ council.
  • Every party member is the same race. They are brought together as special enforcers in order to protect and promote the culture and history of their people. They are fully aware of the UN of Monsters as they take orders directly from their race’s representative. Do they do so unconditionally? What would happen if their contact on the UN was killed or replaced? Is their loyalty to the UN of Monsters, their race, or the person who happens to hold office right now?
  • One of the PCs represents his race at the UN of Monsters. His race is expelled from the UN. Any protection his race had from being included in the UN of Monsters is gone. What does the PC do? Is he personally held responsible for any problems that spin out of the expulsion? Is it within his power to get his people back in to the UN? What are the consequences to other races that help?
  • The PCs witness monsters coming together after a natural disaster to provide aid. Creatures like Dragons and Giants (many of them evil) literally move mountains, redirect the flow of rivers, and rebuild infrastructure like roads and bridges. During this unexpected cooperation hunters attack and kill the creatures. What do the PCs do? What side does the party sympathize with?

The idea of a United Nations of Monsters is one I’ve kicked around for a long time. It certainly has a lot of potential for any fantasy game world. I hope that some DMs who read the original article and who read this rerun borrow it and use it in their campaign. If you’ve used a UN of Monsters or something similar, please share your experiences in the comments below.

From April 24, 2013, Dungeon’s Master once again presents: The United Nations… of Monsters.

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DM Resources

Greatest Hits 2013: Passing Notes at the Gaming Table

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 2013. 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.

One use for notes at the gaming table that I hadn’t really considered when I wrote this article was to use them as a storytelling aids. This was raised by a reader in the comments of the original article. The idea is quite simple; the DM passes a note to a player that briefly explains what that PC sees, hears, smells, etc. Then it’s up to that player to flesh out the details and describe it to the rest of the party.

I love this idea. Too often we forget that D&D is a shared storytelling experience. But in most games the DM does the majority of the descriptions and exposition. Passing a note to a player that has only the essential points and then getting that player to use their imagination to fill in the blanks is genius. It allows the players really feel like they’re part of the story. It also gives them a chance to develop their character by putting that character’s interpretation and opinion on things.

For example, the PCs meet a new NPC for the first time and the DM has a note that says something like: Male Elf, dark hair, well dressed, well spoken, no weapons visible. Depending on who gets this note we’ll get a different take on this NPC.

  • The Half-Elf Paladin might say “The Elf before us is dressed in his Sunday best. He speaks with a tone that reveals his education and privileged upbringing. He seems harmless enough and I believe we can trust him.”
  • The Eladrin Wizard might say “The Elf before us is likely a spellcaster. His fine clothing, lack of weapons, and confident swagger betray his power. Tread lightly and don’t say anything that will anger him.”
  • The Dwarven Fighter might say “The Elf is soft and dim witted. He flaunts his wealth and doesn’t even have the good sense to carry a weapon so he can defend himself if he gets into trouble. That tells me he’s used to having body guards and servants. I already don’t like this lazy, privileged Fey.”

All of these examples have validity but are coloured by each player and the character he’s running. I encourage DMs to try this note passing exercise a few times and see what happens. The players setting the stage may add a detail that you can then use to make the story more interesting. Just be sure to act like that was the plan all along.

From January 21, 2013, Dungeon’s Master once again presents: Passing Notes at the Gaming Table.

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Editorial

Greatest Hits 2013

It’s that time of year again. We’re approaching the end of 2013 and the Dungeon’s Master team is taking a vacation. Over the next two weeks we’ll be rerunning some of best work from the past year as we present the 2013 Greatest Hits. Admittedly we haven’t published many new articles that weren’t related to D&D Encounters in a few months, but we published plenty of strong articles earlier in the year. And for the next two weeks you’ll get a chance to read them.

Each article will include a new introduction in which we take a new look at the topic within. This gives us a chance to revisit these topics and respond to anything interesting that might have come out of the comments. For our regular readers and subscribers it gives you a good reason to read the article again. For our newer readers it’s a good chance to see what we’re all about here at Dungeon’s Master.

Many of our articles from the past year are applicable to D&D Next or 4e D&D, with a few exceptions. So regardless of which edition of D&D you’re currently playing at your gaming table we believe that you’ll find the articles interesting and helpful. We encourage you to leave us comments and let us know what you think of each article.

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D&D Encounters

Major Changes Coming to D&D Encounters: Adventures Sold Exclusively as PDFs

scourge-of-the-sword-coast-preview-coverBeginning with D&D Encounters season 17 Wizards of the Coast is taking the program digital. The adventure Scourge of the Sword Coast will only be available from dndclassics.com as a digital download. No word yet on how much it will cost.

It also sounds like this adventure will only support D&D Next rules. As of yesterday (December 15) the D&D Next rules are no longer available as a free download from Wizards of the Coast. But don’t worry; they will be available at dndclassics.com for digital download as well! And no word on how much they will cost either.

So beginning in February DMs will have to shell out for the adventure (in digital format) and for the rules (also in digital format). If DMs want hard copies it will be up to them to print off of the materials at their own expense.

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DM Resources Friday Favourites

Friday Favourite: What’s In Your Backpack? A Healthy Dose of Reality

On Friday we comb through our extensive archives to find an older article that we feel deserves another look. From August 27, 2012, Dungeon’s Master once again presents: What’s In Your Backpack? A Healthy Dose of Reality.

When it comes to fantasy role-playing there are a lot of things you have to just accept in order for the game to function. Magic exists. Dragons exist. Elves exist. I have no problems with any of these things. They may be fantastic but they’re familiar and acceptable. But when it comes to the amount of gear a typical adventurer can carry in his backpack many players believe that anything goes. This is not a fantasy that I’m willing to accept. There needs to be some common sense applied some of the time to D&D and for me the buck stops with your backpack.

The way I see it there are two real issues when it comes to the reality of your backpack: 1) How much can it hold, and 2) How easily you can grab something out of that backpack in the heat of combat. I have had way too many players push the boundaries of what is actually possible in both cases that I’ve had to introduce a house rule when it comes to equipment the first thing that goes into any character’s backpack is a healthy does of reality.

This month Game Knight Reviews wants to know “What’s in *your* backpack?” as part of the August RPG Blog Carnival. I expect we’ll see a lot of posts where people list off their favourite must-have items. Here at Dungeon’s Master we’ve decided to approach the discussion from a slightly different angle.

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D&D Encounters

D&D Encounters: Legacy of the Crystal Shard (Week 3)

legacy-of-the-crystal-shard-coverDuring the last session the PCs battled the Bear Tribe warriors at the Evermelt oasis atop a glacier, but they didn’t find the captives they’d come to rescue. When we began this week’s session they interrogated the prisoners who told them to jump in the pool. The Assassin took the advice literally, dove into the hot spring head first, and disappeared!

At Harry T North in Toronto our numbers are holding steady around 20 players. We had three new players this week, but had a few regulars out with illness and work commitments. The other DMs ran D&D Next tables with four, five and eight players. At my 4e table we ran with four again as we seem to keep rotating who’s in and who’s out.

Present this week was the Revenant (Eladrin) Assassin, Gnoll Barbarian, Tiefling Paladin, and Dragonborn Cavalier. The Halfling Rogue stayed with the Elk Tribe warriors and guarded the captive Bear Tribe warriors. Fortunately Hengar joined the PCs just in case they needed additional help.

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Book Reviews Friday Favourites

Friday Favourite: 7 Great Post-Apocalypse Books

On Friday we comb through our extensive archives to find an older article that we feel deserves another look. From November 2, 2012, Dungeon’s Master once again presents: 7 Great Post-Apocalypse Books.

What does a nuclear war, a plague, zombies, and robots all have in common? They could all lead to the apocalypse and bring about the end of the world. In fact some of the best works of fiction are part of the sub-genre the deals with the aftermath of a disaster that nearly wipes out the human population. In each of these tales the apocalypse serves as the back-drop for a survival story. The best stories don’t spend too much time focusing on the cause of the disaster and instead explain who survived and how they survived. In each story unlikely heroes emerge and try to put back the pieces of the shattered world that they once knew. I always find it fascinating to discover that it’s usually a combination of luck and preparation that keep people alive when the world comes to an end.

With the recent success of NBC’s new show Revolution (Wikipedia | NBC.com), the post-apocalyptic survival genre is reaching a wider and more main stream audience. So for everyone who enjoy Revolution and is looking for more of the same we’ve got plenty of good recommendations for you. At first glance it may not seem like these books could all possibly share anything in common, but in each case the world ends and a select few are left to pick up the pieces.

Post-apocalyptic survival stories are defiantly one of my favourite genres. Any time I hear about a new story in this vein I immediately check it out. More and more of these stories are becoming movies, but in some cases the transition is an apocalypse in and of itself (The Postman, we’re looking at you!). So do yourself a favour and pick up some (or all) of these books before they’re stripped down and streamlined for the big screen.

These are definitely (in my opinion) the best examples of the post-apocalyptic survival genre. This is certainly not an exhaustive list but these are the ones that are most likely to get new readers hooked on the genre. If you’ve got any recommendations of your own please leave them in the comments below.

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D&D Encounters

D&D Encounters: Legacy of the Crystal Shard (Week 2)

legacy-of-the-crystal-shard-coverAfter spending two days in Bryn Shander during the last session, the PCs decided it was time to leave the largest of the Ten Towns. They’d saved the Barbarian Hengar Aesnvaard from a painful death by exposure to the elements and saw that he was set free. Hengar requested the PCs accompany him back to where the Tribe of the Elk was camped and help his people face the great evil that has best upon them. They agreed.

The party and Hengar left Bryn Shander with Hilda Silverstream, the Dwarven merchant bound for the Dwarven Valley. The PCs agreed to act as guards for Hilda’s caravan and accompany her home before continuing northward with Hengar. Surely nothing bad would happen along the way.

We continue to have enough people to run four tables at Harry T North in Toronto. Unfortunately we were down a DM this week due to illness. However, we did manage to notify her players so they didn’t show up for nothing this week. The two other DMs running the level 1 D&D Next tables were present; one ran a table of six and the other a table of five. At my table I continue running 4e D&D with a level 3 party.

The party consisted of a Revenant (Eladrin) Assassin, Tiefling Paladin, Dragonborn Cavalier, and Halfling Rogue. The party’s Gnoll Barbarian was absent as the ill DM was his ride. One of the players from the table that wasn’t running decided to join our group for the night and even had a level-appropriate PC. So for one week only a Githzerai Swordmage/Artificer accompanied the PCs across the Icewind Dale.

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Adventure Hooks Friday Favourites

Friday Favourite: Adventure Hooks – Campaigns in the Cold

On Friday we comb through our extensive archives to find an older article that we feel deserves another look. From January 18, 2011, Dungeon’s Master once again presents: Adventure Hooks – Campaigns in the Cold.

This summer we ran a series of adventure hooks that featured numerous bizarre and strange happenings that occurred in the Sun & Moon Tavern (part 1| part 2). These articles have been incredibly popular and continue to be among our most widely read pages from the past six months. It seems pretty clear to us that our readers want more short, quick adventure hooks.

One of the reasons the Adventure Hooks from the Sun & Moon Tavern were so popular was that they all centered around one common location. It made coming up with the adventure hooks easier for me as the DM, but I think it also made them more appealing for readers.

Before I sat down to brainstorm more adventure hooks I wanted to come up with a theme to tie them all together. The answer was as simple as looking out my front door. I decided to put together adventure hooks that all took place in a snowy environment.

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