Tag: GenCon

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Editorial Player Resources

The 2010 D&D Open Championship

Last weekend at GenCon a new champion was crowned at the D&D Open Championship. Regretfully it was not us. We didn’t even make it to the finals, which was sorely disappointing. However, we still had a lot of fun playing and a lot of fun preparing for the competition. We like to think of this as a learning experience and want to share our findings with you.

This year’s Championship was an adventure called A Hole in the World. Five level 25 pre-generated PCs, were provided. Each team had to complete five encounters, each encounter with a 45-minute time limit. If you didn’t complete an encounter in 45 minutes you were eliminated. If the party decided to take an extended rest you were eliminated. It was designed to challenge the best and most experienced D&D players and it certainly did just that.

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Editorial

What Makes An Encounter Legendary?

Five hours. One Encounter. A near total party kill. Three characters only one strike away from death. One character dead.

The DM began the encounter by taunting us. “You’re the ninth party I’ve run this adventure for since GenCon started and so far none of them have survived past the first encounter.” He continued his challenge by saying “This is by far the most difficult encounter I have ever seen in any LFR adventure.”

That did it. The players were committed, hook, line and sinker. We were going to complete this encounter even if it killed us. And it almost did.

The events of that night beg the question, what makes an encounter legendary?

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Editorial

GenCon: D&D Adventure Builder’s Workshop

Every good DM enjoys dreaming up new campaigns, adventures and encounters. With this in mind I descended upon GenCon with the intent of attending the D&D Adventure Builder’s Workshop. I wanted to hear how the pros built encounters, how they designed their traps and what inspired their campaigns. I must say I wasn’t disappointed and while I didn’t get exactly what I was looking for, what I did get was that much better.

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Book Reviews Player Resources

Wizards of the Coast: 2010-2011 Preview (Part 2)

Wizards of the Coast shared some highlights of their upcoming release schedule through the next year. We already covered D&D Essentials in our 2010-2011 Preview (Part 1). This installment is for the experienced gamers who want more materials for their existing campaign and characters. We’ll also share the limited details provided about D&D Gamma World. You may want to bookmark these articles and keep coming back throughout the next year to find out what Wizards is releasing next.

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Book Reviews Player Resources

Wizards of the Coast: 2010-2011 Preview (Part 1: D&D Essentials)

Wizards of the Coast shared some highlights of their upcoming release schedule through the next year. Since there is so much coming out over the next 12 months we’re breaking this into two articles. Part 1 focuses on the upcoming D&D Essentials products. Part 2 covers everything else. You may want to bookmark these articles and keep coming back throughout the next year to find out what Wizards is releasing next.

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Editorial

GenCon: D&D Convention Delve – Lair of the Dread Witch

After a lot of meticulous planning about what to do and which games to play at GenCon we made an accidental discovery that changed everything. Originally we registered for a few LFR games, the D&D Championship and the D&D Classic. We intentionally left some time open to take in a couple of seminars and to try out the Dark Sun Arenas tournament. But last night we discovered the D&D Convention Delve and that changed everything.

After being eliminated form the D&D Championship after three encounters (more on that in a later article) we felt deflated. We grabbed a bite to eat and drown our sorrows in the bottom of a pint (or two or three). We then headed back to the Convention Centre to wander the halls and it was then we learned more about the D&D Convention Delve.

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Editorial

GenCon Awaits

After 9 grueling hours in the car with Ameron we’ve arrived in Indy. Our badges are in hand and the slaying of monsters awaits. Over the course of the best four days in gaming Ameron and I will have periodic updates about the events and sights that make up GenCon. Over the week our plan is to play some LFR games, check out the Dark Sun Arena’s and of course the Open Championship. We’ve teamed up with half of the C Team, last years winners. Last night we me up, handed out the character assignments and worked out our some strategy. Keep your swords or wands crossed for us.

GenCon promises to be a week of great fun, chance encounters and little sleep. We’ll post as many updates and images about the events as we’re able. For now I need to get what sleep I can, the life of an adventurer is uncertain and you never know when you’ll get your next extended rest.

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Humour Skill Challenges

Skill Challenge: Road Trip to GenCon

Tomorrow Wimwick and I undertake the 9-hour drive from Toronto to Indianapolis for GenCon. Knowing that many of our readers will be in exactly the same predicament we decided to put together a GenCon Road Trip skill challenge to mark the occasion.

Setup

You pack up the car for the long, arduous road trip to GenCon. The question isn’t if you’re going to get there but when you’re going to get there. The more successes you accumulate in the skill challenge will determine how quick and painless the journey is. No matter what obstacles you might endure along the way, it’s all worth it to get to GenCon.

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Month in Review

Month in Review: July 2010

In July we learned about D&D Camp, covered our participation in D&D Encounters Dark Sun, looked at adventuring parties lacking a role player and wrote about GenCon. If you missed any of the great articles we ran in July this is your chance to get caught up. For all of our loyal readers who visited throughout July, we express out thanks. And to new readers just discovering us, we welcome you and hope you keep coming back every day.

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DM Resources Player Resources

GenCon Resources for Players and DMs

In preparation for GenCon we’ve scoured our archives and compiled the most useful convention tips for players and DMs. Of course, most of these tips are suitable for any gaming environment, so if you’re unable to get to Indianapolis next weekend we think you’ll still find this collection helpful.

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