Place to discuss various elements of the game, encounter design, tpks, DMing tips etc. Note Skill Challenges and Sources of Inspiration are separated from this to allow them to grow on their own. As other parts get enough posts they may also be split off.
As you likely know Mike Mearl’s brought up the dreaded save or die mechanic on the Legends & Lore column this week. This article gives the thoughts of @paulbaalham and @obsidiancrane about this matter. Save or have no fun? The classic argument against save or die is that save or die effects are not fun. …
4E is a game full of complexity. It is often complexity of the good sort, it makes the game more dynamic, challenging and exciting all of which are desirable. However sometimes things are a little too complex and something similar is desired. Looking at the 4E rules for PCs the answer is clearly found in …
Ability Scores and Crunch Ability scores are a rather arbitrary way of establishing a range of bonus and penalty around a median set of values. Essentially they are a way of using 3d6 to establish a bell curve of ability from a certain negative value to a corresponding positive value. That derived value has been …
Or “Why the Perception Rules Work in 4E”. There always seems to be some discussion going on somewhere about the perception rules in 4E. Typically these discussions center around the interaction between passive perception and active perception; usually in regards to things like traps or other hazards or clues that the DM wants to hide …
In turns out, that Thunderspire is a fairly popular adventure to alter. From SlyFlourish’s tips, to the Eleven Foot Poles reviews of its encounters and subsequent rewrites to H1, H2 and H3, and Bens RPG Pile video playthrough, there have been lots of tweaks to improve the adventure. One thing I want to do is …
I have recently been thinking about 4E and how skills work in it, and how combat speed works, and how 4E plays compared to older versions of the DnD game. The first thing is that I am pretty happy with 4E as it stands, but I recognise some of the complaints that are leveled at …
For most users of the arcane arts, the unlocking of their true potential is gradual but constant, warlocks who prove their capability to their patron receive ever greater power, bards craft new ballads and insulting poems, the arcane threads of the world woven into the musical notation used to transcribe their work. But it is …
There has been a lot of talk about skills lately on Twitter and the WotC site which has led to a few blog posts by members of the community as well. The first starting point is of course the Legends and Lore column with 2 articles by Mike Mearls and this week’s one by Monte …
The Rituals of the Dwarven Forge Masters ‘The sound of hammering resonates outwards from the anvil, each blow felt collectively by the 20 or so dwarves working their, sweat dripping from their beards in the sweltering heat generated by the forge’s fire. Here, in the heart of the clan hold, they were making magic…’ Almost …
Digitial Age Pondering Steve Winter, in his Dragon 401 Editorial, asked questions about the state of Dragon and Dungeon magazines and what more WotC could be doing about digitial publishing. At the time of my writing this there are 99 comments directly below the editorial, most asking for compiled issues to be returned, but in …