Folkloric origins of Kobolds and their history in D&D
I wrote a short article exploring the history of Kobolds both in D&D and folklore and how it impacts the way we play them
tintenteufel, to ODnD German Ganz prinzipiell: warum sollte mensch ein System aus diesem Jahrtausend spielen, welches das Spielgefühl der 1970er Jahre vermittelt, anstatt ein System aus den 1970er Jahren?
Ich mag bspw. #DCC und #Shadowdark sehr gerne, aber das ist eine der Fragen die ich mir durch meine Beschäftigung mit #ODnD aka #0e und #SwordsAndWizardry schon stelle.
dnddeutsch, to DnD German Rascal News hat ein Kapitel aus Fifty Years of Dungeons & Dragons
https://www.rascal.news/combat-dnd-fifty-years-dungeons-dragons-evan-torner-excerpt-mit-press/
"#DnD combat quantifies the bodily integrity of all its participants through “hit points,” with the roleplaying conversation unable to proceed beyond combat itself until the enemies’ hit points are reduced to zero"
dnddeutsch, German Die Sichtweise, dass Kampf ein Störfaktor ist, der das Rollenspiel aufhält und abgeräumt werden muss, bevor es weiter gehen kann, gefällt mir. Den Gedanken beim Encounterdesign zu berücksichtigen, könnte helfen Kampf spannender zu gestalten
lpwaterhouse, German @dnddeutsch In meinen Runden hatten wir eigentlich immer die Ansage: Wenn gekaempft wird, ist das ein Fehlschlag und gibt weniger XP.
dnddeutsch, (edited ) to DnD German Polygon stellt das alternative Titelbild des Revised Player's Handbook vor
https://www.polygon.com/24156680/dnd-dunegons-dragons-alt-art-phb-reveal-release-date-price
Die Künstlerin ist Wylie Beckert. Von ihr stammt auch das alternative Titelbild von Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. Alternative Titel sind eigentlich lokalen Läden vorbehalten, aber auch online zu bekommen. Bisher wird ausschließlich die englische Version der Bücher mit "Alt Cover" produziert.
nitramred, German @dnddeutsch Die Künstlerin 😊
dnddeutsch, German @nitramred argh, danke!
deinol, to DnD Not to start a war, but the Shadowdark Facebook group I saw a link to a YouTube claiming Shadowdark “won” the OGL war.
First, you can never “win” open gaming. You can temporarily become dominant. If anyone has, it’s Paizo who often gets as much or more shelf space as D&D.
Second, while Shadowdark uses the 5e CC-BY SRD, but it contributes nothing to open gaming itself. It’s got a 3rd party license, and it’s fine enough, but that isn’t open gaming.
deinol, Fair, and that’s where gaming really thrives.
But I appreciate creators who allow their games to be remixed without strings attached.
zdl, @deinol Oh, absolutely. I just like to remind people that gaming, in the end, lies with the gamers, not with the corporate machinery (whether cottage- or industrial-corporate).
We seem to forget that all too often to our detriment.
bedirthan, to DnD I still need to take this 5e #DnD subclass for a test drive.
Fighter: Conscript
You attempt to forget your past. Your neighbors may look at you as a hero or a villain. You go about your days, an expert smith, carpenter, or other artisan.
Recently you’ve felt the call. You are duty bound to pick up your sickle, spear, gambeson, and those well-worn boots again. Your people need help, and you are called to serve.
https://fullmoonstorytelling.com/2020/12/02/fighter-conscript-version-1-3/
I wrote a short article exploring the history of Kobolds both in D&D and folklore and how it impacts the way we play them
gmkeros.wordpress.com, to DnD https://gmkeros.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/fantasy-wargaming.jpgThe Highest Level of All: The Story of Fantasy Wargaming by Mike Monaco, is a free pdf download published at CMU Press under a CC BY-NC-ND license, and dealing with the history of the eponymous (if a bit incongruously titled) Fantasy Wargaming roleplaying game system. Yes, it turns out you can write whole books not only about DnD. At least if it’s something as weird as that game at least.
https://gmkeros.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/715s3mfunvl._sl1360_.jpg
The original game Fantasy Wargaming: The Highest Level of All (or just Fantasy Wargaming in some editions) was a 1981 book by Bruce Galloway, a clear variation on Dungeons and Dragons, based on Galloway’s home rules. Unlike it’s competition it was not afraid of using actual historical concepts like astrology and occultism in it’s descriptions, although it also was written so densely it was hard to make sense of it in any shape or form by someone not already familiar with roleplaying games. And, well, it was called Fantasy Wargaming.
Which made this a problem, as the game was published both in the UK and the US by mainstream publishers obviously trying to break into the nascent TTRPG market. The most available version was most likely the one published by the Doubleday Science Fiction Book Club, which made the game available to many people who did not have any experience with roleplaying games before.
Unfortunately one has to say, as the game’s size (300pgs) and conceptual denseness made parsing the book quite a feat, meaning if people used this as an introduction to roleplaying, it might not have been very successful.
The Story of Fantasy Wargaming goes into this, and into the development of the game. It could have been a bit more thorough and a bit more critical, but for what it is it’s a nice look into the environment that created it. And well, it’s free.
(I learned about this book from an episode of the Vintage RPG Podcast which had the author on and talked about this project. Well worth a listen)
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https://gmkeros.wordpress.com/2024/05/17/the-highest-level-of-all-the-story-of-fantasy-wargaming/
#book #dnd #Fantasy #gaming #news #osr #rpg #ttrpg #wargaming
edheil, @zdl @gmkeros.wordpress.com@gmkeros.wordpress.com If I remember correctly, a lot of FW seemed to be riffing on C&S specifically. I may or may not be remembering correctly.
zdl, @edheil @gmkeros.wordpress.com@gmkeros.wordpress.com I've read it. I've read (and played) several editions of C&S. I have no idea. The writing in Fantasy Wargaming was just that bad.
gmkeros.wordpress.com, to DnD https://gmkeros.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240517_1604402166264976056152798.jpg?w=707Cover of Grenzland #3
Issue 3 of Wanderer Bill’s https://lkh.sdf-eu.org/wandererbill/grenzland/ just landed in my mailbox yesterday, with, among other things, an NPC class written by me (“The Anointed of Abyssal Slaughter”). It mostly was me combining the given topic of the issue with an interest in NPC classes a while ago.
The ‘zine also contains a one-page dungeon by Alex Schroeder (“The Crown of Neptune”), a game report (“Schiffbruch”), rules for sailing ships (“Salt’n’Tar”), and another scenario (“Eingekerkert”), the latter three all by Wanderer Bill. The ‘zine is a mix of German and English, and you can get it for the phenomenal price of free at the website.
(he does have a few more physical copies for 7 Euros left over though)
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https://gmkeros.wordpress.com/2024/05/17/grenzland-3-worse-things-happen-at-sea/
FRWiki, to DnD Halfling's Help was a potent wheat beer brewed by the hin of Luiren. It tasted of strawberries and sun-dappled meadows.
#dnd #forgottenrealms #Realmslore
gmkeros.wordpress.com, to DnD https://gmkeros.files.wordpress.com/2024/05/warlocks_and_witches_in_a_dance5238827366399506857.jpg?w=1024John Faed, Warlocks and Witches in a dance (1855)I am not a fan of Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition. In fact I am not a fan of the 4th edition either, or the 3.5th edition, or Pathfinder (the 3.75th edition) for that matter. Actually I burned out running 3e and that was the impetus to go back to older edition, retroclones, and the OSR.
Which means I only really was touched by the introduction of warlock peripherally.
It didn’t help that I first saw them done in 3.5 and was not impressed. I still am not. It took them a while to get them into a state where players might intuitively grasp what the class is about. The 5th edition one seems to have managed that though, and I think I get why: warlocks are fun.
They are the kind of power fantasy that has all the hallmarks of a chugging half a quart of vodka with Red Bull and stealing a car. Maybe in the back of your mind you know that this is a bad idea, but right now you are intoxicated and it’s fun and who knows if morning will ever come and who cares about those flashing blue lights behind you?
Warlocks are the bad example your parents warned you about. It’s what lazy kids become when they grow up. But why, do the fighter and the magic user say, do they have so much fun being lazy? What about training? What about studying?
To which the Warlocks answer: “Eldritch Blast!”
But no, I think Warlocks as a character concept are really wonderfully OSR: you sell your soul to… not necessarily the devil, but SOMETHING, and then you can do all kinds of stuff you never learned. That sounds overpowered, and it is. But there is the implicit end of the warlock, which most people seem to forget because they treat it as just another class: this is a class that is completely dependent on some other unknownable being and their whims. There is not really a good ending for the warlock. Whatever actually happens with them when they die, in most cases it shouldn’t be pretty. If you have pledged your soul to the devil you won’t end slurping ice cold drinks at the shore of some scenic lake of fire. If you pledged it to an archfey you might end up as furniture.
I think what is missing from the class as written a bit is that there should be marks of what you are doing on you as well. You don’t become level 5 with no outside mark. I would say that every level there should be a possibility of a new pact marker. Cloven feet? Horns growing? Ears start looking like leafs? Something like that.
Reaction rolls should be affected. People might fear you, but they won’t respect you. You took the easy way and when people know they KNOW. Animals will look at you funny. You might not be able to pass under a horseshoe anymore. Mirrors shatter. That stuff.
Also ages ago I wrote about how to do multiclassing in my opinion. Every level, even the first, should cost as much as the next highest level of your other classes. That still holds up, but I think Warlocks… don’t follow that rule. Because learning another class when you spent your life doing something else shouldn’t be easy. Unless, well, you sell your soul or something. New warlocks just become warlocks.
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Welcome back to Advent’s Amazing Advice! The series where I take popular One-Shots, Adventures, Campaigns, etc. and fully prep them for both New and Busy DMs. This prep includes fully fleshed-out notes, music, ambiance, encounter sheets, handouts, battle maps, tweaks, and more so you can run the best sessions possible with the...
TwShiloh, to DnD #dnd campaign idea:
high level characters but they’re all over the hill:
Powerful wizard who keeps forgetting what components go with what spell
thief with the trick knee that interferes with climbing and stealth
fighter who might have 18 strength but risks throwing his back out if he uses it
elf becoming near sighted and losing his archer proficiency
They’re finally going after the big score - the nemesis - a high level monster also getting long in the tooth
TwShiloh, @bedirthan @gustav for added complexity…they’re in a race against time with some hot shot lower level characters.
Bonus experience when the old timers say “I’m getting too old for this shit!” 😂
bedirthan,
slyflourish, to DnD
bedirthan, @slyflourish also, bathe your dungeon in baths
Hi, my name is Khan and I am the person behind Devabhumi. I am of Indian origin, and I have always been interested in non-European rpg settings. There is such a treasure trove of untapped stories, monsters, and legends in Indian Culture, which can provide fresh and unique content for your campaigns. Devabhumi is a high fantasy...
Big fan of Matt Colville. I own Flee, Mortals the book and the PDF. I use the pdf in my games, but having everything in dndbeyond is also amazing. I think I’ll purchase it again and get Where Evil Lives too....
dnddeutsch, to DnD German Das Titelbild des Revised Player's Handbook 2024 für #DnD
https://www.gameinformer.com/2024/05/14/the-art-of-the-new-dungeons-dragons
Mehr Artwork aus dem Buch bei Gameinformer
Mari, (edited ) German @dnddeutsch Die Bilder sind sooo toll. Endlich ein schöner Tiefling im PHB 🥰
jprince, to DnD German Besitzt jemand die deutsche Auflage von "Aufstieg der Tiamat" und bietet sie zum Kauf an?
Hort der Drachenkönigin neigt sich dem Ende und ich würde die Folge-Kampagne möglichst auch mit Buch leiten ^^'
Gerne teilen <3
jprince, German @dnddeutsch
Wenn es soweit ist, würde ich gerne drauf zurückkommen. Der 1. Teil hat aber trotz fast wöchentlicher Sessions fast 2 1/2 Jahre gedauert xD
dnddeutsch, German @jprince Oh äh, dann ... wünsche ich viel Erfolg bei der Suche! 😬
nicole, to DnD
powersoffour, @nicole @zsviczian thank you! I really appreciate it. And, after having completely derailed this, let me respond to your first post by saying "awesome chart!"
nicole, @powersoffour Absolutely not a derailment!
Alyssavisscher, to DnD I am an absolute sucker for placing quest goals inside an ooze, and I make no apologies for this obsession.
slyflourish, to DnD
FRWiki, to DnD A wand of wonder was an unpredictable magical wand that produced a random effect each time it was used. Such as summoning a swarm of butterflies.
#dnd #forgottenrealms #Realmslore📖: #mtg
🎨: @LozartX
slyflourish, to DnD D&D 2024 Rules in the Creative Commons – Lazy RPG Talk Show: Sly Flourish Podcast
LemonMan, @slyflourish I’m really looking forward to your breakdown/ comparison of the 2014 D&D 5e Monster Manual and ToV’s Monster Vault!
slyflourish, @LemonMan I don't know how in-depth I'll get but I really like the Monster Vault from what I've seen.
chaosfae, to DnD Tales of the Valiant impressions time!
what they promised broadly: an updated and more freely licensed game based very closely on D&D5e.
what we got broadly: pretty much that. and it's plenty good enough to switch to from 5e, even if it could have been better.
there's a lot of good and bad, gonna thread some thoughts
chaosfae, one thing i wasn't happy with from the original announcement onward was the communication. they did a pretty good job hooking people in, but frequently their communications suggested they would be much more transparent then they actually were. there were a lot of promises of compatibility, balance fixes, confusing rule adjustments, etc, that were given in vague terms that suggested much more than we actually got.
examples:
chaosfae, ...well, they decided to replace races, how you get build up stats, and subclass levels.
mostly you can slot in 5e options directly, but differing subclass levels and feature interaction make porting subclasses feel very iffy if you don't have a strong grasp on editing mechanical rules safely. mostly, there isn't a simple nice set of instructions you can follow for using 5e options with a ToV based. you have to do a bit of leg work.