Monthly Archives: May 2015

On Unearthed Arcana: Waterborne Adventures, Part 2: a Class of Ribbons

I think I could really get into reading articles like Unearthed Arcana: Waterborne Adventures regularly. The article itself is short, the linked content is interesting, and it gives me some insight into the minds of the developers. If articles in … Continue reading

Posted in Commentary, Game Design | Tagged | Comments Off on On Unearthed Arcana: Waterborne Adventures, Part 2: a Class of Ribbons

On Unearthed Arcana: Waterborne Adventures, Part 1: a System of Hats

One of the complaints I have about 5E is that it has so few options, and that’s a complaint I expected to have. I have the same issue whenever I pick up any Core D&D book because it can only … Continue reading

Posted in Commentary, Game Design | Tagged | Comments Off on On Unearthed Arcana: Waterborne Adventures, Part 1: a System of Hats

Pathfinder Unchained

Reviewing Pathfinder Unchained is hard because it’s pretty all over the place. If it has a single unifying theme, it’s “Pathfinder does stuff in certain ways, and he’s how to make it do that stuff in different ways”. That’s largely … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews, Commentary, Gaming Systems | Tagged , | Comments Off on Pathfinder Unchained

Even More on D&D Stats in Simple Language (or, the Plight of the Huggable Skeleton)

Apparently I’ve made it to Reddit through no fault of my own, and I’m startled at the response. “The Definition of Charisma” was one of those posts I was really worried about because it’s the only one I can think … Continue reading

Posted in DMing, Gaming Systems | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Even More on D&D Stats in Simple Language (or, the Plight of the Huggable Skeleton)

The Art of the Sidequest, Part 2

A sidequest isn’t all that different from any other small-scale plot in terms of lifecycle. Where it mostly differs is in its purpose. In D&D a plot’s job is to form the skeleton of a story, letting the DM and … Continue reading

Posted in DMing | Comments Off on The Art of the Sidequest, Part 2

The Art of the Sidequest, Part 1

I’m a busy grown-up with a job and a tie and everything, and so are a lot of the people with whom I game. And one of the problems with being a busy grown-up is that sometimes non-gaming obligations bungle … Continue reading

Posted in DMing | Comments Off on The Art of the Sidequest, Part 1