Gaming Tonic
First Post
This week we get to see what Mike Mearls has turned in this week. We are also going to learn how to speak Thieves Cant for our trip to Skullport. Tips on how to find and use artwork in your game and what to do when powerful magics fall into the hands of PCs and more. So let's get to it then. - Mike Mearls is Turning and Churning in Legends and Lore. Undead and the mechanics of turning are the focus this week and that is fine with me because undead are my favorite bad guys. An alternative look at how turning could be handled in the new edition is examined. I think that system has promise and will really differentiate what it means to turn each type of undead. The thread here at EN World is exploding over this article, check it out here.
[*]Talking the Talk, Thieves Cant in Your Game by Alana Joli Abbott is an excellent look at what the iconic thief ability could be all about in your game. There is a massive list of words and phrases translated into Thieves Cant for you to use in your game. I often feel that players who try this on their own often sound like a Sopranos extra or Pootie Tang, so this will help.
[*]Backdrop:Skullport by Matt Goetz gives you some excellent detail on the shadowy city. Adventure hooks, prominent denizens, and one of the coolest maps I have seen in quite some time are provided. I can't wait to use the Riverborn in a campaign soon. I mean c'mon, underground river pirates are too cool.
[*]Art Inspiration in Making the Party by Tracy Hurley points you in the right direction to get some artwork and possible inspiration for your game. She also points out a lot of great websites that ran some excellent articles to use in your game. The piece at Troll in the Corner on running a military campaign is excellent. Military style campaigns can be tough to run.
[*]Rule of Three by Rodney Thompson continues to hint at what direction the game might be headed with the next iteration. This time around the questions are about the complexity between the different classes, some of the more potent and deadly monster effects, and balancing out the options of the other classes against the spellcasters. It pleases me to see that level drain is getting special attention not to complicate the numbers too much.
[*]Design and Development takes a look at the new Lords of Waterdeep board game with Rodney Thompson and Peter Lee, two of the game’s designers. When I was at Wizards of the Coast in December I was blown away by just how much work goes into bringing a game to the market. The game looks amazing and I hope I get a chance to play it soon.
[*]A Rose By Any Other Name by Jon Schindehette discusses possibilities and what is not going to happen with the logo for the next edition. A couple of the logos that were up as samples have some possibilities but I am a fan of leaving a classic look to the logo. The ampersand is a necessity at this point and lets me know it is Dungeons & Dragons. The reaction of the readers at EN World to the art in D&D Next/5E can be found here.
[*]I Am Devastatorz Megabomb, Destroyer of Worlds by Chris Perkins in The Dungeon Master Experience examines what to do when a DM lets a potentially overpowered item into the game. A super powerful weapon rarely messes with my games as much as a single Deck of Many Things but when one PC gets something a lot more powerful than other PCs you could have problems on your hands. These tips might be useful if it comes up in your game.
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