Gaming Tonic
First Post
This week the fans learn a whole lot more about the direction of the next edition, the Forgotten Realms and Dark Sun receive some attention, and a new adventure with new mechanics are released. The new Legends and Lore article is sure to set off a firestorm of chatter and I can't wait to hear what all the fans think. Don't forget to check out the dungeon map contest by Chris Perkins. Now let's get on with it.
- Mike Mearls tells veterans These Are Not the Rules You’re Looking For in Legends and Lore this week. He talks what is necessary for the less experienced gamers in the core books like adventure design and character roles. It does look like the end of the role defined by mechanics and that is a great thing in my opinion. The forum is already talking about this here.
[*]It’s Elemental, the title and topic this week to Tracy Hurley’s Joining the Party. With the release of the Heroes of Elemental Chaos she points out some excellent sources to take inspiration and idea from to use in your game. Some of these are pretty creative. You also get an excellent collection of links to great sources of material and tools to use in your game. She is even kind enough to mention a little blog about 5E that was written by yours truly.
[*]D&D Outsider: Crossing the Grand Canon is by Jared von Hindman is an amusing look at how the massive size of the Forgotten Realms lore can make your head explode when you are researching something in the Realms. Ed Greenwood and Jeff Grubb help set it all straight. I am glad I kept all my older edition Forgotten Realms materials. I told you on day one of 5th Edition back in January that they planned on supporting all eras of play in the realms.
[*]Rodney Thompson takes questions from the readers in Rule of Three. This week questions about minions, alignment, and class mechanic in the next iteration of D&D are answered. I like the take on minions and damage scaling to essentially turn many monsters into minions as your character progresses in levels. The EN World readers are talking about this here.
[*]Design and Development takes another look at the Lords of Waterdeep board game with Rodney Thompson and Peter Lee. This time we get to see several examples of how each step of the process looks. The game really looks amazing and I think I am much happier to play board games than to design them.
[*]Chris Perkins is Waxing Gygaxian and talking dungeons in The Dungeon Master Experience this week. It is tricky work to run a mega-dungeon that engages your players week after week. Chris gives a few suggestions about how to change that as well as a couple of ideas for where to get a good dungeon map. He is also having a draw a dungeon contest, not my strength but good luck to each of you who enter.
[*]In Drawing Stick Figures for his Dragon’s Eye View article, Jon Schindehette gives his mission statement with the artwork for the next iteration of D&D. I think every fan has a different opinion on the topic of artwork in the past, present, and especially the future of the game.
[*]The Black Blade of Raam is the topic of Eye on Dark Sun by Rodney Thompson. A powerful assassin to act as a foe, ally, or hassle to your PCs. If you thought Athas wasn’t tough enough already then throw this at your players and watch their reaction when they receive the Warning Shot.
[*]Blood Money by Logan Bonner in Dungeon 200 is a different type of adventure than anything I have seen yet for 4th Edition. It looks like it may take a bit more preparation than the average adventure but you can definitely see where that extra work will make this adventure like nothing else that your players have experienced. Several new mechanics and story devices are presented that can be used in other adventures.
[*]Monte Cook asks your opinion or should I say Guidance for Monster and Treasure in a new blog post. I really like the idea that the characters have to do their research and players have to use their brains in dealing with monsters or choosing to avoid them. Sometimes you shouldn’t be aware that the challenge is within a few levels of the party. Gamers are being chatty about this on the boards here.
