Gaming Tonic
First Post
[news]This week we get a bit of Dark Sun and a guest writer for The Dungeon Master Experience, as well as more about D&D Next monsters from Mike Mearls. The nautical theme for the month continues with the mariner, and the bard reveals a bit of the long lost history of D&D. I hope everybody took the time to use the Open Playtest hotline to get any of their questions about the materials answered. I will let you know if I hear of another round of materials or more tools for feedback.[/news]
- Monster Design in D&D Next, Pt. 2 by Mike Mearls for Legends and Lore picks up where part one left off, giving the reader a little insight into what to expect from monsters. I agree with the results of the poll he mentions and think that the Monstrous Compendium layout was the best for both combat and non-combat presentation. These two articles really have the fans talking and if you want to jump in on the conversation click here.
[*]Chris Perkins and Stan! have an entertaining read this week with Stan Down! in The Dungeon Master Experience. Stan! is one of the players in the weekly game that Chris often talks about in his column. This is a great change of pace as we here from one of the players about how the adventures in Iomandra we read about every week are from the other side of the screen.
[*]Rodney Thompson delivers answers in Rule of Three this week and I think the readers are going to be happy with some of his responses. Questions about what abilities we can expect to see with fighters to make them more complex, are attacks of opportunity and area effect coming back, as well as spell failure and components are answered. In my Friends & Family playtest feedback I asked for more with material components as an adder to magical effects.
[*]Character Theme: The Mariner by Jeff Morgenroth presents a nautical theme that can be played in any campaign. I was really happy to see that not every ability or bonus granted by this theme required a ship to be useful. There is also a detailed description of a ship, The Osprey, and her crew. This is a great article with lots of useful tidbits about life on the seas.
[*]Rodney Thompson focuses the Eye on Dark Sun upon The Ivory Dungeon. Designed to hold dangerous or valuable prisoners, The Ivory Dungeon is a great backdrop in a city adventure even if you don’t play on Athas. I love articles like this that give you great details to use in your D&D game regardless of what edition you play.
[*]Jon Schindehette takes time for Discussing Iconics in Dragon’s Eye View. I personally am not a fan of iconic characters especially when tied to campaign worlds. I like the player characters to be the stars of the story, and not second fiddle to unattainable heroes of canon. I think Jon missed the most iconic D&D character, Dungeon Master from the old cartoon.
[*]If you want a quick peak at how some things required pain and suffering in older editions than check out the 1st Edition PHB Excerpts: Bard thanks to Bart Carroll. This is the first prestige class or paragon path, and if you played strictly by the rules was nearly unattainable. Consider the 1st Edition bard the next time you are complaining about a prerequisite for a paragon path or feat.
[*]Peter Lee talks Dungeon Command-Luck and Uncertainty in Design & Development, and the more I see of this game the more I am excited to see where it goes. The playtest was fun and I think that model will work for the D&D Next Open Playtest. Every piece I see for the game makes me want to play this with my group.
