D&D Math; PATHFINDER Shark Mini; ROCKET AGE is out!; Tabletop Gaming on the Rise; and Back PRIMEVAL

Morrus

[h=3]EN World News[/h]

ENnies voting ends in a couple of days! We've had record numbers of voters this year (we shot past 11,000 at the weekend). Make sure yours is counted!
How Do You Choose a Character? "Within the framework of D&D 4E, “success” is achieved by having the appropriate mix of classes. Assuming the right number of players, you need at least one leader, one striker, one defender, and one controller, with additional characters expanding the striker or defender role. Leave out one of the roles, and an “appropriately constructed” encounter can become much more difficult than the math suggests. Very often, a campaign starts with players lobbying for their favorite role, with some having to settle for a second or third choice in order to maintain party balance." [HI][threadcm]http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?339752-How-Do-You-Choose-a-Character[/threadcm][/HI]
Expedition to the Gencon Vendor Hall: What are YOU Shopping for? "Lets look ahead to GenCon and daydream about the cool stuff we hope to find in the Vendor Hall. Added Difficulty: I'm not talking about booth babes." [HI][threadcm]http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?339717-Expedition-to-the-Gencon-Vendor-Hall-What-are-YOU-Shopping-for[/threadcm][/HI]

[h=3]Dungeons & Dragons News[/h]

It’s Mathemagical! The math behind D&D Next is the focus of Mike’s article this week. Find out where things are now and learn about what the team plans to tackle in the more immediate future. [HI][threadcm]http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?339754-07-29-2013-Legends-amp-Lore-It%92s-Mathemagical![/threadcm][/HI]

[h=3]Pathfinder RPG News[/h]

Goblin Promo cards for the new Pathfinder Adventure Card Game are releasing in a few weeks.
Roleplayers Chronicle has reviewd Champions of Purity.
Final three Skull & Shackles minis revealed on Erik Mona's Friday Minis blog! Two creatures and an Iconic. I have to post the image below, because it's a SHARK!

[h=3]RPG News[/h]

Cublcle7's ROCKET AGE is now available in PDF! "Rocket Age is the core rulebook in our new radium-powered game line of interplanetary adventure! Powered by the Vortex System (like our Doctor Who game) it's packed to the fins with all the rules, setting information and game ideas to keep you playing throughout your very own rocket age!"
RED AEGIS has reached funding and is pushing for a stretch goal: an exclusive Pathfinder Hacker's Guide (using PFRPG with Red Aegis) written by Paizo's Stephen Radney-McFarland.
Dias Ex Machina has released APEX -- a superhero supplement for Ultramodern4, DEM's 4th Edition D&D compatible modern ruleset.
K David Ladage is running a Kickstarter campaign for THE ARCANUM; a 30th anniversary edition. A re-release of a classic role-playing game and supplement from the 1980s; originally released by Bard Games.
The second part of MTV's interview with Monte Cook about NUMENERA is now up.
- Also: Numenera miniatures!
Only 3 days left in the PRIMEVAL THULE Kickstarter from Sasquatch Game Studio. It's literally mind boggling that this thing isn't funded yet. As of now, it has $18K still to go, and 70 hours to do it in.

[h=3]Community News[/h]

This week The Kyngdoms brings you the first in its detailed exploration of the keyed areas of the city of Blackfen. The Abbey of Fandor and the Hospital of the Holy Fandorians plays a significant role in the city, both amongst the general populace and the politics of the city.
Sly Flourish talks about incorporating traps and puzzles in a Lazy DM kinda way.
Game Knight Reviews has taken a looks at PACS (the pocket adventures card system).
Realism? Who needs it? You do! Or so says Gnome Stew!
Roleplayers Chronicle agrees in its article on Baseline Physics.
Kobold Press has published an interview with Maurice de Mare, author of the Trapsmith book.
The Chamber of Mazarbul talks about improvisation stunt systems in Savage Worlds, Pathfinder/D&D 3.x, D&D 4E, 13th Age, and Edge of the Empire.
There's an article about gaming group size over at Geek's Dream Girl.
Also at the site is an article about gaming in the Atomic Age.
Gnome Stew attacks that situation where your game goes completely wrong and the PCs stab the king in the face.

[h=3]Boardgaming News[/h]

Fantasy Flight Games has posted the rules for the Battlestar Galactica Board Game expansion, Daybreak, for those who want to get a head start on reading up. Daybreak is expected at retailers shortly and will contain two new boards and the usual massive assortment of cards and bits.
FFG has also updated a variety of rules and FAQs for its living card games and X-Wing in preparation for GenCon tournament play. If you intend to participate, you should probably familiarize yourself with any changes.

[h=3]Other News[/h]

There's a documentary about swords being Kickstarted.
Talking of Kickstarters (as we do... a lot!) you may have heard about the "cancellation" (by which I mean "kept money; did not provide product") of The Doom That Came to Atlantic City. Eberron's Keith Baker stepped up (and to be clear, this was not his responsibliity: he had nothing to do with the Kickstarter project) and declared that since the rights had reverted back to hi, and Lee Moyer, they'd give it to all the backers for free as a download. Not the same, obviously, but they didn't have to do that. Keith has now followed up with some more news. [HI][threadcm]http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?339762-How-will-the-Doom-Kickstarter-fraud-scandal-affect-future-Kickstarters[/threadcm][/HI]
So apparently tabletop gaming is on the rise. Well, there's no actual data there (other than a reference to a WotC survey nearly 14 years ago), but it makes for interesting reading nonetheless. [HI][threadcm]http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?339760-Is-tabletop-gaming-on-the-rise[/threadcm][/HI]
AICN has interviewed the directors and star Of ZERO CHARISMA.

Also, we're all apparently going to Hell