Recent content by Celebrim

Yes, I would argue that we aren't even yet to what I would consider the magazine's Golden Age.

Back in the early Pottermore days I took the official online house sorting. I came out as Slytherin, Hyena Patronus, and 14" redwood wand (quite stiff). I think that's reasonably fair, although my political sympathies tend to lie more toward Hufflepuff in Hogwart politics, there is a certain...

So, I don't know if I have high enough WIS to accurately judge my alignment. My intention is to be NG. However, at various times I wonder whether I am LG, CG, N, or worse.

A rapier is effectively a long thin metal spear that can be wielded one handed so as to maximize the reach of that spear. That's why they are so effective. And you can with training put your weight behind that thrust and impale something. You generally wouldn't in a duel commit to that degree...

That sounds reasonable except for that part "feels like". Something either is or isn't, regardless of whether you feel it or not. If you as a player don't realize you are on and bound to one path because you never try to get off, then you'll probably have a blast and might even think you are...

I don't think I did that. I think the issue here is something like "pornography", famously defined as "I know it when I see it". I think the term "railroading" has a massive negative connotation. And think people's reasoning goes something like this: a) I'm a good DM. b) Good DMs don't...

My experience with weight class based initiative is that it made mechs that already suck, much worse. Mechs like the Cicada, Quickdraw, and the Assassin get penalized hard. I'm not all that terribly worried about the 4/6 assaults though because Assaults are already too good and I'm OK with WH...

Sure. It's not the sleeping that is a time skip. The time skip is, "Do you want to do anything before you sleep?" or if you can manage it, "You go to sleep, then..." That's where the railroad comes in, when you can get the players on board the train.

Agreed. But that doesn't mean that I didn't railroad them. Fundamentally, it's railroading whether the players see the rails or not. So taking your case, I say something like, "Does anyone want to do anything before nightfall?" and I know (but the players don't) that a dragon attacks in the...

The definition that I'm using was adopted precisely because I got tired of the "I know it when I see it" definitions that rely on subjective statements. Agreed. Railroading to some extent is a part of all games. It's not possible to railroad 0% of the time. This is something I discuss, and...

Yes, because it's why its so easy to get away with it. Most of the time you have consent. They board the train willingly, because they want to reach the destination quickly. See the parallel now? The trouble of course is that almost never could a player know what they are actually skipping...

Ok. You'd be wrong, but OK.

No, it's not far beyond railroading. It's just bad railroading. Time skips are one of the most important railroading techniques. All time skips are in fact railroading. But how would you have felt if the GM had time skipped you forward to the point you are now somewhat established in the...

@MGibster: Heh, you live in my birthplace! Sadly I left when I was five, so I don't really know anyone you'd know.

Contrary to some online reviewers, this is the only nugget dragon has had in several months from my perspective as a DM, as while this wouldn't come up often it would come up and Stephen Inniss presents comprehensive and well thought out rules that are entirely balanced. It also opens up some...