David J. Buck

When he isn’t learning to play or writing about RPGs, David J. Buck can be found at Tedium: the Dull Side of the Internet, Nerdvana Media, Patreon, and Twitter.

Intergalactic Diseases & Cosmic Mystery: An Interview with Clarence Redd

In preparation for our review of Odd Soot, the wonderful new gaming experience from Frost Byte books, we sat down with game creator Clarence Redd to discuss the creation process and inspiration behind the game. His answers were detailed and thoughtful, shedding some light on RPG design and research. When we received our review copy, the game wasn’t quite finished, but had been thoroughly playtested. Clarence even built some of the aliens with LEGOs to expand upon the visuals a bit. This game is worth checking out.

Oct 7, 2018 4

Dusting Up Some Odd Soot

Get ready for a month of scary gaming in October, beginning with Odd Soot, the latest game from designer Clarence Redd of Frostbyte Books. Against the black & white backdrop of an alternate 1920s, players will dive headlong into the the mystery of a strange disease known only as “the Soot.”

Oct 4, 2018 6

Burning Questions: How Do You Deal With Ludicrous Players?

Hello and welcome to another edition of Burning Questions. Today’s query: "In Dungeons and Dragons, how do you deal with players who constantly find ways of wrecking all of your planning as a DM with ludicrous actions no sane character would take?"

Oct 2, 2018 52

Before Cowabunga: Palladium’s First TMNT Adventures

Hot on the heels of TMNT and Other Strangeness and it’s supplement, After the Bomb, Palladium released the first true adventure source book for the nascent RPG, TMNT Adventures. Arriving in 1986, the rather thin book contains new (at the time) adventures, optional player character rules and some exceptional artwork by TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman. While specifically intended for the TMNT game, the adventures are also compatible with Heroes Unlimited.

Oct 1, 2018 7

Burning Questions: What's the Worst Thing a DM Can Do?

In this column, we take common D & D questions posed on Quora and attempt to answer them in a friendly, practical and informative way. Today's question: “As a D & D player, what is the worst thing your DM could do to take the fun out of playing?”

Sep 18, 2018 276

Cracking Open Privateer Press' MiniCrate

I love miniatures. Depending on one's style of play, miniatures can serve an important in-game function or simply be used as a stand-in for some other piece. Some gamers simply paint minis for the joy of the process. The MiniCrate from Privateer Press certainly goes a long way to appeal to the miniature lover in us all. I love it, but is it right for you?

Sep 15, 2018 5

Adventures in Dystopia: Palladium’s After the Bomb 2E

Following my previous adventure with the original After the Bomb, I decided to check out the second edition of the game. It’s interesting and fun, but probably not something I would play as an extended campaign—though it certainly has that kind of potential.

Aug 25, 2018 10

White Dwarf Revisited — Issue #1 June/July 1977

Greetings, fair reader, and welcome to a brand-new science fiction and fantasy role-playing magazine, White Dwarf. In the pages of this tome, you’ll find reviews, how to play Dungeons & Dragons competitively and what really makes a monster evil. Opening the Dusty, Old Tome The first issue of White Dwarf magazine is short, at a scant 24 pages (including front and back covers). Hot off the...

Aug 23, 2018 10

The Castlevania Chronicles – D&D Edition

Lately, I’ve been playing through all of the old Castlevania video games and began seriously considering crafting a homebrew version of original NES game for my next Dungeons & Dragons campaign. As I began thinking about what I’d like to incorporate into a homebrew version of Castlevania, my mind wandered over to the horror-themed D&D campaign setting, Ravenloft.

Jul 27, 2018 10

Take An Adventure In Dystopia With West End Game's Original Paranoia

Today we're going to get a little paranoid with the West End Games original edition of Paranoia.

May 9, 2018 24

Take An Adventure In Dystopia With Palladium's Original After The Bomb

The inaugural scenario in Palladium’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures has two possible outcomes: rescuing a military installation from those lovable, cuddly, psychopathic, psionic miscreants, the Terror Bears or annihilating 75% of the country in a sudden launch of the nuclear stockpile. Little did anyone know this adventure would launch a line that outlasted the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles license at Palladium Books.

Apr 18, 2018 10

Looking At Dungeon Tiles Reincarnated

Dry erase boards. Flip mats. Graph paper. Lego. Theater of the Mind. All of these are valid, tried-and-true methods of tracking movement/combat in Dungeons & Dragons and other RPGs. While I've employed all of these in the past, nothing has worked better for my games than the dungeon tile.

Feb 16, 2018 29

Into The Rifts Again With Rifts Atlantis

Rifts Atlantis, the second World Book for the Rifts RPG covers the legendary lost continent. Slightly shorter than its predecessor, it still packs a wealth of content into its 161 pages. Beginning with a brief history of the lost continent by Rifts character Erin Tarn, the reader is exposed to the backstory of the continent. This section is well-written and insightful, providing a superb jumping point for using this setting in one’s own Rifts campaign.

Jan 1, 2018 4

View From The Rifts: Looking At Palladium's Rifts Role-Playing Game

Every Palladium fan probably knows the story behind 1990's Rifts—following a "small" nuclear war, the world is plunged into over 200 years of utter chaos. Then, dimensional rifts rupture the planet. All over the earth, strange creatures, inter-dimensional beings (D-Bees), cyborgs and aliens walk among men. After that, things get interesting.

Dec 25, 2017 24

Who You Gonna Call? Looking At West End Games' Ghostbusters RPG

I've been a Ghostbusters fan for as long as I can remember, watching the film countless times. As much as I enjoyed it, the Real Ghostbusters cartoon expanded the universe in more interesting ways, supplanting the movie in my personal fandom. The Ghostbusters RPG took the series a step further by allowing fans to role-play as the Ghostbusters themselves, busting ghosts in a series of hilarious...

Nov 25, 2017 28

Look Back In Strangeness: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Other Strangeness Game

In 1984, comic creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird put the final touches on their 3,000-copy limited run of a satirical comic dubbed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The first issue promptly sells out and becomes an overnight sensation. Prompted by the success of the comic, Eastman and Laird form Mirage Studios to produce more issues. Their success opens the door to the Turtles crossing over into other media. In 1985, Palladium Books obtains the license to produce an RPG based on the terrapin ninjas and from this agreement, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Other Strangeness role-playing game was born.