Recent content by Lazybones

I did notice that PotC is the only pact that doesn't have a higher-level invocation dedicated to it, unlike Blade and Tome. But I still think the familiar can be useful at higher levels, especially using Gaze of Two Minds to cast spells remotely. I'm sure my player will come up with interesting...

I've noticed this as well; one of the players in my aforementioned group is a PotC warlock and at low levels the imp is insane; 21hp, invisible at will, and resummonable as an action (with the only limit a trivial 10gp cost)? That can turn a lot of low-level encounters absolutely trivial. As I...

Similar experiences with 2024 arcanists. Innate Sorcery and Chromatic Orb is an excellent combo, but Sorcerous Burst is plenty fine when you run out of spell slots. I got an 8+8+6 shot on a low-level boss that was fun; at higher levels the chances of rolling an 8 on at least one die become quite...

The list was put together by 16 designers, including people like Keith Baker, Ed Greenwood, Mike Mearls, and Chris Perkins. Totally agree about the pro-TSR/WotC bias (which the article acknowledges in the intro), and of course many great adventures have been published since then, but I was just...

WPM is highly regarded by a lot of people, including the panel of designers who rated the top-30 D&D adventures of all time in Dungeon magazine in 2004. They rated it #9; Mike Mearls called it, "crazy, over the top, pure fun," which was the core of its appeal. I was glad to see it included in...

Thanks! But the ogre zombie was just a warm up... * * * Chapter 41 “They certainly would have heard that,” Ravani said, edging forward again to scout. The hallway bent sharply to the right a short distance beyond where the ogre zombie had been waiting, and the elf warily approached that...

That last point is an important one; who is carrying a light source can become hugely important in certain circumstances. In a recent session the party was exploring a very large cavern complex; the fighter carries a flame tongue so visibility isn't usually an issue. But when they encountered a...

Chapter 40 This time there was no hesitation, no poking about for clues. Leana led them directly to one of the caves situated high along the rim of the ravine, one that they’d bypassed earlier. From a distance it didn’t look like much, certainly nothing that screamed, “secret hold of an...

I generally don't worry too much about consumables like torches and flasks of oil, but I do track illumination. I'll usually ask players what they are doing when they enter an area where it would matter, and like some of the other posters I remind them of the consequences of relying on...

Chapter 39 “Bloody… hells,” Greghan gasped, as Leana worked another of the goblin arrows free. “Gods above, Gregho, how many times did you get hit?” Ravani asked. “I thought the armor was supposed to protect against that?” “Little bastards were good with those bows,” Greghan admitted, as...

Chapter 38 Leana was at Ravani’s side in moments. “Take it easy,” she said, helping the injured elf to a heap of animal furs that apparently served as beds for the cave’s inhabitants. She examined the deep wound, careful not to touch the arrow sticking out of his belly. “I can get this out...

Chapter 37 Ravani cautioned them to quiet as he carefully pulled open the secret door. They were immediately greeted by the sounds of voices; Greghan couldn’t understand the language, but it sounded like an argument was taking place. “Goblin tongue,” Folgar whispered, just loud enough for him...

Thanks for the praise. After so many years of writing D&D stories, I think combat scenes have become a specialty of mine. I think it helps with my narration in the tabletop game as well. I have finished writing the story, though I still have a month's worth of posts. Once it's done I'll see...

Chapter 35 Leana didn’t hesitate; she sprinted to Greghan’s side, knelt beside him, and channeled a healing spell into his battered body. For a moment she thought she she’d been too late, that the minotaur had killed him, but then his chest arced as he drew in a deep breath, his eyes flicking...

Chapter 34 The three stirges, roused from their slumber by the shattering of a burning flask of oil, quickly darted to attack the prey that had been presented to them. Ravani, in the lead, drew the attention of two of them. He swatted the first one away with the stave of his bow, but the...