Recent content by Reynard

I expect this to be the tact going forward with full campaign settings: any given campaign setting will have multiple campaign frames using that setting. For example, the Eberron one would (theoretically) have frames built around Sharn Inquisitives, Mournland scavengers, and Xendric explorers.

I agree that for shadow dark, ammo scarcity and cost is a big deal. Also, the importance of keeping an open flame around all the time could be a problem. "If a 1 is rolled to reload while a lit torch is within 10 feet, all characters within 20 feet take 2x the weapon damage. Furthermore, the...

While at the Dublinia in Dublin, Ireland, I learned that "Beyond the pale" as an idiom is based on Anglo-Irish history where "the Pale" was the limits of the English controlled areas. Beyond it were the free Irish, who refused control of the Crown. It was therefore considered a wild and...

Having just finished the finale, it seems clear we will see a Checkmate series. As to.Chris/Peacemaker himself, I am guessing a tie in to something bigger.

I am beginning to think the mistake might have been trying to return to professional freelance for gaming. I don't need the money, and it is much more difficult to get motivated that I had expected it to be. And the work part might be draining the leisure part.

And then you have a really good session like last night and don't know what to think.

That is a pretty cool interpretation -- especially in light of the fact that faerie law must be absolutely bonkers from a mortal perspective.

Ironically, it is also the least traditional (along with the full moon thing). Those were both invented for the 1941 Wolfman film -- or stolen from vampire myth in the case of silver. That is not to diminish the changes in 2024, of course: those Universal movies were the foundation for all those...

From tabletop RPGs, I mean. I have been gaming essentially continuously for 40 years. I have and am writing freelance for the industry. I run games at cons and at home. And I am just... I don't know, exhausted with it? Unable to find the joy in it? I don't know. If you ever took a break so you...

More to the point, the problem is aimed to solve was PCs going nova and ending a fight before it was a threat. I wanted the battle to last a certain amount of time, with inherent threat in that time. The point was to keep the stakes high, as opposed to doing the dwindling resources thing where...

When i get a minute, I will dig up the thread. But long story short, I built boss monsters as staged and tiered enemies and managed a super successful convention game of 17th level PCs hunting "gods."

I legit solved this problem and am super happy with it.

Why? Wolves kill you by getting you on the ground.

Broadly speaking? Terrible. Not that there aren't exceptions, and I admit hit points specifically seem to be more appropriately matched with PC damage output than 2014 HP. But the monsters remain boring and simplistic -- except those that cast spells, in which case they are still a PITA because...

It's also ad libbing without the benefit of input. This is why I think no/low prep GMing is better: what happens directly relates to the players and the table and the adventure and the moments. "Planning" fails to understand just how fundamentally ephemeral and reactive play is.