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Update: After applying most of the suggestions given, combat has run a little smoother. It's still an annoyance of keeping track of the conditions. Overall, I feel that 4e is just a thinly disguised miniature battle game, given the extreme emphasis on combat (even more so that 3.5e). Yeah...

Well said. I, too, after 20 years of playing feel a "pull" toward D&D's roots and can understand where you're coming from. What I find elegant about OD&D is that you can just play it with minimal knowledge of the rules (simply because there were few rules). Its a simple game, but its players...

Welcome to ENWORLD and Being a DM! Here's another plug for Ray Winniger's articles! Back when I first started DMing, I exclusively created my own adventures simply because I found modules somewhat intimidating to run (but I was also 10 years old). I also was really into world building, and...

From the website... Wow...this would throw a whole new perspective on the game. While in most cases the dice would average out, at times a character would have a really good day or a really bad day. Maybe a low hp total means that the character got sick or is depressed about something. A high...

Maybe that's the joke. WotC is laughing at us all who are expecting something funny... Well, then again, there's the "missing delve." Dungeon Delve: Fool's Grove

Well, whatever it is, I think WotC needs to clear up this possible phallusy...

"What makes one game system better than another?" 1. Mechanics that can be easily understood by beginners so new people can enter the hobby without being overwhelmed. 2. Advanced mechanics that can be mastered by advanced players so they won't get bored with the system. 3. The number of...

I live in Iowa, and you're right. But I can honestly say that I have either run or playing a group that used: d20 Modern, Earth Dawn, d20 Cthulu, Star Trek, and Middle Earth (the ICE version). And I know of a group here in Ames that plays Legend of Five Rings. I've even run Warhammer Fantasy...

This classic advice from the Princess Bride works too! "Pick up one of those rocks, get behind a boulder, in a few minutes the man in black will come running around the bend, the minute his head is in view, hit it with the rock!"

Yeah, that is a lousy adventure. Other tidbits include: 1. Coryn, a lousy potter (Pottery 4--that's bad, must roll under on a d20) who claims to be great potter. 2. A map of a city where almost all the buildings are perfectly square. 3. A gnome fighter named "Carbuncle Blusterbuckle" (say that...

You wanna know what makes a module bad? Especially for the DM? HUGE AMOUNTS OF BOXED TEXT that the DM is supposed to read to the players. In this regard, "The Forest Oracle" is pretty tame compared to modules like "Patriots of Ulek." Page 3 is all boxed text where the PCs are railroaded to...

The PCs all have rolled up their characters and have sat down to play. The DM opens the Ultimate Toolbox. DM: Okay, is everybody ready? Excellent. All your characters are *roll* "bound by a charter or contract" and your patron is *roll* a "stuttering lady-in-waiting" who has offer you a unique...

About 20 years ago, a friend explained to me that Toril and Earth at one time had some sort of connection, via magical portals. People mingled freely between the two worlds, and its why Earth has legends about giants and elves and the like. At some point, the connection was lost/broken and...

Ya know, there's plenty of random dungeon generators out there. But with Ultimate Toolbox, would it be possible to make a totally random campaign? :lol: Edit: After a few moments of skimming through the Intro/Index pdf, it looks like it just might be possible...

I game because: I like the fellowship from a group that works well together. The bragging rights that come from completing a difficult encounter. Its a creative outlet. I like telling stories and roleplaying. Escapism. And my favorite quote about D&D: "D&D is writing "Dead" next to a...

Ya know, I used to use morale with previous editions! Why didn't I think of that. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess. ;) And I'll definitely look at using beads or chits. I will definitely check out the link! Thank you! Now that you mention tactics and encounter builds... I notice now that...

I used to be a strong proponent of 4e. But as I've played/DMed the game weekly in the last 4 months, my enthusiasm has waned somewhat because of the following three reasons. Please don't get me wrong, I don't want this to turn into a "bash 4e thread." I would like some constructive advice to my...

It starts with a selection of dungeon-entry floor plans. Say if you want to find out what's behind a door, there's a table for that. Say if its a room, charts determine what size and shape the room is, as well as number of exits. Another chart details if the room is empty or contains a monster...

I can't speak for Vecna Lives! but Die Vecna Die! is about how Vecna ascended to godhood (as in 3e). He broke free of being imprisoned in Ravenloft by somehow tricking Iuz (I can't remember how) and using Iuz as a patsy in the grand scheme.

The majority of the adventure is not set in Dis. In fact, the first three chapters of the adventure deal with getting to Dis. Chapter IV is set in Dis, but the city is not really mapped. There is a generic map to aid the DM in describing streets and so forth. But the PCs' goal is to reach the...