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A lot of discussion has gone around regarding the playtest fighter. I've heard a lot of people say that because the fighter is too simple and boring, 4e style "powers" should be available to the fighter (and perhaps to all classes). I respectably disagree. Encounter powers are something that...

I would like to see halflings in D&D Next once again modeled more or less on Tolkien's hobbits in the artwork and description. I never liked the skinny halflings with dreadlocks we've seen recently. Since I read the Lord of Rings and watched the movies, I can't help but seeing hairy-footed...

I've noticed one of the design goals of the new edition is a focus on shorter games. This is a decision that I couldn't support more. As someone who has to contend with work and school, I can no longer sit down and play all night D&D sessions or regularly meet a full group on a weekly basis...

I would love to see a half-giant race in the core rules. I remember an early Dragon Magazine featuring an "half-ogre" race. (In my homebrew half-ogres are a playable race, replacing the half-orcs.) Also half-giants are a fairly common archetype in fantasy fiction. (Remember Hagrid from the...

3e had Greyhawk as the default setting. 4e had "points of light". In the 2e and 3e days, "the Great Wheel" was the default cosmology with several products referencing it. Should 5e have a default setting or cosmology? I personally don't want a default setting or cosmology. I think the rules...

The bard has often been the red headed stepchild of most D&D adventuring parties. The problem that I've had with the bard is not really the "lack of power" (indeed 1e bards were among the most powerful classes), but the flavor. I do like the idea of a wandering minstrel/poet/warrior; this...

Codex Martialis: Weapons of the Ancient World is a 112 page weapon supplement for the Codex Martialis combat rules. As such, a copy of the main Codex Martialis rules is necessary. Although enough rule information is provided in the beginning that this book could conceivably be used as a...

We've all played and enjoyed D&D, but let's face it, there are certain assumptions inherent in the core game that we don't like. For me, it's the Vancian magic system and the cleric class. (Thankfully the Vancian magic system is considerably less prominent in 4e.) I never liked the cleric...

The homebrew d20 system that I'm designing is supposed to heroic and cinematic. The heroes will be able to take on large numbers of "mooks" and still be able to fight the big villain at the end of the day. Also I want to minimize "down time" spent on healing. Nothing breaks the flow of a game...

I posted a more complete review that can be found here.

A while back I had inquired on the forums about the Codex Martialis combat rules when the author was nice enough to send me a copy of the rules. Having read through the rules, I am impressed by the system, although I must mention with a caveat that they are not suited for all gaming groups or...

I finally got around to finishing reading the rules that Galloglaich was nice enough to send. I must say that I am impressed with the rules, although I will not be using them for the current campaign that I am planning. The overall usefulness of the Codex depends largely on your play style. I...

I almost mentioned the Western genre. Although the Western does tend to romanticize the gunslinger, it's a slightly different romanticism. Also, most Westerns take place in the late 19th century - a few hundred years of technological development from the "default" assumption of the D&D game...

It's about mythology and romanticism What it essentially comes down to is romanticizing the sword. Sure, in real life sword fights were bloody affairs that ended rather quickly. However, there is a huge mythology built around gallant warriors and magic swords. Bows are often similarly...

Just to chime in with my 2cp - I used to actively dislike the inclusion of firearms in D&D games. This was really because of genre reasons. Most of the heroic high fantasy (or swords and sorcery) that comes to people's minds don't include firearms (e.g. The Lord of the Rings, King Aurthur...

This really opens a can of worms. We can really debate about the nature of heroism and morality, but let me explain where I'm coming from... I've been working on a homebrew on and off for several years. It started as another "generic fantasy world" with little to distinguish it from Forgotten...

When it comes to morality in game I doubt many players really care. Most players I have played with are just looking for an excuse to hang out on Saturday nights. Why do I think of such things when designing a setting then? Part of it comes from my interest in religion and mythology. Also...

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. - Psalm 19:1 (NIV) The universe that we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but pitiless indifference. - Richard...

I recently ran across a review for Codex Martialis on this site. Given my penchant for tinkering with the rules, I was intrigued. It seems that most reviews have been very positive. I'm wondering how it would work with the game that I'm trying to run. I'm going for a high fantasy...

Excuse my ignorance, but what does PP stand for?