Recent content by Retreater

I've been hesitant because it's $15 for a 19-page PDF. That's a fairly premium product, especially when it doesn't add tons of new content. This one has more content, so I'm interested. The only downer about both of these products is that I run the game exclusively using my tablet and the...

I took the survey. I'm now running Daggerheart as my primary system, with two weekly campaigns with two different campaign frames. We've reached the end of Tier 3 with one of them, so we've seen much of the game. I am completely the opposite with Daggerheart than I am every other system I run...

The moment a designer puts a "Level" or "Challenge Rating" in a stat block, that line is crossed. They should at least try to follow their own rules. Right, but D&D isn't presenting itself as a "combat is the last resort and you get no XP for fighting" system. WTH is even the point with Shadowdark?

I'm sure there's a Venn diagram, but I've also found players that I've really enjoyed playing with in person, when we have to move online that the magic isn't there.

For me, these are people that I've met through other walks of life: my neighbors, friends I met at the neighborhood bar, family members, etc. It is difficult to just "cut them out." And when you're in a small town in the Bible belt with no college scene, nothing to attract professionals or...

To the OP, the hobby has lowered the barrier to entry so much that many casual players will put in almost no effort. For me this means: Never purchasing or even reading the rule book Never thinking about the game outside the session - including levelling up Not bringing their own dice...

I was trying to explain to my wife why I think modern Ravenloft has abandoned the horror genre and become a power fantasy with a Gothic veneer. So I hope we can agree that the Blade movies are pretty enjoyable (especially the first two). Wesley Snipes is a badass in them. Great superhero action...

It was supposed to be a trap. Being in the Ravenloft campaign setting was a curse and punishment. It was there to be scary and making you feel the limitations of your character. Not for being able to play a vampire and be badass. You'd literally lose your character to the Dark Powers and become...

No. I'm referring to the original Van Richtens Guide and the player options it contained under the editorial work of Wes Schneider. New lineages to play as a half vampire or golem. New subclasses. Dark Gifts that used to be considered curses in previous editions, now just superpowers.

I just don't like that WotC and modern D&D players view horror as an excuse to get "dope builds" and "mega powers" with a slight gothic veneer.

Van Richten's Guide was a disappointment to me. It wasn't even worth the $16 I paid for it on Amazon. Looked at it a couple times, then sent it to my FLGS for store credit. It was just another designed by committee book with no theme, purpose, or unifying sense of quality. Which is why it was...

So ... Uh ... Melf's a drow?

While no game is "perfect," I can find some that work for what I want. Daggerheart is really good for a narrative experience with enough tactical depth to stay interesting for a moderate-length campaign of 20-ish sessions. Dragonbane is a great "beer and pretzels" style, OSR-feeling game. Good...

I mean, have y'all ever seen a game that's not D&D or a derivative? Here are game systems other than SD with more rules, design, and advice for non combat play, including exploration and investigation: Forbidden Lands, Vaesen, Dragonbane, Call of Cthulhu. I guess the appeal of SD is "fruitful...

Ok. And just let me play devil's advocate for a minute. What is the bulk of the page content? Rules about fighting monsters. So I've got my hard copy of the SD rulebook right here. Monster stat blocks for about 1/3rd of the page count. Weapon and armor stats. Class descriptions with level up...