Readers may remember my recent post about missing mechanics in 5e - specifically those covering social interactions and exploration. I had several ideas built for the post, then scrapped them in favour of a general outline.This post takes a good bit of what I'd already written for downtime and skill challenges, and changes a few … Continue reading Revisiting mechanics – Skill challenges in 5e downtime
Category: rpg
Thoughts on the LevelUp 5e Playtest XII – the Bard
Hopefully this will catch me up with the playtest packets! So, on to the bard. I've played bard's before, and after a quick look at the changes, I'd say they still hold my attention with the new options. Things that stay the same up to level 10:Bardic Inspiration and Spellcasting at level 1, Jack of … Continue reading Thoughts on the LevelUp 5e Playtest XII – the Bard
Thoughts on the LevelUp 5e Playtest XI – The Wizard
Still running behind, here's what's going on with the changes to the Wizard. So I haven't played a Wizard in a long time. After reading through this playtest packet, I think I might give one a go. I like that couple of big changes they've made here. So, without further ado: Things that stay the … Continue reading Thoughts on the LevelUp 5e Playtest XI – The Wizard
Thoughts on the LevelUp 5e Playtest X – Adept
I'm running a bit behind on these, so let's see if I can catch up quick! It's another new class! Sort of.The Adept replaces the Monk, since the latter has some weird connotations regarding monks and leans into some orientalist tropes. The Adept is a focussed unarmed fighter in all regards, using different fighting styles. … Continue reading Thoughts on the LevelUp 5e Playtest X – Adept
Candlekeep Companions
I spent a good part of February writing a supplement of NPCs for Candlekeep with Chad M. Lensch and Transparent Games. This is a tie in for Candlekeep Mysteries, since adventurers in theory find themselves at the keep at least for some of their time. It was a really enjoyable experience, and I'm very happy … Continue reading Candlekeep Companions
Thoughts on missing 5e rules
I spent a couple of days working on a couple of posts following on from the below, then realised I could answer what I wanted with more or less one line - bring back skill challenges and hexcrawls. I tweeted about it, but here's a bit more of my thinking about everything. I tried to … Continue reading Thoughts on missing 5e rules
How to DM V – Dream big
Last time, I talked about the bottom up setting creation method, or starting small. This time, I'm going to go the opposite way, the top down method, or starting big. As you might be aware of if you've checked into the campaign settings here on the blog, I tend to start big. I try to … Continue reading How to DM V – Dream big
How to DM IV – Start small
So you've decided that none of the published adventures are what you want to run, and you want to build your own world. Congratulations! You're a homebrewing Dungeon Master / Game Master! There's several ways to build a new game, but a good way to categorise them is either top down or bottom up. The … Continue reading How to DM IV – Start small
State of Play – an update
In case anyone was wondering what I'm up to behind the scenes, here it is: After The Haunted Mine and Satchel's Bag of Tricks, I jumped on a couple of different collaborative projects.I've spent the last month or so working on some NPCs that can be added to Candlekeep, to be released around the time … Continue reading State of Play – an update
Tout’s Guide to Undersigil
Mind your head there sirrah, you have to really duck under that arch. I promise that's the last of them, and the smell of whatever-that-was back there will probably wash out.Now, Undersigil. There's plenty of 'under' to a city this big, and everything below the streets is technically Undersigil. I've brought you to this bit, … Continue reading Tout’s Guide to Undersigil
Tout’s Guide to Sigil – Lady’s Ward
Here we are, sirrah, The Lady's Ward. Notice the horrible lack of taste to the air here, the sensation of always being watched, the razorvine carefully grown around the tops of all these high walls. All sure signs there's rich folk about! This part of the city is all fortified estates and big empty streets, … Continue reading Tout’s Guide to Sigil – Lady’s Ward
Tout’s Guide to Sigil – Guildhall Ward
Well sirrah, didn't I tell you? Best rat on a stick in the city! Crunchy bones and they even leave all the fur on!Now, most folk think of this place as part of the Market Ward, and there's plenty of overlap, but plenty of little differences too. First of all, there's hardly any decent flophouses … Continue reading Tout’s Guide to Sigil – Guildhall Ward
Thoughts on the LevelUp 5e Playtest IXb – Warlord again
Much like with the ranger playtest previously, the warlord also gets an immediate variant. This time it didn't feel like it was to shoehorn in mechanics for using magic, instead we've got a tiny change and some more explanations of how stuff works. At level 3 there's a new ability called Mark Foe. Bonus action … Continue reading Thoughts on the LevelUp 5e Playtest IXb – Warlord again
How to DM III – What are we playing?
I'm going to cheat a little bit with this post, but we'll circle back later on and hopefully make it right!I've called this series How to DM, so we're going to start by looking at Dungeon Masters - which means we're playing Dungeons and Dragons, since it's super popular and a known gateway to playing … Continue reading How to DM III – What are we playing?
Tout’s Guide to Sigil – Clerk’s Ward
Well, sirrah, I think we gave those chancers the laugh. Very well handled, I must say. Well noticed to jump those tripwires in Tenfoots.Where are we now? L... Land... of... Green... Gin... Ginger? I think that's near the Hull Road, so we're not far from one of the main thoroughfares of the Clerk's Ward. Phew! … Continue reading Tout’s Guide to Sigil – Clerk’s Ward
Thoughts on the LevelUp 5e Playtest IXa – Warlord archetypes
As promised, let's look at the warlord archetypes. The Gambling General is a go big or go home sort. Daring Commander at level 3 gives options of Daring Assault or Daring Charge.Daring Assult lets allies in the Commanding Presence roll attacks with a -5 penalty in return for a potential bonus 2d6 damage (going up … Continue reading Thoughts on the LevelUp 5e Playtest IXa – Warlord archetypes
Thoughts on the LevelUp 5e Playtest IX – Warlord
It's finally time to go beyond levels 1-10, and with a new class no less! The Warlord is a new build of the 4e core class of the same name. That class was a fighter who could buff their allies in a similar way to bards but without magic, and had some cool battlefield control … Continue reading Thoughts on the LevelUp 5e Playtest IX – Warlord
Tout’s Guide to Sigil – the Hive
OK sirrah, we'll try not to stay here long. Mostly because we might both get killed, and then you won't pay me my jink!This is the Hive. It's not pretty, not clean, not nice. This is what you might think of as the slums of Sigil, though you won't find any nobles here slumming it … Continue reading Tout’s Guide to Sigil – the Hive
Tout’s Guide to Sigil – Lower Ward
Right, sirrah, here we go. The Lower Ward. This place is packed with portals that dump you in the Lower Planes, hence the name. I suppose if there were a few more to the Plane of Fire, this'd be the Fire Ward, or the Efreeti Ward, or something stupid like that.All the other wards have … Continue reading Tout’s Guide to Sigil – Lower Ward
Tout’s Guide to Sigil – Market Ward
Wotcha sirrah. Still want that tour then?OK, we'll start with and easy one. Let's go shopping. You've been here a little while I take it? Good, then I'll skip the talk about the dabus, sedan chairs, jink and razorvine wine.This here is the centre of the multiverse. I know, I know. Maybe "everyone and everything … Continue reading Tout’s Guide to Sigil – Market Ward
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