RPGaDay 2020 prompt 19 – Tower

One of the things that I've rarely used in a game is a stereotypical Wizard's Tower. I think I'll have to add one to a game I run in the near future - a small dungeon that goes upwards (as well as probably downwards), with some minor encounters on each level. It would be very … Continue reading RPGaDay 2020 prompt 19 – Tower

RPGaDay 2020 prompt 15 – Frame

OK, I'm going to take a moment to give you a quick rundown of my current Saurial/Planescape idea. It's only been a short while, but it's changed some. I may have added in some Spelljamming... Whoops! So, the current framing idea/elevator pitch looks like this: The PCs are wandering the Great Bazaar in Sigil. They … Continue reading RPGaDay 2020 prompt 15 – Frame

RPGaDay 2020 prompt 14 – Banner

As part of the session zero for the Song of Ice and Fire RPG, the players are tasked with building a noble family to be the centre of the game - they can be attendants, young nobles, venerable maesters, and so on.The catch is, they are any of the big noble families we pay much … Continue reading RPGaDay 2020 prompt 14 – Banner

RPGaDay 2020 prompt 13 – Rest

So, do we talk about the D&D rest mechanics, or taking a break from tabletop gaming? Or how other games handle rests? I guess I'll talk a bit about how I handle rests.I've been mostly inspired by various homebrews that change how things work, add in extra levels and things.Here's what I do currently: - … Continue reading RPGaDay 2020 prompt 13 – Rest

RPGaDay 2020 prompt 4 – Vision

So, it seems like everyone has darkvision? It's a complaint I've seen people bring up a lot. At this stage, off the top of my head, Humans and Halflings don't have it, but most people do. So... how do we beat the complaint? There's options, certainly.Do I want to make the game harder? Maybe. I'm … Continue reading RPGaDay 2020 prompt 4 – Vision

Ability Modifiers from Class and Background

There's been a lot of talk about this all over the place for a while now.Here are my current ideas of how I'd like to make the removal of racial ability modifiers work. I'm replacing 'race' here with 'ilk'. Even if you don't agree with the idea, please understand that the word 'race' carries all … Continue reading Ability Modifiers from Class and Background

Draft One Page Campaign Opener – Frostpunk

"The old story goes that the world was once a garden, pleasant and mild, neither too hot nor too cold, and at this time all of the peoples of the world were created.This ain't that world no more. Two great powers rose, and fought, one led by the God of Winter, one by the Goddess … Continue reading Draft One Page Campaign Opener – Frostpunk

Thoughts on 5th Edition in 2020

Inspired once again by Dungeons and Possums, I'm going to give a quick rundown on my thoughts of the game almost six years after it was released. I know that there are problems surrounding the game itself but currently it's my only game in town as far as being able to play goes so I'm … Continue reading Thoughts on 5th Edition in 2020

Late to the party: RPGaDay 2019 prompt 25

"Calamity" So I've been working on a few ideas that involve huge calamities in the past - Cambria has a wholesale apocalypse caused by magic in the past, and now everyone lives in the ruins.Frostpunk is getting a One Page Campaign Opener after my RPGaDay posts run out, with a bit more details on what's … Continue reading Late to the party: RPGaDay 2019 prompt 25

Late to the party: RPGaDay 2019 prompt 23

"Surprise" or "Surprise!!!" So surprise rounds. Do I use them often? Usually not. A lot of the time, it just doesn't make sense. In D&D, players are on alert in a dungeon or the wilderness, they won't be surprised to find enemies behind a door or over the next ridge. They might be surprised at … Continue reading Late to the party: RPGaDay 2019 prompt 23

Late to the party: RPGaDay 2019 prompt 20

"Noble" I'm going to hijack this one and talk about coinage. Coinage in my games can be hit and miss.I've actually thought about it in-depth for The Old Crown, with pennies, florins and nobles and talents in circulation. In most games, I just handwave it as gold and silver. In my first game of Planescape, … Continue reading Late to the party: RPGaDay 2019 prompt 20

Late to the party: RPGaDay 2019 prompt 16

"Dream" One of my favourite ideas from Eberron is the Plane of Dreams, Dal Quor. The idea that sleeping minds reach out to somewhere like a low level form of folk magic, and that it mimics Astral Travel abilities. Just so cool. I was less pushed by the manifest zones on a material plane, but … Continue reading Late to the party: RPGaDay 2019 prompt 16

Late to the party: RPGaDay 2019 prompt 15

"Door" Well this one is going to be an easier one to write. Whilst I'm taking time off from my general projects to focus on these writing prompts, I am keeping up with a few of them.And one of those is Planescape. Sigil, City of Doors, is a fun thing to focus on. I've added … Continue reading Late to the party: RPGaDay 2019 prompt 15

Late to the party: RPGaDay 2019 prompt 14

"Guide" I wasn't too sure what to write for this one, but I think I'm just going to throw another two cents in on some of the latest D&D developments. There seems to be a bit of a backlash against the idea of removing racial Ability Score modifiers, seemingly because some people want to keep … Continue reading Late to the party: RPGaDay 2019 prompt 14

Late to the party: RPGaDay 2019 prompt 6

"Ancient" So where do all these dungeons in D&D come from anyway? I've always liked the idea that they're some kind of ruin from a former inhabitant, but it seems odd that there'd be so many of them without some kind of fallen elder race who disappeared or them being to a different scale to … Continue reading Late to the party: RPGaDay 2019 prompt 6

Late to the party: RPGaDay 2019 prompt 2

"Unique" I try to do something unique with each of my settings. Of course, eventually it's obvious that nothing you do is really unique, and it's all been done.But the operative word above is 'try'. The Old Crown started as a setting for 4e D&D, and it's morphed through FATE and could probably be run … Continue reading Late to the party: RPGaDay 2019 prompt 2

Planescape IV – draft rules for Factions part 2 – Doomguard

Time for one of the longest posts I've written! OK, so let's design some new Faction rules.We'll start with a look at the Doomguard, because I think this one is pretty easy - when we look at the rules from the Planescape Boxed set anyway. Eligibility: All races and alignments accepted - but not clerics … Continue reading Planescape IV – draft rules for Factions part 2 – Doomguard

Planescape III – draft rules for Factions part 1

The Factions are a huge part of the Planescape setting, but fitting them into the 5e rules is more difficult. One option we can go for is renown, as detailed on p.23 Of the Dungeon Master's Guide.The examples for renown focus on the group's available in the Forgotten Realms, and there's only five of those. … Continue reading Planescape III – draft rules for Factions part 1

Draft One Page Campaign Opener – Invasion from the Netherverse

High school. Jocks, nerds, cheerleaders, outcasts. Study for the test, write essays, detention.Oh, and monsters walking the streets at night. It all started with some of the kids having fun and messing with an old book they found in grandma’s attic. Soon enough, someone says ‘Klaatu Barada Nantucket’ and we lose our job at the … Continue reading Draft One Page Campaign Opener – Invasion from the Netherverse

Loge escapes from the Astral Plane

It's unofficial as I didn't play it, but here's an overview of how I would have run the adventure to the close.As I said previously, I came up with this over the course of a couple of hours really, with a focus on trying to finish out the adventure only, and still left some loose … Continue reading Loge escapes from the Astral Plane