Loremaster - Blogs http://www.loremaster.org/blog.php en Thu, 23 May 2013 10:49:48 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.loremaster.org/images/misc/rss.jpg Loremaster - Blogs http://www.loremaster.org/blog.php Little Time - More Sculpting http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?75-Little-Time-More-Sculpting Fri, 01 Mar 2013 18:06:54 GMT I was inspired over the last week, and I took it out with my sculpting. I can see improvements in what I'm doing now, which is really cool because I can see progress. Stuff is still not finished so some of this is still a work in progress.

For our weekly game one of the players is playing a hengeyokai ranger. His idea was explained to me as something like Usagi Yojimbo. I remember reading some Yojimbo in the mid 80's maybe, but I did not remember much of it. The initial pictures I found were not really what I was looking for. So I settled on one of the pictures provided in the article on hengeyokai. I was not about to do a full sculpt, with the little time I have, so I went for a conversion to an existing miniature.

Here's the inspiration:
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And here's the initial WIP for his hengeyokai:
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Unfortunately, as I was doing the conversion work one of the pins I'd used to put the head in place perforated it all the way to the base of the ear. Not to worry, not to fret. The hare just needs wider ears - so I can hide that pin. That'll be the next part of the work.

Then, I finally found a good picture for Usagi. I might end up doing 2 sculpts instead of just one, I'm not sure yet.

Work continues on the displacer beast. I'm finding the curing characteristics of "ProCreate" a bit annoying. It seems to lose its tackiness rather quickly, or maybe I'm just not working with it enough to get used to it. In any case, you might remember the first wip picture which was mostly a frame.

Initial frame:
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Well, I've had a bit of time to slowly work on it, and I'm liking how it's turning out. It's not complete yet, the head will be the last thing I start spending detail time on after I'm sculpted the rest.

Shade the displacer beast:
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For the displacer beast head I might go back to green stuff for the details. I'm not sure yet. I've also enlisted a good friend of mine, and awesome miniatures painter, to paint it when I'm done. I'll definitely put some pictures of that when it's done. ]]> http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?75-Little-Time-More-Sculpting More Insomnia - More Sculpting http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?71-More-Insomnia-More-Sculpting Mon, 24 Sep 2012 02:47:25 GMT Once again I couldn't sleep last night. I hate sitting there just looking at the ceiling. So I went to the basement and started getting things prepared for our next game.

Since I'm running the classic modules A1-A4 (Slavers Series) converted to 4e, I needed some minis that I have not seen mass-produced. So I got a bit busy.

These are the modules that were converted to 4e
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Aspis Warrior - First Attempt - Super Sculpey
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Aspis Cow & the larval aspis
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I didn't like how the super sculpey worked for the aspis warrior (broken nose), so I got one of the epoxy based compounds called ProCreate. I'm still not sold totally on it as it cures too quickly and does not stick to the armature easily, which I need to work on this stuff. Maybe it is that I'm still not very used to the material or that I have an old batch. In any case I started on some other sculpts.

Aspis Warrior 2 - ProCreate Epoxy
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Aspis Warrior 3 - ProCreate Epoxy
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Aspis head and nose test - ProCreate Epoxy
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So I have until next weekend to get those two aspis warriors ready for the game. I hope I have time, or some more insomnia.

Sometimes I get the urge to sculpt some interesting monsters. For example, I've been playing a Ranger with the Fey Beast Tamer theme during our dungeon delve for the Against the Giants series. For that character the fey beast is a displacer beast. Well, nobody makes a medium sized displacer beast. For the past few months I've been using a shadow mastiff miniature for representation. I got inspired to change that after this past Friday's game. My character was dominated and the RBDM had me attack my "kitty". Needless to say at Paragon level the cat was toast, quickly. He survived, but I felt bad that I had such a poor representation for him. I've decided that I need a better representation.

Medium sized displacer beast - wire armature.
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And here's how it looks with some more detail sculpted on it.
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Hopefully I'll have that one completed before that RBDM has me kill my kitty again.

And here's an old sculpt that I have not had a chance to use yet. It had lost a "tooth" so I took the time to use the ProCreate to do a root canal.

Tendriculous - Sculpey & wire armature - Kneadtite Blue/Yellow (green stuff) and ProCreate tooth.
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Here are pictures of the inspiration for these sculpts
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Now I need to go get some sleep. ]]> http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?71-More-Insomnia-More-Sculpting Hit Point Charts for Council of Spiders http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?69-Hit-Point-Charts-for-Council-of-Spiders Sat, 25 Aug 2012 22:47:36 GMT I've posted a PDF over on my blog for those of you that will be running the next season of D&D Encounters next week. It's a game aid I like to use when DMing, providing an easy-to-use format for tracking hit points and recording whether limited-use powers have been used without requiring you to mark up your adventure book.

You can find the post here: http://gsllc.wordpress.com/2012/08/2...ncounters-rpg/

Robert E. Bodine, Esq. practices real estate and intellectual property law in Virginia. He is one of the founding members of the Gamers’ Syndicate, a Washington, DC-based gaming club, and part owner of synDCon, a table-top gaming convention. He authors the article series on Loremaster.org, Protection from Chaos, dealing with intellectual property law matters as they relate to the gaming industry. You can follow him on Twitter @RobertEBodine for legal matters, @GSLLC for gaming matters, and if you’re a sports fan, @MMADork. ]]> Frylock http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?69-Hit-Point-Charts-for-Council-of-Spiders Composite Skill Bonuses in the d20 System http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?68-Composite-Skill-Bonuses-in-the-d20-System Thu, 19 Jul 2012 18:57:17 GMT My love of the FASA Star Trek RPG (http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?47-Remembering-FASA-s-Star-Trek-RPG) gave me an idea on how to handle certain... My love of the FASA Star Trek RPG gave me an idea on how to handle certain situations that I’ve seen before and believe to be handled less-than-ideally by DMs. I ran a quick Google check to see if anyone had already written about this topic, and apparently they haven’t. This surprises me, so perhaps I just couldn’t find it, but I propose using composite skill bonuses to handle an individual task that simultaneously requires multiple skills.

An Example from FASA Star Trek RPG

FASA Star Trek RPG is a d100, skill-based system so that each character would have a skill rating from 0-99 in each of the skills. To determine the success of an action, a player would roll a d100 against the relevant PC skill rating. Roll less than the skill rating, and it’s a success. For complicated tasks requiring multiple simultaneous skills, however, your target wasn’t a single skill rating, but rather an average of all of the relevant skills.

You’ve just boarded your enemy’s starship. It’s a Klingon scout ship with a crew of 8, so it’s no surprise that the entire enemy crew is dead. Unfortunately, the crew activated the self-destruct sequence and severely damaged the only computer that could be used to deactivate the sequence. Time’s running out. There’s no time to fix the computer, then consult a Klingon-to-English dictionary. What do you do?
You roll against your skill in Computer Technology (i.e., repair of computers), Computer Operations (i.e., use of computer interfaces), and Language: Klingon (i.e., your ability to translate what’s on the screen). So, if your skills are Computer Technology 60, Computer Operation 70, and Language: Klingon 20, your target number is (60 + 70 + 20)/3 = 50. If you never learned a word of Klingon (skill rating 0), you’d be at a severe disadvantage, but your general knowledge of computers could still make for a reasonable chance of success (60 + 70 + 0)/3 = 43. Therefore, not knowing Klingon doesn't automatically make you useless if you beam over to the ship. You're still contributing on your own merits.

An Example from 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons

It shouldn’t be hard to imagine some examples of how this would work in the d20 system. Let's use 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons as an example.

There’s a group of ogres sitting around a campfire playing the Orc dice game, Rotting Toes. They’re unfamiliar with the game and downright stupid, but they're also tough combatants that technically are standing watch. If disturbed, they might sound an alarm.
Hat tip to Erik Nowak for creating Rotting Toes.

The party decides that the best way to handle this encounter is to avoid it. Needless to say, the 3rd-level Rogue rolls a Stealth check (+12), succeeds with flying colors, and passes right on by. Unfortunately, the Paladin is in full plate mail armor. Stealth isn’t much of an option.

The accepted solution is a group Stealth check. Everyone rolls their dice, and as long as half of the group makes the check, the party as a whole succeeds. I’m not a fan of this. I know this is a game of magic and monsters, but at times, this solution defies logic. If, for example, due to the surrounding environment, each character must move one at a time across a long distance, the Rogue isn’t going to be able to help the Paladin stay silent. Any way you slice it, the Paladin is on his own, yet the group Stealth check inappropriately allows the Rogue to help.

More importantly, however, is that this is also a game of creativity and imagination, and the group Stealth check stifles that. Even if the Paladin could enlist the help of his friends, that doesn’t me he should. If I were playing the Paladin, I’d want my actions to count. I don’t want someone else to dictate my success in a situation where a little thinking outside the box will keep my fate in my own hands. There are enough opportunities for teamwork elsewhere in the game. Here, I want to be on my own.

Instead, let’s say the Paladin decides to throw a stick to create a distraction. Is this an Athletics check? Is it a Bluff check? How about both? It’s a single action, so if both skills are in play, both should affect the outcome.

The 3rd-level Goliath Avenging Paladin’s relevant skills are Athletics +5, Bluff +3, and Stealth -1. He should have no problem dealing with Ogre psychology (Bluff), but he also has to toss the stick accurately to place it exactly where he wants it to go (Athletics). So, it looks like his bonus to the skill roll for the composite skill bonus is (5+3)/2 = +4. That’s certainly better than a -1.*However, this is a Goliath we’re talking about. He’s got a +2 to Wisdom, and his Widsom score is a respectable 14 because it’s his tertiary stat. Moreover, his background includes a strange parentage; he was raised by wolves (Background: Parentage-Raised by Wolves), giving him a +2 background bonus to Nature checks. As a result, his Nature score is a whopping +8.

The Paladin knows that lemurs are the ogres favorite food, and he also knows that this area has plenty of lemurs in it. Instead of throwing the stick simply to get the ogres to look the other way, he chooses to throw it into a lemon tree where Comyrean lemurs are known to play. This way, the ogres not only will look the other way, but also will keep looking, possibly sending one off to grab some lemurs. In order to reflect this mechanically, the Paladin now gets to add his Nature bonus into the mix. His composite skill bonus is now (5+3+8)/3 = +5, which is appropriate for a single action using each of his three relevant skills.

If the DM rewards the creativity with the typical +2, the Paladin has a bonus to his roll of +7, and he deserves it based on his own ingenuity and character build. In fact, the rest of the party might thank him if one of the ogres leaves to investigate -- such a ruling is more appropriate for a Bluff check than a Stealth check -- as that means one less ogre remains to spot the remaining PCs during their checks.

The +7 is a far cry from the +12 to Stealth that the 3rd-level Halfling Rogue might have, but it’s still pretty good, and it's his.

It's Not All About the PCs

This isn't just a means to inspire creativity. As my FASA Star Trek RPG example demonstrates, sometimes the DM should require the use of a skill (in that case, Language: Klingon) because it's logical. I'm sure the character with a skill rating of 0 in Language: Klingon wouldn't want to have to include it, but it makes sense to require it. In the D&D example, perhaps all of the PCs should be required to include their Nature bonus to their checks due to some natural hazard present in the area. There's a logic to the composite skill bonus that I find hard to ignore. (Yes, I know; magic and monsters....) In any case, a composite skill is appropriate only where a single d20 roll must simultaneously include knowledge or ability covered by multiple skills, such as where there isn't enough time to take multiple actions.

What Do You Think?

As DM, you could certainly decide that there were no such lemurs present that night, but why would you? This is a system that allows each character to be judged on his or her own merits, and it encourages creative thinking. I can’t imagine any drawbacks, but if you have any, please feel free to share them in the comments below.

Hat tip Frylock's Fantasyland

Robert E. Bodine, Esq. practices real estate and intellectual property law in Virginia. He is one of the founding members of the Gamers’ Syndicate, a Washington, DC-based gaming club, and part owner of synDCon, a table-top gaming convention. He authors the article series on Loremaster.org, Protection from Chaos, dealing with intellectual property law matters as they relate to the gaming industry. You can follow him on Twitter @RobertEBodine for legal matters, @GSLLC for gaming matters, and if you’re a sports fan, @MMADork. ]]> Frylock http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?68-Composite-Skill-Bonuses-in-the-d20-System The Rise and Fall of Norrin the Barbarian http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?66-The-Rise-and-Fall-of-Norrin-the-Barbarian Thu, 10 May 2012 03:40:16 GMT And now for something completely uncontroversial.

On June 30, the Gamers' Syndicate will be hosting a Brief Tour of the History of D&D. This is an idea that sprung from the mind of Syndicate member, Brett Abbott -- be afraid; be very afraid. It's a four-part adventure, with each 2-hour session being played in a different edition of D&D. The game will use pre-generated characters, because it's a lot to expect of players to come to the game with four PCs each in a different edition of the game. As soon as the writing assignments were doled out, I let Brett know, as author of the AD&D part, that he absolutely had to include Norrin the Barbarian as a pre-generated character.

On Christmas of 1977, I received the D&D "blue box," or at least that's what I think I received. It's this one. I don’t care what everyone else calls it because, frankly, I can’t keep track of all the "sub-editions." As many of you know, that set included the adventure, B1: In Search of the Unknown. Norrin was one of the pre-generated characters for that adventure. His statistics were as follows:

Quote Originally Posted by Mike Carr
Norrin the Barbarian, Fighter, Str 15, Int 8, Wis 10, Con 14, Dex 9, Cha 9
The reason I bring this up is that Norrin was my first PC . . . sort of. When I played the game (either as a player or DM), the players almost always ran multiple characters, so I played three in my first game. Norrin was one of my first three, and the only one that found a place in my long-term memory. I never forgot him even though I picked up B1 for the first time in 25 years to write this blog post. Now that I’ve gone back through the adventure, Presto the Elf, Eggo of the Holy Brotherhood, and others ring a bell, but clearly Norrin mattered most.

When I chose Norrin from the list, I did so because I thought that both his name and status (i.e., barbarian) sounded cool. At age 43, I still think it sounds cool. For some reason, I always latched onto this image as that of Norrin bending some bars, which is hardly unreasonable considering the image comes from page 13 of the adventure. (I'm pretty sure the halfling could easily just squeeze through but was too frightened to do so. I hate halflings) As an aside, I never heard of Conan the Barbarian until the 1982 movie came out, so it had nothing to do with that.

I don't remember the actual adventure encounter in which Norrin died, but I remember quite clearly how it happened. We were fighting a wizard, and the wizard had a web spell. My brother interpreted the web spell to be a save-or-die spell (i.e., he didn’t read the spell description; he just saw this image and thought that’s what it did). I explained to him that I thought that was a bit rough. (To put some perspective on this, this isn’t rough, as in, "AD&D is a high-fatality game." This is rough, as in, "In the Dark Sun Encounters season, it's mathematically impossible to avoid a TPK in week 3," or whatever week that was.) My brother was so happy to see me visibly upset that he said, "It's just a game."

My brother remains an asshole to this day.

So, I'm happy to know that Norrin the Barbarian lives on, and many of you will have the pleasure of playing him. I hope you fare better than I did.

On second thought, I want you all to have the authentic AD&D experience, so I hope he dies for you, too. :) ]]> Frylock http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?66-The-Rise-and-Fall-of-Norrin-the-Barbarian <![CDATA[Why I Don't Have High Expectations for D&D Next]]> http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?65-Why-I-Don-t-Have-High-Expectations-for-D-amp-D-Next Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:32:05 GMT This one was intended to be quick, but I was writing it while watching my Caps' game 7, overtime win against the Bruins (screw you, Moquin!), so it was composed as an email. When I got home, it wasn't so small. Still, this is really just a very long tweet, expanding on what I tweeted earlier this evening but couldn't do justice in 140 characters.

The primary mechanical reason I believe D&D Next will not serve the 4e segment of the community is that the base system is essentially a 1e/3e hybrid, onto which they plan to layer a "4e module" (among others, we assume) to allow a customized feel to play. At best, this will be awkward and feel like a module designed to shut us up and get our money anyway. At worst, the modularity idea will fail completely. Either way, either sooner or later, we'll give up on trying to play 4e characters in D&D Next, leaving us with a system we don't fully enjoy. This would be bad for both WotC's bottom line and our community, so it's a concern neither they nor we should ignore.

Making matters worse, the reason I believe WotC is willing to give us (i.e., players that prefer 4e) the short end of the stick is that they believe we're less prone to complain if our game is changed radically. After all, we didn't complain when 4e was released, and that system contained major changes. Some said, "This isn't real D&D!", and the rest said, "No kidding! It's better!" My post from earlier today demonstrates that this might not be true, and 4e players are going to unreasonably complain they're being "abandoned," but regardless of whether that plays out, it appears to be WotC's approach to how to deal with us.

Okay, so what should WotC do? I suspect the only way to make the modular approach work is for the system to be much more generic than it currently is. Thus, we shouldn't be able to say, "Gee, this game plays just like #e." Instead, it should be as basic as what the developers use to design, for example, classes, providing us guidelines on how to build our characters at their most basic level, then provide modules to layer on top of that basic character, which will give the character the feel we individually want. Being based on the same, generic system, the characters can at least in theory be balanced, so they can be played together, but they'll each feel the way the player wants them to feel. In other words, give us the tools to build the game we want to play. Isn't that exactly what they claim they're trying to do?

Of course, the problem with this suggestion is that the developers want to hide their formulae for those sorts of things. Without copyright or (almost certainly) patent protection for their system, all they have is trade secret law to make themselves needed. (See, it really is always about IP law!) :-) If they give us the means to build our own game, we might not buy their products anymore. Sure enough, as I was writing this, some tweeters were complaining with how secretive WotC is, as if it's fair to expect them to give away internal information. It doesn't even make sense to do so. However, by promising us modularity, they're essentially putting themselves in a position where they have to do so. When they don't, they won't properly deliver modularity. They're wanting their cake and eating it too, and in the end will piss off everyone.

So, they could provide modularity, but I'd be surprised if they actually did, and that's a PR nightmare waiting to happen. For the reasons stated above, I'm guessing they'll choose the path of appeasing the squeaky wheels (as well as fair-minded 3e fans), and gamers like me will have to make some tough choices. I say it's a tough choice because, assuming I'm terribly unhappy with the eventual outcome, I'd still prefer to stick it out and support WotC (and by extension, the industry and community as a whole), which is ultimately the reason they're not concerned with meeting my needs.

Robert E. Bodine, Esq. practices real estate and intellectual property law in Virginia. He is one of the founding members of the Gamers’ Syndicate, a Washington, DC-based gaming club, and part owner of synDCon, a table-top gaming convention. He authors the article series on Loremaster.org, Protection from Chaos, dealing with intellectual property law matters as they relate to the gaming industry. You can follow him on Twitter @RobertEBodine for legal matters, @GSLLC for gaming matters, and if you’re a sports fan, @MMADork. ]]> Frylock http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?65-Why-I-Don-t-Have-High-Expectations-for-D-amp-D-Next <![CDATA[D&D Next and the Edition Wars: Don’t Become Your Own Worst Enemy]]> http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?64-D-amp-D-Next-and-the-Edition-Wars-Don’t-Become-Your-Own-Worst-Enemy Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:04:47 GMT For the past several years, many of us in the 4th edition camp have been complaining about the edition warriors that railed against the announcement... For the past several years, many of us in the 4th edition camp have been complaining about the edition warriors that railed against the announcement of 4th edition. These people complained about 4th edition before they had even seen it, thus demonstrating that they'll always complain unless they get exactly what they want, and often what they want has nothing to do with game mechanics. Now, we find ourselves potentially in the same position, having many legitimate complaints against D&D Next.

I'm one of the ones complaining. I hate almost everything I've seen of D&D Next so far, and even more troubling is how discouraged I am by almost everything I've heard the designers say, showing that their direction is a clear 180 degrees from the direction I'd like to see. I'm entitled to that opinion and should express it to the developers in order to maximize the chances that D&D Next will be a game I'll play. However, I've seen some alarming hypocrisy among my fellow 4e enthusiasts. This blog post is intended to serve as a warning not to become our own worst enemy. Approach it with an open mind, as it's sometimes hard to examine one's own behavior objectively.

What Is an Edition Warrior?

I've been told that edition warriors have been around since the conversion from OD&D to AD&D. I started with AD&D (what I believe is called the "blue box"), and I left the game in 1981 well before 2nd edition was released. Ergo, the 3.5e to 4e conversion was the only opportunity I had to experience the atrocities of an edition war, and the only one that affected me personally. Though your definitions might vary, I define an edition warrior as someone who isn't satisfied being able to play the edition they prefer, but arrogantly and selfishly insists that the rest of us are forced to play that edition as well. This in turn means that the relevant game designer has no 'right' to produce a game that doesn't suit the edition warrior's subjective needs. Such a person squarely falls within the definition of, "asshole," and clearly deserves the stigma associated with the pejorative, "edition warrior."

Notice, however, whom that doesn't include: Someone that prefers the older edition and merely continues playing it without bothering anyone about it. Those people might downright hate a particular edition, and if asked will tell you that, but that's a matter of preference, not poor manners or selfish behavior. Games are about having fun, period; nothing more, nothing less. Always adhere to the motto, "Play what you like; don't play what you don't like." People who honestly prefer another edition should be left to their own devices, and it shouldn't matter to others one bit that they're playing something else. There are plenty of gamers out there, so you should always be able to find a group playing the game (and edition) that suits you. Isn't that, after all, what we've been telling edition warriors for all these years?

Are We Becoming Edition Warriors?

Looking at D&D Next with a critical eye, pointing out its flaws, and suggesting its direction is not per se edition warring. I don't want anyone to come away from this thinking I’m telling you not to criticize the product as is. (I know you'd do so even if I told you not to do so; I just don’t want you to think I’m an idiot.) I simply remind you to be constructive. Your purpose should never be to tear down the process, but rather lift it. I've seen many statements recently that are highly critical, but in a "I give up on this crap" way, and that doesn't bode well for the future of the hobby.

For obvious reasons, I'm not going to single out any particular person's statements. I'm also making these statements myself, and I don't consider myself to be destructive. This is a matter of line-drawing, and I simply ask that you mindful of your own behavior. (You might not even intend to be destructive, but because of the nature of online media, come across that way.) If D&D Next even delivers on 10% of its promise of modularity (i.e., allowing differing gaming mechanics at the same gaming table), this will strengthen the community more than anything since the community was created. That should be your goal, and you won’t reach it by viewing "differing" opinions as "objectively inferior."

The Worst Case Scenario

In the worst case scenario, D&D Next turns out to be a disaster for us (i.e., 4e players), reinstating all the mistakes that 4th edition corrected, all to appease squeaky wheels that won't buy the new product anyway because it'll be a clone of an old edition they already own. Even if that worst case scenario plays out, then each of us needs to follow the advice that we gave 3e players when 4th edition arrived: Just keep playing the edition you like, and leave everyone else alone. Just like 3e, the 4e library is rich enough to support our gaming for the rest of our lives. We don't need any more crunch, and fluff can be used regardless of the edition for which it was written. Taking the opposite approach creates fractures in the community, which helps nobody, and represents hypocrisy on the part of all of us that criticized that approach during the current edition wars. Remember, this is the worst case scenario, but there's no reason this has to be the likely scenario.

If push comes to shove, just roll with it.

EDIT: As I was posting the link to this entry on Twitter, I saw an announcement that Monte Cook has left the D&D Next project. There's a thread on ENWorld here. I'm no friend of Monte Cook's approach, but again this isn't about my singular, anecdotal opinion. Monte Cook represents the interests of a lot of gamers, and I hope he's replaced with someone that can see to the needs of those gamers.

Robert E. Bodine, Esq. practices real estate and intellectual property law in Virginia. He is one of the founding members of the Gamers’ Syndicate, a Washington, DC-based gaming club, and part owner of synDCon, a table-top gaming convention. He authors the article series on Loremaster.org, Protection from Chaos, dealing with intellectual property law matters as they relate to the gaming industry. You can follow him on Twitter @RobertEBodine for legal matters, @GSLLC for gaming matters, and if you’re a sports fan, @MMADork. ]]> Frylock http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?64-D-amp-D-Next-and-the-Edition-Wars-Don’t-Become-Your-Own-Worst-Enemy Bestiary, Wrath of the Titans, Part I http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?63-Bestiary-Wrath-of-the-Titans-Part-I Mon, 09 Apr 2012 22:40:42 GMT In 2010, Wizards of the Coast (http://www.wizards.com/DnD) published Dragon 178 (http://www.wizards.com/DnD/TOC.aspx?x=dnd/4new/dutoc/178), and in it... In 2010, Wizards of the Coast published Dragon 178, and in it was an article that provided 4th Edition material for the creatures that appeared in the remake of Clash of the Titans. With the release of the sequel, Wrath of the Titans, it’s time for a new article. Despite near-universal criticism of the movie, most viewers seem to agree that the visual effects are stunning, so these creatures can easily serve as inspiration for a campaign. This article contains the stat blocks for the creatures that appeared in the movie. Part II will provide the artifacts that appeared in the movie: Zeus’s Thunderbolt, Hades’ Pitchfork, Poseidon’s Trident, and the Spear of Triam, as well as the supreme titan, Kronos.

These creatures are built based in large part on how they were portrayed in the movie. Obviously, the movie took (far too many) liberties with the legends, and at times the legends themselves contradict, so don’t expect a perfect match between the creatures here and your personal understanding of their legendary counterparts.

The world of the movie differs from that of D&D, so it was difficult to decide whether to make these challenges paragon or epic. The movie doesn't assume the existence of other planes, so the conflict with the gods themselves could easily be seen as epic in scope. One could also look at the events as affecting the world on a worldwide scale, which is the definition of paragon. Granted, the world is the entire multiverse, so I compromised. These creatures follow a transition from high-paragon to low-epic. The creatures as written will get the most play without requiring DM modification, while requiring epic-shy gamers to dive just barely into those waters.

FYI, a third movie is planned. May Zeus have mercy on our souls.

The Chthonic Cyclopes of Hephaestus

Hephaestus guarded himself with three Cyclopes, a father and his two sons. These giants aren’t by any means evil, but as brutes, they tend to fire, ready, and aim in that order. They represent a good test of character for PCs that might take the same approach. Sometimes tact is the best weapon you have.

Lore

Arcana 37: Chthonic Cyclopes are master blacksmiths that aid Hephaestus in his work. Though not inherently evil, they’re territorial and fiercely protective of their master. They will attack first and ask questions later, but they will certainly bow down before Poseidon's Trident.

Encounters

The Chthonic Cyclops is the epitome of a brute, charging into battle against any sentient creature daring to intrude upon Hephaestus’s island sanctuary. For lower-level characters, they represent an opportunity to negotiate a truce in the heat of battle by way of a skill challenge. For higher-level characters, they represent a good test of character for PCs that might be inclined to immediately attack. If diplomacy fails, they’ll never attack someone wielding Poseidon’s Trident.

Click here for the stat block of the Chthonic Cyclops.

Tactics

A Chthonic Cyclops will use Hurl Foliage to toss tree trunks at its opponents until it has entered melee range, then switching to Sweeping Club to lay waste to its enemies. They will fight until dead or until an enemy draws Poseidon’s Trident. They’ll never attack someone wielding Poseidon’s Trident.

Wolf-Chimera

Unlike their better-known, worldly cousins, these creatures have only two heads, both of which are that of wolves that can spew ignited venom. Additionally, their tails end in serpent’s head that packs a poisonous bite.

Lore

Religion 32: Residents of the underworld, these immortal beasts serve Hades as a reminder of the order of things. Their master, god of the Underworld, Hades, relies upon the fear of mortals to feed his divinity, and uses Wolf-Chimeras as a source of that fear. Hades occasionally sends these creatures to the World to random places at random times, leaving its residents in constant state of fear. The resultant carnage can weaken a city’s resources, or forever wipe remote villages from the World.

Encounters

Wolf-Chimeras are used by gods of the underworld to strike the occasional chord of fear. However, they occasionally serve as an initial wave of attack in a war against humanity, serving as a harbinger of much worse things to come.

Click here for the stat block of the Wolf-Chimera.

Tactics

A Wolf-Chimera begins combat by closing the gap with Ferocious Leap. The Wolf-Chimera will use Flaming Venom whenever available, but will otherwise use double attack to do as much damage as possible.

The Tartaran Minotaur

The greatest of minotaurs guards the greatest of mazes. With a spirit-filled maze, Tarterus, as its domain, this already fearsome creature knows exactly how to strike fear into the hearts of its enemies, then tears them to pieces with his natural weapons.

Lore

Religion 35: When Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon commissioned Hephaestus to create the prison-maze of Tartarus, the architect knew that a guardian was needed. Knowing of the affinity minotaurs have for mazes, Hephaestus chose from among their greatest warriors the honor of immortality, all for the small price of eternal damnation. It took very little time for the guardian’s rage to cross into the realm of insanity, but his insanity didn’t stand in the way of complete mastery of his domain. He uses its effects to full advantage.

Encounters

The great maze of Tartarus houses the souls of those who lived treacherous lives. These souls find little solace in their eternal existence and savor the rare opportunity to feed off the fear of the living that pass through their prison. They accomplish this feat by uncovering the greatest fear from within the minds of their targets and enhancing it. The Tartaran Minotaur takes full advantage of the crippling effect this causes.

Click here for the stat block of the Tartaran Minotaur.

Click here for the stat block of the Souls of the Treacherous.

Tactics

The Tartaran Minotaur attacks with its bare hands and horns. It attempts to gain surprise -- a feat made relatively easy by its surroundings and at-will invisibility -- and attack an unsuspecting target with its Teleporting Slam. Once isolated with its prey, the Tartaran Minotaur stays hidden the shadows, slipping in and out of invisibility, and doing extra damage from the resulting combat advantage.

Soldier of Kronos

When Kronos formally launches his war against humanity, he will be preceded into battle by the damned souls of long-dead soldiers, some of whom are fused into a single being.

Lore

Religion 31: When a great soldier dies, he becomes a leader in Hades’ army. When a mediocre soldier dies, his life force is joined to another in the hopes that together they will serve competently as foot soldiers in that army. Accordingly, these dual-torso soldiers serve as the first line of attack in the war waged upon residents of the World by the god of the underworld.

Encounters

Soldiers of Kronos protect Kronos from harm while he remains imprisoned. As Kronos emerges from the underworld to begin his war against humanity, he hurls Soldiers of Kronos onto the battlefield before him, where they weaken his enemy’s forces by literally slicing through their ranks.

Click here for the stat block of the Soldier Of Kronos.

Tactics

The Soldier of Kronos is thrown onto the battlefield by Kronos. Upon landing, it uses Cinder Strike to burn all in its range, then immediately hurls itself into battle using Rain of Steel. It constantly moves across the battlefield, attacking a different target each round. It focuses on a single target only if no other targets remain.

Stay tuned for part II in which I provide the stat block for Kronos and the artifacts that appear in the movie.

Robert E. Bodine, Esq. practices law in Virginia. He is one of the founding members of the Gamers’ Syndicate and synDCon. He authors the article series, Protection from Chaos, on IP law and gaming. Follow him on Twitter @GSLLC. ]]> Frylock http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?63-Bestiary-Wrath-of-the-Titans-Part-I <![CDATA[baldur's gate.com]]> http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?62-baldur-s-gate-com Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:54:22 GMT
Quote Originally Posted by Steelfiredragon View Post
http://baldursgate.com/


the site's supposedly been redone.....




interesting...
This site shall rise from the ashes like a pheonix and be reborn anew! eventually. ]]> shauno http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?62-baldur-s-gate-com Gaming Clubs Are the Future http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?61-Gaming-Clubs-Are-the-Future Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:42:39 GMT Retail gaming stores are a dying breed. Amazom.com, et al. are killing them for reasons too numerous to list, but most (or all) of which you’re... Retail gaming stores are a dying breed. Amazom.com, et al. are killing them for reasons too numerous to list, but most (or all) of which you’re well-aware. At this point, some metropolitan areas don’t have retail gaming stores serving them (“unserved areas”), while areas with gaming stores (“served areas”) see them going out of business. The DC area is fortunate to have six stores servings the area, though even we have seen some attrition with the closing of the Woodbridge Game Parlor. (The stores are Dream Wizards, Game Parlor, Labyrinth Game Shop, the Family Game Store, Curio Cavern, and the Game Vault.)

Gamers in unserved areas are clamoring for the same support given to served areas, but WotC is unwilling to do so because they need a “brick and mortar” location to which to send the materials. Otherwise, they’re just sending adventures to their customers at home without charging them. That’s not a good business model for a company that makes money by selling those products to their customers.

Unfortunately, there’s a reason areas are unserved. Opening a retail gaming store is tough. Even Borders went bankrupt, and they had a broader product line, which in turn leads to a broader customer base, and as a result they had the advantage of being able to sell in bulk due to a larger inventory. If you plan to opening a more focused shop that serves only a small segment of the overall population, and your metropolitan area is small, you should file for bankruptcy the next day. It just can’t work in the digital age.

Gaming Clubs Are the Future

Unlike retail stores, the existence of gaming clubs is in no way dependent on retail sales. Gaming clubs aren’t usually profit-bearing operations, and meeting their rent can be as simple as charging modest dues or establishing a pay-per-play system. Some might be lucky enough to find free space to organize their games at a church, community center, etc. In short, they can survive the move into the digital age despite a smaller “client” base and focused set of products and services.

Show Me the Money

Quote Originally Posted by WotC
But Rob, you don’t know our budget. How can you possibly ask us to send you money or product?
When I brought up the issue with a couple of WotC folk at DDXP, they both asked the same question: “What do you want from us?” The real question, is what do they want from us, but if their answer is, “Nothing; we’re good,” then they’re dropping the ball in a serious way. Gaming clubs aren’t just an opportunity to grow the hobby in small areas; they’re bound to be the only opportunity to grow the hobby in any areas. If WotC feels that D&D Encounters and Living Forgotten Realms are effective marketing tools – and they must considering how much money they’ve invested in them in the past and present – then they’re going to need a vehicle to support it long after the retail stores close.

Nevertheless, I answered the question, admittedly in a crude, simplistic way, just to keep the conversation going. I suggested that, without spending one more dime then they’re already spending on their website, WotC could put a link to the Gamers’ Syndicate on their homepage as the "gaming club of the month." Imagine the publicity that would provide us. We’d have more members, and a new influx of GMs qualified to run both D&D and other games. We’d get bigger, and people would buy more product. Moreover, it would inspire other gamers to start their own gaming clubs, knowing that doing so might get them front-page exposure. This would have a snowball effect on the national scale, and in a way that isn’t impacted negatively by the move to the digital age.

As a side note, for areas like Washington, DC, a gaming club program shouldn’t encourage gamers to operate out of non-retail space. Supporting retail gaming stores is still the best way to serve the community and surest way to assure the programs accomplish their goals, so as long as an area is a served area, the programs should still operate through those stores. I’ll leave it to the game publishers to determine the details.

Conclusion

Clearly, I’m placing this burden on WotC, because, regardless of how you feel about them, they’re the industry leader, both financially and in terms of vision. They’ve supported multiple living campaigns over the years, they’ve provided a program for new players (i.e., D&D Encounters) with top-notch production values, and they’ve provided a suite of digital tools that, despite criticism, is like nothing else provided by any other company in the industry. If this idea is to take off, it will do so because WotC proves it works. Considering my ideas don’t have the costs associated with D&D Encounters and DDI, I’d expect that proof would inspire other companies to follow suit. Remember, this idea isn’t designed to get us free stuff – we’re the paying customers. Instead, it’s (ultimately) designed to improve game publishers’ sales, which in turn provides us with the gaming opportunities to which we’ve grown accustomed and for which we’re more than willing to pay.

Exactly who loses in that situation?

Robert E. Bodine, Esq. practices real estate and intellectual property law in Virginia. He is one of the founding members of the Gamers’ Syndicate, a Washington, DC-based gaming club, and part owner of synDCon, a table-top gaming convention. He authors the article series on Loremaster.org, Protection from Chaos, dealing with intellectual property law matters as they relate to the gaming industry. You can follow him on Twitter @RobertEBodine for legal matters, @GSLLC for gaming matters, and if you’re a sports fan, @MMADork. ]]> Frylock http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?61-Gaming-Clubs-Are-the-Future This should be an interesting ride. http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?59-This-should-be-an-interesting-ride Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:53:52 GMT Right. 5e is a go.

I can't really be mad at this news. I wanted to be, believe me. I just purchased Essentials, reluctantly, a few months ago, and there's already a new version being discussed. My book shelf is filled completely with RPG books, and half of them carry the D&D brand on them, across many editions. I'm tired of the buy in, I'm tired of the retreads. And I'm not going to lie: I feel a little irked, since I felt like 4e still had so much ground to cover.

But 4E also has warts, big warts that I can't ignore when I look it in the face anymore. We've all heard these discussed time and time again: Character creation becomes a bit heavy on the paper work. Combat encounters are quite lengthy. Powers seem to distract opportunities for creative maneuvers in combat. The math starts to buckle in higher level play, so on and so forth.
Tack this on with errata after errata, and tons of cool concepts that seem to get neglected (rituals, character themes, etc.)

Yeah, it feels like this engine has been pushed a bit hard off the tracks.

Cautious Optimism

I can't gripe about 5e, at least not yet. The approaches and design goals they want are exactly something I want to see. A modular system, intended for the DM to check list what's in and what's out for his campaign. As an RPG tinker gnome, this sounds right up my alley. Hell, the game I've been working on has turned towards a modular "plug and play" design, so how can I bitch about this?

And of course, the open play testing and community feedback. If they really take advantage of this, it could do wonders of actually tuning a system that incorporates the best of old school and new school play. And for all those peeps lambasting WoTC for "copying Paizo"....get real. There's nothing wrong for copying a design approach when it's proven to work with flying colors. Also, remember that Paizo is currently making a name off a modified version of WoTC's baby.....turn about is fair play.

That said, I am going into all of this with a 10' Pole and constantly checking for traps.

Echoing a Plea

Many of said it, and I'm going to echo it:

If, at any point in your life, you were passionate about D&D, if the game to you is more than a branding but an experience and fond memories, then sign up for the damn Open Playtest.

Give feedback. Be constructive. Regardless of which edition was your favorite; tell them what you love, what you hate, and what you would like to see. The worst that happens is that 5e turns out suck, and we go back to either older editions, retro clones, homebrewed hacks or, hell, a whole different system entirely. But, there is a chance that maybe we'll finally get an edition of the game that feels complete, and we can all sit down at the table for it again. ]]> Rev. Lazaro http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?59-This-should-be-an-interesting-ride spelljammer needed http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?58-spelljammer-needed Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:06:21 GMT I miss spelljammer. I enjoyed playing on ships and exploring around worlds and taking on pirates. One of the reasons I left D&D and played StarWars was the space fights and ship customization. I even played Warhamer 4000 because of this. With 5e in the works and Forgotten Realms as anchor campaign, I hope the remember Spelljammer too. ]]> shauno http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?58-spelljammer-needed new edition http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?57-new-edition Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:06:01 GMT I hope that whatever direction they take with this new edition, they go back to the old ways of storytelling. The lack of storytelling is why I left... I hope that whatever direction they take with this new edition, they go back to the old ways of storytelling. The lack of storytelling is why I left D&D in the first plce to play StarWars Saga edition.:cool: ]]> shauno http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?57-new-edition <![CDATA[Article: New Edition of D&D is announced]]> http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?56-Article-New-Edition-of-D-amp-D-is-announced Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:00:19 GMT ---Quote (Originally by Matt James)--- You can view the page at http://loremaster.org/content.php/255-New-Edition-of-D-D-is-announced ----------...
Quote Originally Posted by Matt James View Post
You can view the page at http://loremaster.org/content.php/25...D-is-announced

---------- Post added at 09:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:03 AM ----------

Here is the related L&L article that Mike Mearls put up: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.a...d/4ll/20120109
]]> shauno http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?56-Article-New-Edition-of-D-amp-D-is-announced Would you like to see a Lineage of Cormyr’s rulers in print? http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?55-Would-you-like-to-see-a-Lineage-of-Cormyr’s-rulers-in-print Sun, 08 Jan 2012 19:37:47 GMT ---Quote (Originally by Sanishiver)--- As I understand it Brian Cortijo has been working for quite some time on a lineage of Cormyr’s rulers. I...
Quote Originally Posted by Sanishiver View Post
As I understand it Brian Cortijo has been working for quite some time on a lineage of Cormyr’s rulers. I don’t know how in depth or extensive it is but it’s something I would like to see find its way into Dragon or (more likely) Dungeon Magazine.

Would you like to see something like this in print?

If yes, how do we convince WotC to put it in print? Obviously statements of fan interest are key (Brian outlines the best ways to do that here--see bottom of page 1 of the thread), but I wonder if the lineage itself can’t be expanded on or made more appealing to WotC to begin with?

My thinking is that if the lineage is just an extensive list of names and dates, that’s something a Realmslore fan would be interested in, but it may not be all that useful for Average Joe Dungeon Master.

So I’m wondering if there are possible Character Themes that could be written up in tandem with the Lineage article that could appear in Dragon Magazine? Maybe a character theme built around a Cormyrean noble family who comes to believe their bloodline is not only intermixed with the Obarskyrs, but actually contains more living descendants of Obarskyr blood than the current ruling family? Perhaps this leads them to think they should rule as the “true” Obarskyrs and the character spend time adventuring to discover how deep the family lineage is? That sort of thing?

Any ideas and advice are most welcome.

Edit: I posted some questions about the lineage to Brian on the WotC forums. Hope to get some info from him about the Lineage to maybe spawn good ideas for other material based off of it.

---------- Post added at 07:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:08 PM ----------

Haha did Brian ever come through!

Here's his description of what the Lineage is comprised of: What it is, in its current form, is a 31,000+ word document chronicling the entire history of Cormyr's royal house (it was a bit longer, but the Swords of State article was actually formed from the end portions of the Lineage). It deals with more than 120 different persons of the Obarskyr line, the royal magicians, and various related individuals. It talks about some key events and enemies of the realm, but for the most part, it's a Who's Who of Cormyrean royal history, and the key events of each of their lives, descriptions of personality, and for what (if anything) they are now remembered.

That sounds totally awesome to me.
]]> shauno http://www.loremaster.org/entry.php?55-Would-you-like-to-see-a-Lineage-of-Cormyr’s-rulers-in-print