9 October 2010
PAX 2010 Celebrity Game
In my very first post, I mentioned that the Penny Arcade/PvP Podcasts introduced me to D&D. At this years Penny Arcade Expo, the group got together once again and recorded their session in front of a live audience -- this time as video! Watch and learn as Chris Perkins DM's for Jerry Holkins, Mike Krahulik, Scott Kurtz and Wil Wheaton in the PAX 2010 Celebrity Game.
12 September 2010
Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Roleplaying Game Starter Set
Wizards of the Coast recently launched a new line of products for D&D 4th Edition called "Essentials". The ideas behind the product line are explained by Wizards of the Coast here: Countdown to Essentials
The specific product that caught my eye, was the Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Roleplaying Game Starter Set. The red box and artwork are a throwback to the original D&D Basic Set from the early 80s, long before I began playing. While D&D veterans may find the design nostalgic, the contents seem to be designed for players new to the game - or at least new to 4th Edition.
The Starter Set is almost like a board game in that it contains everything you need to start playing; a 32-page book for players, a 64-page book for Dungeon Masters, 2 sheets of tokens for characters and monsters, character sheets and power cards, a set of dice and a double-sided dungeon map.
Compared to the Core Rulebooks, the 2 books within the Starter Set are obviously simplified and focus only on levels 1-3. The book for players utilizes a solo adventure, in the style of Choose Your Own Adventure books, to guide the player through the character creation process and teach them the basics of gameplay. The book for Dungeon Masters includes an adventure for the whole party along with the usual rules and advice on running a game.
Due to the newbie friendly books and the fact that no additional purchases are required to begin playing, the Starter Set is perfect for anyone looking to get into D&D for the first time. Veterans of the genre or players that already own the 4th Edition Core Rulebooks probably won't need this Starter Set, though it would still be an excellent tool for introducing friends or family to the game.
Dungeons & Dragons can be quite an expensive hobby to get started with; the combined prices of the Core Rulebooks, dice, miniatures and such can scare people away before they even try the game. The Starter Set is surprisingly inexpensive: much cheaper than just a single core rulebook (at the time of writing). Considering that the Starter Set contains everything you need to start playing, the value for money is impressive.
I wish this Starter Set had been available when I began playing; streamlining the learning process while throwing you directly into the action would have been perfect. Anyone wanting to try D&D should definitely consider this Starter Set before looking into the Core Rulebooks.
The specific product that caught my eye, was the Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Roleplaying Game Starter Set. The red box and artwork are a throwback to the original D&D Basic Set from the early 80s, long before I began playing. While D&D veterans may find the design nostalgic, the contents seem to be designed for players new to the game - or at least new to 4th Edition.
The Starter Set is almost like a board game in that it contains everything you need to start playing; a 32-page book for players, a 64-page book for Dungeon Masters, 2 sheets of tokens for characters and monsters, character sheets and power cards, a set of dice and a double-sided dungeon map.
Compared to the Core Rulebooks, the 2 books within the Starter Set are obviously simplified and focus only on levels 1-3. The book for players utilizes a solo adventure, in the style of Choose Your Own Adventure books, to guide the player through the character creation process and teach them the basics of gameplay. The book for Dungeon Masters includes an adventure for the whole party along with the usual rules and advice on running a game.
Due to the newbie friendly books and the fact that no additional purchases are required to begin playing, the Starter Set is perfect for anyone looking to get into D&D for the first time. Veterans of the genre or players that already own the 4th Edition Core Rulebooks probably won't need this Starter Set, though it would still be an excellent tool for introducing friends or family to the game.
Dungeons & Dragons can be quite an expensive hobby to get started with; the combined prices of the Core Rulebooks, dice, miniatures and such can scare people away before they even try the game. The Starter Set is surprisingly inexpensive: much cheaper than just a single core rulebook (at the time of writing). Considering that the Starter Set contains everything you need to start playing, the value for money is impressive.
I wish this Starter Set had been available when I began playing; streamlining the learning process while throwing you directly into the action would have been perfect. Anyone wanting to try D&D should definitely consider this Starter Set before looking into the Core Rulebooks.
22 July 2010
Puzzles in D&D
Puzzles in role playing games can be quite controversial. Personally I feel that they can encourage communication, provide a nice change of pace and are rewarding for players to solve. There are, however, some pitfalls to watch out for.
Every player has different tastes, and the first thing a dungeon master should consider is whether puzzles would appeal to them. Some players just don't enjoy puzzles. You can never please everybody all of the time, but try to make sure that the majority are interested. It doesn't create a good playing atmosphere if most of the players are sitting back and waiting for others to do all of the work.
One issue with puzzles in a role playing game is that players are supposed to be playing a character, but the character isn't really the one solving the puzzle. It's not good for immersion if an intelligent and wise wizard is unable to solve a simple logic puzzle while a dumb barbarian solves it effortlessly. This problem can be alleviated somewhat by granting bonuses (or penalties) based on a character attributes. For example, a perceptive character may notice that a forgetful guard has scrawled some basic instructions on the floor in chalk.
Remember that while your puzzle may seem perfectly logical in your mind, other people may not interpret them in the same way. Riddles, especially, have a tendency to have multiple correct solutions. Players won't be very happy if you disallow an answer that is technically correct, just because you hadn't thought of it beforehand. Try to find someone outside of your group to test puzzles with and be lenient with good answers that you may not have anticipated.
Requiring the completion of a puzzle to progress can quickly kill a session if it is badly designed or too difficult for your players. Give the party incentive to complete a puzzle, but failure should never stop a game. If your players are making no progress but are particularly stubborn and don't want to give up, then consider setting a time limit or having a patrol interrupt them to keep the session moving.
Try to make sure that your puzzles make sense in the context of the game. Finding a sudoku puzzle in a natural cave full of spiders is quite silly, whereas deciphering a set of runes in a wizard's tower is believable. It can be challenging to create or find good puzzles, so don't waste them; wait for the right time and place to use them and they'll be far more memorable.
Despite so many potential problems with puzzles in role playing games, I feel that when implemented correctly, they can really enhance a game. Just try to know your audience, test the puzzles in advance, and be fair.
Every player has different tastes, and the first thing a dungeon master should consider is whether puzzles would appeal to them. Some players just don't enjoy puzzles. You can never please everybody all of the time, but try to make sure that the majority are interested. It doesn't create a good playing atmosphere if most of the players are sitting back and waiting for others to do all of the work.
One issue with puzzles in a role playing game is that players are supposed to be playing a character, but the character isn't really the one solving the puzzle. It's not good for immersion if an intelligent and wise wizard is unable to solve a simple logic puzzle while a dumb barbarian solves it effortlessly. This problem can be alleviated somewhat by granting bonuses (or penalties) based on a character attributes. For example, a perceptive character may notice that a forgetful guard has scrawled some basic instructions on the floor in chalk.
Remember that while your puzzle may seem perfectly logical in your mind, other people may not interpret them in the same way. Riddles, especially, have a tendency to have multiple correct solutions. Players won't be very happy if you disallow an answer that is technically correct, just because you hadn't thought of it beforehand. Try to find someone outside of your group to test puzzles with and be lenient with good answers that you may not have anticipated.
Requiring the completion of a puzzle to progress can quickly kill a session if it is badly designed or too difficult for your players. Give the party incentive to complete a puzzle, but failure should never stop a game. If your players are making no progress but are particularly stubborn and don't want to give up, then consider setting a time limit or having a patrol interrupt them to keep the session moving.
Try to make sure that your puzzles make sense in the context of the game. Finding a sudoku puzzle in a natural cave full of spiders is quite silly, whereas deciphering a set of runes in a wizard's tower is believable. It can be challenging to create or find good puzzles, so don't waste them; wait for the right time and place to use them and they'll be far more memorable.
Despite so many potential problems with puzzles in role playing games, I feel that when implemented correctly, they can really enhance a game. Just try to know your audience, test the puzzles in advance, and be fair.
14 July 2010
The Dungeon Master's Role
During a recent session of D&D 4e that I run with a small group of friends, one of my players did something unexpected. In the middle of a combat encounter, he ran away and hid. Considering his character is the only defender in the party, this certainly confused the rest of the players. They questioned his actions, but he remained silent. A few rounds later, he rejoined the combat and explained what he had hoped would happen.
The encounter was against the final foe of the adventure, set on a thin staircase circling the edge of the room. His intention had been to stand in a small alcove while his party lured the enemy backwards so that he could bull rush them over the edge. This might have been a good plan, if his party members had known about it. When asked why he hadn't simply told them of his idea, he explained that he didn't want the dungeon master to know.
It seems to be a common misconception by new players that the DM is their opponent. The DM may control the enemy characters, but he is not the enemy himself. D&D isn't a competitive game. The goal of a DM is not to defeat his players, but to guide them through a fun adventure. When a player has an opportunity to do something unique like pushing an enemy off of a ledge, a DM should encourage it.
Players do not need to keep secrets from the DM; he is unlikely to adjust his strategy to ruin your ideas, he wants you to do cool stuff too. Communicate with your party and your DM, share ideas and create moments that make your games a memorable experience.
The encounter was against the final foe of the adventure, set on a thin staircase circling the edge of the room. His intention had been to stand in a small alcove while his party lured the enemy backwards so that he could bull rush them over the edge. This might have been a good plan, if his party members had known about it. When asked why he hadn't simply told them of his idea, he explained that he didn't want the dungeon master to know.
It seems to be a common misconception by new players that the DM is their opponent. The DM may control the enemy characters, but he is not the enemy himself. D&D isn't a competitive game. The goal of a DM is not to defeat his players, but to guide them through a fun adventure. When a player has an opportunity to do something unique like pushing an enemy off of a ledge, a DM should encourage it.
Players do not need to keep secrets from the DM; he is unlikely to adjust his strategy to ruin your ideas, he wants you to do cool stuff too. Communicate with your party and your DM, share ideas and create moments that make your games a memorable experience.
30 June 2010
Monster Manual 3
The 3rd Monster Manual for D&D 4th Edition was released a couple weeks ago (June 15th 2010). The book contains over 200 new monsters, including classics like the Mimic and Lolth.
Monster Manual 3 has redesigned the layout of the statistics block, separating powers into logical groups, making them much easier to read. It's a shame that this format wasn't used from the start, since mixing and matching monsters from all 3 books may now feel slightly awkward.
If you have a D&D Insider subscription, the D&D Compendium (and Monster Builder) should provide the stat blocks of the new monsters. However, with Monster Manual 3 you get more than just stat blocks; the lore, background information and artwork are what bring these creatures to life. It's a nice addition to the D&D 4th Edition core rulebooks.
Monster Manual 3 has redesigned the layout of the statistics block, separating powers into logical groups, making them much easier to read. It's a shame that this format wasn't used from the start, since mixing and matching monsters from all 3 books may now feel slightly awkward.
If you have a D&D Insider subscription, the D&D Compendium (and Monster Builder) should provide the stat blocks of the new monsters. However, with Monster Manual 3 you get more than just stat blocks; the lore, background information and artwork are what bring these creatures to life. It's a nice addition to the D&D 4th Edition core rulebooks.
1 June 2010
D&D 4e Rules: Blast and Burst
When my group first decided to try D&D 4th Edition, we had no prior experience with pen-and-paper RPGs and our main concern was being confused and overwhelmed by the rules. While our first sessions were certainly a little rough around the edges, we quickly picked up the basic concepts and had a lot of fun. Months later, our knowledge of the rules has gradually increased, but not a session goes by without us reading a rule we'd previously missed or misinterpreted.
The differences between blasts and bursts were something that we struggled to wrap our heads around at first, so I made a few images and descriptions for us to use as quick references. Hopefully others might benefit from them too.
A blast is what you might imagine when a dragon breathes fire. It must originate from a square within the users space and the blast area must occupy at least one adjacent square to its origin. The area that the blast fills is always a square, the width of which is specified by each power. For example, a blast 2 fills a 2-square-by-2-square area. A blast only affects targets in its area if there is line of effect from the origin square to the target. Blasts do not provoke opportunity attacks.
Blast 2 by a medium sized user.
Blast 3 by a large sized user.
There are two types of burst attack; close burst is what you might imagine if an enemy swung a flail 360 degrees, area burst is what you might imagine if an enemy threw a barrel of oil that exploded as it smashed on the floor.
Close bursts extend outwards in every direction from the user. The distance that the close burst extends is specified by each power. For example, a close burst 2 extends 2 squares in every direction from the user. The actual size of the area varies depending on the size category of the user. For a medium sized user that occupies a single square, a close burst 2 would actually fill a 5-square-by-5-square area with the medium user in the center square. A large sized user occupies a 2-square-by-2-square area, so a close burst 2 would actually fill a 6-square-by-6-square area with the large user in the center squares. A close burst only affects targets within its area if there is line of effect from the user to the target. Close bursts do not provoke opportunity attacks and the user is not affected by their own close burst, unless the power states otherwise.
Close burst 2 by a medium sized user.
Close burst 1 by a large sized user.
Area bursts can originate from a square up to a range from the user. The burst then extends outwards from the target square in every direction. The range and burst distance are specified by each power. For example, a burst 2 within 10 squares means that the burst can be placed up to 10 squares away from the user and the burst would then affect its origin square and every square within 2 squares of it. An area burst can provoke opportunity attacks and unless the power states otherwise, an area burst can affect the user.
Area burst 1, within 5 squares. Note that the origin square is also affected.
Area burst 2, within 5 squares. Note that the burst can be placed anywhere up to 5 squares, it doesn't need to be maximum range. The user can also be affected by the burst.
So if anyone wants to try D&D 4th Edition but is worried about learning the rules, don't be! You won't be alone in not knowing or misunderstanding some rules and you certainly don't need to know every rule from the very beginning (or even use them all, when you do know them). Start playing and having fun, your knowledge of the game will develop naturally.
The differences between blasts and bursts were something that we struggled to wrap our heads around at first, so I made a few images and descriptions for us to use as quick references. Hopefully others might benefit from them too.
A blast is what you might imagine when a dragon breathes fire. It must originate from a square within the users space and the blast area must occupy at least one adjacent square to its origin. The area that the blast fills is always a square, the width of which is specified by each power. For example, a blast 2 fills a 2-square-by-2-square area. A blast only affects targets in its area if there is line of effect from the origin square to the target. Blasts do not provoke opportunity attacks.
Blast 2 by a medium sized user.
Blast 3 by a large sized user.
There are two types of burst attack; close burst is what you might imagine if an enemy swung a flail 360 degrees, area burst is what you might imagine if an enemy threw a barrel of oil that exploded as it smashed on the floor.
Close bursts extend outwards in every direction from the user. The distance that the close burst extends is specified by each power. For example, a close burst 2 extends 2 squares in every direction from the user. The actual size of the area varies depending on the size category of the user. For a medium sized user that occupies a single square, a close burst 2 would actually fill a 5-square-by-5-square area with the medium user in the center square. A large sized user occupies a 2-square-by-2-square area, so a close burst 2 would actually fill a 6-square-by-6-square area with the large user in the center squares. A close burst only affects targets within its area if there is line of effect from the user to the target. Close bursts do not provoke opportunity attacks and the user is not affected by their own close burst, unless the power states otherwise.
Close burst 2 by a medium sized user.
Close burst 1 by a large sized user.
Area bursts can originate from a square up to a range from the user. The burst then extends outwards from the target square in every direction. The range and burst distance are specified by each power. For example, a burst 2 within 10 squares means that the burst can be placed up to 10 squares away from the user and the burst would then affect its origin square and every square within 2 squares of it. An area burst can provoke opportunity attacks and unless the power states otherwise, an area burst can affect the user.
Area burst 1, within 5 squares. Note that the origin square is also affected.
Area burst 2, within 5 squares. Note that the burst can be placed anywhere up to 5 squares, it doesn't need to be maximum range. The user can also be affected by the burst.
So if anyone wants to try D&D 4th Edition but is worried about learning the rules, don't be! You won't be alone in not knowing or misunderstanding some rules and you certainly don't need to know every rule from the very beginning (or even use them all, when you do know them). Start playing and having fun, your knowledge of the game will develop naturally.
13 May 2010
MapTool
I have a confession: my group don't meet in person for our sessions of D&D, we play online. I realise that this may be blasphemy to some people, but with the range of modern technology available to us, I honestly feel that it's a perfectly valid way to play.
Admittedly, certain aspects of the game are hard to replicate in a virtual environment; the phenomenon of players getting attached to “lucky” dice doesn't really happen with random number generators. Nevertheless, for my group, the convenience of playing online was worth missing out on a few RPG traditions.
D&D is quite a social experience and of course there are many ways to communicate online. Some games are played on forums in a play-by-post (PbP) style or even via email, naturally these can be quite slow paced but may be ideal for groups who can't all play at the same time. For faster paced games, like you'd normally expect when played at a table, real-time chat of some variety is needed. Our group uses voice chat, but web-cams or text chat would probably work too.
For D&D 4th Edition, at least, much of the game revolves around grid-based maps. Sharing images online is easy enough, but for a more interactive solution there are programs known as Virtual Gaming Tables or Virtual Tabletops.
My group uses a program called MapTool, which has many features, but essentially allows DMs to create maps while players can connect and interact with them in real-time. MapTool is free, open-source and written in Java. It should run on Windows, Linux, Mac OS X and just about any other system with a Java Runtime Environment.
Creating maps is as simple as dragging and dropping tiles from the resource library, rotating and resizing as needed. The default library of artwork is small but several other packs are available to download from the “Add Resource to Library” option in the File menu. MapTool also seems to support most of the common image file formats, so you can use just about any image you can find.
Tokens are used to represent player characters, NPCs and monsters. Besides a picture, they can be used to store information, from simple notes to an entire character sheet. Each token has ownership settings, so players can be restricted to controlling only their own tokens. MapTool also includes Vision Blocking and Fog of War, which limit players to seeing only what their character's token should be able to see.
Despite the name, MapTool is more than a mapping program. There are too many features to mention in detail, but of course there's also text chat, initiative tracking, dice rolling, whiteboard style drawing tools, area of effect templates and so on.
MapTool tries to be “game system neutral” by not having much built-in support for specific games, so that it can be used for lots of different games. However, it's very configurable and there's an active community that create and release macros and frameworks that can add all kinds of features.
My group have been playing online with MapTool since we began playing D&D, I can't recommend it enough. We've added a few macros and frameworks to our arsenal as the weeks went by, and now our games run really smoothly. Honestly, if your group is ever unable to gather in person, consider moving the session online instead.
Admittedly, certain aspects of the game are hard to replicate in a virtual environment; the phenomenon of players getting attached to “lucky” dice doesn't really happen with random number generators. Nevertheless, for my group, the convenience of playing online was worth missing out on a few RPG traditions.
D&D is quite a social experience and of course there are many ways to communicate online. Some games are played on forums in a play-by-post (PbP) style or even via email, naturally these can be quite slow paced but may be ideal for groups who can't all play at the same time. For faster paced games, like you'd normally expect when played at a table, real-time chat of some variety is needed. Our group uses voice chat, but web-cams or text chat would probably work too.
For D&D 4th Edition, at least, much of the game revolves around grid-based maps. Sharing images online is easy enough, but for a more interactive solution there are programs known as Virtual Gaming Tables or Virtual Tabletops.
My group uses a program called MapTool, which has many features, but essentially allows DMs to create maps while players can connect and interact with them in real-time. MapTool is free, open-source and written in Java. It should run on Windows, Linux, Mac OS X and just about any other system with a Java Runtime Environment.
Creating maps is as simple as dragging and dropping tiles from the resource library, rotating and resizing as needed. The default library of artwork is small but several other packs are available to download from the “Add Resource to Library” option in the File menu. MapTool also seems to support most of the common image file formats, so you can use just about any image you can find.
Tokens are used to represent player characters, NPCs and monsters. Besides a picture, they can be used to store information, from simple notes to an entire character sheet. Each token has ownership settings, so players can be restricted to controlling only their own tokens. MapTool also includes Vision Blocking and Fog of War, which limit players to seeing only what their character's token should be able to see.
Despite the name, MapTool is more than a mapping program. There are too many features to mention in detail, but of course there's also text chat, initiative tracking, dice rolling, whiteboard style drawing tools, area of effect templates and so on.
MapTool tries to be “game system neutral” by not having much built-in support for specific games, so that it can be used for lots of different games. However, it's very configurable and there's an active community that create and release macros and frameworks that can add all kinds of features.
My group have been playing online with MapTool since we began playing D&D, I can't recommend it enough. We've added a few macros and frameworks to our arsenal as the weeks went by, and now our games run really smoothly. Honestly, if your group is ever unable to gather in person, consider moving the session online instead.
29 April 2010
iPlay4e & Masterplan
While Wizards of the Coast provide official tools with their D&D Insider subscription, there are also many unofficial third-party tools available. Some tools are created by professional companies while others are fan-made, some are for profit and others are free. I'm constantly on the lookout for new tools and resources that can improve my games and the sheer volume and range to be found is impressive.
One site that my players use is iPlay4e, which is essentially an online character sheet. It requires a Google account and is free to use, but requires you to upload character files created by the D&D Insider Character Builder. Once characters are uploaded, you can share the link with friends or create and join a campaign with them for a handy overview of the entire party. The character sheets are also interactive and can be used to keep track of things like hit points, healing surges, action points and power consumption. Dice rolling is also built-in; simply clicking the boxes next to the appropriate stat, skill or power will roll a dice and automatically include any relevant modifiers. If you have an active D&D Insider subscription, iPlay4e has a built-in Compendium browser that will look up details of anything on your sheet without requiring you to open another window. The icing on the cake with iPlay4e, is the mobile view; players can easily use their iPhones and other mobile devices as a small, interactive character sheet.
Another tool that I recently discovered is Masterplan. Primarily for dungeon masters, Masterplan is an "Adventure Design Studio". Once again, this tool is free to download but can optionally make use of a D&D Insider subscription to download creatures, traps and treasure from the Compendium for quick use in your campaigns. With Masterplan, a DM can easily create a flowchart of the campaign plot and connect encounters, quests and maps to each plot point. Creating encounters is simply a matter of dragging and dropping creatures, traps and skill challenges from a library, then Masterplan will calculate the total XP values and display the difficulty for the party level; an auto-build feature will even generate encounters for you based on a few criteria that you set. Building encounter maps is equally simple, just drag and drop dungeon tiles from your library or use auto-build to generate a map from the tile libraries that you select. If you have a separate display available, you can even use Masterplan to display information to your players; it's possible to run a full encounter with maps and tokens while tracking initiative, hit points, conditions and ongoing damage for each player and creature. Even if you don't use the player view feature, Masterplan is still an amazing tool to help dungeon masters design their campaigns.
One site that my players use is iPlay4e, which is essentially an online character sheet. It requires a Google account and is free to use, but requires you to upload character files created by the D&D Insider Character Builder. Once characters are uploaded, you can share the link with friends or create and join a campaign with them for a handy overview of the entire party. The character sheets are also interactive and can be used to keep track of things like hit points, healing surges, action points and power consumption. Dice rolling is also built-in; simply clicking the boxes next to the appropriate stat, skill or power will roll a dice and automatically include any relevant modifiers. If you have an active D&D Insider subscription, iPlay4e has a built-in Compendium browser that will look up details of anything on your sheet without requiring you to open another window. The icing on the cake with iPlay4e, is the mobile view; players can easily use their iPhones and other mobile devices as a small, interactive character sheet.
Another tool that I recently discovered is Masterplan. Primarily for dungeon masters, Masterplan is an "Adventure Design Studio". Once again, this tool is free to download but can optionally make use of a D&D Insider subscription to download creatures, traps and treasure from the Compendium for quick use in your campaigns. With Masterplan, a DM can easily create a flowchart of the campaign plot and connect encounters, quests and maps to each plot point. Creating encounters is simply a matter of dragging and dropping creatures, traps and skill challenges from a library, then Masterplan will calculate the total XP values and display the difficulty for the party level; an auto-build feature will even generate encounters for you based on a few criteria that you set. Building encounter maps is equally simple, just drag and drop dungeon tiles from your library or use auto-build to generate a map from the tile libraries that you select. If you have a separate display available, you can even use Masterplan to display information to your players; it's possible to run a full encounter with maps and tokens while tracking initiative, hit points, conditions and ongoing damage for each player and creature. Even if you don't use the player view feature, Masterplan is still an amazing tool to help dungeon masters design their campaigns.
21 April 2010
D&D Insider
The original Dungeons & Dragons was published in 1974 and much has changed between then and now. D&D is traditionally played at a table with dice and stationery, but there is no reason that you can't use modern technology to enhance the experience. Whether it's simply an iPhone application for dice rolling or a projector to display maps on the tabletop, there's surely some digital tool that can improve your games.
I'll begin with D&D Insider, a subscription-based service from Wizards of the Coast. DDI provides the subscribers with access to tools such as Character Builder and Monster Builder (which is currently in beta), full access to D&D Compendium and monthly editions of Dungeon Magazine and Dragon Magazine.
Character Builder is a very useful interactive tool that guides you through the character creation process and will automatically fill out your character sheet based on your choices of race, class, feats, etc. There is a demo available that limits characters to levels 1-3, download it here: Character Builder Demo
D&D Compendium is essentially a huge database that allows you to search for information on feats, powers, rituals, items, monsters etc. You can view a demo here: D&D Compendium Demo
Dungeon Magazine is a resource for Dungeon Masters to help them improve their campaigns with world-building advice, new monsters and villains and even full pre-made adventures. Dragon Magazine is a resource for players with content to help expand character options beyond that of the Player's Handbooks; each issue contains new powers, feats, magic items, paragon paths and epic destinies.
Whether DDI is worth the subscription cost is really a matter of opinion. The tools are useful and excellent quality, though some have yet to see the light of day despite being announced years ago. The compendium is simply information that can mostly be found within the core rulebooks, but the ability to quickly filter and search is what makes it so helpful. It's also worth noting that if your subscription expires, you still get to keep all of your downloaded magazines and tools with full functionality, so even a 1-month subscription would grant access to a lot of content.
I'll begin with D&D Insider, a subscription-based service from Wizards of the Coast. DDI provides the subscribers with access to tools such as Character Builder and Monster Builder (which is currently in beta), full access to D&D Compendium and monthly editions of Dungeon Magazine and Dragon Magazine.
Character Builder is a very useful interactive tool that guides you through the character creation process and will automatically fill out your character sheet based on your choices of race, class, feats, etc. There is a demo available that limits characters to levels 1-3, download it here: Character Builder Demo
D&D Compendium is essentially a huge database that allows you to search for information on feats, powers, rituals, items, monsters etc. You can view a demo here: D&D Compendium Demo
Dungeon Magazine is a resource for Dungeon Masters to help them improve their campaigns with world-building advice, new monsters and villains and even full pre-made adventures. Dragon Magazine is a resource for players with content to help expand character options beyond that of the Player's Handbooks; each issue contains new powers, feats, magic items, paragon paths and epic destinies.
Whether DDI is worth the subscription cost is really a matter of opinion. The tools are useful and excellent quality, though some have yet to see the light of day despite being announced years ago. The compendium is simply information that can mostly be found within the core rulebooks, but the ability to quickly filter and search is what makes it so helpful. It's also worth noting that if your subscription expires, you still get to keep all of your downloaded magazines and tools with full functionality, so even a 1-month subscription would grant access to a lot of content.
9 April 2010
Other Role-playing Games
As a new player to the genre, my experience is mostly limited to Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition which I feel is an excellent option for beginners; it only requires a basic knowledge of the rules to get started playing and the rest naturally develop over time. Everyone has their own needs and tastes however, and there are other games out there which are worth taking a look at.
To begin with, as the name suggests, D&D 4th Edition is not the only version of D&D available. Many people still play older versions of D&D; some don't want to buy a new set of rulebooks or learn a new set of rules, others simply feel that the old rules are superior. You can find out information on all of the versions of D&D with a list of differences here: Editions of Dungeons & Dragons
Wizards of the Coast released the d20 System used in Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition under the Open Game License, which allowed other companies to use the system to create and publish their own games. One popular example is Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, which is an adaptation of the D&D 3.5 rules. The design goals of the game were to improve upon the existing D&D 3.5 rules, add new options for players and attempt to be compatible with material already available for D&D 3.5.
Venturing away from the D&D systems entirely, we can find things such as the Generic Universal RolePlaying System. GURPS is purposely designed to be generic and universal so that players can apply the core rules to whatever setting they might want to role-play in. This means that if the traditional fantasy setting doesn't suit you, GURPS should work equally with guns and spaceships as it does with swords and magic.
Shadowrun is a game with a less traditional, cross-genre setting; a mixture of cyberpunk and fantasy in a near-future Earth where magic has returned. Mega-corporations, governments and even crime syndicates hire specialists known as Shadowrunners to do their dirty work. The game mechanics are based on a custom 6-sided dice system and characters are skill-based rather than class-based.
Lastly, I want to mention the World of Darkness and the Storytelling System by White Wolf. The World of Darkness is a setting and core rulebook used by (at least) 3 games; Vampire: The Requiem, Werewolf: The Forsaken and Mage: The Awakening. The games are set in a modern-day Earth where the supernatural is real, though generally hidden from human awareness. The Storytelling System is used in many games by White Wolf and uses 10-sided dice to roll successes or failures for various tasks.
It's a good idea to investigate and discuss the options with your group before diving in head-first. I'm definitely glad that my group began with D&D 4th Edition, but I would certainly like to try some of these other games in the future.
To begin with, as the name suggests, D&D 4th Edition is not the only version of D&D available. Many people still play older versions of D&D; some don't want to buy a new set of rulebooks or learn a new set of rules, others simply feel that the old rules are superior. You can find out information on all of the versions of D&D with a list of differences here: Editions of Dungeons & Dragons
Wizards of the Coast released the d20 System used in Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition under the Open Game License, which allowed other companies to use the system to create and publish their own games. One popular example is Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, which is an adaptation of the D&D 3.5 rules. The design goals of the game were to improve upon the existing D&D 3.5 rules, add new options for players and attempt to be compatible with material already available for D&D 3.5.
Venturing away from the D&D systems entirely, we can find things such as the Generic Universal RolePlaying System. GURPS is purposely designed to be generic and universal so that players can apply the core rules to whatever setting they might want to role-play in. This means that if the traditional fantasy setting doesn't suit you, GURPS should work equally with guns and spaceships as it does with swords and magic.
Shadowrun is a game with a less traditional, cross-genre setting; a mixture of cyberpunk and fantasy in a near-future Earth where magic has returned. Mega-corporations, governments and even crime syndicates hire specialists known as Shadowrunners to do their dirty work. The game mechanics are based on a custom 6-sided dice system and characters are skill-based rather than class-based.
Lastly, I want to mention the World of Darkness and the Storytelling System by White Wolf. The World of Darkness is a setting and core rulebook used by (at least) 3 games; Vampire: The Requiem, Werewolf: The Forsaken and Mage: The Awakening. The games are set in a modern-day Earth where the supernatural is real, though generally hidden from human awareness. The Storytelling System is used in many games by White Wolf and uses 10-sided dice to roll successes or failures for various tasks.
It's a good idea to investigate and discuss the options with your group before diving in head-first. I'm definitely glad that my group began with D&D 4th Edition, but I would certainly like to try some of these other games in the future.
1 April 2010
Pre-made Adventures
A dungeon master has many jobs, but they can be split into two categories; creating the game and running the game. With D&D 4th Edition, the basic rules can be quickly learned and more advanced rules will be encountered and incorporated naturally and gradually. After a few sessions, running a game should become almost second nature to a DM. Creating a game, however, can be a far more daunting task.
Anyone can imagine a fictional world, fill it with traps and populate it with monsters, but the art is in making it interesting to your players. The Dungeon Master's Guides are full of advice to help you create adventures that your players should find compelling; if you still don't know where to begin or don't have enough time, pre-made adventures and campaigns are another option.
My group have been playing a series of adventures released by Wizards of the Coast. The full campaign is a set of nine books that should take your characters from level 1, all the way to level 30. Wizards of the Coast released the first adventure as a PDF file that you can download for free from their site: H1: Keep on the Shadowfell
Keep on the Shadowfell is an excellent introduction to D&D 4th Edition. The adventure has an interesting storyline with plenty of background information for the DM to utilize as they see fit. The format of the book makes things as easy as possible for a first time DM. Each encounter has it's own chapter with descriptions to read aloud to your players and a map showing you how to place the enemies and traps. Every enemy has it's own stat block printed alongside the encounter, so you don't even need to cross-reference the Monster Manual. The book also explains rules that a new DM may not be familiar with, as they are encountered.
The series of adventures are divided into groups of three for each tier of play. The set of books for the heroic tier include Keep on the Shadowfell for characters level 1-3, Thunderspire Labyrinth for characters level 4-6 and Pyramid of Shadows for characters 7-10.
The set of books for the paragon tier include King of the Trollhaunt Warrens for characters level 11-14, Demon Queen's Enclave for characters level 14-17 and Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress for characters level 17-21.
The set of books for the epic tier include Death's Reach for characters level 21-24, Kingdom of the Ghouls for characters level 24-27 and Prince of Undeath for characters level 27-30.
Anyone can imagine a fictional world, fill it with traps and populate it with monsters, but the art is in making it interesting to your players. The Dungeon Master's Guides are full of advice to help you create adventures that your players should find compelling; if you still don't know where to begin or don't have enough time, pre-made adventures and campaigns are another option.
My group have been playing a series of adventures released by Wizards of the Coast. The full campaign is a set of nine books that should take your characters from level 1, all the way to level 30. Wizards of the Coast released the first adventure as a PDF file that you can download for free from their site: H1: Keep on the Shadowfell
Keep on the Shadowfell is an excellent introduction to D&D 4th Edition. The adventure has an interesting storyline with plenty of background information for the DM to utilize as they see fit. The format of the book makes things as easy as possible for a first time DM. Each encounter has it's own chapter with descriptions to read aloud to your players and a map showing you how to place the enemies and traps. Every enemy has it's own stat block printed alongside the encounter, so you don't even need to cross-reference the Monster Manual. The book also explains rules that a new DM may not be familiar with, as they are encountered.
The series of adventures are divided into groups of three for each tier of play. The set of books for the heroic tier include Keep on the Shadowfell for characters level 1-3, Thunderspire Labyrinth for characters level 4-6 and Pyramid of Shadows for characters 7-10.
The set of books for the paragon tier include King of the Trollhaunt Warrens for characters level 11-14, Demon Queen's Enclave for characters level 14-17 and Assault on Nightwyrm Fortress for characters level 17-21.
The set of books for the epic tier include Death's Reach for characters level 21-24, Kingdom of the Ghouls for characters level 24-27 and Prince of Undeath for characters level 27-30.
25 March 2010
More Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition Core Rulebooks
Previously, I mentioned that players need a Player's Handbook and the DM needs a Dungeon Master's Guide and Monster Manual to play or run a game. There are, however, more rulebooks available, if you want to expand your options.
The first Player's Handbook contains the information required to create a character of the Dragonborn, Dwarf, Eladrin, Elf, Half-Elf, Halfling, Human or Tiefling race and the Cleric, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Warlock, Warlord or Wizard class. If those options aren't enough for you, then there's also a Player's Handbook 2 and Player's Handbook 3 available. Player's Handbook 2 contains the Deva, Gnome, Goliath, Half-Orc and Shifter races and the Avenger, Barbarian, Bard, Druid, Invoker, Shaman, Sorcerer and Warden classes. Player's Handbook 3 contains the Githzerai, Minotaur, Shardmind and Wilden races and the Ardent, Battlemind, Monk, Psion, Runepriest and Seeker classes. The books also contain minor rule updates and systems for creating hybrid characters or multiclassing.
Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition is split into 3 tiers of play; Level 1-10 is called the heroic tier, Level 11-20 is the paragon tier and Level 21-30 is the epic tier. The first Dungeon Master's Guide contains everything needed to run a game for any and all tiers, but there is a Dungeon Master's Guide 2 that has a specific focus on running adventures and campaigns in the paragon tier. There will also be a Dungeon Master's Guide 3 in the future (September 2010), with a focus on the epic tier.
Lastly, if there just aren't enough monsters for your party to kill in the first Monster Manual, there's also a Monster Manual 2 available with hundreds of new (and old) monsters for you use in your campaigns. Monster Manual 3 is also due to be released on June 15th 2010.
The first Player's Handbook contains the information required to create a character of the Dragonborn, Dwarf, Eladrin, Elf, Half-Elf, Halfling, Human or Tiefling race and the Cleric, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Warlock, Warlord or Wizard class. If those options aren't enough for you, then there's also a Player's Handbook 2 and Player's Handbook 3 available. Player's Handbook 2 contains the Deva, Gnome, Goliath, Half-Orc and Shifter races and the Avenger, Barbarian, Bard, Druid, Invoker, Shaman, Sorcerer and Warden classes. Player's Handbook 3 contains the Githzerai, Minotaur, Shardmind and Wilden races and the Ardent, Battlemind, Monk, Psion, Runepriest and Seeker classes. The books also contain minor rule updates and systems for creating hybrid characters or multiclassing.
Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition is split into 3 tiers of play; Level 1-10 is called the heroic tier, Level 11-20 is the paragon tier and Level 21-30 is the epic tier. The first Dungeon Master's Guide contains everything needed to run a game for any and all tiers, but there is a Dungeon Master's Guide 2 that has a specific focus on running adventures and campaigns in the paragon tier. There will also be a Dungeon Master's Guide 3 in the future (September 2010), with a focus on the epic tier.
Lastly, if there just aren't enough monsters for your party to kill in the first Monster Manual, there's also a Monster Manual 2 available with hundreds of new (and old) monsters for you use in your campaigns. Monster Manual 3 is also due to be released on June 15th 2010.
18 March 2010
How To Get Started Playing Dungeons & Dragons
I've always been an avid computer and video gamer, but pen-and-paper role-playing games eluded me until very recently. I suspect I'm not alone when I say that it was the Penny Arcade/PvP Podcasts that introduced me to Dungeons & Dragons. By the end of the first episode, my interest had been piqued, so I began to research what was needed to get started playing.
It may seem silly to even mention, but the first thing you need is players. My group are close friends who are all completely new to D&D, just like me. Having an experienced player available to explain complicated rules would be useful, but since we're all in the same situation, we're tolerant of each others mistakes. The rules of D&D assume that you have 6 players total, 1 of which plays a special role. If you have more or less than 6 people, don't worry; it's perfectly possible to adapt the game to suit your group.
Once you have some players, at least one of them is going to need to assume the role of the Dungeon Master. The DM is the referee and the narrator, he controls many characters in both combat and conversation, in some cases he creates the world that the characters adventure in. When deciding who should take the role of DM, creativity and basic math skills are helpful but dedication and time are most important. While normal players can just turn up and play, the DM needs to prepare each session in advance. DM'ing can be a lot of hard work but also very rewarding.
At this point, it's time to start buying some materials and equipment. D&D is fundamentally a dice game, but the dice used are not just the 6-sided variety you find in most board games. At a minimum, you'll need one d20 (20-sided die), one d12 (12-sided die), one d10 (10-sided die), one d8 (8-sided die), one d6 (6-sided die) and one d4 (4-sided die). Ideally, each player should have their own set with more than one of each type; it can really hinder a game when you have to pass dice around the table for each turn. You should be able to buy them from a local gaming store or online in all sorts of colours and designs.
Next, you'll need some rulebooks. D&D 4th Edition is the latest incarnation, but you'll certainly find many players that will tell you newer doesn't necessarily mean better. Feel free to investigate older versions or even other pen-and-paper games, though my group went with D&D 4th Edition because we were told it was easier to learn for newbies like us.
Everyone will need a Player's Handbook which contains all the information needed to create and play your character; which races and classes it can be, which feats and skills it can choose and which powers it can use. It's possible to share this book amongst all of the players but it will be much smoother if every player has their own. In addition, the DM needs a Dungeon Master's Guide and a Monster Manual. The Dungeon Master's Guide contains everything you need to know to run a game of D&D, from combat rules to tips on creating your own game world. The Monster Manual has information on official D&D monsters with illustrations, descriptions and statistics.
Technically, apart from some stationery, the core rulebooks and a set of dice are all you really need to get started. However, you'll still need to create maps somehow. Hand-drawn maps on graph paper work just fine with a little imagination, or be a little more modern and print something with your computer. If you want to go beyond that, there are battle grid products that you can draw on with marker pens and clean and reuse afterwards. You can even buy dungeon tiles which are sets of cards with artwork printed on them that you can arrange to represent various locations.
Lastly, you need something to represent the players and monsters and their positions on your maps. You can improvise and use just about anything, from board game pieces to coins. If you want something more artistic, you can buy plastic miniature figurines. Collecting miniatures can be an expensive hobby, but they make for a nice finishing touch.
If you're interested in trying D&D 4th Edition but not sure if you want to spend any money just yet, go here: Try DnD
Wizards of the Coast have released some quick start rules and a free pre-made adventure with pre-generated characters, they even have a Dice Roller on their site. Everything you need to get started is right there. Have fun.
It may seem silly to even mention, but the first thing you need is players. My group are close friends who are all completely new to D&D, just like me. Having an experienced player available to explain complicated rules would be useful, but since we're all in the same situation, we're tolerant of each others mistakes. The rules of D&D assume that you have 6 players total, 1 of which plays a special role. If you have more or less than 6 people, don't worry; it's perfectly possible to adapt the game to suit your group.
Once you have some players, at least one of them is going to need to assume the role of the Dungeon Master. The DM is the referee and the narrator, he controls many characters in both combat and conversation, in some cases he creates the world that the characters adventure in. When deciding who should take the role of DM, creativity and basic math skills are helpful but dedication and time are most important. While normal players can just turn up and play, the DM needs to prepare each session in advance. DM'ing can be a lot of hard work but also very rewarding.
At this point, it's time to start buying some materials and equipment. D&D is fundamentally a dice game, but the dice used are not just the 6-sided variety you find in most board games. At a minimum, you'll need one d20 (20-sided die), one d12 (12-sided die), one d10 (10-sided die), one d8 (8-sided die), one d6 (6-sided die) and one d4 (4-sided die). Ideally, each player should have their own set with more than one of each type; it can really hinder a game when you have to pass dice around the table for each turn. You should be able to buy them from a local gaming store or online in all sorts of colours and designs.
Next, you'll need some rulebooks. D&D 4th Edition is the latest incarnation, but you'll certainly find many players that will tell you newer doesn't necessarily mean better. Feel free to investigate older versions or even other pen-and-paper games, though my group went with D&D 4th Edition because we were told it was easier to learn for newbies like us.
Everyone will need a Player's Handbook which contains all the information needed to create and play your character; which races and classes it can be, which feats and skills it can choose and which powers it can use. It's possible to share this book amongst all of the players but it will be much smoother if every player has their own. In addition, the DM needs a Dungeon Master's Guide and a Monster Manual. The Dungeon Master's Guide contains everything you need to know to run a game of D&D, from combat rules to tips on creating your own game world. The Monster Manual has information on official D&D monsters with illustrations, descriptions and statistics.
Technically, apart from some stationery, the core rulebooks and a set of dice are all you really need to get started. However, you'll still need to create maps somehow. Hand-drawn maps on graph paper work just fine with a little imagination, or be a little more modern and print something with your computer. If you want to go beyond that, there are battle grid products that you can draw on with marker pens and clean and reuse afterwards. You can even buy dungeon tiles which are sets of cards with artwork printed on them that you can arrange to represent various locations.
Lastly, you need something to represent the players and monsters and their positions on your maps. You can improvise and use just about anything, from board game pieces to coins. If you want something more artistic, you can buy plastic miniature figurines. Collecting miniatures can be an expensive hobby, but they make for a nice finishing touch.
If you're interested in trying D&D 4th Edition but not sure if you want to spend any money just yet, go here: Try DnD
Wizards of the Coast have released some quick start rules and a free pre-made adventure with pre-generated characters, they even have a Dice Roller on their site. Everything you need to get started is right there. Have fun.
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