Author Archives: Brent
Monster Monday: Light Dragonrider Patrols
The feared dragonriders of Elyslanta patrol the skies of their domain, their riders searching for trouble and reporting back as necessary. The Royal Dragonriders maintain both light and heavy patrol units, using younger and older dragons, respectively, for each type. Light dragonriders typically fly in pairs. They will deal with minor dangers, such as a few … Continue reading
Faction Friday: The Cult of the Werecat
Tharren Ironshield really likes cats. Granted, cats are excellent companions underground, hunting vermin and finding warm spots to nap. Several dwarf clans maintain large numbers of cats as companions and vermin control. But something happened about ten years ago that made Tharren obsessed with cats. He was cursed by a jilted lover to become a werecat (same stats as a … Continue reading
Game Design Hour: How to Get Useful Playtest Feedback
Playtesting your game is thrilling. You’ve finally gotten your baby game in front of other players, you’re seeing what works and doesn’t work. And then the session comes to a close. You say, “Okay, do you have any feedback?” and stare at your playtesters, waiting for them to fall over each other to give you a wealth of … Continue reading
As the GM, I Split the Party…And It Went Great
My favorite RPG convention panel, “Improv DMing,” occurred at GenCon several years ago. It was mostly a Q&A session about how the panel’s host improvs games. Someone asked what he does when the players ask to split the party. He explained that he tells the group that half of them will have to pack up … Continue reading
Game Design Hour: How to Run a Play Test
This is part of a multi-post series about the practicalities of designing a game. Today I’m going to look at the practical actions you need to take while actually running a playtest. First, choose a classic scenario. Avoid the temptation to test an unusual setting for your system, like a James Bond action scenario using … Continue reading
Monster Monday: Komodo Researcher of Tarakona
The savage continent of Tarakona, where draconic races battle for supremacy! The studious komodos explore the ancient ruins that cover Tarakona in groups of 5 to 10, typically made up of rangers, investigators, and tamed hunting drakes, who then report back to a team of researchers in a komodo stone city. Researchers are rarely encountered … Continue reading
Faction Friday: The Caravan of Death
Pity Callahan’s Caravan. Pity, or fear it. Wherever these metal-working merchants go, somebody dies. Callahan’s Caravan of Death is a faction that can be used either as a friendly ally and source of adventure, or as a foe to be fought. It consists of two dozen people (twelve adults and twelve children) spread across nine wagons. They spend the spring … Continue reading
Semi-Monthly Map: Demons’ Tower
Long ago, a now-lost civilization carved several platforms on this natural upthrust tower of stone. Steep, straight ramps lead up to each oddly level platform. All traces of the past civilization’s activity are lost except for a perfectly circular depression on the top platform, in which faint runes can just be discerned. Recently, a demon cult learned that the … Continue reading
“Okay, How Do You Do That?”
Players often get caught up in the game mechanics of what their character is doing and don’t think through the fiction of what they’re doing. A classic example is a rogue who says he “stealths” across a bare field in full sight of an enemy. The GM can check this with a simple question: “Okay, how do … Continue reading
The Treasure Table: This is What You Get?!?
About five months ago I signed up for The Treasure Table, a monthly subscription box aimed specifically at Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition DMs. The first box was supposed to arrive in February. No box. I received an email from the guy behind this, explaining that he was having problems with his shipping company. Apparently he’d never used … Continue reading