table top
Table top games take us back to the good ole gaming days, before we had to plug in to play.
Using Puzzle Traps to Effect
One of the most irritating traps can be puzzle traps. Few traps can slow down a party more effectively while providing some excuse to use those rarely used mental skills some characters hoard. However, they tend to rely too heavily on random rolls, making them the least favorite traps of players who have learned to avoid rolls whenever possible. It doesn't help that some players prefer to fight rather than think so cerebral challenges just aren't their thing. This can make them some of the most onerous traps for some and the most exciting for others.
By Jamais Jochimabout a year ago in Gamers
Making Your Dungeon Ecology Work
Even in video games, one of the biggest problems that dungeon designers face is dealing with the ecology of each dungeon level. Worse, some have problems integrating the individual levels into the dungeon as a whole. There are simple ways that a GM can create a simple ecology and use it to make for better dungeons.
By Jamais Jochimabout a year ago in Gamers
Letting PCs Run A Side Business
One potential shop found in the campaign world. [Suzy Hazelwood (Pexels.com)] One of the many things that The Dragonlance Chronicles is famous for is the Inn of the Last Home, a tavern ran by Tika and Caramon Majere. This has provided the inspiration for many PC in-game businesses, running from their own inns and taverns to specialized courier services. Super-hero games are especially infamous for PC-run businesses, especially given the number of PCs that are independently wealthy; the business in question is usually the reason for that wealth when "inherited from parents" just doesn't work. However, there are some logistics that a referee needs to consider when allowing the PCs to run a business, especially when it may be used for future adventure ideas.
By Jamais Jochimabout a year ago in Gamers
The Notebook and Gaming Supremacy
Some gamers have found that they need to keep track of a wide variety of notes during a game. Video game players need to keep track of clues, passwords, and location notes; they also try to keep track of information gleaned from gaming sites and videos. Table-top gamers need to track most of the same, but also monster and trap locations as well as notes on local politics. Some even track star charts and tides. Even game masters like keeping track of monsters killed, NPCs encountered, and even times when actions are done to enforce continuity later.
By Jamais Jochimabout a year ago in Gamers
Lore - The Imperium of Man: Evil For All The Right Reasons.
Welcome to the Imperium of Man, a civilization so vast and oppressive that its very existence is both humanity's greatest triumph and its deepest tragedy. In the Warhammer 40,000 universe, the Imperium serves as humanity's ultimate refuge in an uncaring galaxy—a grim dystopia built on faith, bureaucracy, and war. To understand the Imperium is to glimpse the razor-thin edge on which humanity teeters, trapped between annihilation and a hellish existence that at least comes with dental benefits (assuming you still have teeth).
By Kharlemagneabout a year ago in Gamers
The All-Seeing Eyes Of The Black Veil
In the land of darkness, a shadowy court rules over a bleak and bloody nation. Given a mandate from a dark god, these Lords and Ladies sharpen their claws on one another, while each does their part to keep their boots on the throats of the populace of their nation. For while Nidal is built on unspeakable acts, and on rites so vile they haunt the nightmares of outsiders who have witnessed them, the real glue that holds this nation together is something far more primal than magic, fealty, or faith.
By Neal Litherlandabout a year ago in Gamers
Top 5 best smartphone under 15k price
Top 5 Best Smartphones Under ₹15,000 (December 2024) If you're looking for the best smartphones under ₹15,000 in India, you're in for a treat. The budget smartphone segment is highly competitive, with brands offering top-notch features like 5G connectivity, high-refresh-rate displays, and powerful processors. Here's a detailed look at the top five smartphones that provide exceptional value for money.
By Digvijay Singhabout a year ago in Gamers
Using The Three-Encounter System For Dungeon
Most referees build a comprehensive dungeon, including a random encounter chart, for their players. Done well, this creates a dungeon that can keep them happy for a couple of weeks, depending on how long your gaming sessions are. However, some players are more goal-oriented, and so dungeons that you are meant to go in and actually explore tend to bore them quickly. Some groups may also prefer a more improvised feel to their dungeons; they want to adventure but they just don't want a full-fledged dungeon.
By Jamais Jochimabout a year ago in Gamers
The Importance of a Good Sidekick
One of the most overlooked characters in writing is the sidekick. Far too often, the character is limited to comedy relief and that's a shame; the sidekick can be used for so much more. Properly used, the sidekick can be one of your best tools and make your job that much easier.
By Jamais Jochimabout a year ago in Gamers
Making Fighters That Much Scarier
One of the biggest problems in fantasy is that fighters can be easily overpowered by mages. While the fighter usually just has to outlast the mage, that can be hazardous to the fighter; the mage is still summoning nasty creatures and throwing fireballs, and that assumes that the mage doesn't have a small spectrum of powerful items to potentially bring to bear (which they usually do). However, with a little planning, the fighter can put the odds in his favor.
By Jamais Jochimabout a year ago in Gamers
Traps of the Social Kind
Too many players (and referees) forget that the "RPG" part of "TTRPG" stands for "role-playing game." While the players have no problem getting into specific roles and do their best to act in those roles, the scenarios they tend to find themselves in are pretty much some variation of a fight, be it in a dungeon, bar, or forest; there are few scenarios of the non-combat type. It may be useful to think about different types of social challenges just to shake things up and to give people a chance to try something else.
By Jamais Jochimabout a year ago in Gamers
