d20
D&D4e: 3 [campaign settings] books and out
The Gamer Dome reports from the GAMA Trade Show: "Forgotten Realms 4e is three books, period, done, end of line: Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide, Player’s Guide to FR, and DM’s Guide to FR. All settings will be done like that, one per year, until they run out of settings. They mentioned Greyhawk, Ravenloft, Dark Sun, and Spelljammer as settings on their list!"
WOTC D&D4e GSL OMG BBQ
Wizards of the Coast is pleased to announce that third-party publishers will be allowed to publish products compatible with the Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition game system under the new Dungeons & Dragons 4E Game System License (D&D 4E GSL). This royalty-free license will replace the former d20 System Trademark License (STL), and will have a System Reference Document (SRD) available for referencing permissible content.
D&D 4e Character Sheets Released
Character sheets for the forthcoming D&D 4th edition have apparently been leaked online, according to a front-page story on Wired.com (although this would seem to be more of a release, as Morbus points out in the comments below). The big question: what are healing surges?
Getting Personal 4: Ninja Ninja Bo Binja
In my last column I covered eight personality archetypes, aligned along piratical lines. As one might expect, the followup to that discussion involves the age-old enemy of the pirates. Introducing the ninja.
Getting Personal 3: Piratically Speaking
In my previous column I explored the various letter codes that you can combine to help define a personality for your character. Along the way, I intimated that there are two major divisions (P and N) as well as a total of 16 subdivisions. This column explores the first half in more depth.
Getting Personal 2: Archetypal Stereotypes
In my previous column I proposed a new system to describe characters via pairings of well-known archetypes. In this column, I explain how to interpret those pairings. If you have not read the first column you will probably not understand this one. Then again, maybe you won't understand it anyway. It's pretty complicated. Are you sure you're ready for this?
Getting Personal 1: Characterizing Characters
Throughout the centuries, attempts have been made to classify types of people in order to better understand them. For example, in antiquity there were humours and astrological signs, and even today people still ask "What's Your Sign?" Role-playing games, of course, also classify people - into classes and races. But they do a poor job with personality.
Anthropology, Psychology, and High Fantasy
While I love the game and the endless hours of fun it provides, anyone with a passing knowledge in Anthropology, Psychology, or even a college degree has to secede any chance of Dungeons & Dragons being “realistic.” This is my big problem with D&D.
The Ten Commandments of Villainy--minus Charlton Heston
In the beginning, the darkness came from the valley and spoke unto me, “Dost my will?” and I asked humbly, “I am thine servant Theo, what is thy desire?” The Darkness replied. “Show them, the true power of the dark side, show them what you have been taught of evil through comic books. Lead them into a land of Mountain Dew and Bugles!” And so, I the Prophet received the Ten Commandments of Villainy, to help steer the chosen people from cliches of necromancers and demon lords.
Labor Day Zen
What is the sound of one hand clapping? If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? What does a Dungeons & Dragons 3.5e Character Sheet sound like? Thanks to Scribd, we know the answer to one of these three questions.
Another Rant About Alignment
My perspective on the most steadfast rule of D&D that isn't used anywhere else.
A Useful Appendix
An appendix is a sometimes used portion near the back of a book. It is also an organ which has no apparent use or function. This article is about the second kind.
Why I Hate Dice, Or Rather, Why Do Dice Hate Me?
I've always had ridiculously bad luck when it comes to the rolling of dice. Usually I can get by in spite of terrible die rolls, but a recent experience almost made me want to go diceless forever.
A Chat with Chris Hill of Old Kingdom Games
Their name is Old Kingdom, but they're a relative newcomer to the gaming industry. Gamegrene took some time out to talk with Chris Hill of Old Kingdom Games about their past, present and future, and learned a little bit about The Nightmare War, their first major release, due out on December 3.
Neverwinter Nights 2: Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies.
There's an apocryphal cop-out that bad Dungeon Masters are reputed to use whenever they get pissed at their players, or can't figure out how to end an adventure. It's called "Rocks Fall. Everyone Dies." Spoilers (and an explanation) inside.
