The pre-generated Cleric of Pelor character has "Healer" as his/her theme. ("Theme" was a concept introduced late in the 4e era and provided an optional way to customize a character so as to better identify the narrative space the character occupied in the game world. Themes will become more integral to the game in 5e.) One beneit of the Healer theme is the Herbalism feat, which is completely broken.
A character with this feat can manufacture antitoxin (poison antidote), healing potions, and healer's kits. By spending one hour, a character with this feat can make up to three of the preceding items, in any combination. To do so, the character uses components valued at 25 gp per item. According to the "How to Play" packet (the preliminary Player's Handbook), each of these items retails for 50 gp. I mentioned in an earlier post that the healer's kit was going to become an absolutely essential item for adventuring parties because it seems to be required in order for characters to spend hit dice for healing between encounters (characters can still be healed by spells and by taking a long rest). So the Healer theme allows characters to manufacture important healing supplies for half price, with only one hour's worth of effort -- and all at first level, no less. I think this feat needs to be toned down.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Hit Dice
There's a new method of self-healing 5e, but it goes by a very old-school name: Hit dice. The hit dice mechanic replaces the 4e healing surge, which, to be honest, was one of my least-favorite aspects of that game. Unlike static healing surges, hit dice are, as the name implies, based on a roll of one or more dice.
A character's hit dice are determined by his/her class and level. A level 1 fighter, for instance, has 1D12, a level 2 wizard has 2D4, and so forth. Characters can spend one or more hit dice to heal themselves during short rests. (Unlike healing surges, hit dice are never spent when a character is healed by other means, such as a cleric's spell, a potion of healing, etc.) For each hit die spent, roll the appropriate die and add the character's Constitution modifier to determine the total amount of healing.
But there's a catch. To use their hit dice, the characters must have access to a healer's kit. At a cost of 50 gp, the healer's kit is sure to become one of the most important mundane items in the D&D game. I can envision parties stocking up on healer's kits just as they stock up on arrows and other consumables. Each healer's kit has 10 uses. When a character elects to spend one or more hit dice, he or she must also expend one use from the healer's kit. So, during a short rest, let's say the fighter wants to spend three hit dice and the rogue wants to spend two. It only costs the party two uses from the healer's kit -- one for the fighter and one for the rogue.
Characters regain all their hit dice (and all their hit points) after a long rest. (The long rest is akin to the extended rest in 4e.) Healing all damage with one night's sleep is a very controversial 4e concept that many old-school gamers despise. I anticipate that Wizards will receive a great deal of feedback on this mechanic, and it wouldn't surprise me if it was changed in the next iteration of the rules.
A character's hit dice are determined by his/her class and level. A level 1 fighter, for instance, has 1D12, a level 2 wizard has 2D4, and so forth. Characters can spend one or more hit dice to heal themselves during short rests. (Unlike healing surges, hit dice are never spent when a character is healed by other means, such as a cleric's spell, a potion of healing, etc.) For each hit die spent, roll the appropriate die and add the character's Constitution modifier to determine the total amount of healing.
But there's a catch. To use their hit dice, the characters must have access to a healer's kit. At a cost of 50 gp, the healer's kit is sure to become one of the most important mundane items in the D&D game. I can envision parties stocking up on healer's kits just as they stock up on arrows and other consumables. Each healer's kit has 10 uses. When a character elects to spend one or more hit dice, he or she must also expend one use from the healer's kit. So, during a short rest, let's say the fighter wants to spend three hit dice and the rogue wants to spend two. It only costs the party two uses from the healer's kit -- one for the fighter and one for the rogue.
Characters regain all their hit dice (and all their hit points) after a long rest. (The long rest is akin to the extended rest in 4e.) Healing all damage with one night's sleep is a very controversial 4e concept that many old-school gamers despise. I anticipate that Wizards will receive a great deal of feedback on this mechanic, and it wouldn't surprise me if it was changed in the next iteration of the rules.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Six Saving Throws
In the old days (before the turn of the millennium), your saving throws were not directly related to your ability scores. They were, instead, a factor of your character class and level. Those of you who have been playing D&D long enough may smile fondly at the recollection of that venerable list of saves:
How are things shaping up in 5e so far? First, there are big changes from 4e. Fortitude, Reflex, and Will are gone. AC is now the only static defense. Traditional saving throws have returned, and here's the list:
So...does this mean that there are no longer any dump stats? Well, from the perspective of saving throws, at least, most of the saves in the playtest materials seem to be against Constitution, Dexterity, and Wisdom -- or Fortitude, Reflex, and Will in disguise.
- Poison/Paralysis/Death Magic
- Rod/Staff/Wand
- Petrification/Polymorph
- Breath Weapon
- Spells
- Fortitude: Constitution bonus
- Reflex: Dexterity bonus
- Will: Wisdom bonus
- Fortitude: Constitution or Strength
- Reflex: Dexterity or Intelligence
- Will: Wisdom or Charisma
How are things shaping up in 5e so far? First, there are big changes from 4e. Fortitude, Reflex, and Will are gone. AC is now the only static defense. Traditional saving throws have returned, and here's the list:
- Strength
- Dexterity
- Constitution
- Intelligence
- Wisdom
- Charisma
So...does this mean that there are no longer any dump stats? Well, from the perspective of saving throws, at least, most of the saves in the playtest materials seem to be against Constitution, Dexterity, and Wisdom -- or Fortitude, Reflex, and Will in disguise.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Why'd They Do That?
In today's "Legends & Lore" column on the D&D website, Mike Mearls provides some insight into how and why they made some design choices for the playtest rules.
Check out the article here.
He explains, among other things, why the weapon damage die on a character sheet doesn't always match the corresponding entry on the equipment list in the "How to Play" packet. However, I'm still confused about the rogue's Ambusher feat and how that's any different from the normal Stealth benefits for any hidden character...
Check out the article here.
He explains, among other things, why the weapon damage die on a character sheet doesn't always match the corresponding entry on the equipment list in the "How to Play" packet. However, I'm still confused about the rogue's Ambusher feat and how that's any different from the normal Stealth benefits for any hidden character...
Remembering Heroes on Memorial Day
On Memorial Day, we pause to remember our heroes.
We remember the intrepid heroes we enjoyed playing. We remember the villains that keep us up at night. We remember the players that enjoy playing in character. Although players usually are less intense when food is provided.
I am starting a new series talking about role playing games, its different parts, and providing different viewpoints. It will be every other Monday. In two weeks, to kick it off we will be discussing abilities (the core of most character and game systems).
We especially pause to remember our true heroes. Our role models that lead us to a more positive direction in our life. Native Americans that used their language that became an unbreakable code to get us through World War. Those that show true valor and bravery every day. Those that have gone before us and especially those that continue to preserve the freedoms we take for granted. We are especially grateful for the numerous unsung heroes and their families that sacrifice everything everyday.
We remember the intrepid heroes we enjoyed playing. We remember the villains that keep us up at night. We remember the players that enjoy playing in character. Although players usually are less intense when food is provided.
I am starting a new series talking about role playing games, its different parts, and providing different viewpoints. It will be every other Monday. In two weeks, to kick it off we will be discussing abilities (the core of most character and game systems).
We especially pause to remember our true heroes. Our role models that lead us to a more positive direction in our life. Native Americans that used their language that became an unbreakable code to get us through World War. Those that show true valor and bravery every day. Those that have gone before us and especially those that continue to preserve the freedoms we take for granted. We are especially grateful for the numerous unsung heroes and their families that sacrifice everything everyday.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Welcome, Strategic by Design!
In the two months since we started this blog, we've had just two authors -- Timothy and myself. I'm pleased to announce that we have a new author, Strategic by Design. Watch for his biweekly series starting tomorrow!
Sunday Comics
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| The One Where they Play D&D |
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Heavy Armor is Bad
In 4e, the heavy armor wearer was often at a disadvantage, especially at higher levels, compared to the character whose AC was based on a combination of light armor and Dexterity modifier. As a fan of fighters, paladins, and other folks who prefer plate mail to leather, I was disappointed that my character's AC didn't scale as nicely and effortlessly as, say, the ranger's. Unfortunately, the problem with heavy armor persists in 5e...at least in this first draft of the rules.
Simply put, heavy armor is bad. It's really bad. As expected, heavy armor (chainmail, banded, and plate) does not allow you to add your Dexterity bonus to your AC. (Side-note: Sorry, wizard fans, in 5e you can't apply your Intelligence bonus to your AC.) Medium armor (ringmail, scale, and splint) allow you to apply half your Dexterity bonus, while light armor (leather, studded leather, and chain shirt) give you your full Dexterity bonus.
If you're a fighter or cleric, you're likely going to start out at first level with chainmail (+5 AC) and a heavy shield (+2 AC), for an AC of 17. Your friend the rogue (who has proficiency only in light armor) could opt for leather (+2 AC) as in 4e, but why not splurge for a chain shirt (+4 AC)? With a Dexterity of 18 (+4 bonus), the rogue easily starts out at first level with an AC of 18...higher than the fighter! I don't get it. Maybe the rogue doesn't get access to a chain shirt, but at least on the pre-generated character sheet for the rogue, it specifically says that he/she has proficiency in light armor, and chain shirt falls into that category. There's no stealth penalty for chain shirt, either. There's no reason whatsoever that a rogue would opt for leather over a chain shirt. Obviously the chain shirt costs more, but it should still be well within the budget of a first-level character.
So, as it stands now, if I'm building a first-level fighter, I'm going for high (18) Dexterity, chain shirt, and heavy shield. That's a robust 20 for my AC. But wouldn't that limit my offensive capabilities? After all, if I'm putting 18 into Dexterity, I won't have much left over for Strength, right? Well, it just so happens that in 5e there are "finesse" weapons that allow you to use your Dexterity bonus instead of your Strength bonus for attack and damage rolls. Fighters have proficiency in all weapons, so I don't need to burn a feat to get this benefit. I'll pick up a short sword (1D6 damage), which is only marginally less damage than the longsword (1D8) that I would have chosen as a typical Strength-based sword-and-board fighter.
What are the implications of all this? In the playtest rules as written, Dexterity is even more of an uber-stat than it was in 4e. Needless to say, they have some work to do to get the defenses right.
Simply put, heavy armor is bad. It's really bad. As expected, heavy armor (chainmail, banded, and plate) does not allow you to add your Dexterity bonus to your AC. (Side-note: Sorry, wizard fans, in 5e you can't apply your Intelligence bonus to your AC.) Medium armor (ringmail, scale, and splint) allow you to apply half your Dexterity bonus, while light armor (leather, studded leather, and chain shirt) give you your full Dexterity bonus.
If you're a fighter or cleric, you're likely going to start out at first level with chainmail (+5 AC) and a heavy shield (+2 AC), for an AC of 17. Your friend the rogue (who has proficiency only in light armor) could opt for leather (+2 AC) as in 4e, but why not splurge for a chain shirt (+4 AC)? With a Dexterity of 18 (+4 bonus), the rogue easily starts out at first level with an AC of 18...higher than the fighter! I don't get it. Maybe the rogue doesn't get access to a chain shirt, but at least on the pre-generated character sheet for the rogue, it specifically says that he/she has proficiency in light armor, and chain shirt falls into that category. There's no stealth penalty for chain shirt, either. There's no reason whatsoever that a rogue would opt for leather over a chain shirt. Obviously the chain shirt costs more, but it should still be well within the budget of a first-level character.
So, as it stands now, if I'm building a first-level fighter, I'm going for high (18) Dexterity, chain shirt, and heavy shield. That's a robust 20 for my AC. But wouldn't that limit my offensive capabilities? After all, if I'm putting 18 into Dexterity, I won't have much left over for Strength, right? Well, it just so happens that in 5e there are "finesse" weapons that allow you to use your Dexterity bonus instead of your Strength bonus for attack and damage rolls. Fighters have proficiency in all weapons, so I don't need to burn a feat to get this benefit. I'll pick up a short sword (1D6 damage), which is only marginally less damage than the longsword (1D8) that I would have chosen as a typical Strength-based sword-and-board fighter.
What are the implications of all this? In the playtest rules as written, Dexterity is even more of an uber-stat than it was in 4e. Needless to say, they have some work to do to get the defenses right.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Advantage/Disadvantage
5e (or D&D Next, or whatever you want to call it) has an interesting new rule called Advantage. As you know from 4e, you can use tactics like flanking (or class features, feats, etc.) to gain Combat Advantage, which gives you a +2 to your hit roll. There are two differences with 5e's Advantage. First, as the name implies, it's no longer just for attack rolls -- you can gan Advantage on skill checks and saving throws too. The other difference is that you no longer gain a flat +2 bonus to the d20 roll. Instead, you roll d20 twice and take the higher of the two rolls. (In the corresponding mechanic called Disadvantage, you roll d20 twice and take the lower of the two rolls.)
So, is Advantage better than Combat Advantage? In most cases, it is...but it all depends on the target number you're trying to beat. Assuming no other modifiers, Advantage won't help you if your target number is a 21 or 22, but obviously the flat +2 from Combat Advantage could get you there. On the other hand, let's say you need to roll an 11 or higher. That's a basic 50% chance. The +2 from the old Combat Advantage bumps you up to 60% (13 or higher). The new Advantage, however, gives you two unmodified d20 rolls to get an 11. That works out to a 75% chance.
If you plot the numbers on a graph, you're going to see a curved rather than linear distribution. Advantage has the least impact on the lowest and highest targets, and the greatest impact in the middle. Since most of the time in D&D your odds of success on a given d20 roll are probably between 40% and 60% (I have no data on this, but I feel it's a pretty good estimate), that's going to put you in the middle of the curve, where Advantage has the most impact...and therefore it will be more valuable than the flat +2 of yesteryear.
Of course, now we're also going to have to deal with the concept Disadvantage, which is going to hurt our PCs as much as Advantage is going to help them. All in all, it should be really interesting!
So, is Advantage better than Combat Advantage? In most cases, it is...but it all depends on the target number you're trying to beat. Assuming no other modifiers, Advantage won't help you if your target number is a 21 or 22, but obviously the flat +2 from Combat Advantage could get you there. On the other hand, let's say you need to roll an 11 or higher. That's a basic 50% chance. The +2 from the old Combat Advantage bumps you up to 60% (13 or higher). The new Advantage, however, gives you two unmodified d20 rolls to get an 11. That works out to a 75% chance.
If you plot the numbers on a graph, you're going to see a curved rather than linear distribution. Advantage has the least impact on the lowest and highest targets, and the greatest impact in the middle. Since most of the time in D&D your odds of success on a given d20 roll are probably between 40% and 60% (I have no data on this, but I feel it's a pretty good estimate), that's going to put you in the middle of the curve, where Advantage has the most impact...and therefore it will be more valuable than the flat +2 of yesteryear.
Of course, now we're also going to have to deal with the concept Disadvantage, which is going to hurt our PCs as much as Advantage is going to help them. All in all, it should be really interesting!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Let's Get Playtesting!
I've done a cursory review of the materials, and I like what I see so far. I'll comment on specific points later, but for now, who's interested in starting up a playtest game? Send me an email or leave a comment.
The D&D Next Open Playtest Is Here!
Today's the day!
Despite some technical difficulties, the Wizards staff did a heroic job of getting the playtest materials into the hands of ravenous fans (myself included!).
Expect to see a lot of posts about the playtest here on the Front Porch blog. We'll also keep you updated with links to 5e content on other websites.
If you haven't done so already, you can sign up for your own playtest materials here.
Despite some technical difficulties, the Wizards staff did a heroic job of getting the playtest materials into the hands of ravenous fans (myself included!).
Expect to see a lot of posts about the playtest here on the Front Porch blog. We'll also keep you updated with links to 5e content on other websites.
If you haven't done so already, you can sign up for your own playtest materials here.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
The Chosen Children, Part 3: Florian Romlin
The third of the seven chosen children is Florian Romlin, a boy whose lineage is replete with champions. His surname, Romlin, identifies him as a member of the elite warrior caste of the elves of Annuvin. His grandfather is the late Priam Romlin, arguably the greatest hero in the history of First Home, and among his many celebrated kinsmen is the current protector of Annuvin, Ariel Romlin. Florian is the son of the druid Serenity Romlin (Amy), the only offspring of Priam. The boy's father is Iskander, the half-Naxxian (dark elf) assassin-turned-hero. As such, Florian is one-half Annuvian elf, one-quarter Naxxian elf, and one-quarter Teyrnian human. With this mixed heritage, will he bear the weight of three nations upon his slender shoulders?
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Wizards...and convenient plot holes.
I've enjoyed playing my character Cathbad, for longer than I care to figure out. The rules have always handled characters that use magic in such a way to limit their omnipotence. Even with that in mind, Cathbad can still conjure up his own small army out of thin air. A few other wizards seem to suffer from some difficulties in bringing their full power to fruition...
Monday, May 21, 2012
D&D 5e Design
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Friday, May 18, 2012
Another Digression
I realize this isn't really relevant because we don't currently have a superhero campaign (hint, hint...), but I had a weird dream the other night about the rebooted DC universe (DC comics, not Druid Cycle...don't worry, I have no plans to reboot the Druid Cycle universe!) and some of the mysteries they've been building up over the first year. One of those mysteries is the identity of Darkseid's daughter. Initially, we all thought it was going to be Pandora, but DC has already shot down that idea.
So who is Darkseid's daughter? As I see it, there are three possibilities:
1. Darkseid's daughter is a character we haven't encountered yet, so there's no point in speculating about her identity.
2. Darkseid's daughter is an existing DC character whose back-story will be radically changed to make her fit as the offspring of the Big Bad. (And if you've been following the New 52, you know that they haven't been shy about monkeying around with origins. Just look at what they did to the Question!)
3. Darkseid's daughter is an existing DC character, but a minor one who doesn't have a well established origin story, making it easy for them to retcon her into Darkseid's family.
If it's #3, which minor character might fit? I keep going back to Flashpoint, because that storyline really foreshadowed a lot of what we've seen in the New 52. In Flashpoint we were introduced to Element Woman. She popped up again a couple of weeks ago in the New 52 comic from Free Comic Book Day (see the big fold-out Trinity War splash -- she's the one battling Cyborg). I've heard in interviews that Element Woman is going to become a more important character and even join the Justice League (and yet still no Hawkman in the Justice League...well, that's a rant for another day...).
Are they setting up Element Woman for a big reveal as Darkseid's long-lost daughter? As of now, that's my guess. You heard it here first...Element Woman is Darkseid's daughter.
Or Raven...it could also be Raven...
So who is Darkseid's daughter? As I see it, there are three possibilities:
1. Darkseid's daughter is a character we haven't encountered yet, so there's no point in speculating about her identity.
2. Darkseid's daughter is an existing DC character whose back-story will be radically changed to make her fit as the offspring of the Big Bad. (And if you've been following the New 52, you know that they haven't been shy about monkeying around with origins. Just look at what they did to the Question!)
3. Darkseid's daughter is an existing DC character, but a minor one who doesn't have a well established origin story, making it easy for them to retcon her into Darkseid's family.
If it's #3, which minor character might fit? I keep going back to Flashpoint, because that storyline really foreshadowed a lot of what we've seen in the New 52. In Flashpoint we were introduced to Element Woman. She popped up again a couple of weeks ago in the New 52 comic from Free Comic Book Day (see the big fold-out Trinity War splash -- she's the one battling Cyborg). I've heard in interviews that Element Woman is going to become a more important character and even join the Justice League (and yet still no Hawkman in the Justice League...well, that's a rant for another day...).
Are they setting up Element Woman for a big reveal as Darkseid's long-lost daughter? As of now, that's my guess. You heard it here first...Element Woman is Darkseid's daughter.
Or Raven...it could also be Raven...
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Roll a D6
Oh, how I wish we had such a comely lass playing with us back in the day...thank goodness for our wives that not only married us, but actually roll some D6's themselves! Thanks to April for sharing this with me awhile back.
This group is pretty awesome, I recommend you check out the rest of their videos.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
The Chosen Children, Part 2: Devon
Today we'll look at Devon, the second of the seven chosen children.
Devon is the one-and-only full-blooded human of the chosen children. She is daughter of the great wizard Cathbad (Timothy) and his wife and fellow spell-caster, Gwyneth. Cathbad is a leading political figure in the prosperous city of Riverton and Gwyneth has also achieved renown in that community as a part-time professor at the College of Mages, so it seems clear that Devon's future will be inextricably tied to Riverton. It is also a safe bet to assume that she has inherited her parents' magical skills, so one day we may see Devon as a wizard or other arcane spell-caster.
Devon is the one-and-only full-blooded human of the chosen children. She is daughter of the great wizard Cathbad (Timothy) and his wife and fellow spell-caster, Gwyneth. Cathbad is a leading political figure in the prosperous city of Riverton and Gwyneth has also achieved renown in that community as a part-time professor at the College of Mages, so it seems clear that Devon's future will be inextricably tied to Riverton. It is also a safe bet to assume that she has inherited her parents' magical skills, so one day we may see Devon as a wizard or other arcane spell-caster.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
New Look!
As I'm sure you've noticed, we've got a snazzy new look! And be sure to check out our two new blog features:
- Hot Topics - We use labels to categorize our posts (e.g., Board Games, Music Videos, etc.). In this section, you can see which labels have the most posts, and by clicking the name of a label, you can see all the posts in that category.
- What we're talking about - This section highlights the posts that have received the most comments, making it easier for readers to follow the current conversations.
Monday, May 14, 2012
RPG Websites
On the right-hand side of the page, you'll notice a small section that includes some links to other roleplaying-themed websites. These are the three D&D sites that I check on a daily basis. Do you folks have any other RPG sites that we should add to the list? If so, leave a comment and I'll update the list accordingly.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Friday, May 11, 2012
D&D Next Playtest Signup
I discussed the D&D Next (Fifth Edition) open playtest in a previous post, but I failed to mention that you can sign up for your very own set of playtest materials on the D&D website. The open playtest begins on May 24!
Coming Soon: Into the Unknown
In this new series of posts, I'm going to alert readers to upcoming RPG-related products that they might enjoy. First up, Into the Unknown: The Dungeon Survival Handbook, by Logan Bonner, Matt James, and Jeff Morgenroth.
Although I've stopped purchasing 4e products (these days, I'm only buying miniatures and Dungeon Tiles, which, of course, can be used with any edition), I have to admit that I'm intrigued by this one. The book ties in with this year's big Underdark theme, providing new races, themes, feats, and powers. In addition to the player content, there's also DM material such as dungeon-building tips and a survey of classic D&D dungeons from over the years.
Into the Unknown is scheduled to be released on May 15. See the Amazon listing here.
Although I've stopped purchasing 4e products (these days, I'm only buying miniatures and Dungeon Tiles, which, of course, can be used with any edition), I have to admit that I'm intrigued by this one. The book ties in with this year's big Underdark theme, providing new races, themes, feats, and powers. In addition to the player content, there's also DM material such as dungeon-building tips and a survey of classic D&D dungeons from over the years.
Into the Unknown is scheduled to be released on May 15. See the Amazon listing here.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
The Chosen Children, Part 1: Neanias
The seven "chosen children" have become a major storyline in the Druid Cycle campaign world, so I thought it would be fun to start a new, semi-regular feature in which we take a closer look at each of these heroes-to-be. In doing so, I'll provide a few hints and spoilers about their future career as adventurers.
I'll start, however, with some background information that will be helpful for those folks who are not directly involved in this storyline. The seven chosen children are the offspring of some of the world's most powerful and influential men and women. The gods have selected these children to become a new generation of champions who will continue the struggle against the gods' ancient foes, the Old Ones. To protect them while they are growing up, the gods have assigned one of their mechanical warriors (the warforged) to each of the children. Moreover, the parents of the children have banded together to arrange additional (and secret) protective measures.
We'll consider the children in the order in which they were born. (Note: As of this writing, two of the seven are still in the womb!) First up, Neanias.
Neanias is a deva (an angelic, immortal being), the son of the deva Ludivine (a servant of the god Gwydion) and the human Corineus (a commander in the Knights of Mithras). The stern, pragmatic Corineus and the lively, gregarious Ludivine are something of an odd couple, but their little boy, now four years old, seems to have inherited the best qualities of both of his parents. He is likely to follow in their footsteps and pursue a path toward divine power as, perhaps, a paladin or cleric. But will he choose Mithras or Gwydion as his patron deity?
I'll start, however, with some background information that will be helpful for those folks who are not directly involved in this storyline. The seven chosen children are the offspring of some of the world's most powerful and influential men and women. The gods have selected these children to become a new generation of champions who will continue the struggle against the gods' ancient foes, the Old Ones. To protect them while they are growing up, the gods have assigned one of their mechanical warriors (the warforged) to each of the children. Moreover, the parents of the children have banded together to arrange additional (and secret) protective measures.
We'll consider the children in the order in which they were born. (Note: As of this writing, two of the seven are still in the womb!) First up, Neanias.
Neanias is a deva (an angelic, immortal being), the son of the deva Ludivine (a servant of the god Gwydion) and the human Corineus (a commander in the Knights of Mithras). The stern, pragmatic Corineus and the lively, gregarious Ludivine are something of an odd couple, but their little boy, now four years old, seems to have inherited the best qualities of both of his parents. He is likely to follow in their footsteps and pursue a path toward divine power as, perhaps, a paladin or cleric. But will he choose Mithras or Gwydion as his patron deity?
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Free RPG Day
This past Saturday was Free Comic Book Day. That means Free RPG Day is right around the corner! The date this year is Saturday, June 16.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Avengers!
If you haven't seen The Avengers yet, stop reading this blog and go right now! After seeing this movie (twice) over the past few days, I'm even more eager to do a superhero campaign.
Friday, May 4, 2012
New Superhero Campaign?
Almost a quarter century ago, Earth Commanders became the first FPGG campaign. Scott's fun but short-lived Champions campaign followed a decade later. I'm wondering if the time is right for another shot at a superhero campaign. What do you all think? I'd get started on a new campaign today if I thought people would be interested in playing. Leave a comment or email me separately if you think you'd like to participate.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
MC Frontalot: It's Pitch Dark
Not 100% D&D related, but brings us back to the age of text-based videogames...and anything by MC Frontalot is awesome.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Even More Superheroics
Fully ten years after Earth Commanders started in 1988, the Front Porch players returned to the superhero genre for the second (and, as of this writing, last) time. We were still using the Champions rules system, but this time, Scott was the gamemaster. His campaign was distinctive in a number of ways, primarily in that it was set a few decades in the future (the typical time period of the superhero genre is "now") and it was set entirely in Europe.
Although the game only lasted for a handful of sessions, I'll never forget the trio of heroes. First there was Cyberblade, a tough-as-nails cyborg whose suped-up body contained a vast array of weapons (ironic side-note: despite his name, not a single one of his weapons was a blade!). There was also Havoc, a mind control expert whose abilities were so overwhelming (Champions lent itself to power gaming for those, such as yours truly, who knew the real ins and outs of the character creation system) that Scott had to start issuing anti-mind-control helmets to all the villains. Finally, we had Heatwave, formerly a security guard at a nuclear power plant who obtained his superpowers when he (what else?) became trapped in the reactor. Heatwave could fly and project energy bolts and all that good stuff, but his basic problem was that he "leaked" radiation. As such, it was easy for the villains to follow the heroes' movements just by tracking Heatwave's radiation emissions. While on the lam from these nefarious forces, this mighty team was reduced to staying in cheap hotels, where Cyberblade and Havoc forced poor Heatwave to sleep in the bathtub, lest they expose themselves to dangerous doses of his natural radiation.
It was quite a quirkly little campaign, and I wish it had lasted longer.
Although the game only lasted for a handful of sessions, I'll never forget the trio of heroes. First there was Cyberblade, a tough-as-nails cyborg whose suped-up body contained a vast array of weapons (ironic side-note: despite his name, not a single one of his weapons was a blade!). There was also Havoc, a mind control expert whose abilities were so overwhelming (Champions lent itself to power gaming for those, such as yours truly, who knew the real ins and outs of the character creation system) that Scott had to start issuing anti-mind-control helmets to all the villains. Finally, we had Heatwave, formerly a security guard at a nuclear power plant who obtained his superpowers when he (what else?) became trapped in the reactor. Heatwave could fly and project energy bolts and all that good stuff, but his basic problem was that he "leaked" radiation. As such, it was easy for the villains to follow the heroes' movements just by tracking Heatwave's radiation emissions. While on the lam from these nefarious forces, this mighty team was reduced to staying in cheap hotels, where Cyberblade and Havoc forced poor Heatwave to sleep in the bathtub, lest they expose themselves to dangerous doses of his natural radiation.
It was quite a quirkly little campaign, and I wish it had lasted longer.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
The Story...and the Battle!
In my last post, I reminisced about Earth Commanders, the first Front Porch campaign. Today I'll talk about the game sessions. (Keep in mind that we were only about twelve years old at the time!)
Adventures consisted almost exclusively of "the story" and "the battle." The story was a brief narrative scene, usually set in the Earth Commanders headquarters in Montreal. The team would learn about a threat somewhere in the world, and they'd have the opportunity to ask questions and make basic plans. That was it for plot. And character development was virtually unheard of. Who were these guys when they took their masks off? Did they ever take their masks off?
The story may have been thin, but the combat was ridiculously fun. The Earth Commanders heroes dished out savage beat-downs to every supervillain in the Champions universe, and gave a second helping to any foe foolish enough to come back for more. Over time, though, the battles became a bit too routine. There's only so many times you can stomp Ankylosaur and Mechanon and Dr. Destroyer before you start looking for something...more.
What we discovered was that we wanted was more of "the story." That's when we turned to Dungeons & Dragons (the original "red box" product) and started a new campaign called Fantasy Quest. That was the last campaign actually to be conducted on my parents' front porch, but, as I'll explain in a future post, it laid the groundwork for all future FPGG campaigns.
Adventures consisted almost exclusively of "the story" and "the battle." The story was a brief narrative scene, usually set in the Earth Commanders headquarters in Montreal. The team would learn about a threat somewhere in the world, and they'd have the opportunity to ask questions and make basic plans. That was it for plot. And character development was virtually unheard of. Who were these guys when they took their masks off? Did they ever take their masks off?
The story may have been thin, but the combat was ridiculously fun. The Earth Commanders heroes dished out savage beat-downs to every supervillain in the Champions universe, and gave a second helping to any foe foolish enough to come back for more. Over time, though, the battles became a bit too routine. There's only so many times you can stomp Ankylosaur and Mechanon and Dr. Destroyer before you start looking for something...more.
What we discovered was that we wanted was more of "the story." That's when we turned to Dungeons & Dragons (the original "red box" product) and started a new campaign called Fantasy Quest. That was the last campaign actually to be conducted on my parents' front porch, but, as I'll explain in a future post, it laid the groundwork for all future FPGG campaigns.
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