Month: April 2015

D&D, D&D 5E, Design

D&D 5E Spellcasting in Combat – Clarifications and Restrictions

There are a number of special rules attached to D&D 5E spell-casting that may not immediately be apparent when reading through the Player’s Handbook. This article looks at a few of those things. Somatic Components Most spells have a somatic component, which is to say, they require hand movements. The rules in 5E state that you need one hand free to cast these spells. If … Continue reading D&D 5E Spellcasting in Combat – Clarifications and Restrictions

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D&D, D&D 5E, Session Report, Tyranny of Dragons

The Rise of Tiamat, sessions 7 & 8

And the adventurers killed the Green Wyrmspeaker, his great blue dragon having fled and abandoned him. Unfortunately, the Green Dragonmask was not present. His journal revealed that it had been taken to the Well of Dragons… to join the Draakhorn. And that was the 7th session of The Rise of Tiamat. Session 7 was very unusual – I didn’t run it! Due to cancellations on … Continue reading The Rise of Tiamat, sessions 7 & 8

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AD&D, AD&D 2E, D&D, Design

The Original Dragons of Dungeons & Dragons

A recent question was asked on Facebook about why AD&D dragons had so few hit points. In fact, the original D&D dragons had even fewer hit points but, compared to PCs, they were god-like creatures. The history of dragon statistics in D&D displays the changing balance between players and monsters. The game began in 1974 with all characters rolling d6 for hit dice. Although we … Continue reading The Original Dragons of Dungeons & Dragons

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D&D, D&D 5E, Review

5E Adventure Review – The Spire #1: Beyond the Battlements

Although Kickstarter has been the major method of finding funding for D&D-compatible adventures so far, a couple of publishers are now trying Patreon. Patreon offers an ongoing, magazine-like subscription, which is good for a series of adventures. Endless Vistas Publishing have just launched a Patreon campaign around their quarterly adventure magazine, The Spire. The first issue (in addition to an “issue #0”) is available for … Continue reading 5E Adventure Review – The Spire #1: Beyond the Battlements

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AD&D, D&D, D&D 5E, Pathfinder, Review

Adventure Review – The Lost Dungeons of Xon: The Crucible

One of the more interesting Kickstarters currently running is that for an adventure: The Lost Dungeons of Xon: The Crucible. Burning Yeti Studios plan to release three versions of their adventure – for 1E, 5E and Pathfinder – but its most intriguing feature is its presentation: as an interactive pdf, optimised for use on tablets. I’ve been provided with a review copy of the Pathfinder … Continue reading Adventure Review – The Lost Dungeons of Xon: The Crucible

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D&D, D&D 5E, Elemental Evil

Princes of the Apocalypse shipping

I note with some interest that Princes of the Apocalypse, the new D&D adventure from Wizards, is now shipping from Amazon. And yes, we’ve hit the release day. Not entirely sure when I’ll get my copy – Easter sort of mucks shipping about – but I’m hoping it’s later this week. If you’ve got your copy already… Enjoy! Continue reading Princes of the Apocalypse shipping

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Comics, D&D, Review, Tyranny of Dragons

Comic Review: Legends of Baldur’s Gate #5

And so, the story ends, as many a D&D campaign ends, with a big fight against a dragon. The great disappointment here is that this is it. Legends of Baldur’s Gate has been a beautifully written and drawn comic, and Jim Zub makes sure Minsc manages to get some of his best known and iconic lines in this issue. The action is drawn clearly by … Continue reading Comic Review: Legends of Baldur’s Gate #5

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D&D, D&D 5E, Review

5E Adventure Review: Khatogon

Khatogon has an interesting concept: a 4-5 hour tournament adventure where each of the four characters has hidden motivations and objectives. The adventure comes with four pregenerated characters, each of 4th level, who are attempting to break free a crime boss they’re indebted to from the remote prison of Khatogon. It’s a good set-up for an adventure, although I note with some trepidation that the … Continue reading 5E Adventure Review: Khatogon

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D&D, D&D 5E, Play Advice, Tyranny of Dragons

Running Hoard of the Dragon Queen – Episode 5

The fifth episode of Hoard of the Dragon Queen is the closest the adventure gets to an investigation scenario. The mystery – What has happened to the treasure? – is not especially challenging, but it can provide a nice break from the long road trip that has just concluded. But first, Waterdeep! Waterdeep, City of Splendours Hoard of the Dragon Queen doesn’t give all that … Continue reading Running Hoard of the Dragon Queen – Episode 5

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D&D, D&D 5E, Kickstarter, OSR, RPGs

Kickstarters! Shadow of the Demon Lord! Dwarven Forge! 5E Adventures!

A few interesting RPG-related kickstarters are coming towards their closing stages at present… Shadow of the Demon Lord is a new RPG by Robert J Schwalb, which emphasizes play in a land which is menaced by a powerful Demon Lord. Mechanically, it’s going to be relatively light, but with options for more detailed play. There is a strong horror component to this game, and it’s … Continue reading Kickstarters! Shadow of the Demon Lord! Dwarven Forge! 5E Adventures!

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