I’ve seen a bit of confusion about exactly how many attacks a character can make on his or her turn, as well as how some spells or abilities interact with the attack action. This article will attempt to clarify those matters. The most important thing to know is this: The Attack action allows you to make an attack, but not all attacks require the Attack … Continue reading Attacks, the Attack Action and Extra Attacks
Castle Naerytar is a good example of an adventure locale that will challenge DMs and their players. It’s at this point that Hoard moves into the territory where a DM can make or break the adventure. Better be prepared! What’s going on here from a story perspective? The adventurers are continuing their investigations into where the treasure looted from the Sword Coast is being taken. … Continue reading Running Hoard of the Dragon Queen – Episode 6
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
