What if… rituals were long, drawn-out feats of magic that could produce effects that rivaled magic items? rituals were so long, and required so much of the caster, that casting them became the stuff that a whole arc of a campaign might be based around? the arcane rites carried out in a ritual had some…
Tag Archives: Rules
Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got. Or at least that’s what I hear from the theme song to “Cheers”… But it’s possible for today’s adventurer (in any incarnation of D&D) to get by with just enough tools to carve out their niche in the dark and looming wilderness. In the…
In an earlier post, Chase commented on the lamentable lack of options for mounted characters in 4E Dungeons & Dragons. As the DM running the adventure that his mounted character was a part of, I heartily agreed. Prior to the game, he petitioned me for a mount that reflected his character’s training and expertise; “Can’t I get something…
When Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition introduced the concept of ritual magic, I thought, “Cool!” When I actually played around with it, I thought, “Cool concept, but it needs some work.” What if… rituals were long, drawn-out feats of magic that could produce effects that rivaled magic items? rituals were so long, and required so…
Rolling now. A 4 and a 1. Some adventurers are fierce take-no-mercy dungeon-delving veterans. They can look in the eye of a blue dragon without flinching, and can laugh off the profane threats of a vampire. These characters unthinkingly throw themselves into heroic actions, trusting both the need for justice in the world and their…
OK, now memorize this! Some people have an uncanny knack for understanding and remembering rules. I am by no means one of these prodigies. I do well enough to get by, but I can never seem to remember the details. In fact, in my last game of D&D 4E, I had to make a cheat…
A few weeks ago, I made some glib comments about “balance” and how GMs should just “forget it.” This advice is less-than-helpful because it almost wholly lacks nuance. Today, I hope to expand my “forget balance” comment by providing advice that may well extend far beyond the realm of gaming. The Cathedral and the Scaffold…