The Dungeon Survival Handbook for D&D

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Apr 242012
 

4E: The Dungeon Survival Handbook

$ 29.95 SRP

Dungeons & Dragons 4E Into the Unknown: The Dungeon Survival Handbook The Darkness Beckons Being an adventurer is a hard business. Dungeons offer adventure, treasure, and glory, but they are fraught with deadly traps, vicious monsters, and sinister puzzles. It takes more than a stout heart and a sharp mind to survive. A hero must be equipped with knowledge and tools if he or she is to face the unknown and live to tell about it. Into the Unknown: The Dungeon Survival Handbook is a guide for players and Dungeon Masters who want to play in a Dungeons & Dragons game that explores dungeons and plumbs the blackest reaches of the Underdark. Whether you’re a Dungeon Master seeking to create a fantastic location populated with beholders and mind flayers, or a player looking to equip your character with the means to fight such threats, this book is for you. Players will find an assortment of new powers, equipment, feats, character themes, and player races, including the kobold and the goblin. For Dungeon Masters, the book is a trove of dungeon-building advice and details, including lore on classic dungeon monsters, some quirky companions for adventurers, a few timeless treasures, and tips for incorporating players’ character themes into an adventure. 160pg Hardcover

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Halls of Undermountain Coming soon for Dungeons and Dragons 4th Ed

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Mar 262012
 


4E: Halls of Undermountain

$ 29.95 SRP

Beneath the streets of Waterdeep, a sinister dungeon awaits adventurers brave enough to face its perils. Created ages ago by the wizard Halaster, the sprawling dungeon is a lair for terrible monsters and ruthless villains. In the dark chambers, they hunger for victims and plot the downfall of those who dwell on the streets above. Who will unravel the twisting labyrinth to reveal its secrets, claim its treasures, and stop the foul machinations of the dungeon’s denizens?

 

Halls of Undermountain presents a ready-to use dungeon detailing over eighty locations. The adventure offers a way for Dungeon Masters participating in the recent D&D Encounters season, The Elder Elemental Eye, to extend the adventure. In addition, this book provides all the ingredients to run a classic dungeon delve, including enticing treasures, deadly traps, a wide assortment of monsters, and two double-sided full-color poster maps. An adventure for characters of 1st – 5th level.

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New Dungeons and Dragons Novels

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Mar 082012
 

War of the Spider Queen V1 (novel)

$ 15.95 SRP

The War of the Spider Queen — the epic, six-book series from the fertile imaginations of R.A. Salvatore and a select group of the Forgotten Realms best-selling authors–begins here. While their whole world is changing around them, four dark elves struggle against different enemies. Yet their paths will lead them all to the most terrifying discovery in the long history of the drow and set them on a quest to save not only Menzoberranzan but the entire dark elf race from dissolution. Insurrection A hand-picked team of the most capable drow adventurers begin a perilous journey through the treacherous Underdark, all the while surrounded by the chaos of war. Their path will take them through the very heart of darkness, and the Underdark will be shaken to its core. If the powerful dark elves falter, the world below is open for insurrection. Condemnation From the burning sand of Anauroch to the labyrinthine Underdark, an epic quest for the very essence of the Spider Queen takes one startling turn after another. Powerful forces are at work to discover where Lolth has gone. She may return as something greater than she was, or she may have gone from her drow children forever, leaving them to their own devices in a chilling condemnation.

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“Character” Creation: More than Mechanics

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Feb 112012
 

Introduction

This is the first in a series of articles about “Character” Creation?  What do I mean by that?  (Especially the part with “Character” inside quotation marks.)  I mean, all the parts that are not covered in the basic mechanics of a particular RPG’s character creation system.  I mean the creation and development “universal” aspects of an RPG character – personality, attitude, behavior, motivation, psychology, etc.  I mean those parts that are at the heart of the “Role-Playing” experience (as opposed to the “roll-playing” experience). Continue reading »

Matt’s Response to Dungeons and Dragons 5th ed

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Jan 142012
 

First if you haven’t read Ryan’s post you should start here.  It contains links to the information that we base our reactions on.

Before we get too involved here is my brief D&D history.

I started playing in 1981.   I took a break in Middle School.  Started back again in ’86.   The play experience carried me into 2nd edition.  I remember that the transition was a simple one and I enjoyed proficiencies.  I stopped playing again sometime in the mid 90’s.

2002-ish I started to play again.  This time it was 3.5.   Again it was a simple step into the the new edition.  Oddly enough I didn’t miss the  things that were changed.  I missed the things that were used for background, like the GM description chart, and the random dungeon building chart from the DMG.

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D&D 5th Ed Announcement Reaction

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Jan 122012
 

In case you missed it, Wizards of the Coast is working on a 5th – that’s right, Fifth – edition of Dungeons & Dragons.  You can read the announcement articles from the NYT http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/10/arts/video-games/dungeons-dragons-remake-uses-players-input.html?pagewanted=all and Forbes http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidewalt/2012/01/09/wizards-announce-new-dungeons-and-dragons-an-inside-look-at-the-game/, as well as the press-release from lead designer Mike Mearls http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4ll/20120109.

We here at Through Gamer Goggles, however, would like to share our initial reactions and thoughts to this news, and gather your input as well.  Is this a good thing or a bad thing? for D&D? for WotC? for the RPG industry in general?  Would you buy the 5th edition?

No matter your answer to those questions, I believe that the BIGGEST QUESTION is this: Will a new edition unite the players, or will it divide them even further? Continue reading »

Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition Announced

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Jan 092012
 
A D&D game session in progress

Image via Wikipedia

From the Wizards of the Coast Press room…

It seems that D&D 5th edition will be given a special premiere at Gen Con 2012

Until then Wizards of the Coast plans on lending us their ear.

From the Press Release:

“We have begun obtaining feedback from a limited Friends & Family playtest consisting of internal employees and their gaming groups and soon we will be expanding that group to consist of members from our existing body of playtesters. Then at the D&D Experience convention in late January, Wizards of the Coast will conduct a special playtest of ideas currently in development.”

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New For Dungeons and Dragons 4e Book of Vile Darkness

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Dec 282011
 

This roleplaying game product is intended for Dungeon Masters looking to broaden their campaigns to include dark subject matter and truly evil threats. It features a detailed look at the nature of evil and the complex challenge of confronting the many dilemmas found within the deepest shadows. Filled with malignant secrets and musings that can inspire adventures or entire campaigns, The Book of Vile Darkness provides Dungeon Masters with sample roleplaying encounters, adventure hooks, skill challenges, rituals, and lore for some of the most despicable creatures to infest any campaign world, plus new character options for players who like to flirt with evil, and a full-color, double-sided poster map presenting iconic evil sites for heroes to explore.

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Oct 052011
 

Introduction

Last week I provided an overview of depression. This week I shall take a look at its connection with gaming. I’ve been gaming for fourteen years, and have had the opportunity to meet a lot of wonderful people – folks that I gladly call “friend.” And there is one thing that I have noticed about the gamer population compared to the general population. I believe that the rate of depression in gamers is higher than that of the general population.

Gamers & Depression

Why is that? Are depressed people drawn to gaming? Or does gaming make one more depressed? Or is it simply a coincidence, or faulty observation on my part?

We can eliminate that last question based on the proven fact that I am always right. (Which, by the way, is another source of my depression. It is an incredible burden to be right all the time 😀 .)

The second question seems counter-intuitive: How can something “fun,” like playing games, make you feel depressed? Sure, many of the games we play are competitive, and no one likes to lose; losing can put one in quite a funk. But at the same time we recognize that “it’s just a game,” so the prospect and experience of losing are not that emotionally traumatic. Furthermore, many games, especially RPG’s are cooperative, allowing everybody to “win.”

Therefore I’m brought back to the first question: Are depressed people drawn to gaming? I think that there is some solid evidence to indicate this probability.

First, depression makes it difficult to socialize with other people, but gaming provides a “bridge” to social interaction. It’s easier to address another person through the medium of a game, with its rules and structure, compared to trying to strike up a conversation with someone at “regular” party.

Second, it gives the depressed person something to do. Lack of activity and motivation are the most difficult parts of depression to deal with. Gaming, at the very least, is an activity to focus on and participate in. Thus gaming is the vehicle by which one can combat that lack of motivation and activity.

I’m sure there are other reasons (which a qualified sociologist or psychologist could explain) why gamers seem to have a higher rate of depression than the general population, but these two stand out strongest to me. Continue reading »

Ethics in RPG’s: Part 2: The Ethical Theories in D&D

 Articles about better playing, D&D, Games and Education, Pathfinder, RPG's  Comments Off on Ethics in RPG’s: Part 2: The Ethical Theories in D&D
Sep 132011
 

Introduction: The System

In this second part on Ethics in RPG’s I am attempting to apply the major Ethical Theories to the alignment system of Dungeons & Dragons.  I’m using D&D 3.5 as my “base,” but this easily applies to 4th Edition, Paizo’s Pathfinder and any other similar “two axis” alignment system.

What is a “Two-Axis Alignment System”?  That’s my label for how D&D 3.5 models their alignment chart.  There are two axes: 1) Good-Evil, 2) Law-Chaos to create their well-known alignment chart.

The Purpose however, is to help the reader in creating a fuller, deeper character.  To better understand your character’s motivations creates a better role-playing experience for all.

Direct Correlations

I begin with the most natural intersections between the Ethical Theories and particular alignments.

Continue reading »