Kingmaker Update

It has been some time since I first posted about my Kingmaker campaign for Pathfinder. We are now getting close to the end of book two of the six book adventure series. Tonight the party continues its explorations.


here is the current borders of their kingdom

They are bordered on the east by Varnhold and surround the three-hex large Sootscale Kingdom. The Sootscales are kobolds and have access to a silver mine. I've overhead the players mention a couple of times the desire to gain control of the mine.

Explorations currently are taking place to the south and west of the capital, all around the Tuskwater. They've been leaving that area underdeveloped due to their rush to encircle the Sootscales and secure the border with Varnhold. Hopefully by the end of May this year I'll be ready to start book 3 of the series.

Once work slows down for me a little I'll have to see what I can do to get the campaign maps into Campaign Cartographer 3 or something similar to aid in keeping track of the constantly changing maps.

Kingmaker

Tonight my Kingmaker campaign enters its nation building phase. After spending months clearing out the local wilderness the party is finally ready to establish a new city and barony in the Stolen Lands.

Hopefully the rules for developing this nation will keep all the players entertained. I'm a little worried that the system doesn't give characters in different positions more to due to chart the destiny of their land.

I will most likely be adding a Kobold kingdom near the players. I want to add a bit more diplomacy to the campaign. The only thing is they plan on talking with Chief Sootscale and will offer him a position in their government. Inviting in lawful evil NPCs to help rule your kingdom... not always the best idea!

Hopefully I'll be working a few normal encounters into the evening. There are lands near their capital that will need exploring. It will be fun to see how things develop in the coming months.

I'll be sure to post updates, including maps as the campaign progresses.

Preparing for 1882

Tonight I've been working on more background material for a steampunk/superhero role-playing game I run on some Fridays. Its origins are a little complicated but after the one-shot adventure we decided to keep it going. The 2011 sessions of the game were set in 1881 and now that we have made it to 2012 it is time for my campaign to enter into 1882.

With 'four-color' power level heroes instead of pulp-level heroes (basically Power Level 10 in third edition Mutants & Masterminds) will easily change the world. Since it is going to be changed I started out with an alternate history. The first major change in the timeline was the Second French Empire defeating Prussia in the Franco-Prussian War. Now Germany is still a collection of Germanic states - the Northern German Confederation, Bavaria, Baden, Ruritania, etc. and the French annexed some German territory as well as Luxembourg. The French are in the process of constructing a tunnel to Algeria.

Africa currently has a few scattered European outposts and the Cape Colony and Boer states in Southern Africa. With the discovery of an incredible new element in the African Kingdom of Nri an interest in colonization is increasing. However it will go very differently than in our world. The very fact that France won its war with Prussia changed how the partitioning of Africa will take place. Add the complication of a powerful mummy rising in Egypt named Hsekiu and the reluctance of either France or England to allow the other to gain control of Egypt as Ottoman power collapses is going to lead to some chaos. Without a base of operations in Egypt the Mahdist uprising in Sudan will also have a much different course.

On top of this the player characters saved American President Garfield from assassination - another change in the timeline that will have dramatic effects. On top of that are the incredible technologies being developed by Scientists the world over and it will be interesting to see how things transform during 1882.

For source material I mainly use Victorian era fiction with a few interesting comic book related cliches. With my interest in the Wold Newton Universe and being in the final phases of writing a Victorian era adventure novel this campaign is allowing me to do things and use materials that don't fit exactly in either of those categories.

Counter-factual histories are fascinating. Even without superheroes this one would have some very interesting developments. It helps to prove the importance of certain events or people to history. Sure there the size and power of certain nations will lead to the same long-term results regardless of the exact people involved, but the journey and surprises along the way are worth the effort.

It's also great for the player characters since they will be well aware that their actions will have consequences and that future history has not yet been written.

Has anyone else developed an elaborate alternate Earth history for a role-playing campaign? If so what did you do and how did the PCs react to it?

Planning a Supers-Steampunk game

Now that I have a bit more free time I can now start some new projects. One of them is preparing for a one-shot role-playing game in about two-and-a-half weeks. A friend from out-of-town wants to game again and I'll be piecing together the game.

So, I asked him what he wanted to play and the two things that came up were Steampunk and a supers game. Well, why not combine them. I'm still deciding on the system (it will probably end up being GURPS) and I have to make sure everyone has characters made up before game day (don't want to burn game time making characters, especially for what may only be a one-shot). Oh, and then I have to design the adventure.

All I've determined right now is that the campaign setting will be May 1881. Right now I'm going through my notes on that period and designing the setting. There are going to be some divergence from real history thanks to the introduction of super powers and steam-tech. I'm going to get the basics of a world set up and then we can decide where the heroes are based. Then I get to design the wicked villains.

Since over the last few years I've been reading a lot of sci-fi and adventure stories written in that general era I may have quite a bit of material to draw from. It has been months since I've been a gamemaster, so this little project has been a great outlet for some pent-up creative energy.

Who knows, It might end up being good enough to become more than a one-shot and might be the genesis of another one of my multi-year campaigns (and if not I'll be able to then channel some creative energy into creating that world too!).

Now if you'll excuse me I have some research to do and some notes to take :)

Mutant Arena - Pementa vs. Barnabas

The first of eight mutants now battles the eighth. Which will be victorious in their struggle across the ruins of Rha-Chez-Tur? Will the photonic dinosaur eat the mutant chili pepper, or will the great lizard get a terminal case of heart burn? Let's find out!

Pementa and Barnabas both spot each other early on. The flames coming from the chili pepper are a dead giveaway and the dinosaur's purple scales are not the best camouflage. Both have found some high-tech gear; Pementa a dimensional shuntshield and Barnabas found a healing patch.

Barnabas reacts first. He begins to cautiously close the gap and hurls a glowing photonic blade at his opponent. The blade strikes activating the dimensional shuntsheild. Two points of damage penetrate the shield as it de-activates. Pementa is pushed back by the force of the blade.

Pementa responds by closing with the lizard and projecting fire at him - but misses.

Now Barnabas uses his Tyrannosaur charge and his battle axe. A solid blow hits his fiery opponent inflicting 11 points of damage and pushing it back.

Lashing tendrils project from Pementa towards its enemy. It scores a hit and inflicts 10 points of damage while slowing the big dinosaur. Both combatants have now taken some damage.

This does not last long however. While untangling himself from the tendrils Barnabas slaps his healing patch on his wound recovering to full strength as a result.

Pementa next unleashes a flame attack and closes to an adjacent space with its enemey. The main flame attack hits inflicting 14 points of damage while the fiery aura inflicts an additional 5! If not for the healing patch Barnabas would have been defeated. As things stand he is now bloodied.

Realizing being close with a mutant with any sort of energy aura is a recipe for defeat, Barnabas withdraws and launches his glowing blades. He hits inflicting 13 points of damage and pushes his opponent even further away. Pementa is now bloodied as well. The next hit scored should bring victory for the lucky combatant - and it is now Pementa's turn!

Still disoriented from the photonic blade Pementa's fire blast misses its target. Barnabas dives behind some debris and unleashes his final photonic blade. Pementa is torn to pieces as it takes 14 more points of damage.

Barnabas wins!!!

(There are four mutants left that still have to fight. What match-up do you want to see next?

#1 Zzzzzzzzzzzzz: A Nightmare-Entropic creature from another universe
#2 Fredbert: A Mind Coercer-Cryokinetic
#3 Xera: A shapechanging psychic
#4 Kitty: A mutant cat)

Nation States

I've returned to playing a game called Nation States. It is sort of a government simulation with thousands of players involved. I tried it out once years ago but eventually lost interest. It looks like a number of improvements have been made the last five years and I think I'll have a much longer attention span for it this time.

I no longer had the log-in for my old nation, New Newtopia. Didn't matter because I have now created Free- -Land. I'm starting off pretty good: Excellent Civil Rights, a Thriving Economy, and Superb Political Freedoms.

"The Free Land of Free- -Land is a fledgling, socially progressive nation, renowned for its absence of drug laws. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, intelligent population of 5 million live in a state of perpetual fear, as a complete breakdown of social order has led to the rise of order through biker gangs.

The tiny, corrupt, pro-business government juggles the competing demands of Religion & Spirituality, Law & Order, and Commerce. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 10%. A robust private sector is led by the Arms Manufacturing, Information Technology, and Pizza Delivery industries.

Crime is a major problem, and the police force struggles against a lack of funding and a high mortality rate. Free- -Land's national animal is the Porcupine, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the Quatloos."

As of yet I haven't joined the World Assembly; the UN of Nation States. While on one hand it would be great to get endorsements and vote on resolutions, the problem is that any resolution that passes becomes law for all members of the W.A. I'm not sure I want to have my people be at the mercy of others like that at this point.

My first national issue involved a proposal to make voting in elections mandatory. I didn't want to infringe on my citizens' right not to vote so needless to say that proposal failed.

I'll post some semi-regular updates to tell of my experiences with the game. It should be fun. Now I should start work on designing a new flag (right now I'm using the flag of Sealand).

If you happen to be on Nation States be sure to look my nation up.

Mutant of the Week - Barnabas

This weeks mutant is all gold…. Well form Legion of Gold anyway; presenting a Photonic-Saurian!

STR: 16 (+3)
DEX: 6 (-2)
CON: 12 (+1)
INT: 18 (+4)
WIS: 14 (+2)
CHA: 15 (+2)

+2 Dark overcharge

Fortitude Defense: 16
Reflex Defense: 16
Will Defense: 13
Armor Class: 16
Hit Points: 24

SKILLS
Science +8, Nature +4

MUTANT POWERS
Laser Resistance
Glowing Blades
Sonic Resistance
Tyrannosaur Charge

BACKGROUND
Holy cats a giant purple glowing dinosaur! Barnabas appears as an overweight humanoid-T-Rex with small antennas. He can create glowing blades of purple energy to combat his foes.

Barnabas is gullible, enthusiastic, and dutiful. He is also willing to do anything to help a friend or anyone else in need. Unfortunately he makes friends too easily and can be taken advantage of.

COMING NEXT WEEK!
Well that makes eight mutants of the week. Now comes the time when we start to pair them off, put them in a box, then shake it to make them fight.

#1 Pementa: A mutant chili pepper
#2 Wegg: A human mutant fused with a shopping cart!
#3 Zzzzzzzzzzzzz: A Nightmare-Entropic creature from another universe
#4 Fredbert: A Mind Coercer-Cryokinetic
#5 Boimp: A giant gelatinous ball!
#6 Xera: A shapechanging psychic
#7 Kitty: A mutant cat
#8 Our super dee-duper pal Barnabas

Leave a comment and let me know what match-ups you’d like to see first as next week brings the Mutant Arena!

Mutant of the Week - Kitty

This weeks mutant is a Felinoid-Mind Coercer

STR: 10 (0)
DEX: 18 (+4)
CON: 15 (+2)
INT: 11 (0)
WIS: 13 (+1)
CHA: 16 (+3)

+2 Bio overcharge

Fortitude Save: 13
Reflex Save: 15
Will Save: 16
Armor Class: 15
+1 to Speed

Skills
Interaction +4, Stealth +4, Mechanics +4

Mutant Powers
Catfall
Slasher’s Claws
Group Telepathy
Mental Push

Background
Kitty is cute and loveable. She is basically a cat or rather large size who is very fluffy and cute. Her mental powers make her all the more irresistible. She uses this cuteness to get in close to her opponents and deals with them using her nasty claws.

Her claws are very dexterous and she has taken up a hobby of tinkering with junk and salvage. She usually keeps her mechanical skills a secret so that she can utilize them when others are not expecting it.

Her goals include safety and comfort. Of course given the nature of a post-apocalyptic world most of the survivors are looking for the same thing.

Mutant of the Week - Zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Here is another mutant for the D&D Gamma World game (game by Wizards of the Coast).

This one is a Nightmare-Entropic

STR: 10 (0)
DEX: 7 (-2)
CON: 11 (0)
INT: 18 (+4)
WIS: 12 (+1)
CHA: 16 (+3)

Fortitude Defense: 11
Reflex Defense: 16
Willpower Defense: 16
Armor Class: 12
Hit Points: 23
Psi overcharge +2

Skill Bonuses: +4 bonus to Interaction, +4 bonus to Science, +4 Nature

Mutant Powers
Insidious Mind
Fear Manifested
Disordered
Disrupting Touch

Background
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz is a bizarre being from a twisted and dying dimension of nightmares. During the cataclysm that lead to the destruction of civilization on Earth the barriers to this nightmare realm were weakened. A century and a half later Zzzzzzzzzzzzz broke its way through and began exploring this bizarre new home.

It has learned how to control its appearance to look like a relatively normal humanoid. This was a survival trait in its new environment. As time passed it began to learn more about the laws of nature and physics on Earth. However, at times of high stress or danger, Zzzzzzzzzzzzz can revert to its true form which can cause intense fear in all onlookers.

Mutant of the Week - Pementa

Here is a random mutant rolled up using the new D&D Gamma World game. I think I'm going to do some more of theses as a weekly series just to show some of the strange things you can get with the new Gamma World. Descriptions of the mutant powers can be found in the rule book.:

Pementa
Plant-Pyrokinetic

STR = 12 (+1)
DEX = 11 (0)
CON = 18 (+4)
INT = 13 (+1)
WIS = 16 (+3)
CHA = 5 (-3)
Hit Points: 30
Speed: 6

Fortitude Defense: 17
Reflex Defense: 12
Will Defense: 14
Armor Class: 12

Abilities
+2 Bio Overcharge
Vulnerable to Fire
Fire Resistance
Fiery Aura
Lashing Creepers
Fiery Flare

Character Background
Pementa is a mutant chili pepper. It was born in southern North America a number of years ago.

Being both vulnerable and resistant to fire means that Pementa is in a state of constant pain. It made its way norht over the years hoping that the cooler climates would reduce its suffering.

Having a fire aura makes it difficult for Pementa to make friends. It now lives in the outskirts of the ruins of ancient Rah-Chez-Tur.

(Gamma World is owned by Wizards of the Coast, go to their website and poke around for more info)

Star Frontiers!

As I've been thinking back to the early days of gaming I remembered a great little science-fiction game by TSR back in the early '80s, Star Frontiers.  Dralasites, Vrusk, Yazarians, Sathar and all sorts of cool stuff were included in that role-playing game.  I did some quick web searches looking for memories people may have had of that game and I came across Starfrontiers.com.

This site claims to be the official Star Frontiers site, with permission from Hasbro.  That's cool.  Especially since they happen to have PDF copies of nearly every Star Frontiers supplement and boxed set.  If you remember the good-old-days when Star Frontiers was new or just want to do some research on the early days of gaming a visit to that site would not be wasted.

I'm not sure if I'd use that old system if I ran a Star Frontiers campaign again.  Some d20 variant or GURPS might work better.  But I could be wrong, despite how simple the Star Frontiers system is, it might still be a functional system viewed nearly 30 years later....  30 years?  Dang I'm getting old.  I still remember as a youngling spending hours designing starships for the Knight Hawks supplement.  I might have to design a couple of ships this weekend for old time's sake.

Star Wars Campaign Development & Stuff

Campaign Thoughts
I'll be running a few more sessions of my Star Wars role-playing campaign before I have to put it on pause again. It has been overall an odd campaign over the last two or three years. I've pulled from numerous expanded universe sources including the Marvel comics series, the River of Chaos series, and other places.

As I think about what to do next I have to decide if I'm going to go a more normal route with the game or continue to build on what has transpired so far. If I make things more normal there is a chance that things could get bogged down in the mundane and the efforts of the heroes during the Yuuzhan Vong war will be an insignificant ripple in the conflict.

If I ramp up the storyline it will become something it may have been lacking a bit lately. It will become an action-adventure series on a grand scale with the heroes actually having a chance to save the galaxy (or watch it burn when they screw up). I need to through in more exotic locations, bigger explosions, more bizarre aliens, and things for the players to care about. We have relatively short sessions for Star Wars, but as I learned last night it is possible to get a lot done if we get to it and I'm properly prepared... I just have to make sure I don't run out of material and do what I can to keep tangents from happening.

As I've been getting more notes together I've even realized I've made some major oversights on a couple of small scale things. It's probably hurt the characters a bit, but I'll make up for that oversight before things go on pause.

With the mysteries of Splendid Ap and Centerpoint Station mostly solved and other revelations it would be anti-climatic to have the team running a droid factory churning out hundreds of thousands of droids for a war that involves trillions. The players deserve better than that so I think I'll have to put them in the position of being the heroes of the story. Now If I could just get them to act heroic.

I'll give some details of what I have planned at the end of next month after the last session before the break. I don't want to spoil anything for any of the players.

Unrelated Thoughts (Stuff)
Again timing seems to be off for me. A package I've been expecting actually arrived at the main Rochester post office this morning. I was hoping it would get delivered but now I'll have to wait until Friday since to-morrow is a holiday.

I've been reading some of the stories in The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Some are good, some are bad, and some are mediocre. Thinking about putting it aside for now and jumping into L. Neil Smith's Lando Calrissian trilogy.

Finally, I'm behind schedule on my NaNoWriMo again this year. November just doesn't seem to be a good month for me to try to write a novel. June has worked much better for me. I'll keep at it a bit, but it's starting to morph into something I plan to merge with my first novel and some other material. More details next summer as I get things organized.

15 Games in 15 minutes Meme

Here is something I've seen a few other people post about. You get 15 minutes to list the first 15 games you think of that stuck with you in some way. I'll be listing role-playing games on mine:

1) Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
2) Villains & Vigilantes
3) Amber Diceless Role-Playing
4) Star Frontiers
5) Mage: The Ascension
6) GURPS
7) D&D 3.5
8) DC Heroes RPG
9) Star Trek RPG (Fasa's version)
10) Extreme Vengeance
11) 7th Sea
12) Deadlands
13) Marvel Super Heroes
14) Space:1889
15) Doctor Who (the new RPG; haven't played it but it looks like it has some cool systems to it)

Okay, that took only about five minutes. These were the first 15 games I could think of as having had an influence on my gaming style, having been fun to play, or just looking interesting. There are lots more, but these must be the most important ones since I thought of them first.

I'm sure I'll think of a few more that have had more of an influence on me after I hit the 'Publish Post' button.

4th Edition Problem

I'm working on reviving an old campaign and I'm trying to decide what to do with a problem with being 100% compliant with 4th edition rules. I would stick with the old rule from earlier editions but new sourcebooks are based on the new edition so I may have to change.

I'm not talking about D&D 4th edition; I'm talking about GURPS. The fourth edition of GURPS has messed with the higher tech levels. In old GUPRPS tech level 7 was the modern day and was projected to last until about the turn of the century (2001+ was listed as the time TL 8 would begin). New GURPS has TL 8 starting in 1980..... 1980 to about 2001 or so being TL 7 in old GURPS. Sure we may have some Tech Level 8 technology making its way into our civilization, we may be at the early stage of TL 8; but then again it's 2010 so that's where we should be in the old scale.

Additionally the higher tech levels had gone to 16 in the old Ultra Tech book; the new one has the anti-matter weapons and super tech that was 15-16 at TL 12. So now the tech level starts one higher than it used to and we have lost four levels at the other end of the scale. So from today's digital technology it is now only four steps to near god-like powers.

If I update to the new tech rankings I'll have to bump the campaign base tech level to 9. There will be annoying little bookkeeping things to do like update all the NPC character sheets so their skills reflect the proper new tech level. That way as new GURPS books are released with higher tech gear I wont' have to go back and figure out what tech level it would be in old GURPS. Either case is a pain.

Since I was running an alternate worlds campaign there is also the high technology and special tech from various alternate worlds that have to be adjusted as well. I like having more tech levels because that helps make some of the super tech very difficult for the PCs to use or figure out.

Would it have been too difficult to just leave the tech levels the same? What benefit is there to changing it and reclassifiying a pile of ultra tech gear to lower tech levels?

Return of Gamma World

This week the latest in a long line of editions of Gamma World has been released. I've lost count of how many editions there have been but this one might just as well be called 4e since it uses the Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition rules. In fact it is called D&D Gamma World.

The boxed set stands out in 'radioactive green' similar to the Deadlands Wasted West products. While it is a boxed set it is not in the old style flimsy boxes of the old days its in a nice sturdy box. The contents, however, don't require such a big box.

The rule book is over 150 pages... but its a 8.5" times 5.5" book instead of your standard 8.5" times 11". Of course the dimensions of the box would not allow for an 11 inch book. Next are the battle maps; while useful for the game these is only so many battles that can be fought on them before they get boring. A bunch of cardboard character and monster tokens are included as well (too bad they won't release a non-collectible miniatures set for Gamma World, that would be cool).

Finally we come to the card deck. The new Gamma World uses collectible cards for mutations and 'Omega Tech.' So for those of you not turned off by the 4th Edition rules, the collectible card aspect may have now driven you away. For those who like both collectible cards and 4e this might be the game for you.

From what I've seen online there isn't much of a campaign background in the new game. That's too bad. But at least that keeps them from creating something as horrible as the Alternity version of Gamma World (pure strain humans are actually aliens.... really?). Despite the apparent strikes this new one has against it I really didn't like the background changes they mad in the Alternity version... which is too bad because I liked the Alternity system.

If you are going to buy this one be sure to shop around. There is a wide range of pricing online. Also, you might want to hold off on the booster packs and see if the price on them goes down at all right now I think it is averaging about fifty cents per card.

Now I wonder when they'll get around to re-releasing Star Frontiers.

Hutts, and then some

Worked a little late tonight. My gym was closed all day. I've got a million things to do but I spent my night preparing for next Tuesday's Star Wars role-playing campaign. I could have done something more constructive, but the game won't write itself and it needs to be done before Tuesday.

A storyline just ended in my game. The PCs are now on their way to Hutt Space (one of the players is playing a Hutt). I've had to determine the current status of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion of Hutt territory, create numerous NPCs and work out some new game systems I hope will add something to the campaign. I've even sketched illustrations for three of the Hutt NPCs (perhaps I'll put them in a future post after I scan and color them).

Over the last several hours I've been exploring Wookieepedia and drawing up potential conflicts in the next phase of my Star Wars campaign. This weekend I'll be finishing some new maps and details of new star systems & species to locate into Hutt Space.

The PCs started out as Corporate Sector troubleshooters. They were involved in corporate espionage in the early days of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion of the galaxy. They even ran a mission into New Republic territory against the New Republic. As things developed they had a growing distaste for their employers and moved out on their own.

On top of that was the Cult of Splendid Ap and the secrets of Centerpoint Station. This kept the team busy on their own. With a Hutt joining the party, and their growing distaste for the New Republic the PCs are now on their way to take the fight to the Vong in Hutt Space. We'll see how long they stay in that neighborhood; hopefully it will be some time as the only things left after would be the Centrality or the Imperial Remnant.

Anyway, I had some fun tonight creating a number of Hutt NPCs and designing some aliens and ships. This weekend I'll finish the designs and come up with the Vong and Hutt orders of battle. Should be more fun.

Now I just have to make sure the players have as much fun playing as I had designing......

DC Adventures!

I finally had a little bit of money in the budget to pick up a new RPG book. I had planned to pick up a new Pathfinder players guide, even had it in my hand. Then I looked up on the shelf and saw the new DC Adventures Hero's Handbook! Holy cats! A new DC role-playing game.



I had loved the original DC Heroes RPG by Mayfair games back in the mid-'80s. I tried to like the one West End Games put out in the '90s based off their D6 Legend System. I knew nothing about this new game but knew I must have it.

It was the same price as the Pathfinder book I had planned on buying, but had a much smaller page count and slightly smaller dimensions than a regular RPG book, it was only a little larger in dimensions than a regular comic book.

When I finally got it home I started reading it. It was designed by Green Ronin, they make some good games a number based on the Open Game License. Wait a minute, this new DC Game was powered by the Mutants & Masterminds game engine. Certainly didn't look like M&M character sheets in the back. A little research on the Green Ronin website explained. They wanted to develop their system beyond its SRD (System Reference Document) roots and develop a better game. DC Comics didn't want them to just create a DC sourcebook for an existing game. This modified version of M&M suited both parties well.

Needless to say I didn't finish reading the book and analyzing the system. I started pulling up notes on my old DC Heroes campaigns and all the the countless adventures that were played out over the years. My mind began to wander into the DC Universe like it did in the old days when I was plotting that campaign. I had to remind myself I wasn't running this new game yet. In fact I bought almost no comic books over the last five or so years apart from Marvel Zombies and some Army of Darkness, I don't have any real idea of what the current DC & Marvel Universes are like.

Who knows, I might have to dust off my old DC campaign and get things rolling with a new group of heroes. It's been nearly 24 years since I first played the original DC Heroes, perhaps this new DC Adventures will be just as good.

D&D Game Today

Played in a D&D game today. It's a smallish group, three players and one DM, so the players are allowed two characters. For months I only had my Warlock, but I've recently added a half-ogre war hulk (from the Miniatures Handbook, a potentially abusive character class).

The game itself is a strange mix of third and fourth edition D&D. The players are all using 3.5 books but the DM is pulling out monsters and treasure from 4th edition sources. It's been bumpy at times, but the campaign has been working.

My half-ogre will become an unstoppable engine of destruction in about three more levels. My Warlock has steadily grown in power and has collected a wide assortment of magic items and scrolls. Even at 13th level I now have access to Shapeshift abilities. I spent a good portion of today as a 26 hit die gold dragon. That really helped to put a hurting on the army of giants attacking a settlement we vowed to defend.

Anyway, it has been an interesting game. I'll be sure to give some updates as things progress.

Gaming Withdrawal

For years I’ve had a Friday night table-top role-playing game to attend. For the last number of weeks I haven’t. I’m starting to suffer from withdrawal. The last five years of Friday gaming had been pretty cool.

For three of those years I ran a GURPS infinite worlds campaign. That has to be my favorite game to run since my Vampire: The Dark Ages campaign about a dozen years ago. After the GURPS game ran its course I ran Scion for nearly two years. Scion is a game where the players are the offspring of the deities of old in the modern world. The PCs just finished being demigods before becoming low-powered gods, however the game systems for the ultra-powered divine levels left much to be desired so we moved on from that.

We tried a few other games, the next most successful one our recent Marvel Superheroes campaign where I actually got to be a player. Despite my sucky power I managed to become possibly the most important character in the game.

Now I’m just taking some time off. Perhaps I’ll rebuild a group in the coming months. I’ve got a Tuesday game on a regular basis, but it has a short time slot and everyone has to work the next day so we never really bet to push it too much.

Tonight I’m just reading through some GURPS books as I watch some DVDs. I want to be ready for when Friday gaming starts back up for me.

Well, enough rambling about my problems. I’m just want to try to post to this blog everyday and tonight I’ve had old role-playing games on my mind. I now return you to your regularly scheduled internet browsing.

New D&D Character

I'm working on a new D&D character for a new campaign starting to-morrow. It will be a 3.5 campaign so I pulled out my copy of the Complete Arcane for some inspiration. In the past some of my favorite characters have been wizards. I believe that will change once I play my new Warlock!

I've played a Warlock before. I didn't realize the full potential of the Warlock at the time and managed to get killed at 2nd level. This time will be different.

He's a human with the Magical Aptitude and Skill Focus: Use Magic Device feats. Str: 11, Dex: 12, Con: 13, Int: 15, Wis: 12, Cha: 18. His starting overall bonus in Use Magic Device is 13. In future levels I'll be concentrating on picking up the most important item creation feats so that I'll be ready at 12th level to create some awesome magic items, including many scrolls. If things work out well I'll have a greater spell-casting capability at 12th level than any of my wizards.

Since my occassional Sunday D&D game will be a small group the DM said we could each make two characters. I don't feel motivated to do so right now. I really want to focus on my Warlock. I thought about making a Dwarf Monk, but then I thought a Wizard/Cleric heading towards the Mystic Theurge prestige class would be cool... and would allow me to create all sorts of additional scrolls for my Warlock; but I decided not to be that cheesy.

Of course my Warlock will have a number of tricks up his sleeves, but I'll have to leave them secrets for now. Don't want to tip the DM off to my plans.