This Classic Traveller character generator on Devil Ghost is a hoot. The visuals are a perfect match for Traveller, and it couldn’t be easier to use: just refresh to get a new character.[1] Here’s my favorite character I’ve rolled up so far: Just look at this dude: he spent five terms — 20 years — […]
A spiffy online Classic Traveller character generator Read More »
This post is a round-up of three things that crossed my path and grabbed my attention, all RPG-related. Gygax on agreement I found this fascinating 1975 Gary Gygax quote over on The Acaeum: “Dave and I disagree on how to handle any number of things, and both of our campaigns differ from the “rules” found
Agreement, rough edges, and combat as sport vs. war Read More »
I love sandbox games and urban horror, and at that intersection sits the absolutely stellar PbtA RPG Urban Shadows (paid link). I expected Urban Shadows to be good at facilitating sandbox play, but I wasn’t prepared for just how good it is. Since the proof is in the pudding, below is the brief recap of goings-on
Urban Shadows is fantastic for spinning up a sandbox game Read More »
I recently stumbled across Scott Pyle’s Super Mission Force (paid link), read up on it — it’s a low-complexity superhero miniatures game that uses power suites to make character creation simple, and it supports campaign play — and thought, “That sounds totally rad! Except I don’t have any miniatures for it . . .” Enter HeroClix,
Buying bulk HeroClix to use for other supers games Read More »
When print + PDF RPG pricing is utter bullshit: a brief and salty anecdote in four parts. 1. I have enough DriveThruRPG credit to buy a game I’m interested in. By all accounts it’s a good game and I will probably like it. 2. I buy games in print, but like to also have the
How not to price print + PDF bundles Read More »
Back in 2015, I came across a Gary Gygax quote I hadn’t seen before — one that resonated deeply with me then, and which still resonates just as deeply 18 months later: Role-playing isn’t storytelling. If the dungeon master is directing it, it’s not a game. I love this quote. It’s a strong stance, and
A lesser-known Gary Gygax quote Read More »
Back when my group in Utah was playing The Dresden Files RPG (paid link), I wanted to try something different than my usual beads or stones for Fate points. I initially considered the official Fate coins: They’re lovely, but also not cheap, and like beads/stones they’re all the same. And then I thought, why not just
Using coins as Fate points for The Dresden Files RPG Read More »
After making a string of phone calls where I needed to spell things for the person on the other end of the line, I decided it was finally time to learn the NATO phonetic alphabet so I could stop doing this: Okay, it’s five, P as in pork chop [shit, now I’m hungry], six, three,
The D&D phonetic alphabet Read More »
This Adventure Time dice bag rides in my gaming bag every day, just in case. What’s inside? Why, it’s a big ol’ pile of Rory’s Story Cubes (paid link)! I carry these to every game because they’re one of the most useful improv tools in my GMing toolkit. Here’s my full assortment: That spread includes the
Rory’s Story Cubes are one of my favorite improv GMing tools Read More »
I have a container fetish. Not a problem, mind you,[1] a fetish. Browsing in office supply stores is dangerous for me. When we moved to Seattle, and everything I owned became, at some point, another fucking thing to haul across the country, I threw out a box full of smaller boxes.[2] I own more dice
