-
The many names of spells and how to change them.
In D&D, spells have names. This is based on some fiction and some legendary sources so it didn’t start with D&D. The notion of names having power is actually pretty old. The concept appears in ancient Egypt and Greece by various terms. By naming the spell, they describe its power. Most of the spell names in D&D are relatively innocuous if descriptive of their effect. A Fireball spell creates a big ball of fire. Simple and easy. Then there are some spells that have little more story to them. They not only describe the effect, but carry the name of the wizard who created it. This has been…
-
The Basics of the Game on running a game for newbies
I recently ran a game for newbie D&D players. Here are my thoughts on the experience. I recommend it to people because not only does it bring in more players, but it is remarkably satisfying. I also talk about a game I played later that evening with Francois Letarte and company.
-
The Way of the Grasping Hand: a Midgard “monastic” Tradition
I am writing this for use in the Midgard setting, but I should state upfront that this can be used for just about any setting. A grappling style Monk would fit in just about any setting that allows monks. I recently wrote a blog post about the weird misconceptions held about martial arts and how they shape their presentation in D&D. One of the reasons I wrote that was because I could see some specific archetypes for Monks in Midgard I wanted to make.
-
When Immortals Adventure
I proposed a question a while back. Are immortal PC’s a problem or are they workable? The consensus appears to be that they are workable. I decided to take a pass at setting up a framework for using it in D&D. Death is ultimately just a small challenge after all. Immortality offers a range of cool stories that make the PC’s feel special in the world, which is sort of the point.
-
The Kingdom of Durnham pt 2: The Chapel
Here is another installment of my describing a post apocalyptic fantasy setting called God Thrones. This is the ruins of Chapel Hill, which is pretty different in the world I am describing. It is a stop on on the way to the capital of Durnham. If people like these, please let me know. I will keep writing more.
-
The Basics of the Game Rambles About the Original White Box
I received the original white box D&D box set today as a gift from my mom. I have thoughts on the set I want to share.
-
Burning Orcs
When I began writing a post apocalyptic fantasy setting, I knew a radiation or toxic corruption would be a recurring theme. It is part and parcel in the genre. The Blight Elves were part of that, and so is today’s offering. There will be others. Thing is, I am not personally afraid of all things nuclear. I grew up in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This is where the material for the first atomic weapons came from. My grandfather was scientist at the labs, and I grew up understanding that nuclear was not necessarily a bad thing. Nuclear medicine was saving lives daily and nuclear power, while not yet perfected, was easier…
-
Rogue Magic: 5 Magic Items For Thieves
I like utility magic items. My favorite magic item, hands down, is the Immovable Rod. It practically begs you to think creatively about how to use it. The magic weapons are fine, and the powerful artifacts are great macguffins for your story, but utility style wondrous items are often great ways to relay magic without having to change a power level. It is also provides some flavor to a character and how they interact with challenges. Having a few clever toys can be as much of a statement as a Holy Avenger. I am also fond of rogues and other thieving ne’er-do-wells. You might have figured this out in…
-
The Basics of the Game Rambles about the Mearls Tweet
I address the comments going around about the Mike Mearls twitter posting. Note: think I need to do some work on my audio set up. So, if you are a rules or lore expert and do not want to be a gatekeeper, what do you do? My experience is that it helps to take a mentoring mindset, rather than coaching. Here’s a starting point: https://t.co/8uOHFnGmBZ — Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) January 22, 2018 It is all about context. My Blog https://jeremiahmccoy.com My Patreon https://www.patreon.com/jeremiahmccoy
-
The Kingdom of Durnam
This post is an experiment. I will do a second part soon. My favorite gaming supplements over the decades have been the ones with an in character commentary. This is my attempt at that sort of thing. Here is a travelogue style bit from a scholar traveling through the Kingdom of Durnam. I have included a random encounter table at the bottom, and some other game information. I also made sure there are some story hooks in there. This is set in the post-apocalyptic setting I have written about in the past. It is hundreds of years after the giant Space Gods came and reeked enormous havoc on the world.…