Heroes of the Elemental Chaos
I wrote up a design and development column covering some of my work on the new D&D sourcebook. Check it out here.
D&D Next?
So I’ve been doing some blogging on the D&D Next site, as have Bruce and Monte. All of these come with polls, so check them out and vote!
Dungeons & Dragons… Next
And here we are in the announcement’s warm afterglow. By now, I think the word about the next iteration of D&D has reached every corner of the tubes, and there’s not much to say beyond what the NY Times, CNN, the Escapist, ENworld, and scads of other sites have said today. You might have noticed I’ve been quiet the last few months and now you know why. I just have a bit more to say before I dive back into the land of work. Read more
When It All Goes Wrong
OK. Fine. One more post about skill challenges and then I’m done. The reason for drilling a bit further into this topic is that there’s still a great deal of unease and confusion about how this game mechanic should work at the table, especially when the skill challenge unravels in a spectacular fashion. How should a DM respond when the challenge falls apart? How do we get back on script?
Skill Challenges, First Impressions
The easiest way to get me (as a player) to check out of a game is to tell me I’m in a skill challenge. And even worse tell me what skills to use. Some DM’s like this approach. It gives structure to a difficult part of the game. Revealing the parameters guides players, helping them make good decisions. But. BUT. This comes at a price. Each time you say, “we’re in a skill challenge,” you’re reminding your players they’re in a game and no matter how good you are at telling stories, you likely lose any immersion you might have achieved up to that point. Read more
Skill Challenges Part 47
Last week, I was invited to participate in D&D Encounters, sign books, and answer questions to promote the release of the Book of Vile Darkness. I had a great time and met some fantastic people. It heartens me to find such an active and vibrant gaming community in what is effectively my back yard. While I enjoyed myself immensely, I was surprised by the difficulties still have running skill challenges. And my surprise has prompted me to spend even more words on this topic. Read more
Death Mark Interview
Sorry for the *no* updates. Here’s an interview with yours truly over at Athas.org about my new novel, Death Mark. Enjoy!
The Mythical New Gamer
I’ve been thinking a lot about the proliferation of starter sets, introductory boxes, and similar gateway products and I’m left scratching my head about whom they are for and who actually buys them. I see the intent. Publishers design the product to create new customers, a laudable and necessary objective, but do they really work? How many people come into the hobby by way of an introductory product?
Image comes from Heath_Bar
Dragon*Con
Sorry for the extended silence. Convention season has once again kicked my fanny. This week, I’m heading south to Atlanta for Dragon*Con! If you’re going to be there and want to meet me, be sure to check out my panels behind the cut.
