A combat guide for new and experienced players, updated from the old Epic Heroes post.
Two drow archers pop off a round of crossbow bolts at the adventurers. A deep voice mutters “Ori’gato ilta oloth z’hren areion ussa. Whol Usstan uil uss xuil lil valsharess.” Dark energy hurdles toward the adventurers. Metal slings against metal as two more drow pull blades from their scabbards and rush into the fray. Continue reading
Dealing with Absent Players.
It eventually happens to all game masters, a player cannot show up to the next session. Sometimes you find out well ahead of time. With plenty of notice, dealing with the missing character isn’t too big of a deal. Other times, you are stuck with only hours to minutes’ worth of preparation time. They didn’t let you know until that day, or worse, not at all. There are a few different ways that I handle missing players and their characters. I try to be as fair as possible to the player, while not overworking myself or my players, and make sure the story is still good. Continue reading
A not so common guide of; what things mean, what to do, and when to do things.
When you are new to a table top role playing game, like Dungeons and Dragons or Pathfinder RPG, your first time at the game table (virtual or real) can be daunting. You were brought in by your own interest or through friends, and now it is your turn to act and all eyes are on you. The game master turns to you and says “What do you do?” and your friends told you that, in this game, you can do anything you want. Sometimes people freeze up when this happens, especially your first time playing. A glance down at your character sheet doesn’t tell you what to do, it’s got numbers, weapons, abilities, and other things; but nothing to tell you what you can or should do right now. That’s what this guide is for. This won’t tell you the rules of each game. This guide is here to teach you; what things mean, what you can do, and when you should do things. In a genre where anything is possible this guide will, hopefully, help you narrow your decisions until things start to come more naturally. Continue reading
The advent of D&D 5e, and the ever-expanding Pathfinder, has done a number to bring tabletop role-playing to the mainstream. That doesn’t mean it is easy to find a game anymore. A good game, that is. It may be easy to set up a group for a one shot adventure, or find some random people to play via virtual tabletops. That doesn’t mean you’ve found your home as a player.
It can be hard, sometimes, to tell when a group isn’t your thing anymore. Perhaps things are just going bad, or one person is causing things to go sour on you. There are a million reasons to want to leave a new, or old group, and just as many to want to stay. I hope this article will help you find ways to enjoy your current group or new group more. Continue reading
A drop of water echoes down the long tunnel. It twists to the left and into shadow beyond the reach of your torchlight. There is a soft breeze every few moments. First it comes from the darkness, then from behind you.
Setting the right tone for your adventure or campaign can make or break the experience for your players. Often times it can be something forgotten, or cast aside in combat, it can even be done wrong or used at the wrong time. I found that it was something that I had forgotten at key moments in my own adventures. At other times I’ve found that I set the tone so well that my players were actually feeling what their characters would feel. So I’ve gone back, taken notes, read up, and learned what I can from those experiences and more. Now onto the article! Continue reading
Vexed Game Master 