Category Archives: Random Bits

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Join The RPG Pig Pen!

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Let’s get this party started. I finally did that Intro Video that everyone tells you to do. So just head on over and check it out. I know. Things will get better in the future.

Remember it’s free to join up. A place to kick back and have fun. Behind the scenes rants. Early announcements. Super secret house rules. Maybe a Live Stream. A may dust off a version of the podcast again. The more folks that join up, the more bandwidth for all that stuff. So I can post more stuff over there. And that means more fun.

And it’s an easy way to support the blog. I’m not to get rich. This ain’t the next Critical Role. It’s the Pig Pen. Things are down and dirty. And fun.

Roll dice. Kill Monsters. Take Their Shit. And Have Fun.

Random Bits

Happy April Fools

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I was going to do a special post but instead I’m throwing out a bunch of random one liners.

  • On the next season of Critical Role, they will play Lamentations of the Flame Princess.
  • Speaking of Lamentations of the Flame Princess. The Ref Book is done!
  • A new edition of Mork Borg is coming out. To avoid any confusion, they are getting rid of all the words and just use pictures. A special Black Edition will also be published with nothing but black pages.
  • The next setting for 5E will be Candyland.
  • Paizo announces 3rd Edition Pathfinder which will just be 1st Edition Pathfinder.
  • Facebook buys RPG.net for their content moderation processes.
  • The list of people banned from GenCon is now longer than the list of attendees.
  • For the revised 5E rule books, the Monster Manual will be moved to the Character Generation chapter of the Players Handbook. The Dungeon Masters Guide will just be a list of things the DM is not allowed to do.

Have a fun gaming weekend, folks!

News, Rants & Reviews, Random Bits, Random Tables

d12’s and d30’s Need More Love

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These don’t get enough love. I admit not everybody has a d30. So go out and get a few. But the d12. That’s in standard RPG dice set.

So what about that d12. It doesn’t have to be just the “barbarian” die. First, that generally physically roll well and give just a whee bit more range than a d10. It hits a usable spot for many random tables. In my own games, I use a d12 fumble chart for combat and Arcane Mishaps. I have Grievous Injury random table for when things go really wrong. There’s just the right number options that I can be detailed without getting flaky trying to come up a d20’s worth of stuff. Heck, even while kicking around some ideas, I was considering and x in d12 skill system. You like an x in d6 but with twice the range.

And there’s the d30. Sure this can roll like a golf ball (but not as bad as that mythical d100. Yes I have one.) Many times it does feel overblown but it fills that spot where I want that flat curve for a lot of things. Now folks a lot smarter than me have already done a great jot doing a whole books of d30 charts like New Big Dragon Games. For a long time, I hadn’t really used my trusty d30. Then and idea struck me. Why not a couple of random encounter tables? Heck, I wouldn’t have to 30 entries. Roll once a day, if it’s blank then nothing interesting happened. I haven’t even typed this up. It’s just scribbles in my campaign notebook.

Yeah, it’s very much what you’d consider a working document. Now am I saying you have to use your d12’s and d30’s. Naw. Just play with all the toys you have in toy box. Play with the one’s you like and maybe find other ways to use the one’s that you haven’t played with in a while.

Have fun. That’s really the whole idea isn’t it?

News, Rants & Reviews, Random Bits

Find Your DM Voice

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How many videos and blog posts out there that tell you who to DM or DM in a specific way? How to run a mystery. How to run a political, horror, grim dark etc. A lot. Too many? That’s up to you to decide.

If you’ve spent any time around writers there’s this common talk of finding your voice. Finding that style that it is you. This same idea applies to being a DM. Sure some folks can bounce from genre to genre and from tone to tone with ease. But some of us can’t. Or should I say that some of us aren’t that good at it. And that’s OK. Embrace your voice and be yourself.

I admit it. I suck at running most SciFi games. I can do it and enjoy it but the campaigns never last long. What about horror or something grim dark? Well, no. I try. I start that way and soon my own dark sense of humor creeps in and we’re making Monty Python jokes in the face of an Elder God. Is there anything wrong with this? Oh no! It break immersion. Yeah it does but when what you’re immersed in isn’t exactly your forte then fewer people start enjoying the game.

So be honest with yourself about what you’re good at and what you enjoy as DM. Be honest with your players. And as a player be honest too. Just because the DM isn’t running the game the way you want. Doesn’t mean that it’s wrong. It’s just different. And any reasonable person can tell the difference between just a different tone and feel and folks that are just jerks.

And on the mini painting front. Here you go.

A Dancing Girl, Blink Dog, & Merchant.
Random Bits

GM’s Day: Things to do for you grumpy GM

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It’s GM’s day and what should you do for your grumpy grognard GM.
9. Show up on time.
8. Level up your character.
7. Don’t loose your character.
6. Bring a pencil (and a eraser).
5. Don’t use your phone to play a different game.
4. Pay attention.
3. Ride the plot train for a couple of minutes.
2. Realize that there more options than murder or seduce when it comes to dealing with NPC’s
1. Buy your own damned book.

And remember always have fun.

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