Priceless in game quotes.

Greetings again to the Internet, it is I VonKrause and I bring forth more silly nonsense at the request of Paradisio. I like my friend Paradisio have DM’ed before and have a number of things that I have said I was sorry for. Again sorry Chris for my horrible DMing.

That aside I have kept a running quote list inside of my personal 3.5 players handbook, some of which are quite entertaining. And I assure you they are all legit, every last one of them was said by a player or a DM in a session. So with no more stalling here goes.

4e Monster Manual Personal 1 Errata – Beetles, Drakes and Rotters

Well, I recently ran the first session of a new campaign and did some demos as well, and I came to some conclusions, some monsters from the core monster manual, especially on the low end are just broken in 4e. So, considering that Wizards have yet to address the complaints I found online regarding these three cretins, I thought I would take it upon myself to revise them.

The creatures are:
-the humble Fire Beetle, whose area attack is far too much in groups
-Zombie Rotters, the worst minion in the game
-Needlefang Drake Swarm, the low level TPK machine.

You’re free not to use these homebrew variants, but you should be aware of their strengths and weaknesses before throwing them into a regular encounter without any changes. New stats after the jump.

Homebrew DND4.0 Game – Preliminary Ideas

Below is an e-mail I sent to the group with some of my first ideas about my upcoming (very work in progress) homebrew game with some prelimiary ideas, mostly focused on the pantheon. Any input or ideas? Trying to come up with something original and interesting, don’t know If I’m quit there yet. Appreciate any input, thanks.

CCC – Maid: The RPG

Well, it’s been awhile, but it’s finally time to get back on track. Today’s CCC (or Create a Character Challenge) is for Maid The Role Playing Game. Yea, yea, seems odd, but bare with me for a moment, the game is actually quite fun. Obviously the game is very anime inspired by the cover/theme and doesn’t take itself real seriously. Honestly the game was originally a Japanese title that was translated, but don’t let that deter you too much, the translation is very well done. The game is pretty simple and easy to learn and character creation is quick and fun, and in general it makes for a system that is great for not-so-serious one shot games. So if you enjoy RPGs that are a bit silly and rules-lite, this is a great choice.

Starting a homebrew D&D 4.0 game

Well, with my upcoming Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition game staring in a few weeks-month, I surveyeed my player base for some general details and to a bit of my surprise they said they would prefer a homebrew setting over well, a published one (the only ‘official’ option being Forgotten Realms currently). This has stirred up some old feelings, and I myself have vastly preferred homebrew settings in the past over official ones, and in general they hold my interest much better and let me feel like I have a further reach in creativity while staying true to the original premise.

Regardless, I prodded the group for a few details about this supposed setting and they give me a couple of things to work with so far:
-Use Eberron as a guideline for how far to stretch the ‘feel’ of the game
-Related to the first point, some seemed interested in Steampunk ideas, something which my typical players abhor
-The group wanted the game mostly to be based around a single region where they could develop relationships and learn the lay of the land
-Group doesn’t want resource management to be a big issue (IE they don’t want to fight for their daily break or have bone weapons like darksun)
-Game should accomodate standard stuff for the most part (no low/no magic game)
-They are okay with custom races/classes/etc.
-Can change cosmology
-Want a mix of adventure types, not a ton of dungeon crawling/room to room stuff.

Additionally, one player was interested in have some sort of benefit/hindrance system for roleplaying. I’m really not sure how to implement such a thing and not have it come out rediculously overpowered like the 3.5 variant (take a pointless negative for a free feat).

Mostly I’m looking for the RPG communities input on where to start or any specific ideas. I’ve done homebrew settings before, but they were pretty much 100% off the cuff, and I would like to do something a bit more… well, inspiring and well thought out this time. Have any great ideas, guides, etc that would help me out? Post ’em! I would really appreciate it. I’ll keep posting as I develop.

Character Creation Challenge and More

Well, with the relaunch of the site, things have finally settled down now. I’ve gotten my site hooked up with everything again, so it’s time to pump out the content. Unfortunately, I lost a lot of time recently to catastrophic car failure, but I’m really trying here, and I would like some of my readers help on some upcoming stuff.

First, I like the Create a Character stuff I’ve been doing, and I’m going to continue to do that, but I’m beginning to run low on books. Here is my current list of games I own. I’ve marked off the ones I’ve already covered in past character creation walkthroughs.

Free Exalted 2nd Edition Core Books (PDFs)

Well, with the recent debacle of Wizards of the Coast pulling their D&D products from PDF sales due to supposed piracy or some such undisclosed information, while White Wolf has taken the opposite stance and have (at least for the moment) decided to make the Core Second Edition Exalted Book free. You can pick it up here at DriveThruRPG.com. In addition, there are some other good discounts and free books on that site as well right now; and I personally recommend them as a great store to get legitimate PDFs.

I really commend WW for embracing the PDF market instead of treating it like a red-headed step child.

If you haven’t heard of the WoTC pulling PDF sales, here’s the information from DriveThruRPG’s newsletter:

“By now, you have probably learned that Wizards of the Coast recently decided to cease the sale of digital download versions of their books. This means that RPGNow and DriveThruRPG will no longer be able to offer you future downloads of Wizards titles you have purchased.

We are offering you a final 24-hour period in which to re-download copies of any Wizards of the Coast files you have purchased from us in the past. If there are any titles you purchased, and you need a new copy of the file for your personal archive, this is your last chance to get it.”

Quite disturbing indeed, and I can’t help feel a bit bad for DTRPG as they had to deny customers their right to future downloads of WOTC products they had already purchased.

Moving on Up

Hey, this site has been great and I appreciate all my readership. I’m sorry I’ve neglected you all recently with work and whatnot, but I’m proud to announce a new site. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as reading this. You can find the new site here or simply at GarGamer.com

Dungeons and Dragons Markers on the Cheap

In 4e, it is command to have a variety of effects: marks, curses, slowed, immoblized, etc… It can be a hassle for the GM to keep track of all this and make sure the players are informed, while being informed about the player’s conditions as well. In response, at least one company has release a commercial product to my knowledge with colored markers you can put the minitures on. But this isn’t about those magnetic markers, this is about something you can pick up for a fraction of the price.

Yesterday at my occasional Friday D&D session a player arrived with colored wooden, stackable markers. We were all stunned, they were dirt cheap, wooden checkers. You can pick them up in the crafts section of Hobby Lobby for just a couple of bucks; and at least here, they were on sale for the Holiday Season. So go pick some up if you are looking for some cheap markers for your miniatures playing. You can paint them or just write the condition on them.

Hope this little tip helps! I’ll try to get back with a picture of the packaging for ease when I go pick some up myself.

Happy Holidays!

P.S. They really only work for Medium sized figures, but they should for small as well; you’ll have to balance large figures on top of them if you want to use them.

4e – Warcraft Races #1

Well, unlike most groups spouting off the similarities in disparaging fashion, my group actually wants more MMO inspired stuff. So I’ve decided to put together Warcraft stuff for the game. I’m doing pretty much a full rewrite of much of the stuff. But today I’m starting with races, the Alliance races and two neutral. This game is Warcraft (not necessarily just WoW) inspired, so I do take some things from the earlier games, but I use WoW mostly because it is more fleshed out as far as abilities and things goes. This is just a preliminary list, I may make some changes in the future, so be free to leave feedback. I edited some of the info out because of similarities with core races. I do plan on adding racial feats as well. Without further adieu, here we go.

Human
As per players handbook.

Exodar Draenei
Ability Scores: +2 Str, +2 Cha
Size: Medium
Speed: 6
Vision: Normal

Languages: Common, Draenei
Skill Bonuses: +2 Religion, +2 Diplomacy
Necrotic Resistance: You have resist necrotic 5 + one-half your level.
Gift of the Naaru: You can use Gift of the Naaru as an encounter power.

Gift of the Naaru – Exodar Draenei Racial Power
Encounter – Divine, Healing
Standard Action – Ranged 10
Target: You or one ally
Effect: The target can spend a healing surge

Ironforge Dwarf
Ability Scores: As per PHB dwarf
Size: As per PHB dwarf
Speed: As per PHB dwarf
Vision: As per PHB dwarf

Languages: As per PHB dwarf
Skill Bonuses: As per PHB dwarf
Cold Resistance: You have resist cold 5 + one-half your level.
Cast-Iron Stomach: As per PHB dwarf
Encumbered Speed: As per PHB dwarf
Stoneform: You may use Stoneform as an encounter power.

Stoneform – Ironforge Dwarf Racial Power
Encounter
Minor Action – Personal
Effect: You gain a +2 bonus to all defenses until the end of your next turn.

Gnome
Ability Scores: +2 Dex, +2 Int
Size: Small
Speed: 5
Vision: Low-Light

Languages: Common, Gnomish
Skill Bonuses: +2 Thievery, +2 Acrobatics
Expansive Mind: You gain training in one additional skill of your choice.
Escape Artist: You have a +2 bonus on saving throws vs immobilization and slowing effects.
Slippery Mind and Body: You gain a +1 racial bonus on your Will and Reflex defenses.

Goblin
Ability Scores: +2 Int, +2 Cha
Size: Small
Speed: 5
Vision: Normal

Languages: Common, Goblin, Orcish
Skill Bonuses: +2 Bluff, +2 Streetwise
Always on the Lookout: +1 Initiative
Goblin Reflexes: You gain a +1 racial bonus on your Reflex Defense
Goblin Tactics: You may use Goblin Tactics as an encounter power.

Goblin Tactics – Goblin Racial Power
You avoid your enemy’s blow and cleverly slink past his defenses.
At-Will
Immediate Reaction – Personal
Trigger: You are missed by a melee attack.
Effect: You shift 1 square.

High Elf (Blood Elf if Horde)
Ability Scores: +2 Dex, +2 Int
Size: Medium
Speed: 6
Vision: Low-Light

Languages: Common, Thalassian
Skill Bonuses: +2 Arcana, +2 History
Magic Addiction: High Elves are addicted to magic and must spend an hour each day in meditation to keep the addiction in check. They require one additional hour of rest per long rest.
High Elven Will: You gain a +1 racial bonus to your Will defense. In addition, you gain a +5 racial bonus to saving throws against charm effects.
Elven Education: You gain training in one addition skill of your choice.
Arcane Torrent: You may use Arcane Torrent as an encounter power.

Arcane Torrent – High Elf Racial Power
With a blast of latent magical energy you overwhelm an opponents senses.
Encounter
Minor Action – Close Burst 1
Target: One creature in burst
Attack: Intelligence +2 vs. Reflex, Wisdom +2 vs. Reflex, or Charisma +2 vs. Reflex
-Increase to +4 bonus at 11th level and +6 bonus at 21st level.
Hit: The target is Dazed (Save Ends)

Night Elf
Ability Scores: +2 Dex, +2 Wis
Size: Medium
Speed: 7
Vision: Low-Light

Languages: Common, Darnassian
Skill Bonuses: +2 Nature, +2 Stealth
Group Awareness: You grant non-elf allies within 5 squares of you a +1 racial bonus to Perception checks.
Quickness: You ignore difficult terrain when you shift (even if you have a power that allows you to shift multiple squares)
Shadowmeld: You may use Shadowmeld as an encounter power.

Shadowmeld
Encounter
Minor Action – Personal
Effect: You gain concealment until the start of your next turn.

Pandaren
Ability Scores: +2 Str, +2 Wis
Size: Medium
Speed: 6
Vision: Low-Light

Languages: Common, Pandaren
Skill Bonuses: +2 Athletics, +2 Endurance
Natural Weapons: A Pandaran has claws and sharp fangs that they may use in battle. These weapons are counted as light blades (daggers), and do 1D4 + Str modifier damage with a +3 proficiency bonus. These weapons can’t be disarmed, but they may be sundered. These weapons also can’t be enchanted.
Inherit Toughness: You gain a +1 racial bonus on your Fortitude Defense.
Pandaren Charge: You may use Pandaren Charge as an Encounter Power.

Pandaren Charge – Pandaren Racial Power
Encounter
Standard Action – Melee 1
Attack: Strength +2 vs. AC
-Increase to +4 at 11th level, +6 at 21st level.
Special: You must charge as part of the attack.
Effect: You may make a charge attack with an extra two squares of movement.
Hit: Make a damage roll appropriate for your natural weapons, and the target is knocked prone.