Player characters are the stars of the show. The main event. The tavern. The Ones Who Get Things done. The GM knows it, and the players know it. Nothing happens in the world that does not affect them and nothing gets done which they do not do. This article suggests ways to make your world bigger than your PCs.
Back in the early days of gaming there was One Game to Rule Them All. AD&D captured the hearts, minds and wallets of nearly every gamer out there. While other games had their market share (Champions and GURPS come to mind), everyone knew only one game was a household word. Negative press took TSR a step further, and by the time they released 2nd edition they were by far the largest game company out there.
Gamers in search of a group may sometimes feel like Christians in ancient Rome; you have to speak in code and be careful who you talk to, or before you know it you might be standing in the Coliseum being stared down by lions with a severe case of the munchies. No matter what, it's likely that you'll have to do some work, especially in areas where the hobby is less common, and many people have no idea where they should even start.
Let's be honest. D&D is a game within which you can become an amalgamation of your fantasies: a bold, daring brute of a Fighter, a brilliant and savvy Sorcerer, or a clever and stealthy Rogue. You can be practically anything you like - your alter ego, your antithesis, your fantasy of how success would appear.
A word about reenacting and LARPing: They are not the same. Reenacting is an attempt to recreate an actual era in history. Authenticity is important in reenacting, since if you do something not in keeping with the era you're trying to portray, (wearing sneakers with your toga, for example) you're not doing a very good job. LARPing is not, and shouldn't be, held to the same standards of authenticity for the simple reason that LARPing is trying to create a fantasy atmosphere, not a historical one.
So, you want to know how a cabbie like me can afford to go on some business-training course with self-assessment forms at the end? Sorry pal, I'm doing something worthwhile with my time. Gaming! Sure, gamers obsess about the experience they have accrued, but how many of you believe their games enhance their lives? Consider the origins of playing. Animals learn life skills by playing. What did you learn by playing Diablo?
The fantasy world of Firmel is a free-style campaign in progress. This column will be used to create an updating campaign world, usable for most D&D style RPGs. In this, the first column, a detailed description of a ravaging disease known as "greentips": It is believed that the first instance of greentips occurred 1009, S E. (Second Era) in the city of Dryander. Trappers and hunters of the exotic animals and elves in the Resemar Forest noticed loss of sensitivity and blood circulation in their extremities.
I have played D&D for many years and naturally when I heard about the upcoming Epic Level Handbook I was very excited. I had dreams about cool new monk abilities, fun items with interesting new effects and awe-inspiring new spells. I waited patiently for months, but what arrived in the mail was very disappointing.
One of the most important things involved in character creation is choosing your character's name. Your character's name will be a reflection of persona and identity. A well-chosen name will be a source of pride, motivation, and visualization for long nights of gaming with this character.
When most people think of our journey to the moon, they picture Neil Armstrong taking his first historic leap onto a new world. They never imagine the amount of work that got him there. In the same manner, players rarely consider the amount of work a Gamemaster, or GM, places into campaign creation. A GM must be the assembly worker, the engineer, and the astronomer if they want to create a successful campaign.
