Saturday's DnD Group's Spotlight: "We're Halfway There~" Edition

Hi all,

The Heroes of Maya have had a rough couple of weeks in the Desert.

While assisting Hen-Lord Alan in finding his missing patrols, they stumbled upon clues which shed light on an unlikely alliance between the burly desert barbarians, the fiery minions of Zzen, the ancient Ghosts of Lake Nell and who knows what else. If not curbed, their combined prowess might devastate the nigh-impregnable fortress -- Castle Greyskill and cause total chaos to the unprotected region.

To complicate matters even more, Hen-Lord Alan has also been cursed by a ritual planted in a pelican-beak shard, and has been placed in stasis for the time being to prevent the enemies from knowing the Heroes' next choice of action.

Currently, the four are a couple of hundred feet down in FirstFrost Crypt- the Desert Elves' dwelling and burial grounds for their deceased. Sir Gaspar of Greyskill is trying to secure the trust of these secretive elves, namely the ruling Sai-Ow family, and prevent them from pledging to the alliance, if it is not already too late. The elven crypts have been tainted, and the dead inside are restless again.

Dharva Sai-Ow, the alpha male descendant of the clan, had sent Elva- his own sister (go figure.), down one of the burial chambers to investigate but she has not returned. He is worried that she could be in a spot of trouble and wanted the party to find her, and in return, he would warm up to the idea of forging closer ties with the Castle Greyskill and the surface dwellers.

Guy would certainly hope for that to happen. In a recent skirmish, he managed to tame (or sit on) a reluctant Bi-Zoad (domesticated two-legged single rider mount), and could easily wind up being the first non-Desert Elf to bring one of these swift scouting mounts out from Firstfrost if he gets the blessing of Dharva. Party wise, Trogdor is having fun with a powerful Elven amulet blessed with a strong anti-tainted presence, while Osiris is getting used to his new blade given to him by his Queen, and Astra, well, he's blasting all the grouped-up minions to smithereens.

Will Guy, Astra, Trogdor and Osiris be able to thwart this sinister alliance and their plans? What is Pelor, and the oft-missing Queen up to? And why is it that most heroic-tier quests ask for the party to find a missing "something"?

C'yall on the flip side.

"Newer = even bulkier and clunkier."

Hey all,

I just came across this little tidbit of information. 

The new Nintendo DSi XL is out. A more up to date version of the DS. With an enlarged screen (touted as being 93% bigger than the original DS Lite) and armed with not one but, two built-in cameras; the extra one being able to take pictures of your "business" look while plodding away on the XL. 




But the point is that for all of that to work, this technological monstrosity is bigger, heavier, and clunkier. Nowadays. the general public wants up-size right now. Instant gratification. And they do not care the package it comes in. Just something they can brag to their friends about.

"Mine is an inch wider across and 3/4 inches longer.", a typical DSi XL user is heard exclaiming to a regular DS Lite user.


"Take this! My iPad is larger than your iPhone, and has the same native graphics resolution which makes for really ugly applications that are not optimized for the iPad itself.", a satisfied Mac-Supporter would say.

Latching on to a great idea and expanding on it is vital in any business. Look at what the Japanese did. So, DnD 4E came up with their own version of Size Matters. 


3-D tiles have just arrived. Thick, cardboard and rather flat. Official 3-D combat rules are on the way, adding on to the already lengthy combat encounters. The players and the poor DM are now required to have minor mathematical genius genes as part of their resume in becoming a complete player. 


Drawing an imaginary hyperbola, arc, swing or flight path, and translating it into linear 5 ft blocks is now a necessary skill. I have not even brought in the dreaded LoS (Line of Sight) issues which is again unnecessarily made complicated by this 3D "upgrade" to the game.


My gaming group have experienced some of these situations first hand and I have to say, we are not looking forward to all this hoopla generated by WoTC in their insane quest to fatten their coffers.


Personally, I feel that the DM can just wing it, and decide on the fly if a spell with 5 range can hit someone standing 3 squares up and 2 squares in away from the edge of the elevation. Teleport 5? Heck, I might let them teleport 5 up and a couple in if it matters. And as WoTC has decreed, the players' powers are supposed to be special, even unique in some sense, so a bit of slack should be given; especially when it comes to 3-D movement in a non-3D optimized gaming table.


DnD 4E May Rules/Powers Update
While I am typing this article whole new slew of nerfs gaming balances have been introduced yet again in the 4E May Rules/Powers Update. I have written about this in a previous article, and even though they did write in this edition that they will slow down this knee-jerk process in future, I reckon that the slowing down is not because they have seen the light of what they are doing but more in the line of everything has been roughly balanced out in their eyes.


Did they ever take into account for every power/ruling they balanced well, they utterly nerfed several to virtual unplayability (read: not cool) ? Take Blood Pulse for instance. In its original form, it was ultra-cool and over-strong yes. It had to be balanced. Either the the bonus damage dice must go or the trigger changed to a voluntary movement instead of forced. But in its nerfed version, it can go fly a kite. Maybe wear a skirt even. The bonus damage is now a fixed damage modifier, and take this: only on voluntary movement.


Recent powers are considered overpowered (Intuitive Strike). but the question begs: How long does it take WoTC to know that scaling modifiers (tied to ability scores) tend to cause the problem. Especially if it modifies the chance to hit or to a lesser extent, the damage inflicted. 


Magic Weapon and Righteous Brand are two such powers that come to mind. They were given errata some time back, but the R & D did not learn with the printing of Intuitive Strike in Martial Power 2. Same problem, but they must have been thinking: Ah what the heck, if it is broke, errata it in a month then.
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For my next article, I will be posting an update on Chapter 2, what the Heroes have been up to, and some random thoughts about our sessions. So keep your eyes peeled for it.

"You have no need to outrun a Dragon. You need only outrun the slowest farmer." - Tab Earber, survivor of Kystik's*

*Young Green Dragon (Deceased). Attacked the Northern Farmlands. Killed by the Heroes of Maya at his lair in the Forest.

There is this rare Mind Flayer Telepath DnD figurine resting on my desk. It was a Christmas gift from the Alex the Tard-tical two years ago, and I have used the so-tong sparingly for a few sessions since then. It was my choice for Kharisma K. Karpenter, a custom Mind Flayer Warlock, in Shell's adventure.

The thing was that I had more fun with the Flayer than the character itself. I was fiddling with it a lot, and making it do imaginary spell-casting action. Of course, it could be also due to the fact that I played a Star Warlock who was more into cowing his opponents into submission (Intimidation) than attacking them.

These plastic figurines spruce up the combat part of the game, allowing one to visualize the action going on. But most importantly, these 1-sq inch based markers allow you a visual peek at your character and maybe even show off a little of its concept or uniqueness.

You imagine playing a Warforged Crossbow Caster; imagine a Warforged holding a crossbow, maybe in light armor, softly chanting arcane recitations. You soon realize that the idea is great; and then proceed to buy a DnD figurine depicting just that.

The players will be able to identify the character instantly instead of having to look through pages of character sheets with garbled handwriting or sub-par printing. Even if they do not get what they are seeing by looking at the figurine, they would be curious enough to ask you about the peculiarity of it all.

A sample conversation between two players who spend the time to figure their characters out:

Fie: "Eh, why is your character holding an ugly two-handed phallic-looking farming tool in his hands?"

*No answer. Fie starts to repeat himself.*

Fie: "Why is your charac-"

Kat: "For your information, it's called a dickspade, okay? And Rhombert B. Fielding is a lv 9 skilled harvester of multiple grains including wheat and oats. With a feat invested in Advanced Seasonal Changes. Any more dumb questions or can we just get this adventure started?"

*awkward silence. End of conversation.*

Um, right. I have tagged a photo of several sample figurines below, including the Warforged Crossbow Caster and his friends.

(L-R) Vek Chippendale's Gay Stripper, The Warforged Crossbow Caster, Shit on Four Legs.

So go enhance your roleplaying experience with this simple addition to your game. Wizards of the Coast has minted thousands of figurines for every encounter you can possibly think of; so no excuses as these people have worked their butts off to pry the hard-earned cash off your hands.

But the figurines are worth it. Look at the countless ways you can interact with them. Shake them violently to show that they have been "bloodied". Lift them off the ground to prep for a "Daily", shouting nonsensical war cries. Lay them flat on the grid when they are prone. Smack them hard when you miss on a "1". Rotate them around when they are flanked and tell your DM that you were alert to it and thus will not grant combat advantage to the enemy for that round.

See?

It's never wrong to go plastic and get all natural with the game.



Update: On a more serious note, our group are looking to pool some cash together and buy a large number of DnD figurines to make our encounters more visually pleasing and systematic for the DM as well. Hopefully, I will get to meet the seller and see his entire collection. More on that when it happens.

The HoM Fact-Files: This story is really (about) Astra.

Hi all,

My campaign will be resuming this week after a month's break, with the characters exploring the rest of the Pit Trap hideout they stumbled upon.

Alvin sent me a unique take on his character a couple of weeks back, giving me new and previously unknown information on the naive Changeling Sorcerer who has begun adventuring with the HoM. Here it is, his character background, in his own words.


The Beginnings of Astra 

My earliest memory of my parents is blurred and fuzzy at best. They placed a ring around my neck and told me that they will always be with me. I never really understood what it meant but we can come to that later. It was carved from a single, perfect topaz and had the color of honey. I remember that it always felt warm, like my mum’s embrace.

I was brought up as Astra Smith in the Smith family. We lived in the outskirts of Jarr, a mining town nestled on the eastern shore of Khorvaire  in the Tranquil Isles.

My adopted parents told me that they found me in a basket, crying, outside their door one day, with nothing except a short note begging them to care and raise me- and the ring that was around my neck. They treated me as their own and loved me deeply. Even though life was simple, they taught me everything they knew and tried to give me their best.

I never knew I was different, I meant, my hair was white and fine, and look sickly all the time as I have generally pale gray skin. They weren’t many people in the village and we only travel in when my parents wanted to celebrate my birthday. I always felt uncomfortable with the stares and gazes from the others, but my parents told me that everything was fine.

I was happy and loved.

But happiness doesn’t last forever. I was awaken from my slumber when my mom, hugged me crying and begging those men to spare them. Father was lying down on the ground, lifeless. I never did know why those men came. They pulled me from my mum and killed her in front of me. I never knew what death was until then. I didn’t know how to react. “No witnesses!", was all that was said as the axe came crashing down.

Before I knew anything, blinding light enveloped the area and stopped both me and the blade just two inches away from my head. In the next moment, a surge of energy ripped through my body. It created such a big force that it blew everything away. The men, the house and it destroyed everything.

I was saved but everything had changed.

I awoke in a warm bed, surrounded by people. I was found and rescued by the Society of the Red Hood. They were sorcerers. They have been tracking the people who murdered my parents. They were a group of bandits and had wanted to use my house as a trap for the sorcerers who were hunting them.

They recognize that I was different. They knew that I was a changeling. Under their care, I discovered my potential in magic. My mentor, Major Rays, groomed me and taught me the acts of sorcery. More importantly, there seem to be something unique about that ring. They were fascinated that it could produce a strong blast that activated and hurt enemies when I was threatened. I knew that it protected me, but I didn’t know how. Unfortunately, none of the sorcerers were powerful enough to identify my ring.

From their training, I grew in strength and learned my abilities well. At the age of 16, I was given my first mission together with Major. We were supposed to be on a scouting mission; a simple introduction to the dangers of the living world.

We travelled to the continent of Ca-en.

This simple mission turned out to be a disaster. We were being ambushed a group of men, that called themselves, the Holocaust. They were powerful and had in their midst a strong wizard. They capture the both of us and my mentor was tortured, wanting him to tell them our secrets. She refused and therefore wasn’t spared. But I was again being protected. They couldn’t touch me. However the wizard is powerful and forcefully broke the bond between the ring and myself.

The agony was too much to bear and I thought I had died. I didn’t know what happened next.

After I awoke, I realized I could not remember anything about myself except for a scar. It was a ring-like circle, on my chest.

My quest has begun…

"Autumn has arrived early this year.. I repeat, Autumn has arrived early this year.." (A Godfather's Report)

Hey all,

Chapter 2 has been postponed until Trogdor recovers from his unexpected death army and girlfriend commitments. He is likely to be out of action until early next month.

At the Desert, the Heroes of Maya are helping Hen-Lord Alan locate several missing patrols around Castle Greyskill. Whatever the reason is regarding the disappearances, it seems bent on sending them to the Under, permanently.

Ahh. Talking about mysteries, I have been assigned the role of "Godfather" to my really cute niece, Autumn Elizabeth Kwek.

She was born on the afternoon of  March 18th, and has a full head of jet-black hair and a hearty cry. Her features are delicate and clear; thus I nicknamed her "Christian Advanced 2.0" as she seems like a superior-looking Christian comparing both their Day 1 looks.

The unverified picture above shows an extremely charming Oriental dude cradling Autumn -the equally charismatic girl-child- in his arms. From that snapshot alone, one could see the dude's her smooth skin, wide smile and overall youthfulness.

Attached loosely on the belt of the Oriental dude's slim waist was a hastily written DnD 4e Character Sheet:

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Name: the_Godfada
Age: 34
Race: Human-ish
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Class: Scholar/Bard real-life Hybrid, recently multiclass-ed as a Godfather.
Level : Huh?

Strength: 8
Constitution: 13

Dexterity: 12
Intelligence: 14

Wisdom: 13
Charisma: Numbers do not do him justice but I would say a 16 at least.

Feats: 

• Tennis Concentrate (Minor Style- You gain specific bonuses to the At-Will powers called Forehand, Backhand, Volley, First/Second Serve) 
• Spit Acid Laden Speech (You deal 1d6 acid damage to your target for each round of heated conversation you engage in), 
• Lesser Godfather (Multiclass Feat- choose a child. He/she now gains the godchild keyword and you gain the Godfather keyword. The godchild gains "At every level of experience the godchild gains, the godfather has to reward him/her with an item of appropriate level/value. 

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Finally, a hearty congrats again to my sperm-laden brother Shane and his toon-generating wife Momo.

I wish Autumn a speedy journey to the day she can walk, talk, and comprehend; discovering that even though her lesser godfather would not be able to get her everything she wants, but one day he might be able to get her something she needs.

Cyall' on the flip side. (Astra's Beginnings to come soon.)