Thought Eater Podcast: Five Minute Friday: Weather

The situation in Florida made me think about weather in RPGs. Today on the podcast, I ramble a bit about how I use weather in my games. I mention the Greyhawk weather generator; you can find that HERE. I hope folks here in the south stay safe this weekend.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN!!!

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Humpday Blog-O-Rama 6.26.19

Blogs are an integral, vital part of the RPG hobby. They serve as incubators for new games, sounding boards for fresh ideas, and platforms for up-and-coming talent. They keep "forgotten" games alive, foster discussions, and build communities.

Every Wednesday on the Thought Eater podcast and blog, I take a look at what is going on in the vibrant RPG blog scene. Check out previous Humpday Blog-O-Rama posts HERE.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THIS WEEK'S EPISODE!!!

MAPS

https://mapoftheweek.blogspot.com/2019/06/mercury.html

https://mega-dungeon.com/2019/06/23/fun-house-dungeon-of-the-lesser-lich/

https://dysonlogos.blog/2019/06/24/kheyus/

http://3toadstools.blogspot.com/2019/06/mapping-tutorials.html

https://www.sageadvice.eu/2019/06/24/mapping-is-a-great-way-to-get-younger-people-involved-in-the-hobby/



REVIEWS

https://tenfootpole.org/ironspike/?p=6053

https://cannibalhalflinggaming.com/2019/06/25/acquisitions-incorporated-review/

https://beyondfomalhaut.blogspot.com/2019/06/review-magical-murder-mansion-2019.html



RETROSPECTIVES

http://originaleditionfantasy.blogspot.com/2019/06/the-origin-of-basic-d-known-world-or.html
https://www.blackgate.com/2015/02/07/the-known-world-dd-setting-a-secret-history/

https://hobbyinspired.com/dd-5e-adventures/

http://thoulsparadise.blogspot.com/2019/06/the-time-corps.html



MORE CONS

https://tabletopbellhop.com/game-reviews/origins-2019/

https://www.orkpiraten.de/blog/nordcon-2019
https://www.zombiecalypse.de/2019/06/nordcon-2019-ein-rueckblick/



RANDOM TABLES

https://reddicediaries.com/random-things/random-thing-things-you-may-find-in-a-sewer/

http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com/2019/06/d100-wizard-school-missions.html

https://intolondon1814.blogspot.com/2019/06/what-plot-d66-table-for-random-building.html



FREE STUFF

http://9and30kingdoms.blogspot.com/2019/06/generic-bandit-tower-pamphlet-dungeon.html

http://chaudronchromatique.blogspot.com/2019/06/goblin-enchantress-mini-zine.html

https://rollsanity.com/character-sheet-lotfp-horizontal/

http://bloodandironrpg.blogspot.com/2019/06/fantastic-friday-rayguns-rocketships.html

https://crateredland.blogspot.com/2019/06/one-page-goblinplagued-barracks.html

https://throneofsalt.blogspot.com/2019/06/the-great-discape-arises-from-deep.html



MISCELLANY

http://monstersandmanuals.blogspot.com/2019/06/historical-slang-for-your-edification.html

https://diyanddragons.blogspot.com/2019/06/links-to-occupations.html

https://www.geeknative.com/66977/routinely-itemised-rpgs-1/

https://signsinthewilderness.blogspot.com/2019/06/travel-through-wilderness-references.html

http://myosr.blogspot.com/2019/06/monster-manual-haiku-batch-5.html



ABILITY CHECKS

https://bxblackrazor.blogspot.com/2019/06/for-love-of-god.html



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Thought Eater Podcast: Five Minute Friday: A Cool GM Technique

Hi all! Elizabeth is off gathering supplies for her next adventure with Willy, so this week it is just ol' Froth on Five Minute Friday. Today I am talking about a cool GM technique I picked up watching Zac Eubank GM on Kollok 1991.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN!!!

Kollok 1991 is a really innovative streaming show that I have been checking out on YouTube. I went ahead and embedded the 1st episode below if you want to check it out. Zac and the cast are excellent, and I highly recommend it even if you don't typically enjoy watching streaming games.

If you enjoy my free zine, podcast, and/or blog, please consider supporting my work for only $1 per month. 

Humpday Blog-O-Rama 2.27.19

Blogs are an integral, vital part of the RPG hobby. They serve as incubators for new games, sounding boards for new ideas, and platforms for up-and-coming talent. They keep "forgotten" games alive, foster discussions, and build communities. Not everyone can work for a big game company, command a large audience on Twitch, or get paid for their art or cartography, but every RPG enthusiast can easily create a blog and start sharing their passion with the world. Every Wednesday on the Thought Eater podcast, I take a look at what is going on in the vibrant RPG blog scene.

LISTEN TO THIS WEEK'S EPISODE HERE

LINKS FROM THIS WEEK'S EPISODE

MAPS

https://goblinshenchman.wordpress.com/2019/02/24/1988-dungeon/

https://akraticwizardry.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-forthcoming-middle-earth-series.html

https://www.amazon.com/adlp/lotronprime

MAPPING TOOLS

http://9and30kingdoms.blogspot.com/2019/02/sketcbox-dice-tool-temporary.html

http://9and30kingdoms.blogspot.com/2019/02/town-and-city-block-tool.html

http://9and30kingdoms.blogspot.com/2019/02/town-and-city-blocks-variety.html

MIXED MEDIA

https://zhodani.space/2019/02/23/learn-to-play-traveller-rpg/

https://tabletopbellhop.com/giant-list-of-gaming-podcasts/

http://oldskulling.blogspot.com/p/rpg-books-on-lulu.html

https://hishgraphics.com/category/paper-minis/
http://www.patreon.com/hishgraphics

COOL SERIES

https://geekken.wordpress.com/2019/02/21/painting-miniatures-focus-of-series/

http://6d6rpg.com/rpg/tag/dungeon-expo/

https://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/tag/dragon-heist

https://acornafloat.blogspot.com/search/label/monster%20manual%20haiku

VARIANTS

https://goodberrymonthly.blogspot.com/2019/02/counterspell.html

https://daimon-games.blogspot.com/2019/02/saving-throws-ideas.html

https://oldskulling.blogspot.com/2019/02/quick-new-way-to-generate-attributes.html

ZINEQUEST

https://dungeonspossums.blogspot.com/search/label/Zine%20Quest

BLOG HALL OF FAME: ELF MAIDS AND OCTOPI

http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com/

http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com/p/downloads.html

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3VvMT9IKhhHTmZKNDNac2x4NVE/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mlUcWL4xQTIB4_YQmIjUGV7iXqeswpo_/view

http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com/2019/02/structures-of-apocalypse-part-4.html

https://www.patreon.com/elfmaidsandoctopi

CLOSING

https://campaignwiki.org/rpg/

https://dysonlogos.blog/2019/02/09/my-monster-manual-ants-apes-axe-beaks/

https://dysonlogos.blog/2019/02/13/my-monster-manual-baboons-badgers-baluchitherium-barracuda-basilisk/

https://dysonlogos.blog/2019/02/20/my-monster-manual-beholder-black-pudding-blink-dog/

https://dysonlogos.blog/2019/02/27/my-monster-manual-boar-brain-mole-brownie-buffalo/

https://dreamsofmythicfantasy.blogspot.com/

If you enjoy my free zine, podcast, and/or blog, please consider supporting my work for only $1 per month. 

Humpday Blog-O-Rama 2.13.19

Blogs are an integral, vital part of the RPG hobby. They serve as incubators for new games, sounding boards for new ideas, and platforms for up-and-coming talent. They keep "forgotten" games alive, foster discussions, and build communities. Not everyone can work for a big game company, command a large audience on Twitch, or get paid for their art or cartography, but every RPG enthusiast can easily create a blog and start sharing their passion with the world. Every Wednesday on the Thought Eater podcast, I take a look at what is going on in the vibrant RPG blog scene.

LISTEN TO THIS WEEK'S EPISODE HERE




LINKS FROM THIS WEEK'S EPISODE

MAPS

https://www.patreon.com/FrankT

https://www.blueswordgames.com/

https://monkeyblooddesign.co.uk/2019/02/09/sewer-map-wip-city-of-great-lunden/


BAD RULEBOOKS

https://tabletopbellhop.com/gaming-advice/bad-game-rulebook/


HYDRA COOPERATIVE

https://dungeonspossums.blogspot.com/


THE PULP-O-MIZER

https://thrilling-tales.webomator.com/derange-o-lab/pulp-o-mizer/pulp-o-mizer.html

https://www.webomator.com/


BUCK ROGERS

http://sorcerersskull.blogspot.com/2019/02/high-adventure-cliffhangers-buck-rogers.html


VARIANTS

https://roseandkingfisher.blogspot.com/2019/02/bard-spells.html

http://bxblackrazor.blogspot.com/2019/02/howardian-healing.html


FINDING COOL BLOGS

http://save.vs.totalpartykill.ca/blog/osr-opml/

https://campaignwiki.org/osr/

https://campaignwiki.org/indie/

Non-OSR game blogs a la carte

OSR blogs  a la carte

https://dreamsofmythicfantasy.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-osr-news-february-9-2019.html



If you enjoy my free zine, podcast, and/or blog, please consider supporting my work for only $1 per month. 

Humpday Blog-O-Rama!!!

Do you like RPG blogs? Yeah, me too. I have a shameful addiction to them. Every Wednesday on the Thought Eater podcast I discuss highlights from around the RPG blogosphere.

Check it out HERE!

Also, I thought I would mention, if you would rather listen to my podcast somewhere other than Anchor, you can check it out on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Breaker, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, and Stitcher, although there is sometimes a lag with the updating.

Classic-Era Waterdeep Products to Use (and Avoid) with Dragon Heist

The D&D community is abuzz with excitement about the new Waterdeep module, Dragon Heist. Aside from maybe Curse of Strahd, there seems to be more chatter and anticipation surrounding this release than any other so far. There is already a steady stream of fan content coming out on the DM Guild site, but as Waterdeep is probably the most famous D&D city of all time (other than maybe the City of Greyhawk), DMs can also benefit from the classic-era products that came before. Here are a few to check out (and some to avoid).

CITY SYSTEM: HIGH USABILITY 

Known for its massive map collection of the city, the real strength of this set comes from its booklet. Filled with random tables and useful info to expand your campaign, this is in my opinion the #1 classic-era product for Dragon Heist DMs.


VOLO'S GUIDE TO WATERDEEP: HIGH USABILITY

The creative travel-guide presentation of this book serves it well, effectively humanizing (demihumanizing?) the city with flavorful entries. Compatibility with the City System map keys is a huge plus. Part of what makes this and the City System box so useful is that most of the material doesn't rely on then-current events.


FR1 WATERDEEP AND THE NORTH: MODERATE USABILITY

This was the Waterdeep bible for a while, and it is a good book. Much of it could find some use in your game, but a good portion is focused on then-current events. I am no Realms expert but I am pretty sure they have been like exploded and put back together a lot of times since this came out, and a lot of the NPCs have been dead and buried for years.


THE RUINS OF UNDERMOUNTAIN: LOW USABILITY

As I expect most Dragon Heist DMs will segue into the upcoming Dungeon of the Mad Mage, you can skip the original Undermountain. There is scant Waterdeep or Yawning Portal info to be found here.


FRE3 WATERDEEP: COMPLETELY USELESS

Don't be fooled by the title. This is one of the worst modules TSR ever released. This is a novel tie-in that makes the Dragonlance adventures look like sandboxes. The party doesn't even get railroaded to Waterdeep until towards the end. A couple of generic floor plans are all you might find useful in this turd.

Note: I don't own the City of Splendors box set, so I didn't feel comfortable recommending it. From what I understand, it reprints a lot of FR1 and the City System, so I never felt the need to seek a copy out. That said, it could be another good option, just keep in mind it might overlap a lot with other products.

With Friends Like These...

Gygax's The Village of Hommlet is widely regarded as one of the greatest intro adventures for D&D and for good reason. It is the template for thousands of adventures that followed, with its manageable "home base", down-the-road dungeon, and campaign-starter plot. One of the great things that doesn't get mentioned a lot is how it introduces several NPCs that are there just to befriend, then betray the players. This kind of diabolical double-crossing is highly effective when not overused, and can give campaigns a real cinematic quality, with a-ha moments and unexpected reveals. Here are a couple of other ways I have used friends and former allies against the PCs.

RISE OF THE MEATSHIELDS

It is not surprising that the 1e DMG spends so much time discussing the morale and treatment of henchmen and hirelings. After all, the term "meatshield" isn't exactly loving, and it reveals a long history of shoddy treatment.  How much abuse are they supposed to take? How many of their friends do they need to see die before they have mutiny on their minds? A well timed revolt can prove a disastrous reminder to the PCs that their actions have consequences. Henchmen can hold grudges just as easy as the villains of a campaign. This won't be appropriate for some tables, but if you have a group of players that flippantly churn through henchmen like butter, it could be a fun twist. They know the patterns and weaknesses of the PCs, and as the song says they "work hard for the money so you better treat [them] right". Their family members may also have revenge on their minds for lost loved ones; this can even allow for long-term plotting against PCs over years of game time.

I KNEW I RECOGNIZED THAT GUY

Undead are the gift that keeps on giving, especially when they kill PCs. PCs killed by undead will often rise again as undead themselves. Some very memorable encounters have happened in my games over the years when the party encounters a fallen comrade. This doesn't have to be driven solely as a combat challenge; you can play up the drama of seeing an old friend literally falling apart, or depending on the tone of your campaign, it could even be milked for comedy. Never let a dead PC go to waste.

Have you ever done anything similar in your games?

On-The-Fly Rulings In OD&D

For some players and DMs, the absence of rules is a problem. OD&D is seen as lacking "options". If something is not explained in the rule book, it is as if it can't be done. This is far from the truth of course; in fact, what rules ARE there are merely guidelines in the first place. Still, for a player or DM coming from a more modern iteration of the game, there is a bit of culture shock looking down at your character sheet. For some DMs, on-the-fly rulings and improvisation can be a bit daunting. This isn't strictly a modern problem; even in the OSR, you sometimes will see someone opine for decent grappling rules, and it is well-documented that Gygax and Arneson got numerous inquiries for "rules clarifications" in the earliest days of the game. This post is to throw a few ideas out there for players and DMs that need a little coaxing and reassurance to ditch the rule straitjacket. I realize the irony of doing so; in a way I am adding rules myself.

Combat maneuvers and skills have become more and more codified over time, reaching their pinnacles in modern editions. I am not trying to teach a history lesson here, so I leave it to the reader to chart the different permutations. The end result of it is that not only has the game developed lists of specific things you can try, it has also dictated the effects. This has hardwired a lot of notions into DMs and players. Take a look at this character sheet, noting the complete absence of modern trappings.

From a player standpoint, consider this as freedom. Freedom to try whatever you like in combat, whatever you like in a social situation, whatever you like period. This doesn't mean you will be successful. Indeed, this doesn't always mean you will even have a chance of success. You know your strengths and weaknesses, but that doesn't mean you cannot attempt something. Just know that your actions, and especially your failures, can have have consequences.

From a DM standpoint, be open. Allow players to be creative.

This still leaves the question as to how to adjudicate rulings. Try these simple ideas.

1. The better the related ability score, the better chance to succeed. 

Her high charisma and intelligence scores helped make Joan a shrewd negotiator.

2. Depending on the ability scores, a task might be automatic or impossible. It is up to you to decide when a chance of success or failure even exists.

Pip was so weak that he struggled to swim against even the slightest undercurrent.

3. When attempting a special maneuver that involves attacking another creature or object, use the AC as the base target number and the degree of success or failure to determine the outcome. 

Larry wants his fighter to trip an opponent. Larry beats the target AC by enough that the DM decides he has succeeded. 

4. When attempting a "skill", roll under the most closely associated ability score. Modify based on the situation if needed and use degrees of success or failure to determine the outcome. 

Hilda tries to balance on the thin edge of the cliff. The howling winds make it more difficult. Hilda rolls a 2, well under her dexterity score, even modified for the wind. She makes it look easy. 

5. Have fun with crits and fumbles.

Joan stood before the council, encouraging them to join the cause. Unfortunately, the player rolls a 1, and just as she opens her mouth to speak, Joan farts. 

Note that I have not listed any hard and fast modifier charts, or spelled out any degrees of success. I leave this to the DM. I personally suggest doing this based entirely on feel.

I am not sure how helpful this is. For experienced DMs of OD&D, you probably have had your own system for a long while, perhaps decades, and I am not telling you anything you do not already know. I do hope that for anyone reading this that has never tried OD&D and was either curious or biased about it, that it might have some use. A lot of it might seem like common sense, but the main idea I want to get across is that the perceived "lack of options" is a feature, not a bug.

Prep Is For Ninnies: Froth's Sandbox Toolkit

I don't always run OD&D sandboxes, but when I do, I use my sandbox toolkit. Today I invite you to peer behind the DM screen.

The Massive Binder contains:

Compiled Judges Guild Wilderlands tables.

Cities by Chaosium, my go-to resource for town/city creation and random urban encounters.

OD&D reformatted; much easier than breaking out my LBBs; still the best system ever conceived for improvised play. Iron Falcon may soon graduate to this spot.

Plenty of hex and graph paper.

And extra no-frills, lo-fi character sheets.

I also keep the Judges Guild Ready Ref Sheets (so buttery) and the 1e DMG at my table regardless of edition.

I have plenty of other options in my bag of tricks, but these are the "core". With these tools, even spending five minutes on game prep seems....uncivilized.

Go ahead PCs, make my day.

Froth's 5e Healing Houserules

I thought I would share my houserules for healing in 5e. Healing in the core game is just way too much for my tastes. While the DMG does provide some other options, they aren't exactly what I am looking for. I don't want an ultra-gritty game, nor do I want 4e's absurd amounts of healing. Anyhoo, here are my ideas:

-Eliminate healer feat
-Overnight healing only heals 1 hp (I'm a sucker for tradition, sue me)
-You can spend HD during short or long rest. You regain half of your current HD rounded down (minimum 1) overnight. So if you are a 6th level fighter but take a long rest with only 3 HD left, you only regain 1 HD the following day. If you take a long rest with no remaining HD, you start the next day with 1.
-Healer's kits work as written, they're just no longer able to be buffed by the healer feat
-Healing potions are not typically found for sale

This gives me the balance I am looking for. You still have ability to recuperate at a reasonable rate, but resource management comes more into play and the traditional healing roles are reinforced.

Do you houserule 5e healing? What is your system?

Mash it up! Mash it up!

One of the great things about RPGs is how versatile and flexible they are. I still use my 1e DMG for every edition and permutation of the game. OSR products might just say they are to be used with "Any Old-School Fantasy Game". Heck, Flailsnails allows you to take PCs from different systems and just use them all at the same table. Converting adventures from one system to another is old hat for many GMs. You might borrow a setting from another system, or pick and choose mechanics from one game to add to another. That's what this post is about, mashing-up systems.

THEMATIC MASH-UPS

There are a LOT of games that share a supernatural theme: the idea that behind the happy veneer of the world, dark forces are at work. Monsters, dark cults, conspiracies...you name it and there is a game for it. This allows GMs pick their favorite mechanics from one or multiple systems and use the setting and background information from another. Some games seem like they were born to work together.

Some systems, such as Kult, are revered for their settings, not so much their mechanics. Other systems such as Cryptworld have fantastic, easy-to-grasp rule sets, but haven't been on the market long enough for a lot of supplemental material to be released. A GM might also just want to mix it up setting-wise, say porting World of Darkness mechanics into a setting that isn't quite as dark, maybe utilizing Chill's lighter, Universal monster-inspired adventures. The point is that all of these games deal with hidden reality and the exploration of it, and as such they can be blended in a hundred satisfying ways.

Recommended games: Kult, Cryptworld, Supernatural, World of Darkness, Hunter the Vigil, Chill, Call of Cthulhu (Cthulhu Now)

HISTORICAL MASH-UPS

Many games deal with specific historical time periods, only the history has been twisted a bit or re-imagined, often with a dark or magical twist. Again, this allows the GM to borrow freely from multiple systems without having to make enormous adjustments. Obviously, the 1800s are not the same as the 1600s, but with a perusal of different equipment lists and skills (more on this later), the seasoned GM shouldn't have too rough a time making it work. Want to play Lamentations of the Flame Princess in a colonial American setting? Be a Boot Hill gunslinger in Victorian England? Try a mash-up of these systems and their supplements.

Recommended games: Lamentations of the Flame Princess, Colonial Gothic, Masque of the Red Death (Ravenloft), Boot Hill, Call of Cthulhu (Gaslight)

THE ROSETTA STONE

If you notice, I mentioned Call of Cthulhu twice already. That's because it is the "Rosetta stone" of mash-ups. The game has setting material for every time period from the Dark Ages to the present, the mechanics are easily convertible, and many of the scenarios are amazing.

LOST IN SPACE

Looking for a truly bizarre world for your intrepid space explorers to encounter? Maybe your Travellers happen upon the massive, rudderless Warden. Or crash-land on Jorune or Tekumel. Fish-out-of-water scenarios work with well with these somewhat inscrutable settings and allow the players to learn the cultures alongside the PCs.

Recommended games: Traveller, Metamorphosis Alpha, Starships and Spacemen, Thousand Suns, Stars Without Number, Skyrealms of Jorune, Empire of the Petal Throne

GYGAXIAN MASH-UPS

Gygax will always be best known for D&D, but his games Dangerous Journeys and Lejendary Adventure offer a lot of cool ideas for GMs to borrow. Dangerous Journeys is one of the most complex RPGs I have ever encountered, and you can almost just open a page at random to find some table or idea to incorporate into your games. Mythus Magick offers new schools of magick or variations of the classics that can rejuvenate your game. Apotropaists, Gray Mages, Astrologists, Exorcists...the list goes on. Lejendary Adventure offers new races (Oaf anyone?) and fun bits and pieces (knacks and quirks) that can easily be added into most fantasy games. The Epic of Aerth, the setting book for Dangerous Journeys Mythus, offers the GM an alternate version of our own planet to let his or her players explore.

Recommended games: Dangerous Journeys, Lejendary Adventure, D&D (all editions)

MECHANICAL MUSINGS

You may be reading this and be thinking, "But Froth, a lot of these games have very little in common mechanically. Conversion would be a nightmare." Well, I think most GMs will tend to stick with one system and primarily utilize the setting material of another. That said, I can offer some general tips with further conversions. As I mentioned in passing earlier, comparing lists of equipment from two sources is a great place to start, especially with historical games. You might dial back the damage of some Red Death weaponry if you are going to port into Lamentations of the Flame Princess. By doing this you also get an idea of current technology, accessibility to weapons or supplies, etc. You might port some skills over to your system. Compare and contrast skill lists and see which ones might benefit you to add or omit from the mechanics. Some games, such as Boot Hill, don't really have skill systems per se, so you might just borrow an entire system from another game, approximating the PCs ability with the skill. Games with percentile based skill systems are nice to use, as you can quickly convert to a "roll under" d20 mechanic a la AD&Ds proficiencies.

Most trouble will likely come when its time to bring in critters and monsters from different systems. I would start by looking for the monster's analogue within the rules system you are using. Common monsters such as zombies and skeletons will be represented in many games. You might also just find a similar monster and tweak it a bit. Eyeball the power level of a creature and its capabilities and wing it. Often an enemy might just be another human being, so use the same statistics and creation method you would for the PCs. Mash-ups can unfortunately take a little work, but its worth it to come up with something that really inspires you and your players.

I would love to hear of any mash-ups you yourself have run or been a part of! Leave a post!