I recently picked up and started running Shadowrun 4ed.  I have a problem with the way they present the “Issue Command” action for drones.  Specifically, they give very little example of what constitutes acceptable commands.  We get guidance such as “one sentence,” or “the length of a Tweet.”  I assume there are two ways to approach drone commands.  The first is to just let the drone’s owner run it like an additional character.  The second is for the GM to control the drone based on commands given by the owner.  I am uncomfortable with the first method, as (despite their best intentions) players tend to take some convenient liberties with their drone actions.  The second method bears one major speed bump:  a drone user should have a comfortable expectation on how their drone will behave given a specific set of commands.  I have set out to codify drone commands so that the GM and players will have reasonable understanding of what a drone will do given a command.

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Quite a while ago, I posted this about running a modern zombie apocalypse like a mega-dungeon.  I’ve had a chance to run a couple sessions of that idea.  Today, I want to tell you about the modifications I used to run this game.  You should be able to use these ideas with your favorite OSR clone.  The ideas below are quickly typed, and thus are fairly raw. read more »

This week I am giving out my homebrew expansion for Kingsburg.  I call it Intrigue.  It adds a deck of 40 cards that open up additional choices and strategies to players.  I have only used it once so far, but at the end of the game everyone praised it.  Here are the rules changes:

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Another home brew expansion for Castle Ravenloft.  The situation deck is a set of cards that represent the strangeness adventurers sometimes find in dungeons.  The point of each card is to inspire a choice.  As with most choices, there are risks and rewards.

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After a long hiatus, we are back!  Last we left off, I was supplying new characters for the Castle Ravenloft board game.  I had promised you the Avenger and Barbarian next. (See this previous post.)  It has been a long time, and to make up for it, I am providing you with a whole bundle of characters. read more »

Making new Castle Ravenloft characters is pretty easy and fun, so I’ve decided I’m not going to stop until I’ve exhausted the classes out through PHB3.  Below I present two more classes, the warlord and the paladin.  (Check out my previous post for the druid and warlock.) read more »

I really enjoy the Castle Ravenloft boardgame.  It is a really great way to boil 4ed down into an hour of play.  Almost right away I wanted two things:  more character options, and campaign play.  I’m working on that campaign play bit, but this morning I tried my hand out on creating some new character classes and I want to share them with you. read more »

I just ran the first session of a Ravenloft campaign last night.  If anything, Ravenloft thrives on mood.  I had a table full of seven players, so I knew I had to step up my game to keep them on-task and in the mood.  Luckily (or perhaps expectedly,) I am also an amature haunter during the Halloween season, so I like to pretend that I know at least a couple things about creating a mood. read more »

I was fairly disappointed that the Aarakocra didn’t get a player race write-up for the new edition of Dark Sun so I went ahead and started making my own. Below is my 100% not play tested idea. Explanations of why I picked certain traits included.
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Games I Purchased:
Outbreak: Undead (Hunter’s Books) – I’m a sucker for anything zombie related.  After a quick read through, this RPG has some neat little kernels of game mechanics, but I’m not sure I would use the system whole-sale.  I very much enjoy the exploration of building your own safe zones after the apocalypse–something most other zombie games don’t delve into too deeply.  The book is $45 and feels like a high-quality hardback, but the interior layout and art doesn’t match the price (for $10 more I can get core books from companies like Fantasy Flight, which are at the head of the industry as far as art and layout.)  I realize this is a small-scale company trying to make a good impression with their product, but they might benefit from cheaper soft-cover versions.

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