You Don’t Need a Game System Before You Play: The Calvinball Experiment
I played a 3ish-month campaign where we made up the rules as we went along. Here are the rules we came up with and my impressions of this experiment.
Control Weather Should Not Be a Spell
Control Weather is a cop-out of a spell, combining what should be many different magic effects into a single spell that is high level and accordingly puts a very interesting field of magic out of reach for most of the campaign.
In addition to my lament, I present a new character class: the Tempestarius.
It’s the Barter Economy, Stupid
Rules for abstract wealth, abstract supply, reputation, bartering, carousing, starvation, and random treasure in dungeons, and how all of these rules come together to form a cohesive whole.
Being a Vampire Doesn't Suck
The world is a vampire, set to drai-ai-ai-ain, and now so can your player character! A complete guide to playing a vampire, including unique vampire powers and weaknesses and a random table of vampire-hunters.
Playing as a Ghost
Rules for and commentary on playing as a temporary ghost character after a player character meets their bitter end in the dungeon.
Familiars: A Witch’s Best Friend
Rules for familiars when a magical black cat simply isn't weird enough for you.
Which Sacred Cow Doth I Kill?
The worst part of the otherwise excellent "Roll Under" system is that rolling low on a d20, contrary to popular conceptions, is a good thing. Can we keep the bones of roll under while bringing it into conformity with mainstream worship of the natural 20?
Endangered in Dungeons
Oops, you hunted the random encounter to extinction. What comes next?
Wizard Diss Tracks
Wizards are petty creatures, prone to getting into arcane beefs with their fellows. I present rules for wizards researching diss spells to further their beefs along with a d66 random table for origins of the beefs between wizards.
We Live Again
Rules for resurrection, soul transference, reincarnation, and cloning (in roleplaying games. If I knew how in real life, would I really be spending my time pretending to be an elf?)
Rehabilitating the To-Hit Roll
Musings on removing the damage roll and replacing it with the to-hit roll for use in games that are heavy on looting enemies.
Overloading the Random Encounter Table
A all-in-one roll for random encounters, reaction, surprise, and distance.
Schrödinger’s Chat 2: Amended & Restated Quantum Language Rules
Quantum language rules for TTRPGs, along with musing on language in games, in Mausritter, and more.
Blog Challenge: New (Year’s) Resolution Mechanic
I present a brand new resolution mechanic and challenge all bloggers to do the same!
I’ll include links to every blog that accepts my challenge.
My Weird Wizard Show
Soft-boiled rules for casting spells that is fast, flexible and fascinating.
In Defense of Ability Scores
Ability scores have become vestigial in modern corporate D&D and Pathfinder, but there is a different D&D lineage where they are evolving into an elegant mechanic.
D&D Initiative & The McDonald’s Problem
New initiative rules plus some theory about a counterintuitive way for speeding up your combat.
Shopping in D&D is Garbage, And How to Fix It
Don’t let shopping for gear be a chore. Make it part of the game with this Yahtzee inspired shopping minigame.