Mixed Signals

Straight-forward gaming

This is Part 04 of a series wherein we talk about generating an entire campaign, on-the-fly, for your favorite fantasy role-playing game(s). In the future, it might have a tighter focus on either D&D or Pathfinder, but for now, let's consider this material more-or-less generic.

NOTE:...

This is Part 03 of a series wherein we talk about generating an entire campaign, on-the-fly, for your favorite fantasy role-playing game(s). In the future, it might have a tighter focus on either D&D or Pathfinder, but for now, let's consider this material more-or-less generic.

NOTE:...

This is Part 02 of a series wherein we talk about generating an entire campaign, on-the-fly, for your favorite fantasy role-playing game(s). In the future, it might have a tighter focus on either D&D or Pathfinder, but for now, let's consider this material more-or-less generic.

NOTE:...

This is the first part in a series, where we'll be talking about a concept for generating an entire campaign on-the-fly for your favorite fantasy role-playing game. In the future, it might have a tighter focus on either D&D or Pathfinder, but for now, let's consider this material more-or-less generi...

Wrath of the River King is a D&D module set largely in they Feywilds, dealing with an abduction, a looming invasion, and plenty of planar intrigue. It's available for both 5e and Pathfinder Kobold Press is known for high-quality content, largely because the man behind the company is Wolfgang Ba...

I used to play a lot of AD&D back in the old days. Then I didn't for a long time. Now I'm trying to get back into it in a rather hardcore way, and I'm finding it a challenge.

Why is that?

Age might be an answer, along with its associated distractions and responsibilities. Yes, age, but not so...

We all know that the person running an RPG game like D&D is called the Dungeon Master (DM) or Game Master (GM). But what are the other people at the table called?

The obvious answer is player. After all, the other people in the game each run a player character (PC), so surely they must be t...

This appears as a finely knitted scarf, six feet long, made from the best wool. It will radiate strong magic.

Wearing this scarf in cold weather provides complete protection from the elements, and even bestows a +4 Saving Throw against magical or extraordinary cold or ice attacks. Additionally,...

This appears as a fine quill pen, in excellent condition. It will radiate faint magic. Poison Pens were originally assassination tools, created during an age when poisoning one's enemies was considered more civilized than bloodshed. Many of them were produced at that time, but most are now lost. Wh...

In my previous posts about converting monsters from 2e and 3e to Fifth Edition, I mention that many monsters have been converted already. I mentioned that to dissuade you from feeling like there's a need to sit down and struggle through the math to convert your favourite monster, at least not b...

For spellcasters. This will appear as a metal skull cap, usually too thin to act as a helmet (GM's option), but often worn by wizard types as a form of head protection. It will radiate magic. It will also display that it is cursed, should that be detected for.

When a spell-casting individual...

This will appear to be a beautiful but naturalistic quarter staff of full size. It will radiate magic. This is a +2 weapon, adding to both Hit and Damage to the staff's normal 1d6.

The first time this staff is used in actual combat, long cruel thorns will grow out of it, doing 1d3 +2 HP of dam...

I got a lot of great feedback about my previous article, How to Convert D&D monsters to 5e, so it's obviously time for the same article for Third Edition (or 3.5, realistically).

For the longest time, I never really bothered converting from 3.5 to 5e, because I found them to be relatively...

This appears as a horse saddle, made from the finest of leathers, and encrusted with gemstones. It will radiate magic. When investigated, it will be learned that it saddle allows a horse with rider to move twice as quickly as normal, and go five times as far before needing rest.

When first used...

For wizard types. This is a diabolical item, originally meant to render a long-forgotten (and much despised) traveling wizard helpless.

This appears as a bottle full of the finest black ink. It will radiate magic. Investigation will reveal it to be superbly suited to transcribing spells into sp...

If I had a gold piece for every time a game has been derailed because two players stop to discuss whether they're guilty of accidental "metagaming", I'd be a as wealthy as a brass dragon (not that brass dragons are any richer than any other dragon, necessarily, but they are my favourite dragon)....