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A few years ago, I woke up and realized what I thought was fantasy wasn’t the same for everyone else. Sure, people have had worlds with winged cats that could talk, elves with red cloaks, and all sorts of tweaks and twists to the basic fantasy tropes for years. And I’ve always known that things such as the Empire of the Petal Throne and Jorune lurked on the fringes, but they were strange things wholly alien to my sensibilities. You see I cut my teeth on Tolkien, Homer, Mallory, Howard, Alexander, and the rest. The old red box D&D let me play in a version of fantasy with which I was most familiar. It let me tell my own stories set in Middle-Earth or wherever because the fundamental concepts about fantasy ranged from “one ring to rule them all” to forbidden dealings

     There have been three or four threads concerning ‘Class’ on the WotC Forums that I’ve wanted to reply to but have just been too busy. I think it’s a vitally important aspect of the game, and the fact that there’s no agreed upon definitions even for this one fundamental point should be all the proof we need that no one game can ever work for everyone. What follows is bits and pieces of my theory discussion on ‘Class’ from our version of the game, with a closing to directly address a few things about the 5^th edition discussion. I think a lot of it applies.

     Most would agree that D&D was created as a ‘Class based’ game. Now, we could argue about how since it was among the first roleplaying

As computer games and movies have advanced in the last few decades, so has the public’s appetite for high fantasy.

Just look at any of the great fantasy properties of the last fifteen years. Gritty low fantasies full of desperate men and women fighting puppy-sized rats where magic is small and pointless have been phased out, only to be replaced by heroes casually tossing brilliant streams of magic and fighting mountain-sized monsters. Content creators now have the computer processing speed to depict epic battles between demigods like in the recent remake of [i]Clash of the Titans[/i], wild magic that shatters cities like in the [i]Harry Potter[/i] films, and fantastic vistas like the ones we find in [i]Avatar[/i].

We’ve even seen good models for low-level characters in high-fantasy

D&D’s next edition has been announced, there’s been a lot of buzz about it, especially over 4th edition’s demise. Some folks blame 4th edition as a failure, decrying it as being untrue to the D&D name. Even 4e seems abandoned Wizards of the Coast, hated and hunted.

But I know better, I know the truth. Let me tell you what 4th edition is:

[Mearls down to where 4th edition lies unmoving next to Rich Baker’s body]

Mearls’s Son: Dad! Dad, is he okay? 

Mike Mearls: [relieved as 4th edition slowly pulls himself up to his knees] Thank you. 

4th Edition: You don’t have to thank me. 

<<<<< Reprint from Dungeon Magazine >>>>>

The Scales of War Adventure Path kicks off in dramatic fashion in issue #156 with "Rescue at Rivenroar," by industry veteran David Noonan. The town of Brindol has experienced a time of peace after the tumultuous war with the goblins of the Red Hand. The town has rebuilt and even constructed a memorial dedicated to the champions who freed the Elsir Vale from the grip of fear and tyranny. But now several citizens of the town have gone missing, and relics of the war have been stolen, leading many to wonder if Brindol will ever find peace. The PCs must discover what has happened to these unfortunate townsfolk and bring them back alive -- if possible.

<<<<< Reprinted from Dungeon Magazine >>>>>

The Plano D&D 4th Ed. Group is looking for

When 4th Edition was first out, one of the more prevailant comments about it was that it no longer felt like Dungeons and Dragons.  The changes to classes and powers made the game feel different than what we'd come to expect.  For example, fighters had a long list of effects that were named in the same manner as wizard spells, and therefore some folks interpreted them as spells as well.

I feel that Essentials goes back to recapture that feeling of old-school D&D.  A fighter's main combat activity comes back to the basic attack, with options branching off from there (stances, etc.)  I was really delighted to see this, because I've been playing Dungeons and Dragons since 1979, with most of my experience being in 1st and 2nd Editions.

Now, since I was an immediate adapter

*** This campaign uses the Tomb of Horrors adventure book, adapted to the Birthright setting. There was also a session on the 20^th, but I was not present and no one else made a report. So I will incorporate what I heard happened in this report. ***

Absent: 27^th: Barsjt.

The mebhaighl closes in on me from all sides. Overwhelming. All goes black.

I came back to my senses again. My head aching with the power released and infused into the temple. The complex is under assault! By attacking the integrity of the wards placed in and around the temple complex a lot of energy coursed through the buildings, assailing those attuned to magic. I was not the only one who was knocked senseless. Other priests and minor wizards lay moaning or still in the hallway. It took me a

*** This campaign uses the Tomb of Horrors adventure book, adapted to the Birthright setting. ***

Absent: 16^th: None & 23^rd: Barsjt.

Personal Note of the Author:

We are currently actually in between 2 Tomb of Horror chapters. The DM confided he intends to start the next chapter of the Tomb of Horror’s when we are at or near level 14. We achieved level 12 after the session of the 23^rd. So we have a while for some ‘side quests’. Apart from putting his co-ego to rest, Nuryam has a few things he’d like to delve into (the dwarves of the ancient missing kingdom that serve the Magien now for example).

We’re getting used to each other’s paragon level powers quite quickly. I can really see the power-up we’ve gone through. And

*** This campaign uses the Tomb of Horrors adventure book, adapted to the setting. ***

Absent: None. --> OMG!!!!!!!!!!!

It has been a while since everyone was present at once. It was a nice evening with some fun tests that our DM put forth for us to overcome. So let’s continue the story…

With the sudden change of temperature also came new smells and sounds. We found ourselves near a busy bazaar in what looks to be Khinasi lands. A voice from behind confirms that suspicion as Sherabb is addressed by a stately looking man, a wizard by the looks of it. After exchanging some unfriendly lines we gather that it is Sherabb’s brother who is in the employ of the local emira. And the emira was there as well, gracing us with her presence and offering a challenge between brothers…