A new episode has been added to the database: MD 420 - Count VVaitom gives you VVhat you VVant w/ Ben Mazz

by Serpentine_C

Depends on the game. I like the gamut. I've enjoyed some world building games and some of them (mostly Dawn of Worlds) got pretty extensive. I like games like Ironsworn which give a set of options to pick from to determine what the setting is like, and then you roll on random tables and extrapolate from there. I also like games like Mutant: Year Zero which give you some facts about the world as well as some specific locations and NPCs, but tell the GM to figure out where to place them on the world map.

I even like highly detailed published settings, in theory (I haven't run one yet). There are several I want to run, like Glorantha or Eberron. I would use them fairly by the book, but emphasize to players that "our setting will vary" so I don't feel like I need to stick rigidly to canon in case I forget details here or there.

What I have not done is create a world all by myself, without collaborators, and then GMed a game in it. While I enjoy solo world building, I'd like to put the world to use rather than build it just to build a world. And if I'm going to GM it, I'd prefer the player buy-in from having them help build the world.

A new episode has been added to the database: S4E13 Talk Like a Pirate Day Pirates as a RPG Genre

by JohnDevlin

Made a small adventure for people that want to try something new it's barely thought out for now but it's a mix of Shadow Of War and Mafia 3 as always the game is free and can be improved by anyone who takes interest
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MfYfxuh_U8VtVc7mUk6oY55g...

by dysjunct

The world exists 0.01% outside of what the PCs can sense or interact with.

by Rachel Carpenter

Happy 38th Friday of 2026, everyone!! And as always on Friday, here are the current Friday links: 2026 Friday on Friday: Play Friday EVERY Friday of 2026 and Friday on Friday, September 2026.

Fridays are becoming an errand day... whatever- life happens. At least I managed to get in my weekly trip to the island before heading out (even if I am typing this post up on the go 😜).

I died. In the Yellow Phase. It probably was salvageable- if the Aging Cards hadn't come out together. C'est la vie.

Here's a closer look at that last Yellow Phase round.


My final score was -28 points: 27 points from Fighting Cards, -10 points from Aging Cards, 0 points from lifepoints, 0 points for defeating neither pirate, and -45 points from Unbeaten Hazards. Not bad. Not good either. But better than last week :geek_grin:.

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Weekly Updates:
Will (again) appear over the weekend! Sorry!
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And now for a crowdfunding update:

I haven't really been shopping/backing/etc. Until I get a more reliable income, I just can't do much besides worry about my own projects. That said, I do make exceptions.

I backed Effervescent. Carla Kopp is awesome! And Weird Giraffe Games is a favorite publisher. I couldn't swing an all-in for this latest campaign, but I couldn't not back Effervescent. It's gorgeous. And puzzly and tiley and all the fun things.

My other recent back: HEXplore It's Side-Arcs campaign for the Volume 2 Side-Arc and the Race Pack. I love Volume 2. And even though I've yet to get HEXplore It: The Forests of Adrimon – Fall of the Ancients back to the table for a 7th campaign... it's on my to-do list. I own everything for Volume 2 (except the Legends, which I will get when I can) and I have the core box for Volume 1. Would I love to have and play the whole series? 100% yes. And hopefully, one day. In the meantime- I can still show my support with a smaller back.

So that's my soapbox for the week. Life is hard. Money is tight. But we have to support each other and the projects we love/believe in.

Anyway, I've got plenty on the docket for the weekend- playtesting, revisions, video editing, and some cleaning too (Psst! Mom's letting me take over the dining room table in October for Arkham Horror!).

How about you, dear readers? Any fun plans?

Happy Friday and happy playing!
-Rachel

Thank you for reading my blog. If you liked it; then please click the green thumb [microbadge=23724] at the top of the page. If you really liked it; then please subscribe. And follow me across social media with my Linktree:
https://linktr.ee/rachelncarpenter

P.S.
Mythic Mondays are still on track! The epic Elder Sign adventures continue. Be sure to tune in.

by wildthayne

An item GeekList: Microbadge Links has been added to the geeklist Microbadge Shopping — 100 per Day, Every Day for a Month!?

by wildthayne

An item GeekList: Microbadge Links has been added to the geeklist Microbadge Shopping — 100 per Day, Every Day for a Month!?

by aramis

pdzoch wrote:

A question suggested by [user=Moonlight_Fox][/user]:

How much world building do you do for your games, either the ones you make or your settings for your home games? What's the coolest and/or most extensive bit of world building you've done for a game?
I prefer licensed settings so I don't have to do much world building at all.





Do you have a question you want asked as QOTD? Post here!
And if you want to find an old QOTD: The big QOTD Summary and Subscription Thread Volume 3

by aramis

robbbbbb wrote:

chuckdee68 wrote:

Rolemaster ... It's a cool idea, but it's a bit fiddly to keep track of in practice.

Doesn't that describe everything about Rolemaster?

No.
Only character gen and advancement are particularly fiddly. that is a major problem for many, tho.

The game's actually easy to run. Not a lot to track.

by SeaofStars

Originally published on my Sea of Stars Gaming Journal:

Arcana Unleashed expands the options for wizards and users of arcane magic considerably and, to a far lesser extent, for everyone else.

Arcana Unleashed for Fifth Edition (2024 version)[1], published by Wizards of the Coast. This is the wizard and arcane magic expansion adding considerably to the options, both for players and Dungeon Masters, for arcane magic in a campaign and well as some support for world building. However, like all of the 2024 edition material, it often emphasizes mechanical design over encouraging roleplaying and description.

As one expects, it begins with an introduction both to the schools of magic of D&D and to the book, along with a fair amount of nonsense from the Forgotten Realms setting(impressive, considering it is only two pages)

Chapter 1: Character Options presents eight new subclasses, one each for:

Cleric, Arcane Domain for clerics who want all the magic.
Fighter, Arcane Archer, a popular option back. For those who like to use arrows in tricky ways.
Monk, Warrior of the Mystic Arts. So that Monks get a spellcasting option too.
Warlock, Vestige Patron, who has made a pact with the vestige of dead god.
The remaining four bring the other four specialist wizards: Conjuror, Enchanter, Necromancer [2], and Transmuter back into the official fold.

Each of the subclasses gets a paragraph of framing material, more or less, but that could have been expanded to give both players and DMs some more context and ideas how to situate these subclasses into a campaign.

Next are ten new backgrounds, many of which are tied to magical groups that will be introduced later. Like the subclasses, they get only a single-paragraph description, some of which are more open than others and most of which are poorly written. Again, not much context or a real way to work this into a campaign.[3]

Twenty-nine feats round out the chapter. Eight (eight!) of them start with Arcane. come on, people, we have theasuri for a reason. They are mechanically interesting but they are just that, mechanics, no context. Some are straightforward, like the eight flavors of school specialist adepts, but it does not say what to do if you already have the spells these feats give you as a bonus (there are eight of them, a sidebar could have solved it for all of them). But what does Transmuted Anatomy look like, extra fingers? A new spleen? Again some guidance and tools to elevate these above mere mechanics would have been nice.

Chapter 2: Spells

This is (surprise!) thirty-three new (or revised from earlier sourcebooks) spells. All second level or higher and serve mostly to provide options for specialist wizards who school was neglected in the Player’s Handbook. Eight (almost a quarter) are Necrourgy, unsurprisingly there is only one new Evocation as it is so well represented in the core, while Abjuration, Divination, and Illusion get five new spells each. This if of great help to many specialist wizards as their choices were quite limited.

Again, minimal description apart from mechanics which sometimes do include a nice visual (“Skeletal hands burst from the ground . . .”). But I do have balance questions on some of them. Such as an (admittedly 9th level) spell that makes you immune to all damage, a second-level spell that just automatically breaks concentration for spell-casters. And a few others. Now, I usually do not play high level games, so my impression of higher-level spells may be off, but I still have concerns.

Chapter 3: Creating Magical Worlds

Which is what it says on the tin, this section is mostly for DMs, but there are some bits to inspire players as well. It begin with giving a framework about how to think about magic in a world and then looks at how it affects things such as religion and commerce (neglecting to mention how magic can effect communication and transportion, both vital in commerce). Nice overviews but only that as it spends less than a page on most of the subject until it gets to Mastering Magic. Mastering Magic talks about how magic is taught, solitary study, apprenticeships, and schools of various types which gives hooks for both players and DMs.

The next part is various magical patrons ranging from Wizards’ Circle to Magical Entity, Trickster to Esoteric Institution (my favorite). Each is given a framework, motivations, examples from various D&D campaign worlds and a random table to inspire your own, along with what benefits the character might see for working for one patron or another. who might act as the go-between, and what sorts of missions they might assign. Fun and useful for campaign inspiration and scenario building.

Chapter 4: Magical Factions

Partly an expansion on the magical patron idea, partly its own things, this present eight factions, each aligned with a school of magic. Characters can gain renown (as detailed in the DMG) with them which, in turn, gives them access to certain benefits from the faction. It is big on an implied worldview and, I believe, would be more challenging to adapt to most campaigns than they suggest. Still, useful as a reference and framework for designing your own factions.

Chapter 5: Magical Items

Magic items of all sorts! Even a (semi-interesting) cursed one. I actually quite like most of the common items which are just useful things (pens that write down what you dictate, brooms that sweep on their own) of no great power.

A section on evolving items follows, presenting items that start at a particular power level and, through quests and actions, greater powers can be unlocked. Along with suggestions, and tables, for creating your own evolving item. Nice to see this idea officially folding into D&D as it is a good source of adventures.

Chapter 6: Magical Creatures

Starting with an archmage from each of the schools of magic, seems a bit rude to call them creatures. Powerful being of magic that may help you or are forces of destruction. And some purely villainous creatures: drakenbeast, a magical servitor, and groundlings, magically uplifted (but always evil) burrowing carnivores in three flavors: brute, stalker, and slayer.[4] Rules for creating living spells to trouble players with. But last and best, Venger, yes, that Venger! Who they actually make into a complex and interesting character who can be used in many roles in a campaign, excellent work here.

Appendix: Tomb of the Shadow Serpents

A first-level dungeon crawl to introduce Venger as a recurring character in a campaign. Seems solid enough but there are a lot of dead adventures and the characters are denied finding anything of use on their bodies which seems a wasted opportunity.

Overall, if you are a D&D DM, I feel this is a solid resource both on the campaign-building and useful things (spells, magic items, creatures) front. For players that love wizards and other arcane casters, it is probably worthwhile for them as well but probably not anyone else. Overall, solid work if a bit too much tilted toward mechanics and not enough toward encouraging description and roleplaying.

Notes: [1] I know some people are calling it 5.5 but, besides misapplying computer terminology, I just do not like it. Any more than I did 3.5 back in the day.

[2] Discussion of the misuse of necromancy as a term.

[3] A weakness of the 2024 background system, which are just a weird mechanical grab-bag of things a character gets at first level. The 2014 backgrounds put the character in a world and gave you all sorts of hooks and ideas to riff off of. Yes, they were not purely mechanical and required actual judgements on the DM’s part as to how they worked but that is why the game has a DM, right?

[4] I find it hghly amusing that after spending so much time making orcs noble savages and fully playable kindred, they effectively reinvented the traditional “villain orc” in the groundling.

Also, this is my first review of an official WotC D&D 5E product. I know, I was surprised too.

by aramis

chuckdee68 wrote:

Rolemaster has a mechanic in which you develop for the next level when you go up a level, instead of the current level. And then you're supposed to train as you make the level. It's a cool idea, but it's a bit fiddly to keep track of in practice.

There's an easier way to do it within the spirit of the rules: use the checkboxes once a skill's been used or practiced enough, then reduce the checked skills to the Dev Points at level-up.