I love stealing ideas, themes, genres, and more from other sources and incorporating them into table top RPGs. The first D&D campaign I played started as a bland good versus evil adventure. We had to search for a powerful longbow that was prophesied to end the life of an evil Sauron-esque villain. The DM, however, […]
Read more "Horror and Dice"I’ve been busy the last couple years and haven’t done much blogging or GMing for games. Last summer, however, I ran an adventure as a guest GM for someones 4th edition game. Party was told to find the burial site of an ancient chieftain, acquire a mysterious item and bring it back. Fairly simple stuff. […]
Read more "I ran a really great skill challenge."I bought the core rulebook for Edge of the Empire a few days ago and have been reading non-stop. It’s a dense book that requires a bit of time to fully understand and appreciate the game. We are all experiencing that giddy moment of new exploration. The tabletop community has a brand spanking new rpg […]
Read more "Five useful things for your Edge of the Empire campaign"The One Ring is a different animal compared to Dungeons & Dragons and other RPGs. I could tell that the moment I discovered the game. Putting aside the details of the game itself, you can tell there was a solid philosophy behind the creation of TOR that drives every mechanic and design decision. The focus […]
Read more "It’s a dangerous business (The One Ring Review)"I believe everyone has that geek moment when they realize they want to plunge into fiction. They see something, or they read something that makes them think to themselves “I want to to write a story.” I had that moment in 1998. As a child of two teachers, I was not allowed to have video […]
Read more "It’s in there somewhere…"Those who follow me on twitter will have seen a few comments about Roll20. It is in essence, a program that organizes encounters, images, story telling, and game mechanics in a browser based system to allow DMs and PCs the ability to play online. While people have been using skype, email, and chatrooms to hold […]
Read more "Roll20 and Online Gaming"I’ve written about companion characters before and discussed how much I enjoy them. The DM PC has always been feared by D&D groups before and I find that playing as a CC (companion character) has always been a great way to play a little as DM and not steal the show. I’ve also greatly enjoyed […]
Read more "Party of Three and that other guy"I have not updated the site in a while but that’s alright because I plan on getting back into it soon enough. I’ve decided to do a small post on myself, the new year, and new things I want to do. So without further ado… Exercise I get a little stir crazy every winter. […]
Read more "Update on Shifty 2012"DMs have a plethora of information at their fingertips concerning how to build adventures, encounters, and campaigns. When I began DMing for my friends I did nothing but read the DMG 1 and 2, the monster manuals, and D&D blogs. I’m a firm believer in stealing from other sources for your own benefit. This was […]
Read more "Literature and D&D: A DMs Fuel"I have seen a bit of controversy over the use of Companion Characters in 4th edition. Many people liken it to the dreaded DMPC and groan. In my time as a 4e DM I have found the companion character to be a useful tool in creating plot hooks and quests. The CC has never been […]
Read more "Role Play and Small Parties: Companion Characters"
shifty kobold 