Exemplary Elves: Game World Design
Last time, in the final installment of my discussion of the Four Principles for Game World Design, I discussed the non human races of D&D and how the demi-human races in particular failed to...
Ludus Ludorum Blog
Blending Scenarios & Reading Recommendations (Part 6 of the “Low-Prep, Reusable Scenarios” Series)
Blending Approaches In this series on low-prep, reusable scenarios, I have described five fun types of low-stress campaign. However, so far I’ve tackled each of them one at a time, without looking at how they might be...
The Arena (Part 5 of the “Low-Prep, Reusable Scenarios” Series)
The Arena The Scenario in a Nutshell: Let the players practice tactics or find out how tough their characters are by having them fight creatures or NPCs. Note that this scenario works best for players...
Glen Cook’s Goblin Recon (Part 4 of the “Low-Prep, Reusable Scenarios” Series)
Glen Cook’s Goblin Recon The Scenario in a Nutshell: The realm is at war with vicious enemies who have started sending teams of operatives through a buffering or bordering forest, marsh, or similar terrain. The PCs have...
The Sandbox Campaign (Part 3 of the “Low-Prep, Reusable Scenarios” Series)
The Sandbox Campaign The Scenario in a Nutshell: Instead of using random location generators, you could grab an existing dungeon map, a published setting, or even a map or guide to a real historic setting, and then...
The Tarterian Highway (Part 2 of the “Low-Prep, Reusable Scenarios” Series)
The Tarterian Highway The Scenario in a Nutshell: A fun twist on the random Nostalgia Crawl is a Vault of the Drow-style dungeon, or what I’m calling the “Tarterian Highway.” It’s a linear dungeon crawl...
Low-Prep, Reusable Scenarios for Busy and New DMs, Part 1: The Nostalgia Crawl
You don’t have to be a novelist to be a fun game-master. This point is worth remembering if you’re tempted to DM, but aren’t sure you have the time or creativity for the job....
D&D isn’t Even Human – Game World Design – The Fourth (of Four) Principles
This column rounds up the fourth of four principles of fantasy world design. You can read the other three here, here, and here. 4) If D&D “Isn’t even human,” then what is it? Alien,...
Detect Expertise: Archery History Buffs React to that Amazing Archery Video
If you’re into fantasy gaming or historical weaponry at all, you will have seen the video by now. You know the one: Lars Andersen trick-shooting and speed-shooting with a bow like, as one person...
Get Medieval: What Were the Middle Ages?
“Now father, you’re living in the past. This is the fourteenth century. Nowadays …” – Walt Disney animated feature Sleeping Beauty (1959) The “Get Medieval” series of articles we have been releasing are designed to...
