End of Year 2016

We’ve had a pretty good year so far in 2016 despite getting a later start than we intended.  2017 is looking towards a bright future and we’ll continue looking at some topics and things, and since we publish across multiple platforms, we’ll be looking at a lot of interesting things in 2017.  You can expect the following to continue:

• Our Player’s Choices series will continue to look at the options available for Dungeons and Dragons.
• Our Battletech Features will continue, and we’ll be looking at more in depth how to play options for both Battletech and Alpha Strike
• Our Adventurer’s League review will continue with a focus on Season 2 and 3 of that program, and hopefully we catch up with the rest of the series

Now we’re going to restructure things a little bit (and that’s why we’re posting a schedule of when we expect things to go up) and we’re adding some new things

• Star Wars will be getting a brand new weekly feature.  This is most likely going to take the form of the Fantasy Flight Games RPG, as well as their Star Wars: the Card Game line.  We’ve been playing Star Wars for nearly 20 years now, and we thought it was time to feature it again.
• We’re also going to feature the Mystery Box on Fridays.  The Mystery Box represents all the other cool stuff that we bump into on the internet that’s gaming related and doesn’t fit into one of our other categories.  Like
• Product reviews for new dice companies, gaming accessories, and company spotlights on the folks who make cool gaming related stuff.
• Spotlights on specific games that we don’t cover, like Call of Cthulhu, Deadlands, Mutants and Masterminds, and a host of other things that might be cool to see
• Guest Columns from some friends of mine
• Miniature spotlights and looks at companies that are making cool stuff
• Podcasts, Twitch channels, and other programming that we think is the bee’s knees
• Hopefully more people are willing to talk to us for interviews.  
• If things work out well, we might do some podcasting, and hopefully get more media content so we have pictures to go with all of our words words words words.

So that’s where we look like we’re going for 2017.  If you like what we do and think you want us to take a look at your stuff, send us a note.  We’re easy to find on facebook, twitter, and on our blog.  We hope you continue to have safe, happy holidays and a prosperous New Year.  

Game on, Game Fans

We’ll see you next year

Adventurer's League Season 2 (Part 3, Lower Level Track)

All right Game Fans, we’re continuing with our look at the 2nd season of the Adventurer’s League for Dungeons and Dragons, 5th edition.  Unlike last season, we’re not going to take these adventures in numeric order, but we’ve split them up into two different tracks based off of their suggested character level.  Today we’re looking at two adventures for the lower level track, DDEX 2-6: Breath of the Yellow Rose, and DDEX 2-7: Bounty in the Bog.  Let’s dive in, and take a closer look at the next part of Season 2

Barbarian Class Breakdown

Good Morning Game Fans, we’re back to continue our deeper investigation into the mysteries of Dungeons and Dragons, and how it shaped the larger roleplaying game community.  We’ve put a temporary hold on our discussion about races in fantasy roleplaying (We’ll pick back up with the races from Volo’s Guide to Monsters and the Elemental Evil Player’s Companion after this interlude).  We’re going to discuss the role of Classes in fantasy roleplaying games, and then we’ll take a look in turn at each of the character classes in the Player’s Handbook for Dungeons and Dragons, 5th Edition.

Adventurer's League Season 2 (Part 2 Low Level Track)

Adventurer's League Season 2 (Lower Level Track)

All right Game Fans, we’re continuing with our look at the 2nd season of the Adventurer’s League for Dungeons and Dragons, 5th edition.  Unlike last season, we’re not going to take these adventures in numeric order, but we’ve split them up into two different tracks based off of their suggested character level.  Today we’re looking at two adventures for the lower level track, DDEX 2-2: Embers of Elmwood, and DDEX 2-5: Flames of Kythorn.  Let’s dive in, and take a closer look at the next part of Season 2

Unearthed Arcana Playtest: Paladins

So this is the last Unearthed Arcana for 2016, and Wizards of the Coast is ending the year on a grim, dark note.  Today we’re taking a look at two new Paladin Oaths, the Oath of Conquest and the Oath of Treachery.  These Oaths give new options for players wanting to take Paladins down a variety of dark and winding paths, so if you’re interested in playing a dark crusader, check out either of these Oaths.  Now this is the last one of these articles for the year, and we’ll be back when Wizards of the Coast opens back up in January.  We are a little saddened that neither of these paladin Oaths fulfils our Need for Steed, (that’s the third time i’ve made that joke, and i’m still not sorry).  Let’s dive in and take a closer look at the new paladin Oaths.  .

Adventurer's League Season 2 Breakdown

Hey Game Fans, today we’re going to do a quick breakdown of the Experience Points for Season 2 of Adventurer’s League.  There are basically two experience tracks in season 2 (One for brand new characters up to level 4, and one for more experienced characters that are level 5-10).  We’re going to list the adventures, and indicate where they belong on these tracks and maybe some good points to consider hopping from the lower level track to the upper level track.  This season can’t be played in direct order by following the adventure numbers because of these two different tracks.  We’re going to take a deeper dive and see what information we can come up with to thelp you get your stuff together.  Read on, Game Fans.

Delightful Insanity

So if you’re reading this, i must have had a lack of sense and posted this on the internet.  This is my first attempt to construct a rules addition to the Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition rules set featuring giant, magically powered robots of doom.  Now there are a couple of people to blame and thank as usual, and we’ll get to that eventually.  The important thing to consider in this exchange from a world building standpoint is what makes these robots so necessary to the setting at the level of commonality they are going to exist?  

Unearthed Arcana Monk Playtest kit

Hey guys, we’re gearing up for a happy holiday season and we’re going to kick off by taking a look at the new Unearthed Arcana releases for the last month.  The Mad Wizards of the Coast are playtesting a bunch of new options for the core classes from the Player’s Handbook (my guess is as a prelude to releasing a new player’s handbook or options book).  These offer a lot of new ideas and spins for players looking to spice up the world’s greatest roleplaying game.  Today we’re going to take a look at the Monastic Traditions.  Remember, these are playtest material, so they aren’t compatible with adventurer’s league play, yet.  We’ve got two new monastic traditions to take a look at: the Way of the Kensai, and the Way of Tranquility.

Deadlands (RPG Spotlight)

Deadlands is a horror role-playing game set in an alternate history.  The Old West has become the Weird West, and in the dark places there are monsters lurking, waiting to strike fear into the hearts of honest, hardworking folk.  Someone’s going to have to put these monsters down and bring a sense of peace to the Weird West.  You got the Sand in you to take the fight to zombies, wendigos, and other, stranger dark things?

Unearthed Arcana Fighter Playtest Kit

Hey guys, we’re gearing up for a happy holiday season and we’re going to kick off by taking a look at the new Unearthed Arcana releases for the last month.  The Mad Wizards of the Coast are playtesting a bunch of new options for the core classes from the Player’s Handbook (my guess is as a prelude to releasing a new player’s handbook or options book).  These offer a lot of new ideas and spins for players looking to spice up the world’s greatest roleplaying game.  Today we’re going to take a look at the Fighter archetypes.  Remember, these are playtest material, so they aren’t compatible with adventurer’s league play, yet.  We’ve got four (Four!) new Martial Archetypes to take a look at, the Arcane Archer, The Knight, The Samurai, and the Sharpshooter.

Adventurer's League Season 2 (Starting up and DDEX 2-1)

All right game fans, we’re hoping you’re having a pleasant and passable holiday season as we shoot the straights between Thanksgiving and Christmas (and every other holiday that falls in and around the November-February period). We’re going to take a pretty close look at the 2nd season of the Adventurer’s League for the 5th Edition of Dungeons and Dragons.  This is tied in with the Princes of the Apocalypse Campaign book, and features a full range of adventures, some new options, and some other trouble to get into.  Today we’re going to take a closer look at the things you’ll need as a player to get into the fun of Season 2.  

Unearthed Arcana: Druid Circles Playtest Packet

Hey guys, we’re gearing up for a happy holiday season and we’re going to kick off by taking a look at the new Unearthed Arcana releases for the last month.  The Mad Wizards of the Coast are playtesting a bunch of new options for the core classes from the Player’s Handbook (my guess is as a prelude to releasing a new player’s handbook or options book).  These offer a lot of new ideas and spins for players looking to spice up the world’s greatest roleplaying game.  Today we’re going to take a look at the Druid archetypes.  Remember, these are playtest material, so they aren’t compatible with adventurer’s league play, yet.  We’ve got three new Druid Circles, Dreams, Shepherd, Twilight.  Each one plays a little differently, and adds some new options for our druid playing friends.  Let’s take a closer look at each Circle.

Unearthed Arcana Playtest Packet: Cleric Domains

Hey guys, we’re gearing up for a happy holiday season and we’re going to kick off by taking a look at the new Unearthed Arcana releases for the last month.  The Mad Wizards of the Coast are playtesting a bunch of new options for the core classes from the Player’s Handbook (my guess is as a prelude to releasing a new player’s handbook or options book).  These offer a lot of new ideas and spins for players looking to spice up the world’s greatest roleplaying game.  Today we’re going to take a look at the Cleric archetypes.  Remember, these are playtest material, so they aren’t compatible with adventurer’s league play, yet.  We’ve got three new Cleric domains, Forge, Grave, and Protection.  Each one plays a little differently, and adds some new options for our cleric playing friends.  Let’s take a closer look at each domain..

Unearthed Arcana Playtest packet: Bard

Hey guys, we’re gearing up for a happy holiday season and we’re going to kick off by taking a look at the new Unearthed Arcana releases for the last month.  The Mad Wizards of the Coast are playtesting a bunch of new options for the core classes from the Player’s Handbook (my guess is as a prelude to releasing a new player’s handbook or options book).  These offer a lot of new ideas and spins for players looking to spice up the world’s greatest roleplaying game.  Today we’re going to take a look at the Bard archetypes.  Remember, these are playtest material, so they aren’t compatible with adventurer’s league play, yet.  We’ve got two new bardic colleges to take a look at, the College of Glamour, and the College of Whispers.

Unearthed Aracana Barbarian Playtest write up

Hey guys, we’re gearing up for a happy holiday season and we’re going to kick off by taking a look at the new Unearthed Arcana releases for the last month.  The Mad Wizards of the Coast are playtesting a bunch of new options for the core classes from the Player’s Handbook (my guess is as a prelude to releasing a new player’s handbook or options book).  These offer a lot of new ideas and spins for players looking to spice up the world’s greatest roleplaying game.  Today we’re going to take a look at the Barbarian archetypes.  Remember, these are playtest material, so they aren’t compatible with adventurer’s league play, yet.  

Battlemech Manual Ideas

Randall (All Hail Randall) is developing his new Battlemech Manual project with fan input, and he wants to know what we the fans think are critical rules/information/ideas that 95% of Battletech Players use 95% of the time.  He’s also wanting to make this a book that’s clocking in at right about 200 pages, which is a lot of information to cram into a tiny space, so let’s take a look at the deep thoughts involved in creating basically a shortform version of how to play battletech (that focuses on the battlemechs).