Recent content by bloodtide

This is a big point. For the first couple of sessions of a game, everything is new. And it is a unique feeling. People should try to experience it always. And for a RPG there is only one first time of not knowing the rules and rolling some things like a save. But you can't really recreate...

A lot of Old School play was done at conventions and other large public events. And a lot of these were at big tables with 8-10 players....maybe more. This is where the big groups come from. Very few groups of friends in a basement had like 8-10 players....you would just make two games if you...

This is what the "corporate wisdom" tells them: don't just ignore the long term players (or fans). All that matters is the new players(fans)! Plus they would say the "old" people don't buy stuff. A lot of the short term gamers will buy anything with D&D on the cover. The long term gamers...

No, it is silly and pointless. For the few things where a player might know and use in the game for whatever reason.........the DM should just change things up. Though really the DM should 'spice things up' over the basic printed book so it should never be just "by the book anyway". An...

It does depend a lot on the game. Some really do have a set type. Star Wars is one. Though in general I do like the varied art more. But not as far as the 1E stick figures. What I do what is a great variety in the art work. I have plenty of favorite artists, and a lot of them have very set...

Yes. So, much like today, there are gamers that only want to play in "offical D&D modules". As soon as you say homebrew, they are out. Official stuff only. Another group of gamers had the focus of "checking off" all the offical modules. They would have the three pages of the TSR Hobby...

It is all too common. For a while drow were the popular ruin a game race to play. The player would get one in a game with some fast talking like saying "oh I'll keep the character wrapped up so no one can see this race (wink wink)". Until they...surprise...wanted to ruin the game.

Sadly this was a big thing. As a kid, we sure could not play D&D in public at school, the rec center or the library. You were sure to attract a pack of hate filled bullies and hecklers and just bad people. We had our game in a barn back behind my yard(it was not our barn and not on our land)...

The problem is that most players take unique to be disruptive. First there are the far too many toxic players. They want nothing more then to ruin the game. That is their idea of fun: ruining things for others. And often they can trick a DM to letting them join the game. They will "promise"...

I'm a big fan of the Crash and Burn method: You need to burn it all down to build it back up. A lot of players with high level characters are not sure of all the rules and details and everything else. So when I start a high level game with new players...I will have a disaster strike. The...

Age does not matter to: *The Showoff- at any age...you know this person. They have everything...or nearly everything. And they are the first to buy new stuff...and not just buy stuff but special pre order "I know a guy" get it before everyone else. Oh, and they show it off... *The collected...

I'm sure the Grayhawk book just fits to what an Outsider would think: It is the big 50th anniversary so you, once, go back to the "beginning" of the game because it is old and 50 is old. If fits like a perfect puzzle piece to them. There are some studies showing that "people" only play games...

The nice thing is the BECMI dominion rules are a sub game not connected to the 'adventure rules'. And as 5E really only has combat rules, they don't really matter for a dominion. It really depends on the players and the DM. Plenty of people just have fun with the pure adventure game. Each...

Well, for any complex game the DM needs to guide the players at the start. Not every player does. A time or two the players have set up the retainer or such to run the domain.

I use them always. Even in 5E, I still use the ancient BECMI advancement rules. Most players are happy to have a retainer or two. Often a 'buddy' to help them in combat. But some clever players use them to guard things, fetch things and do other tasks. And often fill in holes.....like a...