#It was strong too D8

[pointycorgiears]

Nothing like a glass of wine to end our staycation!

[ataliagold]

But My Heart Is Just A Little Boy

Pairing: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson

Rating: Teen (swearing)

W/C: 2012

Tags: Established Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, hurt/comfort, Steve Harrington has dyscalculia, Steve Harrington has self esteem issues, Steve Harrington needs a hug, fluff, light angst, DnD, Mike and Dustin are a little mean here

Notes: Just slowly posting some of my AO3 stuff here as well :) Title from Rattlesnake by Jack Van Cleaf.

___

Steve joining in on Eddie’s campaign was supposed to be a nice surprise for his boyfriend.

And it was; Eddie’s face had lit up with joy when Steve had walked in and sat down with the kids around the table. Steve had taken the dice Dustin had loaned him and lined them up in front of him, from the D4 (the funny triangle one) up to the D20 (the one with heaps of sides, Steve reminded himself.)

If he kept them in that order it would help him pick the right dice quickly, he’d decided.

Because he wanted this to go to perfectly.

Eddie had been asking him to join in on a game for months, but Steve had so far refused, only coming along sometimes to watch quietly. There were parts of it that piqued his interest – namely the combat and the creatures Eddie planted into the game, because some of them were so damn cool even if Steve wouldn’t readily admit it out loud. A small part of him, a much younger part that had loved fairy tales and stories about knights and dragons and sword fights before his father had confiscated those books, deeming them too childish, watched with a quiet giddiness as the kids battled all manner of beasts.

But much of the game was so complicated - there were so many numbers, and Steve had no idea how Eddie and the kids managed to keep track of everything, how they added dice values together so damn quickly and kept track of a seemingly endless list of stats and bonuses and modifiers, whatever the hell they were.

Eddie knew about his difficulty with numbers. He’d seen the way Steve had to count with his fingers, how it took him far too fucking long to do a simple equation, how he stood in Melvald’s staring at the price of something just trying to make the numbers make sense so they wouldn’t blow their grocery budget.

And Eddie was patient, always. But D&D was Eddie’s realm, his place to shine, and Steve was so worried about holding him back and ruining the game every time he had to pause to add two fucking dice together.

Finally, he’d caved. Secretly, with Dustin’s help, he’d put a character sheet together. He’d made a paladin because Dustin had told him it suited him. Steve made him strong and lawful good, just like the knights he used to read about as a little boy. Dustin had rolled his eyes a little at that but Steve had been quite proud of what he’d put together.

Plus, Dustin had promised to help him with the math.

But here Steve was, well over an hour into the campaign, and he was struggling.

Cheeks burning, he turned to Dustin yet again.

“Wait, which one am I rolling?” he whispered.

Dustin rolled his eyes. The kid had been patient at first, but it was beginning to wear thin.

Steve was beginning to wear thin.

“The D10, Steve,” Dustin hissed.

“Right,” Steve nodded, grabbing for one of the dice.

“That’s the D8, Steve,” Mike said wearily.

Steve’s cheeks flushed even hotter, and he grabbed the other dice, rolling it quickly.

“Ahhh...seven,” Steve announced.

“You slash at the goblin, your blade cutting deep into its chest, the creature gurgling and reeling backwards…” Eddie leant over the table, giving a dramatic recount of events.

Steve smiled, unable to help it. His boyfriend was having such a good time, and even if Steve wasn’t enjoying himself so much, well, that was ok. He could do this, for Eddie.

“…but it scrabbles back to its feet, weak but alive,” Eddie finishes.

Mike groaned and slapped the table.

“It has to be almost dead,” Lucas announced.

“Yeah, but there’s still four others,” Mike pointed out.

“This one must be on two hit points or less,” Will surmised.

How did he know that? Steve frowned, let the kids talk amongst themselves. His gaze wandered over to Eddie, watching him lean back in his chair, eyes shining. He shot a wink at Steve when he caught him looking, then frowned a little, obviously noticing Steve wasn’t looking all that comfortable.

You ok? He mouthed at him.

Steve nodded quickly.

But he felt small.

Grow the fuck up, you’re fine.

“…Steve!” Mike groaned.

Steve’s attention snapped back to the kids. “What?”

“Stop staring at Eddie and tell us how many hit points you’ve got left.”

“Um…” Steve glanced down at the piece of paper in front of him. He’d scribbled some numbers down like Dustin had told him to every time his character had taken damage, but there were a lot of numbers there and he wasn’t sure they all actually related to his hit points…

“Give it here,” Dustin snatched the paper from him impatiently, peering down at it.

Steve waited while Dustin assessed his work, the feeling vaguely reminiscent of being back in school, his teachers reading over his work with a disappointed shake of their heads.

“This can’t be right, Steve,” Dustin sighed. “It says you’re on twelve hit points…is that a twelve? Your writing’s messy.”

Steve nodded. “Yours isn’t much better, pea-brain,” he mumbled, just to shoot something back at the kid.

Dustin narrowed his eyes at him. “You must have less than that because of the damage you took in the last round. You’re probably down to…eight at the most, by now.”

“Just make it eight, then,” Steve grumbled.

“Eight it is, big boy,” Eddie agreed.

“It doesn’t work like that, though,” Mike huffed. “You actually have to keep track of this stuff Steve, there’s no point playing if you just make the numbers up.”

“It doesn’t matter, really,” Will tried to intervene quietly. “It can just be eight.”

Dustin picked up his pencil, drawing some columns on Steve’s paper. “Ok, so just use this one column to keep track of damage, don’t write all over the page. There’s your total hit points at the top, and every time you take damage, write it down under there, ok? And then just take it off the total. Simple.”

Like it was that fucking easy. Maybe for them, it was. They didn’t get every number mixed up in their brain, they didn’t stare at a single digit trying to put some numeric value behind it and coming up with zilch.

Dustin was trying to help, Steve knew. But his tone of voice was so fucking condescending that it had Steve squirming in his seat, wishing he was anywhere else.

He felt Eddie’s eyes on him.

“Come sit by me, Stevie, I’ll help you keep track.” Eddie said gently.

“You’ll just go easy on him, and that’s not fair!” Mike whined.

“Can it, Wheeler,” Eddie snapped at him.

“Just because he can’t do basic math.”

“Right, you get to roll with disadvantage now, just for that,” Eddie told him smugly.

Mike was retorting with something, but Steve didn’t hear it.

His pulse was thumping in his ears, his cheeks on fire. The years were stripped from him, the sensitive child he’d tucked away inside a long time ago forced to the surface.

“Look, just carry on without me,” Steve muttered, and stood up quick enough that his chair scraped on the floor.

“Steve -” Dustin started, but Steve was finished, striding towards the stairs and blinking back tears.

He wasn’t going to cry in front of the kids, not over a fucking game, not over something his boyfriend loved so much.

But they were coming faster than he could blink them back as he headed out of Mike’s stuffy basement and out to the driveway, the cold night air caressing his flushed face.

This was supposed to have been a treat for Eddie. It was supposed to be fun, and Steve had ruined the night by being fucking stupid.

A tear tracked down his cheek , Steve losing the battle against them. He’d just drive home, he decided. Steve had come straight from work that day, so Eddie had come separately in his van, he wouldn’t be inconvenienced.

And then they could finish their game in peace, without having to treat Steve like a five-year-old.

He was getting in the driver’s seat when Eddie ran to him, both hands reaching for him.

“Stevie…” Eddie murmured softly.

“I’m sorry,” Steve mumbled, dragging his sleeve across his face, smudging the tears there.

“Why? The kids were being assholes, I’ve already yelled at them.”

Steve shook his head. “I was just slowing everyone down, they were getting frustrated, I get it.”

“No, sweetheart, they were being rude,” Eddie corrected him. “Especially Wheeler.” Eddie brushed his thumbs across Steve’s cheeks, crouching down beside the open driver’s door. “I’ve told them to pull their heads in. Do you…do you want to come back inside?”

“Eds…” Steve leant into his hands a little. “I’m no good at it. I really wanted to try, for you, and I’m so sorry I ruined it, but there’s too many numbers and I can’t keep track of everything and it takes me so fucking long and it’s embarrassing because I can’t even keep up with a bunch of kids, and I just feel like I’m back at school again.”

Eddie cupped his cheeks again, tilting Steve’s head to look at him. “Hey. You haven’t ruined anything, they did. I’m so happy you came along tonight, because I know you did it for me. But look, D&D doesn’t have to be your thing -”

“But -”

“It doesn’t,” Eddie cut in. “Just like…your balls in laundry basket games aren’t mine. But I like hanging around while you and Wayne watch them, and I love how excited you get about it, and how you sit there with that fucking pretty smile…”

Steve huffed out a small laugh, and Eddie grabbed his wrist to press a kiss to the inside of it.

“But I don’t know what’s going on most of the time,” Eddie continued. “It makes you happy, and that’s enough for me. So, I don’t want you to feel like you have to play D&D just for me if it’s not something you enjoy. It’s more than enough that you listen to my ideas, that you help me write -”

“I don’t really,” Steve said quietly.

“You do! Or have you forgotten who came up with that fucking amazing twist with the elven prince?”

“I got it from a movie,” Steve argued.

“So? I didn’t think of it, and it had the little shrimps completely stumped.”

Steve managed a small smile. “I do like some of the stories,” he admitted quietly. “But I think…I just wanna go home, ok? You can carry on.”

Eddie shook his head. “I’m gonna get them to pack up in there. I’ll drop them home, then follow you back, ok?”

“Steve?” came Dustin’s voice from behind Eddie, small and hesitant.

Steve quickly straightened up in his seat, wiping a hand across his face.

“Yeah, buddy?” he replied, his voice a little hoarse.

“I’m…I’m sorry. That we weren’t more patient. It’s ok if you struggle with numbers, and we should’ve helped more.”

“It’s ok, Dusty,” Steve told him.

Eddie frowned, reached down to squeeze Steve’s hand, then turned to Dustin. “It isn’t ok,” he argued. “But it was nice of you to apologize.”

Dustin nodded. “If you want to try again sometime, I promise I’ll help more. I…I really liked having you play.”

“Thanks,” Steve managed.

“Tell Wheeler to start crafting his apology too,” Eddie said firmly, still cradling Steve’s hand in his own. “Otherwise he’s rolling with disadvantage for the whole next session.”

Dustin’s eyes widened a little before he nodded.

After packing up, the kids waited sheepishly by Eddie’s van. Eddie stayed crouched next to Steve a moment longer.

“Go home, get comfy on the couch, and pick out any movie you want to watch, ok?” Eddie murmured to him. “When I get home I’m gonna order us some pizza, and I’m gonna cuddle the shit out of you, understand?”

Steve laughed softly. “Sounds perfect.”

“Good. I’ll see you soon, sweetheart.”

___

[calicomccoy]

I can't be only one, right...?

I wanted to finish the game and then write this post but I gave up. I put in 100 plus hours and just could not go on once I got into act three. Maybe no one will hear my pitiful cry from the void, but I must scream for the sake of my sanity.

I was completely and utterly disappointed by Baldur's Gate 3. 

It had huge maps like an open world game yet I had no desire to explore the settings despite their beauty. It had hours of dialogue as an RPG would and yet I found myself skipping characters' responses. The game mechanic structure was inspired by DnD, a story-telling game dictated by some rules, lucky rolls and the extent of players' imagination, yet I was strong-armed into fighting impossibly stacked battles. A story-telling game dependent on the players’ attachment to their and their teammates' characters and yet this game lacked any kind of narrative consistency or depth of feeling. 

Larian wanted to make an open world RPG, based off of DND mechanics and somehow did the worst version of all three. The studio touts that Baldur’s Gate 3 has 17,000 possible endings and 2 million words, but to what end? What did this game have to say about what happens when people rise to the challenge and become heroes despite their circumstances or fall into the dark and become the monsters they were supposed to fight? What did it suggest might happen when fate deals you a bad hand but in doing so also helps you find true friends or love with the other? Ultimately, nothing. 

BG3 is so large that it ends up being incoherent. No writing or game structure decisions were made to keep the narrative tight and on theme. It urges players to choose a moral alignment, but most decisions, good or bad, seem to end up having little effect in the end. To play the game at all you have to resort to save scumming and that in turn deflates the possible impact of so many plot points of the narrative overall. 

Forcing players to save scum in order to progress through the game is terrible design in general. Statistically speaking the bosses make impossible critical hits again and again. I was playing in the game’s “casual mode” and found myself struggling to get through confrontations with bosses that were at a lower level than my own. If you are reading and thinking oh well you are probably not using tactics or spells well, etc., let’s do a little experiment…

Take your d20 (https://rolladie.net/roll-a-d20-die if you don’t have one in person). In the third act of BG3 I had an AC of 13 as a sorcerer with 100 plus HP. Roll your d20 ten times or more. How many times out of ten would your character have gotten to hit mine successfully? Unless an enemy is extremely lucky it should be unlikely that an enemy could hit my character every turn they get. And even if they do they would have to roll for damage which is only a single d6, d8, d10 or d12 plus a modifier at lower levels depending on your class. Again an enemy would have to have an extremely lucky roll to hit me every turn AND deal significant damage. During an in person DnD session that is just a bad night for my character. In a video game on casual mode that is significantly suspicious. 

So what you might say. You've made and enjoyed the fanart, memes and etc. You got your $61 worth of playtime. So many other people were fine with the game, what is your problem? 

I love video games. They blend so many artforms and tell stories in ways never done before. It is a medium unique to our current century and when historians look back they will view video games as an insight to our culture. 

It frustrates me to no end that Baldur’s Gate 3 is considered the next gold standard. Too many games have done open world and RPGs in a fantasy setting far better for Larian (Swen Vincke) to have made the design and writing choices they did with BG3. There are so many podcasts and shows that have written better stories through the DnD format. I am embarrassed for the medium as an artist and frustrated as a player. Players and the industry deserve better than to have artists, actors, engineers etc. burn themselves out creating maximalist behemoths like this game. A game that is beautiful but basically unplayable, narratively, nihilistic and incoherent. 

[grailfinders]

Grailfinders #350: Minamoto no Tametomo

happy new years, let’s get this bread. and by bread I mean giant robot archer named Minamoto no Tametomo. he’s actually remarkable not breadlike I don’t know why I said that. He is, however, remarkably Arashlike, but better because he’s a japanese man in a japanese series. He also has some extra tricks that Arash doesn’t have, like not making me figure out how to make him kill himself, which I’m very grateful for. As such, he’s not quite a xerox of Arash- he’s a Battle Master Fighter to master battling with a bow, and a Gloom Stalker Ranger to specialize in killing people before they know he exists and while hiding out in some shadowy villain lair.

check out his build breakdown below the cut, or his character sheet over here!

next up: the disaster lesbian oh fuck we forgot kyokutei bakin nvm they're next

Species and Background

the game’s bio stuff kinda makes it sound like he used to be human, but he’s definitely a robot now, so that’s a Warforged baby! give him +2 Wisdom and +1 Dexterity thanks to tasha’s cauldron of everything, as well as Constructed Resilience to get advantage against being poisoned and taking poison damage, plus immunity to disease! instead of sleeping you can take a Sentry’s Rest for just six hours. just kinda. standing there. menacingly. you also get Integrated Protection, giving you +1 to your AC no matter what armor you wear, plus you can’t be taken out of it against your will. the downside is getting out of your armor at all is an hour-long affair, but we’re not making builds for out-of-combat stuff. unless siduri gets voted in, I guess. you also get one bonus proficiency, and we usually use Arcana for techy stuff, so we’re doing that here too!

Tametomo is a Soldier of course, giving him proficiency in Athletics and Intimidation. it’s nice to have a background with a direct correlation to D&D again, that makes this so much easier.

Ability Scores

Your highest score should be Dexterity. we both know you’re some kind of strength archer, but D&D thinks all archers are willowy elves, and we’re literally stuck playing their game. next up is Constitution. you are a bitch and a half to defeat, though that’s usually more because of your sniper’s nest. still, you don’t give up easy. third highest is Strength. we don’t need it for much in this build, but you sure do wear some heavy armor, and that comes with a strength requirement. plus it would be nice to actually make the weirdly strong archer guy weirdly strong. This means your Wisdom is lower than I’d like- your perception’s great, but I guess robots aren’t good at guessing games. aside from the centaur, I mean. This means Intelligence is neutral, and we’re dumping Charisma. every time we’ve seen you in the story up to this point you’re literally just a turret. so yeah.

Class Levels

1. Fighter 1: As said previously, you need yourself some heavy armor, so we’re starting as a Fighter for proficiency in all weapons and armor. you also get proficiency in Strength and Constitution saves, plus History and Perception. blasting a hole in a ship from 300 feet away is fun, but you have to see it first.

with our first Fighting Style you should grab Defense for another +1 to AC. I know archery makes more sense, but we can get that from ranger later, and they have less options. you also get to find a Second Wind as a bonus action to heal yourself. I mean healing is just like retroactively being tougher, right?

2. Fighter 2: second level fighters can use an Action Surge once per short rest. now you can attack twice in a single turn, or… no, that’s pretty much all Tametomo does, huh. well, it makes things easier for me!

3. Fighter 3: at third level, you pick your combat specialty, and as a Battle Master you can use a couple different Combat Superiority maneuvers. You start with three, and that will go up as you level. You can spend one of your four superiority dice, currently d8s, to add that die’s roll to a few different things. for example, Ambush gives you a bonus to your stealth or initiative rolls, (that’s a secret tool for later,) while Precision Attack adds it to your attack roll. Menacing Attack adds it to your attack’s damage, while also forcing it to make a wisdom save or be frightened of you for a turn. frightened creatures can’t move closer to you, making your position even more secure!

you’re also a Student of War, but you can’t really get anything cool with that.

4. Fighter 4: for your first Ability Score Improvement, grab the Sharpshooter feat. now you can attack at long range without disadvantage, quadrupling your potential range. you also ignore all but full cover, and you can take a -5 to your roll to deal an extra 10 points of damage! combine this with some precision attacks, and you’ve got a ton of bonus damage with almost no downside.

5. Fighter 5: Fifth level fighters get an Extra Attack, so now you can attack twice in a turn, or four times with action surge. Tametomo prefers quality and quantity with his arrows, so I’m sure this is a welcome addition.

6. Ranger 1: going over to ranger gives you proficiency in Stealth to never get seen while sniping, and as a Deft Explorer you’re also Canny in Perception for double proficiency.

you can also designate a flavored foe, adding a d4 of damage every time you hit them for up to a minute as long as you concentrate on it. you can use this proficiency times a day. it’s not quite as spicy as hunter’s mark, but importantly, it doesn’t use spell slots, has a longer range, and it’ll only get better as we level up.

7. Ranger 2: speaking of hunter’s mark, it’s spells time! you can cast cure wounds and hail of thorns using your wisdom. the former is extra toughness, and the latter is a flurry of arrows. plus we can finally pick up that Archery Fighting Style now for +2 to attack rolls! see, we got there.

8. Ranger 3: at third level you get Primeval Awareness, which is bad, don’t use it. you’re also a Gloom Stalker now, making you a Dread Ambusher. now you can add your wisdom to your initiative rolls, plus you get bonuses on your first turn. you can move an extra 10 feet, and you can make an extra weapon attack as part of your attack action! that’s three attacks, or six with action surge!

you also get Umbral Sight, giving you 60’ of darkvision, and you’re effectively invisible to other creatures using darkvision.

you can also cast Entangle now, which we’re interpreting as like, shooting an arrow straight through someone’s foot and into the floor. you can cast disguise self now too, but that’s just a free subclass thing we don’t need.

9. Ranger 4: use this ASI to bump up your Dexterity. better arching, yo.

10. Fighter 6: sixth level fighters also get another ASI, so bump up your Wisdom for faster fighting and stronger spells.

11. Fighter 7: seventh level fighters get an extra superiority die, as well as two more maneuvers! with commanding presence you can add your die to intimidation, performance, or persuasion checks, and with tactical assessment, you can add it to investigation, history, or insight checks. sadly they don’t have a perception bonus we can get, but we’re doing what we can.

but this all ties into your new ability Know your Enemy! if you spend a minute staring someone down, you can learn about their physical stats, ac, hp, or class levels.

12. Fighter 8: bump up your Strength so you can actually wear platemail. your whole body’s metal, it just makes sense.

13. Fighter 9: ninth level fighters are Indomitable, letting you re-roll a failed saving throw once a day. failing a death save is for other, lesser archers.

14. Fighter 10: at tenth level, you gain Improved Combat Superiority. now all your superiority dice are d10s. you also get two new maneuvers. Evasive Footwork adds the roll to your AC while you’re moving, and your Pushing Attack deals extra damage while also pushing the enemy 15’ away from you. if your arrows can sink a boat, you know they have stopping power.

15. Fighter 11: eleventh level fighters have another Extra Attack, letting you attack three times in a turn, or six with action surge. or four on your first turn. or eight with action surge on your first turn.

16. Ranger 5: rangers also get an extra attack but it don’t work with fighter extra attacks so just be happy with what u got.

you get second level spells though! cordon of arrows shoots a buncha arrows at your feet that automatically attack anyone who gets near. random arrow bullshit is kinda your thing. you also get Rope Trick, which lets you hide out in your own dimension for up to an hour. at first this sounds like it’s not something you can do, but really that’s how your entire schtick works, so go nuts.

17. Ranger 6: at sixth level, your flavored foe grows to a d6, and you’re roving! that means you can move another 5’, and you can climb and swim. this is the least like tametomo, but you can always just not move, so.

18. Ranger 7: with your literally iron mind, you get proficiency in wisdom saves. you can also turn your bow into a magic weapon now. I’d hope your dm would give you one by now, but if not we got u covered.

19. Ranger 8: with our last ASI, max out your dexterity for the most archery a man can be. you also get land’s stride which is a thing. if you have problems with magical plants at level 19, now you finally don’t!

20. Ranger 9: with our last level, you get third level spells! fear is whatever, but lightning arrow is how we’re gonna sink a ship. it turns your arrow… get this… into lightning. it doesn’t actually do all that much damage, but it’ll turn a single arrow into an aoe attack, and you could argue it should set stuff on fire, which eventually would take down a ship.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

with a bevy of powered-up bow attacks you can blast out some serious damage on your very first turn, and it’s consistent enough to keep mowing down enemies round after round. and yes, we checked- on your first round, you have just enough damage potential to take down a sailing ship in a single turn. it’s not likely, but it is possible.

you’re also delivering all that damage with a longbow, which means you can put that damage anywhere within 600’ of you with little issue. that’s 120 squares, btw, which is larger than most DMs make their maps if you’re not playing digitally.

we’re not just packing offense either. you’re tough to kill, with proficiency in two of the big three saves, 160ish HP, a base AC of 20 with the option to improve it temporarily, and extraplanar hiding spots at your disposal. any fight against you is going to be an uphill one, basically.

Cons:

you’re great at fights, but terrible at anything else. you have zero social skills, and your best trait for skill rolls is just the getting into fights skill. whenever you’re not shooting down boats, you’re gonna be bored.

being so good at so many parts of combat comes from you being Multi-Ability Dependent, or MAD for short. this means that you need a bunch of different skills to make your build work. sure your dexterity is maxed out, but that came at the cost of your wisdom (making your spells weak) and your constitution (the thing that keeps you ALIVE). further complicating things is the good chunk of stats that went into your strength purely for your shiny armor. if you’re a good archer, you don’t even need that stuff!

your class combo comes with a few pain points that make finding the best fighting style for you a bit difficult. superiority is best used sparingly to alter the flow of battle when needed, but we’re mainly using it to improve our damage, and in that case we’ll burn through all of our dice before the end of our first turn. we have obscene range, but our darkvision only goes out 60 feet. we’re ostensibly supposed to be unseen until our first shots, but we’re wearing plate mail, and so on. much like our stats, we’re pulled in a dozen different directions. we’re good at a lot of it, but there’s still some tension there.

[scrunglepaws]

(Key for who's who)

Yeah, the Kits are mostly freaks, just ignore them. dkfjsldsdf The boys in the middle all come from very harsh backgrounds and will do what they gotta do. Y'all know about Nine, his backstory is the same as canon. CT-Mangey grew up in a jungle with dinosaurs+ect megafauna and all his sentient neighbors were super aggressive. CT-Kit grew up as an orphan in poverty, living on the city streets. Sails grew up in a cutthroat, post-apocalyptic endless sea of pirates with few resources. Not 100% sure on all of them, but Sails and Kelpie have definitely taken lives before.

Doing the strength/combat skill ones made me hate power scaling because I kept futzing with them and making micro-adjustments. To settle some of the placements on the strength chart, I asked myself "Between these two, who would win an arm wrestling match?" xD Kelpies have mythical levels of strength, so he had to be very high up there. CT-Mangey is essentially werehog Tails, so that's sort of like magical strength too, plus he's huge. Kit cheats by being a cyborg. I imagine Mangey and Tails have similar levels of strength, but with the arm-wrestling thing in mind, Mangey pulls ahead just a little. Mangey is constantly active as well, while adult Tails spends less and less time adventuring/fighting in favor of being in his lab/workshop. Mangey is just bigger as well. Sails is a bit lower just by being smaller, scrawnier, and malnourished (… D8). Nine is also a lot skinnier and malnourished (more to poor diet rather than overall lack of food), and is even less active than the others. He's more built for stealth and avoiding confrontations. CT-Kit and Folklore Tails are basically wusses. xD They're not specifically -frail- though, so I didn't feel the need to push them aaaall the way to the left.

The combat skill one was a little bit easier, though I still fussed with it. Obviously, Tails has a ton of experience with all of the wacky adventures he's been on. Kit was basically "born" into immediately training and fighting for his life. Regardless if he hasn't used these skills in a long time, they don't just vanish. Sails has seen some shit. This is where Nine drifts apart from his canon depiction (who I imagine has much less skill from being a stealthy lurker). Even though he mostly avoids scraps with others, he does a lot of research/training in his lab just out of paranoia/preparedness. Mangey used to be very unskilled, but trained to learn the various fighting techniques of his Boscage buddies, so he's got some tricks up his sleeve. CT-Mangey is just an overall brute that can defend himself in general scraps, but doesn't have much experience with technique or anything like that. I'm actually a bit unsure about CT-Kit? Despite growing up on the streets, I imagine he wasn't really the brawling type. Instead he learned all of the social cues/ect on how to stay out of dangerous peoples' paths. Kelpie is hella strong and can just smash/chomp you, but… He's never actually been in a fight, I don't think? I mean, who would be dumb enough to try. Folklore Tails is a pansy and I love him for it.

Nine and CT-Kit are from the city. They're smart and intuitive, but being 100% out of their element? Yeah, they dead. Kit's a bit more to the right because of when he and Surge were sort of in the wilderness after Starline died, but they mostly had the amenities of that base. Also, Kit could easily catch fish and purify water if he had his pack. And I imagine the metal virus would be decent at protecting him against most pathogens, so he could get away with eating raw fish. But he's still quite out of his element, so I dunno about him lasting a super long time.

[eldjester]

SOAR, The Damage Race and Damage Die

(Yes, this is inspired by @makapatag latest post, I like getting into details about what goes on in my design thoughts)

So I've ran a fair bit of games over the years, and talked about a few design thoughts with my good friend Ru. That experience has lead me to feel opinionated on some stuff or try to fix some "issues" I didn't want in my own TTRPG, namely Damage Die and the idea Damage Race is all that matters.

-Damage Die: For about a whole year, I have been running a system that uses multiple types of damage die, from d6 to d10, which are bound to its classes rather than abilities (this is Icon, if you're curious), and while i don't think it is unworkable, it made me think about a few things, namely the nature of why we roll for damage in the first place and why so many Tactical TTRPGs want to have critical hits. In most cases, I don't tend to like rolling for damage with wide possibilities, for example rolling a d8 or a d10, as those are very swingy and hard to make informed decision about, even if they fit a playstyle that's more about pushing your luck, they just don't work for me, I don't like how they control pacing, especially if rolling high on them is supposed to really hurt, it tends to make anything that surrounds them uncertain for basically everyone on the table, and for me it doesn't really do a fun surprise when you do roll good on them. Critical Hits adding more damage is also a staple of many games, and I think as time goes on i'm less of a fan of that too as it tends to be done in a way that just shines a bigger spotlight on the uncertain damage numbers of some attacks (hi "Double Damage on crit" systems !). So what I ended up doing, was just remove this idea that your damage die has to inform the damage you do related to its number. See, I'm a big fan of tables, I love random tables, I also love having some level of control over what you can expect, so I had a fun idea, what if I used a damage profile table for attacks ? So, in SOAR, when you hit (which you still need to roll to do specifically for attacks, as I like having that mechanical lever to tinker with) you roll a d6 or more if your abilities add some, and you keep the highest one, the number you roll then tells you what you'll be using as a profile for the attack, bigger means better in this case, here's an example:

Weak Hit (1-2): 2 damage, push target 1, move 1

Normal Hit (3-5): 3 damage, push target 1, move 1, push target 1

Strong Hit (6): 4 damage, push target 1, move 2, push target 1, target is dazed

Critical Hit (6,6): 5 damage, push foe 1, move 2, push foe 2, foe is dazed. A keen eye might have noticed this shares similarities with how FITD handles rolls in terms of spread (being a tiny bit more forgiving), this has allowed me to make sure I know how much damage every attack does while still having room to make the damage uncertain, you can still cheer if you roll a strong hit or a critical hit (you in fact, have a resource you can spend to upgrade a hit to its next step if you want to), as a fun added fact, this type of damage profile idea started off as something I made for a gunfight based game, and worked backward into adding to SOAR, from my, admittedly limited, testing it has sped up play a fair bit while still giving me levers to work with in terms of balance. -The Damage Race There's this really annoying feeling sometimes when you play TTRPGs Combats that not doing damage isn't ideal, you see it all the time (death is the best control my beloathed expression) even when it isn't "true". Something you learn relatively soon in TTRPG design is that even if you don't think something is true, people believing it is will still affect how they interact with it, often in a self reinforcing way, and this was something I wanted to avoid in SOAR as it would be especially prone to this, it is after all a Beat'Em All inspired TTRPG, so it was going to have people come in with that assumption regardless. So I thought, hey, what if I didn't bother trying to balance Control and Damage here ? What if i had everyone "do both" ? So that's what I ended up settling on, every Style comes with an attack, which you can use EVERY turn, and a bunch of abilities, which is where a lot of statuses and utility moves exist. Of course, it didn't come free of problems, I had to essentially make everyone have more HP to account for it, but it also made me free of a problem I was having trouble figuring out: what if someone never attacks and just deals damage through abilities which never need to hit ? The way i'm doing it now, people HAVE to care about attacks, and it also means that, with it being essentially "free", I can balance around it and make sure fights aren't static, players always have 2 shots at changing things every turn they do. Thus far in testing I think it has proven to work.

[blacktowbarony]

d8 Dispositions × d6 Reactions

goblinpunch made this great blogpost that featured in Knock! #4. I redesigned it for a d6 and rewrote them each to have 4 outcomes. I have this on the inside of my GM screen when running Knave to replace the standard d12 reaction table. I've not yet rolled a d8 to determine disposition, I choose whatever makes sense for the character. But maybe you will!

1. Benevolent

1      Shun.  If you don’t leave, they’ll leave.  Reason: disgust / fear / dislike / you are bad.

2-3  Curious but guarded. Riddle talk / trades information.

4-5  Small assistance.  Limited in duration and degree. Shares information.  Asks questions.

6      Large assistance. Trusting, conversational. May ask to join the party. 

2. Neutral

1      Attack.  Reason: protecting something / desperation / honor / mistaken identity.

2-3  Try to avoid or ignore you. Reason: busy / scared / suspicious / annoyed.

4-5  Parley. They want: information / assistance / supplies / employment.

6      Small assistance. Limited in duration and degree. Shares information.  Asks questions.

3. Hostile

1      Attack, with strong motivation to kill. Reason: commanded / hates you / desperate / no witnesses.

2-3  Attack, aiming to kill / capture. If you seem far too strong: Flee and regroup / reinforce.

4-5   Attack, aiming to rob / drive off. If you seem far too strong: flee.

6      Guarded parley: insult / threaten / command / deceive. Reasons: tired / scared / disgruntled / wounded.

4. Merchant

1      Will try to cheat you.

2-3  Will only try to cheat you a little. 

4-5  Unmotivated. Standard prices.

6      Discounts!  Limited time only.  Reason: desperate / they like you / common enemy.

5. Guardian

1      Attack, pursue further than normal.

2-3  Attempt to drive you off, attacking if you don't.

4-5  Attempt to drive you off, but won’t attack if you don't intrude further.

6      Warn off then observe calmly. Will fight to defend what it’s guarding.

6. Hungry

1      Attack. Ravenous, near starving.

2-3  Attack if party seems weak or hostile.  Possible chance for retreat.

4-5  Targets foodstuff near party or in their bags, avoids combat.

6      Not hungry right now–but will be soon.  If approached: may flee or attack.

7. Greedy

1      Attack if you seem weak, steal if you seem dumb, beg otherwise.

2-3  Steal if you seem dumb, or else beg.

4-5  Focuses on hiding / protecting its own treasure from the party.

6      Tries to strike up a fair bargain.

8. Militant

1      Attack.  Reason: protecting something / desperation / honor / mistaken identity. 2-3  Hostile parley.  Will attack unless you: leave immediately / surrender money / surrender. 4-5  Parley. They want: information / assistance / supplies / employment. 6          Offer protection, try to recruit party into mission / gang / society / army.

[fantasyfantasygames]

Glasswork

Glasswork, The Refractory, 2007

Glasswork has a fair amount of standard fantasy RPG to it - elves, feudalism, rangers, priests, dragons, magic, swords, magic swords. Scratch the surface and things start diverging quickly.

The world is post-post-apocalyptic. The apocalypse in question is implied to be nuclear, but the game skips past overused radiation/mutation tropes. Instead, it posits that the heat from the explosives not only pulverized stone and fused the sand into glass, but pressed all the magic of the world into that glass. Much of that was used raw, and used up in the process. It was over a century before people figured out how to house the glass in special metals so that the magic didn't escape after use.

Your characters seek out that glass - maybe to use it themselves, maybe to deliver it to a nobleman who hired them, maybe to keep it from their enemies. There's a neat quest-tracking system that pushes your characters in interesting directions, demanding that they choose between various conflicting goals.

The magic system is one of my favorites, and the game's greatest strength. It's tied strongly into the quest system mentioned above, and a crafting system that's honestly mostly a pacing mechanism but still useful just as a pacing mechanism. You pick a kind of glass that you found, melt it, mix in some carefully chosen ingredients, and expose it to light at dawn/dusk/midnight/etc. to imbue it with power. You then set it in metal and, using the metal to cut yourself (lightly), bond it to your own blood. Every spell you have is thus the result of your character's work. You can have any number of items, but there are only so many you can really wear or use at once, so you have a limited number of them available at once.

Magic is mostly elemental effects, with the elements in question being weather, "light" (radiation), metal, and "blood" (the body in general). Weather and light clash with each other, as do metal and blood, so you can't use those at the same time. You have to specialize, which means you'll want to work together. In D&D4e terms, weather is really good for Controller effects, light does Striker, metal does Defender, and blood is Leader, but each of them has a range of unique side effects. A simple glowing amulet might only smell faintly of ozone, but a metal wand that fires burning rays might not only damage your target but melt the ground around them, or burn your hand, or blind people who don't shield their eyes. Every spell-item feels very unique, but you're in control of how it's unique and can swap it out.

Stat names are a little twee - Hardness, Clarity, Sharpness, etc. It feels like a PbtA game that maybe went a little too hard on matching flavor and setting. You get specialties in each one that are sort of like skills, and can be named more reasonably. Stats are dice ratings (d4 to d12) and specialties are flat bonuses (+1 to +3). The standard target number is 4, or (average dice roll) + specialty if you're rolling against someone else. If you're up against someone with d8+2, your target number is now 6. You don't actually suffer injury - instead, the damage that would be done is all bound up in your glass, and once you're out of the hit points it provides you, the magic explodes and then you're injured, probably very badly.

The setting is mostly points-of-light, but with strong connections between places. Cities send each other messages using weather magic. Navigation is easier because of metal control - you can make a compass quickly and also spot large underground deposits that help guide you along. Each of the city-states has a very distinct feel, often focused around an alignment or clash between the citizenry, the leaders, and their magic. Major antagonists include other city-states, as well as dragons (no "types", all unique individuals) and their mortal armies.

The book's artistic direction is unique as far as I know. Some pages have a layout that puts the text into the shape of a mountain, a dragon, a giant, a vase. It's fairly well-done. There were no pages where I couldn't recognize the shape immediately. It does sometimes make the text harder to read, like when it breaks words across the teeth of the dragon. There's no other art except the cover, which is a (probably stock) photo of a gem set in the hilt of a sword.

Glasswork was PWYW on DriveThru for a while. I think The Refractory went under at some point (the game never got a supplement), but since you could always get the PDF for free I wouldn't feel bad about grabbing a copy if you see it for download.

[yaldabaothadeez]

Fat Tails

(needs: 2-6 players, referee, standard DnD dice, paper, pens)

You are adorable but highly territorial geckos, attempting to store enough calories to survive winter. You begin with 500 calories each.

The ref secretly rolls 1d6+6, the number of days left until winter.

Each day, the ref randomly selects a subset of available hunting spots (represented by d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20) equal in size to the number of geckos.

Each player secretly writes down the number of calories their gecko expends trying to claim each spot on a piece of paper, and the bids are revealed simultaneously. (Draws go to a roll off.)

If you have won any bids, choose only one and move sit out the rest of today's bidding. All calories bet are expended either way.

The remaining players bid again on the remaining spots. You may not bid on the spot you won yesterday.

Roll your die to see how many calories you gather:

If you roll 1, re-roll until you don’t.

Multiply your first non-1 result by 10 for each time you re-rolled.

The winner is the gecko with the most calories come winter.

-----------------------

Ok to archive etc.

Yes, this is mostly just a pun, no idea how it would play. 194 words including the title.

I chose 10 because it's an easy number to multiply, but that probably makes the small dice too obviously strong.

Feel free to strategically add the sufficies "girl" or "boy" to certain nouns.

200 Word RPGs 2024

Each November, some people try to write a novel. Others would prefer to do as little writing as possible. For those who wish to challenge their ability to not write, we offer this alternative: producing a complete, playable roleplaying game in two hundred words or fewer.

This is the submission thread for the 2024 event, running from November 1st, 2024 through November 30th, 2024. Submission guidelines can be found in this blog's pinned post, here.

[friendlydungeonmanager]

Guide to Designing a Class or Subclass for Dungeons & Dragons 5E (2024 Update)

This is the structure I use to create classes for 5.5e. Part of what allows me to get them made so quickly, though the playtesting part usually happens after I post a 2nd or 3rd draft of a class. This was partially designed by my father, who taught me DnD many years ago, the DnDwiki and my own edits of the years I've been using it. Recently edited out the out dated terms from things like 3.5e, but I I missed something, please feel free to comment, DM or even leave an ask! All that aside: hopefully this helps you actualize your ideas! ❤️

---

I. Designing a New Class

Creating an entirely new class is a major undertaking. Follow these steps to ensure balance and viability.

1. Core Concept & Identity

What role does your class fill? (Martial, caster, hybrid, support, tank, utility, etc.)

What makes it unique? (How does it differ from existing classes?)

What is its theme and fantasy? (e.g., "A warrior who channels the power of the stars" or "A time-traveling mage")

What mechanics reinforce the theme? (e.g., a unique resource system, new spell mechanics)

2. Key Class Features

Primary Ability Scores: Choose the main stat(s) (Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, etc.).

Hit Dice & Survivability:

d6 (Glass-cannon casters, like Wizards)

d8 (Hybrid classes, like Warlocks or Monks)

d10 (Martial classes, like Fighters or Rangers)

d12 (Tanky classes, like Barbarians)

Armor & Weapon Proficiency:

Light armor: Rogues, Bards

Medium armor: Rangers, Warlocks

Heavy armor: Fighters, Paladins

Weapon limitations: (e.g., simple vs. martial weapons)

Saving Throws: Choose two primary saves (e.g., Constitution & Wisdom for a durable frontline class).

Skills & Tool Proficiency: What skills match the class fantasy?

Spellcasting? If applicable:

Full Caster: Progression like Wizard, Cleric, or Druid (9th-level spells at level 17).

Half-Caster: Progression like Paladin or Ranger (5th-level spells at level 17).

Third-Caster: Similar to Eldritch Knight or Arcane Trickster (3rd-level spells max).

Unique Spell System: Warlock-style Pact Magic, or custom mechanics.

3. Class Progression Table (1st-20th Level)

1st Level: Core defining mechanic (e.g., Sorcery Points, Sneak Attack, Rage)

2nd-5th Level: Basic combat features and subclasses unlock

6th-10th Level: Expanding utility, mobility, or survivability

11th-15th Level: Specialization and powerful defining traits

16th-20th Level: Capstone abilities, ultimate power spike

4. Resource Management

Does the class use a special resource? (e.g., Ki, Sorcery Points, Maneuvers)

How does it regain resources? (Long/short rest, action economy, reaction-based)

Does it have scaling mechanics? (Spending resources to boost effects)

5. Balancing Considerations

Compare with official classes to ensure features are not too strong/weak.

Avoid front-loading too much power in early levels.

Ensure scaling is consistent (progression should feel rewarding).

Playtest & tweak based on real gameplay feedback.

---

II. Designing a Subclass (Archetype)

Subclass creation is more common than creating a full class. Subclasses should integrate seamlessly with the base class while offering a distinct playstyle or thematic direction.

1. Choosing a Base Class

What class does the subclass belong to?

Does it complement or subvert the base class’s mechanics? (e.g., Shadow Monk focusing on teleportation vs. Way of Mercy Monk healing allies)

Does it focus on combat, utility, or roleplay features?

2. Subclass Features by Level

Official subclasses typically gain features at:

3rd Level (or 1st for some classes like Cleric, Warlock, and Sorcerer) – Core subclass identity.

6th Level – Second layer of enhancement, typically defensive or mobility-related.

10th or 14th Level – Unique high-level feature, often very thematic.

14th-18th Level – Capstone feature (if the class structure allows).

3. Subclass Balancing

Ensure synergy with the base class.

Avoid making it too strong early. (If 3rd level is too strong, multi-class dipping becomes a problem.)

Make sure it's fun to play at every level. (No dead levels!)

---

III. Playtesting & Final Adjustments

1. Testing in Different Play Environments

Low-level Play (1-5): Does it feel unique and fun from the start?

Mid-level Play (6-12): Does it remain viable without overshadowing other classes?

High-level Play (13-20): Does it hold up in epic encounters?

2. Compare with Existing Options

Match power levels with official subclasses.

Use damage calculations and combat simulations.

Check for unintended exploits (infinite loops, stacking mechanics, overpowered combos).

3. Adjust as Needed

If too strong, reduce uses per rest, lower numbers, or add counterplay.

If too weak, improve action economy, add more uses, or increase effect size.

[catsandcomplexityaddiction]

d6ClanCats System Playtesting P4 - Autumn

This is part of my d6CatClans pen&paper solo system.

And the playtest continues. No real changes since last time, so we can hop right in.

Starting Out

For reference, these are the steps we will be following for this posting:

2. Begin Season. Roll General Seasonal Table. Attend any general situations that have season impacts. Tick down situation timers.

3. Assess meters in order, rolling their tables as you go if necessary.

4. Update ages. Attend ceremonies. Check for new expecting queens.

5. Assign patrols for season (or moon, if desired). Resolve expected litters.

6. Proceed with patrol checks and tables for all patrols.

7. Update any lingering patients from this moon. Improve those within limit, deteriorate those outside of it. Check for any spreading sickness from latter.

8. Repeat 4-7 for next two moons of season (skip 6 if you prefer to simplify).

Season Start

We're now into fall, which means another mellow season, and a healthy amount of time before the next dry season. This is the time to have more queens, ideally. Triage will be tight come winter (or rather, the wet season) since I left its modifiers at default, but Scarcity is the more reliably heavy choke on growing the clan.

In theory, anyway. Let's see what the general season table has for us.

Oh, frick. We roll 11, which is rare, and gives *Major External Attack*. One cat is either going to be injured or killed, evens or odds. Let's determine which cat first. I'll roll a d8 since I have one, straight down the line of 8 clan members. A result of 3 means Termitestep.

This evens/odds has the potential to be catastrophic. Let's do it.

Odds. Termitestep is dead. What the hell happened? What happens now? We don't have a medicine cat! Ahhh!

We'll find out. For now, what happened? Let's roll some dice. Predator or outsider? Outsider. Galeclaw? No. Known cat? No. Hm.

Was it a fight? Yes. Territorial? Yes. Do we have a faction in the unexplored territory unit north of our camp?

Dice say yes.

Damn territorial dispute and Duskstar is still away. What kind of group? Clan or Tribe or else? Clan. Any relation to ours? Yes.

Oh hell. Are they other survivors? Yes. But surely Galeclaw knows? He doesn't.

Hm. Are they a recent branch off StormClan or a previous one? Previous. Were they exiled? Yes. Beliefs or actions? Beliefs. I think these were hardcore isolationists. Maybe they felt the clan was becoming too soft, too big, too open. They wanted to train more fighters and outline the border in blood because of predator encroachments. Maybe they had the support of a medicine cat who foresaw the hyenas and the stampede, but their visions were jumbled and the warnings unheeded. So these guys left a long time ago.

They didn't kill Termitestep out of pure spite. It was a warning to a group of unfamiliar cat-scents they've diverged from, a warning to stay away or else.

For now, I'll make notes on the situation.

Blood Kin - Unknown to StormClan, they've settled on the borders of a dangerously wary offshoot of their own kin. Blood has already been spilled. Indefinite.

And the faction...

HarrowClan - Camp at C5. A past isolationist offshoot of StormClan, had visions of the disaster than occurred. Fiercely protective of their borders.

I check our trickle-in survivors situation again and this time, we do get one. I check if it's Galeclaw, since he exists. No. It's someone else. Time to spin up a cat.

This is what I get.

Brightfoot - ginger tabby she-cat

Tactless, L0/0, H5

Healthy, Moons 72

I think she's actually the one to find Termitestep's body, and she recognizes him even though it's been a while. She doesn't recognize the HarrowClan scent. Dice say they split off when she was a kit. She comes into the clan, though there's a good amount of distress over her being found near the body. A few weeks of strong catches soothe nerves.

I tick down Situation timers.

#3

So. Meters?

Scarcity is 2, and our limit 3. No overflow. Triage is 5 due to no medicine cat, and our limit 1.

Trespass is 1. Galeclaw's timer resets. Some dicerolls determine he's encountered HarrowClan scents, and it's intensified his ideas to usurp.

Discontent. Oh by. Well it starts at 1, but it won't stay there this time. +1 for missing leader, +1 for missing medicine cat, +1 for delayed exploration patrol. 4. I have to roll on that table four times. Let's see how it goes.

10, 9, 5, 7.

Acaciapaw's stress timer resets, to no one's surprise. There's an argument, but it thankfully doesn't lead to an injurious fight. One roll is nothing. Last roll, however - and a followup roll confirms this - means rebellious feelings are stirring. To no one's surprise. Let's see who's spearhearing - I'll include Galeclaw in this check.

But no, it's Mudwhisker the deputy who's at the center of the rebellious sentiment. On reflection, it makes sense. He's the sole present leader at the moment with no medicine cat prospects in sight, his apprentice is in warrior-ready purgatory, no one's seen the leader in moons. His sentiment is directionless for now, but it's very much there.

(D) Mudwhisker Frustrated - Internal Rebellious - The young deputy is frustrated and overburdened by circumstances. Seasons Remaining: 4

It's going to be a long season.

# Autumn, Moon 1

#4

Ages are updated. Acaciapaw's readiness to become a warrior remains frustrated. A check for new queens comes up negative.

#5

I assign Brightfoot, Mudwhisker, and Acaciapaw to hunt. Maybe we can get a boon table. I assign Liontail to border alone - sorry, girl. Duskstar and Rainheart still yonder. No new litters.

#6

Border patrol. A neutral success.

Hunting patrol. Only a neutral success.

Exploration patrol. Let's come home, ladies. Their hunting check is... a success, no thanks to Duskstar. Sorry, you'll get your time. We do get to travel this moon, but first tables. They discover a danger in this territory unit - maybe there's a significant population of snakes? Sounds good to me.

They head home. Finally. There's a wreck waiting for them at home, and Duskstar is surely aghast to discover Termitestep gone and buried. Hm. How's she handling it? Some dicerolls later, she's considering hunting out his attackers. But only considering it, right now.

We'll see.

#7

No patients this moon. Thankfully.

# Autumn, Moon 2

#4

Ages updated. Acaciapaw - finally - gets to become a warrior. Duskstar names him Acaciafur, and he gains a Legend point. No new queens per the check.

#5

Liontail, Duskstar, and Rainheart go on border patrol. Mudwhisker, Brightfoot, and Acaciafur hunt. No new litters.

#6

Border patrol. Despire Rainheart being offskill, we get the three successes needed for the boon table. We have an encounter at the border with - evens/odds... - HarrowClan. A border patrol of their own? No. Have they had a sign of some kind? Yes, it would seem. There's three cats in their group as well, including their medicine cat. Hm. Maybe the presence of StormClan accidentally threatened their perceived access to their ancestors at the Moonfang - it's on the other side of our territory from them now after all. The even numbers and vulnerability of escorting their medicine cat stays claws from an immediate fight, and Liontail's skill 5 ensures they back off thanks too our boon roll. That roll also gives her a Legend point.

Liontail's the one to ask if they killed our medicine cat. The wording registers with the HarrowClan cats, but no one's quick to apologize. Rainheart, thinking they don't understand, starts to explain since Duskstar still isn't saying anything.

The medicine cat listens. Comprehending. The warriors aren't. I think HarrowClan are extremely protective to the point of controlling with their medicine cats. The dice agree. Duskstar remains frustratingly silent.

Liontail issues a warning - stay out of StormClan territory or else. Rainheart tries to push things talkative, but it's not really going that way. Duskstar finally speaks, but only to reaffirm Liontail's words.

It's over. For now.

Hunting Patrol. Only a neutral success here. They do catch an odd scent. It's HarrowClan. The same patrol? No. A spy. They track the spy towards their camp. All fail an offskill fighting check to catch the spy. The spy doesn't engage, merely fleeing. HarrowClan's gaining intel on their new neighbors.

#7

No patients this moon.

# Autumn, Moon 3

#4

Ages updated. Spottedstorm returns to warriorhood as her kit becomes an apprentice, Wallowpaw. Feeling the clan needs more strong fighters, Duskstar assigns him to Liontail. Our check for new queens comes up positive.

I do a followup roll to see how many - one - and then roll among the prospective queens and it turns out it's Brightfoot.

Man, we really don't have many toms. But I roll on the fathers table and it's ambiguous - an outside genetically, but queens don't need to tell. One last roll determines she's expecting 3 kits. A blessing indeed, hopefully.

#5

I assign Duskstar, Liontail, Wallowpaw, and Spottedstorm to border patrol, then Mudwhisker, Rainheart, and Acaciafur to hunting. Remembering deputy seasonal abilities, I give the border patrol a free bonus success this time. No new litters.

#6

Border patrol. Even without the bonus point, we would've gotten the boon table, but I'll take it. They meet an outsider and it proves to be Galeclaw, who it turns out has been snooping into HarrowClan territory, and all is not well there. He's discovered that they're a proper clan, yes - and that they have no leader. He does take the opportunity to poke that StormClan might as well not have a leader - he recognizes Duskstar well enough. Liontail and Duskstar put together that that's why the ability to get to the Moonfang is pressing for their neighbors.

Duskstar is plain nonparticipant again, the rolls insist. Galeclaw challenges her outright. She says that she'll accept - on the condition that if she wins, he'll join StormClan. Some of the cats around are ruffled by the idea, but Galeclaw accepts. Duskstar attempts a fighting check...

And succeeds despite her disadvantage.

I'll count that as spending a Legend point to bring a cat in, since I'm also going to let it lower his situation timer (which will swap to a Discontent situation).

Galeclaw joins StormClan.

Hunting patrol. A boon of successes, leading to a hunting skillup. It goes to Rainheart.

#7

No patients this moon.

Closing

Observations. (Note from past me: I wrote this before putting it up, so it's a little behind my actual progress on modifications. Kept for posterity.)

If I thought medicine cats needed more to do before, I doubly think so now. While the Triage table can and will make things get scary if we have overflow, we're barely having patients, never mind overflow. I don't expect every season to be a pandemic or even for years to be rough on the regular. But we've been without a medicine cat for a season and not really felt it. Granted, we also don't have elders and only had one kit... but nothing is endangering them. I think the answer might be a flat diceroll each moon to check if dependents get ill. Maybe one similar to the expecting queen check in math. A d6 minus current Triage, and if 0 or lower, d3 dependents become patients? I'll make a note of the idea, but I won't apply it this year of play.

I think a system might be desirable for medicine cat choosing omens or cat-directed omens in general. They're not necessary, but cats might seek them sometimes. Maybe that can be a type of Legend point expenditure.

Next will be winter - or for us, the wet season. High Triage with no medicine cat in sight. Should be fun. See you next time.

[cagemasterfantasy]

DM Guide: Things you Need

What you need hasn't changed much since the game's first publication in 1974.

Rulebooks: As the DM you need the DM's Guide plus the Player's Handbook and the Monster Manual. Your players need access to the Player's Handbook too but they can share as needed. Let players know beforehand what books (other than the Player's Handbook) they can reference during a playing session. For example it's not appropriate for players to look up a monster in the Monster Manual (or the equivalent digital tool) while fighting that monster. If you're running a published adventure players should avoid reading that adventure so they don't spoil any surprises.

A Dungeon Master: One player has the special role of DM. Some people love being the DM all the time while others can end up trapped as the Forever DM for their gaming group.

Players: Players who aren't the DM take on the roles of the heroes also known as the characters or the adventures. DND Plays best with 4 to 6 players in addition to the DM but it's possible to run a game with fewer or more adventurers. Where do you find players? Here are some suggestions:

Game or Hobby Stores (the Store Locator on the Wizard of the Coast website can help you find stores near you that host DND events)

Friends family community members and work colleagues who enjoy gaming or fantasy (like me :D)

Gaming clubs at schools

Social media and online messaging sites

Gaming conventions

A Place to Play: The bare minimum of space you need to play DND is room for everyone in your group to gather and participate (:D). When choosing the space you'll be playing in enlist your players help. Think about any accessibility needs you or they might have. Some players might have difficulty with low light background music strong odors cramped spaces or specific allergens. Accommodate what you can communicate what you can't as early as possible. If possible play in an area with minimal visual or auditory distractions. Favor surroundings that reinforce your desired atmosphere and have little non player traffic. If space is shared reserve the space in advance. You can also play DND anywhere you might come together in an online space from a group video call to a sophisticated virtual tabletop.

Dice: You need a full set of polyhedral dice: d4 d6 d8 d10 d12 and d20. It's helpful to have at least 2 of each kind. Ideally each player should also have their own set of polyhedral dice. Lots of digital dice rollers exist. Simple browser based dice rollers are easily found on the internet. Specialized dice apps can be found in app stores. and virtual tabletops typically have dice rolling functionality built in.

Note Taking Materials: Everyone needs some way to take notes about what happens in the adventure and at least one of them should record any clues and treasure the characters collect.

Players need some way to record important information about their characters. Plain paper works fine but players might find official or fan made character sheets more helpful in organizing the information. A variety of digital character sheets are also available if you're playing online or using digital devices at the table.

Useful Additions:

Various Resources can enrich your game and make it more fun. Many of these resources might have digital versions making computers tablets and smartphones essential elements in some DND games and for some players.

DM Screen: a DM screen shields your books notes and die rolls from your players. Most DM screens have art on the outward facing panels and handy rules information on the inside facing panels. Others might be made of fancy wood or sculpted to help set the mood for your game. You don't need a physical screen to hide thing if you're playing online but it can be helpful to have ready access to important information like condition definitions common actions and other key rules. Some DMs set up a physical DM screen near their computer screen. A virtual tabletop might have reference information like this built in.

Adventures and Sourcebooks: Beyond the 3 core rulebooks a plethora of additional content is available from Wizards of the Coast and other publishers. Adventures provide hooks plots maps and encounters you can use in your game. Sourcebooks include things like new character options new monsters and inspiration for building your own adventures and campaigns. You can play DND without any of these additional products but many DMs (and players) find them to be exciting additions to the game.

Battle Grid and Miniatures: Some DMs use a battle grid and miniatures to run combat encounters which helps players visualize scenes when playing in person. A vinyl wet erase mat with a printed grid a gridded whiteboard a cutting mat a large sheet of gridded paper or a printed poster map any of these can serve as a battle grid. The grid should be marked in 1-inch squares. You also need plastic or metal miniatures to represent characters and monsters in the game but you can use coins extra dice paper counters or even pieces of candy if miniatures are unavailable. Many software tools designed to facilitate online DND play provide a batlle grid. Even without such tools though many online DND games use screen sharing in combination with drawing programs shared whiteboards or similar tools as simple battle grids. Some DMSs are comfortable with software that allows them to control lighting and show the players exactly what they can see others find that complex software gets in the way of the game. Use whatever works for you and your group.

Card Accessories: Some players and DMs find it helpful to have information available in the form of cards. You can buy (or make) cards with individual spells magic items monster stat blocks rules reference and similar information for easy reference.

[landingpagedesign1]

Key Features of an Effective Landing Page Design

A well-designed landing page is crucial for converting visitors into leads or customers. It’s the first point of interaction with potential clients, making it essential for businesses to get the design right. An effective landing page should not only grab attention but also guide users toward taking a specific action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or downloading a resource. In this article, we’ll explore the key features of an effective landing page design.

1. Clear and Concise Headline

The headline is one of the first elements visitors see when they land on your page. It should be clear, concise, and immediately convey the value of your offering. The headline must align with the visitor’s expectations based on what they clicked on, whether it was a search result or an ad. A good headline grabs attention and tells users exactly what they can expect from the page.

For example, if your landing page is promoting a free trial of a software product, the headline could be something like, “Start Your Free 30-Day Trial Today.” This makes it clear what the visitor will get without overcomplicating the message.

2. Strong Call-to-Action (CTA)

A well-designed landing page must include a strong, clear call-to-action (CTA). The CTA button is usually the focal point of the landing page and directs users toward taking the desired action. Whether it’s “Sign Up Now,” “Download the Guide,” or “Get a Free Quote,” the CTA should stand out with contrasting colors and be positioned prominently on the page.

It’s also important to ensure that the CTA language is action-oriented and compelling. Instead of generic text like “Submit,” use language that reflects the benefit of taking action, such as “Get Started” or “Claim Your Free Ebook.”

3. Minimal Distractions

An effective landing page design is focused and free of unnecessary distractions. The goal is to keep visitors’ attention on the main message and CTA without diverting them to other areas of the website. This means avoiding elements like navigation menus, excessive links, or unrelated content that can pull users away from the conversion goal.

By minimizing distractions, you help visitors concentrate on the task at hand, whether that’s filling out a form, signing up for a newsletter, or making a purchase. A clean and straightforward layout ensures a smooth and focused user experience.

4. Engaging Visuals

Visual elements play a critical role in landing page design. High-quality images, videos, or graphics can enhance the page’s appeal and help convey your message more effectively. Visuals should be relevant to the offer and help illustrate the benefits of your product or service. To know more info check https://weboseo.ir/blogDsc/23/%D8%B7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AD%DB%8C-%D8%B3%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AA-%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%85-%D8%A2%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B4%DB%8C-%D9%88-%D8%A8%D9%87%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%AA%DB%8C

For instance, if your landing page is promoting a software tool, a short demo video showing how the product works can be highly engaging. This gives visitors a better understanding of the product without requiring them to read through lengthy descriptions. However, it’s important to keep visuals balanced and avoid overloading the page with too many images or videos that could slow down loading times.

5. Responsive Design

In today’s mobile-first world, having a landing page that is responsive across all devices is essential. A significant portion of your visitors will likely access your landing page through mobile devices, and if the page isn’t optimized for mobile, you risk losing potential conversions.

Responsive design ensures that your landing page looks great and functions well on screens of all sizes, from desktop computers to smartphones. This includes adjusting the layout, resizing images, and making sure the CTA buttons are easy to tap on mobile devices. A seamless experience across devices helps retain users and increases the chances of conversion.

6. Social Proof

Adding social proof to your landing page can help build trust and credibility with your audience. Social proof includes elements like customer testimonials, reviews, case studies, or logos of companies that have used your product or service. It reassures visitors that others have had a positive experience, which can increase their confidence in taking action.

For example, featuring a few short testimonials from satisfied customers or displaying trust badges from well-known brands can significantly enhance the credibility of your landing page. Social proof provides validation and encourages new visitors to follow the lead of others.

7. Benefit-Focused Copy

The copy on your landing page should focus on the benefits of your product or service rather than just the features. Users want to know how your offering will solve their problems or improve their lives. The text should be clear, concise, and speak directly to the needs and desires of your target audience.

For example, instead of simply listing features like “24/7 customer support” or “cloud storage,” reframe the copy to focus on the value to the customer: “Get support whenever you need it” or “Access your files from anywhere, at any time.” Benefit-focused copy helps create an emotional connection with visitors, making them more likely to take action.

8. Simple Forms

If your landing page includes a form for lead generation, make sure it is simple and easy to complete. Long, complicated forms can deter users and lead to higher abandonment rates. The fewer fields your form has, the more likely users are to complete it.

Ask for only the most necessary information, such as name and email address, and make it clear what visitors will receive in exchange for filling out the form. For example, “Enter your email to download the free guide” sets clear expectations and encourages participation without overwhelming the visitor.

9. Fast Loading Speed

Page loading speed is another key feature of an effective landing page. A slow-loading page can frustrate users and lead to higher bounce rates. In fact, studies show that users are likely to abandon a page if it takes more than a few seconds to load. This is especially true for mobile users who expect quick access to content.

Ensure that your landing page is optimized for speed by compressing images, minimizing code, and using fast hosting solutions. A fast-loading page improves user experience and reduces the risk of visitors leaving before they even see your content.

10. A/B Testing

Finally, to maximize the effectiveness of your landing page, you should regularly perform A/B testing. This involves creating different versions of the page and testing elements like headlines, CTAs, images, or colors to see which version performs better. A/B testing allows you to fine-tune your landing page for higher conversion rates.

Testing different design elements can provide valuable insights into what resonates best with your audience. Over time, these adjustments can lead to significant improvements in your landing page’s performance.

Conclusion

An effective landing page design incorporates clear messaging, strong CTAs, minimal distractions, and engaging visuals, all while maintaining a focus on user experience. By including these key features, you can create a landing page that not only captures visitors' attention but also encourages them to take action, leading to higher conversion rates and business success.

[kreigwrites]

Dungeon Kids - The Cleric

Here's the first modified class playbook from my in-progress "DnD for kids" homebrew

This is intended as a rough draft and should only be used for playtesting purposes (this one is a VERY rough draft)

Hit Points: 8 plus your Constitution modifier, times your Level

Starting Moves

Choose one of the following starting moves:

Bookworm Cleric

You're a smart cleric who's all about learning and wisdom. You have a special connection with your god, and you can ask them for help 2 times per session. Choose a domain and its bonus from the list below:

Knowledge Domain: Whenever want to Know Something, you succeed as if you had rolled an 18+.

Life Domain: When you use Magical Healing, you heal the target for +Wis HP.

Light Domain: When you roll a 10+ to Defend, you can blind attackers with bright light, stopping their attack.

Nature Domain: Your body can sprout a coat of brambly thorns that deal 1d6 damage to any creature that hits you up close.

Warrior Cleric

You're a strong cleric who's ready to fight and protect as well as doing magic.

When wearing armor or carrying a shield, you gain a +1 to your Armor.

Choose one of your weapons to give holy power from your god. Its damage die size goes up by one step (a d6 to a d8, a d8 to a d10, etc.) up to a d12 at most.

You also start with these moves:

Use Magic

You have magical powers from your god that you can use with special spell slots. You start each adventure with 3 spell slots (more when you Level Up).

When you use a spell from your god, roll +Wis and mark off one spell slot. On a 18+, the spell works great. On a 10-17, the spell is cast, but choose one:

You draw attention or put yourself in a tough spot. The GM will tell you how.

Your god is unhappy with you—take -1 ongoing to Use Magic for the rest of the session.

If your spell is an attack, roll 1d6 +Wis to Deal Damage.

Magical Healing

Your god's magic lets you heal your friends. When you touch someone, you can heal them for 1d8 HP.

Guidance

You can use your god's magic to help your friends. You can give one friendly creature you choose +1d4 to a single roll. They can use this bonus any time during the current session.

Go Away Creepy Things

When you call on your god for protection from creepy things, roll +Wis.

On a 10+, no scary or creepy things may come within reach of you.

On a 18+, you also scare smart creepy creatures and cause dumb ones to run away. Smart creepy things will still bother you from far away. They’re clever like that.

Advanced Moves (Level 2+)

When you gain a level from 2 to 10, you may choose from these moves:

First Aid

You you heal someone with magic, they are healed for an extra +2 HP.

Don't Give Up Yet

When someone near you rolls to Stay in the Fight, they take +1 to the roll.

Super Magic

When you Use Magic, on a 18+ you can choose from the 10-17 list. If you do, you may choose one of these, too:

The spell’s is twice as strong

The spell’s hits twice as many targets

Holy Protection

When you wear no armor or shield you get 2 armor.

God's Help

Once per session, you can ask your god for extra help for you or a friend. If you do, you or they take no damage.

Stay Calm

When you Use Magic, you can ignore some of the things that make it hard to use magic or do other stuff. Ignore one -1 penalty or one source of Disadvantage.

Magic Symbols

You can add special symbols to a weapon, shield, or armor to make them even better. When you do, it gets a special bonus on top of any other bonus it has:

Armor or Shield: Grants +1 armor

Weapon: Grants +1 to Deal Damage rolls

Advanced Moves (Level 6+)

When you gain a level from 6-10, you may choose from these moves:

Holy Armor

Replaces: Holy Protection

When you wear no armor or shield you get 3 armor.

Super Duper Magic

Replaces: Super Magic

When you Use Magic, on a 18-19 you can from the 10-17 list. If you do, you may choose one of these, too. On a 20+, you get to choose one for free.

The spell’s is twice as strong

The spell’s hits twice as many targets

Mega Healing

Requires: First Aid

You you heal someone with magic, they are healed for an extra +1d4 HP.

Unstoppable Help

Replaces: God's Help

Twice per session, you can call on your god for extra protection for you or a friend. If you do, the harm is negated by a manifestation of your god's domain.

Magic Energy

Requires: Magic Symbols

With magical energy, you make your special symbols more potent. When you add a magical symbol to a weapon, shield, or armor, you can choose this bonus instead.

Armor or Shield: Grants +1 armor, also deals 1d4 damage to any creature that hits you (close up or from far away)

Weapon: Grants +1d4 to Deal Damage rolls

[duoscbd]

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[spacetravels]

OKAY WELL.. sorry i just have to laugh at kade’s monk multiclass cause he really doesn’t qualify (having 9 dex? in this economy????) and i mean . he’s perfectly suited as a utility character ig. ki points are so wasted on him if he doesn’t even have 3 levels invested into his subclass like i would’ve chosen inquisitive rogue and reflavor spell modifier for int/wis over charisma 🧘‍♀️

i also just have quastions about nia ??? like is shadow nia considered a form like wild shape ??? does she have her own hp separate from normie nia ??? i understand the Flavor of changing her class from multi cleric/monk to sorcerer/cleric but then you have separate spell lists to keep track of (esp cuz the cleric domains are different too) and that just also seems like too much of a logistical hassle for both dm and player 😭😭😭 also d8 combat turns ? with trying to make a con save to break out of it ? is that a full action and are you just wasting shadow nia time trying to Unshadow Nia rather than use the build she has…? like should the player be actively trying to make a con save or take actions normally. was action economy considered in this . it’d be easier to do the wild magic surge and add necrotic damage to her attacks + points of exhaustion imo

I MEAN I HAVE MORE THOUGHTS BUT ??? homebrew dnd is a headache and a half. sometimes things are way too flashy and get scaled too strong or too weak in either direction. this is too much. this is a small preview into my brain breaking these down in distress

unforch i am insane enough to have lots and lots of thoughts on the dnd character sheets for the blades of light and shadow characters. as a well experienced dm. as a gamer. as a lover