Our upcoming tabletop ruleset is still in development, but getting closer each day. Check out Aphelion Toolkit’s scenario-generating goodness!
Read More
Welcome to the new series of playtest of Aphelion, in which I take Jakub’s brilliant system and try to break it multiple ways. As we’re currently wrapping up the alpha version of the Aphelion Toolkit (just some work left on the scenario and campaign generation!), the time has come to check how all the pieces fit together in solo play! We’re also running two separate group playtests – but I’m a solitary animal. Now, let’s see what we’re up for!
Read More
Yes, we’re talking about this ‘Show Your Work‘. I know it’s a well-known book, but it’s a new one for me.
This might be the most useful book I’ve read this year. Admittedly, most books I’ve read were on the topics of botany and occult, which are rather well known to me already. Marketing… Not so much.
Read More
By Anna Urbanek
Were we surprised by the success of Herbalist’s Primer on Kickstarter? Of course!
But were we ready…?
Kinda.
Read More
I’m going to tell you something I’ve never told anybody because I tried to be nice, even though it was the wrong choice. Should have gone for helpful instead.
Lately, I’ve watched a plethora of YouTube videos with tips and tricks for Game / Dungeon Masters that will engage the party and give the players the hooks they need to latch onto the adventure. So many words spent on ways of ensuring the players will not go and destroy your carefully planned campaign. And before you think I have a bone to pick there: they’re not wrong, and their advice is helpful.
But their advice is mostly applying patches to a system I find inherently flawed.
The Game Master is not the only person responsible for everybody’s fun.
So let’s talk about player agency and responsibilities on both sides of the table.
Read More
I’ve been toying with the idea of Fantasy RPG survival guide for a while – and here’s the first post in the series. What I’m trying to achieve is a comprehensive guide for players and GMs who’d like to solve those matters in a more involved way than just “roll Survival (DC 15)”. In this series we’ll be covering all topics from assembling the party, sharing the loot, small unit tactics, wilderness survival, fighting different types of enemies, surviving a siege, building fortifications, to establishing your own kingdom. Basically, everything your character/party/NPC might need to be successful in the weird worlds of fantasy.
You’ve just left the fighter’s collage. Your mentor has just told you to go find your own path. You’ve just been kicked out of the circus. Your village has just been raided by goblins. You’ve just picked up your trusty sword, bow, dagger, or spellbook, and made your first step on the path to glory.
Now what?
You’re a novice adventurer with little to no adventuring experience. Based on your background, you probably know a bit about combat, can chat up an innkeeper, can read and write, and have some more minor skills and a major destiny in front of you. In short, there’s hundreds of people just like you in this part of the kingdom alone, and in a year, half of them will be dead or retired.
You know how to role-plan an elf. You know how to role-play a dwarf. An innkeeper. A king. A guard. A mercenary. But pray tell me, do you know how to role-play a woman? Read More
Last week I happened to review for you Jared Blando’s book on hand-drawing fantasy maps. This time we’ll go further – just in case you feel more confident in digital drawing or are just looking for some generators. Read More
You’re just starting a new campaign. Your last party got killed and disbanded, you managed to find a new Game Master, or maybe you’re just bored of role-playing the tank. Time for a change!