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New 5e Backgrounds

Posted in D&D 5e, D&D Fifth Edition, D&D Next, Dungeons and Dragons with tags on May 1, 2020 by boccobsblog

I’m Andrew Beahm. Over the past few years as D&D has exploded in popularity, I’ve always felt like something is missing. Even with the explosion of live streams, YouTube communities, and every accessory imaginable it still seemed like there wasn’t enough high-quality written content about the hobby. Now granted there are great sources like Boccob’s Blessed Blog, but I wanted more. With this in mind, I decided the remedy the issue by creating my own site CharmstoneGames.com, where we do things like pair beer with D&D classes, talk to zoo keepers about how hard it would be to train Girallons, and just generally try to go places other haven’t in talking about TTRPGs.

Now, you’re probably asking, “Why am I here? Weren’t you just going on about how you have your own dang website?” Thing is, I try to avoid talking about the mechanics of D&D or any other RPG system on my blog. I’m simply more interested in exploring things like real life booby traps. However, now that I’m stepping out of my home turf, all bets are off.

Have you ever heard of Wizard’s of the Coast SRD? If you haven’t, it’s basically the magical (legal) blessing the owners of D&D have instituted that allows people to publish and sell their own original D&D content. It covers most of the core rules, spells, and a good chunk of the creatures in the Monster Manual. However, almost every single character background, which is an essential part of character creation, is off-limits. The only one you’re allowed to reference in any materials you create is the Acolyte. So I decided to help out the community and provide you with 5 new backgrounds you can use in any of your D&D related projects. Free. Gratis. Complimentary. It’s my gift to you. Without further adieu, here they are.

Gambler

You live by your luck and are always after the next big win; you’re most at home at a gaming table matching wits with others in games of skill and chance.

Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Insight

Tool Proficiencies: Playing Card and Dice Set

Equipment: Game set (of your choice), a set of traveler’s clothes, a pouch containing 20 gp, and a lucky mundane item such as a rabbit’s foot, novelty coin/chip, or other small trinket.

Feature: Always a Table 

You have a knack for rounding up a group of players and getting a game going. As long as you have access to a public place where gambling is permitted (such as a tavern), you can attempt to win a few extra coins.

Suggested Characteristics

d8    Personality Trait

  1. I’m always taking little mementos and souvenirs from wherever I go.
  2. My facial expression is almost always neutral.
  3. I’m fidgety and occupy one of my hands with a coin.
  4. I like to keep a hidden weapon on me at all times- in case things get hairy.
  5. I pepper conversations with colorful aphorisms.
  6. I’m competitive and love to challenge others to contests.
  7. I like to place little bets with friends to make things more interesting.
  8. I don’t like being tricked or made to seem foolish.

d6    Ideal

  1. Charity. I know how quickly your luck can change, so I’m kind to those down on theirs. (Good)
  2. Rules. I respect the law and am offended when others don’t. (Lawful)
  3. Excitement. If I see a chance to shake things up, I do. (Chaotic)
  4. Greed. How much is enough? More. (Evil)
  5. Friends. Find people you can trust to watch your back- so they can watch yours in return. (Neutral)
  6. Aspiration. Anything I do I want to be the best at. (Any)

d6    Bond

  1. I owe a huge debt back home, and I can’t return until it’s paid.
  2. I lost a massive sum in a game of chance to a rival, and I intend to win it back.
  3. I won one too many games against the wrong noble, and they want revenge.
  4. My parents never thought I’d amount to anything, so I’m going to prove them wrong.
  5. I escaped poverty through three card monte schemes and made many enemies.
  6. I spurned a powerful ex-lover.

d6    Flaw

  1. I think I’m luckier than I actually am and can be reckless.
  2. I never quit while I’m ahead.
  3. I’m not above cheating to get what I want.
  4. I love the party life a little too much.
  5. I’m not careful with money and splurge on frivolities.
  6. I don’t think of the long term consequences of my actions.

 

Alchemist

The laws of nature have always fascinated you and you’re determined to discover their secrets. Through rigorous study and experimentation, you developed a strong understanding of how substances react with one another. Although many mistake this aptitude for magic, you know you’re harnessing the fundamental rules that govern all matter.

Skill Proficiencies: Nature, Medicine

Tool Proficiencies: Alchemy Set

Equipment: A bottle of black ink, a quill, a notebook detailing your past experiments, alchemy set, a set of common clothes, a small vial containing a substance you’ve yet to identify, and a pouch containing 10 gp

Chemiser: You are able to synthesize simple substances such as soap, some acids, and gunpowder. Through dedicated study you have also been able to learn to craft the infamous substance, Alchemist’s Fire by purchasing it’s ingredients for 25 gp. The availability of any materials you need are subject to DM’s discretion.

Suggested Characteristics

d8    Personality Trait

  1. I have a thirst for knowledge and always want to learn.
  2. I have a mechanical mind and am very logical.
  3. I only speak when I have something important to say.
  4. My clothes are disheveled and stained with unknown alchemical substances.
  5. I’m leery of tall tales and boasts.
  6. Every problem is a puzzle, and I love finding the solution.
  7. I’m a voracious reader and will eschew social interactions to do it.
  8. I’m working on the next great chemical breakthrough and love to talk about it.

d6    Ideal

  1. Progress. I do what I do to expand and share knowledge. (Good)
  2. Logic. Decisions should be made from a cool, dispassionate perspective. (Lawful)
  3. Experimentation. Knowledge should be pushed to its limits. (Chaotic)
  4. Self-Interest. I seek to hoard knowledge not share it. (Evil)
  5. Detachment. I know what I can affect and I don’t concern myself with that which is outside my control. (Neutral)
  6. Self-Improvement. The no greater pursuit than honing one’s intellect. (Any)

d6    Bond

  1. My mentor turned my life around by teaching me the wonders of alchemy.
  2. The school where I learned my skills is on the verge of financial ruin. I’ll do anything to prevent that.
  3. My last experiment was a failure that I just can’t get over.
  4. An explosion at my last laboratory drew the ire of the local populace.
  5. I am the only one who knows a secret formula powerful interests want for themselves.
  6. I seek an ancient tome containing marvelous secret knowledge.

d6    Flaw

  1. I’m fastidious to a fault and am harsh with the disorganized.
  2. I’m absent minded and forgetful.
  3. My curiosity overrides my caution.
  4. I never let go of my failures.
  5. My emotions are often more volatile than the substances I work with.
  6. My dedication to my work takes precedence over my loved ones.

 

Intelligentsia

You have spent your life among thinkers, philosophers, and occasionally radicals. This life has honed your ability to craft arguments and push the limits of accepted thought.

Skill Proficiencies: Persuasion, History

Equipment: A set of fine clothes, a diploma of academic achievement, a treasured book relating to your field of study, and a purse containing 15 gp

Languages: Two of your choice

Specialty

The only hope for mastery of a subject is to choose one area and delve deeply into its study. Although you may be informed in other fields, you are truly an expert of one of the following.

  1. Philosophy
  2. Politics
  3. Literature
  4. Art
  5. Warfare
  6. Theology
  7. Mathematics
  8. Astronomy/Astrology

 

Feature: Milieu 

You have a network of academics you can contact in the pursuit of specific knowledge. If you don’t personally know an expert in a given subject, you can make a history check to recall the current authority in any given field of study.

Suggested Characteristics

d8    Personality Trait

  1. I speak fast to try to convey my intelligence.
  2. My speech is peppered with jargon from my field of study.
  3. I love to see new sides to an argument and seek out differing points of view.
  4. My interests are extremely narrow, which makes talking to most people… difficult.
  5. I correct the grammar of others.
  6. I affect a highbrow accent that is befitting of my education (although my native voice still sneaks through from time to time).
  7. I am a social maladroit and uncomfortable in large groups.
  8. I nitpick semantics and insist on defining terms precisely.

d6    Ideal

  1. Growth. All improvements to one’s life begin with one’s mind. (Neutral)
  2. Community. The world thrives when experts share their knowledge and challenge each other. (Good)
  3. Impartiality. Personal preference and biases must be checked when making decisions. (Lawful)
  4. Questioning. No subject should be considered settled, all ideas and systems should be challenged. (Chaotic)
  5. Exclusivity. Knowledge should belong to a privileged few. (Evil)
  6. Self-Betterment. The pursuit of higher learning is virtuous for its own sake. (Any)

d6    Bond

  1. I will do anything for my alma mater.
  2. I was embarrassed in a public debate and still want redemption.
  3. I must tirelessly continue to contribute and advance my field of study.
  4. I will do anything to prove my pet theory correct.
  5. A rival school of thought is spreading dangerous, false theories and must be stopped.
  6. A wealthy patron put me through university. I must find some way to repay them.

d6    Flaw

  1. I am rude and dismissive to the uneducated.
  2. I will jot down an idea in the middle of a conversation no matter how distracting it is.
  3. I can’t stand to be corrected or proven wrong and will pout if it happens.
  4. I am willing to overlook ethics if it means expanding my knowledge.
  5. I start arguments over trivial things just for the sake of it.
  6. I don’t think I can be tricked or influenced, which makes me all the susceptible to cons.

 

Spiritualist

You are in tune with the unseen forces all around us. Some see the world as chaotic and random, but you know everything is foretold if you just stop to listen.

Skill Proficiencies: Religion, Arcana

Language: One of your choice

Equipment: Prayer beads, ceremonial garb, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 15 gp

Feature: Ethereal Connection

Through good luck or misfortune a lesser spirit has attached itself to you. The spirit can only interact very weakly on this plane of existence. You can communicate with this spirit although others are unaware of its presence. Although it is often vague and cryptic, by communing with it, you occasionally glean useful bits of information or warnings of impending danger.

Suggested Characteristics

D8 Personality Trait

  1. I take the omens I see seriously and am quick to anger if others don’t.
  2. I can seem blaise or aloof because my attention is on the next life not this one.
  3. I am eager to learn of other religions and customs.
  4. I prefer quiet contemplation to raucous revelry.
  5. I always spare a coin or two for local shrines or temples.
  6. My dreams are filled with symbols, warnings, and advice that inform my actions.
  7. Local festivals and celebrations enthral me. I can’t resist joining in the fun.
  8. The denizens of my home village often sought my council, which has given me a bit of an ego.

d6    Ideal

  1. Heritage. Our ancestors laid the groundwork for our lives. We should honor them. (Lawful)
  2. Grace. There is no greater calling than to ease suffering. (Good)
  3. Renewal. We must not cling to the old ways and move boldly forward. (Chaotic)
  4. Masterhood. When you see the future, you control the future. (Evil)
  5. Restraint. We shouldn’t meddle with forces we don’t understand. (Neutral)
  6. Understanding. The path to enlightenment begins with listening. (Any)

d6    Bond

  1. I would do whatever it takes to unravel the mysteries of the afterlife.
  2. I am dogged by spirits to solve mysterious murder.
  3. My life’s work is dedicated to allowing lost souls to rest.
  4. I seek to bring honor and glory to my home town.
  5. The masses must learn to revere the spirit world, and I will teach them.
  6. I must find the meaning of a cryptic, recurring nightmare that has plagued me since childhood.

d6    Flaw

  1. I am reluctant to seek advice.
  2. I fixate on bad omens and they become self-fulfilling prophecies.
  3. The dead mean more to me than the living.
  4. I give advice whether it’s asked for or not.
  5. I am extremely superstitious.
  6. My mind wanders and I often tune others out.

 

Reeve

You were a member of a small volunteer force dedicated to keeping the peace in your homeland. For a predetermined period of time (usually a year) you were drafted to assist in crime prevention and investigation. Here you learned to keep a critical eye open at all times. You developed your skills of deduction and critical thinking to piece together information and make a complete picture.

Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Investigation

Equipment: A badge of your former office, a set of iron manacles, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp

Feature: Veteran 

You still carry yourself like an officer of the law. This makes town guards, sentries, and those in positions of authority more trusting of you. They are more likely to take your accounts seriously. Though they won’t let you get away with anything special, they’re unlikely to treat you with hostility without cause.

Suggested Characteristics

d8    Personality Trait

  1. I carry myself with an air of authority.
  2. I’m always alert and suspicious by nature.
  3. I focus on details and can ask questions that seem trivial.
  4. I don’t tolerate nonsense or suffer fools.
  5. I don’t need anything fancy and prefer spartan accommodations.
  6. I’m tough and I want to show it.
  7. I have a strong sense of right and wrong and won’t hesitate to speak my mind.
  8. I’m the strong silent type.

d6    Ideal

  1. Community. People should feel safe in their homes and we all must pitch in to help with that. (Good)
  2. Order. I follow the law and expect others to as well. (Lawful)
  3. Judgement. Justice is more important than process. (Chaotic)
  4. Authority. I know what’s best for everyone and won’t tolerate descent. (Evil)
  5. Discretion. Let the little things go and focus on big problems. (Neutral)
  6. Duty. You must fulfill your obligations. (Any)

d6    Bond

  1. My home town means everything to me. I’ll do anything to protect it.
  2. I can’t stand idly by when criminals abuse innocent people.
  3. My old captain is a hero in my eyes and would still follow their orders if asked.
  4. A criminal escaped my grasp and I’m still on the lookout for them.
  5. I once wrongly imprisoned a suspect and I’ve been trying to make up for that with good deeds.
  6. I spoke up against the corruption of a judge making a powerful enemy.

d6    Flaw

  1. I cannot admit that I’m wrong.
  2. Once my mind is made up nothing can change it.
  3. I assume the worst in everyone.
  4. I am bossy and have been known to bark orders.
  5. I defer to authority more than I should.
  6. I’m overly aggressive with people.

 

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Unbreakable Review/Interview

Posted in D&D 5e, D&D Fifth Edition, D&D Next, Dungeons and Dragons with tags , , , , , on April 24, 2020 by boccobsblog

Unbreakable 5e

How did this book come to pass?

Unbreakable initially was inspired at an Uncaged dinner group in GenCon 2019. I was seated with Jazz and a few other Uncaged alumni (some who would be involved in the project), and we talked about different things we would like to work on in the future. At one point in the conversation, I brought up the notion of doing an Asian inspired adventure series. Jazz was extremely enthusiastic about it, within a month later, Jazz helped organize it, and we began recruiting for contributors for the project. Along the recruitment process, our group of contributors wanted to turn Unbreakable into an OwnVoices project to fully express the cultures represented within the adventures and the artwork.

What is the significance of the title?

When we (Jazz and I) initially thought about the theme of the adventure anthology, we had this visual inspiration for a bamboo forest and what sort of encounters one might in there. This idea evolved further to become the present-day incarnation, we still wanted the anthology’s name to pay homage to those early thoughts, and we came up with Unbreakable. I was inspired by a quote from Morihei Ueshiba, “Study the teachings of the pine tree, the bamboo, and the plum blossom. The pine is evergreen, firmly rooted, and venerable. The bamboo is strong, resilient, unbreakable. The plum blossom is hardy, fragrant, and elegant.”  and another quote by Ping Fu, ” Bamboo is flexible, bending with the wind but never breaking, capable of adapting to any circumstance.” These quotes had me think about my struggles as an Asian American and the things that myself and my family have gone through to achieve our present lifestyle. It had me recall the efforts of the many people before and how many have adapted to their new lives to achieve their dreams. In that spirit, we were unbreakable in our resolve and determination, and from it, we will continue to be into the future.

I love the cover, who is the artist?

We all love our precious salamander that greets readers into Unbreakable. The cover was done by Joshua Mendenhall, co-director and lead designer for The Islands of Sina Una, a setting built on pre-colonial Philippines and its mythology

It seems like an impossible task to direct the work of so many people, how did you manage this project?

It certainly felt like an insurmountable task, but Jazz and I had great examples from Ashley Warren’s leadership for the Uncaged Anthology. You learn from example, right? We were very fortunate to learn from a great example. We later had Caroline join as our Graphics Designer and Art Lead. The duo became a trio, and from there, we were able to individually coordinate and tackle the three main pillars of its production: the writing, the art, and the editing. An essential part of managing a project is having open lines of communication with our contributors while providing spaces for them to brainstorm their ideas. But I am humbled and honored to have worked alongside Jazz and Caroline on this project, and we supported each other during its development. So I guess the best way to answer this question was teamwork, having flexible deadlines, and working through any obstacles together.

What formats is Unbreakable available in, and where can it be purchased?

Unbreakable Volume 1 is available in digital PDF and hardcover print on DriveThruRPG.

Unbreakable-Vol1-Books-Preview

Unbreakable Details:

  • 253 pages
  • 10 D&D5e adventures for tier 1-4
  • Original Asian-inspired monsters, NPCs, magic items, and characters from folklore, myths, and legends.
  • $19.95 PDF, $39.95 Hardcover, $49.95 PDF + Hardcover

My Thoughts:

  • Beautiful layout – colorful and easy to read
  • Each 5th Edition adventure bears a content warning to avoid possible triggers
  • Information on adjusting each adventure’s difficulty
  • Several new monsters and accompanying lore
  • Advice on how to roleplay complex NPCs

This book is massive. It has ten highly-detailed adventures that were clearly written by knowledgeable authors. As you read this supplement you can tell a lot of love went into its construction. I cannot recommend this project highly enough. Check it out on Drive. Let’s hope vol. 1 is the first of many!

 

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Free D&D Adventures!

Posted in D&D 5e, D&D Fifth Edition, D&D Next, Dungeons and Dragons, Wizards of the Coast with tags , , on April 7, 2020 by boccobsblog

free D&D quest

In order to keep gamers rolling dice during Covid-19, Wizards of the Coast is offering free D&D content each day. According to their website:

As an added resource for gamers, the D&D team is pleased to offer the following material as free adventures and resources for use in your games—whether you’re playing in a kitchen table campaign, you’re an active participant in the D&D Adventures League, or are simply interested in learning more about Dungeons & Dragons and trying it out for yourself.

With schools closed around the world, many parents and caregivers are at home with their kids, including many in the D&D community. If you are in need of fun & educational material to share and/or play with your kids, you can check back here each day for D&D stuff to help during this time. If you (or someone you know) is a younger gamer, we’re also releasing resources to make it even easier to get into D&D.

Content will be added daily, Monday-Friday. Check back each day for the latest free, downloadable content. Please note that certain adventures are being made free on the DMs Guild for a limited time, so be sure to grab them now while you can!

Be sure to check the WotC website each week for more Free D&D Adventures!

Need more D&D Adventures? Check out
Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount
Mythic Odysseys of Theros
Ghosts of Saltmarsh

Sorry for the ads, but I have $5 a day Lemonhead habit…

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Interview with a Professional DM

Posted in D&D 5e, D&D Fifth Edition, D&D Next, Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder with tags , , , , on April 1, 2020 by boccobsblog

We sat down with GM Jeremy, a professional game master.

What differentiates a casual DM from a professional DM?
I would say the expectations from the players. Anytime a customer is purchasing a professional service there is the expectation of excellent customer service, a high quality product, within an inclusive and respectful environment.

What services do you offer?
I provide game mastering services for a variety of table top role-playing games including D&D 5e, AD&D, Call of Cthulhu, Star Wars, Star Trek, Aliens, Fate, and Apocalypse World.

Due to the massive popularity of D&D 5e I also offer workshops on learning how to play D&D online using tools like Roll20.

Professional dungeon mastering is a controversial topic in our community, why do you think that is?
I really don’t think it is very controversial. I think Social Media provides a small percentage of people to have a really loud voice. The reality is that people will complain about anything and everything. At the end of the day, this is a service that is provided for others. It’s no different than paying someone to change your oil, mow your lawn, or do your taxes. Can you do all those things yourself? Yes you can. So, does that mean these services shouldn’t exist? Absolutely not. There are a million reasons why some people choose to pay someone else for those services. Just because I personally wouldn’t pay my friend to give me a ride to the store, doesn’t mean that Uber shouldn’t exist as a paid service.

Could you beat Matt Mercer at Boggle? 
This may not be a popular thing to say… I am familiar with Critical Role.. but I have never watched an episode. I tried to watch one episode. But it was 15 minutes of ads and just them talking about the companies that support them and so I turned it off. I know these guys are voice actors(I guess… on video games or cartoons). I don’t know. I know people like the show but I guess I’m just not interested enough to make it past the first 15 minutes of ads.

So would I win? I think I would get bored halfway through the game and then I would say, “so tell me about yourself, I literally know nothing about you”… and then we would go watch a movie or something.

What does your yearly convention schedule look like?
I own a game store that sells toys, comics, and games. So I go to comic book and game conventions. I love going to Gamestorm in Portland. I have been attending that convention since 2002. I also do Emerald City Comic Con, Rose City Comic Con, Wizard World, Dallas Fan Expo, Comicpalooza, and several smaller events in the Pacific Northwest.

How does your pro game prep differ from your home game prep?
Are my players reading this? LOL just kidding.
I would say for my professional games I do a lot of reading of new material. And I do a lot of note taking in the Roll20 games to make the campaigns fit my style better. The professional games are 90% official D&D 5e Adventures like “Ghosts of Saltmarsh” or “Tyranny of the Dragons”. So I have less map-building to do and more note taking so that I can tweak the adventure to fit that particular gaming group.

In my home game? Wow, I’ve been gaming with these guys for 20 and 30 years, so I do a lot more “off the cuff” role playing. Home games are a mix of 50/50 home-brew with official stuff. But for my guys I incorporate more old school adventures from the OSR community and original AD&D modules. Because of that I do a lot more map-building in Roll20 for my home game.

What challenges do professional dungeon mastering present?
I would say, getting the word out. It took me about a year before my website showed up on the first page of Google when searching for “dm for hire”.

What US President (living or dead) would have made the best DM?
Teddy Roosevelt. That guy really liked adventures!

With tabletop gaming at an all time high, do you foresee an increase in gaming as a mainstream paid form of entertainment?
I do. It really started with video gaming and e-sports. Now the generation of kids that started the whole e-gaming phenomena are adults with jobs.

Tell us about your D&D class.
Yes its a class that teaches people how to get started playing D&D online. So the course covers the basics of how to play D&D, how to use Roll20, how to use Discord, and then we practice what we have learned by going through a short dungeon crawl.
Most of the interest has been coming from homeschool children ages 12+.

Where can people learn more about professional DMing?
Why my website of course! www.gmjeremynow.com as well as Facebook and Instagram @gmjeremynow .

Thank you so much for your time and your questions.

Thinking of becoming a professional Dungeon Master?
Pick up a few supplies:

Bear Mace
Bitchin’ Dice
Breath Mints

***

Sorry for the ads, but tacos aint free:

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Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount

Posted in D&D 5e, D&D Fifth Edition, D&D Next, Dungeons and Dragons with tags , , , , on March 23, 2020 by boccobsblog

Explorer's Guide to Wildemount

According to Wizards.com

Create your own Critical Role campaigns with this sourcebook for the world’s greatest roleplaying game!

Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount provides everything you need to play Dungeons & Dragons on the continent of Wildemount (set within the world of Exandria)—a land of war, betrayal, and swashbuckling adventure.

Comprised of four regions, Wildemount provides endless potential for adventure in a land of brewing conflict and incredible magic. Rising tensions boil over into all-out war between the politically dubious Dwendalian Empire and the light-worshiping wastefolk of Xhorhas, supplying a vibrant backdrop for any D&D campaign to explore.

  • Uncover a trove of new options usable in any D&D game, featuring subclasses, spells, magic items, monsters, and more, rooted in the adventures of Critical Role—such as Vestiges of Divergence and the possibility manipulating magic of dunamancy.
  • Start a campaign in any of Wildemount’s regions using a variety of introductory adventures, dozens of regional plot seeds, and the heroic chronicle system—a way to create character backstories rooted in Wildemount.
  • Explore every corner of Wildemount and discover mysteries revealed for the first time by Critical Role Dungeon Master, Matthew Mercer.

Item details

Price: $49.95
Release Date: 17 March, 2020

This book’s contents include the following:

  • An expansive Wildemount gazetteer.
  • Descriptions of the major factions of Wildemount.
  • Player options that include new subclasses, new spells, and a tool to help players deeply integrate their characters into the setting.
  • New magic items, including weapons that become more powerful to match their wielders.
  • New creatures native to Wildemount.
  • Four introductory adventures—one for each unique region of Wildemount.

Largely written and helmed by Matthew Mercer, the Dungeon Master of Critical Role and creator of the world of Exandria, this 304-page book features work by talented designers, writers, and artists from the D&D and Critical Role communities.

Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount is an expansive, vivid campaign setting anyone can enjoy regardless of their familiarity with Critical Role, and an open invitation to make the mysteries and dangers of Wildemount your own.

Looking for some great dice games? Try:
When Zombie’s Attack!
Roach Party!
Dungeon Attack!

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Monsters of the City

Posted in Crowdfunding, D&D 5e, D&D Fifth Edition, D&D Next, Dungeons and Dragons, Kickstarter with tags , on January 14, 2020 by boccobsblog

Today we sit down with Andrew Cawood of Cawood Publishing to discuss their latest project.

As I understand it, you have a new Kickstarter launching on Tues, Jan 14. What can you tell us about Monsters of the City?
Really it’s a campaign book with 100 new monsters. Around 130 pages, full-color with illustrations for each monster. Divided into seven city districts with a legendary monster for a sin and virtue in each section. Some of the other monsters in each district will be connected to the sin or virtue as well. Adventure hooks, Encounter tables, Events and Locations tables, and each district will have a resource page for specific resources to run that part of the city. Devils, demons, celestials, fey, undead, three new humanoid races and more.

How does MotC differ from your earlier monster books?
Unique monsters you won’t find anywhere else. Strong narrative theme built-in and resources to run a campaign included. All the art is connected to the theme and style as it’s all by the same artist, Travis Hanson.

First we entered Feyland with an A-Z monster book that has some setting resources.
Underworld is more of a setting book with monsters. MOC will be similar but has a built-in narrative as well.

You must assemble and personally lead an adventuring party of 3 Canadian Prime Minsters (living or dead), go!
Ok Jean Chrétien as he’s seen everything, Pierre Trudeau to call in soldiers if we need them, and Stephen Harper to check for traps.

Interesting choices, explain.
Chrétien as he’s a wise old dude, but not much empathy. Trudeau called out the army when a violent separatist group was active. Harper…no comment

Which creature in Monsters of the City would you personally fear the most?
Feared monster? The sins are tough but the vampire lord is a handful too

Have you given any thought to possible stretch goals?
A hardcover version, Extra art like full-page illustrations of the sins and virtues, PC subclasses, Maps, Endsheets, Custom d20s from Q-Workshop

How long does the Kickstarter run?
Jan 14th to Feb 12th.

Where can we find this awesome book?
The Monsters of the City Kickstarter can be found here.

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Form-Fillable PDF D&D Character Sheet

Posted in D&D 5e, D&D Fifth Edition, D&D Next, Dungeons and Dragons with tags , on September 8, 2019 by boccobsblog

I’ve added a fillable PDF character sheet to the 5e Resource page. Download it for free.

Fillable

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20 D&D Fighter Quests

Posted in D&D 5e, D&D Fifth Edition, D&D Next, Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder with tags , , , on July 5, 2019 by boccobsblog

DD Fighter quest ideas.png

Today’s quest hooks come from the Kind DM:

Fighters may be misunderstood as simple, especially in a world where magic is abundant and mystical and dangerous creatures roam the land. However, that is far from true, because through that simplicity rises versatility. Fighters can find themselves in all sorts of situations and still be able to pull through.

1. Your keep has been taken over by a necromancer and your servants are now an undead force under his command

2. You are conscripted by a paladin task force to assist them with purging a demon hiding in a city

3. Your old retired guard mates have convinced you to go on a dungeon delve with them

4. A meteor was spotted falling deep in the northern steppes. An armorsmith is promising a reward to anyone who can bring to him any metal found in the impact crater so he can experiment.

5. You are tasked with training a squad of rookies and have them hunt down a troll that’s been terrorizing the farmlands as their first mission

6. Once every a thousand years, a demon trapped in ice manages to get free.Your bloodline is dedicated to making sure the demon is kept in check. There are signs that the demon will attempt to free itself soon.

7. You have been requested to represent a noble as their champion in a tournament or a duel.

8. A rich noble’s children have been kidnapped and are being held for ransom. He suspects the kidnappers are not going to hold up their end of the bargain, and requests you to come up with a plan to rescue them.

9. A group of halfling entertainers have been attacked and kidnapped by orcs while going to a city that has hired them for their annual celebration of the city’s founding. The mayor of the city hires you to go to the abandoned tower not far from the city where the halflings may be held.

10. Someone is killing ex members of the mercenary guild you used to be a member of…

11. You receive a parcel that contains a sword hilt and a map.

12. A gang of wererats is terrorizing the city. There is a bounty for their capture but you will have to go into the sewers…

13. A noble has made arrangements that, after their unavoidable assassination, she would be resurrected at the local temple. However, the cleric that has taken the task to resurrect them must reach the temple alive, because the assassin is still on the hunt.

14. A prisoner’s last request before the execution is to talk to you. They tell you they are innocent and are being framed by the captain of the guard.

15. A magical storm has rendered all the magical defenses of the city useless and the wizards sitting on their hands. Now the city is under siege and you have to escape and find the source of the storm.

16. A wizard and a sorcerer have a disagreement on whose magic is “better”, so they want to conscript someone who doesn’t know magic as an impartial judge

17. The rite of passage for a league of adventurers is to pass through a dangerous mechanical gauntlet filled with traps and puzzles, meant to hone both the mental and
physical abilities of the trainees. However, something went wrong and the gauntlet’s already high difficulty has been “cranked up to 11”

18. You have been hired by a conclave of very old and grumpy wizards as their bodyguard, luggage carrier, and gopher while they have their centennial reunion. One of the events during the reunion is to “visit” an old associate’s home, that turn out to be a lich and a tomb respectively. However, at this point you are not sure whether the lich is more dangerous than the crazy old wizards.

19. You take up a job of investigating a fishing village that has gone silent. When you arrive there are no signs of life. Searching the houses you find a journal talking about a whaling ship anchoring to the harbor with a fresh catch, and a series of disturbing events that follow. The last entry reads “Everyone else has boarded the ship. I can hear that voice in my head again asking me to join them. I can’t stand it anymore. Tonight I return to my family.”

20. A gnome couple hire almost every adventurer in town. They then reveal themselves to be bronze dragons that wants to move their eggs to another lair but are afraid an old nemesis will interfere.

About the Author
My name is Chris and I’m from Greece. I started playing tabletop RPGs in 2014. I mostly play Dungeons and Dragons at the moment but I want to try more RPGs in the future. Most of the time I’m the Dungeon Master because I really enjoy it. You can find me at: https://thekindgm.wordpress.com/

 

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20 Dwarf Quest Ideas

Posted in D&D 3.5, D&D 5e, D&D Next, Dungeons and Dragons with tags , , , , , on June 14, 2019 by boccobsblog

Dwarf D&D Quest Ideas

Today’s 20 D&D dwarf quest ideas comes from Twitch streamer, Amishman:

1. There is a dispute among the blacksmiths, someone is stealing their tools, all of them are blaming each other rather then look for real evidence.

2. There is someone going around doing the most evil thing of all, going into nobleman’s houses… and shaving their beards off when they sleep. Many nobles are too afraid to show their disgusting and beardless faces.

3. After digging what the lesser races would call… too deep… the dwarf mines have found both a gold vein and a shrine to a demon lord. Go get rid of the shrine and cultists so they can get the mines reopen.

4. Clearing out the mines. Some goblins/bug things/dragon clawed into the tunnels and it needs to be sorted out.

5. Quick gather some wheat in order to make and forge legendary dwarvish bread weapons. Then quickly distribute them in order to defend against the mildly irritating rat king.

6. Rediscover a forgotten dwarven form of magic called Stone Singing. Need to find a race of friendly elementals long separated from the dwarven people, you could use Galeb Duhr instead of elementals.

7. A gnome entrepreneur has come to the dwarf halls with a small team of Apparatus of Kwalish that have been re-purposed for mining, the local miners want to hire the PCs to sabotage the machines and the Gnome wants to hire the PCs to protect the devices from saboteurs.

8. Dwarves have a fairly high mushroom intake in their diet. Their mushroom caverns have been poisoned and the PCs are tasked with finding out why. (Druids who hate mineral extraction from the earth, Myconoids trying to awaken their fodder cousins leaving them poisonous, Duergar plot to kill their kind-hearted cousins, the gnome from the last hook re-purposed his Apparatus to harvest mushrooms is leaving them inedible)

9. A dwarven Ale Meister hires the PCs to delve into a lost dwarven hall that legend says holds the recipe to some sort of ambrosia-beer so that he might win an upcoming competition and solidify his name as the greatest Ale Meister in all the halls. Why was the hall lost? Pick an underdark race (Duergar, Drow, Neogi, and Tsochar tend to make more sense than the more food-centric like Mind Flayers or alien like Grell and Aboleth…though pretty much anything will work)

10. The Dwarf mine in the volcano has been dug too deep and has freed an ancient demon.

11. The Dwarves throw a feast for the party at the end of a different adventure and at the party someone dies. To prevent the unknown murderer from escaping the Dwarves lock down the house/manor/keep and the players must help to solve the mystery since Dwarves don’t really make good detectives.

12. The Dwarves are besieged by a gigantic army from the Underdark, they have been guarding the only entrance to the Underdark in the area and if they fall the unprepared races/kingdoms they have been protecting for centuries will surely fall.

13. Old man Worcestershire at the bar has a map to a rumored treasure deep beneath the volcano, but doesn’t have funds or warriors willing to go after it as it is supposedly guarded by undead/demons.

14. The lord of the city is rumored to have been killed and replaced with a doppleganger. A local guard thought he saw the lord change skin, but he can’t be sure. He approaches the party for help with the matter.

15. A townswoman has been hearing strange rattling and moans coming from the abandoned house next door. She asks the party to investigate.

16. Two opposing tailors each have half of the finest pair of pants ever created. You have been hired to repair the pants and reunite the halves.

17. The library has been infested with small mimics disguised as books. Exterminate them.

18. Through less-than-reputable channels, the party hears about a plan to hunt a small roving group of purple worms. The local crime syndicate wants the precious and hard to obtain organs and blood from the worms. The local city guard wants the location of the nest discovered and reported and nothing more.

19. A noble requests that the party deliver a small package. Around ten minutes after the package is delivered, someone approaches the party and asks where their package is, providing valid identification.

20. A city watchman requests the party’s help in setting up a sting. If the party agrees, the operation begins, but when the target arrives, at least one member of the party recognizes the target and believes them to be innocent.

Amishman has been gaming since the early 80’s and once fought Danny DeVito in a K-Mart parking lot. He can be found at

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20 D&D Sorcerer Quest Ideas

Posted in D&D 5e, D&D Fifth Edition, D&D Next, Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder with tags , , , , on April 12, 2019 by boccobsblog

Sorcerer Quest Ideas

This week our guest writer is Dan Abbott, and he has crafted 20 D&D sorcerer quest ideas.

The sorcerer, imbued by fate with powers beyond the ken of mortals, inspires envy and suspicion in equal measure. Their strange, intrinsic connection with arcane force can be a blessing or a curse, and each sorcerer must come to grips with the fact that they are fundamentally different from everyone else they know, whether they like it or not. Whether they learn to accept their curse or embrace their gift, sorcerers can tap into the power of the multiverse and shape it to their will. Yet another reason to not pick on the weird kid at lunch….

1. Racial tensions rise when the beornings raise the price of honey at market day, blaming the human village for a mysterious illness among the bees.

2. A boy with unexplained powers is blamed for the village’s misfortune, and will be burned at the stake at first light if no one intervenes.

3. An important bridge across a misty ravine has collapsed, and the work crew sent to rebuild it has disappeared, leaving grisly clues behind.

4. A bitter nobleman hires the party to help spy on his romantic rival, who has dark secrets he will do anything to conceal.

5. At an orc-dwarf treaty signing brokered by humans, a high-ranking officer of the dwarvish iron mining guild is found murdered, threatening a fragile peace.

6. A wealthy merchant’s impetuous and spoiled son craves adventure, and wants to investigate an abandoned keep rumored to be haunted. The merchant will pay the party handsomely to see that the boy stays out of trouble.

7. A rash of unexplained murders at the university is causing panic, as construction begins on a new campus library.

8. Dark dreams plague an aging duke, even as, one by one, his rivals die mysteriously in the night. The duchess hires the party to watch over him, in case he is next to be killed.

9. The old hermit in the hills was once a renowned healer, they say. Perhaps he will know how to stop the strange fever that began near the crypts.

10. A dangerous relic of the Old People is found in a tunnel, awakening an eons-old evil that could end the world a second time.

11. During a lightning storm, a castaway from another world appears, wielding strange weapons and arcane powers. But her troubles have followed her to your world, and sending her back requires the party to make some dark choices.

12. A new prophet has arisen among the human population, preaching a fanatical religion of blood and fire. But who… or what… are they really worshiping?

13. Passing by an ancient circle of standing stones, you are stricken by excruciating pain, and the knowledge that something terrible is slowly clawing its way into your world.

14. The newly pious king outlaws magic and other “heresies”, upon pain of death. Help smuggle a small group of elderly wizards out of the kingdom before the king’s inquisitors can find them.

15. You are approached by an old adventurer who says they are your future self, and asks you to commit a seemingly horrific crime to change future events for the better.

16. One of the king’s most trusted advisors is discovered to be a vampire, revealing a terrifying plot centuries in the planning.

17. When an artificer is arrested by the crown’s inquisitors, a device which detects beings of magical nature falls into the hands of the authorities.

18. A powerful wizard from the Academy challenges you to a magical duel, seeking to prove once and for all the superiority of academic magic over sorcery.

19. An old friend of the party, who retired from adventuring after losing a hand, is framed for a murder he could not have committed.

20. The recent crop blight and plague of strange monsters is traced back to a glowing object, which exudes magical energy too deadly for mortals to approach. The local baron is determined to possess it for himself.

About the author:
Dan Abbott is an author, musician, performer and real-life adventurer with over 20 years experience behind a DM screen, and even more on The Endless Road. Gaming and music frequently melded together in his bands, Thee Hobo Gobbelins and Bobby Joe Ebola and the Children MacNuggits, and as the co-founder of the Geekfest punk festivals of the mid-90s. Trained in anthropology and journalism, Dan toured with the 999 Eyes Freak Show and was story editor for the definitive punk rock documentary Turn It Around: The Story of East Bay Punk. He is a professional Dungeon Master serving the West Coast with Random Encounters Metadimensional Travel Agency. You can follow him on Twitter and see his latest creations on Patreon.

 

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