Want to play yourself? Melbourne University created an app that converts your face into the six attributes and a suggested class. It thinks I am a CE, Cleric with STR 15, DEX 9, CON 12, INT 9, WIS 15, CHA 9. Maybe. Probably not, as I haven’t been close to a STR 15 since my 20s.
As always, maps
Here is a map of mine on the @roll20app I have up, with more on the way!
Summerfort is a city of intrigue, a city of traders, explorers, madmen, and murderers, against a backdrop of rolling hills and luscious woods.
With a week away from collaging about Dungeon lore and Dragon news, this collation of links, videos, podcasts, and maps is bigger than every. It may be the last in the weekly collection. They are becoming too hefty. Maybe a scheduled day for the major topics of the Collage makes more sense? We’ll see.
If you’ve ever wanted to play a carnival barker or newsie you had to reskin other backgrounds. Until now. The Crier/Herald/Barker is what you are looking for.
I started listening to The Black Dice Society because I wanted to prepare for Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft. What wound up happening is me discovering a layered horror show with excellent characterization and a creep factor that hits me just right.
Just so you don’t forget, the Derek Kolstad TV project isn’t the only D&D TV project. It is merely the only one with a known personality attached to it.
Yawning Portal Opens for Virtual Weekend Play May 7-9
Event Grid for the May Virtual D&D Weekend? Why of course.
ThinkDM has a review of MCDM’s Illrigger, their first custom class. It’s an evil leaning class that has some flavors similar to Paladins, Warlocks, and blood magic.
Auroboros: Coils of the Serpent is the heavy metal, overpowered D&D setting from the creator of Warcraft. The Kickstarter will hit One Million Dollars shortly.
ThinkDM expands on the discussion of the Illrigger. The class may echo other class themes, but takes a unique mechanical approach that amplifies the story elements.
Calendaring is the number one death of any D&D campaign. One way to reduce that impact is through Duet-play. That style does take an even more character-centric approach to design, luckily the experts at Duet have a guide for you.
D&D is too often seen as an American phenomena. That’s lazy. The game is popular throughout the English speaking world with it continuing to rebuild in Spanish, Portuguese, German-speaking countries and more. | Rolling with it: Ottawa’s Dungeons and Dragons community thriving online – Capital Current
Remember when everyone in geekdom, and mainstream, cared about Game of Thrones and now no one does? It’s ten years old and the world has forgotten.
Are you a comics fan that’s into D&D? IDW has a Humble Bunble of up to 100 titles starting at just 1$.
Amazon Prime’s Second Age telling of JRR Tolkien’s saga of The Rings will cost over $465 million in season one. To put that in some perspective that’s more than WandaVision and The Mandalorian season ones, combined. We are in peak fantasy in TV and movies.
There are lighter fantasy tales to tell. Wanderhome is an RPG about sentient animal folk living lives that aren’t necessarily violent, but still quite dramatic.
Someone needs to invite me into a Strixhaven D&D campaign, because that world s amazing.
I owe Jeff a review of Blue Planet: Recontact still. For now, here’s an interview about the sci-fi setting that combines David Brin’s Uplift world with heavy doses of environmental stewardship.
As Always, Maps
Your next trip to the feywild or Domains of Dread needs a dungeon where you are going both up and down at the same time.
What happens when the lich doesn't follow the Ikea dungeon assembly directions properly…
The quiet little cottage sits on the lakeside, smoke billowing from the chimney and plants steadily growing from the personal garden tucked away on the side. Wouldn't you like to come for a swim? pic.twitter.com/qW95JhJcow
Embrace NPCs that have bad vision. Orne Willowrush is ready for your campaign. He’s a dude that’s bad at fishing, but likes it. Wearing glasses Willowrush crafts fine barrels and can be found buying his friends beverages.
Paramount is delaying the D&D movie by a year-and-a-half. This is almost certainly due to the continuation of the Covid-19 pandemic and how crowded the big-budget movie release schedule will be in 2022. The wide slate of TV shows has no announced delays. Derek Kolstad’s project is the only one with an announced showrunner at this time.
Regé-Jean Page was nearly in an upcoming Superman project. One of the hottest (in demand) actors in Hollywood these days Page will be in the D&D movie. He won’t be in that Superman project, because some idiot seemed to think that Superman can’t be related to a Black man.d
The latest Lore You Should Know is all about one of the reworked Domains of Dread.
Third-Party Products
Venture Maidens is the latest podcast to release their world as a sourcebook. Their DM is also the head of the book project, and that bodes quite well for the quality of the product. Celeste Conowitch has credits with Wizards of the Coast, Kobold Press, and is now with 2C Gaming. The Kickstarter is up through May 10.
Solasta is nearly a ‘finished’ product. The D&D OGL video game is leaving early access. Solasta is more focused on the 5e D&D rules than the official games.
Tribality reviews the upcoming character and scenery art generator Neverending. Finding a tool that you can use, that helps non-artists changes your table atmosphere. Toss those creators some money, because they earned it.
Advice for Dungeons & Dragons Payers and DMs
Every week Alphastream and Shawn Merwin go deeper and deeper into what Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything empowers players to do. Their podcast might be the only digital enterprise still talking about the dramatic story and rules expansion from last fall.
Game Rant goes over how to use Feats in 5th edition. For me, in my world, I enjoy granting Feats at first level. But I drop the power-gamey ones from the list of options. There is a lot of story creep available in 80% of Feats.
Playing D&D in Civic Spaces During the Pandemic
Whereas most libraries are hosting games to play, at the Topeka Library the focus is on teaching people how to play the game. They have a monthly series that focuses on specific aspects of play. Up next is Character and Combat.
The Johnston Public Library, in upstate New York, is reopening to the public, and continuing virtual D&D for teens in two age groups.
Add fjords and mountains carved by gods to your game.
Greetings, worldbuilders! Today I have released a new unmarked region map for you to use as a canvas. Worldbuilding pop quiz – What do you imagine the dominant export might be?
This map has an old school styling to it. I want to move to this town.
Ultimo Riparo, by Simkin
"a map I made for my own campaign. Ultimo Riparo is the last town in the north of the Nordarn Kingdom. Far away from the limit, between this village and Ironclaw ther is a big wild and dangerous plateau…"https://t.co/WUBeVFrId5pic.twitter.com/unSuOjfXca
Before we get into the gossip around Page, Adventurer’s League, great D&D podcasts, and a video game where you can play D&D inside the game, I’m going to remind you that travel distances in D&D should be about time, not distance. Use leagues, use daylong journeys, and add to the immersive and simplified feel of 5th edition.
If you need to run a naval skirmish with 2-6 ships on each side, here’s a rule set for you.
Official D&D Product Releases and Reviews
D&D Virtual Weekend Signups Start This Week
On Virtual Weekends you can play in Adventurer’s League, or in custom worlds from professional DMs.
With Regé-Jean Page leaving Bridgerton, maybe for good, the Hollywood gossip and news services are all over where you can catch him next – in Dungeons & Dragons.
Over in Tarrytown, New Jersey, a youth organization launched to keep kids creative during the covid-19 pandemic. They are, of course, using D&D as one of those paths.
Local multiplayer video games, that’s ones where you are on the same couch using the same console and screen, are increasing popular during the pandemic. Like Dungeons & Dragons (mentioned in story) these games give you social interaction when it’s difficult. | It Takes Two proves that couch co-op games are back for good – Wired
New York City Comicon is going to allow people in attendance in October. They will also have virtual events.
As Always, Maps
Need a city or dungeon on the spur of the moment? Use your favorite shopping mall.
If you ever have to completely improvise a megadungeon (for some reason, may god have mercy), find a map of a large, asymmetric shopping mall, preferably with multiple levels for the layout. pic.twitter.com/ie9MktLAXu
— @prismaticwasteland.com on bluesky (@PrismaticWastes) April 4, 2021
How would your PCs solve the problem of a boat blocking the main shipping canal in your world?
With access to campus TV the LGBTQ+ community at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is putting on a D&D themed show since the pandemic prevents their normal annual fundraiser. | Dungeons & DRAGons – Royal Purple
The din of the crowd can be heard from the very outskirts of the city streets as the marketplace comes alive with the sounds of exotic animals, performers, and a crowd teeming with excitement! But is the circus all that it claims to be or are there secrets to be uncovered? pic.twitter.com/hlnS3mh6Ox
