D&D: Inexpensive Miniatures options

Whether you are new to Dungeons & Dragons or coming back into the hobby after many, many years, you will probably want to add various play aids and accessories for your game. Right at the top of the list are miniatures. Whether you play old school or new school D&D or other similar fantasy TTRPG, maps and miniatures are an integral part of the hobby... but they are so expensive that it takes some quite time to build up a collection and then you have to paint them all. 

Fear not! There are inexpensive alternatives to unpainted plastic.

At the top of the list are Pathfinder Pawns. These are stand-up cardstock miniatures and they are pretty inexpensive for what you get. The Monster Core Pawn Box contains over 450 creature pawns. This is a huge assortment for just about any game. While $75 isn't terribly cheap, the volume of creatures included is worth the price tag. (Currently, on sale at Amazon for about $60!)

There are generally only one copy of a lot of monsters, but common monster groups are represented with multiple copies such as goblins, orcs, skeletons, zombies, etc. A full list of the box contents are on the Pathfinder Wiki.

After the Monster Core box, the NPC Core Pawn Box should also be right at at the top of the list. Coming in at around 350 pawns, this contains a huge allotment of regular townsfolk as well as various adventurer NPCs and humanoids. You'll get Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Gnomes, Goblins, Orcs, Lizardfolk, Kobolds, Ratfolk, Catfolk, anything-you-like-folk. The variety is impressive and the full list is also available at the Pathfinder Wiki.

If you think you want to start out with a smaller collection, Gamemastery Guide NPC Pawn Collection is a a very inexpensive (approx $25) collection of townsfolk, adventurers and ne'er-do-wells. There is a small overlap of pawns with the larger NPC core box, but there are also many different NPCs giving a wide variety, so both NPC boxes give a massive number of humanoids when combined.

There are also several smaller pawn sets for specific Pathfinder adventure paths which can work for most games. The Giantslayer Pawn Collections contains a large variety of giants (obviously), but also some trolls, orcs, a few dragons, and a variety of other large and huge beasts. The smaller collections run about $20, so they are often a good supplement for the larger boxes.

Lest you think I'm just a Pathfinder shill, there are also other cool options. The ArcKnight miniatures company has an awesome line of flat acrylic miniatures as well as maps, and terrain details to accompany.

The ArcKnight DM Starter Set is the place you'll want to start. With over 160 beautiful acrylic standees, this collection is a great starting point for miniatures. The acrylics have front and backside art and the starter set has an awesome variety of icon foes for any D&D campaign. 

If you need more monsters in a specific category, ArcKnight sells "Horde" packs for humanoids, undead, wilderness, and dungeon dwellers. Their products are a great way to expand an existing miniature collection when you need foes that fit a particular theme.

Lastly, if you still crave 3D plastic miniatures, there are ways to expand you collection that are cheaper than others. The Dungeons & Dragons board games as a somewhat inexpensive way to source specific miniatures. Wrath of Ashardalon comes with an awesome dragon, otyoughs, bears, orcs and cultists while Castle Ravenloft has an array of different undead - skeletons, wraiths, zombies as well as kobolds, wolves, and undead dragons. 

Each of the board games comes with a party of adventurers - Fighters, Rogues, Clerics, Wizards, etc.  As board games, they aren't that bad either, but the miniatures are the main attraction. Note that they come unpainted, so you may want to spruce them up yourself.

D&D: Brace yourselves. Dragonlance is coming!

This week's D&D Unearthed Arcana article points convincingly toward a new book for Dragonlance. Given that Wizards has already said they will revisit classic settings this year, there is high chance one will be Dragonlance.

So what do you think they will do with the setting? I have some thoughts and speculations on that. Also, how can you play in the world of Dragonlance *right now* even before a book is released? I'll tell you! (...around minute 21) Timestamps below.

Player's Guide to Dragonlance (2e) - only $4
Drangonlance Campaign Setting (3.x) - about $10

00:00  Intro
00:25  Unearthed Arcana - Heroes of Krynn
02:05  New Dragonlance novels coming
02:52  Wizards' Dragonlance promotion opportunity
03:40  Fans of the original Dragonlance series now have kids playing D&D.
04:58  What will Wizards do with the setting?
05:40  The style of Dragonlance vs. "standard" D&D 5th Edition
07:20  Can superhero fantasy fit with Dragonlance?
09:30  Dragonlance isn't a high power setting.
10:05  How Wizards could tweak 5e to fit the Dragonlance style.
11:30  How Cubicle 7 adapted The One Ring to 5th Edition mechanics.
14:00  How Wizards could adapt Dragonlance to 5th Edition.
14:25  A Dragonlance-specific Player's Handbook / campaign setting book.
17:45  Any Dragonlance book will be a hit, but here's my wishlist.

21:15 Run a Dragonlance campaign!
21:20 What to get if you want to run Dragonlance right now
    22:00  Player's Guide to Dragonlance (2e) - only $4
    24:10  Drangonlance Campaign Setting (3.x) - about $10
26:00  Consider running Dragonlance under an Basic or OSR version
27:45  Rules Cyclopedia - $30 Hardback
29:55  A brief glimpse back at Dragonlance 5th Age
32:00  Outtro -- Please Like and Subscribe!
32:15  What do you think Wizards should do with the Dragonlance setting?

GM 101: How To Say Yes

There are many ways you can say "Yes!" to your players to give them more control over narrative or lore in your campaign. In Episode 8 of my Game Master 101 series, I discuss ways you can give a player the spotlight even if it bends or breaks the rules a bit. I also discuss some other narrative controls you can hand to a player during play. 

As a new Dungeon Master, you may be hesitant to bend or break the rules in a way that benefits the players. When they ask if their PC can do something which normally they could not, think about how you can give them the opportunity to perform their requested action even if it is not covered in the Rules As Written.

TLDR: If the ask is small, and it's going to get your player more invested in the campaign or encounter, then do it.

Raging Owlbear tops 1 million views!

Just 6 years ago, I started a little experiment talking about old school gaming and the D&D Next play test that was to become D&D 5th Edition. In that time, my blog has seen some really explosive months where I was getting over 20,000 views on average, and some less than stellar months when I mostly ignored the blog leading to a slump in views from its highs.

However, in over 6 years of content, there are several posts that stand out. I have reviews of which I am proud that have consistently brought in thousands of views year over year. I have posted my share of unpopular opinion pieces for the internet to pillory, doled out sometimes questionable advice... but all in all, it's been a fun experience. 

Sadly, the loss of Google+ and the comments section upon which my blog relied really hurt the interactivity with the audience (all 9 of you)... but somehow I clawed my way up to 1 million page views and the blog stays steady at around 10,000 views a month even when I ignore it.

June was one of those ignoring months... and also the month where I topped the million view mark. 

My goal for the rest of 2020 is to get the juice going again. Perhaps I'll get to 2 million before I retire the blog. The way the world is, who knows what will be in store over the next few years. 

Stay safe and stay sane... and thanks for reading -- all 9 of you. Your fingers must be aching after clicking my posts 100,000 times each. If you're relatively new to the blog, I invite you to peruse some of my favorite articles.

See you again soon!

Hackmaster - D&D Alternatives, Episode 5

In Episode 5 of my Alternatives to D&D series, I discuss what makes Hackmaster unique among old school systems. Hackmaster has dynamic "real time" combat, a flavorful magic systems, and an old school character generation that still allows a great deal of customizations.

Hackmaster Basic is available FREE to download, so this make a great "try before you buy" system to check out.

Castles & Crusades - D&D Alternatives, Episode 4

In Episode 4 of my D&D Alternatives series, I talk about Castles & Crusades which is an old-school hommage to Advanced Dungeons & Dragons but with cleaned up modern game mechanics The C&C the Player's Handbook is also currently free to download right now from the Troll Lord Games web store, so this is no reason not to check it out.

Castles & Crusades was one of the first old school games published in the modern era under the Open Game License. It uses a single d20 mechanic for all attribute checks across the game, so it eliminates a lot of the messy mechanics sometimes associated with D&D and AD&D retro-clones.

In addition to Castles & Crusade, Troll Lord Games published numerous 5th Edition Adventure modules for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, which are absolutely fantastic and worth checking out, especially A1 Assault on Blacktooth Ridge (also part of this awesomely inexpensive bundle).

Amazing Alternatives to D&D

Dungeons & Dragons is the big brand that everyone recognizes, but there are dozens and dozens of other table top role-playing games out there. Here is just a small sampling of fantasy and science fiction games that you might also enjoy.

Shoot! I totally forgot to mention Numenera which is also Kickstarting a source book for 5th Edition, to add some science-fantasy to your D&D!



00:00 Introduction - 45 Years of Dungeons & Dragons
02:15 The One Ring / Adventures in Middle Earth
07:20 Castles & Crusades
09:30 Other Old School Revival Games
     OSRIC
     Swords & Wizardry
     Labyrith Lord
     Basic Fantasy
10:35 Runequest
12:00 13th Age
     I didn't spend enough time on 13th Age - Backgrounds and ICONS are awesome.
13:00 Tunnels & Trolls
14:20 Lone Wolf Adventure Game
20:20 Dungeon Crawl Classics
22:30 Mutant Crawl Classics
24:30 Hackmaster
29:00 Mouse Guard
31:30 Savage Worlds 
33:40 GURPS Dungeon Fantasy
36:15 The Expanse
39:00 Paranoia
40:40 Deadlands, Metamorphosis Alpha, Dragon Age, Fantasy Age, Dungeon World, Apocalypse World, Shadow of the Demon Lord, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying, Dr Who

GM 101: Memorable D&D NPCs in 5 Minutes

Episode 6: A discussion on social media led me to record some of my ideas on making NPCs memorable. Although the explanation of the ideas in this video goes a wee bit more than 5 minutes, the method itself is quick and dirty, and takes very little prep time for a large return. Hopefully, this will give you ideas on how to pull memorable NPC rabbits out of their respective hats.

This was also recorded as a companion piece to an earlier post:
GM 101: Quick & Dirty Memorable NPCs



00:35 How do you make characters care about NPCs?
     01:30 Player will do what you least expect, including by-pass your favorite NPCs.
     02:30 Ways to make your NPCs stand out.
     03:10 Quick steps for generating an NPC on-the-fly.
     04:20 "I need an NPCs right now!"
 05:20 The 5-Minute NPC Worksheet
     06:00 The Four... or five-ish... Things that can make NPCs memorable.
     05:50 NPC Worksheet - List of Names, Personalities, Quirks, Catch-Phrases / Accents, Picutres
07:40 Prepare a list of NPC names.
     08:12 Picking a name out of thin air can go... poorly.
     08:30 Lots of places to find name lists including Xanathar's
     10:25 "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!"
     11:10 Pick names that fit the culture of the region.
     12:45 Also select a few names that are foreign/exotic to the adventure setting.
15:25 Prepare your list of personality types and quirks
     15:35 Lots of resources for personality types and quirks on the Internet
     15:55 AD&D Dungeon Master's Guide, page 101
     18:55 Use tropes. Use pop culture references.
     21:20 Play against type.
     21:40 Everybody loves Party Dwarf!
     22:10 Don't be afraid to be over the top. Larger than life NPCs are memorable.
23:10 Catch Phrases
     24:30 It can be a way of speaking, instead of a specific phrase.
     26:10 The tropes can work for you, or you can work against tropes.
27:05 Catch Phrases, for real this time.
     27:30 Google translate can give you a phrase in other languages.
28:45 Voices and Accents
     29:25 Nobody is really good at accents (who isn't an actor).
     29:55 Your players won't care! They will love the effort.
     30:15 Creating the "Hondo" character.
32:15 The Big Mistake - Do not kill off your players' favorite NPC!
     34:45 Don't kill NPCs they like OR hate.
35:10 Back to Voices
     35:15 Don't portray a horrible cultural or racial stereotype!
     37:15 Use phrases in another language to bring a differing cultural flavor.
38:40 Bonus Points - Visuals
     39:00 Use the NPC artwork from Wizards of the Coast or other sources. Don't Pirate!
     40:35 Pathfinder Face Cards
     41:10 Guard Guy, Femme Fatale, Vampire Guy, and Freaky Helmet Guy
43:15 Pick names that fits the genre, but try not to get too "weird" with the names.
44:45 Recap
45:10 They will remember the NPCs that are portrayed as larger than life.
45:45 Write down where you used that NPC name/personality.

B/X-5 Design Log: Revised Elf

In creating B/X-5, a 5th Edition  homage to early D&D, I've tried to stay close to the spirit of the early Basic box sets. As such, I've tried to model Race-as-Class in such a way that would make sense within the bounds of D&D 5th Edition, giving them a familiar flavor of B/X while making them mechanically similar to a 5th Edition class. You can read more about B/X-5 here. Without further ado, the Elf. (No, this is not an April Fool's joke).

---

Source: Wizards of the Coast

Elves are human-like fey whose origins are wrapped in myth and legends. Elves have a strong magical tie to Feydheim, a plane of existence where nature and magic exist in a chaotic union. Because of this, they live in close harmony with nature -- their cities and dwellings often interwoven with their natural surroundings rather than carved from them. This Fey ancestry also extends their lives well past most other mortal humanoids.

Elves have a reputation for being haughty, aloof, or reclusive, but that is largely due to a misunderstanding their culture. Due to their extended lifespan, they harbor a perspective much different than most other sentient beings. Most other creatures live and die at a frenetic pace as compared to Elves, and as such, they are ambivalent in becoming emotionally involved with those who pass quickly from the world.

Elves also do not comprehend the tendency toward specialization by other humanoids. Due to their long lives, Elves have time to pursue the martial and arcane arts at leisure. To only use magic, or to only brandish a sword in combat is a concept alien to an Elf. To them, it is akin to going into battle with one hand tied. They wield swords, bows, and magic in equal measure. As such, there is no such thing as an "Elven Fighter" or "Elven Wizard"... They are just Elves, utilizing their martial and arcane arts together.

Elves do not worship individual gods as much as they venerate the pantheon of Elvish deities. The gods of Elves, whether good or evil, all represent aspects of the Elvish existence. Even "good" Elves will pay homage to the "evil" Elven gods, depending upon the needs of the individual or the customs of a particular religious ceremony. Elvish morality and ethics are a bit more complex than what one might witness or understand as an outsider.

Elf 

Genus Traits
Ability Scores. +2 to either Wisdom or Dexterity. +1 to one other ability score.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or paralyzed, and magic cannot put you to sleep.
Innate Detection. You gain Advantage on Investigation or Perception rolls related to finding secret or concealed doors.
Low Light Vision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were normal light. In non-magical darkness, you can see the outlines or silhouettes of creatures and objects within 20’.
Natural Stealth. You gain advantage on Stealth checks in outdoor or similar natural environments.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Elvish.

Class Traits
Hit Dice. 1d8 per level
Armor. Light or Medium non-metal armors, or Elven Chain. Wooden shields.
Weapons. Simple weapons, martial weapons.
Spell Casting. Your spell casting bonus is based upon your Wisdom ability bonus.
Cantrip Recovery. During a short rest, recover 0th level slots equal to ½ your level (rounded up).
Combat Specialization. At 1st level, Elves may select one combat specialization: Archer, Duelist, or Two-Weapon Fighter.
Saving Throws. Wisdom, Charisma

Level	Bonus	Features	Cantrips Known	Spells Known	0th*	1st	2nd	3rd
1st	+2	Combat Specialization, Cantrips	2	̶	3	̶	̶	̶
2nd	+2	Spellcasting, Cantrip Recovery	2	2	3	2	̶	̶
3rd	+2	Natural Explorer	3	3	3	3	̶	̶
4th	+2	Ability Score +2, Specialization Talent**	3	3	4	3	̶	̶
5th	+3	Primeval Awareness	3	4	4	4	2	̶
6th	+3	Extra Attack	3	4	4	4	2	̶
7th	+3	Natural Explorer	4	5	5	4	3	̶
8th	+3	Ability Score +2, Specialization Talent**	4	5	5	4	3	̶
9th	+4	Land's Stride	4	6	5	4	3	2
10th	+4	Natural Explorer	4	6	6	4	3	2
11th	+4	Hide in Plain Sight	5	7	6	4	3	3
12th	+4	Ability Score +2, Specialization Talent**	5	7	6	4	3	3

** Specialization Talents are like mini-feats, giving a small bump to a PC's melee, ranged, or spell abilities. They are less powerful than 5th Edition Feats, so B/X-5 classes get the full ability score bump in additional to the Talent.

Elf Spell List

Cantrips	1st Level	2nd Level	3rd Level
Arcane Flame Blade Dancing Lights Light Lightning Lash Mending Produce Flame Ray of Frost Resistance Shillelagh Sweeping Blades	Befriend Animal Charm Person Cure Wounds Create or Destroy Water Detect Magic Detect Poison/Disease Ensnaring Strike Entangle Faerie Fire Fog Cloud Hail of Arrows Hunter’s Quarry Jump Purify Food and Drink Speak with Animals	Animal Messenger Barkskin Darkvision Enhance Ability Flame Blade Gust of Wind Heat Metal Lesser Restoration Locate Animals/Plants Magic Weapon Moonbeam Pass without Trace Protection from Poison Spider Climb Spike Growth	Call Lightning Conjure Animals Daylight Dispel Magic Nondetection Plant Growth Protection from Energy Sleet Storm Speak with Plants Water Breathing Water Walk Wind Wall

For more about B/X-5, such as my variants on Combat Specialization, Healing, and old school resource management, view my B/X-5 work-in-progress document here.