How to spot a Dragon using an illusion spell. #dnd #rpg #tabletop

Nobody in the 70s or 80s was playing “old school D&D” any more than bands were making “classic rock.” It was just D&D. The label came later because the game changed. Calling the original game “old school” can make it sound like some niche way to play, when it’s literally where D&D started.

Variety isn’t how many weapons you can cram into an RPG book. It’s how many real choices you give the players. And don’t tell me you pick worse gear for roleplay. You don’t.

Clearance sale on uncensored fantasy. Everything must go before the Sensitivity Department gets around to correcting the past.

I never get tired of running I6 Ravenloft every October. It’s one of those adventures I think everyone should get to play at least once. It really did change the D&D game. Strahd isn’t just the boss waiting at the end of the dungeon. He watches the party, tests them, toys with them, and shows up when he wants to. The villain, not the dungeon, was the focus and it was wild. That may feel pretty normal now. In 1983, it really wasn’t.

Apparently, making D&D more welcoming means going back and censoring 38 year old fantasy art.

For Throwback Thursday: the 10 foot pole. It’s a metaphor for a style of D&D play where you visualize the environment, ask questions, and use tools to explore it. Exploration then becomes something you roleplay, not something you roll for.

I saw an official D&D post promoting an actual play series with “No scheduling required.” Getting together with friends and playing the game is the whole point of the hobby... There's something backwards about D&D itself selling a facsimile of that experience as a way to avoid the real thing.

I think the newer generation of players could learn a lot from spending some time playing original D&D with an open mind. There's a lot to learn from a game where the answers aren't always on your character sheet.

There’s something special about still having access to the people who were there when D&D was born. Happy birthday sir.

The cherub apples of Ravenloft are in peak season. They cry and wither when Strahd or his minions are nearby, making them a useful early warning system.

Every October, DMs flip through manuals, looking for something spooky, almost like picking Halloween costumes for their monsters. Then the session runs the same as always. Combat as sport. Try making the players wait, listen, and wonder if the damn thing is still around. Make them afraid to open the next door, not eager to roll initiative.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art has a great collection.

Watch your back, shoot straight, conserve ammo, and never, ever cut a deal with a dragon.

A lot of new players treat roleplaying mostly as character portrayal, while interacting with the world has become rollplaying. Plenty of older players have either adapted or forgotten there used to be a difference. So we may all be talking about RPing, but not always the same thing.

WotC says PCs dying was making players feel like their choices had consequences, which was never the intended experience. Adventurers will now respawn at the nearest tavern with all their equipment. Players are encouraged to continue pretending they're in danger.

That feeling when you dust off a favorite old character for a one-shot adventure.

🚨🚨 BREAKING 🚨🚨 HEALING POTIONS HAVE BEEN BANNED FROM DUNGEONS. Dungeon officials claim the potions give adventurers an “unfair advantage” over monsters who worked hard to deal that damage. Developing story.

FYI Dark Sun enthusiasts.

“A good craftsman never blames his tools” is not a defense of an RPG book. Sorry, but it’s just a way to change the subject. A good GM can salvage a bad product. That still leaves you with a bad product.

What a total puff piece. Of course they are willing to call the OGL a mistake because that fight is already over. Everything else is vague “missteps” so nobody has to actually own any of it. For the past 6 years they had no problem changing the game, lecturing fans, attacking parts of D&D’s past, and acting like anyone who objected was the problem. Now suddenly they want to talk about legacy, trust, and community like none of that happened. Except the disclaimers are still there and “community voices” still means a handpicked group of brand safe people. They spent six years doing whatever the hell they wanted with complete confidence. Now they want everyone to be patient while they rebuild trust in baby steps? Give me a break. pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/…