The difference between Skill and Talent
Relating the anatomy of a skill roll to the difference between learned technique and natural ability. A short post. I know I’ve addressed the subject before, but this short piece offers a different...
View ArticleShades Of Discomfort: Mechanics for Misery
Discomfort niggles, nags, distracts, and exhausts – for everyone. Until now, there have been no rules for simulating this. If it’s good enough for elite athletes to take into account, it’s good enough...
View ArticleDifferent Dice for Extreme Characterization
Most systems keep skill & stat checks simple, but there can be rewards for a more aggressive approach. A cavalcade of minor medical issues have impact the delivery of this article, causing delays....
View ArticleThe Making Of Complex Newness
A process for designing & constructing big or complex things, from spells to magic items, castles to space stations, industrial processes to political campaigns, new chemistries to better TVs and...
View ArticlePower Skills in Zenith-3 (and elsewhere)
A ‘Power Skill’ measures how adept a character is at pushing an ability beyond its normal limits. These are rules for handling them, from my Zenith-3 System, and adapting them to other game systems,...
View ArticleThe Power Of 1 on Root R
Today, I offer a new technique for rolling multiple dice many times with great efficiency. Any RPG can benefit from that! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas break. Mine was great, though not...
View ArticleThe Adverse Effects Engine
The AEE is a subsystem that slots into any RPG for simulating everything from Bad Weather to Plagues & Poisons. The Backstory A while back, I was working on an adventure for one my campaigns (being...
View ArticleTrade In Fantasy Ch. 5: Land Transport, Pt 5b
This post continues the text of Part 5 of Chapter 5. Its content has been added to the parent post here and the Table of contents updated. 5.8.1.5 Blended Models In general, the rule is one zone, one...
View ArticleTrade In Fantasy Ch. 5: Land Transport, Pt 5a
This post continues the text of Part 5 of Chapter 5. Its content has been added to the parent post here and the Table of contents updated. I have decided at the last minute to let the featured image...
View ArticleTrade In Fantasy Ch. 5: Land Transport, Pt 5 (incomplete)
We’ve used the economy to distribute fortifications, and used those to locate inns. Now let’s wrap some communities around them. Table Of Contents In parts 1-3 of this chapter: Chapter 5: Land...
View ArticleTraits of Exotic d20 Substitutes pt 3: The Really Weird
Lots of die configurations can substitute for a d20, or for 3d6. This article looks at some of the most unusual. Part 3 of 3. There’s something indescribably appropriate about writing the first words...
View ArticleTraits of Exotic d20 Substitutes pt 2: The Slightly Strange
Lots of die configurations can substitute for a d20, or for 3d6. This article looks at some of the more unusual. Part 2 of 3. Progress on writing this post has been a lot slower per word than I was...
View ArticleTraits of Exotic d20 Substitutes pt 1
There are lots of dice configurations that can substitute for a d20, or sometimes for a 3d6. This 2-part article looks deeply at some. Not all RPG players and GMs are Geeks, it has to be said, but many...
View ArticleTrade In Fantasy Ch. 5: Land Transport, Pt 4
With the economic foundations sorted, this part gets back to the distribution of fortifications, defensive networks, and Inns. Table Of Contents In part 1: Chapter 5: Land Transport 5.1 Distance, Time,...
View ArticleTrade In Fantasy Ch. 5: Land Transport, Pt 3
While working on the subject of population and its distribution, I stumbled onto a method of using a Realm’s economics for worldbuilding and history generation. Originally subordinated to the main...
View ArticleTopologia: A Strange Campaign Setting, Part 3
Today, Part 3 of the Topologia campaign setting details the Shadowfen and horrors that abide there, lots of creatures exportable to similar environments!. The Shadowfen Strictly speaking, the place...
View ArticleMichael Schumacher and RPGs
The career of Formula One legend Michael Schumacher holds some important lessons for RPG GMs. Backstory A video on the achievements of legendary F1 driver Michael Schumacher inspired this article when...
View ArticleThe Call To Arms: A Guest Article by Alexander Atoz Pt 1 of 2
Today I bring you a guest article on Wars in TTRPGs by Alexander Atoz, in two parts. Wars are inevitable in most RPGs, sooner or later, but GMs often struggle to walk the fine line between making the...
View ArticleTrade In Fantasy Ch. 5: Land Transport, Pt 2
Yet another post talking about the weather – but this time, from the perspective of what detail to throw away. Table Of Contents In part 1: Chapter 5: Land Transport 5.1 Distance, Time, &...
View ArticleTrade In Fantasy Ch. 5: Land Transport, Pt 1
The difference between the level of detail that you want when a PC is actually present and what is needed when it’s all NPCs and should happen purely in the background is almost total. Earlier...
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