Intro So a little under a year ago I posted This Piece that discussed something called the ‘Clockwork Setpiece’. This is a convenient catch-all terms used to describe things like time loops and other resetting challenges. I’m incredibly proud of that piece. I would say it’s one of my best.I’ve recently re-explored the concept in … Continue reading Revisiting the Clockwork Setpiece: Roguelikes
Tag: Systems
So You Want To Run A Bank
Intro Alright, it’s time for the last piece in this series. Or at least the last piece for the time being. As always I might revisit this if I find there’s more to say.So far we’ve broken down how currency was actually used in medieval societies and used that as a framework to more realistically … Continue reading So You Want To Run A Bank
Managing Multiple Currencies
Intro It’s time to tackle this tricky topic I first talked about over in This Piece. If you haven’t read that one then it’s not the end of the world, but it is highly related. If you’re reading this piece because you want a better understanding of medieval economics then you’ll find that piece helpful … Continue reading Managing Multiple Currencies
You’re (Probably) Using Currency Wrong
Intro So this has been loosely on my mind for a while. In the endless strive to have my games feel more immersive I’ve started running up against a few problems when it comes to money. You may well have come up against these problems yourself. The PHB’s price lists relative to villager wages are … Continue reading You’re (Probably) Using Currency Wrong
Puzzles, Time Loops and the Clockwork Setpiece
You pull yourselves up the rigging and over the ship’s handrail. The mist hangs low over the deck. You think you can see figures moving about, but nothing is distinct.“Ah,” you hear from behind you, “I thought this might happen...”Captain Broadheart is looking at his outstretched hands as his fingers trail off into the mist. … Continue reading Puzzles, Time Loops and the Clockwork Setpiece
Where The F*** Are The Dungeon Crawl Rules?
This is going to be a bit of a strange one. It’s a part-rant, part-ruleset about dungeon crawling, because a few months ago I noticed something was horribly wrong with 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons. Where The F*** Are The Dungeon Crawl Rules? Back in the day the D&D core books included very clear rules … Continue reading Where The F*** Are The Dungeon Crawl Rules?
The ‘Heroic State’: Epic Heroism, Immersion and Realism
The Apothecary hands the Paladin a vial of murky green liquid. 'This will push you beyond your normal limits, but for a price.' He crows. The Paladin does not hesitate. Lives are at stake. He downs the bottle. His blood pounds loudly in his ears, thrumming like the beating of a dragon's wings. His chest … Continue reading The ‘Heroic State’: Epic Heroism, Immersion and Realism
The Gold Problem, and Solving it with Rest Variants
This is an immediate follow-up to my most recent post here where I discussed the notion of switching between different modes of resting that changed the exact times while preserving relative time difference. I mostly discussed this in the context of pacing play and also managing your encounter quota. However, those are not the only … Continue reading The Gold Problem, and Solving it with Rest Variants
Rests, Realism and the ‘Dungeon State’
Today I'm posting one of my more successful submissions to DnDBehindTheScreem. It shares the lessons of one of my more recent undertakings as a DM: Gritty Realism and how to make it work for you (imagine that as the title of the corny self-help book you just grabbed off the shelf). Intro Firstly let's talk … Continue reading Rests, Realism and the ‘Dungeon State’
Hire-A-Healer
Today's post is a bit of a different one. This one failed to garner much traction on r/DnDBehindTheScreen, though I chalk that up mostly to when it was submitted (I live in New Zealand, so hitting peak times for posting on Reddit can be difficult). This post concerns a concept that I developed several campaigns … Continue reading Hire-A-Healer
Apothecary Press 