Tag: DnD

Daily Punch 8-22-14 Circle of the Beast Druid Circle for DnD Next

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ 4 Comments

Druid without an animal companion?!  Let’s fix that now!

 

Circle of the Beast

Animal Companion

At level 2, gain an animal companion as per the Ranger Class rules (PHB p 93).

 

Share Spell

At level 6, gain the Share Spell class feature as per the Ranger Class rules (PHB p 93).

 

Distraction

At level 10, you may impose disadvantage on one saving throw, ability check, or attack of an enemy your beast companion is engaged with.

 

Dual Strike

At level 14, on a turn following a attack by your best companion, you gain advantage on the next attack roll or spell attack roll if you attack the same enemy that your best companion attacked last turn.

 

 

Thoughts?

Daily Punch 8-21-14 Ranger Hunter Archetype Favored Terrain Benefit for DnD Next

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ 1 Comment

How about favored terrain for the Ranger?

 

Defensive Tactics

Favored Terrain.  Choose one-aquatic, desert(cold or temperate) forest, Jungle, hills, marsh, mountain, plains, urban, or underground.  While in that area gain the following benefits:

  • You have advantage on all perceptions checks
  • You have advantage on all stealth checks
  • You have advantage on all survival checks
  • You may not be surprised

 

Thoughts?

Blurbs from the Booth-Throat Punch Games at GenCon 2014!

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I was at GenCon 2014 last weekend.  I had a blast, so let’s go day by day and give you my thoughts.

 

Thursday

This day was the start to the con.  I woke up, exercised, and hit the con.  I was able to see the Geek Preacher, the people at TMG, and my friends at Arcane Wonders.  Then, it was off to work.  To even go to the con (and since I love DnD), I worked for Wizards of the Coast running games of DnD 5e.  This year I was able to get an All Access table.  All Access is a GenCon program you can enroll in that gets you a guaranteed same GM for the con, access to all the adventures DnD is running at the con, and a ton of extras gifts.  This year it was a signed copy of the DnD 5th edition Player’s handbook and a Monsters Manual over a month before it’s released to the public.  My all access table was awesome, and then I ran two regular tables.  All of that was a great time, and then I hit the hay.

Friday

Friday was my short day.  I only had two tables to run today, so I woke up, exercised, and then looked for events to sign up for.  While looking around, I found an event that only had one ticket left of 500 originally.  It cost $32, and it promised swag and board games.  Not having a clue I signed up for something called AEG Big Board Game Night.  I run my two tables (having a blast) and then headed off to the Game Night-still without a clue as to what the heck it was.  What I found out was the AEG Big Board Game Night is an event where everyone comes, plays every new board and card game AEG has out, and then gets a box of random games and the latest and greatest game from AEG at GenCon.  This year, I got a copy of Doomtown, the awesome new card game about the Deadlands, the GenCon Exclusive copy of Smash Up, Romance of the Nine Empires, and Valley of the Kings.  I played a TON of games, and had a blast.  If you get a chance, sign up!  I was lucky enough to get a ticket.  Next year, I’m signing up as soon as I can.

Saturday

Saturday was my long day.  I had an 8AM game, a 12 Noon game, and then a 6PM game.  I love DnD, but there wasn’t much time this day for any extra fun at the Con. It was an awesome day of games, culminating with the battle interactive.  I LOVE battle interactives.  I get a feeling of togetherness and of belonging when roughly 300~600 of my closest friends are all working toward a common goal.  My table was amazing.  I hit them as hard as I could, and they barely survived.  Afterwards, we all exchanged contact information, and I said good bye to my all access table.  They were a great bunch of people, and I forward to seeing and playing with them again.  I ran from that game to the Secret Gaming Cabal Podcast meet-up.  I love listening to this podcast, and at their meet-up they were giving away games, so why wouldn’t a board game and Podcast fan be there!  Last year, I won a copy of Pixel Lincoln, and this year I won a copy of Guile and This Town Isn’t Big Enough for the 2-4 of Us.  I wish I could have stayed longer, but I’m slowly going deaf and it was way too loud in the bar where they had the event.  I decided to grab a bit to eat then meet up with the other DnD judges to celebrate the end of a great con.

Sunday

This was my day completely off.  I started like most other days.  I worked out, ate some food, and then headed to the Christian Mass at GenCon headed up by the Geek Preacher.  I’m a Roman Catholic, but this mass is the most spiritual thing I experience every year.  It’s the one mass I don’t skip out early after communion.  This is a community I WANT to be part of.  If your Christian and at GenCon, its free and an excellent use of your time.  Plus, anytime a mass mentions Dr. Who, you know it’s going to be a wild ride.  Check it out here http://ow.ly/AxTsM Then I hit the main floor.  I played a bunch of Stronghold Game’s games hoping to bet a half price Voluspa for playing five games, but while I was playing my game, they sold out.  Buonocore!  I’LL GET MY COPY OF VOLUSPA ONE DAY!  AND NOW I HAVE TO BUY PANAMAX ALSO!  It was fun, but then I hit the rest of the floor and meandered around.  I saw a few friends, made a few minor purchases, and then went home.  I can’t wait till next year!

 

Next Year’s Geek Goals

Last year, I wrote down my geek goals.  I got some done and some I didn’t.  Let’s write down next year’s goals and this year we will add dates to help guide what I’m doing!

  • Daily posts to Throat Punch Games-That’s been going well
  • Monday board game reviews-Going well, too.
  • Wednesday RPG reviews-Again going well, and lots of fun
  • Friday opinion pieces-I’ve been ok, but I need to be better about this.
  • Fix up Throat Punch Games-Site looks like crap, so I’m going to make it look pretty-goal-October
  • Kick off a podcast-I want to get a few of my friends together to record a biweekly podcast-goal-November
  • Kick off youtube review/instructions/unboxing videos-I’d like to move into reviews on youtube, and I’m hoping to do one every three weeks-goal-January
  • Get writing more-I’ve been doing lots of reviews for my site, but I haven’t written many adventures. I’m going to submit more adventures for publication
  • A PDF of Throat Punch Games on Drive Through RPG-We’re going to make a nice PDF of all of my ideas-goal-March.
  • Post every game I play on Board Game Geek-Check my progress!
  • Daily RPG suggestions on Twitter-I love RPGs, and I ‘ve been thinking about writing ideas/suggestions for the RPGs and groups. Let’s see what Throat Punch Games can do to help the RPG world in 100 characters? Goal-one week!
  • KEEP PLAYING!

 

So those are my goals.  What do you think?  Like what I got?  Hate what I’m doing?  You tell me!

Daily Punch Ready for the Strike Feat for DnD Next

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A lot of powers give you disadvantage in DnD Next.  How about a feat to help counter that….

 

Ready for the Strike

you know that your blade is about to be knocked aside, so you stop your opponent from doing just that.

Benefit:  Gains the following:

  • Gain a +1 to strength or dexterity to a maximum of 20
  • When you make a melee attack and an opponent imposes disadvantage on your strike, once per round you are not considered disadvantaged for that one strike.

 

Thoughts?

Blurbs from the Booth-The End of the Sundering

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I just finished reading the Sundering series for the Forgotten Realms.  I’ve reviewed them all Here:

Book 1- https://throatpunchgames.com/2013/11/14/book-bout-the-companions-the-sundering-book-1/

Book 2- https://throatpunchgames.com/2013/11/14/book-bout-the-godborn-the-sundering-book-2/

Book 3- https://throatpunchgames.com/2014/01/22/book-bout-book-review-of-the-sundering-book-iii-the-adversary/

Book 4- https://throatpunchgames.com/2014/03/16/book-bout-book-review-of-the-sundering-book-iv-the-reaver/

Book 5- https://throatpunchgames.com/2014/04/18/book-bout-book-review-of-the-sentinel-the-sundering-book-v/

Book 6- https://throatpunchgames.com/2014/07/27/book-bout-book-review-of-the-herald/

 

Now that it’s done, what do I think?  Let’s answer a few yes/new questions to keep thing simple (somewhat…):

Will I read more Forgotten Realms Books: yes*

Am I happy with what the Sundering did to the Realms: no**

Do I think the Sundering is a good way to bring new people into FR: yes***

Did you think the Sundering novels had a formula: yes

If you thought the Sundering novels had a formula, did you like it: no****

Are you still a Forgotten Realms fan: yes

Will you run Forgotten Realms games in the future: yes

Was the number of novels appropriate for the setting: no****

Are you glad you read these novels: yes

 

 

How about you?  Have you read the Sundering?  What did you think?  Fill out my survey above and tell me what you thought!

 

*-I was invested in the Realms before.  It was the first real fantasy setting I was part of, so its got a place in my heart.  Some of the books really made me happy to be reading them.  Others….I more suffered through.  I still don’t really like Drizzit, but for some of the new characters, I would like to learn more about them.

 

**-The Sundering, to a large extent, treated the fourth edition Forgotten Realms as a mistake.  I LOVED the fourth edition Forgotten Realms!  But, then again, I loved fourth edition.  For the most part, anything that was novel (pun intended) about the Realms was washed away by the Sundering.  I can deal with that, but since I spent a lot of time and energy to learn and loved that material, it felt like a small slap in the face.

 

***-This really varied book by book.  Some books did an excellent job introducing established people and the Forgotten Realms as a whole.  Some books made even me, who has read 20 to 30 of these novels, not know who the author was talking about.

 

****-The formula to me was: 1)introduce some established people/make some people, 2) introduce the setting 3)introduce a problem for the people in the setting 4)change the setting back to 3.5 Forgotten Realms to fix the problem .  I didn’t think FR was broken, so I don’t like some solutions.  Seeing everything you’ve learned about and cared about changed to move things back to where they were was somewhat saddening.  I have the same problem with comics.  Comics are a sine wave.  If you pick any point on a sine wave, and draw a parallel line to the horizon, you will eventually hit a point exactly as far from zero on the wave again.  To you the wave never changed if you have those two points as your reference.  Comics are the same way: Spider-Man is married-single-then married, Wolverine is alive-dead-alive,  People are on a team-kicked off-back on.  Nothing changes.  You don’t want to rock the formula that works for the comics.  Fourth edition changed things.  Now, it’s back to where it was again.  I don’t want things to change if the change doesn’t matter.  Why bother making things different if they can’t stay different?  No one grows or evolves if everything goes right back to where it started.

 

*****-What I would have loved to see at the end of the sundering was a setting guide.  I’ve heard this complaint repeated several times.  I want to know how things are in the world.  I have a few points of light at best as to what is going on, but for the most of the realms, I don’t have a clue.  I want to jump back into the realms with both feet!  Let’s start gaming!

Book Bout- Book Review of The Herald

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ 1 Comment

 

Book– The Herald: The Sundering, Book VI

Author– Ed Greenwood

Buy It Here– http://www.amazon.com/Herald-Sundering-Book-VI-ebook/dp/B00H6J6KQQ/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406468742&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=the+harald+Ed+Greenwood

TL;DR– I need more background-66%

 

Basics– Magic is wild in Faerun.  Elminster is working frantically with the bard of Shadowdale and his too many great grand niece to fix the remainder of the magic weave.  However, new threats to Candlekeep and Myth Drannor call him to save the world once again.  Can he stop evil liches, an army, and the combined force of the Princes of Shade all at once?  Will he save magic once again or is the goddess of magic lost forever?

 

Story-This story was kind of hard to get into.  A major problem of this story is the lack of background and some daus ex machina.  Stories are continued from previous novels without really giving a introduction of what happened before.  The Sundering was ment to be a great introduction to the realms, but this didn’t really introduce me to what happened before or during.  The ending of the book kind of came out of nowhere and was completely fuled by daus ex machina.  I’m fine with some of that, but I never really felt all that interested in what was going on.  So, I wasn’t really interested in the ending. I’m happy to have learned more about the realms, but I’m equally happy to be done with the book.  I listened to the audiobook, but I never really felt pulled into the book.  I was mostly moving through to finish the book. 2.5/5

 

Setting– Ed Greenwood invented the Forgotten Realms, so he’s great at sending you to a place that he’s invented.  I would like a bit more introduction of what some things are though (that will be a common complaint through this review).  Aside from any minor problems I had with the setting, I did feel like I was in the realms when I read this book. 4.5/5

 

Characters-I know who NONE of these characters are.  I’ve read several Forgotten Realms books, so this isn’t my first rodeo.  Most of the other Forgotten Realms/Sundering books have done a fare to good job introducing who any of these characters are and why they matter.  This book brought in random people who, if you’ve followed all of Ed Greenwood’s books before, are important, but I had no idea who they were even at the end of the book.  I learned a bit about some of the characters, but not enough to judge if some of the main characters were written against type.  Elminster is Elminster, so that’s done well, but the rest I was kind of lost on. 3/5

 

Summary-The main problem I had with this book is background.  Ed Greenwood made my favorite fantasy setting, and he carved out a section of it for himself to write in.  However, I didn’t feel like he tried to include me in his world.  I didn’t know who anybody was for the longest time, so I didn’t feel engaged.  I finished this one mostly because I wanted to know about the Realms and the Sundering.  I’m glad I read this, but I’m kind of equally glad it’s done.  66%

 

Book Bout-Book review of The Sentinel: The Sundering, Book V

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ 1 Comment

Book– The Sentinel: The Sundering, Book V

Author – Troy Denning

Price- $8

TL;DR– Not bad, but Sundering formulaic 80%

Basics– How faithful are you?  Kleef stands as the last worshiper of Helm, the dead god of law and service in Toril.  As a watchman he is dragged into a struggle to save two chosen of two different gods have stolen a power artifact of a third god to inspire a divine love triangle with two other gods.  Along the way, a third chosen is dragged into service to try to save Toril.  Can Kleef stand firm in the Forgotten Realms as even his god has seemed to abandon him as he travels to world to save it?

Setting– This is a fairly standard Forgotten Realms story.  The world and story feel like it’s in the Realms as lots of the high notes that have been going through the world are mentioned.  The story does go to some specific Realms spots so it is a Realms story.  As this is primarily a traveling story, the pace makes set building a bit hard and that makes the setting and story suffers a little. 4.5/5

Characters– I felt that characters were a bit off.  Nothing horrible, but the seemed somewhat wishy-washy.  The most fleshed out and stable character was the chosen of the death god.  I felt sometimes the choices the characters made were not the real choice or action the characters should have made.   It’s not story ending, but it did affect my enjoyment a bit. 3.5 /5

Story– The story isn’t bad.  It’s basically the Lord of the Rings in a single book.  That’s not bad as most Dungeons and Dragons quests are like that, but having more time to build sets would help a traveling story.  This book is one of the shorter Sundering books which is good as some stories have dragged on a bit longer then they should.  But, it’s also bad as this book could have used a bit of padding in some places.  4/5

Summary– This isn’t a bad book.  If you’re reading the Sundering like me, then this is one of the better ones.  If you want an introduction to the Realms, then this might not be the best book for you.  The book follows the standard Sundering formula, but don’t let that distract you.  If you want to learn about the return of some of the more important Toril gods, then this is right up you alley.  80%

Book Bout-Book Review of The Sundering Book IV: The Reaver

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Book– The Sundering Book IV: The Reaver

Author – Richard Lee Byers

Price- $19

TL;DR– An Ok Realms story. 73%

Basics–  Set sail for adventure. The Reaver follows the story of Anton Marivaldi, former sailor turned pirate.  Anton and his crew kidnap a boy prophet of Lathander, a formally dead deity.  Anton is betrayed by his crew, and escapes with the boy.  The two have different goals with one trying to sell the other and the boy trying to make his way across the world on a quest he doesn’t understand, but they work together as they can’t survive alone.  Along the way they encounter the church of the evil sea god Umberlee, Thay wizards, a plan to save the Sea of Fallen Stars, and possibly redemption and rebirth.

Setting– The book does feel like it belongs in the Forgotten Realms.  I’ve always considered the Forgotten Realms to be the “God” setting with much of what’s going on having to do with evil gods making plans against the good people of the Realms.  This story is entirely motivated by a good god plans to help the world, an evil gods power grabs, and a lich trying to become a god. 5/5

Characters–  The book falters here a bit.  Anton is the “main” character even though the book is an ensemble cast.  He gets the most screen time, but he also tends to be the one I have the most problems with.  He’s a cold hearted pirate!  But, then he decides to give it all up and help the boy.  He says he’s this monster stating every horrible thing he’s did before the story starts, BUT, given the slightest provocation, he only does good, honorable things.  It felt a bit disingenuous as if he was merely boasting.  3/5

Story– The book falters a bit here too.  It runs a bit longer then it needs to.  When you get into the story, it’s not bad, but I found myself asking “Is this the end yet?” a few too many times.  Also, the book is a bit hard to get into.  You don’t really like the main character for the longest time, and since you spend a long time with him, it’s hard to get into the book.  Brevity and trimming a few of the scene might have helped this story.  That said, I also wanted a bit more in the end.  The book kind of ends abruptly with the character making some quick plans and the book just ending.  Everything is resolved, but I felt like it needed a bit more. 3/5

Summary– Of the Sundering books, this one is probably my least favorite so far.  I’m glad I read it, and anyone who loves the Realms should sit down and read this too.  But, if you want a good introduction to the world of the forgotten Realms, this might not be the best choice.  It’s not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s not the best book I’ve ever read.  73%%

Audiobook Bonus Round!-  I listened to this book as an audiobook.  That may have hurt my impression of this book.  Eugene H. Russell IV isn’t a bad narrator, but he has the habit of breaking into Shatner-esque diction.  Some passages were amazingly clear, but others sounded as if a computer had read the passage with awkward pauses inserted between words. 3/5

Book Bout-Book Review of The Sundering Book III: The Adversary

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Book– The Sundering Book III: The Adversary

Author – Erin M. Evans

Price- $8

TL;DR– Another good addition to the Sundering lineup 80%

 

Basics–  Time to return to the Realms.  Erin M. Evans returns to the Forgotten Realms continuing the story of Farideh and Havilar.  Farideh makes a deal with a devil and ends up being teleported through time.  Now Ferideh is caught up in a plot involving Asmodeus’ continuing godhood, devils vying for power, Netheril, and trying to do the right thing.  Havilar has to face the realities of what seven years can do to a relationship with a crown prince in Cormyr.

 

Setting– This book feels like it’s in the realms.  Everything feels right.  Lots of realm lore comes into play and those of us who are read lots of Forgotten Realms books will feel right at home and get a knowing wink from the author.  New readers will get a good background to at least part of the world. 4/5

 

Characters– This is truly an ensemble book.  Heck, the author doesn’t just have a main character; she’s got twin sisters running around stirring up trouble.  Every character gets a bit of time to shine, and when I was finished, I didn’t have a standout character who was my favorite.  I rooted for everybody all the way through.  However with the number of character running around, I did get a little confused from time to time on who someone was. 4/5

 

Story– I’ve talked before about the Sundering, and this book follows the same formula.  It takes a good story, introduces major players and what they’ve done since the last realms books came out, and sets up the characters for another book trilogy.  I like the story that this book has while it does set up major events in the realms, and I most likely will pick up the following trilogy.  The story itself is a bit long for my taste, and I did take a few breaks while getting through it.  I might not been the greatest page turner, but I am glad I read it.  4/5

 

Summary– I liked this story, maybe not as much as other Sundering books, but I did like this.  I know more about the realms now than I did before and want to see where it goes from here.  I like the characters I read about, and am honestly interested in what happens to them.  I can easily recommend this book. 80 %