Stranger Things, Adventurers League, and New Players

Recently, I discovered the joy of the Netflix series, Stranger Things. In addition to being an eighties movie pastiche, Stranger Things is celebration of 80's pop culture, fads, and trends. Among them is a game of particular fondness of this blog, Dungeons & Dragons. While I am not quite old enough to have played the Red Box bought from a toy store, I am old enough to have seen the advertisements. As I lamented previously, I don't recall ever seeing any of those D&D games in stores although I kind of looked...


Trip down memory lane over. Back on topic. Anyway the kid group plays D&D, which winds up playing a major role in Stranger Things. I may quibble about accuracy; but how consistently were the rules played from group to group back in those days. Especially among kids. I mean look at Monopoly. How many people actually read those rules? May not have had the disdain I held against board games for as long as I did if we had... In any case, the Dungeons & Dragons play in Stranger Things does reflect play accurately among kids of that age group. Whatever that age group is as I am not sure how old they actually are...


As an aside, the Upside-Down is a smashingly great idea that WotC should capitalize on. Sure, there's echoes of it here and there but it was never a cornerstone of any D&D game I ever participated in. When the 'Demogorgon' hops from plane to plane is very reminiscent of monsters travelling to and from the Ethereal Plane. Sure, there's the Plane of Shadow but that didn't really become into its own until 4th Edition. The Upside-Down could serve as fodder for really nasty Umbral realm or a post-apocalypse Penumbra in World of Darkness games.


So watching Stranger Things does really inspire me to play D&D. Particularly simpler D&D. Since there isn't any nearby OD&D, B/X, BECMI, or retro clone games occurring in the area, fifth edition is probably as close as I'll get. Wouldn't you know my local FLGCS runs Adventurers League games.


Recently I sat at an Adventurers League table hosted by my FLGCS and other than the adults, such as myself, playing and DMing I'd swear it was like watching the cast of Stranger Things (okay maybe younger...) game! There was same intense passion, excitement, and energy. Tactical combat? We don't need no stinking tactical combat was the mantra. Combat happened. They went full bore. In short, the one encounter adventuring day.


Adventurers League doesn't do the one encounter day. AL doesn't do 'OMG it's Demogorgon!' day. It does three encounters although the final encounter does include a boss like 'Demogorgon', ie Big Bad. Adventurers League is designed for the convention audience in mind. The serious player who wants to be challenged each encounter until final battle when they just have their weapons and cantrips against the Big Bad.


Except unlike the days of the RPGA, AL mods can be run at home or at game stores. Unlike the days of Red Box or pre-4th edition D&D (although 4th wasn't that expensive), I can't imagine young players as young or younger than the Stranger Things group plunking down $150 for the core set to play D&D. So they aren't going to play at home. They will probably play at a store. So instead of gaming among each other they'll be gaming with teens and adults. Participating in D&D play that doesn't necessarily fit their natural 'all spells at once' style.


Don't get me wrong that can be fun for a 2 hour 1 - 4 level mod that doesn't follow the typical mode of tough, tough, very tough with maybe a short rest allowed in between. Otherwise, it falls on the adults to shoulder the way through the mod while ensuring the new, young players have fun. Which is all fun and games until an adult's PC dies. Character death is one thing but no one wants to cycle through characters when they otherwise wouldn't.


Yet there's gold in them hills. Stranger Things does and has inspired a new crop of young players to try a game beloved to many gamers, Dungeons & Dragons. Adventurers League at FLCGS serve as the vehicle to try the hobby that it table-top role-playing. It would be folly not to compose modules suited to those young players play style. If not one 'Demogorgon!' encounter, but a trio of meh, meh, 'Oh, no the 'Demogorgon'! Furthermore, such a style reflects D&D's natural play style. It was only when I started playing organized play game did I encounter the tough, tough, and tough style of module. Gaming sessions wavered from the trivial to the epic. Not only would younger, newer players enjoy that style, more experienced, older players would as well.


I know I would.


So here's a call for some simpler two hour and four hour modules that new, young and older, experienced  players who just want to emulate the D&D we see in Stranger Things courtesy of Adventurers League.


Next Time,


Happy Gaming

D&D - A 2016 Toy Hall of Fame Inductee...

After my Halloween extended blogging session, I took a little hiatus from blogging. Partially to recharge. Partially because of more serious distractions, ie politics. But I am back to the blogosphere. Quite a bit I want to cover before 2017. What better way to resume than with importance of what one could call an important honorific.


Dungeons & Dragons has been inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame class of 2016! You can read more HERE.


Frankly, while I am ecstatic about the induction, I don't actually consider D&D a toy per se. Honestly, if anything Transformers would have been a more worthy induction in my eyes. A generational thing, probably. While I grew up during the eighties, I also grew up during the nineties. So while I saw advertisements for the D&D game being available in toy shops, I was either too young when the red box was available or the game had been chased out. Supposed satanic influences and all that. My exposure to D&D was within hobby shops and such. Perhaps I am being to close-minded when it comes a Toy Hall of Fame? Perhaps one day, more adult games such as Cards Against Humanity will be inducted? Either that I am just bummed that a toy that played a huge part during my childhood, ie Transformers, didn't make the cut. Oh well, I suppose there's plenty of time for Transformers to be inducted. After all, the kids who were gifted with the Red Box of Dungeons & Dragons are probably in their forties now. So D&D's inclusion is probably a generational thing from those that could find it in a toy aisle to those that had to tromp into the unknown realm of the hobby shop.


Not saying, I didn't encounter D&D in toy form. Or figurine form is more like it. Back when the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon was reaching its nadir, I came across what I thought were D&D figures. I did buy one. Okay, it was bought for me. Don't remember what it was. It was monstrous looking creature wielding what I suppose was a sling. To my consternation, the limbs were not interposable like other action figures. Never saw them again. That was the only time I recall seeing Dungeons & Dragons in a toy aisle. Perhaps the red box was there too.


So Happy Induction into the Toy Hall of Fame D&D! If I am not whole-heartedly embracing the induction, it's due more to awkwardness than anything else.


Happy Gaming.

D&D 4E: "Wizards in +20 Godplate..."

Way, way, way back when the latest edition of Dungeons and Dragons debuted many criticisms were leveled. One criticism that I partially shared was the notions of Wizards wearing plate armor. Granted, when the criticism was leveled it was along the lines of wearing Godplate armor. Hence, the title of this post.

As a relatively long-term Dungeons and Dragons player, the notion of Wizards wearing plate armor was a little taboo. However, that particular setting aspect could be ignored for the coolness factor. The major concern was balance. After all, Why wouldn't a Wizard wear plate armor?

Being an early champion of Fourth Edition, I had answers. Since Wizards weren't proficient they'd have to purchase the feat proficiencies. Which if the player wants to play a decent Wizard the character is unlikely to qualify for the feats. Counter-argument: wear the armor unproficient. The penalty isn't all that bad. With little play experience under my belt, I couldn't provide a valid counter.

Since that time, I have played a Wizard quite a bit in Living Forgotten Realms. With all that experience, I have come to a conclusion. It matters. Keeping track of bonuses and penalties is a pain. Even with the accounting, every penalty adds up especially when a characer does't have that many bonuses to begin with. So why not wear godplate? You can but the character won't be as effective.

Bat-Man and D&D alignments

Here's a link to the blog Geek Orthodox's post called the Many Alignments of Batman. To sum it up, its a picture with a line or two matching Batman with each D&D alignment. Felt I would provide a link cause I thought it was very neat.

Look what WotC is providing for 'free'

Over at Wizards web site, one can download a somewhat revised copy of Keep on the Shadowfell for free along with a couple other things. Here's a link. Its nice to see that Wizards is offering something to lure new groups in. Although as someone who owns a copy I admit that its a bit irritating that a PDF of the module is being offered for free. However, the PDF contains a revised version that may improve the module. Therefore I can accept a free PDF. It beats pouring through errata and trying to apply it to a session. Now I can just print out the pages that contain the changes and insert them into my hardcopy.

My Reaction to WotC's PDFgate Part 1

When I read over on James Mishler's blog that WotC had pulled its PDFs from OBS, I was irked. As time grew and I learned more, I became upset. I am an example of a customer who purchased legacy D&D PDFs. WOTC's removal of the ability to use up the remaining downloads of those legacy products, as well as purchase of other legacy products, irritates me. This irresponsible action hinders my ability to download replacement copies, purchase other old products, and harms my faith in OBS. If WotC can do this, what's to stop other publishers from doing this as well? Heck, I have been considering purchasing PDFs of the soon-to-be-discontinued Dying Earth RPG. Can I trust that those Dying Earth files that I purchased will be available past the end of April? And the source of this lack of confidence, an attempt to prevent piracy. By removing a legal avenue for PDFs, piracy will be fought. Mind-boggling.

All that said I could see how all the anger towards Wizards was overblown. And I'll make those comments in a month or two. If I care enough to remember to post, I am one of the affected customers. I don't want to waste my energies defending Wizards.

Sadly it was along my desire not to defend Wizards that eventually led to me desire to make this post. Over in the comments section of the OBS rant, James Mishler made a couple comments that shattered my attempts to remain calm and rational about the PDF situation. I have known and gamed with James for about four years. During this time, I played the role of devil's advocate. When 4E was announced and coming, I practically played the role of a patron saint. From personal experience, I knew that at the Tuesday game there would be a rant against WotC. With history as a guide, I would defend Wizards. Didn't I say that I didn't want to defend them. So irrationally I became upset.

I remained upset such that I was unable to make my comments until now. Taking a sabbatical from all forms of D&D was looking like the only option. Yep, 'don't sweat the small stuff' is not my forte. Although I will admit I had reached my acceptance phase when I went to tonight's game. After all by that point in time, I had purchsed a 3.x D&D book. So I doubted that any sabbatical would last. One of the pick up games is D&D. My resolution was looking more and more childish. By the time I got to where we game, I had decided that there wouldn't be any sabbatical. There the general consensus was that it didn't pay to be angry over the latest angering move by Wizards/Hasbro. Why sweat over what is unimportant in the long run?

Two positives have emerged. As Zachary the First mentions, with links, on his blog, other companies are offering deals on some PDF products. Hopefully, more bargains will be offered in the future. Perhaps more silver linings will emerge from this cloud?

The second positive that has emerged from this ... event... is that I am now willing to make a Classic Traveller character. So I wouldn't mind if we played some Classic Traveller instead of AD&D 1E. I have always wanted to play Traveller, especially the classic version given my current interest in older games. My only obstacle was that I didn't want to make a character. After all, why make a CT character when we could play 1E instead? Hopefully, this event will lead to some CT playing. I know the other players and James have invested a lot of time and effort into a Traveller campaign that hasn't been played.

I think its about time that changed. That is if everyone is willing.

Added a 4E related link

I added Dreams of a Kobold King live journal to my Comics and Games links list. At this point in time, I'm comfortable with fan made creations for 4E D&D. My change in attitude has come about because I once again I again embrace the hobbyist aspect of this hobby. Also, not playing LFR all that much helps too. Learned about the site via ENWorld when I checked out the spoilers on the Sorceror.

4E game part 2 tonight

Well, tonight is the second, and probably the last, session of my 4E pick up game. I've enjoyed it. Perhaps I'll comment on my 4E experience thus far as I now have three sessions under my belt now.

Later, I'll also comment on the future of my Pathfinder game as well as other gaming activity as soon as I learn more... Good times.

4E Next Week

I'm actually going to play some 4E next week. There's talk of playing a LFR session on Monday all that's required is finding a place to play - and ordering a mod. I plan on playing a human control wizard which I made in June. Only took me twenty-nine minutes for character generation. When I transfer the character to a character sheet I'll also add the details for having Waterdeep as a background. Don't know what I'll pick for a bonus language yet. Looking forward to seeing the Swordmage in action.

This Tuesday I was going to run my 4E pick-up game with pre-gens until two players couldn't show up. Of course, at the other two players urging, the game will occur this coming Tuesday cause they want to play the PCs they made. When I said I preferred pre-gens cause it was just a pick-up game. Since I believe they'll use those characters when they do play LFR (neither are playing in Monday's potential session) I don't feel to bad. So next week three players will venture through a modified Kobold Hall. Maybe a fourth player but I won't hold my breath knowing his attitude towards 4e...

An announcement regarding my Pathfinder game

There have been two sessions during the month of August. Some big things happened. I just happened commented on them yet due to both time and desire. So that will come later...

What I want to announce is that my Pathfinder game is going on "hiatus". One player can't make it for the time being while another player doesn't know whether or not his fall semester schedule will allow it. Since the game "requires" at least four players, I'm not going to run it until I have at least four players for sure.

Meanwhile, I plan to run an interim 4E pick-up game. I want to know how adjustable the new edition is as well as get a better feel for how much I like the new edition. Basically, I want to get the "new hotness" feeling out of my system.

Then again, things could change next week. After all, I almost a ran a 4E game around two months ago that never went past the planning stages...

Game reports...or bullet points...

Instead of making separate posts for each game I played until now, I'm just going to lump them together. I'm not going to go in-depth.

Pathfinder 6/17/08 continued.

1. If the players aren't familiar with the poison rules (3.5), they are now. To be fair, a comment queried what the Pathfinder ruling was. There isn't discernible change on the issue that was at hand. That concerns me. Why? Its hard to eventually post actual playtest feedback on the Paizo boards when there is no grounded basis for said feedback. Especially when the players encounter the new Pathfinder rulings during play having not read them.
2. The players felt the quick death suffocation rules from the l.s. (no PC identified it) to be unrealistic. I think they'll feel that the drowing rules are bit too sudden when they encounter them later. I know one player commented that I should bring it up to Paizo. More on that concept in a different post.
3. Rurik the Dwarf Bard CN replaced the fallen wizard. On the whole, the player commented that he liked the Pathfinder Bard much more than the 3.x bard. I happen to agree.
4. Forgot to check if the two clerics could make untrained knowledge checks on the symbol on the earth elemental.

James Mishler's 1E game 6/24/08

Both of my characters, Friar Pudge and Twidorek (who is CN by the way) got captured due to an ambush by the bandits that serve a follower of the evil elemental prince of fire. Two PC's got away. Overall, this was more of session spent on the sidelines for me . Still I enjoyed it immensely. The session was an excellent example of die-roll based storytelling.

4E game session

Liked it. Both combats created a sense of tension that character death could happen while at the same time not stressing out about "instant" death. Kind of hard to play. The death save caused every player to worry about whether or not the should heal or stabilize a fallen comrade. 4E has made archers/crossbow(men) more fearsome than 3.x ever did. The combat encounter terrain was set up in such a way that heavy armor was a nuissance during combat. Everyone commented that once one grasped the gist of the rules that the rules are simpler than 3.x. Well, the rules are simple with pre-gens anyway... As much as disdain the use of minis, I actually want to use them with 4E. Excited too. Need to play fourth edition more in order to form a firmer opinion on it.

Pathfinder 7/1/08

When two players heard that two other players wouldn't be able to play, they opted to play board games. Honestly, the next three encounters could be brutal enough that I wanted as many of the players there as possible. Especially since two of those encounters are underwater with no light. We played munchkin instead.

Monday 3.5 game 7/7/08

I actually think this deserves its own post now that I think about it.

James Mishler's 1E game 7/8/08

Cancelled for reasons mentioned in his blog.

Get to play 4E

A surprising turn of events happened last week. Since the announcement of the fourth edition of Dungeons and Dragons (named so anyway), I expected to run the game more than play it. In fact, I've spent two or three weeks trying to set up a game to pretty much no avail. It would have been a solo game. So I realy wasn't expecting to get much experience with 4E for some time. Then last week, I found out someone was going to run a one or two shot 4E game on a Monday. Tonight is that Monday. Looking forward to actually playing, not running, a fourth edition session.