The All in 1 Challenge: The Tavern Companion

Hello all! It's been a while since our last post but we have been extremely busy! We have been working on several projects both for ourselves and other companies and content producers, it's been an exciting time!

Recently we received an email about a campaign Kickstarter was running called All in 1
The challenge encourages creators to produce a campaign that:

Only lasts 1 week
Only has one reward option
Only has digital rewards (1's and 0's challenge)

We really liked the sound of this challenge and were inspired by it, we thought the concept would fit perfectly for one of our smaller projects we were planning to release later this year. We decided to take on all aspects of the challenge, we wanted to embrace the idea of All in 1 and see what we could come up with. Our aim was to build a campaign that would only last 1 week, only had 1 reward, only cost £1 to back and to top it all we wanted to build the campaign within 1 hour!

It was a tough challenge but our success with building this campaign within an hour boils down to organisation and communication. We began with an outline and immediately split up the jobs we needed to complete, as we completed tasks we would add it to the campaign. The elements came together pretty quickly, the longest part of putting the campaign together was the editing and proofing of the whole thing. The only thing we weren't able to put together in time was a video. We nearly had it finished but our time was up. We could have added it before we launched the campaign or even added it afterwards but we wanted to stay true to our mission, we were going to do everything 'All in 1" We began our build at 09:50 and the project was launched at 10:53, we had completed our All in 1 challenge.

By working together we put together something we are really proud of and at this point we are nearly 50% funded in less than 24hours! Considering we had no pre-campaign strategy and we literally decided to do this yesterday morning we are really shocked by this! There has been a lot of support so far by some amazing backers and people's generosity has been really overwhelming .

So thank you to everyone that has backed us so far! We are looking forward to the rest of this very short campaign and seeing what we can achieve together!!





Here is a little bit about the project:


The product we are offering is a Tavern Companion, it's an A4 sized PDF that will span around 50-100 pages (backer contributions dependant). It is focused around the taverns found in the fantasy RPG Setting and is a celebration of our love for them. The Companion contains the following:

 - A list of 25 taverns complete with descriptions
- A set of 10 fully fleshed out NPC's ready to meet your characters!
- A list of 100 quest hook ideas and random Tavern noises that can be heard at the bar
- A list of drinks and services available to your players; everything from dwarven ale to eleven wine!

The campaign offers the chance for backers to submit their own tavern and NPC ideas to add to the book! One backer has already decided to add 3 NPC's as they wanted to add their old group to the book; he liked the idea of the three of them still hanging out in a tavern together! We loved that idea and we encourage any and all creativity that we can build on to add to the finished product.

We also just wanted to clarify why we are asking so little for this book at this time. It is simply because we are trying to show everyone what we can do, we have had a number of backers pledge more than we have asked for and we have been overwhelmed with the support and we can't thank them enough!

If you have anymore questions check out our campaign or ask below and we will try and answer them as soon as possible!

You can also check us out on Twitter @WisSave

‪
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1445413956/the-tavern-companion

10 rounds of initiative: The dice tell a story, should we change that?

Hello its time to roll for initiative once again and this week we are talking fudging dice rolls and the stories the dice weave.

Behind the safety of the screen that divides DM's from their players, it can be tempting to falsify or 'fudge' the rolls that are made. This is often a benevolent act that prevents harm from coming to our players but it can sometimes be a way for DM's to prevent the story from going in a direction they didn't expect or plan for.

Some people view this as breaking the game whereas some would argue that they are doing it for the benefit of  player experience.

When I first started DMing I didn't have a screen, we all rolled our dice openly and dealt with the consequences. I started using a screen to hide the minis and the various props I use during games, but I came to realise that I missed that tension whenever I rolled the dice; I missed the effect that natural twenties from enemies had on the players at the table.

Last week I spoke about the mystery and superstition surrounding dice and I think the same is true regarding this topic. There's something about that moment when the stakes are high and the PC's are facing certain doom and only one thing can save them. The player pitches their dice across the table, that familiar sound echoes across the tabletop as the players sit with baited breath, until it lands on that magical number that makes everyone jump from the table.

My point is, it is the rolls of the dice that make the game so much fun; similar to the times of epic heroism there is nothing more memorable or fun than a player continuously failing their constitution saving throws time and time again (usually as the lay facedown on the sticky floor of a tavern), allowing their unconscious stupor to continue for a comical about of time. If you saw the Acquisitions Inc game at PAX south last weekend you would know what I mean.

I have what I would call truly fudged a dice roll once before, it was during one of my first groups games. I was piloting a character whose player couldn't attend, I had set up an encounter that would be bloody and brutal for the group. During the battle the character I was player was knocked unconscious, the group battled on and I had to roll her first death saving throw....a natural one! Realising the urgency of the situation, the group spent their turns scrambling towards her unconscious body fighting through waves of enemies, but none could get close enough. I rolled the second death saving throw, which landed behind my DM's guide.....another natural one! The group stared at me with despair and concern; I told them it was an eleven. The next round they brought her back to consciousness and formed up around her, fighting off every enemy until they were all defeated. It was an epic battle to be sure with a heroic ending, but I couldn't help but feel that I had cheated.

At the time I could not in all good conscience knowingly kill off another players character without them being there, but I wouldn't expect any of my players to falsify a dice roll so why should I get away with it? Now, I hardly ever fudge my rolls though it is difficult not too if it means the player gets to pull off something cool or memorable, so ultimately I sit on the fence regarding this subject; fudging dice rolls? Only for the rule of cool.

It is a messy subject to talk about, but we want to know what you think:

To DM's:

Do you fudge dice rolls?

If so, why?

To Players:

Would you be ok with your DM fudging their rolls?

let us know @WisSave or use #10Rounds

10 Rounds of Initiative: Dice Jail

There is just something about these polyhedral dice that stirs something deep within my nerdy soul. After rolling my first set during my first ever game it awoke a primitive beast with an insatiable hunger for dice, or at least thats how I justify buying every set of dice I see!

This blog idea came to me as I brought my last set of dice, no wait, I didn't mean last set a meant most recent set of dice, phew I panicked there for a second.

Some of you may have seen the dice I recently brought on Twitter (pictured right). I picked these up from my local game shop called Grinning Demon. 

While I was making my purchase and already deciding that these dice would be used for fire damage and red dragons, I began talking with the shops owners about dice addiction.

One of them argued that they were searching for their lucky dice. That their perpetual purchasing of polyhedral dice was a quest for that one die that would grant them the nat 20's they craved. 

The other owner immediately countered the remark with "theres no such thing as lucky dice"

This experience got me thinking a lot about the dice we buy and for some reason, love to look at pictures of? Yes I am talking to you! These funny shaped objects with numbers etched on them draw a lot of superstition and mystery. 

The two main people that I associate with dice reverence are Wil Weaton and Laura Bailey. Every tabletop gamer is aware of Wil Weaton's supposed dice curse and those of you that have seen it in action when he played Thorbir on Critical Role firmly believe in its existence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGaISHs2s7Q&index=21&list=PL7atuZxmT954bCkC062rKwXTvJtcqFB8i

It was a very entertaining thing to watch but I think I speak for everyone when I say, the moment Wil rolls a natural 20 all tabletop gamers will be living in fear until we know who the curse has settled on next. 

My second example, Laura Bailey is well known for her rather large dice collection and her pre-game ritual that helps her to select dice she will take with her into the game. 

She is also known for sending her 'unlucky' dice to Dice Jail. I personally love the idea of dice jail and I know a number of players that would use one.

I find the idea of searching for your lucky dice a great way of justifying the excessive amount of dice we dice addicts possess. 

This isn't the reason I buy dice however, although there was one time I brought a single d20 based on luck. 

I was at a gaming convention with my partner in crime Marshall and we were standing at a stall of steampunk themed merchandise and tabletop accessories. I picked up a purple d20 and admired its detail, it dropped to the floor as I went to put it back. It tumbled to the stand owners feet and landed on that magical number that makes us all twitch and squeal with excitement. The dice beast within me immediately decided that, that dice had to be ours, it was a lucky one. 

The real reason I can't top buying dice is, they are freaking cool! I love adding dice to my collection and I love bringing new players to my table and giving them a complete set to play with for a game. Even new players seem to have their own selection process when they delve into my collection, trying to pick out the coolest ones or dice that go with their character. 

Heres a couple questions for you, let us know your answers by tweeting @WisSave and send us pictures of your dice collection using #DiceFiend


Why do you buy dice?

Do you believe in lucky dice?


So it looks like we are out of initiative for this week, thank you for reading you all gain 750xp



Bonus Action:

I was interested to find out however that although there may or may not be such a thing as lucky dice, there is such a thing as biased dice. Click on the video below to find out how you check to see if your dice are biased. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI3N4Qg-JZM&t=119s

Pay to Play?

Firstly let me apologise I don't like to rant about anything to do with tabletop gaming, normally I'm full of love and hopeless passion regarding the subject but recently I've been reading a lot about people trying to get paid to run tabletop RPG's?!?

This notion just completely baffles me and fills me with despair; I understand people reaping the benefits of gaining viewers and subscribers on youtube and twitch playing DND as well as other games, but these discussions have been talking about being paid for private games. 

This conjures up many issues, firstly, it is a game that we play with friends or with people that share a passion for the game. I do not understand why people would seek out random people to play a TTRPG and hand over money just to take part? 

I would hate to sit down and add up how much money I have spent running my home games, I consider myself lucky if my players bring their own food! 
Don't get me wrong I love my current group, none of them have ever played anything like this before and nothing gives me more pleasure than presenting them with a deck of spell cards for their character or a new mini or even a set of dice. 
After I realised how into the game they were getting I brought and organised a folder for each of their characters; I just love every aspect about running a game for friends and what I get back from them is worth more than money.

That is why I cannot get my head around this idea of paying to play, it seems really impersonal and every aspect would become about the money. 

How much time would you spend prepping a game, would that effect how much you were charging? 

Would you cut a game short because the time was up rather than going with it until an appropriate moment?

 Would your rate be dependant on how 'good a DM you are?' How would you even quantify that? 

The whole situation just feels plain wrong, you couldn't justify how good you are based on your prep time or amount of years you have played, I know that GM's and DM's everywhere often spend a lot of time prepping for games and it can sometimes feel like your players don't appreciate the amount of effort that goes into it, especially if your players take a path you hadn't prepared for and end up throwing away a whole sessions prep, but when that happened to me, we had one of the best games we ever had! (I am a huge advocate for improv gaming but I'll talk about that another time). 

I think its important to remember that DMing or GMing is a choice and although some of us take up the role because no one else would (like I did) I consider it a privilege to be able to share this experience with friends or even strangers that will become friends. The process of playing RPG's for me is discovering the heroes we all want to be (after we have gotten over being power drunk murder-hobbos) and I don't think that is something we should be paying for.    

I also don't like the thought of hearing peoples awkward experiences, which I am sure would go a little something like:

 'Last night just as we were packing up our character sheets and putting away our dice, our DM turned to us and said "just leave the money on the table on the way out," and I was like, erm...sorry I don't pay for role-play"





The whole thing just makes me feel dirty and in need of a very hot shower.

My other issue with this situation is how do you know what your paying for? If a new player decides to join a group and they are paying to play are they going to be expecting what they have seen on Acquisitions inc or Critical Role? if they are I am sure they are going to leave disappointed and not likely to play again. 

If there are any situations in which you think paying to play would work please let us know, the only way I think I would have payed to play is back when I was trying to find a group to play with; if I had the option I would have jumped at the chance to pay someone and just join a group, but would I have played long term? probably not, would I have given up and not explored this amazing hobby? more than likely, would I have been disappointed that it wasn't what I had hoped it would be? maybe.

Any thoughts on the issue? Tweet at us @WisSave and by using:

#IDontPayForRolePlay 



     

10 Rounds of Initiative: A Terminally Nerdy/GoblinStomper Special

Over this weekend some interesting discussions occured regarding the expectations vs realities of playing DND or other TTRPG's in a post Critical Role world. After reading the post by Goblin Stomper and watching Terminally Nerdy's video (links below) it provoked a lot of thought.

I couldn't agree more that the recent flood of actual play podcasts and content such as Critical Role, Acquisitions Inc etc. could potentially provide an unachievable expectation for new players and future DM's, but for me, without Acquisitions inc and Critical Role I wouldn't have picked up my dice again and invited my friends back to the table to re-kindle the fun we used to have.

Because of this game I see my friends more often than I used too, have made a bunch of new ones, explored new avenues of gaming and have found a community full of creativity and imagination. I agree it's difficult to accept that we may not become as good as Matthew Mercer or Chris Perkins but its still fun to try. As long as me and my players are having fun I don't mind how we get there, and the moment I realised I didn't need to worry about my 'skill level' as a DM happened after a few sessions into our new campaign with my group.

We were a couple hours into our session, the food had turned to crumbs and most of the drinks had once again landed upon our bards character sheet. We took a break to resupply and my group left the table to go outside for a few moments, I finished up with my notes and went out to join them. As I entered the conversation two of my players were halfway through getting our ranger caught up on the last session that he had unfortunatly missed. As I listened to the two of them describe the events with enormous animated passion it became clear to me that they were talking about it as if they were actually in the world that I had built and that they weren't just sitting around a table rolling dice but actually running around the goblin filled cave clad in armour and wielding powerful magic. I felt content that my job was done, I had been able to achieve what I set out to do, I sparked that child-like imagination that I loved about the game.

Playing DND and other tabletop-RPG's to me is the pursuit of emulating the experiences we had playing pretend as children. One of my favourite memories as a child was the time when my two brothers thwarted the giant red dragon spewing hell-fire from its mouth (me standing on a chair in the garden trying to spray them with a hose); but we never talked about the children playing in the garden.

Whenever we talked about it with our parents or anyone who would listen it was always and always will be the time when the fire encapsulated their shields (dustbin-lids) as they pressed forward towards the beast; the heat almost too much to bare under their heavy metal (cardboard) armour, forcing their way closer and closer until they could plunge their Vorpal swords (wooden sticks) into the dragons heart (under my arm) and watched in awe as the gigantic beast fell lifeless to the ground (I tripped and fell off the chair). Their heroic and brave actions led them to rescue the princess (a stuffed bear) from the tallest tower (climbing frame) guarded by the fiendish creature and they returned to the city victorious. The king was so grateful for his daughters return that he held a feast in their honour (we were called in for lunch).

My point is, whenever anyone talks about our games at the table we imagine how the game went in our minds not how it happened at the table and thats good enough for me.

If anyone has ever taken on the role of the DM/GM and I mean really sat in the chair and ran a campaign however large or small, published or home-brewed; you'll know how easy it is to criticise your own performance and to think back over your past sessions and say to yourself "Oh man, I should have said this...or done that". Just remember that your players can't see the mistakes you've made or what should have been.

What I am trying to elude to here is a message to all GM's and DM's, past, present and future; in your players eyes you are the Matthew Mercers' or Chris Perkins' of your game and no one can take that away from you. Play for the fun of the game and the love of this amazing community we find ourselves a part of.

There is so much more I want to talk about but I fear we have already exceeded ten rounds. So it appears we are out of initiative and until next time.... you all earn 500xp.

Thank you for reading!


Find the original article here along with other great content:

http://goblinstomper.blogspot.co.uk


Check out the video from Terminally Nerdy which explores the topic in a very emotional thought provoking 12m29s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdmbLjNzlwI
     















http://goblinstomper.blogspot.co.uk

10 Rounds of Initiative: Side-Quests

Side Quests

It is well known that computer games were preceded by tabletop games and when you compare the two, the similarities are incredible. When playing tabletop RPGs the one thing that changes depending on who I am playing with is the use of side quests.

I started with the comparison of computer games and tabletop games because I grew up an avid gamer and a total sucker for a good RPG I could spend hours in front of. I would explore every avenue and delve into the lore and mechanics of the world I found myself in. I couldn't continue with the main storyline until every possible side quest was completed and I find myself doing the same thing today with games like The Witcher 3, Skyrim, Assassins Creed etc. These worlds are designed to give you the impression that they are endless visceral worlds and I believe it is the side-quests and the interaction with NPC's and backstory that make it so. 

In our tabletop worlds they end only when our imaginations falter, I love to include side-quests in my campaigns and I believe a cleverly constructed side quest doesn't have to detract from an overarching storyline; it can enrich and build upon character relationships and develop your heroes into the characters deserving of their epic tales. My question is this:

Do you use side quests?

How do you incorporate them into your game?

If not, why not?

The Rhokah: An army for Tolkien

Rhokah: Soldiers of the Dark Naw


By: M Harvey


Like most great campaigns there is a common enemy the protagonist faces on the battlefield. Below is the outline for an army the adventurers frequently come across.


The void between the realms where Diafol and his nine bide. Their army of years passed were made up from the most corrupt humans. They were minds, easily manipulated, souls easily demoralised. They lived in the Underworld of Naw, growing from the anguish and pain of the world that had been taken from them and so far gone they had come to no longer be living nor dead. The absence of light and being around the Nine changed their utter being. Six foot plus of pure lumbering muscle, there skin's as red as an open wound, scared and beaten. There fingers are longer, nimble with what appears to be claws for nails and their teeth, now small black arrow heads, sat in rows as the callously smile. Self aware, strong and supremely dangerous the armies on the Naw wait for the command of the nine.
These beasts began to form societies and later a fully functioning continent in the Naw. Through their malice they created a fully obedient army with its one goal. To destroy the world of light and remove the gods from there stature.

Foot Soldiers;
Light infantry beasts. Crude swords and shields but well armed. The most abundant in the Rhokah armies but not at all an easy fight. Iron armour forged to fit the joints. It's heavily spiked as further protection as well but being so heavily armoured means that they can tear through lines of men before being bought down.
Equipment:
Maces
Crude Swords
Iron Armour
Iron Shield/Buckler



Knights:
Bearing huge great shields, double handed weapons or even armed wielding two weapons, these armour clad behemoths are not a force to be reckoned with. Known for their size and strength, sweeping the battlefield they command small units of foot soldiers and are height skilled with such weapons. There strength can cleave a man in two in full armour
Equipment:
Greatswords/Greataxes
Broadswords
Steel Scutum
Steel-Plate Armoured

Archers and Infantrymen:
Trained differently to foot soldiers, both of these classes are adept with spears, bows and javelins. There size and strength makes the lethal and accurate although for manuverability they were less armour making them a more vulnerable target at the sight of battle.
Equipment:
Spears
Bows and Arrows
Wooden Buckler
Light Iron Plate Armour


Officers:
Officers are in control of single regiments. Made up of foot soldiers, Knights, archers and further militia they grace the ranks commanding orders to their men in order to stay strategically ahead in battle. Officers themselves are incredibly deadly in battle. The posses weapons ranging from giant scythes and Khopesh to Greatswords and battle axes. These weapons are often custom made to suit the officers in battle and there skill set
Equipment:
Custom swords/axes
Scythes/Khopesh
Steel shield
Steel-Plate Armour/Leather Armour



Necromancers:
These mages specialise in casting dark magic that causes curses, hexes and painful spells on their enemies. They don't pull rank and often appear over looking the battle from afar casting all manner of dark spells. There a dangerous enemy and there adept in all sorts of magic as well. All be it there power has been known to reach no limits and is rumoured that the sky has rained fire and the ground split in two during their presence in battle
Equipment:
Custom Staff
Robes
Light Steel/Leather Plates
Small Dagger/Shortsword



Captains:
Made up of the Naws fiercest and strongest warriors. They fight like no other combining magic, strength, speed and weapon skill. They are in charge of entire regiments and strategy is second to none. Above them are Generals but they are keen strategists and not so renown for their fighting. Removing a captain from battle is no small feet and changes the entire dynamic of the unit  due to their respect commanded by the troops. Double handed weapons and minimal armour may make them seem vulnerable but this only increases there dexterity on the battlefield.
Equipment:
Custom Weapon of choice traditionally double handed
Light Plate Armour/Leather Armour
Silver Armour plates traditionally enchanted




Berserkers:
Knights but bigger, more clad in armour and more ferocious. Often left in their own units as the rarely ever listen to commands given, their single purpose is to run down as many men as possible on the battlefield. Thick with armour and two handed weapons they're are simply let loose to cause as much destruction as possible during battle.
Equipment:
Two Handed Weapon
Iron/Steel Clad Armour