Roleplaying Games – Nerds on Earth https://nerdsonearth.com The best place on earth for nerds. Thu, 14 Dec 2023 20:52:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://nerdsonearth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/cropped-nerds_head_thumb2-100x100.png Roleplaying Games – Nerds on Earth https://nerdsonearth.com 32 32 All the podcasts from NerdsonEarth.com, under one umbrella. We create short run podcasts for nerds, covering D&D, Marvel, Starfinder, and more! You vote for your favorite shows and they just might get a second season. Roleplaying Games – Nerds on Earth false episodic Roleplaying Games – Nerds on Earth jason.sansbury@nerdsonearth.com podcast All the podcasts from NerdsonEarth.com, the best place on Earth for nerds. Roleplaying Games – Nerds on Earth https://nerdsonearth.com/wp-content/uploads/powerpress/noe-podcast-logo.png https://nerdsonearth.com/category/roleplayinggames/ Tabletop Takeaways: Prepping for Your Roleplaying Games https://nerdsonearth.com/2023/12/tabletop-takeaways-prepping-for-your-roleplaying-games/ Thu, 14 Dec 2023 20:52:17 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=41162 Paizo Pathfinder Exploring the Jungle

Recently there was a discussion on the Cannon Fodder show for the Glass Cannon Network, talking about the time that it takes to prepare for your tabletop roleplaying game sessions. The main point revolved around the intense time investment to actually prep for a session, and I wanted to share my thoughts on this since […]

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Paizo Pathfinder Exploring the Jungle

Recently there was a discussion on the Cannon Fodder show for the Glass Cannon Network, talking about the time that it takes to prepare for your tabletop roleplaying game sessions. The main point revolved around the intense time investment to actually prep for a session, and I wanted to share my thoughts on this since I’ve evolved as a Gamemaster over time.

Troy, the Gamemaster for the Glass Cannon Podcast: Campaign 2 – in which they run the Gatewalkers Adventure Path by Paizo Publishing, mentioned that he would spend upwards of 6 hours preparing for each episode of the podcast, which runs for roughly an hour of actual gameplay, give or take.

First of all, I understand the difference between running a game at home with your friends versus coordinating a video and audio experience for a bunch of listeners. That is not lost on me at all. However, 6 hours of preparation seems astronomical for that long of gameplay, especially if you’re doing that every week.

I ran a Rise of the Runelords campaign over the course of 3+ years and I don’t think I ever approached 6 hours of prep for a 2-hour session. However, I definitely did spend a lot more time early on compared to the amount of time as the campaign hit the halfway mark and, eventually, the endgame. So what changed?

Prep Smarter, Not Harder

Especially when you’re talking about a pre-written Adventure Path, the initial preparation is bound to be longer. You want to understand the broad scope of the story starting out so that you can plant seeds, provide foreshadowing, and give context for the motivations of the various NPCs. Reading through the books one time is a must, but from then on you can mostly use the summaries at the beginning of Paizo’s APs for reference.

From there, you really only need to focus on the current book and the immediate future. There’s no sense in agonizing over minutiae of what’s likely to come hours and hours from now because the actions of the players could totally invalidate things that you’re sweating over.

Instead, before each session, I would think about a couple of options that the players might end up taking. This is generally easier than it would seem. Maybe they’re already mid-combat, and you have a feel for how long combats of this difficult normally take. Or perhaps they’ve been given a quest or directive, so you just need to know the steps of how that might play out.

The hardest preparation is when you’re dealing with a sandbox environment, where the players could go in a multitude of directions. Technically they always can, but when you’re running a pre-written adventure there should be an understanding at the table that you’re all working on progressing that story.

With sandboxes, again there is this idea of narrowing down the scope of your preparation. You are the Gamemaster! You can prep a handful of things and then nudge them in certain directions with either an NPC’s actions, global events like commotion happening, or put a ‘Closed’ sign on a shop window.

Image from Paizo’s Dark Archive.

Experience is King

Perhaps the factor with the biggest impact in allowing me to cut preparation time was experience. The more that you GM, the more you’ll be able to improv certain things or focus on aspects of the game that enhance the player experience beyond the pre-written module. This means incorporating flashbacks or set-pieces that the players have prepared that showcase backstory or little vignettes that bring your table to life.

Some people focus a lot of their preparation time on monster/enemy statblocks and abilities. Over time this gets easier too. Paizo is really good about putting in typical turns for how enemies will react and act in a combat, so use that to your advantage.

Even when it comes to preparing NPCs, I keep it very simple. What are their key motivations and what are a few things that flesh them out as a person? For example, I might know that the blacksmith is primarily known for their unique forging ability which allows them to temper weapons more efficiently than anyone else in the vicinity. They might have bushy mutton chops that he obsessively maintains and a ‘pet’ squirrel that constantly annoys him at the forge. Boom. In a matter of a minute or two, I suddenly know more about how I want to portray this character to the party, and have a funny little scene in mind where the squirrel interrupts whatever conversation they might have.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

One of my most important tips is that you can always keep things waiting in the wings. Even if you prepare for something that doesn’t come to pass, you can always reskin and repurpose that to use elsewhere. Because guess what? Your players won’t even know the difference!

Whether it’s a monster that you can tweak into something else or a little sidequest that was never introduced, you can shuffle things around and use them another time instead of throwing them on a scrapheap. You’ve already prepped it, so why prepare something else?

I do this ALL THE TIME and it saves me a lot of headache. Part of the stress of a newer Gamemaster is that they prep for all of these things and then only a sliver makes it to the table for that session. This alleviates that fear and lets you operate in the present in a more carefree manner.

Pathfinder Lost Omens Firebrands
Image from Paizo’s Lost Omens Firebrands.

Prep Easy, Rest Easy

And those are my main tips for you! Yes, they’re fairly generalized but my main point is that being a Gamemaster doesn’t mean you have to spent gobs of hours preparing for every session. My prep time for games like Blades in the Dark was down to about 15 minutes, and most of that was just generating a list of various setbacks and consequences that I could spring on the players. For Pathfinder 2E, my prep was under a half hour: a cursory glance at statblocks, reading ahead a few pages, and making sure the Virtual Tabletop was loaded up.

Cutting down on preparation time is key to keeping your sanity as a GM, and gives you more freedom and flexibility to curate your prep into enhancing the game experience for your players. Because when you prep easy, you rest easy.

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Review of The Tome of Journeys for Dark Souls: The Roleplaying Game https://nerdsonearth.com/2023/11/review-of-the-tome-of-journeys-for-dark-souls-the-roleplaying-game/ Thu, 16 Nov 2023 20:44:15 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=40996

More Dark Souls RPG is here! Check out the Tome of Journeys supplement book for Dark Souls: The Roleplaying Game, giving Gamemasters the edge in running the game!

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Title Spread for The Tome of Journeys for the Dark Souls RPG

The Tome of Journeys, the third sourcebook and supplement for The Dark Souls Roleplaying Game (Dark Souls RPG), brings together the Dark Souls ruleset and terrifying denizens in a format to help you run adventures in Lordran and beyond! Not to be confused with the Lands Between, that is.

And, as always, we’re going to showcase some of the finely crafted Dark Souls miniatures courtesy of Steamforged Games that bring the book’s contents to life before your very eyes.

The Tome of Journeys for Dark Souls contains a veritable toolbox of inspiration, rules, and templates to assist Gamemasters in their pursuit of running successful, harrowing, and fun adventures in the Dark Souls universe. It’s more than just a ruleset

Okay Unkindled, let’s delve straight into the details of the book!

The Tome of Journeys for Dark Souls: Who It’s For

If you’ve already played some of the Dark Souls: The Roleplaying Game, then you’re probably already familiar with the general rules of the game and the content of the core rulebook. What The Tome of Journeys is designed to do is to better facilitate the contents of the core rulebook and The Tome of Strange Beings, mostly from a Gamemaster’s perspective.

There’s a healthy sprinkling of everything. From a worldbuilding and lore perspective, the first section deals specifically with the Points of Interest within Lordran. Each area is highlighted with the lore, random encounter table, notable loot, and important NPCs you might find there. Many also have an image to go along with the location that gives you a better idea of the resident vibes.

Gamemasters will also appreciate the two adventures contained within. I’m a bit more partial to the first, The Eyes of Death, mostly because of the creepiness from all these creatures wearing the old ruler’s face. I can’t divulge much more than that, but it’s great.

Lastly, there’s a section on running a Dark Souls RPG game, which gives some helpful tips and hints on how to improve the overall experience at the table.

For players, you’ll get three new classes: the Wanderer, the Bandit, and the Hunter. This is probably enough reason to pick up the book if you’re not a Gamemaster, and then you can also check out the new equipment while you’re at it too. At the end of the day, however, the majority of the content is geared towards running the game, so players may be disappointed if they don’t want to spoil the adventures and locations for themselves.

The Tome of Journeys for Dark Souls: The Best Parts

Now it’s time to pick out my three favorite things in The Tome of Journeys for Dark Souls! These are specific to my tastes, and just know that there is plenty more where this all comes from.

Maneater Mildred

I’m always drawn to poisonous shenanigans and damage-over-time effects, so when I saw the entry for Blighttown I was immediately intrigued. One of the bosses there, Maneater Mildred, oozes with nastiness; even just her single paragraph blurb offers much in the way of roleplaying opportunities. After all, weapons don’t always need to be used to turn others into corpses. Sometimes they can be used to afflict others until the real pain can begin.

The Wanderer

This is my favorite of the new classes, mostly because it fits the nomadic character style that I gravitate towards. They are also a combination of both melee combat and sorcery, having Dexterity and Intelligence as their core stats. Plus, you can choose your own fighting style in case you prefer to fight with two-handed weapons or just a single scimitar instead. Versatility is the name of the game here.

This is really how I play Souls games too, because I always feel the need to change my strategies constantly. Mostly because I’m not a great Souls player to begin with. To evoke that same kind of feeling in the Dark Souls RPG isn’t necessarily easy, but the Wanderer class offers at least a glimpse into that same emotion.

The Nine Covenants

Three cheers for more ways to connect lore to the mechanics of the game! I’ve been playing a lot of Blades in the Dark recently and the entire core narrative of that game revolves around crews and factions. The Nine Covenants is a way for players and Gamemasters to group like-minded individuals together and connect the video game lore to the game in a deeper way.

My favorite is the Gravelord Servant, which ironically also ties to the Eyes of Death adventure contained within the book. Successful hunts propagate the world further with the Gravelord ideals. There are also the Forest Hunters, which may help in dealing with a certain exotic weapon-dealer in Blighttown. See how this all comes full circle?

The Tome of Journeys for Dark Souls: New Miniatures!

What better way to bring the Dark Souls world to life than with the awesome miniatures from Steamforged? We’ve previously covered some of these in our Elden Ring Board Game preview article, but let’s take a look at some more!

Dark Souls miniatures

Let’s put the cart before the dragon and show-off Kalameet, the Last Dragon! This miniature is anything but – it is a wonderfully scaled dragon miniature in the distinct draconic style that you know and love from Dark Souls. It comes in three pieces, requiring you to attach its massive wings once you take it out of the box.

I do wish the detailing on the head was a bit more prominent, but you know exactly that this is a dragon right away, and your players will cower in fear if they see this thing plopped down on the table in front of them.

Dark Souls miniatures

Next up are the Hungry Mimics! These iconic tabletop roleplaying game staples rarely catch parties off guard anymore. Even this chest miniature has a very obvious tongue and teeth deal going on. But this might be the first (or at least a rare) time that I’ve seen a mimic with such…humanoid appendages! It’s the thing of nightmares.

Dark Souls miniatures

The Dark Knights are fairly standard RPG fare as well, featuring heavily-armored knights with long spears. I was pleasantly surprised that the spears weren’t bent; a lot of times miniatures with these long, skinny parts are warped upon receipt. If that happens to you, just keep them in warm water for a bit and then gently bend them back.

You’ll also see the bonfire miniature! This is a welcomed sight for weary adventurers, so you’ll want to paint this up to be inviting and bright. It has the exact look as it does in the game, and has decent detailing for how difficult it is to have a sculpted fire miniature.

Dark Souls miniatures

Lastly, let’s peek at these barrels! Each package of barrels comes with four plain and four with rope and tattered cloth. I do think that these ones are lacking in the texture and detail departments. Everything is just too smooth to be terribly realistic. On the other hand, they are basically solid and have a wonderful heft to them. Perfect for Unkindled to hurl at opposing enemies.

The Tome of Journeys for Dark Souls: Parting Thoughts

The Tome of Journeys for Dark Souls is the final installment of the core trilogy of Dark Souls: The Roleplaying Game books. Geared towards Gamemasters, it will ensure that you are confident in your ability to bring the world of Dark Souls to your players. Lean into the included lore as much as you like, and take lessons from the Session 0s and other tools included when you prepare to run other games.

As a final note, the miniatures are the bread and butter for Steamforged, and the latest Dark Souls miniatures are no exception. They are perfect for the Dark Souls RPG, and also versatile enough to slot in for other games that you might play. Dragons. Dungeons. Dragons in or around Dungeons. You know the drill.

The Tome of Lost Journeys isn’t available yet, but when it releases you can snag it directly from Steamforged, or better yet, your FLGS.


[Disclosure: Nerds on Earth was provided a copy of several Dark Souls Miniatures and a digital copy of the Tome of Journeys from Steamforged in exchange for an honest review.]

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Review of Pathfinder Rage of Elements for Pathfinder 2nd Edition https://nerdsonearth.com/2023/09/review-of-pathfinder-rage-of-elements-for-pathfinder-2nd-edition/ Thu, 07 Sep 2023 12:00:00 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=40976

Pathfinder Second Edition's Kineticist is here! Check out the Pathfinder Rage of Elements supplement book for Pathfinder Second Edition!

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Cover for Rage of Elements by Paizo

Pathfinder Rage of Elements, the latest sourcebook and supplement for Pathfinder Second Edition (PF2), focuses on all of the powerful elemental energies flowing around the world!

Perhaps the most important part of the book – the thing that will get all the people out of their seats and excited – is the release of the new Kineticist class for Pathfinder Second Edition! It’s time to get mastery over the elements.

Pathfinder Rage of Elements introduces lore, information, spells, items, and creatures for the major elements: air, earth, fire, metal, water, and wood. Learn about these various Planes, what they have to offer, and maybe even the secrets to harnessing their power.

Let’s delve straight into the details of the book!

Pathfinder Rage of Elements: Who It’s For

I always start off these reviews my touching on who the book is designed for, and a lot of times they skew a bit in favor of the Gamemaster. However, Pathfinder Rage of Elements has the new Kineticist class, so this falls very firmly in the camp of Player-focused!

In Pathfinder First Edition, the Kineticist class was released in Occult Adventures, although it never really seemed to fit that particular theme in my opinion. Are the elements inherently supernatural or spooky? I don’t really think so. That’s why I’ve very happy that the Kineticist released with its own book specifically tied to the Elemental Planes, because it just makes more sense to me.

What’s really fun about the Kineticist is that right out of the gate you’re choosing which element(s) that you want your character to focus in. From a flavor perspective, it’s also mechanically fitting that choosing a single element gets you slightly more benefit to that element versus choosing two elements. By having multiple elements, you’re sacrificing potency for versatility.

What this means is that eventually you could have a character that is incredibly attuned to a single Plane, or you might have a powerful character that has semi-mastery over all of the elements. Both are equally viable and fun ideas to build around. I’m partial to the Earth Plane myself, particularly fond of the ‘Rebirth in Living Stone’ Feat, which turns your body into Living Stone. Flesh to Stone, but better?

Of course, from the Gamemasters chair it’s really interesting to read about the different elemental Planes as well, especially since each is presented from the standpoint of a different denizen of that Plane. There’s also mechanical information on the Planes themselves, meaning that you can see what the party might have to deal with if they’re suddenly submerged in the Plane of Water or sweating on the Plane of Fire.

Pathfinder Rage of Elements: The Best Parts

Now it’s time to pick out my three favorite things in Paizo’s Pathfinder Rage of Elements! These are specific to my tastes, and just know that there is plenty more where this all comes from. Also, I’m skipping Kineticist as that’s already a huge selling point.

Elemental Barbarian Instinct (Pg 54)

There’s something about the glass cannon aspect of Barbarians that makes me really enjoy playing them, more than almost any other class. But sometimes it’s fun to infuse them with a whole new type of power, which you can now do with the Elemental Barbarian Instinct!

Going into an Elemental Rage not only increases the damage from Raging, but also changes the damage type to the element that you’ve selected to attune to. Additionally, you gain resistance to that same elemental damage because you’re so locked in with its nature.

And, if that wasn’t enough for you, picking up the Elemental Explosion Feat at level 6 is surely going to make groups of weak enemies cower in fear. Every creature within a 15-foot emanation takes 1d8 per level you possess. It’s like those scenes where the hero gets swarmed and you feel like all is lost until they unleash their inner power, sending their foes sprawling in all directions. Awesome.

Ferrumnestra (Pg 140)

I’ve never done much research into the Plane of Metal, instead choosing to stick to the Big Four. Now that I’ve done some reading about it, however, I feel like bringing a party to the Elemental Plane of Metal would be such a fun and harrowing experience. Especially if they can encounter Ferrumnestra, The Lady of Rust.

Often portrayed as a multi-layered crustacean covered in rusted metal, she wanders the Plane as its shepherd, consuming the planar material towards its inevitable and rusty end. The very idea of some kind of spreading contagion, waste, and decay has a lot of undead overlap to it, that there’s probably an adventure hook or three built in right there. Not to mention what might happen to the party’s metallic weapons…

I also really appreciate Paizo’s foresight to include the effects of the avatar spell when introducing all of these Elemental Lords. If you’re not familiar, this powerful spell turns you into the avatar of your chosen deity, which grants you a slew of powers specific to them. For example, Ferrumnestra grants you deteriorating spit (60-ft), a burrow speed, and some NASTY mandibles. What fun!

Twins of Rowan (Pg 211)

The art of the Twins of Rowan immediately drew me in, as they are two wood elementals essentially combined into one. They share a single consciousness in their roots despite having two heads and torsos. Their home is the Elemental Plane of Wood, a sprawling forestal plane that is alive in more ways than just the traditional sense that plants are.

The reason I chose the Twins as one of my favorite aspects of the book is because of their ability to empower all wood elementals within the range of their lantern. Fast healing 10 and +2 circumstance bonus to all attack and damage rolls? Sign me up for that every day of the week. I’m imagining a boss-style encounter with multiple Twins of Rowan covering the entire battlefield, and the party has to prioritize taking them down one by one at which point the big bad manifests themselves.

On top of that, they have an ability called Lifespring Burst, allowing them to strike the ground with their sword, releasing a 30-foot burst of life energy that deals 14d6 vitality damage and creates difficult terrain with all of the vibrant plant growth that erupts in the area. These things are bad news by themselves and I think I’d prefer to have them as allies if given the opportunity.

Pathfinder Rage of Elements: Parting Thoughts

The Pathfinder Rage of Elements book for Pathfinder Second Edition is refreshing, not only for the vitality it injects into the game with the release of the new Kineticist class, but also because it makes you think about the Elemental Planes in new ways. Everybody thinks they know what the Planes are about: Fire is hot, Water is wet, and so on. But there’s so much more going on that it’s really doing the Planes a disservice if you don’t expand your understanding of how they operate.

Plus, the Kineticist is so versatile in its ability to fit a variety of character roles within the party. Damage dealer, jack-of-all-trades utilitarian…you can really sculpt your character to gel nicely with any group. It just seems like a top-of-the-line class that I hope to play with at my next opportunity.

You can pick up your copy of Pathfinder Rage of Elements for Pathfinder Second Edition directly from Paizo, on Amazon, or better yet, your FLGS.


[Disclosure: Nerds on Earth was provided a copy of Pathfinder Rage of Elements from Paizo in exchange for an honest review.]

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Review of Lost Omens Highhelm for Pathfinder 2nd Edition https://nerdsonearth.com/2023/09/review-of-lost-omens-highhelm-for-pathfinder-2nd-edition/ Tue, 05 Sep 2023 12:00:00 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=40960 Pathfinder Second Edition Lost Omens Highhelm

The dwarves are back in town and the Sky Citadel! Check out the Pathfinder Lost Omens Highhelm supplement book for Pathfinder Second Edition!

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Pathfinder Second Edition Lost Omens Highhelm
Cover for Lost Omens Highhelm by Paizo

Lost Omens Highhelm, a recent sourcebook and supplement for Pathfinder Second Edition (PF2), focuses on Highhelm, the mighty Dwarven keep in the Five Kings Mountains that doubles as one of the fabled Sky Citadels!

This book not only fleshes out Highhelm in its entirety, but it also serves as a sourcebook that delves deep into Dwarven lifestyle and culture. By learning the day-to-day life of the residents of Highhelm, you can understand the finer points of why the Dwarves built the Sky Citadels like Highhelm to begin with.

Lost Omens Highhelm features local maps, gear, character options, and much more to take your Dwarves to a higher level. Maybe even… above ground? Oh, and did I mention that a large fold-out map is included?

Let’s charge straight into the details of the book!

Lost Omens Highhelm: Who It’s For

Unless your table is planning on running an intricate homebrew adventure in the bowels of Highhelm, I really see Lost Omens Highhelm as a book that’s fit for Gamemasters and players alike. Dwarves have been a staple in fantasy storytelling and gaming for a long time, and this Lost Omens installment really packs a punch in presenting the familiar in a slightly different light.

Sure, you have a ton of ‘standard’ information about Dwarves, but the Sky Citadels of Golarion – that were already established in Pathfinder 1E – are already a unique spin of their own to traditional Dwarven lore. And, like a lot of the Lost Omens books, the flavor in the side margins is where the creativity really shines.

Pathfinder Second Edition Lost Omens Highhelm High King Borogrim the Hale

That being said, if you have any sort of interest in Dwarves or playing Dwarves in Golarion or even in other settings, you’ll find Lost Omens Highhelm to be a sandbox of inspiration on top of being a plug-and-play setting for your own games as well. I’m partial to the King’s Heart area of Highhelm, specifically the Lunar Grotto which reflects the moonlight through gemstone mirrors. It’s very National Treasure-esque from the 2004 hit movie with Nic Cage.

Being able to have some specific NPCs and points of interest not only gives you a copy+paste template for other Pathfinder games, but it also always provides a veritable treasure trove of inspiration for me as a character creator. What kinds of people live or work in these locales? What class might they be? What drives them to succeed or do the things they do?

Lost Omens Highhelm also pairs very well with the Sky King’s Tomb Adventure Path, so if you’re planning on running that as a Gamemaster, add that to the list of reasons why this one might be worth looking into.

Lost Omens Highhelm: The Best Parts

Now it’s time to pick out my three favorite things in Paizo’s Lost Omens Highhelm! These are specific to my tastes, and just know that there is plenty more where this all comes from.

Spy Games (Pg 59)

Pathfinder Second Edition Lost Omens Highhelm

Of course one of my favorite bits in the book has to do with games! Not only is it canon that board games are all the rage in Highhelm, but specifically there is one type of board that stands out as a clever little dead-drop mechanism for passing messages or information: the Liar’s Board.

The concept is that playing or arranging a game’s pieces in a specific order would trigger a hidden compartment to open up on the board. There could just be a single compartment or many, each triggering off its own conditions. Highly complex messages could be tucked away behind equally complex arrangements of pieces.

What I really like about this is the innocuousness of the entire thing, and how messages can be hidden in plain sight. These boards are said to be very commonplace in Highhelm, so people are aware of their presence. Imagine dishing out loot across the party and coming across a chess board that has some vital information hidden away inside! It would also, of course, be complete with a fail-safe to destroy the information if tampered with.

Defenders of Highhelm (Pgs 106-111)

If you’re looking for character options, these pages are going to be your bread and butter, listing out Feats, lore, Heritages, and more. What’s more is that these options are solely restricted to Dwarves; they may be encouraged as such, but there are plenty of ways you can justify using them on any character.

Warpriest was one of my beloved classes in Pathfinder 1E, so the Stalwart Defender archetype caught my eye immediately. Stalwart Defenders aren’t necessarily Warpriests, but they are absolute tanks on the battlefield. Between grabbing training in medium and heavy armor, they have the ability to gain temporary hit points, become like ‘a wall of stone’, and eventually can even have resistance 10 to all damage.

If you want to play a character that is nearly hewn from the mountain itself, nothing gets me more excited than a Stalwart Defender!

Pathfinder Second Edition Lost Omens Highhelm Stalwart Defender

Dux House (Pg 55)

This might seem like an innocuous choice – a Dwarven manor house owned by a Baroness Nicasia Dux of Taldor. Why should we care so much about a random noble’s home? It’s not so much the owner, but the individuals who come visiting the house.

Apparently this house is basically a hotbed of information. Anybody worth their Dwarven salt passes over the threshold into the manor from political figures, merchants, adventurers, and more. There’s a common trope of starting adventures in a tavern, but starting one in the Dux House seems like it could be a playful twist on that idea.

The people that set foot into this house are doers – people who make waves. You know that phrase, ‘if only these walls could talk’? That’s exactly applicable here.

Lost Omens Highhelm: Parting Thoughts

The Lost Omens Highhelm book for Pathfinder Second Edition makes me so happy as a lover of all things Dwarf for decades. From my first Warhammer army to my first tabletop RPG character, Dwarves have always held a special place in my heart. And now there’s plenty more lore, history, and character options to enjoy, courtesy of Paizo!

My weekly gaming group is currently running through a lot of one-shots of other systems, letting everybody have a chance in the driver’s seat of Gamemaster, but after this next one we are going to settle back into a Pathfinder Second Edition campaign. Lost Omens Highhelm has really steered my preparation towards the Dwarves, and I’m super excited to see where things go from here!

You can pick up your copy of Lost Omens Highhelm for Pathfinder Second Edition directly from Paizo, on Amazon, or better yet, your FLGS.


[Disclosure: Nerds on Earth was provided a copy of Lost Omens Highhelm from Paizo in exchange for an honest review.]

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Gigantic Lore That Could Launch Big Story: A Review of Bigsby Presents: Glory of the Giants for Dungeons and Dragons 5e https://nerdsonearth.com/2023/08/gigantic-lore-that-could-launch-big-story-a-review-of-bigsby-presents-glory-of-the-giants-for-dungeons-and-dragons-5e/ Mon, 07 Aug 2023 15:33:35 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=40865

Want to have your Dungeons and Dragons game feature more giants? Bigsby Presents: Glory of the Giants is your new best friend!

The post Gigantic Lore That Could Launch Big Story: A Review of Bigsby Presents: Glory of the Giants for Dungeons and Dragons 5e appeared first on Nerds on Earth.

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Wizards of the Coast’s latest release for the fifth edition of Dungeons and Dragons is centered around the history and lore of the Giants, as told by the wizard Bigsby, the famous apprentice of the wizard Mordenkainen, author of the famous spell Bigsby’s Hand, with notes from giantess Diancastra, a daughter of Annam, the All-Father of the giants.

This resource is a source book and not an adventure. It is an expansion of rules, lore and some stat blocks for creatures that are large. So, it isn’t a book for a DM to pick up and run that adventure, which is a good decision. The company already has giants prominently focused in several of the adventures that they have published. But what it does extremely well is that it tells a better story of giants and gives great ideas for ways to incorporate giants into a story.

Art from Bigsby Presents: Glory of the Giants

As a home brewer at heart, books like this serve that part of me that wants to create things but sometimes runs dry in ideas. This book does remarkably well at giving ideas and pieces to help a DM launch a larger adventure or even just a chance encounter. Wizards seem to undervalue this type of resources but it is really where they make their most compelling work. Just doing a cursory read through of the book, I made notes for both a longer campaign and some quick one-shot giant-centered adventures that I would like to run.

And the lore of the book is good and helpful. The main gist of the lore centers around how giants came to be and how their formation created an ordning, which is a tier system in terms of how giants see themselves and how they are treated. The lore part of the book is well done; it fleshes out the world(s) and gives some sense of giants and their motivations at the different levels of the ordning. All of that groundwork helps in launching of the ideas for your own campaign, adventures and encounters. It has a “take it or leave it” sense that is really helpful. And it also cements what everyone seems to have known was coming: D&D, like every other pop culture icon, is having a multiverse.

The cover art to the recently released Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse

Now, that may sound harsher than it should. D&D has long had different campaign settings. Iconic stories have been told in Dragonlance, Greyhawk, and the realm most of 5E has been set in, the Forgotten Realms but this work, along with other recent things have cemented the idea that they all exist and they are interconnected in ways. It isn’t the most awful idea and it lets Wizards cross pollinate (or contaminate depending on your point of view) as they create new products, and as always, you can take it or leave it in your campaigns. But this book makes it clear that it is here to stay and anything that isn’t an adventure is going to have to address it.

And that isn’t the only thing that it gives us a glimpse into in terms of the future. In the recent Dragonlance book, for the first time in 5e that I am aware of, feat trees were introduced. Meaning, there are feats that you can take at higher levels if you already have a prerequisite feat. That idea is advanced here as well with some feats that playable characters can take, all with giant ties and connections. (There is even the note that if you allow some of the backgrounds and feats in this book, then other PCs in your campaign should get an additional feat as well. Clearly, D&D is working towards beefing up characters at creation and lower levels.) This seems to be way that the new revisions of the core rules will go, for better or for worse.

Art from Bigsby Presents: Glory of the Giants. “ADVENTURERS DISCOVER THE ECLECTIC CONTENTS OF A CLOUD GIANT’S BAG”

Interestingly, the magic items in the book are both fun but also give some of the mechanics of how to build a magic item. The notion that an adventurer finds a giant’s letter opener that now serves as a longsword is fun. But for some of the magic items, it points back to the Dungeon Master’s Guide and information there about how to make magic items. It was an interesting choice. (And, personally, it made me appreciate my DM who worked really hard to make custom items for each of the characters in our party that tied to our backstories but also didn’t break the balance of the game.)

And, there are dinosaurs. If that felt abrupt in the review, it feels the same way in the book. It is understandable that they wanted to upgrade some dinosaurs, their stat blocks, etc. for the game. But trying to tie it the giants’ lore and backstory was pretty specious. Wizards would do better to figure out how to do an update like this as digital only release, but maybe they felt it was necessary to fill out the book. (Our review copy was access to the material on DNDBeyond.com with a printed copy to come). That said, the rules and ideas about the dinosaurs is solid and a fun dynamic that could be added to any campaign or encounter. And if your group hasn’t played through Tomb of Annihilation, these giant beasts would be awesome add-one for the jungles of Chult.

All in all, this book is a good addition to the ruleset for this edition of 5e. For homebrewers, there are great ideas that can be built on and, as they have been steadily doing, expanding options for PCs in both backgrounds and feats. It is clearly set up to be fully usable for the upcoming rules revisions and you should consider picking it up.

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Review of Lost Omens: Firebrands for Pathfinder 2nd Edition https://nerdsonearth.com/2023/04/review-of-lost-omens-firebrands-for-pathfinder-2nd-edition/ Tue, 18 Apr 2023 12:00:00 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=40665 Pathfinder Lost Omens Firebrands

The Firebrands are revolutionaries and heroes! Check out the Pathfinder Lost Omens: Firebrands supplement book for Pathfinder Second Edition!

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Pathfinder Lost Omens Firebrands
Pathfinder Lost Omens Firebrands Cover
Cover for Pathfinder Lost Omens: Firebrands by Paizo

Pathfinder Lost Omens: Firebrands, the latest sourcebook and supplement for Pathfinder Second Edition (PF2), details the colorful revolutionary faction known as the Firebrands!

Within its pages, Lost Omens: Firebrands discusses the history of this faction, and also focuses on the two distinct sides of the group; the side of bold adventurers and daredevils, as well as the heroes who fight for the oppressed. This is definitely not a one-size-fits-all group, and there are plenty of interesting and varied characters who fill its ranks.

There are full-page accounts of specific, famous Firebrands to explore, alongside character options, archetypes, equipment, and more. This might be the most hyper-focused Lost Omens entry that we’ve seen yet, comparable to the Lost Omens: Knights of Lastwall supplement, which we’ve covered previously on the site.

So get fired up to dive into Lost Omens: Firebrands for Pathfinder Second Edition!

Pathfinder Lost Omens: Firebrands: Who It’s For

As I just mentioned, Pathfinder Lost Omens: Firebrands sort of finds itself in a niche when it comes to usability. While I appreciate the Lost Omens line for all of the creativity springboarding and imagination fuel it provides, every book is not going to be for everyone. In this particular case, the Firebrands are a unique faction similar to the Pathfinder Society; you could encounter a Firebrand anywhere in Golarion.

What this means, however, is that unless you’re going to be a part of a dedicated campaign that is focusing on expunging tyranny from the world, it could be difficult to envision a character whose main shtick is being a Firebrand. But, like the Knights of Lastwall, there are certainly creative ways to weave in a Firebrand to any campaign.

The average player might not know who the Firebrands are, which makes this a hard sell from the shelf. Simultaneously, the cover art draws me in, intriguing me. Is this a book about pirates? Revolutionaries? People with fantastic fashion sense? Technically, all of the above applies.

In my opinion, the best part of the book is the section called ‘Among the Firebrands’. This is the section that focuses on actual Firebrands and their best-of highlights. As a Gamemaster, these characters can provide inspiration for NPCs that are already fleshed out, or even give the basis for an entire campaign. For real – these pages are filled with stories that give you just enough to get your feet wet.

Overall, Lost Omens: Firebrands is a book for people who enjoy these character-specific stories and who want to know more about the faction. There’s a really interesting basis of information for the rebellion side of things, so if that perks your attention, then it’s worth checking out!

Pathfinder Lost Omens Firebrands

Pathfinder Lost Omens: Firebrands The Best Parts

Now it’s time to pick out my three favorite things in Paizo’s Pathfinder Lost Omens: Firebrands! These are specific to my tastes, and just know that there is plenty more where this all comes from.

Services – Propaganda (Pg 92)

I’m surprised that a section of the book called Services actually caught my attention, because it honestly doesn’t sound very exciting. However, I instantly became engrossed in the various ways that the Firebrands stir up support, communicate, and smuggle wares over the course of their operations. What’s really great is that these aren’t just superfluous sections; they actually have mechanics behind them.

For example, let’s say you want to spread a little bit of friendly, harmless propaganda, urging citizens to support your Firebrand cause. It takes some time for your ideas to spread, but with a secret check from the GM to the DC for Gathering Information, your ideas can actually take hold in a region temporarily. This is a really cool way to sway a skeptical NPC to help you or begin to rally the people against tyranny. Think of what you could do with a bunch of loyal people.

Bursting Bloom Spell (Pg 88)

Pathfinder Lost Omens Firebrands

I talked about the Bewitching Bloom tattoo in my review for the Treasure Vault supplement, and for a brief moment I thought that I was having deja vu! This spell, although with a similar name, is just a thematically awesome spell that causes a thorny rosebush to burst through your target’s chest.

I’ve spoken before about how I really love the Gray Gardeners of Galt, and so it seems like a revolutionary character from that region might have leaned hard into the flowery garden imagery of those that keep the final blades.

The spell itself is fun, causing 6d6 piercing damage and 1d6 persistent bleed damage, with the potential for the target to become encumbered as well. Heightening the spell increases the damage on both fronts. You also have to check out this artwork of a Firebrand Mage who is clearly casting this spell, in case you had any doubts about it’s awesomeness.

The Mockingbird (Pg 44)

When I started to read about The Mockingbird, I immediately thought of the Gray Fox from The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. There are a bunch of similarities – unknown identify, masterful thief, etc. But the aspect of this character that really got me paying attention was the fact that it’s actually a couple acting under the same guise!

Not only do I want to read a book solely about these two lovebirds, but I would love to see them as recurring characters in a campaign arc. They’re noted as being helpful in a pinch, aiding the Firebrands in whatever capacity they’re needed to. What if a PC had a connection to them somehow and they just started mysteriously showing up?

There’s also a fun little implication that The Mockingbird and the Sapphire Butterfly are sort of vigilantes, meaning that there’s a huge potential for an Avengers-style team-up. I’m putting my foot down that somebody needs to make this happen and I want to hear all about it!

Pathfinder Lost Omens: Firebrands: Parting Thoughts

The Pathfinder Lost Omens: Firebrands for Pathfinder Second Edition is a niche book that you won’t find on everybody’s shelf, but it definitely has a home for people who are into the theme. Between the multitude of Firebrand characters and a healthy dose of Firebrand character options, I feel like the people who will enjoy this book will find plenty to utilize at their tables.

You can pick up your copy of Pathfinder Lost Omens: Firebrands for Pathfinder Second Edition directly from Paizo, on Amazon, or better yet, your FLGS.


[Disclosure: Nerds on Earth was provided a copy of the Pathfinder Lost Omens: Firebrands from Paizo in exchange for an honest review.]

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Review of Treasure Vault for Pathfinder 2nd Edition https://nerdsonearth.com/2023/03/review-of-treasure-vault-for-pathfinder-2nd-edition/ Tue, 21 Mar 2023 12:00:00 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=40532 Pathfinder Treasure Vault

Golarion is packed with powerful magical items, armor, treasure, and more! Check out the Pathfinder Treasure Vaul.t supplement book for Pathfinder Second Edition!

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Pathfinder Treasure Vault
Pathfinder Treasure Vault
Cover for Pathfinder Treasure Vault by Paizo

Pathfinder Treasure Vault, the latest sourcebook and supplement for Pathfinder Second Edition (PF2), is all about the money and shiny goodies that adventurers stumble upon in their travels!

Descend into the magnificent treasure vaults of the mighty dragon Valashinaz, Mistress of the Vault! Along with her entourage of loyal kobolds, she guards and curates an immense collection of powerful and interesting items, weapons, and armor.

When all is said and done, we’re talking about 200 pages of additions to your Pathfinder Second Edition games, ranging from things that you might anticipate to the most unexpected. And, as always, it’s paired with fantastic, detailed illustrations to help inject the world of Golarion straight into your brain.

Let’s charge straight into the details of the book!

Pathfinder Treasure Vault: Who It’s For

One of the things that I’ve always struggled with as a player of tabletop roleplaying games like Pathfinder Second Edition, is that there tends to be so many magical items and gear that I simply don’t know where to begin. As these games get additional content, it becomes an even larger pile to sift through.

However, Pathfinder Treasure Vault definitely helps overcome that hurdle by sticking a bunch of really cool items into a single book. Need a shield? You got it. What about some Alchemical Elixers? There’s a section for that! It just makes things easier.

Now, of course, there are countless items that aren’t in Pathfinder Treasure Vault because they’re in other tomes. Plus, Paizo wanted there to be new things in the book; marketing a book that just piles existing items into a single place isn’t a breeze. So in that sense, this isn’t a ‘one-stop-shop’ for all of your item needs. What it is, however, is a book that might give you ideas for your character’s loadout, or prompt you to think about items that you might not have considered before.

There’s a section specifically for Gamemasters, which includes rare items like artifacts, boons, and relics. These are things that your players aren’t generally going to be able to just buy in a shop; they’ll need to complete some kind of quest or slay a powerful enemy to acquire. But I appreciate that Pathfinder Treasure Vault is a companion for players and Gamemasters alike.

Pathfinder Treasure Vault

Pathfinder Treasure Vault: The Best Parts

Now it’s time to pick out my three favorite things in Paizo’s Pathfinder Treasure Vault! These are specific to my tastes, and just know that there is plenty more where this all comes from.

Scale of Igroon (Pg 180)

Pathfinder Treasure Vault

First of all, the Scale of Igroon is a single scale off a kaiju. I mean, you really don’t have to say any more than that; it’s already a shield that I need to have. But of course, as an artifact, this is an item that was a lot more utility. Just don’t let a titan or deity stomp on it in total darkness…

Not only can the Scale of Igroon shield redirect light at a target to blind them, but they can also refract it to improve one’s Stealth. And, if that wasn’t enough for you, the shield can also reflect energy from line, ray, or direct attacks of energy damage, including magic missile.

If you have a character that uses a shield, trust me as a Gamemaster when I say that I will somehow work a giant kaiju into the story so that you can use this amazing item!

Grudgestone (Pg 94)

I’ve always loved Dwarves, especially the lore around the Great Book of Grudges from the Warhammer universe. The concept is that Dwarves never forget a wrongdoing, and will etch those names and deeds into a book until they exact vengeance. The grudgestone item oozes with that flavor, and I’m totally here for it.

With the grudgestone, if an enemy scores a critical hit against the wearer, the item activates. For the next minute, or until the target dies, the holder gets a +3 status bonus to damage rolls against the target. It’s such a fantastic item for a character that you want to have all of these mini-grudges within battles, and they likely have some long-standing grudges to roleplay as well!

Bewitching Bloom (Pg 118)

Pathfinder Treasure Vault

I’m definitely guilt of not utilizing magical tattoos enough in my games or characters, mostly because I always forget that they’re an option! Thankfully, Pathfinder Treasure Vault has peaked my interest on tattoos, once again reminding me of the subtle (or in-your-face) flavor they can provide to a character.

One tattoo that particularly caught my attention is the Bewitching Bloom tattoo. What’s interesting about this tattoo is that its ability is directed at a willing ally, but its effects depend on the type of flower that is depicted. For example, you might have an amaranth flower which can prevent an ally from going down below 1 HP in that turn. Or, perhaps you have a purple iris that activates a 5th-level command spell on targets within range of the ally, forcing them to fall prone and pay homage to them.

Think of the utility of having multiple blooming tattoos on your body! I like the juxtaposition of putting these tattoos on characters that might not have access to similar spells or abilities. Imagine a barbarian and champion fighting back-to-back, surrounded by enemies, when suddenly you activate the tattoo and all of the enemies bow down in a circle, giving you the upper hand. Amazing.

Pathfinder Treasure Vault: Parting Thoughts

The Pathfinder Treasure Vault for Pathfinder Second Edition is one of those books that’s just plain fun to flip through to see what you can find. Or, if you’re looking for something specific, the sections are properly labeled to help you narrow down you search.

I’m still not an expert in Pathfinder Second Edition items, and I doubt that I’ll ever be. But at least I have a book to glean inspiration from in the form of the Pathfinder Treasure Vault! Now, how hard would it be to break into these Vaults and get…everything?

You can pick up your copy of Pathfinder Treasure Vault for Pathfinder Second Edition directly from Paizo, on Amazon, or better yet, your FLGS.


[Disclosure: Nerds on Earth was provided a copy of the Pathfinder Treasure Vault from Paizo in exchange for an honest review.]

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From Oriental Adventures to the Lost Omens Tian Xia https://nerdsonearth.com/2023/03/oriental-adventures-lost-omens-tian-xia/ Thu, 09 Mar 2023 13:00:00 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=40449

Oriental Adventures was a huge hit for Dungeons and Dragons back in the day. We look back at, plus wonder if there's a future for Oriental Adventures...

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I went through a level 20 ninja phase back in the 80s. It seems unthinkable today, but every neighborhood flea market sold Rambo knives and ninja stars. A little kid would hand a weird flea market guy a one dollar bill and he’d give them a sharp-as-heck ninja throwing star. You’d then run home and practice throwing them at trees.

Of course, any time I’d actually get one of my throwing stars to stick into a tree from any distance whatsoever, I’d let out a gleeful hoot and holler, which would immediately give away my covert ninja location. Realizing I wasn’t destined for the Way of the Samurai, my ninja phase faded.

Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Oriental Adventures

Then the AD&D Oriental Adventures book was released in 1992 and I was briefly sucked back into Dungeons & Dragons, running a couple great campaigns with my friends. Sadly, I think my mom threw out my old ninja stars. Either that, or she is currently using them for her own covert assassination missions. It’s a coin flip.

I’m finally getting to my point, which is this: I have mad knowledge of throwing ninja stars. Second, most of that knowledge came by devouring the AD&D Oriental Adventures book, so let’s use that as an opportunity to get a little nostalgic.

What is the AD&D Oriental Adventures Book?

Oriental-Adventures-5e

It’s traditional to think of Dungeons and Dragons as being set in medieval Europe, but the AD&D Oriental Adventures book provided rules for adapting D&D for use in campaign settings based on the Far East. While D&D has long been played as rogues and paladins, Oriental Adventures gave roleplayers samurais and ninjas. And my goodness, was it glorious!

The book – written by Gary Gygax and Zeb Cook – drew on the history of China, Korea, and Japan. Included, of course, were detailed rules for karate and other martial arts styles. The 144-page book also gave players new classes, new races, and page after page of ninja slicing weapons and gear like kantana swords, which I still have an itch to buy if I’d ever run across it at a flea market or my local Scheels.

New classes included the ninja, kensai, wu-jen, and shukenja, clerics that were penalized if they killed enemies too freely. Other classes introduced in the book were the sohei, the peasant warrior bushi, the samurai, the yakuza, and, of course, the ninja. Ninja characters would take one of the other classes in addition to the ninja class. In keeping with their secret ninja nature, they would use their normal class as a cover identity, just as I might secretly be using a cover identity now.

The original AD&D Oriental Adventures book also introduced a major innovation to the AD&D system: It included an honor system, in which honor points were lost when a character failed to behave in a correct fashion or uphold the family name. This went as far as the character sheet being simply thrown away, if such behavior continued. Honor was reflected in a character’s family, influencing family background, status with ancestors, and provisions of their birthrights.

Set in Kara-Tur of the Forgotten Realms, Oriental Adventures was a HUGE hit and an expanded version of the book – written by James Wyatt and released in 2011 – earned awards for best campaign setting.

Oriental Adventures in D&D 5e

Alas, we never got robust modern rules for throwing ninja stars in our D&D 5E campaigns.

Rather than explore regions and cultures like Kara-Tur, Al-Qadim, Moonshae Isles, or Maztica, Wizards of the Coast (WotC) mostly avoided publications that might draw inspiration from real-world cultures and instead opted to produce 5E books that leveraged popular streaming fandoms like the Acquisitions Incorporated and Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep books, or the Guildmasters’ Guide to Ravnica or Strixhaven books, which leveraged WotC’s Magic the Gathering IP.

So, no adventuring in the land of Kara-Tur in D&D 5E and that is terribly boring if you ask me, but I’m on record as having a youthful passion for throwing shuriken into trees.

Far Eastern Adventuring in Pathfinder 2E

But today’s shuriken enthusiasts have a wonderful upcoming opportunity to play a ninja if they want to. Paizo Publishing – creators of Pathfinder, a d20-based system like D&D – have announced not one, but two books that focus on Far Eastern characters, plus an adventure path that will provide instant adventuring.

These adventure will be set in Paizo’s world of Golarion, which is overall quite similar to D&D’s Forgotten Realms in that it’s a “kitchen sink” setting that offers a variety of cultures and broad appeal to the largest cross-section of players. The difference I feel is Golarion is even better than the Forgotten Realms in a couple of ways, one being that it offers an even greater diversity of races and cultures than the Forgotten Realms and two, Paizo isn’t afraid to let their freak flag fly a little more and that serves to dial up the overall fun of gaming in Golarion by a good 20%.

Called the Seasons of Ghosts, the horror-themed adventure path is set in the haunted land of Shenmen and begins just after the small town of Willowshore celebrates the Season of Ghosts—a local festival to appease Shenmen’s many evil ghosts and spirits and ensure safety for the coming year. Yet something has gone wrong, and the PCs wake to find their hometown of Willowshore has fallen under a sinister curse and been invaded by monsters.

The Lost Omens Tian Xia World Guide will cover the many diverse nations and cultures that inhabit Tian Xia – Golarion’s analog to the Forgotten Realms’ Kara-Tur, where Oriental Adventures was set.

Finally, The Lost Omens Tian Xia Character Guide will introduce new rules options to bring characters to life. The book will contain brand-new ancestries and numerous backgrounds to provide the seeds for new PCs, as well as expanded heritages and feats for existing ancestries that might be more common in Tian Xia than in other areas of Golarion.

Ninja stars sold separately.

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Nerd Alert: Worlds Beyond Number Podcast https://nerdsonearth.com/2023/03/nerd-alert-worlds-beyond-number-podcast/ Thu, 02 Mar 2023 17:26:26 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=40433

Jaws discusses the Worlds Beyond Number Podcast, a newly-released feed that is sure to delight any fans of tabletop roleplaying games.

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The world has been flooded with Actual Play podcasts, where various groups of friends get together and play their favorite tabletop roleplaying game and share it with the world. And, like all the games that we play in, some of them are okay, some are good and some are great. The recently launched Worlds Beyond Number podcast has already landed on my list of great ones.

Worlds Beyond Number art created by Corey Brickley

Worlds Beyond Number is a podcast that features four players – Brennan Mulligan, Erika Ishii, Aabria Iyengar, and Lou Wilson. Now, this line-up is an all-star cast if you pay attention to roleplaying. Brennan Lee Mulligan is best known as the DM for all the Dimension 20 shows, where he has led multiple 5e DnD campaigns, ranging from fantasy settings to a high school campaign to a campaign centered on players playing different characters from fairy tales. Lou Wilson has been a player in many of those campaigns and is a masterful storytelling partner. Aabria Iyengar has been a DM herself, on several Dimension 20 shows, as well as serving as the DM for the Critical Role show Exandria Unlimited, where she also played in the Mulligan DM’ed Exandria Calamity. Erika Ishii has been a player on a number of different actual play podcasts, as well as being an excellent voice actor and host in a variety of nerdy contexts.

In January, there was a cryptic tweet from their official Twitter account, with the above art attached. Not long after came the announcement that the four of them would be launching an actual play podcast together, where they would start with a Mulligan DM’d fantasy campaign but that they also wanted to long term to be able to play lots of different TTRPGs, rotating among them all who would serve as the DM. When the opportunity to support it on Patreon, where they have only a $5 tier, I added it to my stack, as I was curious to see what kind of show might come out of the storytelling powers of this group.

After first episode that served as almost as an origin story of the group, via Patreon, they have been releasing what they call Then and Now episodes, where we get an origin of each of the titular characters of this first actual play, The Wizard, the Witch, and the Wild One.

The Children’s Adventure by Carly Monardo.

And, I have to say, these episodes did not disappoint. To be spoiler-free, I will simply say that the Then part of each episode served as an origin story for each character, while the Now part worked to set-up who the characters are now. There have already been some incredible moments, as called out by Lou Wilson, who towards the end of the Then part of The Wizard episode cries out “This is how we are starting?!? We have to go up from here?” at a point of amazing storytelling. These stories, set in the campaign world of Umora are now collected together for the non-Patreon audience in an episode called the Preludes.

And, for the Patreon audience, the group has released The Children’s Adventure, which tells the story of the 3 characters as small children and serves as to slowly develop them from essentially level zero characters upwards. It has the feel of a Studio Ghibli film, with both seriousness and whimsy, as the cast laughs and plays together. Having only listened to half of the 8 episodes dropped, it has already been hilarious, funny, and deeply moving, as these 4 storytellers embody the child-like spirit of these characters, slowly telling their way into what has now dropped as episode 1 of the series proper.

Images by Lorena Lammer

All of this should be noted that this actual play is wonderfully produced. My experience is that actual plays can be found in extremes, with one direction being simply the voices of the characters and one being sound effects and background noises that overwhelm the story. The episodes that I listened to have been amazingly done in that perfect center, of adding to the story but not overwhelming it. Much credit on that seems to go to their producer Taylor Moore, who runs Fortunate Horse, an audio company he founded after having served as the director of comedy and podcasts at Kickstarter.

All of which to say, nerds, if you are looking to get in on the ground floor of what feels like is going to be an excellent actual play, with amazing storytelling across the board, Worlds Beyond Number and their first podcast The Wizard, the Witch and the Wild One is worth checking out. You can find more information on Patreon, their website and on their podcast feed.

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DM In a Day: Become a Great Dungeonmaster with These Tips! https://nerdsonearth.com/2023/02/dm-in-a-day-become-a-great-dungeonmaster-with-these-tips/ Tue, 21 Feb 2023 13:00:00 +0000 https://nerdsonearth.com/?p=40400

Dungeonmasters are always looking for more advice, tips, and tools. We've compile the best content from Nerds on Earth into a single place!

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Welcome to DM In a Day, the series where I help you become the Dungeonmaster (DM) that you’ve always wanted to be! These tips, although framed to work for Dungeons and Dragons, would largely apply to any tabletop roleplaying game that you might crack open. That includes Pathfinder, Delta Green, Blades in the Dark, Starfinder, the Dark Souls RPG, Traveller, and the countless others out there in the world.

Whenever there’s enthusiasm within a group of friends to begin playing a tabletop roleplaying game like Dungeons and Dragons, there’s always that heavy pause: who is going to be the Dungeonmaster? And then, typically, the crickets start chirping and the game never gets off the ground because nobody wants to wear that hat!

Sometimes this might be out of fear or anxiety, or perhaps it’s because there’s this perception that if you aren’t a Dungeon Magician (DM) like Matt Mercer that you might as well not even try. Others of you might not even know where to begin! We’re here to hopefully ease some of the burden that comes with Dungeonmastering so that you can spend less time prepping and more time enjoying yourself at the table. After all, we do this for FUN!

This inaugural entry will mostly serve as your personal reference, as I compile and categorize the articles that we’ve written on this topic throughout the years. As future articles get written, I’ll add them to this master article so that it will be a one-stop shop for everything you need to be a successful Dungeonmaster.

Brand New Dungeonmasters

The Pressure to GM: Is it For Everyone? – we understand that not everyone wants to be a Gamemaster, and that’s perfectly okay.

Top 7 Things I’ve Learned As A Newbie DM – one of our resident Nerds was a first-time Dungeonmaster, and he had some tips based on his experiences.

Helping Launch a New Dungeon Master – if you’re a Dungeonmaster looking to help other aspiring Dungeonmasters, here are some tips to entice your new protege.

How to Play Dungeons and Dragons Remotely Every Week – we don’t always have the luxury of playing games in-person, so we give you some tips on how to play remotely.

7 Great D&D Blogs for a Roleplaying Newbie – here at Nerds on Earth we’re not the only ones providing Dungeonmaster advice; check out these other blogs for inspiration and tips.

Dungeonmaster Preparation

5 Tools to Make DM Prep Easier for You! – cutting down on preparation time for your games is vital to keeping your sanity as a Dungeonmaster.

DM Tip: Not Everything is as it Appears – it’s easy to get into a rhythm get comfortable as a Dungeonmaster, but you should also keep your players on their toes.

Tabletop Takeaways: Points of Interest and Interesting Points – we discuss how to handling overland travel or extended periods of time that the party is on the road.

A Beginner’s Guide to Every Dungeons and Dragons Book – a primer on Dungeons and Dragons books that can help you out and serve as a reference resource when you’re running games.

Honey, I Shrunk My Homebrew: Details to Address When Worldbuilding – sometimes you can get overwhelmed trying to come up with every detail in your homebrew. Our advice: stay small.

Dungeonmaster Plot Hooks

100 D&D Forest Encounter Ideas – take to the trees with these 100 D&D Forest Encounters!

100 D&D Water Encounter Ideas – for seafaring and underwater adventures, check out these plot hooks.

100 D&D Sci-Fi Encounter Ideas – sometimes your adventures may take you to worlds unknown.

100 D&D City Encounter Ideas – cities are always hot and happening, so prepare with these plot hooks.

100 Dungeons and Dragons Roadside Encounters – when you’re not traveling in a forest, on a boat, going to space, or living in a city, you’re traveling between them all. Use this list of roadside encounters to help you prepare.

Dungeonmaster Storytelling

Tabletop Takeaways: Surface Tension – tips on how to create tension at your table, which can lead to a more engaged group of players who hang on your every word.

Let Your Party Add to the Story in Your TTRPG – remember that as a Dungeonmaster you’re not the only one creating a story; your players will contribute in a very meaningful way as well.

Information Collection and Dissemination in D&D – how do you get information to your players without holding out a spoon?

Dungeonmaster Tools

DM Tools You Should Use: Stat Trackers – keep everything in order by using a stat tracker!

How to Make an Interesting DnD Character – players aren’t the only ones who need to infuse some life into their characters; Dungeonmasters need to create memorable NPCs on occasion.

Remember the Name: Tips for NPC Creation – this article is more geared specifically to creating those memorable NPCs.

Dungeonmaster Strategy

How to Use Choke Points and Other Combat Tactics in Your D&D Game – if you want advice on how to direct combat to specific points of the battlefield, using choke points might be a good start.

How Do You Make D&D Combat More Interesting? Use the HASTE Method – don’t get trapped in a long slog of combats! Instead, keep things snappy with this combat method.

How do you Make D&D Combat More Fun? Think Like a Cockroach – in a similar vein, fun combats usually have situations that are more than just two opposing sides rushing up to each other an staying in a deadlock for five turns.

Skirmishers: A Complete Beginners Guide to Fast and Exciting D&D Combat – different classes approach combat in different ways, and it’s important to know this when designing encounters.

How to Give Your High Level RPG Encounters a Proper Challenge – once your players reach a high level, combats can seem very swingy. Here are tips to keep things challenging.

Podcasts for Dungeonmasters

Step Up Your DMing with These Podcasts – if you want to hear more about how to be a better Dungeonmaster, then look no further than these auditory adventures.

Miscellaneous

DMing for Kids: Practical Advice on Leading Them Through an Adventure! – you’ll need to adjust your style if you’re primarily DMing for kids, and this primer will help guide you so that they have a blast.

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