Friday, June 13, 2014

Best Reads of the Week! June 6 -13



Welcome back to the BEST READS OF THE WEEK! I read over three hundred blogs and search through the Google+ Pen and Paper Bloggers community for the best articles being put out by this hobby each and every week. Below are the fruits of my effort, but they can always get better! If you've got a blog you think is being overlooked let me know so I can add you to the reading pool!

This week was a busy week in the blog-o-sphere with sneak peaks of the new edition coming out practically every single day! Yet even with such exciting news coming out the blog-o-sphere managed to explore a myriad of topics alongside the latest D&D news. We've got mega dungeons and faction interactions; new magical items for your home games; seedy bars and fantastic foods; a slew of subclasses for D&D and so much more!

As always, these guys and gals spend a lot of time working on their blogs and if you like one of these posts be sure and let the author know by giving them a +1 on Google+, a like on facebook, a comment, or re-sharing their work with the wider community! Feel free to re-share this list, or any of the past Best Reads of the Week as well.

 Best Reads of the Week!

Check This Out - Non-Combat Challenges by Justin, from the blog The Alexandrian: An interesting examination of a really clever thread that appeared on EN World. Justin takes the time to describe a series of challenges that can help add a layer of participation for events that are often overlooked and passed over by Dungeon Masters and players alike.

New Magic Item: Moraxo's Magnificent Ink by Hayao Miyazaki film in the best ways possible. A great addition to the magical menagerie in any game and one that will most definitely be involved in my own.

Cauldron Classic Recipes by +Luka Rejec, from the blog Cauldrons & Clerics: As a Dungeon Master you're always finding yourself trying to add the little touches to your game that will help establish the verisimilitude of the setting and make the game all that better for your players. This great list by Luka will provide you with a fantastic start for the meals your players will encounter as they stop over at the first affordable roadside inn they come across.

D&D Homebrew: Calvary Subclass by +Dan Head, from the blog Dan & Sally's Digital Domain: So often in this hobby the mounted combat class is treated like a forgotten holdover from the days when we involved ourselves in war games rather than role-playing games, which is a pity. Luckily for us Dan Head remembers how much fun these classes could be and has a trio of subclasses that will remind you how much fun charging your enemies down can be.

User Hostile: How to Make a Good Game Book Painful to Use by David, from the blog DM David: In this insightful article by DM David we're treated to a brief analysis of the problems with Scourge of the Sword Coast. If you're thinking about designing your own game booklet this article is a great place to see where things can go wrong and how to prevent those problems from cropping up in your own work.

Campaign Tone - What is the Tenor of Your World by +Rick Stump, from the blog Don't Split the Party: If you're having trouble creating a certain feel for your game world then you need to read this post by Rick Stump. In this really great piece Rick has used examples from literature and some of the games he's played in over the years to provide the reader with a greater understanding of what it means to create a tone for your campaign and how to maintain it.

d100 pubs in Shadel Port by +Chris Tamm, from the blog Elfmaids & Octopi: If you're like me you're looking to find ways to make your local pubs stand out for your players so that they can develop a favorite bar and a connection with the NPCs of your world. Well this excellent chart by Chris Tamm will give you everything from the bar you always wished you'd go into to the one you never want to go back to. Excellent post in every way.

Origins D&D 5e Panel Highlights by +Russ Morrissey, from EN World: In a continued push to find the best coverage for the new edition of Dungeons and Dragons Morrus has gone out of his way to again provide the community with the most in depth coverage of this ever developing story. Great piece on the new edition with 20 days till the Starter Set ships for select stores and Basic D&D launches.

Starter Set vs B/X - Spell Lists by +Rachel Ghoul, from the blog Rachel Bonuses: In this post from Rachel we get to see a comparison between the Starter Set spell lists that have been released publicly and the classic Basic / Expert sets that have dominated our hobby for decades. It's an interesting read for anyone looking to compare the two play sets.

Mega Dungeons: Under Mountain or Under Enthused? by +Marty Walser, from the blog Raging Owlbear: In this fun little post by Marty Walser we're treated to a critical examination of the Mega Dungeon and the problems inherent in the concept of using one. A good read.

Thinking About Dungeon Factions by +Wayne Rossi, from the blog Semper Initiativus Unum: When you're thinking about how to run interactions within a dungeon there's a good chance that you're not considering how the various factions in there are dealing with one and another. This great introductory piece from Wayne is a fantastic place to start thinking about those factions and how they work together.

Best of Dyvers this Week!

Nobody Makes it Out Alive: An actual play series of posts that concluded this week. A fun romp in a killer dungeon run by a Dungeon Master who gets excited when he kills a player character. I had money on the line and hate in my heart throughout this game!

4 comments:

  1. Glad you liked the Cavalry article. Thanks for picking it up.

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  2. Thanks for keeping this up. I often find treasures here!

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    Replies
    1. I'm glad you enjoy the series Digital Orc! I always hope that people are finding lots of cool things to read through it but you know how it is when you do something like this . . .

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