Minor magical items for your 5e D&D game
It seems magic items are one of those things of which players can never get enough when it comes to Dungeons & Dragons, especially in Fifth Edition where these items are not quite as easy to come by as they were in earlier versions of the game, specifically compared to Third Edition where characters could create their own magical gear.
Still, not every magic item has to be super powerful, nor does every item have to be made for combat. Below are a handful of relatively minor magical items I have created for a homebrew campaign I share with other Dungeon Masters in the Unnamed Adventurers Guild (more members are always welcome, so feel free to check out our Facebook page). Any in-world references are to this campaign, the world of Illumina and its environs. The first five items have been introduced into the game, but others have not. As a side note, there are no prices provided for these items as each is somewhat rare, sometimes unique, and will bring whatever the market will bear.
Start coin collecting on the cheap with wheat pennies
Wheat Penny (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Wheat pennies are a common collector’s item because they usually aren’t difficult to find, sometimes still turning up in change today, and they normally don’t cost very much.
Dungeon Masters, don’t let a bad game get you down
Even the best Dungeon Master can have an off day. Just ask Uni the unicorn!
As Dungeon Master, you’ve been preparing a week or longer, planning for your Dungeon & Dragons group’s next session, writing out stats for NPCs, trying to think through various story lines, contemplating possible player character actions and responses, etc. It can be a lot of work, and time consuming. It doesn’t necessarily have to be, but sometimes it is. Then there’s the mental exhaustion that can set it.
Finally, the game arrives! You open your rules books, lay out your maps, places the minis, maybe start a Google Hangout, whatever.
Then the game sucks.
Blast from the Past: Rubies of Eventide MMORPG
Rubies of Eventide, the early days In June of 2003, a company known as CyberWarrior Inc. released a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) known as Rubies of Eventide. Unfortunately, things did not go well, and soon the company announced the new game would close down...
Ty’s Gaming Resolutions for the 2017 New Year
[caption id="attachment_8732" align="aligncenter" width="930"] The tools of the trade for gaming in 2017.[/caption] Despite all the political outrage, the celebrity deaths, and all the other hoopla that seems to have labeled 2016 as a year of horror, I have to admit I had a pretty good...
Science fiction, fantasy community not immune to 2016 celebrity deaths
The three lead protagonists of Star Wars, from left to right: Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and Han Solo (Harrison Ford). Fisher passed away Dec. 27, 2016, after suffering a stroke. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
2016 has become known to many as something of a tragic year for celebrities and public personalities. The entertainment industry seems to have had more than its share of deaths this past year, with the world suffering losses of the likes of Prince, David Bowie, Muhammad Ali, George Michael and many others.
He Said, She Said: My Boyfriend is a Nerd … No, I’m Not!
Back in October, I posted the following to Facebook:
Me: Yeah, I have some nerd and geek tendencies, but I don't let it rule my life. Friend: Don't you write fantasy for a living? Me: Yeah, but ... Friend: And don't you go to longsword classes? Me: True, but ... Friend: And you play D&D at least twice a week, right? Me: Oh, shut up. (and this was while at a Renaissance fest)
The Walking Dead: What’s wrong with Season 7?
[caption id="attachment_14485" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Negan lines up potential victims at the end of Season 6 of AMC's The Walking Dead.[/caption] If you're a fan of The Walking Dead television show and you pay attention to entertainment news, it will come as no surprise the program's ratings...
Defending the 5e D&D Champion archetype for Fighter
From time to time I hear grumblings about the Champion archetype for Fighters in Fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons. Usually such grumblings include something along the lines of the archetype being “plain” or “boring,” that “it doesn’t do anything,” or even that “it’s the most...
Blast from the Past: Atari 2600 video game system
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="598" class="zemanta-img"] Atari 2600 with joystick. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption] I realize much of the focus of the Nerdarchy website is tabletop role playing games, but it is not all the site is about, and with Christmas fast approaching my thoughts always turn to...
It’s time for a 5th Edition D&D Unearthed Arcana book
[caption id="attachment_14051" align="alignright" width="430"] The original Unearthed Arcana book by Gary Gygax for First Edition Dungeons & Dragons.[/caption] Fifth Edition Dungeons & Dragons has been around for more than a couple of years now. Since its inception, it has been obvious the game’s publisher Wizards of...
2016 Nerdy gift suggestions for the holidays
With Black Friday and Cyber Monday coming up in a matter of days, the holiday shopping season kicks off big time. But what to get for your nerdy, geeky, and gaming buddies this year? Last year you might have opted for the familiar, rules books...
In defense of Fifth Edition Dungeons & Dragons and its streamlined approach
Several Dungeons & Dragons miniature figures. The grid mat underneath uses one-inch squares. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Considering for decades Dungeons & Dragons has been the most recognizable name of all tabletop role-playing games, and considering the popularity of Fifth Edition D&D, it might seem the game itself needs no defending. However, from time to time I have noticed online forums with various concerns or complaints raised against the game.
The most common complaint I’ve read is that in Fifth Edition a player cannot make the type of character he or she wants, that more rules are needed in order for there to be more character diversity, that currently only similar, cookie-cutter characters can be created because of the limited number of classes and rules.
I understand. I disagree, but I understand.
Blast from the Past: Dungeons & Dragons Tomb of Horrors
[caption id="attachment_13611" align="alignright" width="340"] 1978's Tomb of Horrors[/caption] [caption id="attachment_13613" align="alignright" width="336"] 1981's Tomb of Horrors[/caption] Few words raise the ire of long-time Dungeons & Dragons aficionados more than “Tomb of Horrors.” The words “Fourth edition” come to mind, but that’s fairly recent and probably somewhat unfair...
It’s All Right for Your RPG Characters to Change
Recently I’ve run across two situations as a Game Master I believe are worth sharing with a wider audience. First, one of my players came to me concerned he had not played his character’s personality correctly during a recent fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons session. Second, a player in a different campaign (one in which I play and am not GM) came to me worried his character had done something out of character.
