Kickstarter Korner for Jan. 2018, Week 2
Each week during the Quests & Adventures live chat, Saturday at 2 p.m. eastern, Nerdarchists Dave and Ted and Nate the Nerdarch hang out live with fans from the Nerdarchy YouTube channel. It’s a chance to share announcements and news, answer questions from the live chat and generally just hang out and talk nerdy with the Nerdarchy community.
Marvelous Phile: FEATS
Hey, guys, Professor Bill of Comic Book University (where tuition is always free) and I’m bringing you the seventh article of the Marvelous Phile, an homage to the excerpt in Dragon Magazine back in the ’80s.
Kickstarter Korner for Jan. 2018, Week 1
Each week during the Quests & Adventures live chat, Saturday at 2 p.m. eastern, Nerdarchists Dave and Ted and Nate the Nerdarch hang out live with fans from the Nerdarchy YouTube channel. It’s a chance to share announcements and news, answer questions from the live chat and generally just hang out and talk nerdy with the Nerdarchy community.
Philosophy of Pen and Paper Roleplaying Game Hobby No. 1
Introduction of “why” in roleplaying games
While often the conversation of the roleplaying hobby revolves around the question of “how,” I find I spend most of my time asking “why.” While discussion of effective Game Mastering, playing a compelling character, and the like can be useful tools, these are simply to treat the symptoms of the obstacles we face in this hobby. Understanding why we take on such an odd and complex undertaking and dare to call it fun gives us insight on what drives us and when we know why, we know when we fall short of why. This concept of why is what we’re here to explore: Why do we play, Why do you play, and why is this important for roleplaying gamers.
Kickstarter Korner for Dec. 2017, Week 4
Each week during the Quests & Adventures live chat, Saturday at 2 p.m. eastern, Nerdarchists Dave and Ted and Nate the Nerdarch hang out live with fans from the Nerdarchy YouTube channel. It’s a chance to share announcements and news, answer questions from the live chat...
Keep Your Campaign on Track: Dead End Plots in D&D
A campaign in fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons, or any roleplaying game, turns on the words and deeds of the characters whose actions move the narrative forward – usually in ways the Game Master never expects. I’d say quite a few D&D adventures go in different directions almost immediately upon starting play. A GM can consider and plan for a million possibilities, and I’m never surprised when players do the million and first thing. Giving players agency in your game is vital, but what do you do when the adventurers venture far afield of the quests you prepared, or get stymied by obstacles, puzzles and other challenges impeding progress? Did the adventure hit a dead end?
Keep Your Campaign On Track: Missing Players
Hello nerds! Nerditor Doug here, welcoming back guest poster Elyunn who shared a great story along with tips and advice for getting started with Fantasy Grounds. She is back with us again, and this time around she adds to the Keep Your Campaign on Track series.
Elyunn spoke with some folks over at Fantasy Grounds College to glean their insights on a situation all roleplaying game groups experience at some point or another…
Marvelous Phile: What is FASERIP the Marvel RPG?
Hey, guys, Professor Bill of Comic Book University (where tuition is always free) and I’m bringing you the sixth article of the Marvelous Phile, an homage to the excerpt in Dragon Magazine back in the '80s. Game mechanic - FASERIP What is this FASERIP thing we keep...
Worldbuilding: Fantasy Calendars for D&D
Salutations nerds! Today, we’re going to talk about another facet of worldbuilding often overlooked at the gaming table for fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons or whatever roleplaying game you fancy. I present to you, the humble calendar. If you clicked on this article, I’m going to assume you’re at least interested in using one. I’m not going to try to convince you creating your own calendars is good idea. You’re either into it or you’re not. Instead we’re going to get into the fun brainstorming part of the article I love so much.
Kickstarter Korner for Dec. 2017, Week 3
Each week during the Quests & Adventures live chat, Saturday at 2 p.m. eastern, Nerdarchists Dave and Ted and Nate the Nerdarch hang out live with fans from the Nerdarchy YouTube channel. It’s a chance to share announcements and news, answer questions from the live chat...
Keep Your Campaign On Track: Side Stories
A Dungeons & Dragons campaign can hinge around the players (and their characters) all being present. That can’t always be the case. If you find yourself missing one or more players at an important time in the campaign – such as the session when the party plans to storm the nemesis’ fortress and take back the stolen artifact – consider a side story. A side story is an encapsulated session dealing with events at another time and place without having a direct effect on the current scene. This could be a backstory session revolving around a particular character or a scene from another part of the campaign world.
2017 Holiday Nerdy Gift Ideas for Roleplaying Gamers
The holiday season is upon us and it’s time for this year’s gift suggestions for the nerdy gamers in your life. Whether you’re a Game Master of player, dig your digital products or prefer physical swag in hand, there’s a little something for everyone here. This past year has been incredible for roleplaying gamers, with tons of new games and new stuff for games we’ve all been playing like good ol’ Dungeons & Dragons.
If you still have some shopping to do (or you want to treat yourself to some nifty stuff) here’s a selection of suggestions for 2017. This feature has become something of a tradition around here, and as Nerditor-in-chief I’m honored to carry on with what was passed to me by my predecessor Ty Johnston. Everyone at Nerdarchy wishes you the happiest of holidays and as the close of 2017 nears, until the 2018 gift guide stay nerdy!
Flavour Shots: +1 Weapons
A Flavour Shot is a short description of game artefacts and phenomena for use by Dungeon Masters, Game Masters and Storytellers in their games. Feel free to drag and drop these into your own games, and modify to suit. Let us know if you end up using them. Some will be portals to other realms, some will be magic items, others will be monster encounters. This time, it’s…
Kickstarter Korner for Dec. 2017, Week 2
Each week during the Quests & Adventures live chat, Saturday at 2 p.m. eastern, Nerdarchists Dave and Ted and Nate the Nerdarch hang out live with fans from the Nerdarchy YouTube channel. It’s a chance to share announcements and news, answer questions from the live chat...
D&D Customized Content Creation: From Modules to Modular
I’ve been ruminating a lot lately about the evolution of Dungeons & Dragons. From early days playing through adventures like The Keep on the Borderlands and Palace of the Silver Princess to running fifth edition D&D quests like Curse of Strahd or careening through a slapdash Spelljammer campaign the game – and the people who play it – have changed a lot.
One of the ways D&D cleaves to current day sensibilities is through individualized customized content. This isn’t to say D&D wasn’t personalized for all the groups out there rolling funny-shaped dice back in the day, but the way folks play and the content we use to make the magic happen at the table has undergone a sea change.
