DMs, Don't Give Your Players a Handout When They Can Talk To An NPC Instead

As a game designer and a dungeon master, I'm well aware of how seductive the siren's song of table handouts can be. They're simple, they're easy on you, they require minimal heavy lifting, and if you print them out in advance they give your players something they can interact with and pass around. And if you really want to put in some pre-game effort, you can make badass handouts that look cool, and which will help add some oomph to the world and setting.

Acclaimed Heroes, you are cordially invited to... ah, another invitation...

However, handouts, letters, journal entries, NPC diaries... they should be used as a spice. If you make them the major way that all plot points get introduced to your players, then pretty soon it's going to start having a negative impact on your game.

The Risks of Overusing These Tools

Like I said above, I've used my share of letters in the games I've run in the past. And I've even used them in a few modules I've written (the secret journal in my one-shot False Valor is a perfect example). However, there are good reasons not to grow reliant on them.

And what, pray tell, are those?

The first reason to not rely on these kinds of handouts is because they'll quickly start to feel a lot less special. Even if you put in the time to make a full parchment paper letter complete with burn holes and blood stains (brief how-to on rigging that up in How To Make Parchment Paper Using Tea for those who are interested), if you're doing it once per chapter in your game, pretty soon your players are just going to view it as old hat. What was once unique and special has now become routine.

The second reason is that when you overuse handouts and letters you end up minimizing the party's interactions with NPCs; it's just them and a piece of paper, not them interacting with the world you've made. In some extreme cases this can actually lead to players assuming that NPCs are just there for background decoration, actively ignoring them in favor of tracking down the next handout.

Use An NPC Whenever You Possibly Can

In contrast to handouts, notes, and letters, your NPCs are an active, breathing part of the game world; they're in the present tense. They are, ideally, characters you want the party to develop relationships with, even if those relationships are small. And when you give your party information via an NPC, it has a completely different flavor to it than if you just handed them a letter and waited patiently while they read it.

All right... I'll tell you about the duke. But you didn't hear this from me, understand?

First of all, most NPCs will act as some kind of challenge to get information out of. The fighter has to take the gate guard out for drinks, and make small talk before he drunkenly talks about the woman in black who comes in and out of the grounds on the new moon. The local head of a syndicate has to be persuaded that giving out the details on a rival outfit is really going to be in her best interests. Or the party needs to ask around before they find just the right snoop who will part with the information they need, for a handful of gold.

This has two effects. First, it makes your players feel like they have to work for their plot information, which makes getting it all the more rewarding. Secondly, it creates relationships you can build on for future plots. If the PCs stab the mob boss in the back, then she might side with their enemies in the next arc. Alternatively, if they play straight with her, she might be an ally they can count on when assassins are coming after them and they need a safe house. You can't get this same arc out of just handing the party a scrap of paper.

A lot of DMs find this approach significantly more labor intensive, but you can save yourself a lot of time and effort by keeping supplements like these on-hand:

- 100 NPCs You Might Meet At The Tavern

- 100 Random Bandits to Encounter

- 100 Nobles to Encounter

- 100 Merchants to Encounter

These supplements are filled with flavorful NPCs you can cherry pick, and put to the side before your session starts. This ensures you have characters ready to show up, you're not scrambling to find a name and description, and characters who end up becoming party favorites can be expanded on as the game continues.

Don't Stop Using Handouts (Just Pair Them With Characters)

I want to be clear, here, that you shouldn't do away with letters, invitations, maps, journal entries, etc. in your campaign. However, you shouldn't use them as a crutch to info dump on your players, because it can take them out of the game, and reinforce that the people around the table are the only ones who really matter.

So even if you feel that a particular note is a valuable addition to a game, ask how you can pair it with an NPC and a scene to drive home the importance.

Yes, there is a message... here, write this down...

For example, say you were running a murder investigation arc, and a key piece of evidence is the love letters one of the victims kept hidden behind a base board in her room. Sure, the party can just shake down the room and find them, but ask what other characters know about that spot. The victim's mother? A friend? A former tenet who told her about the hidden space? By making another character part of the scene, it's now become an actual part of play, rather than just a reading session round the table. And if the PCs then ask that character about the contents of the letter, now it becomes a conversation they're having with someone, rather than just trying to figure out the implications themselves.

Even if it's just something simple, like the party receiving an invitation to the duke's salon that evening, don't just have the note randomly appear in their hands. Have a messenger in livery come, and address the party by name. Ask if they would like to send a reply, and make this herald a unique character. Is it a humanoid, or something odder? A celestial, intelligent creature? A playful pseudodragon? An intelligent raven? Or are the notes delivered by an undead servant who can't speak, but who gives the party a clear idea of what sort of man they're dealing with, and how dangerous it could be to refuse his invitation?

You don't need to get rid of useful handouts... just make sure they're one aspect of the scene; that zing of mustard on the dog, or the hot sauce in the taco. Don't think that just because you pour the condiment on that you can ignore the other elements, and still maintain a tasty game.

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That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. Hopefully you enjoyed, and if you've used run these kinds of games before, leave us a comment to let us know what worked for you!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

The Magic Item Collector

"Dosh, will you look at all this stuff?" Rafe whispered, his greedy eyes wide as he looked at the glassed-in cases.

"I was the one got the tip, wasn't I?" Dosh grunted, plucking a long, black wand off a shelf and looking at it.

"You even know what that does?" Rafe asked.

"No, but it smells like money," Dosh said.

"It's a Cicario Eldan wand," a voice said from behind them. "Third generation, when the old wizard was trying to improve on his designs."

The two thieves spun, staring at the slight figure. His hair was tousled, and he was dressed in a robe, yawning. He scratched under one arm, looking at them with half-lidded eyes. Dosh raised the wand, his fingers going to the clear arcane marks as he pointed it.

"Not another step," he hissed between his teeth.

"Or what?" the slender owner asked, tilting his head slightly.

Rafe tried to say something, but Dosh traced the runes and pointed. A black glow built at the tip of the wand, but rather than firing outward it turned back on itself. A look of horror crossed the thief's face, but nothing came from his mouth but smoke when he tried to scream. His eyes melted, his skin charred, and with a soft pop his clothes fell to the floor... empty, but for some ash.

"Those third gens," the owner said, shaking his head. "There are only a few of them left for a reason. Most people don't want something that cursed in their collection."

Where did you find these? Gods above... I didn't think there WERE any more of these...

The Magic Item Collector

There are always people who obsess over the rare, the unusual, and the valuable. For some it's gems dug from so deep in the earth there are only a few like them in existence. For others it's works of art, or poetry, crafted by the hands of artists dead for centuries. And for some, that obsession is magic items.

A burning grimoire... never thought I'd see the day where I had one.

 

In many ways, the Magic Item Collector can be seen as a subset of The Gearhead Fighter. However, the major difference between the two is that a Gearhead is (as a rule) more interested in the practical applications of the objects of their obsession. The Magic Item Collector is someone who pursues the rare, unique, and unusual for its own sake, rather than to using it to further their own goals. The chase, and the catch, is all that matters... other concerns like keeping dangerous items under lock and key, or ensuring a warlord can't use the item as a weapon, are really just secondary concerns.

A Collector will have an exhaustive knowledge of magic and its applications, and they'll certainly have opinions about which items are going to be more useful/serviceable in the field. Someone who swears by high-grade vellum for conjuration magic, while preferring papyrus for evocation spells, for example. They might be willing to use mass-produced potions, and keep a few simple yew wands around, but those things are expendable. They aren't the true prizes; they're the tools.

That's the important distinction. Just as an art critic might not see all art as beautiful and worthwhile, only prizing unique creations by talented creators, so too a Magic Item Collector isn't going to hold all magic items in high regard. Many of them will be plebian and functional, the high fantasy equivalent of corporate art or mass-produced prints. Only items with history, which boast a unique composition, or some combination of the two, will get their palms sweating.

Who Are Magic Item Collectors?

Magic item collectors come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and from a hundred different backgrounds. From enchanters and artisans who want to own a piece of the work made by the old masters, to nobles who appreciate the exquisite value of such unique pieces, to organizations who feel it is their duty to preserve and protect these items so they are not despoiled... or in some cases so the items in question don't do any harm to the world at large.

Some things are not for the eyes of the common folk.

 

The only things Collectors need to have is a knowledge of the arcane, and of the history behind these unique items. Beyond that, the sky really is the limit as to who they are, how they came by their obsession, and which items in particular they specialize in.

For an example, you might have a rogue who's a former wizard's apprentice that turns their skills toward evading the most advanced security measures out there in order to steal the most precious magic items in the world. Maybe they keep them, or maybe they hand them over to museums or secret orders, but the thrill of holding those pieces of history is something that never fades for them. Alternatively, you might have a cleric, wizard, or a sorcerer who uses their magic to craft the latest generation of magic items (the Artist, as mentioned in 10 Backgrounds For Your Spellcasters). They collect these items as examples of the art, but also as templates to use to try to understand how other  masters of the mystic arts have accomplished things before them. A magus might collect examples of fine enchanted armor and swords to use as decoration, showing their taste and devotion to history, or a bard might keep enchanted masterpieces ready to play, along with instruments made from impossible materials like dragon bone and sinew.

Lastly, as I mentioned above, it's a good idea to give your Collector a specialty. Maybe it's a particular culture, a certain type of item, or even a particular time period, but if you need someone who knows about it, the Collector has forgotten more than most people ever knew. If you find a darkling sword with a brand no one recognizes, Erinaldo Hardheart can likely tell you how old it is, and whether it was forged by the master or one of his apprentices. If you need to know about the Mindlock helms worn by the Ashen Knights at the fall of the Black Empire, Setania Caul not only knows their founding and history, but has fragments of the helms that still bear a glimmer of their former aura. And if you need to know about the awoken servitors of the Iron Age, old Albarian Codge knows... though whether you can get sense out of him will depend on how drunk he is.

Collectors will, of course, have other interests. However, their obsession with their own collection, and all of the information they've learned about magic over their years of study, searching, and acquisition, is often the major skill they bring to any party they join.

Those who enjoyed this piece may also enjoy 10 Backgrouns For Your Scoundrels, as well as 10 Backgrounds For Your Martial Characters. Both of them are currently in the 5 Tips archive, featured on the page's top bar.

Like, Follow, and Stay Tuned For More!

That's all for this installment of Unusual Character Concepts. Hopefully this one gave you something to chew over, whether you're a player, or a game master.

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my alley cat noir novel Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my most recent collection of short stories The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Learning To Speak Multiple RPGs Allows You To Translate For Newer Players

If you've ever walked by a table running a game you haven't played before, it can sometimes sound like they're speaking a different language. Between the jargon used to shorten game terms, and mentions of specific rules and aspects, it can sound more like a spirited court battle on a foreign television station than a roleplaying game at times. However, if you sit down and listen, following the action, it starts to feel like that scene out of The 13th Warrior where our Arabian poet learns conversational Norwegian from watching and listening to his new companions for weeks on end.

That is the last time Ragnar talks shit about my horse!

This is a thing I've run into several times. When you're a gamer, you learn the language of the games you play. Sometimes that gives you enough parlance to make yourself understood in closely related games (most editions of DND are like romance languages, for instance... if you're fluent in one, you can pick up another pretty easily), but not all games translate easily. More than just the language of the mechanics, though, are the themes and concepts of RPGs.

Because if you want to get a new player excited, you need to be able to explain it to them in a way they understand.

How I Sucked a Werewolf Player Into a Dark Sci-Fi Dystopia

If you've never heard of Mutant Chronicles, it's a sci-fi fantasy game set in a galaxy-spanning far future where megacorporations have colonized the planets, and constantly fight for supremacy, market shares, and control of resources. The world is being inundated with a dark force that's corrupting everything it touches, destroying technology, warping humans, and spreading like a cancer that the corporate overlords have been slow to believe, and even slower to respond to. Whether you want to play warriors spreading across the stars, cops in the gritty back alleys of Luna, or nearly anything in between, you can probably pull it off in this game.

World's on fire, may as well go out with some sparkle!

For those of you who are thinking this sounds a lot like Games Workshop's signature Warhammer 40,000, you're definitely not wrong. However, the setting is unique enough to avoid lawsuits, and it provides a different kind of flavor than you can get with games like Rogue Trader or Dark Heresy. The other thing that made this Modiphius game unique was that it had a sample module and rules set, so I figured I'd download the Mutant Chronicles free quick start, and run it for a group to see what we thought.

One of my players, who's usually down to try out anything with dice, was having a hard time wrapping her head around the setting. She's not a 40k player, and generally sticks to more fantasy than sci-fi. I was having a hard time trying to find a purchase to pull her in, but when I mentioned the corrupting forces of the Dark Symmetry, I could almost see it click in her head.

"Oh," she said, nodding. "It's like how the Wyrm is trying to destroy everything in Werewolf!"

That was when I remembered that Werewolf: The Apocalypse was this player's main game. She'd played several different systems and settings, but she'd been an organization head for Werewolf, and she knew its lore back-to-front. And what had been a difficult process for me quickly became a snap of my fingers as I found direct thematic correlations between the two games, bringing across that Mutant Chronicles had that same feeling of struggling grimdark, but instead of being shape-shifting spirit warriors you were now front-line soldiers and psychic weapons trying to turn back the tide of cosmic evil.

Once I found some familiar ground for her to stand on, she was in with both feet. If I hadn't had that ability to translate the idea into a format she understood, though, I likely wouldn't have been down a player when I tried to muster my table.

Play Widely, Run Widely

We've all got games that are our mainstays. Things that we know inside and out, back to front. But it's important to spread out, and to change up your gaming diet from time to time. Partly because you might find some games that provide settings and experiences you'd never have otherwise... but also because it helps you meet gamers who speak a different language than you do.

And you can never know too many languages when it comes to finding something that makes everyone at your table happy.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. Hopefully you enjoyed, and if you've used run these kinds of games before, leave us a comment to let us know what worked for you!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Do Content, Happy People Hunt Dragons? (More on Character Backstories)

Take it in. Digest it. This is what we're talking about today.

If you're on gaming forums, chances are you've seen this particular image already. Honestly, for the first week it made the rounds I saw it ten or twenty times a day, typically with conversations attached to it going into hundreds of comments in length. While I avoided participating in those conversations, there was a regular theme running through them that I wanted to talk about. That theme essentially being that only the disturbed, the damaged, and the deranged would ever choose the life of a professional adventurer.

And sure, any dangerous profession is going to have its share of thrill-seekers, rage cases, adrenaline junkies, and people who simply can't function in "normal" society. However, by and large, I think that a lot of folks focused on the wrong part of the issue.

The issue isn't that people who are well-adjusted/happy feel no need to go on adventures... it's that people who are content don't.

Never Be Complete, Never Be Content

In the scenario above, Jerry clearly has his life together. He's got a new bride, and a winery he's running that's making him a good living. The impression we get is that this was his goal all along. He's achieved a thing he wanted, and that for him to then leave that all behind to go hunt vampires would be an act of existential madness. Especially if said vampires are not actively trying to attack his spouse, or ruin his business, as those are clearly the things he's put his time into building up.

No, Alexi, for the last time, I'm not taking over the hunter's trade. I don't care what my father wants!

The issue here is not that the character in question didn't have a traumatic childhood filled with darkness, horror, or tragedy... but that what they want to achieve is not in line with the goals of an adventure. And sure, as I said in Why So Many Sad Backstories?, the easy way to change that is to slap the character in the face with something that makes it personal. It is, however, far from the only way.

So what you need to ask is not, "Why would this character avoid the adventure?" Instead, try asking, "What ambitions or goals does this character have that are fulfilled by following this plot?"

Avoiding Doom and Gloom (But Not Magic and Mayhem)

Let's get back to Jerry. Jerry is enjoying his winery's success, and his wife is pregnant with their first child. He's relaxing by his own fireplace, his feet up, and a glass of the last winter grape that went into the barrel the first year he was in business. Life seems pretty good, all in all. There's nowhere he'd rather be, and he's worked hard for this.

I'm sorry, my friend... we need your help.

But when Alexi comes calling to his home in the dark of the night, Jerry can't just send him away with a clear conscience. Not when he knows he can help. Vampires stalk the countryside, and if Jerry turns a blind eye to this problem now, his family will be safe. Tonight, at least. But maybe tomorrow night, or the next harvest moon, this black sea will be lapping at his doorstep. And by then, it won't be a problem that one man with a stake and his faith can solve... by then, it would take a holy army to turn back the tide.

He can't let that happen to other people. Not if he wants to sleep well, and be able to look his children in the eyes when they ask why he let other hunters bleed, and possibly die, in his place when he had the skills they sorely lacked.

The key here is that all characters need a motivation that speaks to who they are, and what they need. Take Jerry, for instance. He has good land, and one presumes a good home life. But in the scenario pictured, he also has the skills necessary to help hunt a dangerous undead monster that threatens the living. Why does he do it? Is it because, as stated above, he's a good person with a conscience that won't let him rest? Alternatively, is he actually missing the thrill of the hunt, and the feeling of danger that he had when he was still building up his foundation, or doing dangerous deeds to get the treasure he needed to acquire his land? Or, if we altered the location slightly, are the vampires threatening his land, their very presence souring his grapes even as they prey on his workers, and the townsfolk?

Because as long as the challenge being presented is going to pull on the character's motivations, hell yes they're going to become a part of it. Even if, from the outside, it would be far safer for them to stay at home and let some of the aforementioned loose cannons take the risk.

What Does Your Character Not Want?

Or, just as potentially useful, what does your character not want? Because if you're reaching for the low-hanging fruit, a character may go out on adventures for the money, for the fame, or because they feel it's their duty (or it's actually their duty, in the case of knights, officers of the crown, etc. sent to deal with demonic incursions, undead manifestations, etc.). But sometimes preventing an outcome you don't want to happen provides you just as much motivation as trying to bring about one you do want to happen.

Goddammit Alexi, you are NOT taking Igor on this mission. The kid's a glory hound, that's why. Let me get my coat...

As an example, say that a posse is being formed to cleanse the forest of the Cut Man's men (featured in 100 Random Bandits to Meet for those who are interested), and it's going to be led by "Hangman'" Sheriff Valdor. No, your character doesn't really need to get into the thick of things and clear out the bandits... but maybe he doesn't feel that stealing some silver from a few merchants means a man should swing by the neck without a trial, as Valdor's known to do when he decides a man is a bandit. The Cut Man, with his necklace of ears, needs to go... but the others deserve a chance to defend themselves in front of a judge. Or, if you want to sink it a little closer to home, perhaps you've got a niece whose lover runs with the gang, or a friend you parted ways with... they're on a bad path, but they can still be brought back. If Valdor leads a goon squad into the forest, though, all that's gonna come of it is fire and blood.

It's easier to have your characters do things because they want to (collect the bounty, get knighted, impress that NPC they have a crush on, kill the monster they have a personal grudge against, save their town from being wiped out, etc.) but it's important to remember that sometimes characters don't suit up because they want to. A lot of the time it's because they have an obligation.

Say your character is just living their life, enjoying time on the farm. They lived their crazy life, but they got land and a family to raise out of the experience, and they're okay with that now. But what happens when an old buddy from the army comes by, and calls in that favor they still owe? For that one time they took the rap, or stepped in front of a crossbow for them? Maybe your character has no interest in this supposed treasure, or in lost relics, but they owe a life debt, so they belt on their sword one more time to pay up. Perhaps you've been engaged in quiet study as a regional wizard, but when your dying mentor shows up and asks you to take up a task they couldn't complete, will you keep your word to them? Even though you left the church and its holy wars behind, is there still enough zeal in your heart to get you to stand in front of the defenseless one more time? Are you a vassal of the local lord, or perhaps the local noble yourself (A Baker's Dozen of Noble Families is a great place to start looking if this intrigues you), so the duty to investigate a rumor, or handle a problem, falls to you whether you will it or no?

Now, there's nothing wrong with a brooding character who still stares into the fire and thinks about the Black Tusk raiders who burned her village, or the sorcerer with a scar over their heart that never really stops hurting as long as their corrupt father is still alive, but the idea that these kinds of characters are the only ones you'll find out in the world is patently ridiculous. Because for every squad of amoral mercenaries working on their personal grudges, there are those in it for the thrill, for the fun, for the curiosity, for the greed, and even because it's their job.

Takes all kinds to make an interesting story.

Also, for those who are still scraping the barrel and wracking their brain, might I suggest checking out 100 Character Goals and Motivations to help jumpstart your creativity?

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Fluff post! If you've used this in your games, share a story down in the comments!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my recent short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Stop Marking On Your Character Sheet (Seriously, There Are Better Ways)

When you first fill out your character sheet, it looks pristine. The sheet, like your PC, is newly-minted, as yet unscarred by the ravages of goblin blades, or the crippling touch of a shadow. But once you've gone up a few levels, you start to notice the dark marks, and ragged edges. The places where your damage isn't quite erasing the way you want, or how your stats are progressively tougher to read thanks to the ravages of ghouls, succubi, vampires, and other awful creatures you've had the misfortune to encounter.

Look at it. So neat. So clean. If only it could last...

Of course, you can just get a fresh character sheet and re-write the whole thing every couple of levels, if that's your bag. Or you can keep a digital character sheet, if you're willing to fully embrace the age of digital gaming. But for those of us who like to have the same sheet for an entire campaign, there is something to be said for keeping your shifting tallies somewhere other than on your permanent record. And in today's day and age, there's a unique way to do that.

Scratch Paper in The Digital Age

This is going to sound obvious to most players, but it didn't occur to me until recently that just because there's a space for damage, spell slots, etc. on your sheet, that doesn't mean you need to use it. Especially if it means you're going to constantly be marking and erasing, possibly several times a session. That's just how most groups I've played with rolled, and it didn't occur to me to change it up until one of my DMs got a thank you present from his job. At first I thought it was just a clipboard, but when he took out the stylus and started jotting the initiative order, NPC notes, and other things on it, I realized it was actually an electronic notepad.

Basically, this thing.

This LCD writing tablet is simple, durable, and it's got some serious staying power since it runs off of a basic watch battery. It's great for tracking damage, stat boosts/hindrances, pools of points that constantly shift (looking at you, swashbucklers and gunslingers), and most importantly keeping track of what spells or spell-like abilities you've used that day. Best of all, there's no worries about keeping it charged, and needing to get it prepped before game night; it uses so little power that a single watch battery can keep it running for years of gaming without incident.

On the one hand, it can be argued that this tablet doesn't do anything that a simple piece of paper doesn't do. And if you have a pad of scratch paper on-hand (as any good gamer should, really), then you can basically keep track of everything in a small notebook. I'm not denying that, as I basically have small pads of paper I keep in my character folders for exactly this reason... however, the tablet has one major advantage; it saves serious travel space.

And if you're a player who is going to someone else's house, or a DM who's running in an organized play style setting, that can be a serious advantage. Especially if you just want to leave said tablet in your bug-out bag so that you've always got it ready to record the results of the latest carnage.

Also, if keeping yourself organized at the table is your thing, you might also want to check out my previous post Organize Your Spell Cards With A Portable Spellbook!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. Hopefully you enjoyed, and if you've used run these kinds of games before, leave us a comment to let us know what worked for you!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

The Armored Kineticist: A Force to Be Reckoned With

Though I haven't gotten around to doing full breakdowns and tips regarding the tasty classes we received in Occult Adventures, I have had a lot of folks ask me what I would do with a kineticist. While they've got a lot of moving parts, and a lot of path options, there is one thing that I would greatly enjoy doing with this particular class... making them as tanky as possible.

I wouldn't reach for that initiative die, if I were you.

While their Constitution modifier is one of their most important stats, given that it adds to damage and the saves against many of their class features, it's how their abilities function that really got my brain turning. Because as I mentioned in Add Some Spell-Like Abilities to Your Character For an Ace-in-The-Hole, being able to use your magic while encased in steel is pretty damn awesome.

A Heavily-Fortified Gun Emplacement

As a brief reminder, for those who have skimmed rather than reading into the fine details, a kineticist's abilities are either supernatural, or spell-like. Neither of these will use somatic gestures or verbal components, and neither of them will require material components. While occasionally treated the same way as spells in terms of whether they function in magic dampened areas, you never have to worry about what armor you're wearing when you're using these abilities. Or even the shield you're carrying.

They called him the Dragon Prince... but he burned hotter than any wyrm.

This means that, with a little work, you can take your kineticist, wrap them in the most heavily enchanted armor you can find, give them a shield, stack some spells on them (via magic items or party buffers), and then add in some defensive wild talents, and you'll be able to wade right into the maelstrom of battle.

The most obvious choice for this is the Kinetic Knight archetype, found in Pathfinder Player Companion: Psychic Anthology. While this archetype gives you medium and heavy armor proficiency, as well as shield proficiency, and allows you to Gather Power while carrying a bonded shield, it also gives you a significantly more rigid power progression. And a lot of the powers it assigns you are melee-oriented, in addition to the fact that it limits your ability to use some of your powers to when you have your armor on.

For my two cents, you're better off just taking a single-level dip into fighter, and eating the loss of a kineticist class level. It ensures you get to keep your freedom, you get a bonus feat, some nice boosts to your saves (though it can adversely affect your Will save, so watch for that), and you get the necessary armor proficiencies along with some snazzy weapon proficiencies on top of it! And if you want some extra cheese you could take something like the Unbreakable fighter to get Endurance and Diehard at level one, just to eke a little more out of the deal.

This puts you on a pretty solid defensive path. You can now wear the best armor you can find (which is helpful for those who only have a middling Dexterity score), and boost your AC even higher with shields when you want to. Though you will need to drop your shield to Gather Power, or eventually invest in something that dances to free up your hands. Or you could invest in a Ring of Force Shield, which can be turned on or off as a free action specifically for situations like this.

In addition to all that heavy metal, though, you've got your defensive wild talents to huck into the fray, too. The water kineticist's shroud can act as your shield, the wood kineticist gets a natural armor bonus, the telekinetic kineticist gains temporary hit points from their force field, along with utility talents like Kinetic Cover to provide full cover against attacks and magic.

And, of course, once you've got your ironsides in place, all that's left to do is blast away to your heart's content.

The beauty of the kineticist is that they are always ready for action, as long as they haven't reached their maximum burn (and even then, they can still use their powers without going over that tolerance level). And when you combine their ability to blast away endlessly with their movement powers, such as air walking on ramps of ice like one of the X-Men, or blowing themselves into the air on their own explosive beams, things can get pretty heavy metal pretty quickly.

Things To Watch Out For

Of course, no build is perfect. In addition to the sheer prep time and resources you need to get your kineticist up to their full fighting strength (armor costs, using magic items for buff spells, activating your wild talents, etc.), there are some notable chinks in your armor. Your poor Will save is going to be one of the biggest problems, but you should also keep an eye on your touch AC. Just because you're swinging heavy in plate mail surrounded by a shroud of freezing water doesn't mean you aren't easy to pick off with ray spells. Lastly, watch your saves. Some abilities just require you to hit, but pay close attention to which ones are regular attacks, which ones are touch attacks, which ones allow saving throws, and which ones don't.

Being a big gun ain't easy.

Also, it's important to ask what sort of organization such an unusual warrior might be a part of. The Knights of the Glass Sword from 100 Knightly Orders, or the Acolytes of Arannis in 100 Random Mercenary Companies are great places to get started if you're looking for inspiration!

And for those who are interested in more fun things you can do with the occult classes, you may want to check out Advantages and Disadvantages of Psychic Magic (in Pathfinder)!

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That's all for this week's Crunch topic! For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio! Or if you'd like to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well! And if you'd like to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little bit of help can go a long way, trust me on that one.

Feast of Legends... Is Wendy's New RPG Really Worth It?

If you're a fan of tabletop RPGs, then you've no doubt heard about Wendy's latest release Feast of Legends. And if this is the first you're hearing about it, no, this isn't a gag, or a joke, or a publisher with an oddly similar name... the fast food chain Wendy's, known mostly for their square patties and snarky Twitter feed, has released a legitimate, 100-page tabletop RPG that's free to download. Not only that, but it comes with it's own campaign that takes you through the kingdom of Freshtovia, and lets you experience play from level 1 to level 5 as you become heroes of the land.

This game has, of course, been all over the social media feeds and RPG forums for days. People have called it everything from a sure sign that gaming is now completely mainstream, to a cheap corporate stunt as a fast food chain tries to use our favorite hobby as a way to get us in the door to buy a frosty. However, a bigger question we should all be asking is, "How does it play?"

The short answer, silly, but fun.

Simple Enough Anyone Could Play It

If you crack the cover, and read through this RPG, you'll see that some genuine thought, effort, and polish went into making it playable. Additionally, you'll find that it's more like a stripped-down version of Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition that puts it closer to the level of a board game like Hero Quest. Which is not to say that it isn't fun, but that it was designed for people who either didn't want a game that's super simple, or for those who've never played an RPG before. Perhaps both.

Either way, it puts you into a fully-realized world that is clearly a corporate gimmick, but it's still giving it all its got to make it fun.

But how does it play?

I didn't make that HeroQuest comparison lightly, and this game basically feels like someone tried to either reduce 5E down to board game level, or beef up a fantasy board game until it was a legitimate RPG. So while you have your attributes, your movement speed, and your class powers, as well as a bevy of weapons and magic items to choose from, that's about it. There's no multiclassing, no feats, not even any skills to bother with. There's no XP, either; you gain your next level when the included campaign tells you that you do. And while familiar mechanics like critical hits, advantage, and disadvantage show their faces, they're sort of all you've got when it comes to the rules.

Now, not being a complex game doesn't necessarily make it a bad game. It is extremely silly, filled with puns and creating an entire tongue-in-cheek setting with areas like the Temple of Panda, the domain of the Creepy King, and the Deep Freeze wherein lurks the Ice Jester and his minions. And if you can get yourself into the spirit of the game, it's got the potential for a lot of fun. Especially if you need a palate cleanser, or you're looking for something super simple to induct some of your inexperienced friends into the hobby.

But How Are They Making Money Off Of This?

All the folks decrying this as a marketing stunt aren't wrong. Wendy's has a track record for doing all the usual corporate wickedness, and I'm not saying they created this out of the goodness of their hearts or the love of the game. Feast of Legends exists to make them money, pure and simple.

But if they give it away for free, how do they make money off of it? Especially since the game clearly cost some cash to write, commission art for, and to format into a professional-looking game?

Because it is happening, mark my words.

Well, the first way it's working is through exposure. Because let's face it, this went off like a bombshell in the RPG community, and it's been all anyone's talking about for days now. Critical Role played through the game, and got everyone in their audience watching. And with Wendy's firmly front and center in a lot of people's minds, at least a few of them got a craving for a Baconator.

However, there is another gimmick built right into the rules system. You see, there's a rule about what you eat at the table, and the bonuses it gives you. You eat Wendy's menu items, you get bonuses. Eat other fast food items, or just snacks, you get negatives. And sure, a lot of us would just hand wave that away, but there are going to be at least some people who play with that rule enforced. And with a 5 level campaign that can go on for months, that means a lot of players may suddenly find themselves getting Wendy's once a week. A habit they might stick with, even once they switch to a different game.

So yes, this is a blatant marketing exercise. But just because it's a marketing gimmick doesn't mean you can't have fun with it. Especially since it's free to download, and if you never buy anything from the fast food chain then you can just enjoy playing with the free toy they gave you.

Speaking of toys, though, I think Wendy's should have given away PC minis with their meals so you had some ready-made game pieces for use in this (and other) games. If the folks in corporate are listening, make that happen, and you'll notice a lot of folks suddenly lining up to get the meal deal that comes with the free prize again.

Also, if you're in the market for more free gaming stuff, then you might also want to check out my previous posts Consent in Gaming (If You Haven't Downloaded This Book Yet, You Really Should) as well as Can't Get Enough of Free RPG Day? Dig A Little Deeper on Drive Thru RPG!

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That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. Hopefully you enjoyed, and if you've used run these kinds of games before, leave us a comment to let us know what worked for you!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Rise of The Runelords Chapter 20: At The Gates of The Runeforge

With the buried poison beneath Sandpoint put back to rest, the Companions realized the clock is ticking faster than they'd hoped. One of the Runelords, at least, appeared hellbent on waking from his slumbers to unleash his magic upon the world. To stop a being of such power, they'll need the proper tools... but a runeforged weapon can only be found in one place. So they made their preparations, and set off to arm themselves for one, last battle.

To catch up on how we got here, check out:

- Chapter 1: Blood and Butterflies
- Chapter 2: Murder and Glass
- Chapter 3: The Sin Pit
- Chapter 4: Tussles in The Tangle
- Chapter 5: The Assault on Thistletop
- Chapter 6: Secrets Behind The Curtain
- Chapter 7: Murders At The Mill
- Chapter 8: Halflings and Ghouls
- Chapter 9: Fox in The Hen House
- Chapter 10: Something Rotten in Magnimar
- Chapter 11: The Crumbling Tower
- Chapter 12: Demonbane
- Chapter 13: Trouble at Turtleback Ferry
- Chapter 14: The Taking of Fort Rannick
- Chapter 15: Water Over The Dam
- Chapter 16: Mad Lovers, And Lost Captains
- Chapter 17: The March of The Giants
- Chapter 18: The Taking of Jorgenfist
- Chapter 19: The Secrets Beneath Sandpoint
- Chapter 20: At The Gates of The Runeforge
- Chapter 21: Storming The Halls of Evocation
- Chapter 22: The Bowels of Necromancy's Tomb

- Chapter 23: The End of Runeforge

- Chapter 24: Preparation For The Final Journey 

- Chapter 25: The Hunger in The Mountains 

- Chapter 26: The Gateway to Xin-Shalast

- Chapter 27: The Path of Temptation

- Chapter 28: The Three-Fold Challenge of Xin-Shalast

- Chapter 29: Crossing The Barrier of Greed

- Chapter 30: The Fall of Karzoug

And after all that, the Companions headed north again... into the crags of the forgotten mountains, looking for a place buried by time.

The Gateway To The Runeforge

Reading and re-reading the notes left by the Scribbler, the Companions begin to piece together the bizarre history and purpose of the place they seek. Like the Runelords themselves, the Runeforge appeared to have been created with something of a noble goal, when it was first founded. A place for arcane scholars to come and study, it was a place of magic and learning... and only those with the proper spells could enter it.

Fortunately, we brought some arcane experts with us.

The journey was arduous, and cold. The Companions didn't speak much, each focused on what lay ahead, and for some what roiled within them. Mirelinda read her cards every day, the fortunes only growing worse the closer they came. Danger, the cards said... but what form it would take they didn't so much as hint at.

When they finally found the gate, it seemed almost underwhelming. Ancient standing stones atop a plateau, each marked with runes and left filled with magic. Keys to the gateway that, if opened at the proper time, would show the way to the Runeforge... or so the made writings of the trapped Scribbler had said. Mirelinda and Zordlan examined them, prodding the stones with cantrips until they felt the eldritch mechanisms unlock. Rumbles in the stone as tumblers turned. One, then another, then another. It seemed that Runeforge wouldn't be as hard to get into as they'd feared... until a shadow fell over them, and a scream of fury split the air.

On Winter Wings

From the sky, frost hissing from its gaping maw, came a huge, white dragon. Fully grown and enraged, it swooped down on what it seemed sure was an easy meal. Thok's eyes went wide, and he dashed for cover to get away from its curving, raptor talons and piercing gaze. Bostwick skipped aside, spreading out so it couldn't get everyone. Zordlan swore, and Mirelinda ducked behind a standing stone. Even Chikara retreated a few steps, raising her bow.

Zhakar shrugged his cloak off his shoulders, and unfurled his wings. When the thing came down, he rose to meet it.

Well shit, they don't usually do THAT!

The dragon's breath raked the circle as the Companions dove aside, trying to return fire with spell and bow. Zhakar shook off the frost, and blasted a blinding beam into the dragon's eyes. It roared, eyes white and scaled from the burning light. It shook its head, listening for what it could no longer see. Shocking arrows thumped into its hide, and it roared. As Mirelinda prepared another spell, it dove, snatching her up and flying her high into the sky. It tossed her, and she spread her arms as the air slowed her descent. Confused, and angered, the dragon circled to within reach of Zhakar's pick once more. Instead of an easy meal, it found the steel digging straight through its scales, spilling its freezing blood onto the plateau below.

Crippled and wounded, angry and unable to conceive of how close to death it was, it was only a matter of time till the dragon came back to earth. Turning to meet the charge from above, it didn't expect the rest of the Companions to descend upon it. Chikara's ax bit deep, and Zordlan's blade punctured its underbelly. Hellfire bloomed, and it screamed as the black flames burned away what life remained in it.

Rimed, But Triumphant

Chilled and shaken, but very much alive, the Companions rested, healed, and then sought the dragon's lair to be certain it didn't have a mate. It didn't, but it had a hoard. Filled with treasures stolen over hundreds of years, ranging from potent magical weapons like a Flametongue, to enchanted armors and wands, the creature had been sitting on the very weapons that would have been ideal for slaying it. But it had no mate that they could see. Sorting the wheat from the hoard, the Companions began the ritual opening once more. They ascended the stairs to the top of the path at speed, thanks to Zhakar's wings, and despite the crumbling drops, found the gateway into the what they assumed to be the Runeforge. Guarded by two constructs, the gateway yawned before them... leading into dangers untold.

What was in the realm beyond?

Next Time on Table Talk!

Will the Companions survive the horrors of the Runeforge? Will they find the weapons they seek, or is it all just a deadly trap? Find out on the next installment of Table Talk!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archives, as well as the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio where I help out from time to time. Or, to check out books like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, as well as on Pinterest where I'm building all sorts of boards dedicated to my books, RPG supplements, and greatest hits. Lastly, to help support me and my work, consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron! Even a little donation can have a big impact.