TPK

It’s probably a little late to say happy new year, but I hope you’re having one anyway. We’ve got a collection of links that might not guarantee good gaming in 2014, but they can’t hurt.

Developing villains

Mike Myler at Adventure a Week offers three tips on playing the long game with villains, developing antagonists and overcoming the inconvenience of death, the relationship they have with the PCs, and setting up some neat henchmen. He argues that a villain should simmer to a boil rather than bursting out of the pot on the first meeting, and I agree. Also I am writing this at lunch time.

If you must reason why

My hatred for puzzle dungeons is fiery, but if you must include a puzzle door, Callin at Big Ball of No Fun has some reasons why it might be there. Hint: the real in-game reason is that the person who designed that dungeon is a dick who can’t be bothered with locks. Still. I’ll consider one.

DIY landmass

I love map-making tutorials, and there’s a neat one at ars phantasia on creating a map outline. They use a cloud airbrush along with some simple tricks to create a realistic looking continent as part of their world map creation tutorial.

Fate for kids

I love playing rpgs with kids and playing rpgs that are accessible to kids, so imagine my surprise when I read about John Large’s adventures in making Fate Core characters with his friend’s 11 year old son. I’ve been playing around the Fate system for a while, and this might be my incentive to read it fully, especially since I love Spirit of the Century so much.

Tsuro of the Seas

Finally, a new TableTop! Enjoy this, and see you next week!