How To Quickly Add Some Exciting Chaos To Your TTRPGs - B&S#292
Space Marines are dead, long live space marines? Also, Lorcana is working on a digital version, there's some cool looking D&D games coming, and what really happened with that "The Monolith" Kickstarter? Then, I take a look at "The Game Master's Book of Magic & Mayhem For Kids" from Media Lab Books. Amazon Affiliate Link
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News
“Our attempts to do things ‘different from the others’ came back to bite us”: Plaid Hat’s Colby Dauch on The Monolith’s Kickstarter failure and rapid turnaround (from Board Game Wire)
The Monolith was a Kickstarter from Plaid Hat Games that was pulled only a couple of days after it launched. Now, with the campaign re-launching, the CEO of Plaid Hat Games posted about what happened during that first campaign and how they will be doing things differently. In my (uninformed) opinion, methinks that some of the arguments used in this article aren't exactly painting the picture that Colby Dauch wanted to paint about their thought processes.
Disney Lorcana's new online game could dominate 2027, but only if it moves fast (from Wargamer)
The Disney themed trading card game Lorcana is getting an online version.....at some point! They announced it recently at D23, but gave no timeline on when this would be actually playable. Given the downturns that the game has seen this year, if this digital version comes out any later than 2027, it might be too late for the game. The CCG/TCG market is quick and merciless when it comes to killing games, and timing is everything.
GW massacres firstborn Space Marines, sends 17 Warhammer 40k units to Legends (from Wargamer)
The new Space Marines codex for Warhammer 40k 11th edition is inboard any day now, this version a little lighter than previous versions. That's because Games Workshop has chopped out several units that are either old, haven't seen widespread play in awhile, or have been tricky to balance rules wise (I'm looking at you, aircraft models). If you only play games casually at home, dont worry! This doesn't affect you one single bit.
The next Gloomhaven board game turns you into the greatest hero of all - an overworked HR manager (from Wargamer)
I love goofy ideas turned into a reality - that's why I've gotten so lost in random animes over the past year. But this next one from the makers of Gloomhaven definitely falls into this category - you act as a HR manager hiring mercenaries to participate in a tournament! Compared to the timesink of the original Gloomhaven game, this one claims to take only 45 minutes, which is a great way to bring people in that have been intimidated by all the various Gloomhaven games. I fully expect to try this one at Pax Unplugged this year.
D&D reveals a cozy tavern videogame, and I'm falling for it hook, line, and sinker (from Wargamer)
D&D: Warlock Gameplay Reveal And Deep Dive (from Bell of Lost Souls)
Ok yes, there's a new in depth D&D game coming out called Warlock and it looks super cool and everything, but who cares about that - there's a new D&D themed game where you get to make your own tavern! Imagine The Sims meets D&D, and now I can't stop thinking about this game and how 'Long Rest Tavern' will probably make soooo much money. Everyone I've shown the trailer to has been adding it to their Steam Wishlist.
Main Topic - Review - The Game Master's Book of Magic & Mayhem (For Kids!) from Media Lab Books
For the child in all of us, this book will surely add a ton of chaos and whimsy to your D&D5e games. For under $20, this book is worth it just for the free downloads of all the colorful maps and locations that come when you buy the book! There's some traps and NPCs in this book that I will most definitely be adding to my games in the future - both for kids and adults alike!
Official Link
Amazon Affiliate Link
Ask A Dirtbag GM
Is this encounter going to TPK my party? (from reddit.com/r/DMAcademy)
Short answer: It better. Longer answer: Who cares? You can always tweak things if things are too difficult on the fly! But if you are staging an encounter that's more than a "you run into random creatures along the way", then there should definitely be some threat to the players, or else you are just going to bore everyone.
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