http://diceofdoom.com/blog The Dice of Doom is a blog about gaming, being a gamer and general interest content suitable for nerds. Tue, 01 May 2012 13:26:59 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 The Dice of Doom podcast is a lively discussion about role-playing games, focusing heavily on Dungeons & Dragons, Call of Cthulhu and Warhammer along with many other gaming systems. We have been gaming for longer than we care to freely admit and we have a wide range of interests and experiences in gaming in general (everything from obscure games printed in the 1980's to the most recent tabletop wargames). We like to take a lighthearted approach to our discussions and mix them up with other nerdy news and content as well. RupertG yes RupertG rupertg@diceofdoom.com rupertg@diceofdoom.com (RupertG) © Dice of Doom Dice of Doom Podcast dnd, d&d, dungeons & dragons, rpg, roleplaying, gaming, roleplaying games http://diceofdoom.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Podcast-Logo-New-SQ-SM.png http://diceofdoom.com/blog Sydney, Australia http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/08/making-the-most-of-magic/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/08/making-the-most-of-magic/#comments Tue, 03 Aug 2010 05:26:58 +0000 Cuchulain http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=2089 How to make the most of magic in your fantasy role-playing game. Advice for spellcasters, dungeon masters and writers. Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/08/making-the-most-of-magic/feed/ 15 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/07/the-dice-of-doom-podcast-001-%e2%80%93-dd-essentials/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/07/the-dice-of-doom-podcast-001-%e2%80%93-dd-essentials/#comments Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:13:16 +0000 RupertG http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=2001 In this episode of the Dice of Doom podcast we debate the impending D&D Essentials set, or Red Box as it colloquially known along with some other random stuff as we got a little distracted along the way. Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/07/the-dice-of-doom-podcast-001-%e2%80%93-dd-essentials/feed/ 0 2e,4E,AD&D,d&d,d&d essentials,dnd,dragon warriors,red box 001 - D&D Essentials In this episode of the Dice of Doom podcast we debate the impending D&D Essentials set by Wizards of the Coast, or Red Box as it colloquially known, along with some other random stuff such as Dragon Warriors, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay and The Secret Lives of Gingerbread Men. RupertG yes 34:48 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/07/magic-missile-errata-the-controversy-over-changing-dnd4e-to-be-more-like-older-editions/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/07/magic-missile-errata-the-controversy-over-changing-dnd4e-to-be-more-like-older-editions/#comments Thu, 08 Jul 2010 02:54:37 +0000 RupertG http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=1907 Update: We discuss this at some length on our latest (and new) podcast. There has been quite a bit of chatter on the web recently regarding the latest errata for D&D 4e from Wizards of the Coast (WotC). The primary … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/07/magic-missile-errata-the-controversy-over-changing-dnd4e-to-be-more-like-older-editions/feed/ 18 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/06/arcane-implement-mastery-guide/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/06/arcane-implement-mastery-guide/#comments Fri, 18 Jun 2010 02:22:23 +0000 Ellisthion http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=1876 The 4E Wizard class feature Arcane Implement Mastery is a powerful ability that can shape the entire career of your character. Be it Orb, Wand, Staff, or Tome, the implement you want to use will influence your race, ability scores, … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/06/arcane-implement-mastery-guide/feed/ 2 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/05/dnd-4e-players-handbook-3-in-depth-review/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/05/dnd-4e-players-handbook-3-in-depth-review/#comments Mon, 31 May 2010 03:55:46 +0000 Ellisthion http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=1839 The Player's Handbook 3 for 4E D&D adds to the game with a pile of new character options. New races, classes, the Psionic Power Source, Feats, Hybrid classes and more immediately show it's an interesting read... but how does it measure up? What are the new options like, and what impact will this have on how the game runs? Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/05/dnd-4e-players-handbook-3-in-depth-review/feed/ 6 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/04/understanding-the-maths-behind-4e-dnd-combat/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/04/understanding-the-maths-behind-4e-dnd-combat/#comments Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:37:51 +0000 Ellisthion http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=1809 Is there something wrong with 4E maths? Some say using 3d6 instead of a d20 improves the system. Should we get inspiration for changing the rules from computer games like World of Warcraft? Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/04/understanding-the-maths-behind-4e-dnd-combat/feed/ 28 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/04/in-case-you-missed-it-the-writers-from-robot-chicken-caught-playing-dnd-on-video/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/04/in-case-you-missed-it-the-writers-from-robot-chicken-caught-playing-dnd-on-video/#comments Tue, 20 Apr 2010 07:28:27 +0000 RupertG http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=1803 These have been out for a little while, however we thought we’d mention it, just in case you had missed it. A few months back Wizards of the Coast set up a game with the writers from Robot Chicken and … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/04/in-case-you-missed-it-the-writers-from-robot-chicken-caught-playing-dnd-on-video/feed/ 0 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/03/speeding-up-dd-4e-combat-morale/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/03/speeding-up-dd-4e-combat-morale/#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:06:41 +0000 Ellisthion http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=1781 A large problem many groups have with 4E D&D is that 4E combat takes a very long time. Various methods have been proposed to fix this, such as reducing monster hp, but after some discussion we realised the best way of doing it is simply to revive the Morale system, used in 1st and 2nd Edition, but thrown out in 3rd. The problem with these systems is, like the whole editions themselves, they were overly complicated; I've seen an attempt at adding Morale to 4E that mostly just put the 2nd Ed system in... and it looked terrible. So, we decided to do it from the ground up: a complete, effective, and simple Morale system for 4E D&D. Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2010/03/speeding-up-dd-4e-combat-morale/feed/ 40 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/12/4e-dungeon-master%e2%80%99s-guide-2-in-depth-review/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/12/4e-dungeon-master%e2%80%99s-guide-2-in-depth-review/#comments Sat, 19 Dec 2009 12:11:17 +0000 Ellisthion http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=1741 Not so long ago, the 4th Edition DMGII came out. With the general high quality of 4E splatbooks so far, this looked promising: but for those out there for whom “promising” isn’t enough, this in-depth review should give you everything … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/12/4e-dungeon-master%e2%80%99s-guide-2-in-depth-review/feed/ 8 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/10/powergaming-understanding-area-of-effect-in-dnd4e/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/10/powergaming-understanding-area-of-effect-in-dnd4e/#comments Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:00:52 +0000 Ellisthion http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=1571 Area of Effect powers, or AoE, are pretty common in 4th Edition D&D. No longer are they limited to Wizards, but can be found in the arsenal of many non-spellcasters, such as Fighters, as well as being used by many … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/10/powergaming-understanding-area-of-effect-in-dnd4e/feed/ 29 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/09/powergaming-power-choice/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/09/powergaming-power-choice/#comments Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:30:34 +0000 Ellisthion http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=1406 In 4E D&D, choosing your Powers is a critical part of your character. Especially since you get so few, it is essential that you choose Powers that won’t let you down. So, how do we decide which Powers to select? … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/09/powergaming-power-choice/feed/ 0 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/08/powergaming-introduction/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/08/powergaming-introduction/#comments Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:54:32 +0000 Ellisthion http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=1337 Today we begin the first of a series of (hopefully weekly…) articles discussing various powergaming strategies in D&D, both 3.5 and 4E. But what do we really mean by powergaming? How can we discuss details without understanding it? Well, that’s … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/08/powergaming-introduction/feed/ 4 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/08/4e-monster-manual-2-in-depth-review-and-analysis/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/08/4e-monster-manual-2-in-depth-review-and-analysis/#comments Sat, 01 Aug 2009 13:18:15 +0000 Ellisthion http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=1298 I was a bit apprehensive going into this review, because, whilst the 4E splat books have been pretty darn good so far, some of the 3.0 and 3.5 Monster Manuals were… um… not that great. Fortunately, as you will see, … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/08/4e-monster-manual-2-in-depth-review-and-analysis/feed/ 2 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/06/players-handbook-2-review/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/06/players-handbook-2-review/#comments Sat, 13 Jun 2009 02:00:17 +0000 Ellisthion http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=1194 And about time, too. This is a review of the 4E PHBII. For a review of the 3.5 PHBII: it’s arguably the best 3.5 book in existence. Anyway, on to the point. 4th edition leads itself nicely into splat books, … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/06/players-handbook-2-review/feed/ 11 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/05/upcoming-articles-monster-of-the-week-index/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/05/upcoming-articles-monster-of-the-week-index/#comments Sat, 16 May 2009 15:48:52 +0000 Ellisthion http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=1033 As some of you may have noticed, Monster of the Week has lapsed. In order to keep things fresh and interesting, I have decided to discontinue it for the moment, and focus on providing a greater variety of articles. Some … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/05/upcoming-articles-monster-of-the-week-index/feed/ 2 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/05/monster-of-the-week-basilisks/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/05/monster-of-the-week-basilisks/#comments Sat, 02 May 2009 04:48:44 +0000 Ellisthion http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=996 Basilisks are, like many D&D creatures, a solid mythological creature. Check the Wikipedia entry, it’s quite good. What’s particularly interesting is, apparently, a Cockatrice is a variant of a Basilisk, with more bird than lizard. Anyway, the important thing is, … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/05/monster-of-the-week-basilisks/feed/ 0 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/04/monster-of-the-week-aboleth/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/04/monster-of-the-week-aboleth/#comments Sat, 25 Apr 2009 08:24:28 +0000 Ellisthion http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=990 Aboleths are large and intelligent marine creatures not to be confused with an Axolotl, another strange fishy creature also starting with ‘A’. However, rather than having legs, an Aboleth has psionic powers and another nasty stuff. They look something like … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/04/monster-of-the-week-aboleth/feed/ 4 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/04/monster-of-the-week-goblins/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/04/monster-of-the-week-goblins/#comments Sat, 11 Apr 2009 15:45:33 +0000 Ellisthion http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=977 Goblins are like the eternal minion. Fireball fodder. Unlike Zombies, they can think for themselves, so are perfect for enlisting in huge quantities for random armies. Ever since The Hobbit they’ve been associated with being standard foes, and are thus … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/04/monster-of-the-week-goblins/feed/ 0 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/03/monster-of-the-week-wraiths/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/03/monster-of-the-week-wraiths/#comments Sat, 28 Mar 2009 01:00:40 +0000 Ellisthion http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=954 Wraiths are incorporeal undead, pretty standard in just about any fantasy setting. Their very nature makes them very difficult to injure at all. For a DM, they are a handy monster as both a random encounter, and forcing the players … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/03/monster-of-the-week-wraiths/feed/ 0 http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/03/monster-of-the-week-medusa/ http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/03/monster-of-the-week-medusa/#comments Sat, 21 Mar 2009 11:02:20 +0000 Ellisthion http://diceofdoom.com/blog/?p=925 I was going to write an article about Cockatrices, having been killed by one in NetHack (a Rogue-like game, more on NetHack later this week). However, I found 4E D&D doesn’t have them… yet. It’s possible they’ll be in the … Continue reading →]]> http://diceofdoom.com/blog/2009/03/monster-of-the-week-medusa/feed/ 0