The Gaming Den

The problem with Perception is an issue all of its own. IMO, "Detect Ambush" should be a real character ability to which you can devote (or not) real resources. And "Detect Clues" should use some combination of "skill relevant to the clue at hand" and "automatic su...

A Stealthand-Perception system needs to resolve the following situations: 1. Trying to launch a surprise attack against an enemy 2. Evading detection long enough for the enemy to go away (or until a certain event occurs) 3. Points one and two, but in the middle of combat. 4. Infiltrating a hostile l...

None of that changes that Pathfinder doesn't actually have transformation magic that doesn't suck at any level, and 3e can in fact do that at levels 1-14 without permanent stat buffs. PF polymorph rules are actually playable. 3.5 polymorph rules are a fucking ridiculous mess and you know it. YEAH I...

The Polymorph spells that anyone actually uses - [foo] Shape X, Alter Self, Baleful Polymorph - work just fine . Polymorph Any Object has always been a pain in the ass. and yes, the PF version fails by not having Undead actually be a functional option. But it takes all of 5 fucking seconds to rule ...

You assholes are seriously suggesting that 3.5 polymorph rules are any good, and that makes you even bigger retards than the people who think Buhlman and Mearls are competent game designers. No. The implication is that the 3.5 polymorph rules say what they do. It's totally broken and there are a fe...

You assholes are seriously suggesting that 3.5 polymorph rules are any good, and that makes you even bigger retards than the people who think Buhlman and Mearls are competent game designers.

Zaranthan wrote:Arkham Horror isn't exactly a paragon of design either. Every game I've played has ended with the Rookie Cop using his special move followed by everyone else winning the game.

Arkham Horror has a very bad process-to-decision ratio. I do not like it, not at all.

Prak wrote:This review is making me think about rebuilding Vampire the Masquerade again...

For all those ethnic vampires,you can (as usual) grab a 3E Gurps book and be 95% done. Gurps Vampires is all about the Not Dracula.

I think at it's core it comes down to the leading quote: A game is a series of interesting decisions. Now, this isn't everyone's definition. It couldn't be. And there's also definitely room for games to be about largely fictional decisions, and I'm not ragging on that playstyle. But, for all games ...

My definition: Law (Order) is believing the Leviathan is good, Chaos is believing it is bad. Law tends to crush Chaos, because it's actually organized , and Chaos just kind of whines and tries to convince people to become sovereign citizens. You'll find quite a lot of very organized and "lawfu...

Synthesist is a downgrade from regular Summoner. People only lose their shit over it because it doesn't even pretend to belong in a different "niche", it straight up takes the Fighter's pants and shits right into them.

Hollywood is still in the entertainment business. The major comics publishers have apparently decided to stop focusing on entertaining and instead focusing on propagandizing. But it turns out that being in the propaganda business might get you glowing reviews, but not that many people are willing t...

i remember a thread about moral codes across the Great Wheel (D&D Outer Planes), something that was far less retarded than 9 alignments and made Planescape a lot less stupid. But i am googler of fail. Halp?

There are two Warhammers now. There's Age of Sigmar, which is GW officially declaring that they don't give a fuck about anything anymore but pushing miniatures to Kevins. And then there's whatever the tournament scene decides to agree on as being "9th edition Warhammer". As someone who ne...

There are two Warhammers now.

There's Age of Sigmar, which is GW officially declaring that they don't give a fuck about anything anymore but pushing miniatures to Kevins.

And then there's whatever the tournament scene decides to agree on as being "9th edition Warhammer".

5E: The Cargo Cult RPG.

Also, it cannot be overstressed how much gorgeous art the CCG has. If you'd like some asian-themed fantasy but are allergic to weaboo, this will scratch your itch.

Yeah, "Rule Zero", "Authority", "Power", "Realism", definitely red flags. Let me just throw in "Gritty", "Grim", 'Dark", "Low Magic", "Intrigue", "Betrayal", "OSR" and "2nd Edition". J...

Kaelik wrote:
1) I read these books when I was a teenager, so I'm not saying these are literary masterpieces, but as I recall:
The Thrawn trilogy is pretty good, the Hand of Thrawn Duology

I sincerely doubt that evaluation would survive a re-read.

Pretty much, though we know the design lead was Mark Seifter (the guy who got SKR's old job). There aren't a lot of data points to go on of course, but given that his other class was the Medium and their problems are similar I'd be tempted to attribute the issues to him. They both have resource mec...

Well it does have Haste and Fly. So while it's not really worth specializing in. I can't ever see myself just banning it outright though, and being forced to use higher level slots for that kind of shit. So how about them occult classes? Spiritualist is a shitty summoner, Kineticist is bad, but I s...

Na, the Succubus never had free will in that scenario. [threadDerail] Are you saying 'free will' doesn't exist? Or are you saying the succubus had none before he/she/it (whatever) was summoned? [/threadDerail] Or more on topic. Paizo released errata for the Advanced Racism Guide as well. The pathfi...

One thing I like to do when GMing investigations is couching everything in terms of the characters' paradigms . Like, this guy is a cop, he's on the lookout for crooks and troublemakers, but he can't tell an accountant from an account manager from a contract attorney. This guy is a careerist, he not...

"Imagine if Mage had been based on Constantine (Hellblazer) instead of Dr. Strange". This 3rd edition sounds like Kult, a swedish horror RPG about....gnosticism, and schizophrenia being a superpower.

Most police shows are fucking terrible examples of investigative play, because the guy who is introduced at the 10 minute mark but not under suspicion is probably the perp, and the guy put under suspicion at the 11 minute mark clearly isn't.