Archive for the ‘Storytelling & Roleplaying’ Category

Secret #1 to Great Fantasy Writing and Roleplay

Friday, May 31st, 2013

Favicon-jpgMortal_Wombat_by_The_CamoThe Wombat strikes again!  I’ve been quietly watching (stalking!) this furry creature for some time now, and I couldn’t pass up sharing the Wombat’s latest brilliant post on editing.

Ooo!  Editing!!  Sure, you might asking, what the heck do I need to know about editing? Why would I even care?

Good questions.

Now ask yourself this: how much writing do I do as a player, GM, or both for my games?  Character creation backstories, character journals or in-character posts, NPC creation, world building and power group notes, adventure creation, war cries, taunts, insults, catchphrases… the list goes on.

On top of that, great writing and great roleplaying are closely connected.  Do one well, and you increase your chances of doing the other well by over 9000.  Over 9000!

Ahem.  But seriously, look at the raw editing example right here.  Read the editor’s comments.  Notice the redlines.  What was removed?  Most importantly, why?  Understand the why.  For the love of beholders, displacer beasts and Mortal Kombat fatalities (all awesome, agreed?), understand the why – for each edit.  Study, practice and ask questions until you do.

Now, I’ll also tell you the #1 secret, as I’ve written and edited all kinds of content – gaming to fiction to technical, adventures to short stories to resumes, you name it – for (wait for it…) over 9000 years.

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Faster Combat: The Book, Released + Special Offer through April 5th!

Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013

Favicon-jpgfc-guide-cover-250x325-230x300Miss out on the newly released Faster Combat book by Johnn Four and I last week?

Good news – we have a special offer going on through Friday, April 5th for loyal Leonine Roar and Roleplaying Tips readers, fans and followers, right here (Go ahead and click, the Perception check DC is easy, I promise!)

Our special offer includes three different feat chains options between the book and course to help you crush your combat grind.  

Now wouldn’t that be great?

A HUGE thanks to all our fans and readers across all our sites!   I’ve loved writing and talking game design and storytelling with and for all of you since February of 2011.  You help make our favorite hobby and game greater and better every day.

Remember, special offer ends this Friday, April 5th.

::Rolls a natural 20::  Yesss!

Here’s to your faster combats and sweeping stories!

Tony

 

 

How To Use Story Glue: Cast of Characters & Memorable Moments

Tuesday, April 2nd, 2013

Favicon-jpgStory Glue & Characters - LREver wish you had a quick, easy way to keep your players’ attention between game sessions?  Frustrated by no one (maybe even you!) remembering what they were doing last time, with whom, or why?

Here’s one quick way to fix this common problem every GM and playgroup faces, while keeping your story and characters brilliant and alive: use story glue.

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D&D Next Healing: Seek the Holy Grail

Tuesday, March 12th, 2013

Favicon-jpgHoly GrailRemember all those times you’ve been at one hit point or sprawled all over the dungeon floor, bleeding out, moments from oblivion?

And then, at the last moment, a friend (hopefully!) swoops in and jams a healing potion down your throat?  Or casts a cure wounds spell – or the holy grail of healing spells, heal.  Your eyes fly open, your consciousness powerfully aware of your near-death experience, of your very real mortality.

Or those times where there were no spells or potions left, or they weren’t strong enough.  So your friends did what they could to buy time – bandages, setting bones and so on while you slept, hoping you would wake up, frantically carrying or dragging your body to help.

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D&D Next: Smooth Transitions? Check!

Tuesday, February 26th, 2013

Favicon-jpgWave2Now that the focus is being pulled away from time-devouring miniatures wargaming marathons (a.k.a. typical 4e combats), the smooth transitions in and out of D&D Next combats are pleasantly noticeable.

Or should I say, you don’t notice them.  That whole awful standard of “set piece encounters” that 4e encouraged is being turned and destroyed in a flash of white light – and not an edition too soon!

This means more time for storytelling and roleplay.  More time for more encounters – and more types of them.  Smooth transitions throughout the game’s action and scenes.  Isn’t that what your D&D game needs?  Isn’t that what we all want?

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D&D Next Playtest: High Levels + Monks = Pure Awesome!

Saturday, January 19th, 2013

Favicon-jpg DnDPlaytest1Our D&D Next Playtest games continue and the December packet brought a breath of fresh air – high level play and (more importantly) MONKS!

I always loved the theme and style of the bard and monk throughout D&D’s editions, but in actual play, they failed spectacularly until 4e.

But as we all know, for all 4e’s strengths, the weakness of  “supercrunching” the game with rules and too-long combat took away from a classic, balanced D&D RPG experience.

Well, I created this blog because I love D&D and RPGs because of that fine balance of crunch and flavor, story and game, strategy and roleplay.  D&D Next is doing a commendable job of bringing that essential D&D feel back, and I love that quality more than any other.

Last night, I got my first chance to play as a PC since my first D&D Next experience at a cozy and comfortable gaming event, and I jumped at the chance to play the new-to-Next-playtest monk.  I loved the 4e monk, and was left wanting to play more – what a delightful opportunity!  So my brother kindly offered to DM a 14th level game for us, and we had an absolute blast.

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Fear of Death: Creating Unforgettable Character Death Scenes

Friday, October 26th, 2012

In our last adventure, after pursuing an army of darkspawn and their diabolical mage masters, Nall and his friends saved his people from death – and an even more terrible fate (reproduction with darkspawn, anyone?). 

But it was a costly victory.  It all happened so quickly, yet in slow motion.  And… I helped.

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Heroes on Holiday: While You Were Away…

Tuesday, August 14th, 2012

It’s the middle of summer and everybody’s on vacation.  Even you.  Yes, you!  And guess what, your characters are sneaking in a vacation too.  That’s right, even they need to get away from risking their lives every second for gold, glory and immortality. 

A lot can happen to heroes on holiday, though – at both the destination and back home.  Here are some vacation hooks sure to bring adventure to an otherwise relaxing time away from swords, spells and dragons. 

As a player, you can use these ideas to help describe your character’s downtime and background events and actions. 

As a DM, use these ideas for whole new story twists and adventures – and even separate game sessions!

5 Holiday Hooks

1. Solo Adventure.  Got a “solo” quest you’ve beem wanting to do since you created your character?  Talk to your DM and make it happen.  Lots of gamers on vacation, so a quick one-shot session to wrap up a personal loose end is a great way to spend a game night  or two until the band’s back together.  Or as DM, look through the party’s backstories and find a side quest that captures your imagination.  Ask if the player’s up for a quick game.

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D&D Video Gems: Top 10 Monsters

Thursday, June 28th, 2012

Leonine Roar loves all kinds of cool D&D videos from all the brilliant players, DMs and artists out there!  Here’s a cool video loaded with artwork plus some entertaining, savvy DM commentary on all the wicked ways the best 10 D&D monsters of all time (or at least fairly recent time!) can and will terrorize your playgroup! 

That’s right, there’s more than a few fun stories and adventure hook inspirations woven into the narrative!

So fire up the video, sit back and enjoy the list.  And be sure to take a moment to tell Jared Hickey he done good with a quick monster-approved upvote.

My D&D Next Playtest Experience: Free RPG Day June 16th

Tuesday, June 19th, 2012

This weekend I played as Gor, a dwarven cleric and knight of Moradin, wading through goblins, kobolds and owlbears in the Caves of Chaos, and it was a blast!

Rivendell Books and Games, our local gaming store, hosted Free RPG Day, and everyone involved was tremendous!  Pleasant, friendly and knowledgable people, GMs and players.  D&D Next playtest sessions and Pathfinder games.  And cool free and discounted RPG stuff!  I grabbed the free heroic tier D&D module, Dead in the Eye, plus a discounted Waterfront Tavern full-color poster map. 

And while the freebies were nice, the main event for me what I was most looking forward to all week: the D&D Next Playtest session!

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