Leonine Roar

I love D&D podcasts – especially ones that discuss game design and game balance, and especially ones that include actual D&D writers and game designers and their takes and tips on various game aspects.  You often get something more energetic and “alive” out of the podcast format that goes above and beyond a written article.

Hearing an engaged conversation about the design and balance of game elements in D&D is a great source of inspiration for your own D&D game ideas and improvements.  In short, these lively dialogues make you a better DM and player.  As such, I’m a big fan of the Critical Hits podcasts.  This week, Mike Shea of Sly Flourish interviewed D&D designer Chris Sims. 

Here are a few of my big takeaways from this week’s Critical Hits podcast, related to creature (PC and monster) motivations and the encounter environment.  Do yourself a huge favor and find a way to fit in an occasional listening session into your day once in a while. 

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What should you save your gold for in the magic item rarity era of 4e? 

What  are the best things to spend all that unearthed, hard-earned currency and monetary wealth on?  Who and what will pry those coins, gems, jewelry and art objects from your pockets?

Similar to a more practical categorization of rituals, there’s also several areas where you could wisely invest your gold in 4e.  And by wise investment, I mean anything from increasing your personal power to amplifying your influence in the campaign setting’s world and every kind of brilliant purchase or entertaining expense in between. 

The list includes everything from combat power to roleplay and storytelling.  Use these lists below for inspiration when your or your playgroup’s coffers get too full or they’re itching to spend their shiny gold on something new and exciting – or just plain helpful. 

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You regain hit points as if you had spent a healing surge.

When it comes to healing, are there any sweeter-sounding words in the game?  Everyone likes being able to heal, especially in 4e, where we’re all pretty decent at recovery now.  That said, the holy grail of healing in 4e is surge-free healing. 

While there are a smattering of spells, prayers and other powers and abilities that invoke such precious and rare healing, there’s also a handful of mighty surge cost-free magic items that adventurers would be both proud and lucky to own – especially when they need it most.

Get these – or the ‘surge cost-free healing’ descriptor or tag – on your quick wish lists today.  Remember, there’s never enough backup options, especially backup healing!

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Wish lists can be a hot button topic: some of us love ’em or hate ’em, for various reasons. 

They help DMs in filling out treasure piles, but they risk breaking immersion since they’re an out-of-character aid.  They help give both players and DMs a better sense of a character’s and player’s style, but they also risk taking a long time to complete since there’s literally thousands of magic items in D&D to pour through for ideas, fit and inspiration. 

Without wish lists, you might risk discovering too much low-use or flat-out useless magic treasure.  With them, players might feel entitled to all of them, like they’re order lists.

Still, now that we’ve toyed with wish lists for the first time ever in 4e, there has to be a faster, better way, right?

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