Diesel Diesel

Review Rubric

How useful is a ★★★★☆ rating? 7 out of 10? Do you have any idea what the author’s idea of a 10/10 is? What they mark stuff down for?

Let’s set out a rubric for reviewing RPG books & products. That way you’ll at least know what in the world I’m thinking when it comes to games.

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Daniel Sullivan Daniel Sullivan

D&D 5E Ranger Subclass: Urban Ranger

A subclass for the D&D 5th Edition (2014) ranger class. This turns your ranger into a fast-moving detective, racing through the city ahead of pursuers or after your own prey.

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Daniel Sullivan Daniel Sullivan

Tek Skills for D&D 5E

In a world with simple technology - anything up to today's level of technology, probably - we can boil down tool/skill checks into two categories: Mech and Tech.

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Daniel Sullivan Daniel Sullivan

Dying Hurts

For many adventuring parties being knocked unconscious is a penalty only if you actually miss your turn. There are so many healing abilities that spending more than a round at 0 hp is often a long-forgotten memory after 4th or 5th level when healing word and revivify become de rigueur choices for your bard, druid, cleric, and celestial soul sorcerer. 

This can keep combat quick and smooth, but also has the disappointing effect, noted at gaming tables worldwide, of making combat a kind of nothing event in most cases. If there's no consequence beyond using a 2nd-level spell slot for being reduced to 0 hp, why try to avoid it? 

The answer in this case is to reintroduce consequences for reaching 0 hp without crippling a character. There are several ways to do this, three of which are presented here.

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Daniel Sullivan Daniel Sullivan

Social Combat

Social combat is an expanded set of rules for social interactions. Instead of making a single check to represent getting your way in a conversation, you’ll take a number of steps that resemble a complex skill check.

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