What's This All About Then?

Not everyone who runs a 4th Edition Dungeons and Dragons game, or plays in one, has as much free time to spend on the game as I do. This is not some weird kind of nerd bravado, I just have a compulsion to re-read every bit of source material until I feel like I've wrapped my brain around everything and the book and the synergies between them. I also run two regular games, as well as several online games, so I feel like I have figured out 4th Edition pretty well.

In 4th Edition, the concept of System Mastery is still present, though its not as much of a headache as it was in 3.5 or AD&D. Whether you are putting together an encounter as a dungeon master, or building your first character of a new class, there are choices that you are going to have to make, and being informed about them can help you build an effective character. This isn't all about min/maxing or being a munchkin either, there is a way to make the best character you can without compromising your concept, and I will discuss both mechanics and flavor when I go over something on this blog.

So what you may be wondering is what specific things I will be going over here. The short answer is whatever anyone who happens to read asks for. I will be happy to solve problems that pop up in your games or to answer questions about game balance. I do not proclaim to be some guru though, so at the end of the day all you're really getting is a second opinion besides your own. But here are some of the things I plan to cover:

- Character Options: from things to keep in mind when building an assault swordmage, to highlighting the uses of commonly overlooked powers and feats, to addressing the pros and cons of character classes and other additions to the game, I plan to be an informed resource for any player who reads this blog.

- DM Options: from pre-built encounters you are welcome to borrow, to tips on making your sessions run smoother and even in-depth looks at individual monsters, there will be posts useful to DMs as well.

- Problem Solving: Do you have a player who is difficult to challenge in encounters? Is your character less effective than you want him to be and you are wondering what choices could possibly make him more effective? I will answer any and all questions people ask me.

While I do these things, I also plan to keep my two main goals in mind. My first goal is to never come off as a condescending asshole. It would be an easy trap to fall into giving that I'll be discussing the pros and cons of every part of the game, but I will do my best to always come off as wanting to inform, not wanting to gloat. Besides, where's the glory in bragging about this anyway? My other goal is that I will try and have some kind of content up at least 5 times a week. I will try and update daily, but I can't make any promises as to that.

Anyway, I have the first few updates planned out already. So before I end this introduction, here is what you can expect coming soon:

- So You Want To Make An Avenger, Huh? I plan to go through all the new classes just added in the Player's Handbook Two, and the choices you have when making one. Avengers will be up first.

- Monster Spotlight: Level 1 Terrors If the members of your party are experienced with the game and are starting new characters, you might want to look at some of these monsters to really challenge them during the early portion of the game.

- Old And New With all the new material in Player's Handbook 2 you might forget the older material even exists. I want to highlight some interesting ways to combine the older material with the new to make a cool character.

If you have any other features you'd like to see, leave a comment and I'll see what I can do.