Dear Readers, I have a confession to make: I don’t usually write out the adventures that I run with regards to my homebrew stuff. Not even a little bit. I don’t usually pre-plan the interactions, per se, I don’t have “read aloud” text, but what I do do (hehe, insert 12-year old joke), is outline! Here’s my rough outline that I used for the beginning of the Ingrates:
Treasure Hunt
War
Rumors of war everywhere
A goblin tribe has declared war on the village the party is resting in
Party must defeat the invading goblins
First set are terrorizing the local town
Gets party involved
Mayor asks party to help defend town
Second set scheduled to attack/take crops and livestock
Party must go to lair of goblins and defeat goblin boss and shaman
Backed up by twig blights
Where did they come from?
See Section III
Party finds sigil of a skull in a circle on the shaman with a sword through the skull
See what I mean? I put down what sort of things are going to happen and when. Did I know how it was going to go with regards to them getting captured by goblins at the end of the “Treasure Hunt” adventure? NO!
And I’m sorry if you aren’t caught up on the Ingrates this early, I’m trying to avoid any major spoilers.
Did I know exactly how the party was planning on going about freeing the town?
Nope.
But notice what I did do: I put the general idea of what was going to happen when and let my players take the story where it will.
Like…I didn’t even do much outlining for Dacyria’s story arc in Red Fern (if you aren’t there, it’s after the party leaves the town of Borest). I had a rough idea of who the baddie for that arc was, what his plans were, some future plot hooks to throw in, and what it would take for the party to win the day.
Now, I don’t recomend this for every DM out there, although it’s a good habit to get into, as this method requires a considerable amount of note taking and a whole lot of improvisation (both of which I am fairly good at doing). In fact, the whole Dacyria story arc was LARGELY improvised without an outline, and only hastily written notes so that I could refer back to important (or even minor) NPCs and events that may or may not come up later. Holy crap did I take a bunch of notes. Like…pages and pages. And unless you are REALLY good at improvisation and already have at least an idea where the story is going and supposed to go. This usually works best for event driven adventures, and location based adventures. For this one (trying really hard here to avoid spoilers for any new readers out there), I did it (some say successfully) with a political intrigue adventure arc. I was pretty happy with how it turned out.
But I wish I had done more outlining. Things would have gone a LOT smoother had I done that.
Oh, well.
I learned my lesson and did a rather extensive story arc outline for one of the characters (I won’t say which one; spoilers), that has gone up to…let me check…2 1/2 pages. And it’s going to get longer the more I expound on certain sections, throw in monsters and random encounter tables, etc…
DO YOUR OUTLINES, FOLKS!!
ahem
That’s all I got for today, Dear Readers. How do you plan your adventures? Do you write them out? Do you outline? Do you totally make it up as you go alone? Let me know in the comments section below. As always, please like and subscribe!
Dear Readers, I’m still working on some commissions for a buddy of mine. This time, it’s a female human barbarian. Frankly she looks pretty fierce.
But I guess that’s the point.
In any case, she’s going to be a little bit of a challenge, as she stands on one foot on the mini stand.
Here’s what I mean (in this she’s primed and ready to paint):
I know it looks black and white, but my ink blotter underneath is gray!
Look closely. See that foot that’s next to the attached rock? Yeah, that’s all she’s standing on. Additionally, she leans REALLY far forward. But that’s okay.
So I started with a difficult paint job, getting her skin tone right. She’s in an arctic-type area, so I’m making her skin tone light. I’m using a combination of the Army Painter’s D&D paint Flumph Pink, and Lawful White to get a lighter skin color.
Yeah, I know I missed her hands. Just fixed that prior to posting.
But I’m an idiot. I went in primed her gray, knowing that she had a light skin tone. As a result, it’s taking me a number of coats to be able to get her skin tone on there without gray showing through.
So, with that, I’ll leave you all with the knowledge that I’m going to do some more work and get that posted in a couple of weeks. She’s a detailed girl and I want to get her right! So one more coat to cover the gray, do the hands, and then let her dry! I should have considerably more done by next time, if not have her done. We’ll see.
Dear Premium Subscribers (if you aren’t one, consider becoming one!), my editor is currently in the process of moving, so I don’t have a new Ingrates video to show you, so instead, I’m going to give you some new monsters that I’ve come up with. Although the campaign has progressed much ahead of where our videos currently are, I won’t give any spoilers, but the monsters that the Ingrates are facing in the upcoming session will be following the theme of what I’ve come up with.
Enjoy!
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Dear Readers, after the D&D OGL debacle, some of you may be considering trying out other game systems, and that’s okay. Although I generally cater to D&D players, I try to make my gaming how-to’s universal in application. That said, here’s my list!
Tabletop roleplaying games have been around for decades and have evolved in countless ways over the years. Today, there are a multitude of different tabletop RPGs being played by gamers all around the world. From classic fantasy games like Dungeons and Dragons to new indie games with unique mechanics, there’s something out there for everyone. In this post, I’ll explore some of the most popular tabletop RPGs currently being played.
Dungeons and Dragons (D&D)
No list of tabletop RPGs would be complete without mentioning Dungeons and Dragons. This classic game has been around since the 1970s and has had a major impact on the gaming world. D&D is a fantasy game that allows players to create their own characters and embark on epic adventures in a world filled with magic, monsters, and treasure. The game is played with a set of polyhedral dice and a rulebook that outlines how to create characters, run encounters, and handle combat.
One of the great things about D&D is the sheer amount of content available. The game has multiple editions, each with its own rules and settings. There are also countless adventure modules, sourcebooks, and online resources that can be used to customize the game to fit any player’s preferences. D&D is a game that can be played for years without ever getting stale.
Pathfinder is often referred to as the spiritual successor to Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 Edition. It was created by Paizo Publishing in 2009 as an alternative to D&D 4th Edition. Like D&D, Pathfinder is a fantasy game that allows players to create their own characters and explore a richly detailed world filled with adventure.
Pathfinder
The game mechanics of Pathfinder are similar to those of D&D 3.5 Edition, with a few notable differences. For example, Pathfinder features a more complex skill system, as well as a larger selection of classes and races. The game also places more emphasis on tactical combat, with a wide variety of spells, abilities, and equipment that can be used to gain an advantage in battle.
One of the standout features of Pathfinder is the sheer amount of content available. Like D&D, there are multiple adventure paths, sourcebooks, and online resources that can be used to customize the game to fit any player’s preferences. Pathfinder is a great choice for players who want a more complex and tactical RPG experience.
Call of Cthulhu
Call of Cthulhu is a tabletop RPG based on the works of horror writer H.P. Lovecraft. In the game, players take on the roles of investigators who are trying to uncover the mysteries of the Cthulhu mythos. The game is known for its dark and atmospheric setting, as well as its emphasis on investigation and horror.
Unlike D&D and Pathfinder, Call of Cthulhu uses a percentile-based system to determine success or failure. Players roll two ten-sided dice and add their skill level to the result, trying to reach a target number set by the game master. The system is easy to learn and adds a level of tension to every roll.
Call of Cthulhu is a great choice for players who want a more horror-focused RPG experience. The game is known for its immersive storytelling and unique setting, which combines elements of mystery, horror, and the supernatural.
Blades in the Dark
Blades in the Dark is an indie tabletop RPG that was released in 2017. The game is set in a city filled with crime and corruption, where players take on the roles of thieves and scoundrels trying to make a name for themselves. The game is known for its unique mechanics, which allow players to take risks and make tough decisions in order to achieve their goals.
One of the standout features of Blades in the Dark is the use of a “flash back” mechanic. Players can spend a resource called “stress” to flashback to a previous moment and change the outcome of a situation. This allows players to take risks without worrying about the consequences and adds a level of unpredictability to the game.
Blades in the Dark also features a unique setting and lore, with a focus on criminal underworlds and occult elements. The game encourages players to explore the world and make their own mark on it, creating a collaborative storytelling experience.
Fate Core
Fate Core is a tabletop RPG that was first released in 2013. The game is known for its flexible mechanics and emphasis on storytelling. Players create their own characters and embark on adventures in a world of their own creation.
The mechanics of Fate Core are designed to be flexible and adaptable to any setting or genre. The game uses a system of “aspects” that describe a character’s strengths, weaknesses, and personality traits. These aspects can be invoked or compelled to influence the outcome of a situation.
Fate Core is a great choice for players who want a more narrative-focused RPG experience. The game is designed to encourage collaboration and creativity, allowing players to work together to create a unique and engaging story.
Starfinder
Starfinder is a science fiction RPG that was released in 2017 by Paizo Publishing. The game is set in a universe filled with alien races, advanced technology, and cosmic mysteries. Players create their own characters and explore the galaxy, battling space pirates, uncovering ancient artifacts, and discovering new worlds.
The game mechanics of Starfinder are similar to those of Pathfinder, with a few notable differences. The game features a more complex skill system, as well as a larger selection of classes and races. The game also places more emphasis on science fiction elements, with rules for space combat, high-tech equipment, and alien abilities.
Starfinder is a great choice for players who want a science fiction RPG experience. The game offers a rich and detailed universe to explore, with endless possibilities for adventure and discovery.
All that said, there are a multitude of different tabletop RPGs currently being played, each with its own unique mechanics, setting, and tone. Whether you prefer classic fantasy adventures or sci-fi space epics, there’s a game out there for everyone. So gather your friends, grab some dice, and embark on an epic adventure in the world of tabletop RPGs.
What do you think, Dear Readers? What kinds of game systems do you like? Let me know in the comments section below!
Dear Readers, welcome to my first “Monster Highlight” post, where I detail monsters from the various sources in the D&D Monster Manual, and more. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Dungeons and Dragons is a game that is filled with a vast array of monsters, each with their own unique abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. One of the most fascinating and terrifying creatures in the game is the Aboleth, an ancient and intelligent creature that is feared by all who encounter it.
The Aboleth is a massive, aquatic creature that resembles a giant, slimy slug. It has a long, slippery body that can grow up to 20 feet in length, with four tentacles that it uses to manipulate objects and creatures. Its skin is slick and slimy to the touch, and it has small, beady eyes that are capable of seeing in even the darkest of environments.
Image copyright Wizards of the Coast
What makes the Aboleth truly terrifying, however, is its incredible intelligence and psychic powers. It is said that the Aboleth can remember every detail of its long, ancient life, and it has the ability to communicate telepathically with other creatures. It can even use its psychic powers to implant suggestions and commands in the minds of those it speaks with, making it a formidable opponent in any encounter.
One of the most frightening aspects of the Aboleth is its ability to manipulate the minds of others. It can use its psychic powers to control other creatures, forcing them to do its bidding or even turning them into mindless slaves. This ability makes the Aboleth a formidable foe for any adventurer, as even the strongest and bravest warriors can fall under its control.
Despite its power, however, the Aboleth is not invincible. It is vulnerable to certain types of magic and can be defeated with careful planning and strategy. Adventurers who are able to resist its psychic powers and mount a successful attack can defeat this monstrous creature and emerge victorious.
But even if defeated, the Aboleth remains a creature of mystery and intrigue. Its ancient, alien intelligence and its mastery of psychic powers make it a fascinating creature to encounter and study. And while it may be a fearsome opponent, it is also a creature that commands respect and awe.
The origins of the Aboleth are shrouded in mystery. It is said that these creatures have existed for countless ages, far predating the rise of humanity and even the gods themselves. Some even believe that the Aboleth may have played a role in the creation of the world, using their immense powers to shape the very fabric of reality.
The Aboleth’s true power lies in its ability to control and manipulate other creatures. It can use its psychic powers to influence the thoughts and actions of those around it, turning them into pawns in its schemes. It is not uncommon for the Aboleth to create an army of mind-controlled minions, using them to further its own goals and ambitions.
The Aboleth’s influence is not limited to the minds of living creatures, either. It is said that these creatures have the ability to control the very elements themselves, using their immense psychic powers to manipulate water, air, and even fire. Some even claim that the Aboleth can create entire realms and dimensions, bending reality to its will.
Despite its vast powers, the Aboleth is not without its weaknesses. It is vulnerable to certain types of magic, and can be defeated with careful planning and strategy. Adventurers who are able to resist its psychic powers and mount a successful attack can defeat this monstrous creature and emerge victorious.
One of the most interesting aspects of the Aboleth is its society. These creatures live in vast underwater cities, ruled by powerful queens who command the loyalty of their subjects through sheer force of will. These cities are ancient and sprawling, with architecture that defies imagination.
The Aboleth’s society is highly organized, with each member playing a specific role. The queens are the rulers and decision-makers, while the other Aboleths serve as guards, researchers, and workers. Their society is also highly competitive, with individuals jockeying for power and position. It is said that the queens themselves are in a constant state of struggle, vying for dominance over each other and constantly scheming to expand their power and influence.
Encountering an Aboleth can be a truly terrifying experience. These creatures are highly intelligent and possess vast psychic powers, allowing them to manipulate the minds and bodies of their enemies with ease. Adventurers who wish to confront an Aboleth must be well-prepared, with an arsenal of powerful spells and weapons at their disposal.
But despite its power and ferocity, the Aboleth is a creature that commands respect and awe. Its ancient, alien intelligence and its mastery of psychic powers make it a fascinating creature to encounter and study. And while it may be a fearsome opponent, it is also a creature that offers a glimpse into a world beyond human understanding.
What do you all think, Dear Readers? How have you used the aboleth, or have you encountered one? How did that go? Let me know in the comments section below.
Dear Readers, like most everything lately for this Blog, I haven’t done one of these for awhile. But it’s back!
I was given a few commissions and I have been severely remiss in showing you all (and the person who is paying me to do them!) my progress as I paint.
It doesn’t help that I have had little time to paint.
That said, here’s where I am at:
I got this, a WizKids winter wolf that I began by painting white (duh, right?)Then I highlighted it with a very light blue to get the more “winter wolf” and not just a wolf that happens to be white! I painted the eyes black. Creative choice, but I thought a good one. This is where things got a little dicey. I wanted to paint the gumlines, especially since. They are so prominent on this miniature. I used black with pinkish red splotches, kind of like you see on canines. It turned out okay. I’m happy with the final results. As you can see, I chose a bone color for the teeth. This is where things got fun. I used Army Painter’s Glistening Blood to mottle the nose, making it look like he’s recently fed. I had to redo the nose and redo the blood on the nose as it didn’t look right to me at first. Then I added basing (snow, of course).
The only thing I hadn’t taken a picture of was that there is now a blood pool in the snow under his mouth. That was cool. I took a drop of the Glistening Blood and just plopped it into the snow below the muzzle and it spread like dripping blood would have done. I’ll see if I can find a picture of it for next time.
Well, that’s all I have for today, Dear Readers! What do you think? What could I have done differently? Let me know in the comments section below.
Dear Readers, as I write this post, I’m listening to the “My Mix” on YouTube, of which California Dreamin’ by the Moma’s & The Papas. Oldie but goody. And looking further down my list (California dreamin’ on such a winters day…), and I have a’ha’s Take On Me, Alexander Jean’s Highs and Lows, and the list goes on and on (I have a rather…broad range of music I like, from multiple generations). And it got me thinking: music can be a really good addition to a tabletop game!
Take for example, that story I told awhile back. You know the one. The one about Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, the one with the table full of middle school kids that I accidentally traumatized. Well, if you remember, I had set up that whole game session, revolving around the fight with the wererats that stopped the party in the streets. If you haven’t read the story, go back and read it, it’s pretty funny.
Anyhow, how did I build tension into the session? How did I eventually get those kids’ emotions so high? Through my use of music! I used O Fortuna. As you may have guessed, when the penultimate event occured, I timed it to the big crescendo that happens about a third of the way through the song (for those of you interested, the crescendo happens at 1:37 in the video in the above link; Sor salutis, Et virtutis, Michi nunc contraria!). Oh, Dear Readers, every time I think about it, I smile. It was peak DMing, as the kids say these days.
Back in the day, I owned a CD (yeah, I’m that old) that was the “Official Roleplaying Soundtrack” by Midnight Syndicate. It has a wonderful assortment of tracks. And its a good one! The first track is called “Prelude” which is a great start, maybe to the beginning narrative to a new campaign, or even background music to do a session recap from last session. Track two is called “Troubled Times” and has some more dark overtones. My favorite? The travel track, called “Ride To Destiny.” Other songs are titles like “The Fens of Sargath” (wherever that is), “Descent Into the Depths”, and “Stealth and Cunning.” My favorite BBEG song is called “Final Confrontation.” In all, I believe there is 24 tracks (the last of which is a bonus track where you hear dice rolling, someone say “Oh, no…”, and then some crazy sounds; it’s pretty funny) to this particular music list.
With some of these, though, your players start getting used to. My players used to be able to tell what was happening by the track they heard. So if I wasn’t paying attention and didn’t have the track on a loop and the BBEG song came on, everyone panicked!
That all said, while it can be a huge bonus to game sessions, you have to make sure that it doesn’t become a huge distraction. If it’s too loud, or too much…muchness for the scene you are playing through, it won’t be the ambiance you want it to be.
Well, that’s all I have for today, Dear Readers. What are your favorite gaming soundtracks? Let me know in the comments section below.
Dear Readers, yes, I know it’s been more than a week since my last update, but there’s been good reason: life. If it wasn’t one thing, it was another. The worst of which my 5-year old came down with what is likely (according to the doctor) one of two possible viruses that cause flu-like symptoms (and I’m talking all flu-like symptoms; don’t ask) but isn’t a strain of the flu. And that landed us in the pediatric ER. Yuck.
In any case, this article is about adding monsters to dndbeyond.com.
Short story time: the Ingrates are getting ready to begin another character’s story arc, which takes place on another planet (not saying which one, as it would give away some spoilers; I know the fact that they are able to get off planet is enough of a spoiler in and of itself). There, they will be encountering a specific set of…creatures. No, I cannot say what kind, as several of my players are among my readership (you know who you are…). Suffice it to say that there will be a theme among the creatures that they will encounter.
In any case, I was browsing the internets and found what can only be described as the perfect creature! Some guy on Pinterest posted it on his account. Sweet! I promptly put it into D&D Beyond! Then I found another one! Same guy’s account. Score! And another one goes into D&D Beyond. Then I realized something that you may have already thought of: this stuff might be copyrighted!
Craaaaaaaaaaaap…
So I began looking and I found the source, a document (very well done, I might add) called Expanded Clockworks created by Sonixverse Labs. I found one other creature put into D&D Beyond from this person, and found he had a Reddit account! I went on there and reached out to them (a him or maybe her; I honestly don’t know), and got a reply within minutes!! The conversation went something like this:
Daily DM: Soooo…I found your stuff on some dude’s Pinterest and it was perfect for a campaign I was running, and added them as homebrew on dndbeyond.com. If this isn’t cool, I’ll take it down, and I’m very very sorry I didn’t check beforehand. I’ll even ensure you are credited in the description.
Sonixverse Labs: Hey! That’s no problem! Feel free to use or upload anything for your campaign! I wanted to freely share my content with people so I don’t mind at all. I wish you and your party the best for your upcoming campaign!
Daily DM: you are an absolute godsend! FYI, your stiff is amazing. I love it!
Sonixverse Labs: Thanks! I’m glad you like it. Also, here is a Google drive link with all my dnd pdfs.
[link to work to follow; my players, don’t click so you won’t get any spoilers!!]
(I don’t recommend using the gmbinder links anymore because recently the website has been having issues and the formatting is really messed up)
These pdfs should have the most recent adjustments as well as proper formatting
Daily DM: You are awesome. Thank you!
And to be clear, this person’s work is just nothing short of…amazing. Then I began the slog. The worst part: putting everything into D&D Beyond.
So, here’s how it works, step by step (keep in mind that part of this assumes you have a subscription, so FYI):
Mouse over the “Collections” tab, and go to “My Homebrew Creations”
In the top right of that area, mouse over the “Create A…” button
Click on “Monster”; you should now be on a page labeled “Create Homebrew Monster”
You now have two choices, you can create a variant of an existing monster (keep in mind that, while the option exists, don’t use a previously input homebrew monster; it doesn’t work, trust me), or you can create one from scratch, we are going to click on the blue “CREATE FROM SCRATCH” button; if you wanted to create a variant of an already existing creature, the steps are practically the same, so this checklist still works
Begin filling out the details; Monster name, version (I recommend using some system that’s easy to remember; like 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, or A, B, C, etc…), type, etc…; if you are inputting this from another source, this information should be easy enough to find and input; be advised, for Special Traits Description, Actions Description, etc…if you want it to look like a D&D Beyond entry, make sure you bold and italicize what needs to be bolded and italicized
IF YOUR CREATURE IS NOT LEGENDARY, MYTHIC, OR DOESN’T HAVE LAIR ACTIONS – you need to click on the box marking it as legendary, mythic, etc…, delete the text in the box, then unclick the legendary, mythic, etc…box. If you don’t, the text in those boxes will appear; not sure why, but that’s the case. This goes for any entry box that you don’t have actions for. For example, if my creature doesn’t have any bonus actions, then I would delete the text in that box, leaving it blank; if I do this, no Bonus Action section will appear in the stat block entry.
After all this is done, click on the red “CREATE MONSTER” button; yes, there is more information to input, but that comes later, on the next screen
You should now be on a page labeled with your monster’s name on top; it is here where you can add languages (if any), senses (like darkvision, truesight, etc…), skills, and movement types and speeds; click on the appropriate blue button, enter the information (some have dropdown boxes), and click the blue “SAVE” button
If you have artwork for your creature, there is a place at the bottom where you can upload said artwork for your creature; make sure you avoid using someone else’s copyrighted image unless you have their permission
Next, click again on the red “SAVE CHANGES” button.
You should find yourself back on the exact same screen; at the top, you should see something like “B > HOMEBREW > CREATIONS > [Monster Name] < EDIT (this should be in grey); click on the name of your monster
You should now find yourself in what should be a D&D monster stat block! Look it over and make sure you don’t have any errors; if you do, click on the blue “EDIT” above the monster stat block; if you hate it and changed your mind, click the red “DELETE”; if you want to publish this creature so that others may look up and see/use your monster in their games, then click on the blue “SHARE WITH COMMUNITY”
Congratulations! You just built your first custom monster!
Well, that’s it for today! Next time, I’ll have the steps on creating a new magic item! Before that, though, expect episode 13 of the Inglorious Ingrates to drop. My editor is having computer problems again (it’s apparently deciding to power off randomly on its own?!), so editing episode 35 for you Premium Subscribers is still to come.
Dear Readers, before the Ingrates were, there was the Hopeful Dopes. It was the Roll20 group that I ran over COVID on Tuesdays before the Ingrates became a thing (I think I was starting to outline the Ingrates at the time?). I say that to say that I came across the episodes I recorded for it. And no, before you ask, I’m not publishing them publicly, as I want to respect the privacy of my players, as names are given left and right. But it did remind me of a more…simple time.
In any case, I figure that you have waited enough, and deserve another public episode of the Inglorious Ingrates, Episode 12: To the Pits! Enjoy!
Dear Readers, so much has happened in such a short time, that I’m struggling just to keep up! The first is about my Christmas gifts (trust me, you’ll like it) , the next couple are news highlights, along with something cool that I got to be a part of at the beginning of February (all with pictures at the end!).
Christmas at my household: holy crap, Mrs. Daily DM is the most amazing wife and gift-giver known to mankind. She knows me all too well. In my home, we do gifts a little differently than many homes. We only do three gifts each: something to wear, something to read, and something for fun. My “to wear” gift was a really nice blue cashmere sweater. It’s beautiful and so comfortable. I’ve already worn it for several occasions, and it looks great on me, if I do say so myself. Then there was my “for fun” gift. My wife got me a dice holder, dice trey, and dice tower from a company that does a lot of work like Wyrmwood, but way cheaper, although the quality is NOT lacking, and the craftsmanship is absolutely a good competitor with the aforementioned company. Pictures will follow below. Look for Pictures 1-3. Lastly…oh, boy, lastly…for my “to read” gift…So this is how it went down: all the gifts had been handed out except one. It was largish, about 6 inches in depth, and about 18 inches across and 30 or so inches tall. My wife says she saved it for last for good reason. I was confused. SO confused. But I played along. She said she wanted to record the moment. Ooooookaaaaaay… I unwrapped the giftwrap and opened the deceptively plain box. So far, so good. Then I opened the box to find…tissue paper. Lots of tissue paper. But this box had some heft to it. Like…some real heft. There was definitely something of substance inside. Pulling aside the tissue paper, I gasped. Yes, Dear Readers, I gasped. Inside was, framed mind you, a copy of the pilot episode script for the show Firefly (easily my favorite television show ever), and it was signed by Nathan Filllion. Dear Readers, I can’t make this up. I was rendered practically speechless for about 2 hours. TWO HOURS! I was a babeling idiot, just holding it in my lap, looking up at my wife, pointing to it, mumbling something incoherant, looking back at it, and rinse and repeat. My eyes welled up with tears at the absolute genuine thought and insight that she had into me and my hobbies and the things that I like. We hung it up in my gaming room. Look for picture 4. You can’t miss that one.
The OGL 1.1 that was proposed to go into effect in early January was scrapped in its entirety, and OGL 1.0a will remain in effect. I know you’ve already likely read articles on this, but for the uninitiated, the old Open Game License under which the D&D community has been operating will remain in effect. After what can only be described as horrifically severe backlash (and I’m not exaggerating here), Wizards of the Coast has walked back the rollout of their new licensing agreement in favor of keeping the old one.
That said, the backlash has already caused quite the stir, causing what are estimated as thousands, if not tens of thousands of people to quit D&D for good, and finally head on over to Paizo Publishing’s Pathfinder 2nd Edition. From what I’ve been told, if you are familiar with D&D 5e, you understand about 75% of that system. I refuse to allow a company’s bad choices dictate how and what I play, as D&D has been a long-standing part of my life for the last 30 years or so, to the degree that I’m a second generation D&D player (my parents played OG D&D and a lot of 1st and later 2nd Ed AD&D). I was planning on boycotting WotC products in protest (and had actually cancelled my dndbeyond.com subscription), but the following happened…
Not only was the OGL 1.0a left in effect, in late January it was announced that D&D materials (the non-proprietary parts anyways) will go into Creative Commons with OGL 1.2, meaning that this gives the community “a worldwide, royalty-free, non-sublicensable, non-exclusive, irrevocable license” to publish and sell works based on Dungeons & Dragons, and without fears of paying out ridiculous royalties and other such nonsense. This is a huge backpedal into something that D&D should, frankly, have been since 3rd Ed. came out, when the OGL was first written.
I got to be a part of something that was, frankly, one of the coolest events I’ve ever gotten to attend. To protect identities, I won’t say what the event was called, but it involved a niche of a specific profession of whom all have a love of playing/running D&D.
First off, the swag. We got a t-shirt with the name of the event as well as what can only be described as a “Biblically accurate depiction of an angel.” Basically, one large and several small eyeballs, and six wings. We also got a nice dark blue d6 with the 6 being represented as a cross with a dragon entwining around it (picture 5). Very cool. The gaming that we did (which was the primary reasoning for meeting, as well as networking with others of our profession and discussions on how gaming can/could be incorporated in our profession), and we did a lot of gaming, was done in the style of a West Marches campaign. I can’t really do justice to exactly what this means, but let me try: you start with a “pool” of players with several DMs that helped develop/write stories for various parts of the geography surrounding a starting town of some kind. It is assumed and decided that there are no adventures to be found in the town itself; it is a haven and safe place to retreat to between sessions. And at the end of each session, everyone is assumed, with the exception of truly extenuating circumstances, to have gone back to town to rest, recuperate, and add to the “Lore Board” and large common map, in the day room of the event location, which we affectionately called “The Tavern.” This is where we can buy supplies, sell gear stolen from slain enemies, craft magical items (or improve them) using bits and stuff taken from the rare and awesome creatures, like the blood of the yuan-ti anathema that we defeated, and the chitin of the giant crab we killed. We had to fill out a mission card before each session, and if we succeeded in completing that task (like, “Assault the Yuan-ti temple on the mountain”), we all get inspiration and an extra 400 exp! Then, when we head back to town, if we had learned something new or extraordinary, we could take that information and post it on the “Lore Board” where other can see and read what was learned so that maybe a piece of a puzzle here, may help another group there. Lastly, there was a large common map that began with some basic geography around the town and large mountains in the distance, with a few quest hooks here and there (like a little girl’s dad was lost in the marsh” and “A local cook is willing to pay money for crab meat from crabs found only in the marsh”). Then, when you get back to the tavern, you add whatever geography that you have seen, to the map. Of course scale is probably off, but that’s the way it goes with maps made by amateurs! So, you would be given extra exp for adding to the Lore Board (picture 6), adding to the map, and getting inspiration, surveying the land as we traveled, on top of the exp that you get for the typical D&D activities. Needless to say, the experience was awesome.
Well, this is a pickle, Dear Readers. With the OGL problem(s), I’m kinda stuck, and my blog is in a sort of limbo. At least, parts of it that I want(ed) to do.
Sure, I can apparently write about the SRD monsters. For now. Maybe.
Sure, I can still post painting updates. And I’ve got some good ones coming (one project I forgot to take progress photos, but he turned out well, so I’ll post a picture of him later when I can get a good picture).
Sure, I can still post the YouTube link(s) to the Ingrates’ game sessions. I believe.
But the problem is that, now with OGL 1.0a in question, I’m not sure what I can safely do.
And thus my absence.
I am also in a dilemma/quandry/in limbo with my Adventurers League group(s). My group is holding tight playing what WotC has already come out with (finishing up with Spelljammer, moving on to Eberron, and then to Dragonlance), with the idea that if this OGL mess isn’t fixed/straightened out, we are going rogue and no longer going to affiliate ourselves with the D&D brand, although we will still be playing D&D, just not buying anything new from them, and then running homebrew campaigns from that point onward.
And it’s a good plan, and an awesome campaign idea that we are currently working out details on. As it’s not going to be published and used for a non-affiliated D&D group (just all of the tables running the campaign concurrently, yet sharing the same world! The groups can actually meet each other, band together, and even swap tables as wanted/needed, with the understanding that the max group size is 7; it’s going to be awesome if we have to go with it), we can do whatever we want to. They can mess with the creator community, but the players will still hold D&D, even if the stewards of the IP for D&D suck.
Sure, WotC/Hasbro might actually pull their heads out of their backsides, but we shall see, so the saying goes.
So, until I can get some clarification on what’s going on, which, according to their (WotC’s) current proposed OGL, anything made under OGL 1.0a should be safe, which The Blog is. Hopefully.
But don’t worry, as things develop, I’ll let you know more. I’m going to make an appointment with an IP lawyer, or at least consult with other creators that have, and find out what I can safely do.
I know that my generic gaming advice is safe, as it can apply to just about any TTRPG, so I know that’s okay. It’s the rest I’m worried about.
Oh, well. Time will tell.
In the meantime, I appreciate you hanging with me and taking this walk together!
Okay, I said I would respond to all of this, and the storm surrounding it happened so quickly, that it took me some time to get everything together to say something meaningful.
But here it goes. *big inhale*
Wizards of the Coast (WotC), had released a document that was leaked back on 9 January. This document was sent to creators with a NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement), with the expectation that the content creators sign or be no longer able to use D&D things currently found in the current Open Game License version 1.0a. The OGL, as it’s known, enables the SRD, or System Reference Document, and enables third parties content creators to make products compatible with D&D.
When this document was made, the wording said that the use of the SRD materials in the OGL 1.0a were perpetual. Of course, this language, in legalese, doesn’t mean it’s permanent, thus we were able to get from 3rd/3.5 edition to 5e content in an SRD, but WotC made a commitment that they are attempting to renig on, and agreement that content creators everywhere have relied on for over 23 years.
In this document, content creators would have to report any revenue to WotC, regardless of how much money you even think you make, and that creators over a specific threshold to pay royalties. This agreement was also to be made with Kickstarter, so that anything made on that platform would also have royalties automatically taken (20%), and if you use anything other than Kickstarter, you get hit with a 25% royalty fee, regardless of how much you make with the crowd-funding campaign. This wouldn’t be an issue, until further into the document, WotC was attempting to force creators to agree to also enable their content to be taken by WotC, royalty free, and be used and published by WotC. The section reads: “You own the new and original content you create. You agree to give us a nonexclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, sublicenseable, royalty-free license to use that content for any purpose.” This went for, not just published materials, but livestreams, YouTube videos, and anything else even referring to the brand.
If all of this wasn’t bad enough, the document was to be released on January 4th, with a deadline to agree to it on January 13th. Exactly one week to sign this deal. And if you did not agree to it, you would be forced to cease producing/distributing/selling any product that you had that contained SRD materials, and could not create any other content unless they agreed to the new OGL. For some content creators, this affected their very livelihoods.
Lastly, the new OGL states that they can change the terms of the new OGL at any time, only having to give creators 30 days notice of the change.
Next, WotC can cancel your use of the license at any time for any reason. If you do anything that they don’t approve of, they can cancel your use of the license. A license that was supposed to be perpetual to begin with. The section actually reads thusly: “To be clear, we have the sole right to decide what conduct violates section VIII.G or section VIII.H and you covenant and agree that you will not contest any such determination via any suit or other legal action. To the extent necessary and allowed by law. You waive any duty of good faith and fair dealing we would otherwise have in making any such determination.” So, if they determine in any way that your content is “offensive,” they can revoke your use of the license. And they get to make this determination subjectively. And creators cannot do anything to fight back or contest their use of the license being revoked. Nothing.
To boil it all down, WotC can do what they want, when they want, and creators can do literally nothing about it, as agreeing to this new OGL, you waive your right to sue them.
The one of the original creators of the original OGL, Ryan Dancey, former VP of WotC, said the following: “Yeah, my public opinion is that Hasbro does not have the power to deauthorize a version of the OGL. If that had been a power that we wanted to reserve for Hasbro, we would have enumerated it in the license. I am on record numerous places in email and blogs and interviews saying that the license could never be revoked.”
WotC made a promise and they are going back on their word. Make no mistake, this is about greed. WotC made more than 1 BILLION dollars in revenue last year alone. 1 BILLION dollars.
Then there was the backlash. Content creator Ginny D made a suggestion to cancel your DnDBeyond account to protest against this. And the reaction was…big. It literally blew up the internet.
Dndbeyond.com saw 10s of thousands of subscribers cancelling their subscription. After a week of silence on the leaked documents (the OGL 1.1), WotC finally posted a response, now calling it OGL 2.0.
The problem with this response is that they misrepresented their documentation, trying to spin it in a way that makes them look good. They say that OGL 1.0a is no longer authorized even though OGL 1.0a states equivocally, that if a new OGL comes out that you don’t like, you can go back to a previous one that works for you. Seriously, that’s what the original OGL said.
But it gets worse. They backpedaled a bit and included a six-month grace period that gives creators the “same benefits for those products as a license under the OGL 1.0a if their product meets certain criteria.” Here’s the problem. You have to sign the new OGL to get the grace period. If you did not sign within that 1 week they gave, you got nothing. Once they signed, they got you.
Another lie: they state that you own the new and original content and WotC can’t copy or use it without the creator’s permission. EXCEPT: the part about WotC’s ability to the nonexclusive, perpetual, yada yada yada, is still in the contract. Therefore, by signing the contract, you are giving permission to do this.
This part is about censorship and greed.
And despite it all, all of the backlash, WotC then goes about making a response where they double down on their lies and their motivations, calling it “an honest mistake.”
Here’s what they said: they want the ability to censor people’s products. I get the “hateful and discriminatory products” bit, but what it boils down to is: if we don’t like it, you don’t get to have it. The old OGL actually already covered that. They could do more than to have revoked the OGL generally. They can do it specifically, and say one’s license under the OGL is revoked. Under the old OGL, they didn’t even have to give notice, they can just issue a DMCA, or Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Under this, content is removed or ceased at the request of the owner of the content, which was WotC.
They also state that these documents were drafts, when content creators had been given these documents to sign with only one week to do so. These were finished documents sent out with contracts. You don’t send out drafts with contracts.
Additionally, they are trying to eliminate any competition. They don’t want people to make cool stuff that they themselves didn’t come up with, that they cannot then take for themselves.
They have backpedaled further, but the problem is that they have already broken public trust, including any content creators, like myself and others.
They are saying that they are going to remove all of the provisions in the new OGL that people are angry about, which is good, but I’m going to wait until they release the new OGL before I make any decisions. But know this: I have a plan going forward.
Leakers of the WotC company itself have come out and said that this is nothing more than corporate greed, and that current senior leadership of WotC doesn’t care about their customers, just their money.
I really hope that they realize that we, the fans and customers and content creators, are the bedrock of the D&D community, and that they are simply stewards of the D&D IP, and that they rely on the goodwill of us to be able to continue to do business.
Until next time, Dear Readers…
Edit: Here’s a link to a contract lawyer on this topic that goes into it more detail:
So, I’ve gotten a chance to take a break over the holidays and I’m excited to be back!
I am changing up my posting schedule to make it less stressful on me, as, you may have figured, it’s only me now posting content. I’m but one dude.
THAT SAID: I’m not going away, just going to dial back my posts from daily to semi-regularly. I’ve been lax in my Premium Content (sorry guys!), and I want to get some good behind-the-scenes stuff there for those folks, as well as some homebrew content. I also will be continuing posting previous Ingrates videos, as well as current videos for my Premium Subscribers. Remember, folks, it’s only $5 a month to subscribe!
I am also going to tell you that I have some VERY definitive things to say about the current events from Wizards of the Coast. I have a lot to say about it, and, as a preview, I’m not happy. Not happy at all. But I’ll get to that later this week.
My posting schedule will look more like a 4 times a week schedule. One will be a previous Ingrates video, another will be a current video. The other two will consist of a post for all of you great followers, Premium or not, and then one exclusively for the Premium Subscribers.
Also look forward to seeing a giveaway of some kind once every other month or so, both for regular and for Premium Subscribers. I choose these folks at random, so make sure your email address is current!! If I can’t reach you, I can’t get you your prize!
Stuff I plan on talking about in my posts:
Monster of the Week – a look at each of the monsters, and discussing their strengths and weaknesses, and how a player can best look to defeating it, and how a dungeon master can make the encounter more interesting. I’m looking forward to these posts! This may…change…depending on the current issues in the D&D news. More on that later.
How-To DM – these will still be cool DM tips and tricks and other such advice. I’ll be throwing these in there in place of “Monster of the Week” when I get a good idea to write on.
How-To Play – Same as above, but for players; this will also appear when I have a really good idea to write on.
Giant Stompy Robots – These articles will be talking about my favorite table top war game, Battletech. These articles will be about either a mech, Alpha Strike tactics, news related to new launches/Kickstarters, etc…
D&D News – Also alternating with “Monster of the Week.” If there is any significant news in the D&D community, I’ll be doing an article on that, with my own take on the topic. And you can bet that my first article on this will be about the Open Game License (OGL) 1.1 scandal currently rocking the D&D world right now. Boy, howdy, am I peeved about this one. Look forward to that article next week. I plan on doing some serious research on this one, as well as reading the actual leaked document for myself. In preparation for this article, you can read the full document here. I’ll be posting it in its entirety in my article so I can go over it, point by point.
Homebrew Coolness (Premium Subscribers) – going to look at my homebrew world of Venia, and how my campaign is/was built, and how the campaign is progressing (this won’t be game summaries, more of things to give you ideas to make your own adventures/worlds/whatever).
Ingrates (Public) – releasing more episodes of the Ingrates early days! I’m considering releasing multiple videos at once to get you all more caught up, but I’m not sure. I’m still thinking on this one.
Ingrates (Premium Subscribers) – releasing the newest episodes. These tend to be released about a week after the episode was recorded, depending on my editor’s schedule (big shout out to him!!). He’s usually on top of it, so I’m not worried. We are a few episodes behind, so, like above, I might release a few episodes at a time to get us caught up.
I’ll be adjusting my posting schedule page according to this new info. And don’t worry, Premium Subscribers, I’m still releasing the new episodes of the Ingrates podcast on Thursdays.
Well, that’s all I have for today. Thanks again for giving me the break that I needed. I appreciate it more than you can imagine.
Dear Readers, I was getting burned out. Between all of the things my family and I were dealing with, family emergencies and life in general, not to mention The Blog, getting videos edited, etc…I was going crazy with stress.
So I took a break.
I’m sorry I haven’t been around to say anything, but I needed to step away for a bit. And with the current issues going on, I won’t be back on, officially until after the holidays.
THAT SAID:
My editor has been in full swing. We should have a good number of episodes for you Premium Subscribers out there, and for my other Dear Readers, I will be publishing more of the earlier episodes of the Ingrates.
Also, I have, in last month, had access to a new toy. A wonderful toy. Well, a toy if only in the technical sense. My friend got a 3D printer. A resin 3D printer. A really, really, GOOD resin printer. But I’ll save that for a post later. Needless to say, my miniature painting will be in full swing. As it is, I have an army of…creatures…that I will be needing to print for one of my campaigns. I don’t want to spoil anything just yet, but due to the massive scale in numbers, I’ll be leaning heavily on the Army Painter Speed paints to get them done.
I’ll give you a hint: check out my last painting update…(que evil DM laugh)
In any event, I’m not gone, I’m just taking a much needed break, both for my health and sanity.
Dear Readers, I know it has been more than a bit since my last post. Life has been hitting me sideways. If it isn’t one thing, it’s another.
Long story short, a former foster kid of ours (my wife and I used to be professional foster parents) recently contacted us asking for help. The problem? She lives in Germany now and is in the German foster system. And as I know the parents pretty well, they are asking for help. And we are trying to do so, limited as it can be, both for our former foster kiddo, and the parents to some degree.
It’s a mess.
That said, I haven’t been idle. I’m still trying to maintain my sanity with my self-care, specifically with the games I play and the miniatures I paint. Even with the latter, I’ve had zero time to actually sit down and paint since…well, since the Red Slaad. I have got a little bit of painting on a commission that I am working on, but it really isn’t much, truth be told. I’ll try to get some updates there.
In a word: I’m trying.
Thanks for your understanding. I’ll be back soon. Promise.
Dear Readers, I had every intention of doing another post today, and frankly, this week. But fate had other plans.
A family member is gravely ill and my family literally packed up and left yesterday, and got in around 3 am local time. Then we got a few hours of sleep and went to the hospital, where we spent most of the day.
This is the first chance I’ve gotten to do anything but drive, eat, sleep, or talk with medical workers.
And I am exhausted.
So I don’t know when I will next have a post. Rest assured that I will be back to posting as soon as I am able, but things are just too crazy at the moment.
The Daily Dungeon Master Blog 