D&D Zombies vs. The Walking/Running Dead

"Zombies are the new Vampires" - True BloodZombies are a great threat for lower level characters in any version of D&D.  They can be deadly in groups, but are slow.  They are affected by all the same magics other undead are, so Clerical turning or Radiant Powers really get to ..er...shine.The trouble is that D&D-style zombies are stuck in in a old modality of just being undead shamblers. Think Shaggy from Scooby-Doo only more dead.Zombies in the game All Flesh Must Be Eaten by Eden Studios are much more deadly and their bite is lethal, just not right away.  Plus there are all sorts of Zombies in AFMBE including what we now call "quick"  or ""fast" zombies.Of course the question has been and will be asked again,...

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Fantasy Quest 2012 (Manila)

And so it has been more than a week since Fantasy Quest 2! Along with a bunch of other Singaporeans and Malaysian cosplayers/photographers, we had a lovely 5d4n stay in Philippines. Fantasy Quest, the event itself turned out to be a lot more magical and erm ... unexpectedly awkward for me. We arrived at the event around 12pm and there were already people bustling about. Granted the turnout was not as big as other cosplay events in Philippine but considering how isolated the place is, it's a really good turn out. And the first thing we noticed at the gate was a huge poster…. of us yesterday. Everyone was shocked since nobody told us the random photos we took yesterday would be printed out on such a scale o_o. Poor Christy changed out...

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I Hate Myself for Loving You

Interesting article up on the whole Graz'zt/Iggwilv love affair.http://www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/dra/201208history#82019Rule specific material is minor and can be adapted to any version of the game.  I am going to use this with my 1st ed game in fact.As can be expected I like Iggwilv.  To my knowledge no one has ever penned her "biography" in full, but it would make for a good read I think.  Raised by Baba Yaga, infiltrating the Circle of Eight, her years with Graz'zt as master, lover, prisoner and bitter rival.  The authoring of the Demonomicon.  The Rise and Fall of the Witch Queen. Iggwilv is a great villain not because she is evil (though she is that) it is because she...

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A Reality Show I can like

This looks so funny. Love the Hermonie and Lisabeth.Here is Episode...

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Not to sound like a broken record...

But there are a couple of Kickstarters worth having another look at.First is the D&D Documentaryhttp://www.kickstarter.com/projects/andrewpascal/dungeons-and-dragons-a-documentary18 days to go and still more than 100k to make.You funding other games, show this one some love too!Band of Zombies for All Flesh Must Be Eaten has just under 2 hours left.http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1801360072/all-flesh-must-be-eaten-rpg-band-of-zombies-sourceThe stretch goals make this one worth some of your attention.  And mon...

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White Dwarf Wednesday #29

February/March 1982. England sends over Iron Maiden as Number of the Beast is released in the US and White Dwarf #29 hits the stands.For this issue's cover we are treated to two dragons fighting.  It's a very nice cover and shows how the production values are going up for WD.Ian Livingstone gives us a little background on why White Dwarf is called White Dwarf.  Simply because the White Dwarf has special meanings in both SciFi and Fantasy gaming.  A small dense star and a small dense humanoid (I am kidding).  The last issue he asked people to send in their most wanted themes for future role-playing games. It generated an all time low of responses, which he took as maybe people have what they want.  The largest...

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Review: The Secret Fire

The Secret Fire came out to much hoopla and goings on last year.I have always meant to review it, but never sat down to do it.  Now, depending on my mood I go back and forth between this being a great homage to old-school play and even to Gygax himself to it being a fantasy heart-breaker with delusions of godhood.  It will be interesting to see where I am by the end of this review. Like I mentioned above The Secret Fire came out to much hoopla last year before Gen Con with this whole campaign blitz on how it was going to change role-playing and how it was going to be the biggest thing since D&D.  I talked a bit about that around Gen Con back when it had changed it's name from Legends &  Labyrinths to The Secret...

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The OSR is Dead, Long Live the OSR!

Fresh from Gen Con I posted that the OSR is Dead, or rather more to the point I asked if it was and then followed up with a comment that the movement was dead.Many took umbrage with this.Here is the deal.The OSR as a movement has satisfied it's goals. There is unprecedented access to "old school" and "old school-like" material.  Yes, several thousand copies of Swords & Wizardry are going out, WotC has AD&D out in stores now and D&D5 looks like a streamline, even old-school, version of 3e, these though are only the largest examples of why the "fight" is over.  If the R is Revolution then the revolution is over. If the R is Renascence then we are in a post enlightenment period. What was learned is not lost, but it does change.The OSR as a community will continue...

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More Wrap-Ups and Plugs

At Gen Con I got to play a FANTASTIC game of Buffy the Vampire Slayer RPG that mixed in characters from Buffy, Supernatural and Charmed.  I got to play Piper and was thrilled to death with it.  Reminded me of running "Semi-Charmed Life" so many years ago.   Kudos to the GM and all the players.A few plugs I'd like to make:Dungeons & Dragons: A Documentary has a kickstarter.http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/andrewpascal/dungeons-and-dragons-a-documentary20 days to go and they still have a bit to raise.  I have heard a lot of good about this film and would love to see it get made.Band of Zombies is down to it's last 50 hours.http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1801360072/all-flesh-must-be-eaten-rpg-band-of-zombies-sourceThere are some nice stretch goals with this one.Banners...

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Gaming Wrap-up

With Gen-Con, some time off and weekend gaming I have managed to get a ton of gaming in over the last couple weeks.  Here is a wrap-up3.x/DragonslayersThe Dragonslayers are heading into Epic levels, but there are some characters that need some help filling out their last levels.  Also my kids wanted some side-quests for some special magic weapons, so we did that.Module: WG4 (upgraded)1st Edition GameThe boys left B1 and on their way discovered the Keep on the Borderlands.  They are currently planning their attack on the first of the caves. Module: B14th Ed GameThe larger group is getting ready to attack an sort of different Keep, this time the Keep on the Shadowfell.  They still don't know who Nera is, but are learning more about the cult of Orcus.  They also just...

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Introducing Na’Gath and plans for Tracon vol. 251

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Zatannurday: Gen Con Cosplay

Back from Gen Con and there was only one Zatanna.But I got her!I didn't get her name, sorry to say, but I got this pic. One more was sent to me as well.Love her costume! I thought she looked great. Hope she had a great time at Gen C...

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The OSR is Dead, Part 1.5

I want to add some more substance to this, but until then here are some links of where my thoughts are at.http://swordsandwizardry.blogspot.com/2012/08/d-and-retro-clones-big-reboot-arrives.htmlhttp://www.tenkarstavern.com/2012/08/where-d-goes-so-goes-hobby-so-whats-next.htmlSome discussion on my Google+ sitehttps://plus.google.com/u/0/101143993996952001933/postsAnd some commentary on the Keynotehttp://www.twitch.tv/wotc_dnd/b/328881758http://www.advanceddungeonsandparenting.com/2012/08/d-keynote-focus-on-vision-rather-than.htmlhttp://www.heropress.net/2012/08/wizards-keynote-address-at-gen-con.htmlhttp://towerofzenopus.blogspot.com/2012/08/overreaction-saturday.htmlMore this weeke...

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Regular Posting

Resumes tomorrow.Sorry.  Been one of those wee...

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Witches of Oz

F. Douglas Wall over at "There's more to Oz than the Yellow Brick Road" has a post up on Witches in Oz.He mentions me in it and it is, obviously, something right up my alley.I have mentioned before in a few places that the Wicked Witch of the West was one of my first witches.  She was the one that started this whole mess to be exact.http://timbrannan.blogspot.com/2011/11/having-wicked-time-in-oz.htmlhttp://timbrannan.blogspot.com/2012/07/adventures-in-oz.htmlhttp://timbrannan.blogspot.com/2012/08/what-was-your-childhood-monster.htmlPop by his blog and have a discussion with us on witches....

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Gen Con Haul 2012

First up:  Yes. I know I owe you all a Part 2 of the OSR is Dead. But many of you made a lot of the points I was going to.I also know I missed White Dwarf Wednesday.  I was away from my machine all day.So instead a drive by post.  With pictures.So here is my Gen Con 2012 haul.  I also picked up some things here for my kids. Here we have all the books, minis (love that Gelatinous Cube) and swag.I picked up a way cool game, Monsterhearts (pdf), that I want to talk about in much detail later.  Also my new ConX 2.0 book, Zenner cards and screen.I got my two copies of Castles & Crusades from Troll Lord and Jason Vey's Amazing "Amazing Adventures".  Again, I want to talk about that one in detail too.  I...

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