Humble Bundle - Dungeon Crawl Classics MEGA Bundle (Over 70 Adventures for 3e, 4e, 5e, DCC RPG for 25 bucks)

Dungeon Crawl Classics, or DCC, adventures, had their star in the 3x/D20 era, progressed through 4e, and finally spawned their own RPG, the Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG, or the DCC RPG.

I have run 3x era DCC Adventures as well as DCC RPG Adventures with the Swords & Wizardry (OSR) rules, converting on the fly with little if any hiccups. The adventures themselves are generally the most imaginative, most inspiring adventures one can choose to run as a GM.

The 74 adventures included in this bundle include some personal favorites that are well worth the price of admission on their own. DCC #29, The Adventure Begins includes a collection of low-level adventures to kick your new campaign off with. DCC #35, Gazetteer of the Known World is one of the better fantasy settings around, regardless of system. DCC #51, Castle Whiterock, is a mega-dungeon that will take your players through level 15 or so. While all three of these highlighted choices are written for 3x, they convert easily to the system of your choice.

20 of the included adventures/PDFs are from the 3x era of D&D, 14 are from the 4e era, 8 are for D&D 5e, and the rest are written for the DCC RPG (over 30) as well as a 20% off coupon for use at the Goodman Games Online Store. There is a lifetime of gaming potential in the Dungeon Crawl Classics MEGA Bundle at the $25 price point.

Get ready to put your players through the meat grinder with this gargantuan collection of modules and supplements for the Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG system from Goodman Games! This bundle includes 70+ DCC books, ranging from essential modules like Idylls of the Rat King, The Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho, and The Mysterious Tower, to mammoth supplements like Castle Whiterock, a veritable campaign-in-a-virtual-box. Pay what you want for enough material to keep your campaign going for ages—valued at over $1,000—and support World Central Kitchen with your purchase!

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Bundle of Holding - Goodman D&D 4e (I Kid You Not)

Bundle of Holding has offered out-of-print RPG material for years, but this is the first time I can remember a bundle for D&D 4e being offered.

For those that don't know, Goodman Games was one of the few companies that signed up for the D&D 4e Game System License (GSL) and were able to offer official support for D&D 4e.

I was unaware that there is a D&D 4e retro-clone out there in the internet wild. Color me very surprised ;) https://sanglorian.github.io/orcus/

For those D&D 4e holdouts out there...

Adventurer! This all-new Goodman Games 4E Bundle presents tabletop roleplaying supplements and adventures published by Goodman Games in 2008-2010 for the Fourth Edition (2007-2013) of Dungeons & Dragons from Wizards of the Coast. Goodman's modules, character sourcebooks, and bestiaries showcase the appeal of a system that still attracts enthusiasts on Reddit, Discord, and on virtual tabletops.

The sourcebooks and modules in this rich Goodman Games bundle require the 2007 Dungeons & Dragons Fourth Edition rulebooks from Wizards of the Coast, which are not included in this offer. Orrrr you could use Sanglorian's free Orcus 4E-compatible retroclone rulebooks, and consult the Offline Compendium for reference. The titles in this offer won't work well with other editions of the D&D rules.

For just US$17.95 you get all eight titles in our Player Collection (retail value $85) as DRM-free ebooks, including Azagar's Book of Rituals; two Forgotten Heroes guides – Scythe & Shroud and Fang, Fist, and Song; four Hero's Handbooks – Dragonborn, Eladrin, Tiefling, and Immortal Heroes; and the 4E Character Codex.

From Here to There adventure collection from Goodman Games for D and D Fourth EditionAnd if you pay more than the threshold price of $28.36, you'll level up and also get our entire DM Collection with seven more titles worth an additional $68, including Blackdirge's Dungeon Denizens for 4E; three 4E module collections – In Search of Adventure, From Here to There, and Frank Frazetta's Death Dealer; the two Master Dungeons adventures – M1 Dragora's Dungeon and M2 Curse of the Kingspire; and the 4E DM Campaign Record.

Goodman Games has kindly provided purchasers of this offer a 20% discount code good through April 10, 2023 on most products bought from the Goodman Games online store. Your discount code will appear on your Wizard's Cabinet download page here on the Bundle site.

 

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Questions (and Answers) as to Why I'm Going to Run Crypts & Things With My "Lapsed Gamers Group"

One of the players in my "Old Gaming Group" and very good friend of mine, sent me an email earlier tonight asking me why i chose Crypts & Things for the "Getting the Band Back Together" Sunday Morning Campaign.

The questions he asked were spot on, so I figured I'd share the questions (and answers)

Tony is asking the questions, and I'm the one providing the answers ;)

I have a soft spot for the 'dark' low magic fantasy worlds since during junior high / high school and college I was always reading novels such as Elric and F. Leiber stories as most of us were back then.

I know you talked about this on your blog a bit and again I think Crypts and Things is a great choice but I am curious why you didn't pick some of the other systems that I have read about on your blog.

Q - OSRIC - Was the main reason it too expensive for Chris and Barry to get into?  Is it a bit too complicated for a new player?   You gave me a copy of rules which I am thankful for but I never read it so I don't know much about the system but I planning on reading soon. 

A - OSRIC is AD&D 1e without Unearthed Arcana and the subsystems that no one really used. It's what i run on Saturday Nights - It's also a beast of a book to read (about 400 pages) - PDF is free, oversized pocket paperback is about 10 bucks ( think) plus shipping, but 400 pages is a lot of reading to expect for lapsed / returning / new gamers - smaller typset too.

Q - Pathfinder - Not old school like Bry wanted?  I don't own this but if I am correct it is based off of D&D 3.5 right?  So definitely not the D&D we grew up with but still D&D 3.5 is a cool system.  agreed?

A - It's a good system but very "crunchy" (heavy rules wise), much more crunchy than i enjoy these days. I would have loved it during my college years. The Beginner Box for Pathfinder is as crunchy as I'd ever go, but I feel more relaxed with the OSR games.

Q - Bry mentioned D&D 4.0.  I know you won't run that game and I don't like it either. Assume we both don't like it since it it too much like an MMO. I never played but with all of those rules a single combat must take forever (very much not like an MMO ironically).  I do own the books and I do like the fact that two players of the same class would be different because you select powers but it was way too 'crunchy' as I have heard you say in your blog. Is that the main reason you don't like 4? 

A - Combat as you have surmised is a horror. The crunch factor is huge, but the way the powers are set up, possibly not as bad as Pathfinder. But you need to use battlemaps and minis (some may say otherwise, but as written and designed, you do), and that's not how I roll. That, and "Healing Surges" still make no sense to me ;) If you want to listen to a podcast of actual 4e gameplay, try Drunks & Dragons - it's entertaining

Q - Adventurer Conqueror King - I don't own this one. why not this system?  Too difficult for a new player? Not enough like D&D for Bry?

A - ACKS is a fine system. I ran it over the spring / summer of last year. We used some classes from the beta version of the Companion, which were slightly broken (too powerful). I'd run it again, but as many of the classes / races seem setting specific, I'm waiting on the setting to flesh things out.

Q - Dungeon Crawl Classics?  - again I don't own.  curious why it didn't make the cut?

A - I love DCC. I had a blast running some session in the summer and fall. The book is HUGE! (nearly 500 pages) and  would have scared folks away. All that being said, I plan on converting some DCC RPG releases to C&T down the line. I think they'll fit really well.

Q - Savage worlds ? - I don't' own this either.  Not enough like D&D?

A - Definitely not like D&D. I don't fully "grok" the system. That being said, I'm dying to run some Soloman Kane ;)

Q - LofP - you gave me the rules and magic book. I have looked it over.  looks cool but a bit over the top horror which is not really the way we played back in the day so I can see why you didn't pick that.  right?

A - LotFP WF was tempting and the rules are available for free in PDF. That being said, I'd have had to have houseruled the shit out of it to get me where I want it, and that kinda defeats the purpose. Also, I think folks would have complained with the "only fighters ever increase in combat ability" part among others.

Q - Dark Dungeons - you gave me this book - I have not read it yet but again wondering why you didn't pick this?  looks cool.

A - No particular reason except it hasn't been on my radar recently. Well, and it suffers from being huge in page count, which is fine for active gamers, not great for lapsed gamers.

Q - Finally - Tunnels and Trolls. I have an 1986 paper back called.  'tunnels and trolls' the complete fantasy game rule book.  I think you gave this to me.  I know you like the system.  why not this one?  not D&D?

A - I love me some T&T. I really do. I want to run the game and I'm looking forward to the new edition releasing this spring. Not D&D, which is what folks wanted. T&T 5e is NOT the clearest set of RPG rules ever written. Not what i wanted to use to entice folks back to the Dark Side after 16 years of not gaming ;)

Mini Review - A Dungeon Dash: Wraithwood Cavern

I'm throwing this one out there for Christian, as its a short and FREE side adventure for 4e.  Having read thru most (not all) of the 4e rules when they came out, and having picked up the Essentials Core Books upon release (cause it was damn cheap on Amazon, and you never know where your next game group may gravitate) I still can't tell how well this will play out.

I just have a hard time visualizing all the 4e tactical combat... hell, 3.5e had way to much for me.  In any case, I figure some of you 4e DM's mind find a use for this.  OOOOoooo, and they include adventure hooks for the lazy DM ;)

From the blurb:

The "A Dungeon Dash" series of side adventures by Kurt Sparkuhl are FREE products designed to enhance your 4th edition D&D campaign. Each Dash takes only 10 minutes or less to read through, and usually clocks about 3-5 hours of play time. With some additional preparation, each Dungeon Dash can serve as the foundation for a larger highly detailed adventure.

Every Dungeon Dash includes:

- New custom monsters

- New traps/hazards/puzzles

- A detailed map and descriptions of every encounter

- Treasure and reward guidelines

- Example story hooks to blend the adventure into your campaign.

Gifting the Reimaged Past

Today was my brother in law's birthday.  He was a gamer thru college, and still proudly displays his AD&D 2e (and earlier), Traveller, GURPS and other gaming stuff on his shelves in his home office.  He hasn't played in years, but he still reads the stuff to relax and unwind.

In the past I've given him the 4e set of rules, the Mongoose Traveller Pocket Rules, some Mayfair Games classic items I've found on sale amonst other stuff.  Tonight, in addition to the traditional Amazon Gift Certificate, I game him a copy of the D&D 4e Essentials Starter Boxed Set.  Needless to say he recognized the artwork.

Is this going to get him back to active gaming?  I doubt it.  He barely has free time now, and with a baby on the way in December he'll have even less.  Still, I suspect he'll enjoy running the included solo.

Just think hom much cash WotC could make with Limited Edition Classic Reprints of some of the old boxed sets.  Number them with a certificate of authenticity.  My bro in law would snatch that up in a heartbeat.

Might not grow the hobby much, but I am damn sure the market it there.

Just look at the 4e Essentials box...

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Just How Essential is the New D&D Starter Set?

By now I'm sure you've already read a good half dozen reviews of the new D&D Red Box. If you've read what I've read, much of that is lamenting how much in fails in comparison to the D&D Red Box of old. Some folks are missing the obvious.

The old Red Box was a Basic Set... enough rules to get you going and playing for as long as you want within the range of levels 1-3. When you were ready, an Expert Set was awaiting you.

The new Red Box is a Starter Set. It is there to show you what a roleplaying game is (in this case, D&D 4e). It spoon feeds you the rules and concepts as if you were a neophyte, which is fine. As others have pointed out, it is not there for you to run campaigns out of the box. For that you need to go beyond the Starter Set.

4e is not my bag, but I can see the use of the solo / tutorial included to bring new people into the hobby. The fact that you can run it solo, before you even find a group is great... maybe WotC will see some value in further solo adventures.

Taking the New Red Box for what it is, and not what we as old timers expect it to be, is the key. Well, that and I got it for less then 14 bucks on Amazon. It's not going to turn me into a 4e player, but it might serve as a nice introduction to roleplaying for my girlfriend, and I really can't ask for much more then that.


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