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In D&D 5e, there are a lot of magic items.  Some benefit more types of characters than others, and few benefit the Circle of the Moon Druid specifically.  The ability to Wild Shape into beasts between rests can be formidable (especially when you get to do it twice), but the limitation on using magic items as a beast is not.  I believe this class ability loses a little of it’s luster as the character rises in level, so I created a magic item specifically for such a character.  In essence, it enhances the Wild Shape class ability.

Behold, the Necklet of the Moon, a magic item specifically created for the Moon Druid.

Rare / Necklace / Must Attune

This necklet gives a druid the ability to Wild Shape one additional time between rests.  In addition, the druid may expend two uses of Wild Shape to change into a beast that is 1 CR higher than what they are normally allowed to change into.  At level 20, the druid may always change into such a CR+1 beast.

The post Circle of the Moon Druid Magic Item first appeared on STUFFER SHACK.

The gamemaster looks at you and says, “You know, any wizard of even a 16 Intelligence can figure this out.  If you as a player can’t do that, I’m going to have to lower your character’s Intelligence, or reward you with less experience this session.  Perhaps you should play some other character, one that isn’t supposed to be so smart?  Because you’re just not really playing to your character’s ability score.“

“But-but-but… of course I’m not as intelligent as my character; they have a 19 Intelligence!  My character is practically Einstein.  I should get a roll to figure this out, or maybe a clue!

“Sorry, this is a roleplaying game.  Do you even know what that is?

—

Gentle reader… if you find the above statement from the gamemaster to be true and fair, then this article is not for you.  If you find it ridiculous, then read on (because I have a further point to make).

So, you find it ridiculous.  Great!  Now let me flip it…

Bob is playing Gronk, a 7 Intelligence fighter.  Bob says, “I know, it’s a simple picto-puzzle.  Just turn the hieroglyphs until they match the color patterns on this side.  See?”

—

I have heard of many gamemasters turning to Bob and saying something like, “Sorry, Bob, your character is too dumb to figure something like this out.  You should play dumb.”  I may have even done this decades ago, when I first started playing.

Do you see my point?  It’s ridiculous to penalize a player because they can’t play as smart as their character actually is, so why should we penalize a player for not playing as dumb as their character seems on paper?

How intelligent is a high Intelligence?  The difference between 10 and 19 is 9.  That’s a big difference, but nobody ever berates a player for not playing like Einstein.  How dumb is low Intelligence?  The difference between 7 and 10 is a mere 3 points, but people are so quick to jump on such a player for devising a plan, or solving a puzzle.

At what point is a dumb fighter with a 7 Intelligence allowed to solve a puzzle without condemnation? Do they need an 8 in Intelligence?  or a 9?  Does it have to be a baseline 10, where there are no penalties to rolls?

On most character sheets, abilities typically provide modifiers that specifically affect ability rolls, skill rolls, and saving throws.  The intelligent wizard tries to solve the puzzle and gets a bonus, while the not-so-intelligent fighter probably gets a penalty.  That’s it.  That’s all you need.  Roleplay it however you want, but the roll is the mechanical effect only if needed.  Our characters don’t gain experience on how well we interpret what a 12 Wisdom means, they gain experience from overcoming challenges and progressing the story.

Bob may play a 7 Intelligence fighter who is bad at math, or just can’t read.  Kelly may play a 7 Intelligence fighter who is simply a bit forgetful.  However, Mike may play a 7 Intelligence fighter just like himself… a normal dude who can’t seem to think straight when under pressure (taking the penalty of -2 on Intelligence-related rolls).

It just isn’t necessary to judge anyone on how “well” they play to their character’s mental stats, as everyone has their own interpretations… for their character.

So no, you’re not roleplaying wrong; there’s practically no wrong way in this regard.

Nobody goes to the table because they want to be judged on how well they roleplay their character’s ability scores; we go to the table for a shared and enjoyable gaming experience.  Don’t try to change others; just continue to improve your own game and you’ll simply continue to have more and more fun.

The post “ROLEPLAYING: YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG” first appeared on STUFFER SHACK.

If you get excited about new card, board, and roleplaying games (or just want to announce yours), then this Facebook group is for you.  With very light posting rules (but still having a posting limit), it’s perfect for announcements of upcoming and current games that you’ll find on Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and even Patreon.  While it’s geared for tabletop games, you’ll also see accessories for those games.  Things like…

Join the revolution, join IndieKickers…

The post IndieKickers, a FB group for upcoming card, board, and roleplaying games first appeared on STUFFER SHACK.

Some of you reading this have already received some version of these accessories in the past through Stuffer Shack, so I was pretty sure others would find them as equally useful. If there is anything you didn’t get (Mini Counters, Condition Markers, or Number Tokens), you still have time to join the Kickstarter. You’ll get a free PDF fantasy side-plot, or… I have a funny little reward that might get me killed (see The $2 Holler).

After this Kickstarter is finished, we have more things in the works. Specifically, the very next project involves assassins, and cybergear, and playing cards…

Be part of the journey! Stay in the loop and help us grow by clicking your favorite gateway…

• Facebook
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• Newsletter
• Monger Games

Stay awesome, and game on!
Chris Stevens

“Wait, what’s the difference between Stuffer Shack and Monger Games?”

Easy.  Stuffer Shack is more or less a gaming blog, while Monger Games is the RPG company of the future (or, where we will now be producing our games and accessories from).    For now, I’ll be posting on both sites.

Check out the Kickstarter to see all the rewards

The post The Kickstarter has Funded! first appeared on STUFFER SHACK.

Hey folks! I’m pretty pumped to announce our first Kickstarter has just launched… Mini Counters and Condition Markers… In my opinion, the best way to track your monsters on the table…

CLICK HERE TO GET THERE…

The post OUR KICKSTARTER HAS LAUNCHED! first appeared on STUFFER SHACK.

If you’ve known me for awhile, you’d know that I’ve been making some version of Mini Counters and Condition Markers here for a long time. In addition to that, Stuffer Shack has been sort of a catch-all for RPG ideas and things… We’ve held a few RPG Site of the Year contests, had a few articles series (such as Playing with Fate, Shadowrun Anarchy, Classic Fantasy), had several giveaway contests, and (of course) posted many, many ideas to steal for your characters, encounters, and so on.  Lots of different things going on here for the past ten years!

Well, I’m starting a new company at Monger Games–lots of stuff in the works, and it’ll all be a better fit for all the projects/products I’m creating.  MG is a laser-focused location for gaming products, while the Shack is a catch-all for roleplaying game topics.

To get the ball rolling, I’m starting with a proper Kickstarter (finally) for our Mini Counters, Condition Markers, and Number Tokens.  That’ll kick off in just the next few days.  After that, I’ve got a cyberpunk assassin card game (nearing completion), a miniatures line, two roleplaying games, and possibly even a board game (not sure about that last one).  First step is the Kickstarter, and then just go from there at full speed.

I’m sure there will still be some posts here at the Shack on occasion, but my focus will be at Monger Games.  If you’d like to follow along [ahem] as we make history, then please sign up for the *occasional Newsletter.

CALL TO ACTION!

Please check out Monger Games, or sign up for our Newsletter… big things are coming…

The post Major News… Funny Kickstarter Video… STUFF! first appeared on STUFFER SHACK.

MODERN: NECROMANCY – THE BOOK OF THE DEAD caught my attention.  It’s written by Ray Machuga and is based out of his Higher Grounds (Pathfinder compatible) Modern Adventures RPG, but I intend to scrape content for my horror and fantasy games I run in the future.

The book offers rules for death and dying, explores the Underworld and dimensions of death (something this blogger is interested in reading), presents new playable character types, options and new antagonists, as well as plot hooks to steal.  I get the feeling this could be useful for any Vampire the Masquerade or Buffy game, maybe a Cthulhu game… you get the idea.  Like I said, I intend to run some horror and fantasy games in the future, so I think this could help make those games a bit more rich.

The book includes:

• 5 new playable species and All-new classes including:  Banshee, Ghosts, Mummies, Necromancers, Necrografts, Vampires & Zombies.
• Detailed setting information for the Underworld and various Lands of the Dead.
• Descriptions and workings of death gods before and after Godfall.
• Terrifying and potent antagonists of the dead including the Valkyrie & Death-Eaters.
• New plot hooks including: Even gods die. The Book of the Dead includes lore and plot hooks regarding the power that was drained from the dying breath of the gods and what their deaths meant for the lands of the living as well as the lands of the dead.

Modern Necromancy – The Book of the Dead is written by Ray Machuga through Never Better Games and Higher Grounds Publishing’s Modern Adventures RPG.  I’m not really sure what all that means, but I know this is something I want to read and use for my home games, so I backed it.  At a $600 funding goal, it looks like Ray is doing all the work himself, and a release date of December 2021 means he should be able to get it done (I hope, but I honestly don’t mind if it’s a little late).

He has a few other releases already, and [being neutral] I cannot recommend someone that I am not too familiar with–as I understand it, he has under-delivered on at least one other project.  However, he is just one dude, and he IS putting out various content–so I’m going for it.  The PDF is $13 bucks, and I’d pay that for almost any PDF with this type and amount of content (I actually just backed the PDF and paperback for $30).

If what I’m about to say doesn’t make any sense, I apologize…

I do not know Ray Machuga, I have not backed any of his other projects, nor have I read any, either.  So, I cannot recommend that you back this one.  I do, however, want to read this material, so please back it…

Like I said earlier, I don’t back many things, but I’m turning over a new leaf and looking forward to this one.

The post I’m backing more Kickstarters, and I started with this one… first appeared on STUFFER SHACK.

The post Who has the balls to confront THIS dark psychic force? first appeared on STUFFER SHACK.

I recently sat in a game with a brand new game master, and (like usual) had a grand time. This was his very first time running a gaming session, and I’d say he did a good job. He’d been playing in the game for a couple of years, and he’s one of those people who can read a book and remember everything—so he’s pretty knowledgeable about the rules.

We had a good time.

Well, except for one time…

You see, right in the middle of combat a player interpreted a rule one way (in their favor), and this brand new GM interpreted it another. There was some discussion back and forth between the two… including references to forums, and I could see both were getting a bit frustrated (especially the player). I really wanted to chime in with my own two cents, but I and everyone else just waited. After a couple of minutes, the player relented and the game resumed.

Now, there’s a variety of ways this could have been handled, and I guess it depends on what the people at your table prefer. Some say it’s perfectly fine for a player and GM to discuss their interpretations right then. Others say that the GM is god and should simply make an immediate and final ruling. Others say to immediately spend time looking up the rule and dissect the wording, or perhaps going online to search forums and social media groups to seek a consensus. Sometimes there’s even a group vote!

Now, I’m not talking about when a player is unsure of a rule; I’m talking about when a player and the GM have opposing views and are sticking to their guns.

Of course, after many years of gaming, I’ve seen the best solution make its way to different tables over and over again, because it’s the best…

Rule in favor of the player… immediately.

Then, research it later. Research it after the game, or even after a good night’s sleep. When you immediately rule in favor of the adamant player (even if you know they are wrong), you’re saying that their enjoyment is important to you, and you’re helping them achieve that.

We’re sitting at the table to play a game… to play a rolelaying game. Rule discussions and arguments take you out of character, interrupt the story, and kill the mood. So what if a rule is being interpreted incorrectly? Figure it out later. Figure it out when you’re not under pressure, when the player is more likely to listen to you with open ears. Who knows? Maybe you were wrong. If you were right, you can show them the correct interpretation–later.  Remember, the game master is not there to rule over the players like a god; they’re there to help everyone have fun in a fair way.

Besides, if you tend to rule in favor of the player, they’ll be more likely to trust you and accept when you actually rule against them.

The post Game Master and Player Disagree – Now What? first appeared on STUFFER SHACK.

So, assuming tenday weeks (as per Forgotten Realms), and according to the PHB, a skilled laborer makes 2gp a day, and unskilled 2sp a day. Both are variable with these as minimum wages, but we know from Tomb of Annihilation that jungle guides into literal death itself equates to about 5gp a day. We also know that spending 1gp a day is required for a modest lifestyle, and 10gp a day for an aristocratic lifestyle.

Looked it up on SageAdvice and Greenwood says the average family business works daily with the exception of holidays or festivals and what have you. So, on average, skilled employees for these businesses are making at least 2gp a day. I doubt this ever gets higher than 3 or 4gp if we’re seeing that life-threatening situations are 5gp a day. However, we’re not accounting for inflation, so it’s possible that places like Waterdeep have a much higher rate of income, but if we’re meant to take the PHB advice as the average, I can think of no place better than the Sword Coast and Waterdeep to be displaying of this average.

Large amounts of unskilled labor are making somewhere between 2-7sp per day, so about 6-21gp per month. Skilled labor is making between 2-4gp a day, so about 60-120gp per month. A modest lifestyle, which is below comfortable, so probably lower middle class or working class, is spends 1gp a day just to exist. For those that are unskilled labor, that means you’re living a “squalid” or “wretched” lifestyle of 1sp a day or less. Essentially, you’re working class poor, or a college student.

Aristocrats are reasonably making anywhere from 20-40gp+ a day, only going higher and higher the further they are up the chain, for a minimum of making 600gp a month, something along the lines of 1,200gp a month, with no actual limit on this.

So with this frame in mind: Adventurers.

A group of adventurers goes out for maybe a tenday or so and returns with several hundred bags of gold, gems worth several hundred bags of gold, paintings and other valuables worth several hundred bags of gold, and magical items worth potentially far more than that. Essentially, putting their lives on the line, an adventurer literally catapults to the top 1% within a month’s time of gathering loot and other forms of wealth. Really just a single +1 sword is a month’s wage for an Aristocrat at the “upper bounds” of the average and potentially almost 5x that, depending on the buyer (as rare magical items cost 500-5000gp).

What does THAT mean?

If you are an adventurer, you are literally a Walking Economy. Every leader, king, president, what have you, is going to want you on their good side, and is going to want to insure you somehow. Likely, the moment you return to civilization, you are pressured to invest virtually all of your wealth in case you die on your next outing. Suddenly, you’re not only the economic lifeblood of a region after a few years, but you’re someone special. You have museums that hold all your art pieces, jewelers who are making special rings out of the Blood Diamonds of the 7-Headed Lich’s crown jewels, and you are routinely bringing enough wealth back to make up anywhere from 1-10 aristocrats every month or two.

And there’s more than just you. The entirety of the Sword Coast absolutely crawls with adventurers. Wealth is being mined from the veins of the earth and looted from the bodies of other civilizations and routinely brought back. The highest form of wealth, magic items, are circulated around routinely, and those that hold them are essentially the richest, baddest, and most socially capable people at this point. That +2 sword you found in some goblin’s asshole three days ago, by mere virtue of having it, makes you a noble because of how much it’s worth. Say “This sword now belongs to the city,” and suddenly you have 5,000-50,000gp owed to you by the city–enough to live off of for the rest of your life. And, of course, you can still use the sword if you need to “protect the city” or whatever the day’s excuse is.

I imagine when adventurer’s die, all their assets are quickly liquidated. Some people go broke, other’s cash out–it’s like a failing company and selling your stocks and reinvesting. Only the stocks are Tom (the level 12 Halfling Wizard) who is capable of plane-hopping on demand. Kind of fickle, if you think about it. I guess that’s why no city’s main trade is “Adventuring”–gotta have a backup in case Tom fucks off to the Plane of Fire and never comes back.

The post If you are an adventurer, you are literally a Walking Economy first appeared on STUFFER SHACK.