Category Archives: Dungeons & Dragons

Roll for initiative! Start here for posts about the famous role playing and board games known as Dungeons and Dragons.

Dungeons and Dragons: Thought Eater

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The Thought Eater

From Dungeons and Dragons: Monster Manual I, the Thought Eater was a ridiculous creature of unknown inspiration.

“… dwellers in the ether … appears to be something like an enormous headed platypus”

Invisible in the physical plane, it was only seen and observed with psionic powers.  (With every gift comes a price, I guess)  If you happen to visit the Ethereal plane, the Thought Eater may pay a visit to eat your brains, figuratively, feeding off your thoughts and intelligence.   As described in the manual, it may render you “a low-grade moron” permanently.

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Dungeons and Dragons: Ki-rin

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The Ki-rin

From Dungeons and Dragons: Monster Manual I, we celebrate news from North Korea discovering the “lair of the unicorn rode by King Tongmyong”.  For decades we foolishly kept the Ki-rin (or sometimes spelled Qilin), out from the history books.

“Ki-rin are a race of aerial creatures whose hooves rarely touch the earth, for they dwell amid the clouds and behind the winds.”

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Wrath of Ashardalon: A Day in the Life of a Hero (11/26/2012)

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This is an unfortunate session chronicling Dungeon and Dragons Wrath of Ashardalon board game.  It was a solo session in the Adventure 1: A Day in the Life of a Hero.

While chasing monsters through the wilderness around Firestorm Peak, you fall through a hole into the cavers below.  Can ou survive long enough to find another way out of the dark and twisting tunnels?   – Wrath of Ashardalon Adventure Book

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Legend of Drizzt: Drizzt’s Expert combatant rule

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In Dungeons and Dragons Legend of Drizzt, Drizzt’s expert combatant rule can be a little tripping.  Is it too good to be true?  How could you use it?  This is how we interpreted it and why.

The explanation is pretty straightforward, “make an additional attack during your Hero Phase”.  But a common misunderstanding is reading too far into the terse rules rather than interpret it word-for-word.  We are conditioned to follow the game’s strict mechanics that any exceptions are met with suspicion.   When reading Drizzt’s daily power, Twin Strike, I thought to myself “wait a minute, don’t I get this every time?”

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Legend of Drizzt: Search for Mithral Hall (11/23/2012)

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This is a session chronicling Dungeon and Dragons Legend of Drizzt board game.  It was a two hero session in the Adventure 2: Search for Mithral Hall.

Following a clue found in an ancient tower, your travels have led you to an ancient cavern near the entry to the dwarven citadel in search for the dwarves’ ancestral crown.  Meanwhile, the dreaded assassin Artemis Enteri is hunting the heroes down.  It is only a matter of time before Artemis catches up with you. – Legend of Drizzt Adventure Book

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Castle Ravenloft: Destroy the Dracolich (11/22/2012)

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This is a session chronicling Dungeon and Dragons Castle Ravenloft board game.  It was a two hero session in the Adventure 6: Destroy the Dracolich.

An undead dragon called a dracolich has answered Strahd’s call.  Now it rampages through the countryside every night, destroying everything in its path.  You decide to enter the dungeon crypts to find the lair of the dracolich.  And then, if luck is with, you plan to destroy it before it can attack Baravia again.  The cleric of Barovia provided this advice: “Find the creature’s phylactery.  It holds the dracolich’s evil essence.  Destroy the phylactery, and your task will be much easier to accomplish.” – Castle Ravenloft Adventure Book

 

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Dungeons and Dragons: Halfling

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The Halfling

From Dungeons and Dragons: Monster Manual I, the Halfling was adopted from J. R. R. Tolkien’s “Hobbits”.   The Lord of the Rings inspired humanoid was described in the manual as revered in the Lord of the Rings films.

“Halflings are basically hardworking, orderly, and peaceful citizens …”

The adventures I mastered were never a “Rings” universe.  Partly because I never read a Tolkien novel and it would be nearly another 30 years before the films.  Therefore, the Halfling made rare appearances.  Not they weren’t up to size of a great story, they were simply never popular.  No one wanted to play a Hobbit.  Not even fans of the book.

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Dungeons and Dragons: Piercer

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The Piercer

From Dungeons and Dragons: Monster Manual I, the Piercer was a cruel joke to the collection of creatures.   It was a Dungeon Master’s evil ploy to reign unholy terror by impaling an unsuspected adventurer below.

“… these monsters are indistinguishable from stalactites found on cave roofs.”

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Dungeons and Dragons: Bulette

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The Bulette (or Landshark)

From Dungeons and Dragons: Monster Manual I, the Bulette was a magical hybrid born from a mad wizard’s dream.  As a DM, I rarely used the landshark.  It was a novelty creature making rare appearances.   Calling a break to the action while a dorsal fin sticks out the earth like a B-movie just wasn’t in my script.

“… cross breeding of a snapping turtle and armadillo with infusions of demons’ ichor … feeding on horses, men, and most other flesh,”

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