Can you believe it? Our kobold traps are still disabled from the gnome raid, which means you can just waltz into our vaults and make off with a FREE issue of Kobold Quarterly #14. (If you don’t waltz, you can tango into our vaults. The Charleston is also acceptable.) Go to the Kobold Store, add [...]
So, you’ve written up the perfect ghastly encounter that has caused your players to shiver in their seat. Or maybe you’ve statted out a roguish creature who delights in tormenting your group’s adventurers. Perhaps you’ve fleshed out an artifact or relic in your game that you’d love to share with the world! Whatever the case, [...]
(Also Titled: The Ongoing Diary of Thppgrg, Goblin Minion) Previously… (Seriously. Check out the previously if you missed it!) DAY FIVE New unintelligent undead arrived today. More accurately, the bodies of the attacking dwarven warriors have been re-animated to act as guards, and so has Sigvald. New arrivals are total jerks; at Jimbo’s suggestion, am [...]
The kobold judges are readying themselves to start peering with glee at the art that we have received for the Kobold Artistry contest. In the meantime, we want to thank all those who submitted for their entries. We’ll start showcasing the pieces that cause our esteemed judges to grin most happily this month, and we [...]
“You hold in your hands a cut ruby as large as your clenched fist. The light shines on its surface, reflecting your face like a beautiful yet fractured mirror. Beams refract through its structure, causing it to seem to glow in your grasp, and it possesses an unexpected weight. Even in a gem of this [...]
Curses! Those dirty gnomes have staged their annual raid on our vaults, this time through a clever scheme involving ridiculous moustaches, a grappling hook, twenty pounds of cheese, and a windmill. While our kobold guards are off chasing the culprits, you can sneak in and download a FREE issue of Kobold Quarterly magazine. Go to [...]
This statuesque giant has tan skin. Its hair is braided into a ponytail, and jewelry made of bone adorns it. Ossein giants are sometimes referred to as bone giants. By using their mental abilities, these giants can manipulate their own body structure. When threatened, they use the ossify skin ability, but they find it much [...]
(Also Titled: The Ongoing Diary of Thppgrg, Goblin Minion) Dear Diary, Just got a new gig as a low-level dungeon guard for Dark Lord Torkelheim, which is all but guaranteed to end in tragedy. This will be my account of how I get killed by adventurers, by the spells of adventurers and/or my own boss, [...]
Kobold Quarterly #19 (which is still available if you want a copy!) presented an all new racial theme, which allowed PCs to take on the role of a legendary werewolf. The theme gives you a range of optional powers to choose from throughout the heroic tier. For those who want to focus more on a [...]
When Zubana made to leave the city of Lamakan, pursued by the sultan’s assassins, she thought back to the words spoken to her by the Witch of Nibraq. Because Zubana had lied to her, the witch replied with an evil truth: “The gods decree that Zubana shall lie dismembered on a street in Lamakan.” Zubana [...]
The Liber Libri Delapsus Angelus, or Codex of Fallen Angels, is a book that was created to document the true names of all angels who were banished from Heaven during the Great Revolt. According to lore about this tome, fueled by rage and blood lust, the angels’ rebellion brought Heaven to the brink of a massive devil [...]
Today the brand new expanded edition of the Zobeck Gazetteer is out for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game! This invaluable reference for the Free City includes material collected from dozens of sources as well as all-new content that you’ve never seen before. Originally created by Wolfgang Baur for his own home D&D campaign and built out [...]
The greatest of the ooze magicians transform themselves into vast and horrible slimes and jellies. They do this to destroy their foes and commune with dark, unknowable intelligences deep within the earth. Here are two spells of great horror and power for your reading pleasure. Ooze shape III is a bonus spell for the ooze [...]
Fadin expertly judged the color of the steel as its hue gradually shifted from deep red, to orange, and then to a pale yellow in his forge. At a precisely timed moment, he removed it with a set of tongs and brought it over to his anvil. He nodded to his apprentice, who generously showered [...]
Master Pett’s Your Whispering Homunculus presents only the finest in British gaming. Indeed, you are not likely to find a more comprehensive assortment of miscellany anywhere. (So much more than just another bloke in a dress.) [previously] “…fly into the marketplace, Titus, and listen. Simply listen. Or you will be punished for extreme naughtiness!” “Snotling, are [...]
It was a requirement of the art contract for Kobold Quarterly #20 that the art be created to some rock music and that there be video evidence. Long time KQ cover designer Richard Clark did not disappoint! (Check it out after the jump or click here.) Are you an artist? Do you want to show [...]
Got Questions About RPG Design? Wolfgang Baur, Monte Cook, Ed Greenwood, Mike Stackpole, and other industry veterans have the answers you asked for…and the advice you need! The Complete Kobold Guide to Game Design offers 240 pages of in-depth essays on what makes RPGs tick. Get time-tested advice from the top designers in the industry. This [...]
In part 2 of Truename Rituals, David provides us with more rituals to use in our games. These rituals require the use of the Truename Divination ritual he presented in part 1. Affirmation of Vitality Level: 20; Component Cost: Special Category: Truename; Market Price: 35,000 gp Time: Standard Action; Key Skill: Arcana Duration: Instantaneous Prerequisite: [...]
In Kobold Quarterly issue #20, you’ll find quite a bit of archery-based fun awaiting you. One of the articles, “The Elven Archer” by John E. Ling, Jr., provides you with a Pathfinder-based archer. We’re going to take a look at both a player’s point of view for the class, as well as a GM’s take [...]
Volumes upon volumes have been written about steel chemistry and properties, and which steel is best for a particular job. The kobolds prefer if I keep it to around 500 words (kobolds have short attention spans), so I’ll quickly cover simple carbon steels and low alloy tool steels. Although stainless and high alloy steels have [...]
This grossly oversized fist-shaped gauntlet is a fused amalgamation of plates, spurs, gears, and rivets. It smells of grease and machinery. Aura strong conjuration and transmutation; CL 20th Slot none; Weight 12 lbs. Description The artifact is a hulking, fist-shaped lump of mechanical adamantine components. The wearer is considered armed with a metal gauntlet. Because [...]
An achingly beautiful woman steps out of the trunk of a tall date palm. Her skin is like sun-bronzed wood and her hair resembles leafy palm fronds. With eyes that are wild and playful, but disturbingly inhuman, she captivates all who gaze into them. Find out more about this dryad, which should fit nicely into [...]
Here in the Old Margreve, adorable woodland creatures are running hither and yon…FOR THEIR LIVES. That’s because Kobold Quarterly issue #20 is out today and this time the focus is on archers! With an all-new elven archer base class for Pathfinder RPG, a shadow fey hunting party on the prowl, and new arrows carrying acid, [...]
In our second part to the Jeremy Smith interview, we take a look back at the process behind Psionics Unleashed, plus venture a bit forward into the future of Dreamscarred Press. Rudd: When did you realize you wanted to produce RPG supplements? Smith: Back in 2006 was when I got it in my head [...]
We’re venturing into the realm of “behind the scenes” a bit with an interview with Jeremy Smith, one of the people responsible for creating fun products at Dreamscarred Press. Take a look at this interview with him, courtesy of Jakeiol Rudd. Jeremy Smith had his first publication, called Untapped Potential: New Horizons in Psionics, in [...]
None are certain of the precise origins of truename magic. Some claim that with the act of creation undertaken by the gods and primordials, existence was shaped by the words of power used by these beings. Reality consequently came to reflect its essential nature through its own language. Many runepriests and other divine characters that [...]
This worn, roughhewn oak pendant of unknown origin is carved in the image of a snake eating its tail, surrounding an egg. About 1/4th of the pendant is covered with a band of many small green sprouts working their way out of the cracks in the old wood, while the rest is warped, dry, and [...]
A soft and achingly beautiful lullaby drifts to your ears. Strangely compelling, its harmonic overtones cause your focus to drift. Nearby, a baby starts squalling, but perhaps oddly, it doesn’t matter. Nothing matters—not even the strange woman who is slowly moving toward you. Behind her, you can barely make out drifting forms, but you’re too [...]
As the party travels along the forest-lined road, they come across an overturned cart. The contents of the wagon were six large wooden barrels, which now are scattered alongside the road. From the other side of the wagon comes the weak whuffling of an injured horse. If you’re in need of a quick and straightforward [...]
Master Pett’s Your Whispering Homunculus presents only the finest in British gaming. Indeed, you are not likely to find a more comprehensive assortment of miscellany anywhere. (So much more than just another bloke in a dress.) [previously] An Example: The Hunting Beast (CR 13) You can change the athach to any type of creature you wish [...]
Master Pett’s Your Whispering Homunculus presents only the finest in British gaming. Indeed, you are not likely to find a more comprehensive assortment of miscellany anywhere. (So much more than just another bloke in a dress.) [previously] “Was that a stirge?” “Master?” “A stirge. I just saw a stirge fly past my window.” “The city nights [...]
The tale’s the thing with the artifact known as the Taleblade. Take a look at what it could bring to your campaign—it just might add another story element that your players will remember for quite awhile. The Taleblade is appropriate for mid-heroic level characters. The Taleblade begins as a sleek rapier with a silver hilt. [...]
Lurking within the woods, and sometimes used by those who despise magic, the sorcerous soapberry can serve you well when you want to give any nonspellcasting NPCs an advantage in an area. Come take a look at what this vine can do. The sorcerous soapberry, also called the spell-eating balloon vine, grows in temperate woodlands [...]
We continue our look at the Knight of Giri character theme in this second part of two parts. You can read the first part here if you missed it! Optional Powers Level 2 Utility Power The honor of a knight of giri comes not just from within, but also from his or her desire to [...]
The dark cohort of old St. Nick, the Krampus is the sinister creature tasked with punishing the little boys and girls who fail to listen to their parents throughout the year. Presented here for your holiday entertainment is a collection of Krampuses—a bundle of badness who are intent on leaving behind lumps of coal and [...]
The dark cohort of old St. Nick, the Krampus is the sinister creature tasked with punishing the little boys and girls who fail to listen to their parents throughout the year. Presented here for your holiday entertainment, we’re providing you with a collection of Krampuses, a bundle of badness who are intent on leaving behind [...]
The dark cohort of old St. Nick, the Krampus is the sinister creature tasked with punishing the little boys and girls who fail to listen to their parents throughout the year. Presented here for your holiday entertainment, we’re providing you with a collection of Krampuses, a bundle of badness who are intent on leaving behind [...]
Within the kobold mines, a multitude of kobolds work. Some are minions. Some are not. All, however, are fodder for illustrations. What does this mean to you? Why, we’re asking for you to illustrate a kobold and send it in to us! How does this work? First, illustrate your kobold. You can choose whether you [...]
Honor is found in loyalty, courage, and sincerity of action. A knight of giri does not fear death—at least not death that is purposeful—so they do not fear battle. Instead these honorable men and women fear failing their superiors; their word is a bond that they will not break. That these knights never break promises [...]
On December 18, the Journeys to the West design project sails with the tide! Will you be on board, or will you be left sadly on the shore while we sail off for adventure, singing boisterous sea shanties and dicing on deck while drinking crazy amounts of grog? With Paizo CEO Lisa Stevens aboard as [...]
We’re approaching the end of the funding period for the Journeys to the West Kickstarter, but that doesn’t mean we’re slowing down the fun involved for everyone. In fact, we have another creature for you to add to your game right away—if you dare! Also, those of you who have already joined the crew might [...]
As of today there are just five days left to join Journeys to the West as a patron before prices go up. To mark this milestone, here are five typical dangers that mariners face in fantasy fiction and roleplaying games. 1. Life vests not yet invented in your world. 2. For 200 years after life [...]
There are three basic edge geometries used on cutting tools, and those three types have some variations. Each has advantages and disadvantages, and some are useful only on specialized tools. Each type has its advocates, and some makers like one type so much that they specialize in making only that type of edge. The Hollow [...]
The young man appeared calm, his lank blond hair falling over his eyes as he gesticulated and spoke the words of power. His trembling hands gave him away, however. A ruddy light glowed within the circle of power, and then a bang reverberated around the room. The young jumped involuntarily, but his invocation never faltered. [...]
When a catastrophe strikes or a massacre takes place, and the lives of thousands are extinguished, some might come to believe that the place where it happened is accursed and that the very stones remember the agony of the dying. In fact, when the victims are psionic beings, their mental death shrieks and psychic horror [...]
In the first part of this two-part series, you learned of the trog-kin template and how you could use it immediately in your game. Now we take that a step farther in the second part. Let’s start with some adventuring fun. Adventure—The Hive The encounter in the first part is merely an aperitif for coming [...]
Evidently, some sly kobolds have a few surprises up their sleeves, or, in this case, on their hands. Perhaps the following relic will be of some use to you in any game that features kobolds. It never hurts to keep those adventurers on their toes. Offspring of an ancient black dragon and a long-lived succubus, [...]
Out in the Great Beyond, we’re in the last few weeks of pulling Dark Roads and Golden Hells all together (for the Pathfinder side of the project anyway). We have eight new planes gazetteered, more flavorful mini-locations than an elf could spend his whole life adventuring through, at least half a dozen planar roads (both [...]
Venture again to the Isle of Morphoi, where we peer at the Morphoi hulk, which has been illustrated by Chris McFann. You can venture beyond the jump now to read the entire entry, and then head over to the Journeys to the West Kickstarter and join the crew if you want to see more about this [...]
As noted last week here on the Kobold Quarterly blog, we’re continuing to look at an interesting option for presenting weapons and armor in your game. If you missed the first installment of this series, you can read the first part here. The following keywords are designed to substitute the numeric bonuses applied to armor, [...]
“I’ve noticed you using the word ‘sluglet’ again, sluglet.” “Master?” “Copying me. Mocking me, some might say. My old friend Inferdal the Dark Magentine noticed it only last week, and Mumpsicrumb the maid has twice commented upon it to me recently. You will cease this imitation.” “As you wish, mighty one, but I am merely [...]
In our ongoing look at the Isle of Morphoi, we take a look at the Nethysule, which has been illustrated by Chris McFann. You can venture beyond the jump now to read the entire entry, and then head over to the Journeys to the West Kickstarter and join the crew if you want to see [...]
The climactic cavalry charge has always been an iconic image in fantasy literature. From the charge of the Rohirrim at Helm’s Deep in The Two Towers to the famous mounted knights of Lastwall in Golarion, the image of a line of knights mounted on horses and riding the enemy down has been with us since [...]
A fighter walks into a shop. “Gimme a +2 sword.” The shopkeeper nods. “Two swords coming right up.” “Not two swords,” the fighter says. “One sword. +2.” “Three swords, sir?” the shopkeeper asks. “I want a +2 sword,” the fighter repeats, slowly and deliberately. “Just one sword, but +2.” Clutching his patience, the shopkeeper raises [...]
In Part 1 of the mountain priest character theme, you read about mountain priests and learned the rules benefits for using the theme with your character. We continue the theme by providing you with the optional utility powers available to you. We start with the 2nd-level utility power, and more are beyond the jump! Optional [...]
Gunnar the Huntsman studied the tracks in front of him, grimacing when he saw those made by a pair of large birds. Trina, a young woman who had accompanied him on his annual hunting trips to Fairview in the past, fidgeted at his side. Why the new mayor of Fairview had suggested she accompany him [...]
Earlier this year, the Midgard Bestiary (Volume 1) for the AGE System came out. The book has monsters galore just waiting for you to use in your AGE game. Monsters, however, aren’t the only things that can challenge your characters. Take a look at some hazards that have been converted to the AGE system, and [...]
Lord Gundark: “You must battle the dragon and rescue my daughter. I will give you one thousand gold!” Lance the Warrior: “No thanks, Lord Gundark, we have plenty of gold. We’ll be taking a pass…” Gundark: “Wait, come back! I might have a quest for a prince held by an aboleth around here somewhere…” Lance: [...]
And we have met launch status, my friends, but there’s so much more we want to do on this journey before we embark, so keep those pledges coming! Let’s set sail with style and panache. My commodores and captains expect some nice digs, after all. We’ll get the best ship, fill the cargo with foodstuffs [...]
Journey back to the Isle of Morphoi and spend some time with the creature for which the island is named. Designer Christina Stiles has provided you with some statistics and Chris McFann has illustrated this creature so that you can begin your seafaring adventures right this second. Of course, if you want more, you should [...]
Phinneus, sage drake of Zobeck, was perusing a book that discussed flora of the Dragon Empire. Suddenly, the door to his library swung open. Phinneus’s annoyance changed to terror as a green draconic head attached to a spear flew by him, missing him by mere inches. “Dragon! We will speak!” a recognizable voice shouted from [...]
DriveThru RPG is promoting Teach Your Kids to Game Week, and the kobolds are 100 percent in favor of it. If we don’t teach our spawn to game, who will defend the warrens when we’re old and enfeebled, and adventurers kick in our doors and try to take our stuff? Those traps aren’t going to [...]
Mountain priests are spiritual and meditative people who are bound to the land in a way that few others understand. To a mountain priest, everything is infused with an elemental spirit that, for those who listen carefully, can be a powerful ally in most situations life conjures for them. Mountain priests believe that they can [...]
Adventure! Excitement! These things and more await you in Journeys to the West, a Kickstarter project by Open Design. The project, which you can help fund as of this writing, will have six adventures for the Pathfinder system, and it plans to give adventurers of levels 1 to 12 plenty of opportunities to explore and [...]
The druid class within Wizard of the Coast’s Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms details sentinel druids of spring and summer. If you want to expand your seasonal versatility, take a look at the sentinel druid of winter. Sometimes the best way to survive is to endure. This is the primal lesson of winter, and it’s the [...]
dear boss, thanks for the swell job carrying out wastepaper baskets full of dead rats but i have run off with christina stiles we are hiring a crew on kickstarter to sail the western ocean and find fortune and glory she says there might be krakens and i don’t know what that is boss but [...]
The druid class within Wizard of the Coast’s Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms details sentinel druids of spring and summer. If you want to expand your seasonal versatility, take a look at the sentinel druid of autumn. As a sentinel druid of autumn, you draw your strength from the time of high harvest, when life [...]
To celebrate this Veteran’s Day, please consider supporting one of our many troops with a subscription to Kobold Quarterly through our Adopt-A-Soldier program. We currently have a backlog of soldiers who would love to receive your sponsership. Help send a message of appreciation and spread the joy of gaming by connecting to a soldier today. [...]
Illustration by Chris McFann The gray warriors are as much legend as fact in the eyes of the common people. Shadow warriors, assassins, and spies, gray warriors are sought by noble houses in times of war to assassinate enemy generals and sabotage enemy defenses. In times of peace, nobles employ them as spies and assassins [...]
Okay, okay, I promised the Danish axe next. Sorry it didn’t work out — we will do the axe real soon. I think you’re gonna like this one! Sam and I had fun making both the moon hammer and the video.
(Illustration by Blanca Martinez de Rituerto) Skittish but hardy survivors within and beneath civilization’s centers of urban decay. Chad and Josh collaborated on a roachling background that would allow players to play a roachling in their home AGE system game. Josh worked on the mechanics, and Chad helped with the storytelling portions of the background. Take [...]
Leaves skitter along the dry path, tumbling over the exposed roots of old-growth trees. The smell of fall provides a crisp counterpoint to the cutting cold that crept into the air as the sunlight fled not too long before. A slight breeze picks up more leaves, stirring them lazily, then dies before it becomes a [...]
Thiloquenn the devil sat patiently in his shadows. Shadows he was used to, but patience was a virtue he was still attempting to practice. Fortunately for the devil, Zobeck is full of shadows. So, Thiloquenn meditated in his wreathing shadows, waiting for his unsuspecting victim. “Ah, here he is…” thought the small, red devil when [...]
Illustration by Chris McFann The gray warriors are as much legend as fact in the eyes of the common people. Shadow warriors, assassins, and spies, gray warriors are sought by noble houses in times of war to assassinate enemy generals and sabotage enemy defenses. In times of peace, nobles employ them as spies and assassins [...]
This unassuming, ancient bronze oil lamp looks like any other peasant’s light source. Though most have heard the legend regarding lamps that hold mighty genies, few have heard of the legend of the lamp that holds worlds. The lamp of departed vistas has existed for thousands of years, and an untold number of locations lie [...]
The practice of domestication is older than civilization. To date, mankind has tamed what your adventuring group would consider to be rather tame creatures. In the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, however, those with talent, interest, or need can domesticate much more dangerous creatures. Factor in exotic races with unusual dietary and cultural needs, and you could [...]
The malevolent entity soared above the dead body while black tendrils played across the corpse, arcing like ebon lightning every few seconds. And now a cacophonous scream erupts from the vile form as it surges forward — toward you! Antisouls, so named by a young priest who was the only surviving member of a group [...]
If you open issue #19 of Kobold Quarterly, you’ll find an article called “Magic Shops: What’s in Store?” by Christina Stiles and Spike Y Jones (the very same authors of this article!). That article explores the topic of how you can turn the experience of shopping for magic items into a useful GM tool, plus shows [...]
Within the pages of Kobold Quarterly #19, you’ll find the white necromancer, a new class created for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Designer Marc Radle has crafted a character for you that uses the new class, and you can see the result below. Our sample white necromancer has been illustrated by the talented Chris McFann. Although [...]
So, you’ve read the first two parts of this series (Part One and Part Two), and now you’re ready for more. In this final installment, we take a look at scene, action, and the attack. Describe the Scene You have no need for initiative or battlemats yet. Give a brief overview of the encounter location [...]
Bedorken was never a very good necromancer. Schooled by his father, the reviled Necromancer Ezekhan, he could not stomach the ghouls and zombies that were a fixture of his father’s work. Bedorken was, however, extremely talented. He excelled at conjuration and transmutation, especially the fabrication of extradimensional spaces. He also had a love of skeletons [...]
A pool of oily black water ripples as you approach. Darkwater can be both an unexpected terrain hazard and a potential story hook for assassination plots. If your adventurers are moving through a dark and dank cavern system, they might walk right into a puddle of darkwater. If they’re mixing among the social elite in [...]
Who is this Miranda person anyway? And what is she doing with the website? Well, let’s start with that first question. Before I started tackling the whole college experience, I knew one thing: I wanted to work at TSR. They made games that I loved to play. Making games seemed like an awesome thing to [...]
If you open issue #19 of Kobold Quarterly, you’ll find an article called “Magic Shops: What’s in Store?” by Christina Stiles and Spike Y Jones (the very same authors of this article!). That article explores the topic of how you can turn the experience of shopping for magic items into a useful GM tool, plus [...]
Undead creatures don’t like to play nice with living creatures. Perhaps the characters living in your world have seen a fair share of zombie hordes rushing hapless villages, swarms of undead rats stripping flesh from dead and dying people, a ghost of a wronged citizen haunting the former headman’s house, or a vampire stealing away [...]
Kobold Quarterly issue #19 is out today, and this Kobold horn of plenty is overflowing with what might be our most diverse set of articles and columns ever. Sure, maybe there’s nothing new about this issue having great crunchy, fluffy articles for Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons, and the AGE System RPG [...]
Constructed by the elf witch Azria Dwin’dardae from dozens of fist-sized diamonds, this ornate cauldron glows with a warm orange light when filled with liquid of any sort. Those who find the secret to claiming ownership over it can enjoy a variety of benefits.
A low hum of muffled clicks and whirrs emanates from this feline statue as it stretches. Its dark body glistens in the available light, and its eyes and ears move as it begins to look around the area. A faint glow flickers in its eyes, a low thrum underlies the sound of its movement, and [...]
… and so I said, “No, you kiss the fish!” Thank you, thank you. For those just joining us, it’s time for a serious announcement. The kitchen is out of veal. Also, I’m stepping down as the web editor for Kobold Quarterly. I started at the magazine way back in 2008 with issue #3 when [...]
“You! Filthy wastelander! How much further until we reach our prey?” Esolpe Dupler brayed as he and his rotund son, Galdrich, attempted to match my pace. The blackened valley was treacherous. Progress was slow. I pulled back the hood of my cloak and spun around, “Not much longer, my Lord. We are fast on their [...]
Remember the tetsubo? Remember asking for some video of stuff getting cut and smashed? Good! Check this video out: What else do you want to see? We can do videos on the subjects of previous written Real Steel articles, or we can do something completely new. Tell us what you want to see! If we like the idea and [...]
The empathic connection between a master and familiar has a way of shaping the behavior of both… [previously] __ Lennox pleaded with the grey-bearded man in the park. “C’mon… I know you know the old woman in the swamp outside the city. You told a nobleman she could raise animals from the dead. Now please, [...]
“When you told me you wished to ‘drop in on an old friend’ while we were in the city, I do not recall you ever mentioning that the ‘friend’ was the local arch-priest,” Benedict said to Jerika as they ran down the stone corridor, the temple guards behind them. “Perhaps it slipped my mind,” said [...]
(Illustration by Jeff McFarland) Fetid, gore-choked breath—you smell the abomination before seeing her. Taller than two men, this massive creature stares down from a crazed woman’s face of cerulean skin, the color of the deepest seas, wreathed in a wet tangle of blue-green, kelp-like hair. Her eyes are obsidian, her mouth a twisted, oversized gash [...]
The vow of poverty is a highly restrictive roleplaying challenge… [previously] Protest A few monks take the vow of poverty as a form of protest, their convictions made manifest to demonstrate against an injustice or philosophy that they will not abide by. Almost universally, they brand themselves in some way to showcase the offense they [...]
“The Impious King,” a story well known and often recited in taverns. But told only when the lord and his men are absent. __ Long ago, in a distant land, there was a king who was very greedy and cruel. He always smiled when he slept because when he dreamed of all the wicked things he would [...]
There is a game master rule of thumb: who, where, how, and why, but never when. In most cases, you can plan an encounter with all elements fixed in place except the time it triggers. Therefore, you can plan for NPCs to be at a certain place for a certain reason doing a certain thing, [...]
The lich chuckled dryly as the scrying glass showed yet another party of would-be heroes die in one of his fiendish traps. For centuries he had existed in perfect safety within this maze of stone catacombs, a lair crawling with unnatural guardians he had raised from the dead or summoned from the Abyss. Nothing could [...]
Lurking in jungles and thick caves, many eyes watch your movement. Not an unusual feeling for adventurers. What is unusual is that this creature locals fear not just because it’s deadly, but because, if you survive, life will never be the same again. The Amazon spider is an oddity among beasts. At first, it seems [...]
The vow of poverty is a highly restrictive roleplaying challenge… [previously] Freedom On occasion, a monk chooses to take on the vow to avoid enslavement to material possessions. Although far from the carefree attitude of overindulgent revellers, the monks that follow this path are often surprisingly free spirited, outgoing, and generous. More than one drunken [...]
The patronage project Dark Roads and Golden Hells is plane-hopping along! Dan and Wolf asked me to put together a few words about writing a good planar location (I don’t mean “Good” necessarily, but the advice applies), and I thought that you all might appreciate some sage advice from a master planesmaster. Unfortunately, Zeb and [...]
When the time gets close, you start to get excited. Will you pull this encounter off successfully? Will your players be surprised, amazed, and excited? You want everything to work out perfectly. That is when you fall into the deadly GM trap of leading the play. Allow Players to Direct Character Actions It starts with [...]
It’s not easy being a monster in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Over time, adventurers and monster hunters have a significant impact on monster populations, leaving only the strongest, luckiest, and most cunning to survive. Sometimes, though, monsters band together to increase their chances. They use their powers to complement one another and, in turn, present [...]
Master Pett’s Your Whispering Homunculus presents only the finest in British gaming. Indeed, you are not likely to find a more comprehensive assortment of miscellany anywhere. (So much more than just another bloke in a dress.) [previously] __ “A chill night master. Might you need your warming pan?” “I have no need of mere mortal warmth, [...]
The constant warfare and border skirmishes of the Seven Cities spawn many mercenary companies and warrior orders. One of the largest and most well known is the Order of the Septime Lancers… [previously] Slyboots (Septime Lancer Utility 6) Control of your position on the battlefield is key to a swift victory. You take a moment [...]
In 887 A.D., on an island off the east coast of England, the Vikings celebrating their sack of a British monastery fall silent when the night’s burgeoning storm clouds roil back to reveal a red comet low in the sky. As a haunting, discordant sound of flutes echoes across the bleak landscape, a rain of [...]
To celebrate the release of the Kobold Guide to Board Game Design, we asked some of the world’s top board game designers to tell us about the first game they fell in love with, and whether it still holds up for them today. Today we hear from Andrew Looney. The first board game I ever [...]
For those who think of druids as tree-hugging new age hippies or noble savages, we direct the reader’s attention to the movie The Eagle. Early on, a Roman soldier stationed in Britannia tells his new commander that there’s cause for worry: a druid has been seen in the local villages. This is very, very bad [...]
The vow of poverty is a highly restrictive roleplaying challenge… [previously] Discipline Some monks take the vow of poverty to steel their bodies—as an outward focus of iron discipline to guide them on their path to physical perfection. These monks wear a knotted rope—a simple belt—to symbolize the strength of their convictions. Usually a knot [...]
To celebrate the release of the Kobold Guide to Board Game Design, we asked some of the world’s top board game designers to tell us about the first game they fell in love with, and whether it still holds up for them today. Today we hear from Matt Forbeck. The first board game I really [...]
The empathic connection between a master and familiar has a way of shaping the behavior of both… Lennox rose lazily in his small apartment: his first real sleep in days. He slept better here than he did in his company’s last dungeon delve. He yawned and stretched and splashed his face with cold water from [...]
To celebrate the release of the Kobold Guide to Board Game Design, we asked some of the world’s top board game designers to tell us about the first game they fell in love with, and whether it still holds up for them today. Today we hear from Richard C. Levy. My favorite board game today [...]
The paladin is a powerful enemy of the forces of evil and death, wielding both natural and otherworldly weapons. Paladins also serve as beacons of hope in worlds beset by darkness. Leave it at that, and you’ll miss out on a lot of the potential this class has to offer. Enter Divine Favor: the Paladin, [...]
Master Pett’s Your Whispering Homunculus presents only the finest in British gaming. Indeed, you are not likely to find a more comprehensive assortment of miscellany anywhere. (So much more than just another bloke in a dress.) [previously] __ “Everyone has their price, they say.” “Mightyness?” “Pay attention slimelet, or the teaching stick may make another appearance [...]
To celebrate the release of the Kobold Guide to Board Game Design, we asked some of the world’s top board game designers to tell us about the first game they fell in love with, and whether it still holds up for them today. Starting things off is author Mike Selinker. For me, that’s easy: Squad [...]
The war club, in the form of a stick, was probably the first or second weapon ever used by human beings—a rock also being on that early list. Although a stout hardwood branch can get the job done, many cultures have improved both the function and appearance of the humble bludgeon. Native Americans have given [...]
Quick poll: who would like to take a course in board game design from the creators of games like Dominion, Magic: The Gathering, Betrayal at House on The Hill, Munchkin and Kill Doctor Lucky? What if the price of the course was set at, say, $20 or less? Whoa! Lots of hands. That’s perfect, because [...]
(Avatars of Legend by Justin “Black Fang” Sluder; Illustration by Chris McFann) Kobold Quarterly #18 debuted the savant, a generalist base class for the Pathfinder RPG. With the knowledge of the ages and a flair for the dramatic, the savant learns heroics from the tomes he reads and summons avatars of legend with the stories he tells. [...]
The vow of poverty is a highly restrictive roleplaying challenge. To a certain turn of mind, mine included, the severity of the restriction is the appeal of the vow. As described, a character may own a simple set of clothing, a pair of sandals or shoes, a bow, a sack, a blanket and any one [...]
The constant warfare and border skirmishes of the Seven Cities spawn many mercenary companies and warrior orders. One of the largest and most well known is the Order of the Septime Lancers. The order produces cavaliers known for their personal flamboyance and daring tactical maneuvers in battle. Edicts: A cavalier sworn to this order serves [...]
Whether through magic, heritage, blessing, or curse, a rare event occurs when a creature is born with a touch of a dragon’s power. They vary in appearance with or without tinged skin, scaled hide, talons, or a tail. The only consistent feature that is always present is a pair of leathery reptilian wings. Dracontii “Dracontii” [...]
It’s not easy being a monster in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Over time, adventurers and monster hunters have a significant impact on monster populations, leaving only the strongest, luckiest, and most cunning to survive. Sometimes, though, monsters band together to increase their chances. They use their powers to complement one another and, in turn, present [...]
The predatory forbearers of doppelgangers, flesh mimes are feared for their ability to shapechange into mirror-like duplicates of their prey. Flesh mimes are carnivores in every sense of the word, feeding on the bodies of their quarry and the psychic energy of their prey’s accumulated experience. Channeling this energy, flesh mimes are able to duplicate [...]
Anton Swordbender swaggered out of the tavern, heading for Puffin Bluff after a full night of drinking. While he hadn’t succeeded in finding company before he left, he knew he caught the eye of at least one lass who would be easier to persuade later. A forced cough interrupted his thoughts as he reached the [...]
The Kariv language is just as interesting, colorful, and varied as the people who use it. This is just an example of the words they use to help you lend flavor to your speech and to bring your characters to life. The basic units of Kariv society are the familia (fa-MEEL-yah), or family; vitsa (VEET-sah, [...]
The Cherokee people inhabited parts of what is today Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. They were a woodland folk, building permanent or semi-permanent villages along streams and rivers in the mountainous country of the southern Appalachian Mountains. These “Principal People” (as the Cherokee call themselves) migrated south from the Great Lakes 1,000–2,000 [...]
As the fire burned higher, a shadow flickered where none should have been. Looming toward the camp, it silently observed the sleeping forms arranged on the far side of the fire pit. Turning toward the one who had summoned it, it slowly drew a single word in the soft sand… The shadowy remnants of once-great [...]
Most adventurers know the sound of a wild boar rustling through the underbrush. But when the boar turn out to be the underbrush, very few are prepared for the surprise. [previously] __ These huge porcine creatures are often thought to be only a rumor. They have never been sighted outside of the fey realms, where [...]
(Illustration by Chris McFann) The nightmare lords of the forgotten depths often grant mortals power… [previously] Level 12: Dark Pact Invocation Legendary hexblade paragon path feature: Some of the rulers of the unfathomed depths below the earth have dwelt there so long that their bodies have become like the rock surrounding them. Occasionally, you can [...]
It’s raining drakes! Find a whole slew of these fierce mini-dragons in the Book of Drakes. Masters Daigle and Welham can show you the way… Style Feat Drake Style: Mimicking the unpredictability of drakes, practitioners of this style attack their foes with a series of confounding, random movements, which eventually provide a clear opening for [...]
It’s raining drakes! Find a whole slew of these fierce mini-dragons in the Book of Drakes. Masters Daigle and Welham can show you the way… Bard A bard may add the following masterpiece to his or her repertoire. Flight of the Drake (Sing, Wind) Your ever-lilting tune stirs the air under your allies and lifts [...]
(Illustration by Chris McFann) It’s raining drakes! Find a whole slew of these fierce mini-dragons in the Book of Drakes. Masters Daigle and Welham can show you the way… __ Oftentimes, a drake’s curiosity about the world around it drives the creature to seek out experiences beyond the physical realms. The drake finds companions with [...]
Ok, we promised you some audio for this, and thanks to Neostrider, we now have the full audio for this seminar! The participants included Wolfgang Baur, Greg Stolze, Gary M. Sarli, and Daniel Solis. swfobject.registerObject(“ssg_gplayer_object-10410-0″, “9.0.0″, “http://www.koboldquarterly.com/k/wp-content/plugins/ssg-wordpress-google-audio-player/swfobject/expressInstall.swf”); Patronage and Kickstarter- How to Get Paid Up Front
Master Pett’s Your Whispering Homunculus presents only the finest in British gaming. Indeed, you are not likely to find a more comprehensive assortment of miscellany anywhere. (So much more than just another bloke in a dress.) [previously] __ “And what have you learnt, maggot-thing?” “Nothing today master, unless you aren’t aware that a seven-headed pig was [...]
Rituals of forbidden magic can bind an elemental spirit of ice into the body of another creature. The resulting creature exists in a half-frozen state, emitting waves of numbing cold. A tundral creature has eyes that range from jet-black to dark blue, and it leaves a layer of frost on any surface it touches. Tundral [...]
One of the many cool things about bladesmithing is that if you come up with a new design or even a twist on an older one, you get to name it. While recurves are nothing new—and even Japanese recurves have been done many ways—the overall pattern of this knife, to my knowledge, has never been [...]
I’ve probably given the “How to Break into the RPG Industry” talk fifty times at conventions over the years, and the amazing thing is that the talk keeps changing because the field is always evolving. This Gen Con seminar was, frankly, one of the most honest and practical versions of these sorts of panels I’ve [...]
What’s new in heaven and hell? Patrons of the Dark Roads & Golden Hells planar project and patrons of the Midgard campaign setting got news on project status and had a chance to define a part of the Mharoti Dragon Empire live and in person with lead designers Brandon Hodge and Wolfgang Baur on Saturday [...]
Wearing bronze helmets green with age and armor made of seashells, each scowling fish man passes its hand over an odd-looking, tube-like device at its hip attached by a line to a round metal shield. A magnetic whine is heard and each shield thrums with energy as each warrior draws a deadly looking trident and [...]
I arrived in Indy, bright eyed and excited for the unofficial first day of Gen Con. I zipped to Will Call, grabbed my badge, and checked out the awesome costumed folk already wandering the halls. Tickets in hand, I escaped into the air conditioning for a bit before the Meet and Greet. Sure, there are [...]
Those of you wandering the halls of Gen Con in Indianopolis could very well have also had your favorite Open Design product signed by Wolfgang Baur on Friday. Our Chief was out and about at various booths, and he plans to be available for some more chatting and signing fun on Saturday. (We have photographic [...]
This year at Gen Con, panelists Greg Stolze, Wolfgang Baur, Ryan Dancey, Stan!, Daniel Solis, Will Hindmarch, James Ernest, and Jeff Neil Bellinger gathered together with seminar attendees to discuss the best games EVER! (just as the seminar name says). Each panelist had a favorite or two, as did several of the attendees. The choices named [...]
So, you have a game or another fun project that you want to produce, but you don’t have all the means (read: funds) to do so. Or perhaps you want to involve those interested in your project in the process of creating it. You’re in luck! At Gen Con 2011, Greg Stolze, Daniel Solis, Gary [...]
Gamers have already hit the Exhibit Hall at Gen Con, and each one seeks out gaming goodness, demo sessions, or whatever gaming accessory treasures they can find! But where can you go to find Open Design loot? Why, go visit the DriveThru RPG (Booth #767), Paizo (Booth #302), and Troll and Toad (Booth #2015) booths. [...]
From the time they are very young, buffalo runners are trained by older buffalo runners and buffalo callers… [previously] Buffalo Bond (Ex): At 4th level, you form a bond with your hunting companions (usually other buffalo runners). This bond allows you to spend a move action to grant half your favored prey bonus against 2d8 [...]
The pursuit of power. The quest for immortality. There are many paths to power: some are well trodden while some are not. The fellhazen and the runecarved are two lesser-travelled roads for the heroic tier. Each offers a distinct path to the paragon tier and beyond. [previously] The Runecarved “The art of runecasting survives, devilspawn! [...]
All packed? Got some silver and cold iron weapons? Forked metal rods ready for planeshift? Written your will and kissed your loved ones goodbye? Great. Hold on tight and let’s go! Thanks to the legion of eager planar explorers that have signed up, the mighty Angel of Commission has swooped in to bless Dark Roads [...]
Now that the votes are all in and tallied, we have the pleasure of announcing the artifact that you, the fans, voted on to be the Relic of Power. Before we do that formally, though, we want to thank all those who entered the contest and shared their artifacts with us. We had a great [...]
[previously] At first, the prospect was pretty daunting, and I really wasn’t sure exactly how to go about it. I was preparing to find and purchase something like 100 issues of Dragon magazine! And, to make my quest even more difficult, I decided I only wanted issues that were in extremely good condition. No Dragons [...]
The horse was introduced to the Plains tribes from 1680–1750, giving rise to the horse culture on the plains, but for thousands of years prior, the tribes had lived on the plains and hunted buffalo in a very different fashion. The tribes of the Northern Plains—including the Assiniboine, Blackfeet, Gros Ventre, Crow, and Lakota—refer to [...]
The nightmare lords of the forgotten depths often grant mortals power… [previously] Level 7: Dark Pact Weapon Retribution When attacked, you scuttle out of the way like a lizard and make a counterstrike. Benefit: You gain the slinking riposte power. Slinking Riposte (Warlock Attack 7) As you disengage from an opponent who has pushed too [...]
NOTE: One signing has moved to Friday, and a Paizo booth appearance has been added to the schedule since the original posting. We’re sending the Chief out to Indianapolis to share the joys of our recent releases and discuss PDF publishing, great games, patronage, and other topics. We have a sneaking sense he may loot, [...]
Now that you have a veritable trove of relic goodness awaiting you, you must pick one — only one — item from it. You see, you all have the power to choose the item that the kobolds will make available in the next issue of Kobold Quarterly. Yes, many fine artifacts arrived for appraisal, and [...]
Welcome to the Relics of Power finals! Our very last finalist is the artifact called the War Band of the Last Mead Hall. Remember, these entries are unedited so that you can have a similar experience to the one that the judges had while reading them. As a special treat, we are posting each one with an illustration that Chris [...]
Welcome to the Relics of Power finals! Our ninth of ten finalists is the artifact called Liberty. Remember, these entries are unedited so that you can have a similar experience to the one that the judges had while reading them. As a special treat, we are posting each one with an illustration that Chris McFann made for the item. Take [...]
Welcome to the Relics of Power finals! Our eighth of ten finalists is the artifact called the King’s Mirror. Remember, these entries are unedited so that you can have a similar experience to the one that the judges had while reading them. As a special treat, we are posting each one with an illustration that Chris McFann made for the [...]
Welcome to the Relics of Power finals! Our seventh of ten finalists is the artifact called Izellia’s Branch. Remember, these entries are unedited so that you can have a similar experience to the one that the judges had while reading them. As a special treat, we are posting each one with an illustration that Chris McFann made for the item. [...]
Welcome to the Relics of Power finals! Our sixth of ten finalists is the artifact called the Gordian Knot. Remember, these entries are unedited so that you can have a similar experience to the one that the judges had while reading them. As a special treat, we are posting each one with an illustration that Chris McFann made for the [...]
Welcome to the Relics of Power finals! Our fifth of ten finalists is the artifact called the Golden Tresses of Sif. Remember, these entries are unedited so that you can have a similar experience to the one that the judges had while reading them. As a special treat, we are posting each one with an illustration that Chris McFann [...]
Welcome to the Relics of Power finals! Our fourth of ten finalists is the Gnomeskull of the Kobold Kings. Remember, these entries are unedited so that you can have a similar experience to the one that the judges had while reading them. As a special treat, we are posting each one with an illustration that Chris McFann made for [...]
“How well I have learned that there is no fence to sit on between heaven and hell. There is a deep, wide gulf, a chasm, and in that chasm is no place for any man.” —Johnny Cash This week I am mostly cataloguing and organising the 17+ (and still growing) pages of our brainstorm thread, [...]
Welcome to the Relics of Power finals! Our third of ten finalists is the Deck of Hellish Delights. Remember, these entries are unedited so that you can have a similar experience to the one that the judges had while reading them. As a special treat, we are posting each one with an illustration that Chris McFann made for the [...]
Welcome to the Relics of Power finals! Our second of ten finalists is the Crystalline Chrysalis. Remember, these entries are unedited so that you can have a similar experience to the one that the judges had while reading them. As a special treat, we are posting each one with an illustration that Chris McFann made for the item. So, [...]
Welcome to the Relics of Power finals! We’re kicking off our series of ten finalists with the Coffer of the Uninvited Guest. Remember, these entries are unedited so that you can have a similar experience to the one that the judges had while reading them. As a special treat, we are posting each one with an illustration that [...]
You might think that the judges, having adjudicated the King of the Monsters contest not once but twice, would find mere artifacts easier to weigh in the balance for nominations. You would be wrong—the judges had some difficulty even sorting out what makes an artifact, er, artifact-y. Put another way, all three judges had firm [...]
Kobold Quarterly issue #18, our big pre-Gen Con Summer issue, is out! It’s like a kobold beach party ice chest, but instead of being packed with gnome jerky, KQ #18 has savants, cavaliers, beast masters, and dragon hunters for Pathfinder RPG; Divine Gifts for the AGE System by Green Ronin designer Steve Kenson; a minotaur [...]
When we set out to design the Midgard Bestiary for the Adventure Game Engine (or AGE) system, we knew it was going to be a unique project from the start. The book represents not only the first stand-alone, third-party game supplement for the AGE System, it’s also the first time more than five years of [...]
The basic formula for fantasy roleplaying is simple: kick down doors, kill monsters and take their stuff. That’s how Jeff Tidball, AGE System Lead Developer at Green Ronin, calls it in the introduction to the new Midgard Bestiary: Volume 1 by Josh Jarman. Between its covers lurk some of the greatest monsters that Open Design [...]
“And why should we ally with the likes of you?” the baron asked. The tall bearded warrior glared silently letting the tension in the room build before speaking. “Because you want your enemies to suffer before they die.” The baron laughed nervously for a moment, “Yes, I think I like you already. Let’s be friends.” [...]
Tomahawks come in several forms, each with an intended purpose. Early ‘hawks, first made by Native Americans, were made of stone or bone attached to a wooden shaft with sinew or leather bindings. These early ‘hawks were primarily weapons, although some with sharp stone heads could have been used for skinning, de-barking wood, etc. When [...]
(Art by Chris McFann) There are more things in heaven and Earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. —Hamlet, William Shakespeare Last week over on Dark Roads & Golden Hells, we hit a milestone: Thanks to new arrivals out here in the Great Beyond, we’re over 3/4 of the way (and a little [...]
Did you miss PaizoCon this year? Or maybe you were there but decided to follow Sean K Reynolds around all weekend and missed tons of cool seminars? Have no fear! Our friends over at the Know Direction podcast at 3.5 Private Sanctuary are hosting the audio from the PaizoCon 2011 seminars: Midgard: Building a Shared World [...]
(Illustration by Chris McFann) It’s raining drakes! Find a whole slew of these fierce mini-dragons in the Book of Drakes. Masters Daigle and Welham can show you the way… __ This miniature dragon, radiating near-blinding illumination, flies effortlessly toward a group of shambling zombies. The creature bursts into an improbably brighter ball of light, and [...]
(Illustration by Chris McFann) It’s raining drakes! Find a whole slew of these fierce mini-dragons in the Book of Drakes. Masters Daigle and Welham can show you the way… __ An impossible combination of spider and dragon stares at you with its six eyes while its mandibles clack in hunger. Hundreds of bright red spiders [...]
The nightmare lords of the forgotten depths typically grant mortals power for one of two reasons: some use mortals to weaken the surface world and thus prepare for an eventual takeover and others use mortals as proxies in the almost ceaseless wars they wage on each other. Level 1: Dark Pact Reward As a dark [...]
(Illustration by Chris McFann) There are places where the border between realities is thin, places where the energies of the inner planes can easily pour through: places like volcanoes and the Blood Caves. [previously] The Thing That Cuts The thinning of the veil trap and the healer’s touch trap need something, someone, to activate their [...]
Dusting the dirt and maggots from its skin, the corpse rises from the grave longing for the sweet kiss of a soulmate. [previously] __ An old gypsy remedy for killing strigoi: Dig out hearts; cut in two. Drive a nail into the forehead. Place clove of garlic on the tongue. Smear body with fat from [...]
(Illustration by Chris McFann) Master Pett’s Your Whispering Homunculus presents only the finest in British gaming. Indeed, you are not likely to find a more comprehensive assortment of miscellany anywhere. (So much more than just another bloke in a dress.) [previously] __ “Stew!” “Lord?” “Dumplings!” “Master?” “Tripe!” “Your worship?” “All delicious meals in their own right, [...]
We weren’t ready for Planescape. We were happy with our medieval analogues, playing brave young men and women from the local village, setting out in search of fame and fortune. But this was different. This was weird. First session went something like this: “This is the center of the universe. No one knows for sure [...]
(Illustration by Chris McFann) There are places where the border between realities is thin, places where the energies of the inner planes can easily pour through: places like volcanoes and the Blood Caves. The Blood Caves A gateway between the surface and the night below, the Blood Caves are made more dangerous due to the [...]
Dusting the dirt and maggots from its skin, the corpse rises from the grave longing for the sweet kiss of a soul mate. [previously] __ If left alone with the comatose victim, the strigoi hastens to feast upon the brain. It dislocates its jaw and bites through the skull, working its way around the skull [...]
“Welcome, human, to my humble kobold bookshop! How may I serve you, O lord?” “You wish to know about drakes? Woe is me! I have nothing about drakes. My wares are worthless! I shall set fire to my wretched excuse for a shop and hurl myself off the…what’s that? My cousin Jiro sent you?” “Right. [...]
“The gate is opening. Come, take my hand. Prepare your eyes for wondrous things; prepare your soul for terror and temptation. Do not let us become separated. “And never think that you are safe, in either the brightest heaven or the emptiest hell. This place is not for mortal kind: It is the playground of [...]
To celebrate the release of the Complete Advanced Feats, here is a brand-new feat inspired by one of the classes in the Pathfinder RPG Advanced Players Guide. Beast Rider You can treat any nearly animal, magical beat, or vermin as trained combat mount. Prerequisite: Cha 11, Mounted Combat, Ride 1 rank Benefit: You may treat [...]
Ok, full disclosure: I’m not really talking about 1,000 dragons. It’s probably closer to 304 or something like that, but you must admit, The Quest for About 304 (give or take) Dragons doesn’t have quite the same flair! Before we delve into my epic quest, a little background… I started playing D&D (good old 1st [...]
Who doesn’t want to be a master swordsman and a powerful mage at the same time? With the magus you can do exactly that – and players have been thrilled with the newest Pathfinder RPG class from Paizo’s Ultimate Magic. Advanced Feats: Might of the Magus by featmaster Sigfried Trent brings you 30 new feats [...]
Sometimes the big book of adventures isn’t quite big enough. Sometimes a project gets a few items for the blog a little later than the editor can handle. When that happens, we know we have good stuff for a PDF supplement, and the one for Streets of Zobeck is a doozy. Yes, the mean streets [...]
(Illustration by Chris McFann) It’s not easy being a monster in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. Over time, adventurers and monster hunters have a significant impact on monster populations, leaving only the strongest, luckiest, and most cunning to survive. Sometimes, though, monsters band together to increase their chances. They use their powers to complement one another [...]
A fan named Style75 reviews Lost City over at the Wizards of the Coast site: Bravo! I bought the PDF last night and I can tell you it is fantastic. This is a quality product that has been carefully put together. It makes me want to start a new campaign just to try it out. [...]
One of the fun events at conventions like Gen Con and PaizoCon is Adam Daigle’s “Monster in an Hour” seminar, where he creates—you guessed it—a fully-statted and illustrated monster in an hour. Mr. Daigle was crowned King of the Monsters in 2009, and since then has contributed to the Bestiary 2 and many other projects. [...]
Yep, we’re as stunned as you are, but the quality is there and the reviewers are calling it as they see it: we’ve gotten five 5-star reviews in a row! How did we do it? Sigfried Trent took all the feedback to the original Advanced Feats series, added some tweaks and compilation elements (like a [...]
In the past, we’ve done some fun contests featuring monsters. Monsters are great. We support monsters. We love monsters. But sometimes you need a little help fighting monsters, especially when one or more have completely wiped out your stalwart band of adventurers—several times. Kobolds, of course, recognize the necessity for adding a little firepower to [...]
The Lost City adventure introduces a new encounter for adventurers who brave the harsh environment of the desert: the warlike sand giants. In this sneak peek at Logan Bonner’s new adventure for 4th Edition D&D, we offer two of these titanic foes for your use at the table. The sand giants were once closely allied [...]
To celebrate the release of the Complete Advanced Feats, here is a brand-new feat inspired by one of the classes in the Pathfinder RPG Advanced Players Guide. Sling Flask You can use a sling to fire splash weapons at your enemies. Benefit: You may launch thrown splash weapons using a sling instead of tossing them [...]
Taking feats to the next level, the Complete Advanced Feats brings you all 180 feats from the popular and critically acclaimed Advanced Feats series. It’s time to take you character in brave new directions! More than just a list of feats, Advanced Feats gives you the designer’s commentary on each entry, class breakdowns for all [...]
We’re not exactly sure what happened to the second day, but it was a whirlwind of Midgard adventures (one from Tales of Zobeck, the other from Tales of the Old Margreve), of panels, of the huge banquet feast and the awesome sneak preview by our Paizonian hosts (excellent speakers, all!), and of the general whirl [...]
Conventions are a great place to show off extremely fun and cool things. From new roleplaying game releases to sparkly dice to fantastic art—you can see a wide range of new and interesting things. And that’s one of the points of going to a convention, isn’t it? That said, sometimes something is so utterly cool [...]
Kobolds Wolfgang Baur and Sigfried Trent joined forces at PaizoCon 2011 on Sunday. Their goal for this seminar: They wanted to provide you with some excellent tips and tricks for designing better feats and traits. To help fulfill this goal, we’ve collected the highlights from the seminar and posted them here. What’s the most important [...]
Saturday at PaizoCon. You can hear the dice rolling. The Kobold GMs gather groups of players around them, and the fun begins in three different adventures. GM Adam Roy took his two sets of players through adventures called “Redcloak Ruckus” and “Grandmother’s Fire,” and Sigfried Trent ran an adventure called “Gravebinder’s Daughter.” You can see [...]
Three intrepid kobold panelists joined forces at PaizoCon to discuss the topic of improvisation and game mastering: Adam Roy, Wolfgang Baur, and Jeff Grubb. What did these three masters have to say? Let’s start with something basic: Improvisation (or “improv,” as some say) is how you deal with a situation for which you weren’t prepared, [...]
Good question! To answer it, Wolfgang Baur, Jeff Grubb, and Christopher Bodan led a seminar called Publishing in Kobold Quarterly at PaizoCon, where they went over a few extremely important things to keep in mind when you pitch a project to Open Design. One of the biggest things: Be aware of copyright and intellectual property issues. [...]
It’s Saturday at PaizoCon 2011. A crew of panelists congregated in a not-so-hidden location to share their collective wisdom and secrets regarding small press publishing. Among these industry worthies: Wolfgang Baur (Open Design), Ryan Dancey (veteran industry professional), Lisa Stevens (Paizo CEO), Dale McCoy (Jon Brazer Enterprises), Stan! (Super Genius Games), Scott Gable (Zombie Sky Press), [...]
Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Jason Buhlman, and James Jacobs took the time to tell a room full of rapt gamers and would-be designers how to build rules, characters, and magic that work both for homebrew campaigns and for professional pitches. Some of the highlights from PaizoCon’s Crafting Rules that Work seminar are beyond the jump.
The situation was dire! The great Puffing Bridge drawbridge that connects eastern and western Zobeck had malfunctioned. Worse yet, the clockwork guards in the area were attacking anyone trying to get near the gatehouse. The kobold workers in the ghetto would be late for their jobs in the mines and workshops if something was not [...]
The Kobold Quarterly booth was loaded with new releases—Complete Advanced Feats, Streets of Zobeck, Northlands, and Lost City come to mind—and with kobold staffers chatting about what’s new and where Pathfinder is headed. The Midgard banner got some compliments, and the freebies were popular (no surprise!). We also had some ashcans (preview versions) of the [...]
Sometimes a 60-minute panel can cover the entire history of a world. This one certainly did, with excursions into what works and doesn’t for Forgotten Realms, Mystara, and Golarion. Panelists Wolfgang Baur, Jeff Grubb, and Brandon Hodge talked about the project’s origins (homebrewed setting), goals (ambitious), and design approach (highly collaborative). More about the panel [...]
Like all good adventures, this one started in a bar. It was the day before PaizoCon 2011 begins in Bellevue, and Wolfgang Baur was hosting a get-together of creatives at the upstairs loft of the Rock Bottom Tavern in downtown Bellevue. While most of the regulars at the bar were cheering the NBA championships (and [...]
The kobolds have stormed PaizoCon 2011! First, they had to set up, of course. (Check out the initial photo—proof that they were there on Thursday.) Then they scurried off to enjoy some provisions with freelancers and industry folk on Thursday night. Now that the convention has officially begun, we have a whole bunch of fun [...]
The recent release of the Lost City adventure has given several Open Design patrons their first professional credits. One of these designers, Tracy Hurley, talks about what she learned from the Lost City project in her “Learning to Pitch” blog post. She breaks down the process of design and the elements she needed to get [...]
Anyone trying to navigate the busy streets and cluttered alleys of Zobeck knows the difficulty of getting anywhere in a hurry. Wherever a difficulty exists, especially in this city, someone will come along to ease the inconvenience for a price. Enter Blackeye, business-kobold, fixer, gossip, and patriot. With his specially-modified hay wagon and mighty (docile) [...]
In the grip of malaria during a trade expedition to the jungles of the South, our kobold mascot Jiro had a vision of a mysterious city which once flew among the clouds, but is now buried in the desert. We told him it was just a dream, but he wouldn’t listen. He insisted we contact [...]
Attention, Bellevue: brace yourself for a kobold invasion. The kobold swarms are storming the place on June 9, 10, and 11! Open Design will be at PaizoCon 2011 with a booth laden with wondrous items. We’ll also run five games in the Midgard setting, and you will find panels featuring Wolfgang Baur, Jeff Grubb, Brandon [...]
Designer and Midgard project patron Joshua Jarman blogs about the intersection of the AGE System ruleset and the support that the second rules set is getting during design. : [Designing as a patron] is a fun, creative process, and the collaborative nature leads to the development of the best ideas presented. As far as Dragon [...]
The full adventures in Streets of Zobeck cover noir, crime, and street adventures of all types, including introductions. This scenario is designed to segue an established party new to Zobeck into one of the adventures in Streets Of Zobeck. It provides a feel for the twisted machinations and greed-driven schemes the player characters will encounter. [...]
Set apart from most of his kobold kin by much more than the faint golden sheen of his scaly hide, Goldscale exudes a strength springing from force of personality and unflagging faith. Sincere and self-confident, Goldscale is a shining example that righteousness exists in unlikely places. Goldscale was designed as a possible recurring NPC for [...]
“Pinkskins! Pinkskins in the warren!” The shouts woke Kiro from his slumber. Again and again, the call was repeated. Grabbing his spear, he raced to the cave entrance where several other warriors joined up with him. He glanced at his comrades: their tails wagging with excitement, their teeth bared. They surged into a corridor and [...]
Criminal mastermind Ben McFarland and his gang of patrons have been plotting this job for months, and now they’re ready to spring it on an unsuspecting world. Streets of Zobeck, with seven grim-and-gritty adventures for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, is available in the Kobold Store. Streets of Zobeck builds on the material presented in the [...]
(Illustration by Chris McFann) Master Pett’s Your Whispering Homunculus presents only the finest in British gaming. Indeed, you are not likely to find a more comprehensive assortment of miscellany anywhere. (So much more than just another bloke in a dress.) [previously] __ “Ah, the welcome routine of religious festivals—the harvest, midwinter, spring. Such times of joy [...]
Dragons are huge, powerful creatures feared by one and all, but just as the mightiest human warrior can be laid low by the flu, so too can dragons contract, be weakened by, and even die from various diseases. What follows is a description of some, but by no means all, of the maladies and draco-disorders [...]
(Illustration by Chris McFann) Templates give you an easy way to update a creature from a normal version to an elite version. Each template is assigned one or more roles, and—although it isn’t necessary—a creature is best served by using a template that matches its original role. See the 4E Dungeon Master’s Guide for more [...]
(Illustration by Chris McFann) “He would not fail.” With a last glance toward the gathered clan, Bronn strode into the cave that held his last test, the test that would make him a warrior. “He would not fail.” The thought distracted him enough that the apparition startled him as it came into being. Scolding himself, Bronn [...]
(Illustration by Chris McFann) Dusting the dirt and maggots from its skin, the corpse rises from the grave, longing for the sweet kiss of a soul mate. Strigoi are undead creatures who return to this mortal coil to fulfill their greatest regret. They appear exactly as they did when they were interred, and as long [...]
(Illustration by Chris McFann) Most adventurers know the sound of a wild boar rustling through the underbrush. But when the boar turn out to be the underbrush, very few are prepared for the surprise. [previously] __ The typical “adult” form of these creatures, the porky pine bears a resemblance to a small coniferous tree. Wide needle-like [...]
“You drink it.” “I… I’m… not really… no! YOU drink it!” stammered Benoit, holding the glass vial bubbling with green muck at arm’s length over the damp cobblestone, a look of disgust on his weathered face. “Listen—you’re wounded, and we’re low on coin. This is all we can afford.” That was Reynaldo again, snorting as [...]
(Illustration by Chris McFann) How can a god be mad? Some sages claim all the gods are mad, and we are but the figments of their raving intellects. Yet madness does not just mean a disordered mind caught up in its own delusions and faux-reality. If madness is one man’s illusion, perhaps sanity is also an [...]
(Illustration by Chris McFann) Refill your flagons! Jarrod Camiré continues to bring you new material to use with Northlands: Roleplaying in Winter’s Chill. The fourth of four parts, this week we learn a little more about Odin. [previously] __ Odin is one of the most important gods of Norse mythology and the supreme ruler of Asgard. [...]
(Illustration by Chris McFann) The brackish water bubbled violently, and the creature emerged with a wave of fishy stench. Its massive scaly body was studded with hundreds of staring eyes, each fixed on me. Its tentacles whipped forward as I turned to run. Brine terrors are bloated, pustulant masses of oceanic detritus composed of rotting fish, [...]
Master Pett’s Your Whispering Homunculus presents only the finest in British gaming. Indeed, you are not likely to find a more comprehensive assortment of miscellany anywhere. (So much more than just another bloke in a dress.) [previously] (Illustration by Chris McFann) __ “Gah!” “Master?” “Another failure. My attempts to recreate the ancient recipes and techniques of dwarven [...]
Sigfried Trent recently wrapped up his hugely popular Advanced Feats series with Advanced Feats: The Inquisitor’s Edge. Perhaps a little too caught up in the general excitement, several kobolds put on black cloaks and wide-brimmed hats and confronted game bloggers with the book, demanding that they confess their true thoughts about it. Here’s what the [...]
At least one version of the spear is found at some point in the history of every human culture. In its simpler forms, it is easy to make, easy to learn relative to other weapons, and deadly. Early versions were a simple sharpened stick. The first improvement was fire hardening the point. Later versions had [...]
Refill your flagons! Jarrod Camiré continues to bring you new material to use with Northlands: Roleplaying in Winter’s Chill. The third of four parts, this week we learn a little more about Freya. [previously] __ In Norse mythology, Freya is the goddess of love, beauty, fertility, gold, seiðr, war, and death. She is the one [...]
Someone was whistling, and it was a tune Scarred Marshant knew well, but it was no shanty. It was a haunted bit of a tune—the sort of thing you hear in the lower churches what teach the worship of demons. He’d never heard the tune, strict to truth. He only half-remembered it, the song that [...]
Most adventurers know the sound of a wild boar rustling through the underbrush. But when the boar turn out to be the underbrush, very few are prepared for the surprise. Swine Tree A swine tree, also known as susero to the fey, attacks anything it perceives as a threat and usually attacks without mercy. Most [...]
Dragons are huge, powerful creatures feared by one and all, but just as the mightiest human warrior can be laid low by the flu, so too can dragons contract, be weakened by, and even die from various diseases. What follows is a description of some, but by no means all, of the maladies and draco-disorders [...]
Beyond the overlooked polearms and famous straight, thrusting, and curved swords lies a major category of weapons that just as importantly deserves some mention—ranged projectile weapons. From the nameless men-at-arms shooting crossbows from castle crenellations to green-suited, do-gooding outlaws with their longbows to the swashbuckling musketeer, each has their unique place in the annals of [...]
Refill your flagons! Jarrod Camiré continues to bring you new material to use with Northlands: Roleplaying in Winter’s Chill. The second of four parts, this week we learn a little more about Thor. [previously] __ Thor is certainly one of the most well known gods from Norse mythology. He is mostly associated with thunder, lightning, [...]
Your breath catches as they emerge from the shadows, each a gore-splattered marionette with black hollows where their eyes should be. Only the jagged, sharpened teeth protruding from their cold porcelain smiles mar their faces. They move like nightmares, limbs held falsely and jerking from motion to motion. Tiny fingers end in wicked steel blades, [...]
We’ve had a couple of big releases here recently! There’s Northlands: Roleplaying in Winter’s Chill, a Pathfinder-compatible sourcebook for adventures in Midgard’s temperate and subarctic north; and Kobold Quarterly #17, an issue dedicated to villainy with articles for Pathfinder RPG, 4th Edition D&D, and Dragon Age RPG. What are reviewers saying about them? Let’s start [...]
Melchior huffed and puffed around the last corner. Even though he’d be dressed down for loafing, he felt a genuine affection for his employers. He skidded to a stop. The dragon, who was devouring Fargrim the Chaste, raised his head to gaze at him. Melchior pushed his helm (a well-seasoned dinner pot) higher on his [...]
How can a god be mad? Some sages claim all the gods are mad, and we are but the figments of their raving intellects. Yet madness does not just mean a disordered mind caught up in its own delusions and faux-reality. If madness is one man’s illusion, perhaps sanity is also an illusion, but one [...]
In Norse mythology, valkyries are servants of Odin. These female figures choose the most valorous of those that die on the battlefield to bring to Valhalla to become einherjar—or the warriors who’ll fight during Ragnarök. This is far from Valkyries’ only function, however. The incomparable valkyries appear throughout the poetry of the skalds as lovers [...]
The creature scampers down its web toward you, far more nimble than a thing the size of a cow has any right to be. As it moves, however, it becomes clear that this isn’t a spider—spiders don’t have venom-dripping stingers on their back. Duergar bear responsibility for the creation of this ill-tempered amalgam. More specifically, [...]
To celebrate the release of Open Design’s Northlands: Roleplaying in Winter’s Chill, Chris Harris and Dan Voyce bring you new wondrous items. Banner of Power Aura faint transmutation; CL 5th Slot —; Price 5,400 gp; Weight 15 lb. DESCRIPTION The maw on this howling standard is empowered to swallow a spell of 3rd level or lower [...]
To celebrate the release of Open Design’s Northlands: Roleplaying in Winter’s Chill, Chris Harris and Dan Voyce bring you the sea wolf. __ “I saw no more terrible beast on all my journeys north than the sea wolf. The white bears had their aloof majesty, the lindwurm serpentine grace, but the monster that gnawed away the [...]
To celebrate the release of Open Design’s Northlands: Roleplaying in Winter’s Chill, Chris Harris and Dan Voyce bring you the frostveil. __ They took the sled dogs first, one by one, and later the seal-skinner set to guard them. We’d hear a confused, muffled cry in the wind and then we’d find them—a raven harvest cold [...]
To celebrate yesterday release of Open Design’s Northlands: Roleplaying in Winter’s Chill, Dan Voyce brings you the lindwurm. __ Coiling like a living corkscrew, moving with a scraping hiss, a serpentine form skates nimbly across the ice on long curving claws, maw agape and stinking of a hundred graves. Ensnaring snakes, glima worms, skittering tongue [...]
Let the pillaging begin! All through the winter they’ve been sharpening their axes and readying their spells: Donneren barbarians, Skraeling rangers, Kazzakh horsemen, reaver dwarves and Hyperborean sorcerers. Impatient for battle, and a chance to win treasure and glory; to join the ranks of heroes whose deeds are sung by skalds in the mead-halls. Now [...]
Parlez-vous français? Oui, mais très peu. Feats are abilities characters either have or don’t have. By contrast, skills are abilities characters build up over time, slowly adding points to improve their expertise. At least, that’s how it works for all the skills except Speak Language (or Linguistics). This particular skill has rules more like a [...]
(Illustration by Cory Trego-Erdner) As large as it was, it hardly made a sound. We saw the great beast lumbering toward us from a distance, and if it saw us as we scampered for cover, it didn’t acknowledge it. The thing just stared right past us with dead eyes, toward the gigantic disturbed grave we’d [...]
The kwaiken is like a dagger. It’s a type of small tanto, historically carried by both men and women of the samurai class. As with the tetsu no bo (kanabo), I’m having a hard time finding a reliable translation. Kwaiken literally translates to “chest knife” or “bosom knife,” but whether or not the literal translation [...]
When Ed Healy sent us a link to the latest episode of his RPG Countdown podcast with the cryptic note, “Thought you’d like to have a listen…” we were most intrigued. We soon discovered that Kobold Quarterly occupies two spots on the countdown of top-selling game products! The Kobold Guide to Game Design comes in [...]
The pursuit of power. The quest for immortality. There are many paths to power, and some are well trodden while some are not. The fellhazen and the runecarved are two lesser-travelled roads for the heroic tier. Each offers a distinct path to the paragon tier and beyond. The Fellhazan “Allow me to share the dark [...]
This mechanical framework combines plates of iron and dull brass. Interlocking screws vibrate and tubes full of arcane fluids pump as this metal beast takes a heavy step forward. The clockwork suit is a mechanical body with oversized arms and hands used mainly for heavy labor. Wire, tubing, and sprockets line a cast-iron frame plated [...]
Master Pett’s Your Whispering Homunculus presents only the finest in British gaming. Indeed, you are not likely to find a more comprehensive assortment of miscellany anywhere. (So much more than just another bloke in a dress.) [previously] __ In this version of the template, things have taken a darker turn with an entire dungeon complex infested [...]
The towering spires of Bourgund gleamed on the horizon, but the city’s promised relief from the waste’s horrors seemed distant indeed with the rotting bulk of Zhergthoth—the Fallen One—between our party and the city. The once-writhing tentacles of the slain Old One lying desiccated in the dry desert wind, we picked our way maze-like between [...]
How can a god be mad? Some sages claim all the gods are mad, and we are but the figments of their raving intellects. Yet madness does not just mean a disordered mind caught up in its own delusions and faux-reality. If madness is one man’s illusion, perhaps sanity is also an illusion, but one [...]
Wizards, sorcerers, and witches can all have familiars. While familiars continue to grow more powerful along with their masters, some arcane casters want something more… [previously] __ Altered Familiar Feat This feat changes the nature of your familiar but not its type. For example, you can have a clockwork toad familiar or an undead rat. [...]
Kobold Quarterly issue #17 is out, and the kobolds are feeling wicked. This issue celebrates the villains, getting right into the meat of things with an article of special arch-nemesis abilities for recurring villains and the PCs who hate them. As they clash again and again, these abilities gain more potent – ultimately legendary – [...]
As the halfling stepped from the shadows, the ground covering snapped shut, engulfing him in a thick, green pod. The struggle ended in seconds, for the paralytic secretions acted quickly and his body proved unresponsive. However, he quickly learned that he could still feel everything. The green trap is a large carnivorous plant that grows [...]
Now, most April foolishness is, well, sort of annoying. To counter that trend, Kobold Quarterly is offering something rather more use-fool than most. Because we love you, all subscribers to Kobold Quarterly and all current Open Design patrons get a free — and somewhat silly — but totally playable adventure: the glorious Tyman’s Taunting Tower [...]
While the origins of the sword are clear, the history of single-edged blades is a bit murkier. Some such blades, however, have become iconic in Western history in their own right: the pirate’s cutlass, the scimitar of the Middle East, and the cavalryman’s saber. Others have failed to catch the limelight of history. Back to [...]
Templates give you an easy way to update a creature from a normal version to an elite version. Each template is assigned one or more roles, and—although it isn’t necessary—a creature is best served by using a template that matches its original role. See the 4E Dungeon Master’s Guide for more on templates. [previously] __ [...]
Elder Frankston was obviously one of the most respected men in town. When he walked down the street, people always nodded their heads in greeting. When he entered the tavern, people always cleared a stool at the bar. He seemed like a trustworthy source of information and a useful merchant contact. We had no idea [...]
And the winner of the Real Steel Death Bug Contest is… Sam Hing and his spider dagger. We had many great entries but only one could be winner. Todd Gdula, Wolfgang Baur, and myself had a tough choice, but the final decision was unanimous: the spider dagger won the day. Congratulations, Sam! —Scott Gable __ [...]
Master Pett’s Your Whispering Homunculus presents only the finest in British gaming. Indeed, you are not likely to find a more comprehensive assortment of miscellany anywhere. (So much more than just another bloke in a dress.) [previously] __ “It is true, is it not, leechling, that we take after our pets?” “Master?” “A dog for example [...]
Last day of the Open Design 5th anniversary sale, we’re stumbling around a bit. The looting has been intense, we’re out of stock on some things, and yet… A few artists also brought presents: pictures of Jiro! So here’s the gallery of additional artist takes on Jiro the kobold, as done in fine style by [...]
A word of advice to all those who think things get better once you leave the Goblin Wastes and enter the safe lands of the Magocracy of Bemmea and Allain: Things don’t really get better. The Exarch and all those mages cracked open the walls of the reality. The madmen of Caelmarath called down the [...]
How can a god be mad? Some sages claim all the gods are mad, and we are but the figments of their raving intellects. Yet madness does not just mean a disordered mind caught up in its own delusions and faux-reality. If madness is one man’s illusion, perhaps sanity is also an illusion, but one [...]
Before you hovers a black blob with two large, bat-like wings and a huge reptilian eye in its center. Whipping wildly behind it are three long tails, each terminating in a nasty stinger. Occasionally, when an evil soul is passing into its eternal torment, something happens to shatter it. Each of these soul fragments becomes [...]
The Kobold King is in an unusually generous mood this week! March 20th was the 5th anniversary of Open Design, and to celebrate, he wishes to bestow his riches upon all. Kobold ideas of “riches” are often different than humans’, so we advised him that he shouldn’t give away items from his collection of filthy [...]
Our bestselling Advanced Feats series roars to a finish with one of the most intriguing new classes from the Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide. The inquisitor is a lone wolf who walks in darkness in search of his or her target, relentlessly driven by holy (or unholy) resolve. Advanced Feats: The Inquisitor’s Edge by Sigfried Trent [...]
The life of a kobold is a hard one. Fierce but small, they must summon all of the wits, cunning, and tenacity they can manage to survive in dungeons filled with bigger, meaner, well-established creatures. And don’t get me started on the groups of armed jerks who periodically invade their homes intent on mayhem and [...]
[previously] As you enter the abandoned monastery, you notice scrawled chalk markings covering the floor and walls. They all appear to be variations on the same obscure religious symbol. In the center of the room, next to a badly decayed corpse, is written the following: “Beware the setting sun. Something comes from the forest. The [...]
Dragons are huge, powerful creatures feared by one and all, but just as the mightiest human warrior can be laid low by the flu, so too can dragons contract, be weakened by, and even die from various diseases. What follows is a description of some—but by no means all—of the maladies and draco-disorders afflicting the [...]
A History of Haunts follows the career of Otto Geist from relatively unknown trapsmith to the leading authority on haunt manifestation. Journal Entry #1 Today was a glorious day! I encountered my very first haunt, and even though the bleeding walls and faint sobbing were somewhat disturbing—I am not ashamed to admit that I fled [...]
A pair of pony-sized frogs leap headfirst into massive trees, which splinter and fall after being struck by the creatures’ bony heads. Seeing a lone orc, the two frogs croak at each other and turn their attention to it. They maneuver into position on opposite sides of the orc, then propel themselves at the hapless [...]
She stands on her chair, arms raised to the gods, and announces, “I am going to use my action point!” An hour ago, she had never heard of an action point. Three encounters ago, she was a fair-haired 6-year-old with a shoebox full of polyhedral dice and a carrion crawler mini named Lenny. Now, she [...]
In physics, an interesting way to work out a problem is something called a thought experiment. This allows physicists to build what is essentially an imaginary environment and create conditions that would be very difficult to create in the real world. What I am proposing to you here is that we craft a thought experiment [...]
Templates give you an easy way to update a creature from a normal version to an elite version. Each template is assigned one or more roles, and—although it isn’t necessary—a creature is best served by using a template that matches its original role. See the 4E Dungeon Master’s Guide for more on templates. [previously] __ [...]
Wizards, sorcerers, and witches can all have familiars. While familiars continue to grow more powerful along with their masters, some arcane casters want something more. Perhaps constant exposure to their magic has shaped or warped the familiars. Perhaps they have decided to replace the familiar with a more resilient form. Or perhaps the caster seeks [...]
Get ready to channel your inner Dr. Frankenstein as we launch March Monster Madness! During the month of March, we at the Dragon Age Oracle are running an AGE System Monster Design Challenge in partnership with Open Design/Kobold Quarterly. Check out the following threads on the Kobold forums: Best Midgard Monster: Any creature originally published by [...]
Master Pett’s Your Whispering Homunculus presents only the finest in British gaming. Indeed, you are not likely to find a more comprehensive assortment of miscellany anywhere. (So much more than just another bloke in a dress.) [previously] __ “Flotsam, jetsam. Do you know their true names, underslug?” “You, lord and master are the brains.” “Indeed I [...]
The Midgard campaign setting continues to develop setting, characters, and adventure hooks galore, but the patrons and designers are also venturing into Pathfinder RPG rules material. Here’s one result of that work. The Order of the Septime Lancers The constant warfare and border skirmishes of the Seven Cities spawn many mercenary companies and warrior orders. [...]
Encounter Codex presents encounters you can quickly slot into any adventure. They are system neutral and easily adapted to any edition (and other game systems for that matter) with little effort—just add stats from your favorite monster manual. [previous encounter] __ Features of the Chamber • This cramped chamber has a domed ceiling nearly 15 ft. [...]
“When a tree falls in the forest, who is there to witness its fall?” asked Thorvall the ranger through gritted teeth. A jolt of pain in his leg momentarily halted his philosophical musings. “Who else but thrice cursed me!” Thorvall assessed the situation: it was bad, extremely bad. His ruined left leg was stuck under [...]
The earth beneath you shakes, heralding the approach of a massive construct. It wields a greatsword the size of a castle tower and shifts as if the metal it were made of had a life of its own. The Centurion is a unique construct, crafted by twisted, genius artificers. On first inspection, it’s a mere [...]
Welcome to Greg “Yankee Dog” Vaughan’s One Too Many (Voices in My Head). His last, best chance to exercise those pesky demons. In his column, you’ll find… I really have no idea, but he gave me $20, so… all yours Greg! [previously] __ “Pass me the twanger,” said my friend, Harley Upchuck. “What did you [...]
Just about everyone has seen one form of sword fighting more than any other: fencing. From masked Olympians whose win or loss is recorded by an electronic sensor to swashbuckling movie actors who clang prop swords together but only land hits when the plot demand it, both are a far cry from the battlefield weapons [...]
Q: My group has been discussing the nondetection spell and its usefulness against various divination spells. We’re divided into two camps, whose positions can be summed up as follows: Camp One: Nondetection works against all divinations spells, period. If you’re protected by nondetection no divination spell reveals anything about you unless the divination user makes [...]
Traps. Devices devious and deadly. Understood to be a crypt’s most treacherous wards. Many so ghastly they become emblematic of a particular tomb’s history and character. What the Dust Hides In the spirit of preserving the tomb’s reputation as a place of unparalleled danger, this article series offers 10 macabre new traps for use in [...]
The air shimmers around the charcoal-skinned, child-sized creature before you. It smiles a wide grin with a mouth full of needle-like teeth. Then it screams and throws a ball of fire at you. Gairn are nasty little fey which could easily pass for human children if not for their over-sized mouths of needle-like teeth and [...]
The kobolds are moving to a new hosting arrangement for this site over the next 48 hours. If you see some gaps and glitches… Well, pardon the inevitable egg-breakage as we shift things around with a little thump here and a crash there. Everything should be back to the usual state of unbridled chaos creative [...]
(Or “I went to a drunken brawl and a wedding broke out”) __ The gnarled old campaigner was perched perilously on his stool. Telling stories in exchange for ale had become a lucrative second career for him. “Tell us another one, Wrathbone,” prodded a caravan roustabout. “ Yes! Yes!” shouted the patrons of the Lusty [...]
The Midgard patrons are converting new creatures for the AGE System, like this one originally written for Tales of the Old Margreve and Pathfinder RPG. The Midgard campaign setting may be acquiring an AGE System bestiary if this keeps up! __ Alseid are the graceful woodland cousins to centaurs. Because they are rarely seen far [...]
Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist takes a long, hard look at game design. [previously] __ Weeks ago, we talked about the price of freedom and what it means to have an external code imposed on us. Today, we’ll turn that around and discuss what it means to have an internal code that we use as [...]
To celebrate the release of Open Design’s Soldiers of Fortune sourcebook for 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons, author Matt James brings you additional material for a military campaign. [previously] __ Azlazier, a wealthy merchant from the desert city of Cindass, has hired you to find an important relic. You have followed his map to where he [...]
The horns of war have sounded! Soldiers of Fortune, the military sourcebook for 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons is now in print. Written by game designer and decorated veteran Matt James, this is the first Open Design product to offer campaign-expanding material for veteran 4th Edition gamers. Order it today in the Kobold Store! In [...]
The monsters are slain. The sodas are drunk. The nachos and Sweet Tarts are gone. The PCs divide the treasure while the GM tallies the XP. The fighter looks up her new magic sword, and the druid is already selecting his new powers, certain they will level up tonight. Suddenly, the cleric blurts out, “Hey, [...]
The kiridashi is an interesting study. Its original function, probably going back several centuries, was to mark wood. Japanese carpenters still use them today instead of marking pencils. In the form used for their original purpose, the kiridashi is long, slender, and simple. Although there is a sharp edge, the emphasis is on the point, [...]
Dragons are huge, powerful creatures feared by one and all, but just as the mightiest human warrior can be laid low by the flu, so too can dragons contract, be weakened by, and even die from various diseases. What follows is a description of some—but by no means all—of the maladies and draco-disorders afflicting the [...]
To celebrate the impending release of Open Design’s Soldiers of Fortune sourcebook for 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons, author Matt James brings you additional material for a military campaign. [previously] __ Encounter Background During the last encounter, the PCs located the entrance to the abandoned dungeon and were attacked by roaming giant camel spiders. Now, they [...]
Across the jagged floor of the vast cavern moves a herd of pony-sized insects. Their long antennae move ceaselessly, probing the herd’s path. At the back of the herd walk four deep gnomes. They nudge slower bugs with quarterstaffs, urging them to keep up with the rest of the herd. Meatles are large insects resembling [...]
Master Pett’s Your Whispering Homunculus presents only the finest in British gaming. Indeed, you are not likely to find a more comprehensive assortment of miscellany anywhere. (So much more than just another bloke in a dress.) [previously] __ “A moment, slug-thing.” “Lord?” “Magic, magic, magic. Why does magic held in magic items always work? What [...]
Some creatures of Midgard are gentle, loving, and brave. The gnomes of Niemheim are none of these things. They are servants of Hell. It was not always so. The gnomes lived among the people of Krakova for many years as friends and allies, teaching humans the arts of fey sorcery, weaving, and gardening. They were [...]
Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist takes a long, hard look at game design. [previously] __ You know, of all the questions I’ve answered in my career, there’s one that doesn’t come up with the frequency it deserves. I mean, yes, I’ve answered it before, but I didn’t give it the answer it deserved, either. That [...]
These haunts were inspired by Tom Allman’s Haunted Hovel and fit nicely into that scenario. __ Sigard the Woodsman was a doting father. Ever since his wife was taken by the Black Death, his children have been his whole world. But, of course, this was before the brain mold… He could hear them laughing inside [...]
Curses! Those dirty gnomes drugged our guard weasels—using weaselnip, the blighters!—and broke into the Kobold’s vault! Until we sober them up, there’s nothing the kobolds can do to stop you from downloading a FREE issue of Kobold Quarterly magazine. Go to the KQ Store, add issue #11 to your cart, and enter the coupon code [...]
From the lips of the Oracle spill the secrets of the gods. The divine powerhouse from the Pathfinder Advanced Players Guide just leveled up. Advanced Feats: Visions of the Oracle by Sigfried Trent brings you 30 new feats and three full character builds that will fill lesser mortals with fear and awe. Your future foretells [...]
It’s been moderately busy in Midgard, with the first — draft-level, not final! — Dragon Age RPG content delivered as part of my Prince of Midgard interview with the Oracle: the Triolan Corsair background. The Stargazer’s World interview expands on that with a short history and discussion of the future plans for the setting. Throw [...]
Welcome to Greg “Not the Smart One” Vaughan’s One Too Many (Voices in My Head). His last, best chance to exercise those pesky demons. In his column, you’ll find… I really have no idea, but he gave me $20, so… all yours Greg! [previously] __ As I type these words, I have put the finishing [...]
The following is a translation from the chapter “Maladies and those Diseases Besetting and Afflicting the Greater and Lesser Wyrms” from Vol. III of the eight-volume set Wyrms of the Modern and Ancient Wyrld by Lohik Aarme the Elder with contributions and annotations by Lohik Aarme the Younger as found in the Great Library of [...]
To celebrate the impending release of Open Design’s Soldiers of Fortune sourcebook for 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons, author Matt James brings you additional material for a military campaign. __ Warfare has permeated history since the first mortals ever drew breath. Whether the motive is a matter of pride, a warm place to sleep, or [...]
To celebrate the impending release of Open Design’s Soldiers of Fortune sourcebook for 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons, author Matt James brings you additional material for a military campaign. __ The riches and treasures diverted through the city of Cindass are quite remarkable and fuel a burgeoning enterprise for those motivated by money. Wealthy investors [...]
To celebrate the impending release of Open Design’s Soldiers of Fortune sourcebook for 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons, author Matt James brings you additional material for a military campaign. __ This anecdotal history of an antagonist by the name of Kythernoncan be part of the background or this NPC an integral figure, interacting directly with [...]
There have been a variety of joke names for a monk’s flurry of blows class ability. “Flurry of misses” is a common one, and so is “death of 1,000 whiffs.” Sacrificing accuracy for additional attacks is a gamble, and it becomes an even bigger one if you’re combining the ability with Power Attack to try [...]
We are getting very close to the goal line for funding the Midgard Campaign Setting, so it’s time to put a few markers down about the design. Now, we’re not exactly nailing those markers to the blog, but here’s what the designers see as the planks of the setting—what it is, and what it isn’t [...]
Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist takes a long, hard look at game design. [previously] __ So we’ve discussed the importance of editors already and why it’s important to make their lives easy. Here’s one great way to do that: make a clean turnover. It’s much easier to say this than to do this. It’s extra [...]
Organizations provide a great way to add verisimilitude and dynamism to a campaign world. Each installment in this series presents a new organization, complete with shared attack and utility powers—akin to monster themes—which lend a unique, memorable feel to the organization’s members. Since each organization comes with several variants, you should find one which matches [...]
A metallic, barrel-shaped, quadrupedal contraption systematically makes it way along the underground passageway. It pauses suddenly as the mechanical “head” on top spins around, pointing a glowing red gemstone and an odd-looking nozzle in your direction. Sewer sweeps were created ages ago to keep sewers and underground chambers clean of vermin, slime, mold, fungi, and [...]
Week 1 of the Midgard campaign setting is now complete, and it has been full of surprises! One non-surprise is that the Pathfinder RPG is the most popular set of rules patrons want for the setting. The bigger surprise of the week is that the Dragon Age RPG is the second most-popular. The shocker is [...]
Master Pett’s Your Whispering Homunculus presents only the finest in British gaming. Indeed, you are not likely to find a more comprehensive assortment of miscellany anywhere. (So much more than just another bloke in a dress.) [previously] __ “Listen to the rain pounding on the rooftops, the waters pouring down swollen guttering and over broken brickwork [...]
Manipulating time has long been a staple of fantasy worlds and—with a little planning—can add new dimensions to your games and your players’ characters. It can open up new and wondrous locations and leave your players wondering, “When will we wind up next?” Killing Time One way to make your players more aware of time [...]
Templates give you an easy way to update a creature from a normal version to an elite version. Each template is assigned one or more roles, and—although it isn’t necessary—a creature is best served by using a template that matches its original role. See the 4E Dungeon Master’s Guide for more on templates. Achillean (Elite [...]
The Laughing Dolphin is a popular inn not far from the harbor, and the innkeeper, Kolven, is a former sailor who said goodbye to the waves at the behest of his wife. Kolven recently acquired a rusted anchor for decoration, but he is unaware this particular anchor is haunted. It carries the souls of the [...]
The latest and greatest issue of Kobold Quarterly is now available! And frankly, after the big holiday extravaganza, it’s nice to kick back with a magazine full of cool ideas for a new year’s worth of gaming. And by “holiday extravaganza”, we do mean the big Seahawks win over the Saints… It’s a sexy issue, [...]
Poised on all fours, ready to strike, this gangly beast of matted fur and bony protrusions is barely as large as an ocelot. Nevertheless, the sheer savagery in its four slit-like eyes hints that it is more dangerous than its size suggests. Few predators are as feared as the notorious gut tiger. Rather then shred [...]
For almost five years now, I’ve shared bits and pieces of my home campaign with you in articles and adventures. And because Open Design is, well, open, “sharing” meant more than merely “publishing.” Those who became patrons of the design projects set in the world I eventually came to call Midgard brought their astounding creativity [...]
Tonaxian’s small group headed deeper into the caverns. He knew their query was close by the smell. The foul odor grew stronger as they crept quietly forward. From the front, a muffled curse burst forth from Kurlak, and the room bloomed with light to reveal Kurlak’s left leg buried knee deep in a pile of [...]
[previously] The shipment is supposed to be food for the prince’s wedding. The route is supposed to be one of the safest traveled by the merchant caravans. The wagons, well defended as they are, are thought to be at little risk. Yet you have been summoned to investigate rumors of a planned ambush. “Stop that [...]
Welcome to Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist. A dangerous journey, forcing him to take a long, hard look at game design. Join him, won’t you… in his ongoing struggle to pass Go. [previously] __ Last column, I wrote about the essential similarities of games across the spectrum, positing that—at a fundamental level—they share qualities that are [...]
(Illustration by Josef Sparrow) The print edition of Courts of the Shadow Fey for 4E recently shipped to patrons. Since roachlings and their demon patron Lord Akyishigal feature prominently in the adventure, new options—8 feats and a paragon path—are presented today for your roachling PC. Arthropod [Roachling, Heroic Tier] Benefit: You have grown two smaller, weaker arms [...]
(Illustration by Blanca Martinez de Rituerto) The print edition of Courts of the Shadow Fey for 4E recently shipped to patrons. Since roachlings and their demon patron Lord Akyishigal feature prominently in the adventure, roachlings—those oft-misunderstood monsters—are presented today as a playable race. __ Loathed, often unnoticed, and underestimated, roachlings scuttle in city alleys, subterranean systems, and [...]
Welcome to Greg “The Most Dangerous Game” Vaughan’s One Too Many (Voices in My Head). His last, best chance to exercise those pesky demons. In his column, you’ll find… I really have no idea, but he gave me $20, so… all yours Greg! [previously] __ “And that puts you at −75 hp. The soul trap [...]
A lot of sites are using this week to take a look back at 2010. We decided to give you a sneak preview of what’s coming up. Enjoy!
While the column Real Steel offers insights into the forging of weapons, Alex Putnams’s Historical Steel column details their origins and use throughout history. [previously] ___ As mentioned in my previous article, the sword carries a lot of cultural oomph behind it. Bows and spears were originally used for hunting. Swords, however, as a class [...]
Q: Is it possible to use the major image spell to emulate the effects of other spells? Most of us are aware of the three different types of illusions and that things like major image shouldn’t be able to deal real physical damage since that’s the realm of shadow spells, but we’re interested in your [...]
Night of the Zombie King has begun! This is a six-part series from the creators of Gold: The Series, and it looks good. Much like Gold, this web offering has great production values and a subtle but engaging opening sequence. For episodes ranging from 6–7 minutes, a 20-second introduction is a respectable dedication of screen [...]
Count yourself lucky if all you got this year was a lump of coal… __ In cities dominated by urban sprawl, where the smokestacks of industry billow smog enough to block the midday sun, where poverty and hardship reign over the mass of commoners, little more than slaves to factories and ironworks, the chimney daemon [...]
Master Pett’s Your Whispering Homunculus presents only the finest in British gaming. Indeed, you are not likely to find a more comprehensive assortment of miscellany anywhere. (So much more than just another bloke in a dress.) [previously] __ “Sleep pretty master. Dream. Let me whisper in your ear whilst you slumber, casting my spell as [...]
Throughout history, as armor evolved so did the weapons intended to defeat it. Plate armor was an incredible force on the battlefield, although it was expensive and relatively rare. It was to the medieval battlefield what the tank was to the WWI front lines: when first introduced it was nearly impossible to stop. Contrary to [...]
The patrons and designers have completed the first drafts of the The Lost City of Kadralhu patronage project, and now is a great time to jump on if you’re curious but haven’t yet signed up. This week, we present pages from Logan Bonner, Michael Furlanetto, Tracy Hurley, and Quinn Murphy. We tried to choose sections that were as [...]
Welcome to Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist. A dangerous journey, forcing him to take a long, hard look at game design. Join him, won’t you… in his ongoing struggle to pass Go. [previously] __ When I talk about games, at least when I’m speaking professionally or professorially, I like to point out the essential similarities among [...]
The patrons and designers have completed the first drafts of the The Lost City of Kadralhu patronage project, and now is a great time to jump on if you’re curious but haven’t yet signed up. This week, we present pages from Logan Bonner, Michael Furlanetto, Tracy Hurley, and Quinn Murphy. We tried to choose sections that were as [...]
Like the firebird, some projects are elusive— but sometimes Christmas comes a little early! The printer delivered the print edition of Courts of the Shadow Fey over the weekend, and now the kobolds are putting together the preorder packages. Even with the delays in the holiday mail, you should see them arrive before New Year’s [...]
The patrons and designers have completed the first drafts of the The Lost City of Kadralhu patronage project, and now is a great time to jump on if you’re curious but haven’t yet signed up. This week, we continue to present pages from Logan Bonner, Michael Furlanetto, Tracy Hurley, and Quinn Murphy. We tried to choose sections that [...]
The 12th Courier of the Kobold season has shipped, complete with joyous news of a project in print, of Dungeons & Drawings, some awesome reviews for Tales of the Old Margreve, The Cavalier’s Creed, and Courts of the Shadow Fey, and various and sundry other materials of interest to the gaming classes of the world. [...]
Thank you to all who entered our contest. The winning entry, by Derek J.: “I’m the initiative leader, the crit-roller, the disregarder of meta-game knowledge. I am the snack bringer and the ale swiller.” Thanks to Taverncraft for providing the epic Hobbit stein prize that Derek will soon by swilling ale from. There was such a [...]
After many silly yet somehow profound conversations with my wife, I’ve decided it’s time to turn our gaming references to parenting into a post for your reading pleasure. Granted some of this may all seem silly at first, but I have hidden some true wisdom within these lines. Heroic (Ages 0–6) This tier of parenting [...]
(Illustration by Darren Calvert) The patrons and designers have completed the first drafts of the The Lost City of Kadralhu patronage project, and now is a great time to jump on if you’re curious but haven’t yet signed up. Today and next week, we present a few pages from Logan Bonner, Michael Furlanetto, Tracy Hurley, and Quinn [...]
Encounter Codex presents encounters you can quickly slot into any adventure. They are system neutral and easily adapted to any edition (and other games for that matter) with little effort—just add stats from your favorite monster manual. [previous encounter] __ A three-headed skeleton encased in ceremonial plate armor surveys this pillared hall from atop a [...]
The Frozen Empires patronage project is calling to your warrior soul! __ A kenning is a play on words that replaces a concept, usually a single word, with more figurative language. Often associated with the Norse skalds, kennings draw on cultural and mythical knowledge. That being said, they are immensely useful and imaginative ways to [...]
Riding forth from the pages of the Pathfinder Advanced Players Guide, the cavalier charges headlong into battle for honor, for justice, and for glory. Advanced Feats: The Cavalier’s Creed by Sigfried Trent brings you 30 new feats and 3 full character builds that no one should be without when taking the field. It begins with [...]
For an experienced adventurer, the awe and horror of the living dead has long since faded. Zombies seem commonplace and ghouls are just another form of sewer trash. But when a skeleton with bones clad in decaying iron turns a sword to rust, the adventurer again knows fear. The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary introduced a [...]
“It is true, is it not, slimething, that the worlds we populate are diverse and often horrifying?” “You speak the glorious truth as always, your mightiness.” “Then it should be true also that such peoples may have the strangest reasons for celebration…” A carnival adds color to a settlement, and for most folk, any excuse [...]
“I got it!” Mekken considered for a second. The sun had already begun to set, and the shadows of the forest grew darker, creeping rapidly closer to the abandoned hilltop monastery. An ominous presence could be felt in those shadows. “Thaln, gather variegated blue-leaf thyme from outside. Aildrer, I think the powdered crystal we need [...]
Welcome to Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist. A dangerous journey, forcing him to take a long, hard look at game design. Join him, won’t you… in his ongoing struggle to pass Go. [previously] ___ A couple of columns ago, I mentioned that editors fill a crucial role in the business. They really are the unsung heroes [...]
For generations, the tomb has endured as the most iconic and menacing of adventure sites. Countless campaigns have been carried out in search of relics and lore secreted away, and few creatures inspire such terror as the undead, which wait forever in a disquieting stillness and silence. However, the rumors spread by adroit explorers and [...]
For an experienced adventurer, the awe and horror of the living dead has long since faded with zombies commonplace and ghouls just another form of sewer trash. But when a skeleton with bones clad in decaying iron turns a sword to rust, the adventurer again knows fear. The Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary introduced a new [...]
Alchemists, craftsmen, and madmen with flasks have been known to make interesting discoveries with chemicals. This has not gone unnoticed by adventurers, monster hunters, and other generally crafty buggers. A few creative adventurers — the kind who can find an alternative use for some oddly glowing goo — have been adopted these items. Some adventurers may scoff at the [...]
The tetsubo is a fairly obscure but interesting weapon that almost no one had heard of until very recently. Its place in history is a bit sketchy, and it’s difficult to find reliable information on the tetsubo, also called the kanabo, but its place in Japanese mythology is solid. While I know a bit of [...]
The Dark Deeds in Freeport patron project has met its commission! Lead designer Mike Furlanetto will transition into design work immediately with the patrons. This is going to be a wild ride through the Freeport setting, with creator Chris Pramas on hand to keep things official. Chris has promised Dark Deeds good latitude for project [...]
GOLD, “the web series that does double damage,” is an interesting product. On one hand, it’s a niche within a niche within a niche. What do I mean by that? At its core, GOLD is about tabletop RPG gaming epitomized by Dungeons & Dragons, but it is also a web series with a distinct soap [...]
Dark Deeds in Freeport patronage project is waiting for you! ___ Wolf asked me to talk a little bit about the origin of Freeport, so let’s go on a journey back to 2000. Early in that year, I had decided to start a new company, and I was in the process of putting together the [...]
(Art by Ashton Sperry) A few weeks ago at NeonCon 2010, I ran a workshop called Monster in an Hour. The plan was to do some crowd-sourced monster design. I wanted participants to think up the things that horrify them not only as a player but also as a person—then we’d build it together. After [...]
The Open Design griffon has a free gift for the lucky recipients of the Kobold Courier this time out, plus plenty of other news: • an interview with designer Dan Voyce, • playtest opportunities for patrons of several projects, • a podcast with some possibly familiar names, • two free previews for Freeport,• Taverncraft contest [...]
The kobold staff is delighted to note that Kobold Quarterly magazine has made it on the GeekDad holiday list for this year, along with other worthy items such as the Castle Ravenloft board game and the Pathfinder RPG core rules. We proudly quote their stunningly accurate description from 2009: this independent D&D magazine is known [...]
Welcome to the Dark Deeds in Freeport patronage project! Dark Deeds in Freeport is a tale of truths and lies—and especially truth’s power, be it cleansing or destructive. Secrets take on lives of their own, and the truth will come out! Usually, players uncover those secrets, but sometimes it’s just as much fun for their [...]
Welcome to Greg “Not a Wus” Vaughan’s One Too Many (Voices in My Head). His last, best chance to exercise those pesky demons. In his column, you’ll find… I really have no idea, but he gave me $20, so… all yours Greg! [previously] ___ As an RPG writer, I am sometimes beholden to that merciless [...]
Kobolds are strange creatures. Full of tricks and traps, and then, one day, they get all mushy. Today’s that day. Here’s our Thanksgiving list, and you’re at the top. We’re thankful to our customers, each and everyone one of you who sent a few dollars our way. That vote of cash and confidence allows us [...]
Welcome to Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist. A dangerous journey, forcing him to take a long, hard look at game design. Join him, won’t you… in his ongoing struggle to pass Go. [previously] ___ Before launching into the usual snarkery, I’d like to take a moment for a more serious topic. You may have heard that [...]
Organizations add verisimilitude and dynamism to a campaign world. They support ongoing storylines, provide stable reference points between adventures, and make the world evolve even when the PCs are busy elsewhere. Each installment in this series will present a new organization, complete with shared attack and utility powers—akin to monster themes. Each will include variable [...]
It was at the county fair that I witnessed a debate over what manner of beast had done the most for the common man. A merchant claimed it was the sheep, with its wool and meat. A rancher offered that cattle—descended from the mighty aurochs—could pull loads heavier than a horse and provide meat or [...]
It’s fair to say that gamers love their dragons, their treasure, and their steins. And seeing as the roleplaying tradition started in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, just a stone’s throw from the brewing capital of Milwaukee, perhaps that’s not surprising. Well, here at KQ, we’re carrying on the tradition, fusing an official Hobbit Super-Stein with the finest [...]
Paris—city of love. And ancient catacombs, post-humanist high tech, and everything in between. Gargoyles look down on you, as do high tech cameras and helicopters. Walk the riverfront and see ancient, Cthulhu-worthy tomes for sale next to mouth-wateringly authentic ancient maps. Want the medieval experience? Buy some dry sausage, a baguette, a bottle of wine, [...]
Last week saw the release of Tales of the Old Margreve (in print and PDF), and already bursting at the seams, there was simply too much material for its pages alone. This week, to celebrate, KoboldQuarterly.com presents new gaming bits, complementing what’s already packed within Tales of the Old Margreve, and all from the same designers. [...]
Welcome to the Dark Deeds in Freeport patronage project! ___ Swagfest begins tomorrow! Excitement is running high for this year’s Swagfest. After a decade filled with war and fell deeds, normalcy has returned. Bribery, corruption, hidden agendas, shady deals… Freeport is once more herself. All can enjoy this year’s Swagfest secure in the knowledge that [...]
Last week saw the release of Tales of the Old Margreve (in print and PDF), and already bursting at the seams, there was simply too much material for its pages alone. This week, to celebrate, KoboldQuarterly.com presents new gaming bits, complementing what’s already packed within Tales of the Old Margreve, and all from the same great [...]
Guided by the stench of corpses, Sergeant of the Watch Tarvoss slowly descended the cellar’s rickety stairs. Enki and Jorgan, both capable veterans of the watch, followed in his wake. Ahead, their target was busy butchering a corpse in the light of a dozen candles. “Cervis Thaan,” Tarvoss bellowed, “you are under arrest!” Cervis lifted [...]
Master Pett’s Your Whispering Homunculus presents only the finest in British gaming. Indeed, you are not likely to find a more comprehensive assortment of miscellany anywhere. (So much more than just another bloke in a dress.) [previously] ___ “Lord, you are weary, rest awhile and allow me, your impling, to provide a modicum of gloss to [...]
We crept into the dark forest. We learned its secrets and we took its trees. We carved our words of magic and our words of warning on their skin. And we waited for others to repeat our ritual. Now, finally, our dark and daring deed has borne fruit. Tales of the Old Margreve has returned [...]
While the column Real Steel offers insights into the forging of weapons, Alex Putnams’s Historical Steel column details their origins and use throughout history. ___ Swords get all the credit. Ever since the discovery of bronze, they’ve captured the imagination, appearing as heroic and knightly weapons—even on flags. Most legendary and mythological weapons are, of [...]
Welcome to Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist. A dangerous journey that will force him to take a long, hard look at game design. Join him, won’t you… in his ongoing struggle to pass Go. [previously] ___ I recently finished another project for Paizo Publishing, and since the experience is fresh in my mind I figured I’d [...]
Trap theme templates can be applied to existing traps to give them a distinct and shared flavor. Each theme introduces new powers—adding one does not affect a trap’s XP value, but upgrade a trap to an elite or solo if you apply two or more themes. [part 1][part 2][part 3][part 4] ___ From her blighted [...]
Check out the “Ecology of the Giant Ant” in Kobold Quarterly #15 for more on these fearsome monsters. ___ There are over 12,000 species of ants in the world, each with their own idiosyncrasies. Giant ants are slightly less common than ordinary ants, but they too are varied in their habits. Presented here are four [...]
Recently, I was bidding on an iconic monster mini on eBay when I came up with a homebrew alternative: Ingredients Knox gelatin Cooking oil spray Square mold Victim miniature Directions Coat the inside of the mold lightly with cooking oil spray. This will aid in the extraction of the Monster later on. Add the gelatin [...]
The Danish axe—also called the Dane axe and the great axe—is one of the better-known Norse weapons. Although perhaps not as uniquely Norse as the bearded axe, most military history buffs and many fantasy fans can identify it accurately. The forging techniques and basic construction are very similar to the bearded axe, but both the [...]
Encounter Codex presents encounters that can be quickly slotted into any adventure. They are system neutral and easily adapted to any edition (and other games for that matter) with little effort—just add stats from your favorite monster manual. [previous encounter] ___ A radiant yellow orb—like a miniature sun—gleams from beneath a veil of crushed rubies. [...]
No desert dweller travels near the dunes of despair. Death itself stalks those dunes and you would be wise to follow in the caravan’s tracks. The dunes of despair is a desert region riddled with quicksand. Over time, the quicksand has claimed the lives of many travelers, animals, and monsters. Their desperation fuels the haunt [...]
The All Hallows Eve edition of the Kobold Courier was sent out yesterday (and most of them made it through the ghosts and goblins!). As always, the Courier is packed with news: the word on upcoming projects, evil gnomes, Skip Williams’ take on initiative, a big discount on some exclusive MapTools-compatible maps, a Zombie Sky [...]
Calvert Thome—a successful rancher until his prize cows began to mysteriously disappear—approached the field where his herd grazed. While he braced himself for more bad news, he did not expect the sight that greeted him. Next to the mutilated carcass of another cow, the smallest of his cows was digging a grave, using claws rather [...]
Trick or treat? As a kobold treat, here’s a specially creepy monster for the holiday (that fits right in with the new Dark Deeds in Freeport patron project). Happy Halloween from all the kobolds! ___ Moored by gulfweed, the derelict ship creaked with each tide that passed under the entangling sargasso. Light streamed in from [...]
Welcome to Greg “Manly Man” Vaughan’s One Too Many (Voices in My Head). His last, best chance to exercise those pesky demons. In his column, you’ll find… I really have no idea, but he gave me $20, so… all yours Greg! [previously] ___ Though I am an Okie through and through, I spent a portion [...]
Sometimes, editors change their minds for silly reasons. This time, it was for a good reason — we got lucky with a new cover, and it’s a looker. Those of you who examine the “Coming Next Issue” art might hve noticed that Kobold Quarterly #15 doesn’t sport the art found in issue #14. But the [...]
Q: Is it possible to “take 10” or “take 20” on an initiative check? You can “take 10” on a check only when you are not threatened or distracted. Combat, even impending combat, is both threatening and distracting. So, in general, you cannot “take 10” on an initiative check. I can think of one possible [...]
Welcome to Colin McComb’s Now, the Twist. A dangerous journey that will force him to take a long, hard look at game design. Join him, won’t you… in his ongoing struggle to pass Go. [previously] ___ Banned Book Week recently passed, and it got me thinking. I picked up gaming way, way back when I was [...]
One of the most daring new classes from the Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide, the summoner lets your imagination run wild creating your own monster—from flight of fancy to darkest nightmare. Is your eidolon a two-headed black serpent that breathes fire? Or a giant flying albino ferret that swallows its victims whole? Anything’s possible with this [...]
Trap themes are templates that can be applied to existing traps to give them a distinct and shared flavor. Each theme introduces new powers—adding one does not affect a trap’s XP value, but upgrade a trap to an elite or solo if you apply two or more themes. [part 1][part 2][part 3] ___ Few places [...]
Haul anchor, patrons—we’re setting sail for Green Ronin’s Freeport! You heard aright, ye scurvy dogs: two of the most infamous outlaws to sail the seas of the RPG world have signed articles and are setting out on a joint venture of danger and glory! Open Design is launching a new adventure design project for Green [...]
Oblivion’s Eye hovers before you—throbbing, unblinking. The massive, unwholesome eyeball — 5 ft. in diameter — is marked by a violet iris, mixed with orange patterns like radiating flames. Called forth by terrible cults on moonless nights, Oblivion’s Eye is regarded as the herald of annihilation. Precious and unique items are brought before it to [...]
The gruesome, the ghastly, the horrific, the sick. How often have we come across monsters, traps, or adventure scenes and wondered just how morbidly dreadful they are?
