Bounded Accuracy
This article was first broadcast in Episode Twenty-Four on 16th May 2018. Ryu: Lennon? Why did we just get a delivery of 500 yards of parachute cord? Lennon: Oh did that show up? Great! Yeah it’s a research project I’m doing about bounded accuracy. Ryu: Okay…I think I know where you’re going there. I mean, you’re wrong, but I see where you got the idea. Lennon: I refuse to be wrong without proof Ryu: Ostron, have you done anything with bounded accuracy? Ostron: Are you going to keep asking silly questions? If you’ve looked into anything about the development or great ideas behind 5th edition, you’ve probably heard the term “bounded accuracy” thrown about. Then you probably wondered “what does that mean? It’s easier to hit someone who’s tied up? That’s already true.” However, bounded accuracy has nothing to do with tying up characters and everything to to with the math…
Probability
This article was first broadcast in Episode Twenty-One on 25th April 2018. Ryu: Are you sure about this? Lennon: I think we have to Ryu: I’m getting the hat Lennon: No, no… Let’s just let him have this one. Ryu: You’re REALLY sure? I mean, last time some people didn’t wake up for days. Lennon: Well, we can dress it up as a public service. Insomnia is a real issue for a lot of people. Now, breathe in… and out… ok, go get em! Ryu: Okay… Hey Ostron? What’cha been working on in the Gnomish Workshop? With all of this talk of Mordenkainen’s Mayhem, and the Mike Mearls Happy Fun Hour, it got us thinking about designing creatures, and then how much chance the players had to defeat them. You see, there’s a quote about Las Vegas that comes from comedian Penn Jillette: Las Vegas is a city…
Five Room Dungeon Design
This article was first broadcast in Episode Nineteen on 11th April 2018. Ryu: Hey Ostron! Good to see you back in one piece! Whatchya doing there? Ostron: Oh, trying to come up with something for my next session. I know the players are likely to make it to a dungeon, but I have no inspiration for layout, monsters, or even what’s lighting the walls. Ryu: Well, you could always use the Five Room Dungeon technique Ostron: Isn’t five rooms a little restrictive? Lennon: Not if you do it right. See, whilst you may look at modules, even the shorter ones like those presented in Tales from the Yawning Portal, it can be a little overwhelming to create something of your own and follow in that example; but you needn’t create a 110 chamber monstrosity like the Doomvault from Dead in Thay to give your players an exciting session,…
Are We Going To Die?
This article was first broadcast in Episode Eighteen on 4th April 2018. Ryu: So, we’re in the Gnomish Workshop… Why are we going to die? Ostron: Well, I’ve got this piece about dice math I’ve written.. Ryu: Okay, nevermind, I get it now. Ostron: Oh come on, dice math is fun! Besides, it might not be that easy. Lennon: We can’t use the sweet embrace of death to escape your dice math? Ostron: Not always… … you see, D&D is not considered a game where death of a character is likely. Assuming the DM isn’t actively trying to make it happen, permanent death of a character requires some extra effort. But Dungeon Masters and players alike may wonder “exactly how hard is it to die?” Fortunately, as with most things in the workshop, math has an answer for us. Getting Killed Anyone who’s read the appropriate section of…
Healing Without Healing
This article was first broadcast in Episode Fourteen on 7th March 2018. Lennon: Ok, so I’ve been thinking about our Ixalan adventure… well, mis-adventure… and I think I’ve gotten to the bottom of it. We need a cleric. Ryu: No we don’t Ostron: Right — a paladin would probably be better. They can absorb more damage. Ryu: Wrong again Lennon: Ok, well what do you suggest? Ryu: Well, I find that depends on how you look at it. The easiest way to guarantee blind panic in most players is to drain the group’s healer of spell slots or hit points. Some players refuse to engage in a fight or even a campaign unless there is a dedicated healer ready to go when things get violent. However, having someone ready with Healing Word isn’t the only way to mitigate damage in combat. Now, you might be asking why we’re talking…
The Twelve Days of Bonuses, Part 2
This article was first broadcast in Episode Five on 27th December, 2017. Ostron: Yeah, somebody’s been stealing lunches, so she’s taken to keeping it the vault. Lennon: …the vault? Killer DM: Yes, you know, down the hall to the left, through the trap-filled corridor, over the pits filled with rabid vorpal weasels, in the mimic-filled chamber. Where you left your belovéd Killer DM hat, for “safe keeping”. So, continuing from last week, we’ll be looking at six more bonuses you can consider giving to your players… or applying to your own dice. We’ll look at the bonus, where it’s used, and look at the benefits and disadvantages of each one. So, without further ado… The 7th bonus is “Maximize”. Simply put, take whatever the maximum number your dice could potentially roll and that’s your result. In 5th edition, it’s used to determine starting hit points. Another place it’s used is…
The Twelve Days of Bonuses, Part 1
This article was first broadcast in Episode Four on 20th December, 2017. Lennon: Hey Ryu, what’ve you got there? Ryu: Oh this? It’s just a magic item I found in the Gnomish Workshop Lennon: Looks like a santa hat. Hmm, let’s see the item card: Hat of the Killer DM. When equipping this hat, make a constitution saving throw (DC15). On a failed save, the wearer becomes the Killer DM for the remainder of the segment. You may repeat the saving throw once per round. This sounds cursed. Ryu: I’m gonna put it on Lennon: That doesn’t seem wise—ok, you did it anyway. Ok, make a constitution saving throw… a 3. Really? Killer DM: Mwuahhahahaaa! Where is Ostron? He is late. For our first bonus, we’ll look at one of the most common, the flat bonus: simply take your roll, and add a number to it, such as 1d8+2.…