Nerd Hard, Game Hard

Tiamat, Dragon Queen, kicking our asses.
i made dees

I love to game.  At the Swaintly Manor, we do video games, board games, console games, word games… One of our very favorites, though, is table-top role-playing games.

The most popular RPG is, of course, Dungeons and Dragons.  We currently play with the 5th Edition, and I think it’s the best of all worlds – complete with the room and space it make it fit to the story or world.  (And you guys know how much I love building worlds.)

I’ve got a couple of events coming up, and if you want to come game with me for a few good causes, pop on over and sign up.  First up is going to be the Lone Star Game Expo in Grapevine, Texas, on the weekend of September 7th through the 9th.  Your cheat sheets for these and my other campaigns are here:

My Table Rules (which are more like guidelines, really):

  1. RESPECT EVERYONE, NO MATTER WHAT.  If someone is being a problem, they will be dealt with forthwith, but on the whole, everyone is welcome.
    1. Yes, I am declaring some events “Femme Friendly” or even “Femme Only.”  I’m even running “under 15” campaigns.  That’s not being discriminatory, that’s making sure everyone has a fair shot.  Also, boys might not like the subject matter.
  2. My Word Is Law.  I’m not a rules lawyer, as such.  My decision as the GM supersedes any other documentation.  I do not abuse this privilege.  For you as a player, it means that if you want to do something but the book doesn’t necessarily allow it, make me a good argument and I might just let it pass.
  3. Milestones, not Experience Points.  It’s really is all about the story.  Your advancement is not based on experience points but rather milestones.  That also means that if you don’t take part in the story properly and honestly, your cohorts may level up while you do not.  (I’ve never seen it happen, but it’s stated, at least.)
  4. No Evil Characters.  5e does not lean heavily on alignments, but from a character perspective, please do not play an evil or blatantly chaotic character.  There are specific campaigns where this is the bend, but a blended good-evil party almost always ruins the fun for everyone.
  5. No murder-hobo-ing. Since there isn’t any XP, there shouldn’t be a problem with this.  Many of the encounters that you’ll come across cannot be solved with violence, and may even be made worse.
  6. Card-Based Initiative.  One of my favorite in-house mechanics is that we don’t roll for initiative.  As you’re planning your character, keep that in mind.  Instead, we use a deck of cards that designate the players, monsters, and NPCs, and action is determined by shuffling the deck.  This saves cumulative hours on trying to figure out who goes first.
  7. Have I Got A Character For You. If you’re doing a drop-in, I will usually have some at-level characters already rolled up for you.  I won’t have everything, but I’ll have a few fun ones that you can try out.
  8. No Meta-Gaming.  Play your character as much as you can.  Meta-gaming kinda sucks the joy of out of it for the other players, you know?
  9. Stay In Character, Except When. Okay, but sometimes the player who has a half-orc barbarian with an intelligence of 8 has a great idea.  Hold your fist over your head, LARP-style, to indicate an out-of-character exchange.
  10. Respect Your Character.  No, you don’t have to dress up or talk in funny voices or actively narrate your character, but your choices should revolve around the powers and the limitations of the race and class you’re playing.  That’s where your creativity comes in.

I think that’s pretty much it!  Come on out, have some fun!  I do have some ongoing campaigns as well, if you totally dig my style.

Not sure how to roll a character?  Need a little more information about the events?  Gotta question for the Chick DM?  Send me a note.

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