Day 30 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 30 - Best DM You've Had

A little pointless but I am excited nonetheless that I actually got through posting something with at least a little thought (not a lot though I suppose, but enough) every day this month, minus one day that I fell behind on.

As far as best DM that is a hard one as if we are talking about D&D only, then I've only every had two DMs so far and both were/are excellent DMs in their own ways. One is my father-in-law and the other is Eric over at Chronicles of Ganth, I have only been able to play with him once but he was an excellent and fun DM/GM (whichever) when I played.

If this isn't only focused on D&D then there are only two other people I've ever played with as them being DM/GM. Joe and Anthony are their names and me and my wife actually met them (and Joe's wife) through DDO amusingly enough.

Now with this ending I'll actually have to force myself to sit down and work on more things to post for my game.

Day 29 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 29 - What number do you always seem to roll on a D20?

Honestly I don't seem to roll just one number, it is usually a mid range number but that is about it as far as a constant goes.

Day 28 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 28 - A character you will never play ever again

Wow I think I did pretty good this is the only post I missed.
I've never played one but I also never will, but Rangers although interesting are something I will never be able to play.
They seem interesting enough, but other people I've played with have sort of ruined the class for me.

Day 27 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 27 – A Character You Want to Play In The Future

I've been playing a game when I get time called Dragon’s Dogma for the Xbox 360. There is an advanced vocation/class in the game called a Magick Archer that I love to play as. It is a character based on speed and magic which are my two favorites.

As sad as it is, I want to try to build a character that functions at least partially like that. I want to build a dual dagger wielding character that can hit and run fast, jump high, and dabble in a little magic possibly.

I haven’t taken the time yet to sit down and figure out the classes or feats or really anything to use yet but it looks like fun. The main weapons would be two Spell Storing daggers of some type. Silly to base a character off of a video game but the concept is definitely something I like.

Day 26 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 26 - Favorite Non-magic Item

Honestly I'm not sure on this one, I don't think I really have one.

About the closest I could get is usually if I'm playing a spell-caster of some kind and we fight a dragon, I will usually take some of the dragons scales to sew onto my robe. My father-in-law is the DM usually when I do this so he looks at me funny, but I find it entertaining and a form of claiming a prize for defeating it. It doesn't give any bonus besides as he usually says it will probably piss another dragon of that color off if we fight one again.

Day 25 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 25 - Favorite Magic Item

My favorite magic item isn't always that helpful, but if used in the right circumstances it can be a useful tool.
The Bag of Tricks is my favorite magic item for no other reason than it is fun. Being able to pull a ball of fur out, throw it a little ways away and it turn into a full grown animal that will help you is just fun.
And it makes a good tool if you pull the right creature out of the bag depending on the circumstances.

Day 24 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 24 - Favorite Energy Type

I'm not too picky about energy types although if I had to choose it would be cold. I like cold weather and the idea of an extreme cold that hurts is interesting.

Day 23 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 23 - Least Favorite Monster Overall

This one is easy as well, honestly I don't have a least favorite. I like to fight/pick monsters that are appropriate to the situation the characters are in. Mainly if it is an appropriate challenge for them or not, I will randomly throw monsters in that don't fit in the location exactly but the players I've had usually enjoy the randomness of it.

Day 22 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 22 - Favorite Monster Overall

Easily my favorite monster overall out of the monster manuals is the Tarrasque.

I've not gotten to fight one yet, and I've not gotten to use one in a game yet, but just the challenge of them makes the thought of fighting or having the characters fight one sound so fun.
I wouldn't even care if my character died in the challenge I would still thoroughly enjoy the chance to fight it.

Silly I'm sure but it just looks like so much fun.

Day 21 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 21 - Favorite Dragon Color/Type

Silver Dragons are by far my favorite type of dragon. I love the idea of a dragon that enjoys spending time with humanoid creatures. Out of the elements I like Cold which plays into some of the reason I like them.

Silver dragons gain alternate form instantly which makes them nice if one is in the party. My Kalashtar Psion Shaper had a Silver Dragon companion/cohort. It wasn't very big or all that greatly helpful at times but it was oh so enjoyable to have around.

Day 20 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 20 - Favorite Humanoid/Natural/Fey

Honestly I tried thinking about this one and I tried deciding my favorite out of these and I can't figure one out. There are quite a few that fall into this category that I like a lot (human, orc, pixie, lizardfold, etc...), so as a short answer I like most of the creatures in this category.

Favorite Monster Overall is a post I'm looking forward to as that one is an easy choice.

Day 19 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 19 - Favorite Elemental/Plant

Really I suppose this one would be a toss up between the Shambling Mound and something I found on the Wizards website called the Crystal Sunflower.

The shambling mound is just fun. If you don't know it's there then you could be walking around or over it and suddenly get attacked. The surprise factor makes it enjoyable for me.

The Crystal Sunflower is exactly what it sounds like.  A sunflower made out of crystal, but it has some minor psionic abilities which make it interesting but random to run across while exploring.

Day 18 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 18 - Favorite Immortal/Outsider

Not for any special reason, but my favorite outsider would be Tieflings.
I like the descriptions of their physical looks, but also because of their bonus to Intelligence and Dexterity.
I prefer and have more fun playing fast but smart people.

Short post but there it is.

Day 17 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 17 - Favorite Animal/Vermin

I don't really have a favorite animal or vermin to be honest.

I was running a D&D game with the group that helped me test my Silver Divinity game for the first time. Through the story they met a Druid with a Dire Ape animal companion, and at one point afterwards they were captured by an enemy and were being moved somewhere else. The Druid and his Dire Ape helped them escape but before that the halfling rogue spotted the Dire Ape following them along and he started to wave and wink and various other things. Throughout the next few sessions whenever they would see the Druid and his Dire Ape the rogue would be friendly (not in an inappropriate way) with the Dire Ape, and ended up forming an odd bond with it.

Pointless random thing he was pursuing but it was very entertaining to watch him play it out (he is the first person I've run a game with that has actually role played his character, which has been awesome!).

Day 16 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 16 – Favorite Aberration


Easily my favorite Aberration would have to be the Mind flayers (Illithids).

They are considered a psionic race, which is fun for me. Also they are just odd and would be creepy to actually meet in person. Their natural abilities make them a fun enemy, especially with their tentacles. Plus with their ability to remove the brains of their victims with their tentacles is just so wrong but so great at the same time.

One thought I have entertained off and on for a little while now has been to throw a Mind flayer Lich at the party to fight. It would be mostly pointless but so enjoyable on my end at least.

Day 15 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 15 - Favorite Undead Monster

Honestly my favorite undead creature would have to be a Lich. I love/prefer spell casters in general and the capability to keep the ability to cast spells in death is just too cool. The other bonuses and capabilities are a nice bonus as well. It does come with some disadvantages of course, but especially the phylactery and ability to be reborn if your destroyed are fun too.

Day 14 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 14 - Favorite NPC

Probably my favorite NPC was a random character I used in the evil campaign I ran. The players needed a little muscle (of sorts), well mostly an extra body to help them out for awhile. So I found a fun race in a random book.
Epakak is a Vril Fighter that joined the players at the behest of the Mind flayer they were working for (he is supposed to be watching them), but as the players are planning to change sides to help the dragon, Epakak is planning to join them as he prefers their company to the uncertainty of the mind flayer.
It is a weird race but fun to have around, especially if anyone stops by to play occasionally for a random game; it gives them an already prepared character to play with.

Day 13 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 13 - Favorite Trap/Puzzle

Honestly I've got something for both Trap and Puzzle on this one.

Favorite Trap is easy, it's not a specific trap exactly mostly just a concept. I enjoy pointless traps. For example if you open a door and see a chest or some other potential treasure container, you might find a trap or two before you get to the container. Then there might be a trap on the container, I usually don't lock them at least, but then there could possibly be something easy but annoying to fight when you get to the container (a swarm of something perhaps). After all of that though when they finally get the chest open there is a chance there might not be anything inside. It is annoying for the players although they usually groan and laugh about it; and I only do it rarely so as to not become too predictable and to not cause great annoyance. They don't get loot when I do it, but experience is still received so they are usually happy.

The puzzle one is something I only do rarely so as not to annoy and also because I don't always sit down and plan it out beforehand. I like teleporter puzzles. When you walk into a room and find a symbol on the floor or even if you don't see anything and just start jumping around, occasionally being separated in the process. I think some people find these annoying, although I love them.
My favorite was a set of rooms that had four teleporters along with levers which would activate and change various things when pulled, although some would instead set off a magical attack in the room or drop some sort of creature or creatures into the room for the party to fight.

Day 12 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 12 - Favorite Dungeon Type/Location

My thoughts on this are heavily influenced by the group I learned to play with and who I still play with at this time.
I enjoy both settings that take place in a city and ruins/dungeons.

Cities are nice because of the restrictions that it puts on your characters, along with the ability to use both the interior and exterior of the buildings around you to your advantage.

Dungeons I enjoy because if I take the time to sit down and draw one up before hand then I tend to make them full of oddities and some things that probably shouldn't make sense; but the players who have run through them seem to enjoy them quite a bit.

All in all I'm happy with most settings, although wilderness/outdoors settings I enjoy but the people I normally play with don't handle them as well.

Day 11 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 11 - Favorite Adventure You Have Run

I haven't been Dming a long time, so I've only actually run a few adventures so far. The one I personally had the most fun with, and I know the players had fun with was an evil character campaign I worked on for them.

It was based in Eberron and they were employed (forcibly) by a Mindflayer. They had fun with that although after a little while I needed them to get higher level before they continued on, so I found an evil Silver dragon in one of the books I had and I built a side story around him. They had a few other side stories when they were lower level also like being hunted by a resurrected character (who became a Silver Flame Paladin) they had previously killed.

I still find it funny and fun but it was the first long game I ran that I did not prepare every little detail before hand, and I learned I could handle that better than planning everything out meticulously. I get too distracted and I have to work too hard at times if I plan something and the characters don't follow it, so I found it easier to not plan things out except for simple things like locations, treasure, and what they will be fighting (although not when or where exactly).

I think the players had a lot of fun (I know a couple did for sure). They worked for the dragon up until they reached level 14, which is when we put the game on a temporary break so I could focus on school (that was when I first started back). We are going to start back sometime, possibly after we finish the current pathfinder game we are in at the moment.

The one fun thing I enjoyed was that the players decided they liked working for the Dragon more than the Mindflayer, and they were in the process of shifting their allegiance when we ended.

All in all it turned out well and was a lot of fun, although most people I mention an evil campaign to look at me funny and don't understand how I could have made it work without constant character fights.

Day 10 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 10 - Craziest thing that's happened that you saw

I haven't been playing for a long time yet, but I did have one thing happen that was interesting. I was DMing a game (actually an evil campaign I was running), and one of the players was getting a little overzealous with his ranger about killing things (or attempting to) before anyone else could get close enough to even join in.

Everyone was getting a little frustrated (me included as the DM), and we were playing in Eberron and they were headed towards the Mournlands to deal with something in there. They ended up spotting a Ragewalker which has a supernatural ability called Repel Missiles; which automatically turns any thrown or projectile weapon back upon the attacker. He attacked it full out as they spotted it from a distance, and almost knocked himself out in the process. Needless to say he at least learned to judge his opponent a little before going full out (but sadly that hasn't stuck around for long).

It sounds mean, but it wasn't intended to be, it was mainly meant to tone him back some, which at least worked for a time.

Day 9 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 9 - Favorite Character You Haven't Played

The favorite character I haven't played would have to be a Psiforged (Warforged with Psiforged body feat) Psychic Warrior. I wrote the character up, and we did play one short (very short, only 1 encounter I think) game with it. It was a fun character that had the potential to hit extremely hard.

Sadly that short game ended quickly and I don't have the character sheet for that character anymore.
I would love to try to remake it, but usually I end up playing a character that is needed in the party since the other people I play with usually only play certain types of characters (fighter's and rogue's). Who knows maybe I'll get to try it again eventually.

Day 8 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 8 - Favorite Character You Have Played

My favorite character that I have played is one of the first that I worked on after I learned more about how to play tabletop games, and when I first found Psionics.

The game was set in Eberron and I made a Kalashtar Psion Shaper name Ganitari. We played one short epic game with the characters and by the end of it all I had a level 22 character (15 Psion Shaper/5 Ectopic Adept/ 2 Dragonrider).

It was a fun character to play with, by the end I could summon 2 Huge Astral Constructs, along with the fact that I had a large Silver Dragon companion. Which sounds odd I'm sure but there were rules for it in the Draconomicon and my father-in-law let me do it which was awesome. Dragon wasn't super helpful, but it was more for entertainment than anything else.

So far Ganitari has been the funnest character I have played, although a few others have been enjoyable for sure (like the Factotum I had afterwards).

I actually made this (afterwards) as a representation of her with her constructs and dragon.

Ganitari - Kalashtar Psion Shaper. Dragon is supposed to be a Silver Dragon but this was as close as I could get it to look like one.

Day 7 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 7 - Favorite Edition

Edition wise I’m sort of lacking in the experience. I’ve only ever gotten to play D&D 3.5 edition, although I did get to play one older edition with Eric over at the Chronicles of Ganth (Sadly I can’t remember which version we played at the moment).


So I suppose by default my favorite would have to be D&D 3.5 edition then.

Day 6 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 6 - Favorite Deity

As sad as it is to say what deity your character worships hasn’t played a huge part in the games I’ve gotten to play. One game it played a small role, but I’m pretty sure for the most part the rest of the people I normally get to play with don’t even choose a deity for their characters unless it happens to be asked for by the GM.


That being said I don’t really have a favorite deity, although I do have a couple of religious/semi-religious groups I like. And sticking with the Eberron setting which I enjoy they are the Silver Flame, and the Gatekeepers.

The Silver Flame I just find interesting for various reasons that might take awhile to list, but mostly I think they are contradictory in their leadership; and I consider them to be slightly psychotic (just my opinion).

The Gatekeepers tie into the world and races that I like. Orcs and half-orcs were the first Gatekeepers trained by their draconic leader, and although it is now made up of other races also the Orcs and half-orcs still make up a huge part of its ranks. Also the idea of Orcs and Half-Orcs fighting against the creatures of chaos is just fun to me.

Day 5 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 5 - Your Favorite Set of Dice/Individual Dice

The dice I use now are just a random set that my Father-In-Law gave me whenever they first started teaching me to play. I like them and they are what I use when we are playing games still, but I don't have any major attachment or favorite amongst them. About the only thing with my dice that I am attached to is the dice bag my wife found for me the first time we went to the St Charles area of St Louis.

It is very pink, but I justify it by the fact that I am married and I have three daughters who I think helped pick it out. Regardless this is my favorite part of my gaming dice!

Not exactly a post about my dice but close enough I suppose.

Day 4 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 4 - Favorite Game World

My favorite gaming work is also the one I've gotten to play in the most. Eberron is what I was first introduced to and I love the settings history and general layout. I enjoy the oddness of the normal alignments where you can find an evil Silver dragon and a good Mind Flayer. I love the incorporation of Psionics into the world and the way dragons take part in the world.

Probably my favorite part of the Eberron world is how Orc and Half-Orcs are portrayed. I don't have a good reason I can think of to like them but I really enjoy Half-Orcs, and the portrayal of both with the Gatekeepers.

All in all Eberron is fun for me, and I enjoy finding various things for players to do in the world when I get to run a game.

Day 3 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 3 - Favorite Playable Class.

I know that some people don't like Psionics in D&D, I find them to be very fun to play.
My favorite class so far would have to be a Psion Shaper. They get a lot of the good powers that psions get, but they also get the power to create a construct that they can modify on the fly which can turn into a very powerful extra body. The construct is amazingly helpful damage wise, and also just being able to keep enemies off of the Psion itself as their lack of proficiency with armor, and their limited hit points make them quick to drop if hit much.

This class goes together well with the Kalashtar (my favorite race) in my opinion.

Day 2 - 30 Day D&D Challenge!

Day 2 - Favorite Playable Race

My favorite race ties into my favorite world setting. The Kalashtar from Eberron are a race that I find interesting and fun to play. Their odd connection to the realm of Dreams is something I found slightly confusing at first, but extremely interesting regardless.

And as far as playing them goes, their ability to embed special gems in their bodies to give various bonuses and effects made for some interesting combinations when coupled with the right class.

All in all Kalashtar are my favorite, with Humans of course being in close second (followed by half-orcs).

Day 1 - Dungeons & Dragons 30 Day Challenge!

How you got started - Day 1

Honestly I didn't get to play games as a kid, especially not table top games. Whenever my wife and I got married her and her family introduced me to D&D 3.5. I loved it and have gotten extremely interested in learning whatever tabletop game I can get my hands on.
We started playing in Eberron which is my favorite D&D setting at the moment.

Short post but here is Day 1.