First off, let me tell you a little about me and why I decided to start this blog.
Blathering on about such an obscure topic as how dice are used in RPG’s would probably be considered a waste of time by most people. There’s already a great multitude of individuals and groups that focus on role playing games, so what do I have to say that’s going to add anything to the discussion of gaming in general?
I’ve been playing role playing games since middle school, 1979 to be specific. Friends asked me if I wanted to join a game in progress, and since I didn’t really know anything about it, I said sure. Pretty soon, I was addicted. Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, first edition. Looking back, it was an overpowered, “monty-haul” game that was just plain crazy, but we had a ton of fun.
Since then, I’ve played and GameMastered (GM’d) hundreds of different games, set in dozens of different genres, and learned many, many different systems. I’ve found issues that needed house rules, from small little bits to huge parts. Almost every game I’ve come to know has something that seemed not completely thought out.
My opinion has wavered on many of these games. I went through a decade of absolutely hating the d20 system… it became such a juggernaut that it dominated the market and ground all the independent systems into dust. Now, I’m really enamored with 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons, and heavily involved in a 3.5 game with one of the best DM’s I’ve ever met.
But I still find myself trying to “correct” what I see as a problem; I try to change aspects of the game to (usually) invoke more realism without (hopefully) adding too much complexity. As a matter of fact just two weeks ago I finally put the finishing touches on a (not-yet-playtested) system of removing Armor Class and substituting armor as damage reduction. It’s not like what was proposed in Unearthed Arcana, if that’s what you’re thinking.
Reading, thinking, talking, and playing RPG’s is my passion and my constant companion. When I’m not in-game around a table, I’m reading new games, creating new characters, and constantly thinking up new plots for the games I am running. Two of those games, Cryptworld (goblinoidgames.com) and The Mutant Epoch (http://www.outlandarts.com) are going to be focused on specifically in future posts. I’ve gotta rave about both of them a bit.
Long story short, I love these games. I want to share my passion, and this seems like the best place to do that. I’ve asked a great friend and even better DM to join me here, and I can’t wait to see what he has to say.
In the meantime, if you’re a gamer, keep it up. If not, I don’t know why you’ve read this far, but hopefully it sparks some interest for this hobby.
Dice Mechanic 