I’ve just discovered a really cool combat tracker. I’ve very fond of iPlay4e, and use it for all my characters and players PCs.

Now today I found inCombat (http://laughterforever.com/inCombat/) a fine combat tracker that incorporates characters from iPlay4e nicely. As well as the ability to add monsters from the compendium or monster builder.

It just works to be frank, and it runs in a browser, as well as off-line through Adobe AIR.

Nothing bad to be said about it so far, can’t wait to start using it in anger.

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Tags: #DnD, 4e, Resource

And the results are in. Our guest judge, Greg Bilsland, has chosen a winner.

(This also came in in level 13, 18, 23 and 28 varieties with suitable increases)

Here’s what Greg had to say about the winner:

There aren’t a lot of low-level items that let you escape death like this, so I like that this item gives you a way to do it, but at a cost. It also is well balanced, because even though the power is unlikely to come up very often, the property still gives it a benefit that any undead-slaying hero can appreciate.

Putting the item at level 3, 8, etc. is exactly where I would place it. I’d probably keep the range on the ongoing necrotic damage static rather than allowing it to increase. I like that the designer included some story. I’d like to see the story text as a separate section (like in Adventurer’s Vault 2) so the flavor text can give me a description of the item.

Overall, a good job, though. The designer has an eye for balancing mechanics, usability, and creativity.

So congratulations go to Granger44! Who had this to say:

Hey, thanks!   As a side note, I just had a daughter born at the end of last month myself, so I’ll claim her as my inspiration to which I added the evil twist.

Steve’s necklace of death deserves a mention as Greg it as the most creative item:

I liked the necklace actually being a garotte. Shows thinking outside of the box. The item would need a little adjustment on the property’s damage output and on the automatic death in the daily power. Also, bringing down the level would be good so more players would have access to it.

Congratulations to the overall winner, and thanks to all those that took part. And finally thanks to Greg for being our guest judge. For more from Greg check out his new shiny blog, http://gregbilsland.wordpress.com/.

Comments: 1 comment

Tags: #DnD, 4e

Thanks to everyone who entered the PH3 competition. Entries are now closed. All entries have been packaged up and are ready to be sent to Greg Bilsland. Now you’ll just have to wait.

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Tags: #DnD, 4e

You’ve got until 23.59 GMT today to enter the PH3 competition.

http://buccaneersguild.com/players-handbook-3-giveaway-2/

Judged by our guest judge, WotC’s Greg Bilsland.

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Tags: #DnD, 4e

There’s only one more week left to enter the Players Handbook 3 contest!

All you need to do is design a magical item to complete the Magical Minds series. The best item as chosen by our celebrity judge, WotC’s Greg Bilsland (@gregbilsland), will win a copy of the Players Handbook 3 upon release!

So to complete my daughters list of items, the last item name, along with my her brief notes is as follows:

Necklace of Death (Notes: You put it on and you die)

Rules

1. Stick to Dungeons & Dragons 4e
2. Stay true to the item name, include necklaces and death somewhere.
3. Don’t stay true to my daughter’s notes, make it balanced!
4. Only one entry per person, although feel free to replace a previous entry if you suddenly come up with a better idea.
5. Email entries to blog@buccaneersguild.com.
6. Tell other people about the competition, post on Twitter or Facebook for example.
7. Closing date is March 9th 2010.
8. The winning entry will be announced before March 15th.

Good luck!

Comments: 3 comments

Tags: #DnD, 4e

I’ve got one more item on the list that’s been the inspirational spark behind the Magical Minds series of magic items.

Now it’s your chance to transform a nascent idea into a workable balanced magic item. The best item as chosen by the judge will win a copy of the Players Handbook 3!

The last item name, along with my daughters brief notes is as follows:

Necklace of Death (Notes: You put it on and you die)

Rules

1. Stick to Dungeons & Dragons 4e
2. Stay true to the item name, include necklaces and death somewhere.
3. Don’t stay true to my daughter’s notes, make it balanced!
4. Only one entry per person, although feel free to replace a previous entry if you suddenly come up with a better idea.
5. Email entries to blog@buccaneersguild.com.
6. Tell other people about the compo, post on Twitter or Facebook for example.
7. Closing date is March 9th 2010.
8. The winning entry will be announced on March 15th.

Comments: 9 comments

Tags: #DnD, 4e, D&D

Over the past few days I’ve been turning my young daughter’s magic item suggestions into usable Dungeons & Dragons items. Earlier we had a Wedding Dress of Resurrection and Earrings of the Sidhe. Today I’ve skipped over the troublesome Necklace of Death, which I’m considering using for a competition, and moved onto the Feather Boa of Beauty.

You know, even though I was at first doubtful what to do with this, I think I like this one the best so far. I’ve got a character that might literally kill for one of these.

I should really do a post on how to make character portraits such as the one above, with no artistic skill required! What do you reckon?

Comments: 1 comment

Tags: #DnD, 4e, Ideas, Resource

As I mentioned in my last post my daughter wanted to help with D&D and so has invented some magic items. It falls to me to interpret her work into usable D&D stat blocks.

So today we present the some magical earrings. When I asked what they did she replied, “They turn you into a tiny fairy, with wings, and you can fly.”

The creator of today's item

After a bit of work, here’s the result.

Is it too weak or too powerful? Let us know in the comments.

Comments: 5 comments

Tags: #DnD, 4e, Resource

Ever since my six year old daughter helped me with 100 post apocalyptic junk items, she’s wanted to do more lists of things with me. So this weekend, as she lay in bed suffering with chickenpox, she decided to create a small list of magic items for Dungeons & Dragons.

It’s from that list that I’m taking inspiration for a short series. She came up with names for items and a brief description of their powers. I’m trying to make balanced game sense of them one by one, and today I’d like to present the first of them.

Wedding Dress of Resurrection

When I asked my daughter why this even existed she said a powerful mage was due to be married to the love of his life, but she died on the morning or their wedding, so he created this powerful arcane item to raise her from the dead. The only problem is she had to wear it for the rest of her life.

This can be worn by either male or female characters. Even if worn under your armour it should still show a little at the cuffs and the long trailing dress. Drawing strange looks should be part and parcel of not being dead!

More from Magical Minds later, if I can work out how to make some of the more mental ideas even close to playable!

Please let us know what you think in the comments and I’ll make sure that I pass them on to the young creator.

Comments: 6 comments

Tags: #DnD, 4e, Ideas, Resource

Thanks to Dustin Synder, who you may know as @WolfStar76 on Twitter, we have a nice summary of all the juicy Dark Sun info released at DDXP.

Whilst sitting in the audience Dustin created a Google Docs document live as the action unfolded.

Google Docs Dark Sun

There’s more info available on @geeksdreamgirl’s latest live blog where you can scroll back and catch up on all the info as it happened, with updates from Critical Hits, Matt James, and the WotC brand team @Wizards_DnD.

From all of us that couldn’t be there, thanks to all those that were and kept us updated!

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Tags: #DnD, 4e, Dark Sun