Dealing with Panicked Characters

We were sitting in Ma Yang's Wing Hut people watching as she fussed about us not eating enough and getting too thin. Outside the streets were filled with crowds of shoppers lit by the neon glow of shop signs and the pale lights that spilled out from shop interiors. It was all so normal. And…

Why did Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Continue to Use the Term ‘Race?’

At the beginning of Chapter 2: Player Character Races the Player's Handbook has a curious passage . . . After creating your character's ability scores, you must select a player character race. This is not a race in the true sense of the word: caucasian, black, asian, etc. It is actually a fantasy species for…

Opening Doors in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Second Edition was a Gamble

From the Player's Handbook: When a character tries to force a door open, roll a 1d20. If the result is equal to or less than the listed number, the door opens. A character can keep trying to open a door until it finally opens, but each attempt takes time (exactly how much is up to…

A Variant Combat Mechanic

Like most new Dungeon Masters when I first started running Dungeons and Dragons I followed the example of play laid out in the Dungeon Masters’ Guidebook. This meant that I would control all of the non-player characters, monsters, and the overall direction of the campaign. This style of play was exactly what I needed when…