Share anything you'd like (comments, links, etc.)One of the most powerful occult artifacts in western witchcraft - a Hand of Glory is greater than the sum of its parts and in the hands (if you'll pardon the pun) of a knowledgeable person can do all sorts of wonders...well, the wonder depends on what type of hand it is. There are more than one type you ask? Well, yes, yes there is...
2014-08-31 23:52:32 +0000 UTC
View Post
When you're creating a campaign it's your job as the GM to provide a world where the players can thrive or find their character concept useful. A improperly vetted campaign can cause a lot of damage - but a improperly vetted character can end it. I continue on talking about my GM creation process in this month's "Assembly Required," this time I wax on about player character concepts and how to open a dialogue with your players.
2014-08-30 03:51:41 +0000 UTC
View Post
I always feel like I'm some evil villain going on and on about his master plan when I write one of these Designer's Notes entries...but folks seem to like them, so I'mma keep on writing them. This time it is all about the gadgets as I go back and look at my notes on my "Metatronic Generators" article from Pyramid #3/46: Weird Science.
http://ravensnpennies.blogspot.com/2014/...
2014-08-29 01:48:21 +0000 UTC
View Post
The Norse have some weird mythical critters. I mean the Celts do have that bacon of immortality and everything and the Norse only got apples...but damn, golden boars with lazer eyes? Snorri Snurlson must have been in his cups when he wrote that up. "Yeah, they'll never believe this sh*t, I'll just scribble this down." Regardless...here, have a near-divine boar that's nearly invulnerable and shoots lasers (pew pew!).
2014-08-27 00:12:56 +0000 UTC
View Post
So what should you use when starting a new campaign, luck or impulse points? Well, both have their good and their bad, today I talk about how I've used both in the past and how I view them.
http://ravensnpennies.blogspot.com/2014/08/gamemasters-guidepost-metagame-traits.html#.U_qEBfldUW4
2014-08-25 00:34:15 +0000 UTC
View Post
Today is Patreon Day (however late!) and I'm back again with more Ritual Path magic Mythos spells, because hey, who doesn't need more Cthulhu spells.
http://ravensnpennies.blogspot.com/2014/08/gamemasters-guidepost-cthulhu-mythos.html#.U_lczfldUW4
2014-08-24 03:33:23 +0000 UTC
View Post
"I want to play a technopath!" says the player "Uhhh, what's that?" says the GM. "Technopath" is a pretty broad word, but it usually means something like "a character who can create and manipulate technology in a manner similar to a telepath or telekinetic." In today's GURPS101, I tackle the question of what a technopath might look like in GURPS...
http://ravensnpennies.blogspot....
2014-08-21 23:48:31 +0000 UTC
View Post
Happy Birthday, GURPS! My thoughts on GURPS and what I consider the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly with the system overall.
http://ravensnpennies.blogspot.com/2014/08/10th-anniversary-of-gurps-4th-edition.html#.U_PkAPldUW4
2014-08-20 00:04:41 +0000 UTC
View Post
So I pile on to a couple questions that Jeff Demers (https://plus.google.com/+JeffDemers/posts/buT3iNKrjqR) had and
Douglas Cole expanded on (http://gamingballistic.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-pcs-are-being-hunted-what-to-do.html). Basically, when setting up a chase the players ar...
2014-08-17 08:08:06 +0000 UTC
View Post
Today's Guidepost is talking about GMing Ritual Path magic. It's kind of short and to the point because I spent most of yesterday in the ER (I had a "micro heart attack"). I'm good now and a'writing, but still trying to get back into a good rhythm. If you're a RPM GM, you might want to consider reading my little post - you might find some helpful stuff in there. Off to bed I go. Night y'all.
2014-08-15 02:54:23 +0000 UTC
View Post
I've been gone for a while thanks to a fun a fun back injury (Evaluated my back and then Attacked - I never saw it coming). But while I was laid up I got to thinking (a dangerous pastime) because even if I'm in pain and my body don't work that don't mean my brain ain't going on all cylinders. So I says "Brain, how would we handle a Evaluate maneuver like the treacherous door did to us?" and my brain says "Well, hell, I don't know...a f*cking skill roll?" and I says "Damn, that ain't bad." and my...
2014-08-12 23:57:19 +0000 UTC
View Post
I know there hasn't been any updates in a while, but that's because I've been incapacitated. I twisted wrong and I hurt my back. Seeing as I already have back issues (degenerative arthritis in my spine), this put me in my bed. I've been able to walk, but the pain is such that concentrating on anything for too long is next to impossible. I should be right as rain soon enough and I thank all of you for your continued support. :-)
2014-08-07 23:35:30 +0000 UTC
View Post
It's that time again where I start asking folks what sort of things do they want to see covered on yon blog. So...what do you want to see? Comment, email, smoke signals, telepathy - whatever you method, I'm a'currently listening.
http://ravensnpennies.blogspot.com/2014/07/apply-topical-ointment-for-best-results.html#.U9UzufldUW4
2014-07-27 17:18:20 +0000 UTC
View Post
GM: "So I want to start a new campaign" Player 1: "What's it about" GM: "I'm glad you asked, I spent all night working on this brief synopsis" *throws book onto table* Player 2 to Player 1: "That's about as brief as a commando's underwear..." Look, it's not that your players don't appreciate you - they (probably) do, the problem is the players want to play and the GM wants to create. So how do you speed up describing what sort of game you want? By analogic examples. It's fine for the GM to take ...
2014-07-25 19:40:45 +0000 UTC
View Post
Sometimes, the best defense is a good offense or so says Mel the cook on "Alice." Unless your enemy is psychic of course - then it doesn't matter because he's going to see you coming and then murder you right in the chakra. If you haven't gotten the newest issue of Pyramid (Psionics II) this probably won't make a lot of sense. Hey, you know what? Go buy it. Anyways, these are the Designer's Notes for my article, Mind and Body.
2014-07-25 00:45:33 +0000 UTC
View Post
There is no "I" in team. Now before you say "Yes there is, it's in the a-hole" or "But there is a me" let me ask, have you ever had that "perfect moment" where you players just click and everything works perfectly? No? Really? Stop being a cynical bastard and think harder...ahh, now you recall something. Probably with your 4th level Half-Elven Fighter/Mage/Thief or something. Remember how awesome that felt? Want to replicate it with a few mechanics? Then continue reading...
2014-07-22 19:02:08 +0000 UTC
View Post
You'll never see them. They're shy. They stick to one place and make sure it's kept tidy. If that's your house - well, you're pretty lucky. But God help you if you try to break into their house or dirty. They. Will. Hit. You. With. A. Frying. Pan. And it will hurt. It will hurt LOTS.
http://ravensnpennies.blogspot.com/2014/07/triple-threat-brownie.html#.U8vt4_ldUW4
2014-07-20 16:28:00 +0000 UTC
View Post
Today is Patreon Day! The day where I honor those who support my blog via Patreon. This' month's post is all about Mythos magic, and in this case, Mythos Ritual Path Magic...
http://ravensnpennies.blogspot.com/2014/07/gamemasters-guidepost-cthulhu-mythos.html#.U8sSI_ldUW4
2014-07-20 00:52:32 +0000 UTC
View Post
I like noodling around with game mechanics - it's probably why I like GURPS so much. In this week's GURPS101, I talk about switching things up to suit you, well...your character any ways. There are a lot of ways to customize your character's magic using the Ritual Path Magic system, but hey, you can always use more. Right?
http://ravensnpennies.blogspot.com/2014/07/gurps101-p...
2014-07-17 05:00:48 +0000 UTC
View Post
Hell has many demons, but none are so terrifying as the Cruciati - Hell's own legion of torturers extraordinaire. They rarely come to the material world - but when they do it's always a bad time for all involved. With chains, razors, and other sharp implements attached directly to their body your players aren't going to want to get close - and if they do they better be prepared for a world of hurt. Straight from a nightmare I had with all the gory details in GURPS format...
2014-07-15 05:12:11 +0000 UTC
View Post
Sometimes writing a Pyramid article is hard, sometimes it's easy, regardless I almost always have leftovers that get cut before it is sent off. So...selling your soul...how is that ever going to be useful? Welll...it depends on the GM (of course) and the player (duh)...but what player would ever sell their character's soul...
http://ravensnpennies.blogspot.com/2014/07/designers-...
2014-07-10 04:09:17 +0000 UTC
View Post
Saturday the 19th is Patreon Day - what would you, my steadfast patrons - like to see on my blog?
2014-07-08 21:09:08 +0000 UTC
View Post
"Huh! Magic! Good God y'all! What is it good for?" "ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING!" That's right - it's good for everything because it's freaking magic. Want a better sex life? Magic. Want to incapacitate criminals easily? Magic. Want to have a greener lawn? Magic. That's right - you can do it all with magic. I ponder about what magic might be used for in any given campaign in this week's Gamemaster's Guidepost...
2014-07-08 21:04:44 +0000 UTC
View Post
Fish...not big fish - but you're still gonna need a bigger boat. How big? BIG. They travel in packs like wolves, they can channel sound into a scream that can rend flesh like a ultrasonic vibration, and oh yeah...they're FAST. How fast? You can't outswim them fast. Got aquatic encounter coming up in your game? Want to scare the bejesus out of your players? Then introduce them to the Screaming Fish...
2014-07-06 21:35:03 +0000 UTC
View Post
In this week's Assembly Required, I talk about power level and starting point totals. It seems I talk about this a lot - but that's because it IS important. Deciding on the power level of your campaign more or less defines it.
http://ravensnpennies.blogspot.com/2014/07/assembly-required-development-step.html
2014-07-04 22:48:29 +0000 UTC
View Post
GURPS goes off the assumption that all players create characters that are even in point total. So what happens when you ignore this assumption? Most times. Nothing. I talk about having split power levels and how you might bring them to your game - if your players are willing that is.
http://ravensnpennies.blogspot.com/2014/07/gamemasters-guidepost-split-power-levels.h...
2014-07-03 23:45:41 +0000 UTC
View Post
Sean Punch's "The Material Difference" from Pyramid #3/66: The Laws of Magic is a incredibly cool idea! I've modded the system a bit to be used with Ritual Path Magic in this weeks' GURPS101...
http://ravensnpennies.blogspot.com/2014/07/gurps101-ritual-path-magic-material.html#.U7L9ivldUW4
2014-07-01 18:29:02 +0000 UTC
View Post
How to be unpredictable? Not just unpredictable, but have it so its just impossible for your motive to be clearly seen...now how to do that in combat? The crazies always seem to pull off the impossible when it comes to fights - but how do to that in GURPS? And can you managed it without a single drop of rum?
http://ravensnpennies.blogspot.com/2014/06/melee-academy-predicta...
2014-06-26 17:52:03 +0000 UTC
View Post
Quirks, the final added character trait. These are the voyages of...nope. Not going any further than that. So say you're creating this character, and he's awesome right, but you're worried he's a pile of numbers on a slice of dead treat...how can you liven him up a bit? Never fear Power-Ups 6 has you covered with all sorts of quirky new quirks!
http://ravensnpennies.blogspot....
2014-06-24 20:27:22 +0000 UTC
View Post
Unleash the hounds! Say you got this friend and he owes one of the lords of hell a favor, or his soul, or something like that. Say your friend don't wanna pay up...well that's not a good idea. Demon lords are not mafiosos - they don't bother making threats, they just send in the goons. The goons just happen to be twisted hulks of humanity shaped into the form of giant dogs who can find anyone, anywhere...
2014-06-22 21:38:37 +0000 UTC
View Post
