Roger Zelazny is one of the writers I think is very under rated. Every time I read his work I wonder why I'm not reading more of it. In gaming circles, one of his most famous works is the Chronicles of Amber which is the nine novels he wrote in the Amber universe. It was later …
Random Encounters Convey Information
A lot of people dislike random encounters. The way random encounter tables have been written in most gaming products over the years is why. They are usually treated as a way to provide minor challenges to players or to deplete their resources along the way to an adventure site. I use them for those purposes …
Religion In D&D Annoys Me
I don't allow clerics or paladins in my Swords & Wizardry game. I don't like the way D&D handles the divine. I have read a considerable amount about pre-Christian European religion and was an adherent of a reconstructed version of Anglo-Saxon religion. Religion isn't the right word for what pre-Christian polytheistic people did. Their belief about the …
The Best Way to Honor the Fallen
The best way to honor the fallen who served in our armed forces is to live well. Imagine that you will meet them in the afterlife. They want to know how you lived. They want to know what their sacrifice bought. What will you tell them?
Mechanical Vs. Conceptual
Brazillian Jiu Jitsu is a very interesting martial art. It is one of the few martial arts where live sparring is part of the training. Because it is primarily grappling, you can train at or near full intensity and usually avoid injuring your training partner. Many of the skills of Brazilian Jiu Jistsu are simple. …
You Do Not Need to Roll For Everything
You don't need to roll dice every time a character takes an action. It's OK, it is preferable, to just say, "Yep, you do it," and move the fuck on. Basic assumptions I make when I DM: Characters are competent. They can perform basic tasks necessary for adventuring. They can tie knots, climb ladders, put …
I Don’t Care What Gary Intended
Every now and again, I'll see someone write something about how a certain rule interpretation or style of play was not what Gary intended. I don't care. Having some understanding about what was intended tells me what Gary wanted when he played his game. That's nice as far as it goes. It is helpful to …
Grumpy Wizard 
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