Happy New Year!

It’s lunar new years so I’ll be busy stuffing my face with relatives and not likely be posting much new stuff for a bit.

I’ve always found Asian mythology pretty interesting. Their dragons have a different legend associated with them. Dragons in Asian cultures are typically more benevolent and tied with prosperity compared to the horrible beasts of Europe. The Korean dragon is different as it is more of a chimera of animal characteristics, with the eyes, teeth, ears, and such from particular animals.

I haven’t really tried out an Asian-themed D&D campaign. I might try doing that sometime. It might make for a very different break from the typical medieval structure of most fantasy games. Demons are particularly common as well as evil spirits, so that might be a nice focus for an evil villain group aside from the regular orcs and goblins.

True Asian dragons might be difficult though. But I’ve been thinking their alignment might be towards particular races or even the fey. Korean dragons commonly have strong roots with agricultural spirits. So while they are not evil, they might be a problem for players serving as a powerful ally for other races. I’ll have to think about that and maybe dip my toe into an Asian-themed campaign in the future.

Expeditions of Amazing Adventure: The silent spirits of Solemoore Woods

North, skirting the borders of the icy tundra plains, are vast tracks of woods. The eastern region of the many forests is known as Solemoore. A handful of villages are nestled about the edges of this grand wood, many filled with adept ice fishermen and trappers. Lumber is another major source as a trade good for these communities, where stout men carefully remove aged timbers from the forest and send cut logs down the lone frigid river that snakes through Solemoore.

Well over a century and a half ago, the dark cleric, Nergahar, had been a scourge to the land. Driven by a frenzied, forgotten god of old, he committed all manners of atrocities as dark rituals. His sole purpose was to open a rift into the Nether and draw out an aspect of his foul god, a nameless creature of ancient evil from the Astral wastes. His mad intention was to bring such an aberrant force of destruction into the world in order to lay waste to mankind.

Some claim that he succeeded in his dark task, but it was himself that become fodder to the evil creature that spilled forth and receded back into the Nether. Others claim that the Nether opened for an instant, utterly destroying the mind of Nergahar, and he wandered the woods as a gibbering hermit until his death. Some even claim that the very ritual that destroyed Nergahar, was altered and refined by the necromancer, Al’Khameed, and this wielder of the black arts inflicted this foul magic onto the lands of Kymoria.

None really know what was the cause of the curse within Solemoore Woods, save that the bleak forest is now pocked with spirits of the dead. Silent apparitions can sometimes been seen drifting among the thick trees. No birds fly through the woods and the pines do not whisper with gentle swaying of branches when cold winds blow. There is an unearthly stillness in the forest. A continual gloom of thick clouds carpet the still landscape, with a reprieve of clear skies only coming once or twice a month.

Few woodland creatures can be found in Solemoore now and most seem stricken with the toll of constant fear. Most deer and other game have patches of grey fur and the very young are an infrequent sight. Moving through the woods at times can be maddening, as if everything in the wood had become muted and ever silent. Sound seems to dampen off into nothingness. A fine mist covers the forest, making navigation through the woods a treacherous task, with even the most seasoned trackers known to lose their bearings.

It is these unusual characteristics that have also made Solemoore woods a haven for bandits. Those with enough bravado and iron nerve have been known to keep camps deep within the woods. They are able to strike at passing caravans and raid villages with some impunity, as they know efforts to track them will be hampered by the silent woods. Such groups of bandits do occasionally vanish though, swallowed up by the tomb-like quiet of the woods. Only a lone member might be seen, stumbling from the woods with hair white as snow and eyes wide with a look of utter terror. They incoherently mumble of lost spirits calling their companions into the black maw.

Despite this occasional dark fate of bandit gangs, their continual presence can be difficult for some communities in Solemoore. Many a village mayor has offered substantial rewards to an adventuring company willing to track down bandit camps within the woods. Even odder recruitment efforts have come from wizards seeking to know more of the woods and the secrets within.

It is not uncommon that some young wizard, emboldened with a scrap of information taken from an ancient tome, to seek employment of adventurers to join in an exploration of some rumored lost ruin within the silent woods. Typically such expeditions become exercises in frustration as navigation through Solemoore woods is difficult. Many of an adventuring party have stumbled out of the bleak forest after a week, recounting days of traveling in circles and bewildering attempts at orienteering (with many rangers too embarrassed to talk further of the matter).

However, some never return, seemingly swallowed up by the woods. Villagers when pressed will whisper that a scant few parties of brave warriors have entered the woods only to have a lone member drift aimlessly out months later stricken with a form of madness, muttering about the hunger of the forest, the consumption of life, and a dark maw within the woods. The rest of their companions never to be seen again.

Sorylian scythe frigates

I’ve finally finished my Sorylian frigates. The models have a fair amount of detail, but I went through a few color schemes before I found something I liked which might have muddied some of the models a bit. I’m working with Vallejo acrylics which is something new. I like the paints but you have to water them down a bit and in the end the color can bleed a bit. Takes a few coats if you’ve thinned it out too much, and it took me a few tries to repeatedly get the right consistency.

Still I am fairly happy with how they turned out. I might have to try and work on some more dramatic color selection to bring out other details, but for now I wanted to give the frigates a uniform look. Still have to play a game. Might have to break out the models for a spin soon.

WotC rolling out a new edition

I expect various blogs will explode this week with news of a new edition of D&D rolling out sometime next year. Having a larger group of playtesters and getting more feedback from folks I imagine is a solid step in getting an edition out that people will like, I still think there is such a division over 4E and non-4E mechanics it’ll be tough to seal it up.

Pathfinder had to have struck a nerve with suits at Hasbro. Here is this game effectively a version of D&D and selling well enough to either take a major chunk out of 4E sales, or compete with it neck in neck. Somebody had to have been thinking about trying to woo that group back into the WotC fold. I guess a new edition would be a vehicle for that.

Thing is, if 4E rolled out and was like Pathfinder I’d be disappointed. Patherfinder seems like a fun game. I just think it’s just a step too close to 3.5, tweaked a bit but nothing really innovative. I’m certain for many that is just fine, however I think a more dramatic change to certain mechanics was a step in the right direction.

There are a lot of good things about 4E and a fair amount of problems. I don’t want to bring out a laundry list right now. As many folks might clamor about how awful 4E is, and are eager to bring D&D back to earlier editions, however you still have people that like 4E. I just wonder how a new edition is going to get these different camps under the same tent. I expect a very modular rule system that is light and heavily arbitrated by the DM by default, with increasing rules and complexity as optional rules.

One thing I do expect, a game that isn’t so dependant on a battlegrid (or a least rules that can drop it more easily). While I like the tactical play of combats, I do think it’s a limitation for getting people into the game. You really need a lot of ‘stuff’ on hand to run a game. Again, while folks can wing it and play without miniatures having some more concrete rules would help tons with new players. So I expect miniatures and a grid will still be around, but either be an option or less tabletop intensive alternate rules will be available.

If anything, at least I’ll have plenty to blog about over the next year.

Gamma World is the Gateway RPG to D&D

GammaWorld4thSo Gamma World has been released for a while now. I’m certain a lot of folks since it’s release have taken some time to put down the sword and shield, and taken a swing at wielding a vibroblade and suiting up in Mk. 2 power armor. Something I have come to realize playing Gamma World a bit, it’s a great way to get folks into RPGs and I think works wonders as a quick tutorial for 4E D&D mechanics as well. There are a couple of reasons why…

Few character generation choices – Just about every thing when making up a character is done randomly. You roll on a table and this is what you get. Instead of having to figure out what at will and encounter powers you want, the choice is made for you. Unsure about how to assign ability scores? No worries! You get a bonus to some and just roll for the others.

Best of all everyone else is going through the same process. So that new guy is not stuck thinking he made a bad choice (or feeling lost as a more ‘knowledgeable’ player picks them out). Also as many of the additional powers and gear are random items represented as cards that are drawn and discarded, at most the player just has to decide whether to use a power during a fight. Which leaves more time to dwell on the…

Simplified mechanics – The core of the 4E game is there, but the math and book keeping is easier. No need to write down how many arrows you fired, you either have ammunition or you go hog wild and run out after a fight. No healing surges to muck around with during a rest. You heal up to full hit points. The bonus for hitting and dealing damage with a weapon is easier to calculate. The framework for D&D rules are there, things are just more simple.

Easier setting to grasp – I really think with TV shows and with movies, sci-fi is a little more easier for people to pick up compared to fantasy. Gamma World is envisioned to be 150 years after a sudden blending of alternate realities from a scientific experiment that went awry in 2012. The world is wild and crazy with all sorts of mutated creatures and technology, but the backdrop is a run down civilization taken from the vista of someone’s home city that they currently see around them.

Likely you’d have to explain to a new player what a glaive is. You most likely wouldn’t have to do the same talking about an automatic rifle. I think even the most fantastic futuristic artifact might be easier for a person to understand compared to many fantasy-centric items. When the GM talks of a fur covered beast wielding a stop sign and a trashcan lid for a shield, they get it. This helps with getting the player more relaxed and open to trying more creative ideas and actions.

Creativity is encouraged – How exactly is a player a pyrotechnic rat swarm? With all the random chart rolling, I think Gamma World really ends up pushing players from the start to think about their character. I feel the player has ample opportunity to describe their looks and how they utilize their powers. Much of the mechanics for abilities and powers are handled through such an abstract way, it gives the player a lot of freedom to describe how these abilities look and feel in the world. This freedom to envision what their character looks and acts like is further reinforced by the game philosophy…

Things are fun and temporary – You want loot and high quality gear, but you only get to use it a few times before you have to junk it. You might have this great mutant power, but shortly you will get something else to replace it. The game is made to be zany fun with things constantly being in flux.

Also, you don’t need to be mired down in some elaborate quest to save a kingdom. The game seems to work best as a few short sessions with a lot of action. You aren’t after a pile of gold pieces and gems, or to stop a ritual from being cast by an evil cult. You are after some weird technology hidden away in some ruins (being represented by drawing a card from a deck).

Your character is assembled quickly and randomly. If you get wiped out simply pull out another sheet, roll a few dice, and keep playing. The lethality of the game reinforces how disposable your character is. You don’t have this pressure to work up some elaborate past for your character, mostly because the next fight might result in him being only a pile of ash. I think this all reinforces how much the game should be a lighthearted stab at adventure and having a good time. No need for the heavy campaign story, just sit down, roll some dice, and pray that leaky fusion rifle doesn’t obliterate your character when it’s fired.

So the next time someone wants to know more about D&D, and possibly thinking about sitting in on a session, consider making that first jump with Gamma World. As I mentioned I think it’s a great game all in one box. It has a frivolous theme and a lot of crazy random mechanics to illustrate how much fun RPGs can be. That idea of fun is something every new gamer should take away from their first sitting, and I think Gamma World does that very well.

Post redux

When I was notified things were a little fluid at This is My Game, I was unsure about the status of the site. I ended up archiving a few articles I posted there. Likely throughout this year you will see them re-posted and likely tweaked a bit here.

I still think This is My Game is still running, but going through some changes of the administrative hats. Once the construction dust settles I think you might find me still making some guest posts there.

Review: Super Dungeon Explore

Soda Pop Miniatures are responsible for the adorable dungeon crawl board game, Super Dungeon Explore (SDE). This is a game for 2-6 players with a relatively odd theme. Despite the trappings of a fantasy game at first glance, it really is themed more like an over the top video game. It’s an odd choice, but if you jump into the game approaching it like an anime-themed version of Gauntlet rather than a serious dungeon exploration game, there is a lot of fun to be found.

Players form up into a team of heroes to face off against a single player (or Console) that runs the baddies. The goal for the heroes is to wipe out the final boss monster, while the Console tries to eliminate the heroes. There are 8 heroes to choose from, while the Console gets a choice of 2 enemy types to field and one epic boss, or up to 2 minor bosses. The progression of the number of heroes is a bit odd, being either 2, 3, or 5 heroes against the single Console player. But you can have players field more than one hero, giving some flexibility to the number of players. I’d even consider allowing 2 players to play the Console, splitting the number of models to control or take alternate turns controlling the final boss.

Each side activates a hero, or a set number of monsters, and play alternates back and forth until every model on the board gets an action, ending the turn. Each model has a number of action points that allow them to do things like move, attack, or open chests, in any combination. The Console gets to spawn monsters at specific points. The heroes can attempt to destroy these points to reduce the number of creatures that pop in each turn.

As heroes inflict wounds, there is a special loot track that moves along and resets once the turn is over. At set intervals, heroes can obtain special loot to help them out. Another track records the damage from all models (both heroes and monsters) that continually progresses over the game. As this damage meter moves on, more powerful monsters can be spawned. So those 8 bit monsters can be replaced by 16 bit baddies (I’m not kidding about the video game theme).

If the damage track progresses too far, a boss gets to spawn. This also happens when the heroes manage to destroy all the spawn points. This becomes a neat factor with game play as heroes easily can use more powerful items to equip their characters, gleefully killing anything in their path. However with each monster they drop not only does the loot meter move up, but also the damage meter, increasing the likelihood of more powerful monsters being able to spawn in later turns.

Combat is a relatively simple affair rolling certain colored dice, with the opponent doing the same. If the attacker scores more hits (indicated on the dice) compared to their opponent, they inflict a wound. Most monsters have a single wound so this removes them from play (allowing them to be respawned later). Inflict enough wounds and a hero can also be wiped out, only to be able to respawn if a fortunate relic or treasure is found.

Monsters and heroes are not only represented by models, but also have a special card describing all their abilities and powers. There is quite a bunch too, from special moves, to different attacks. Additionally certain powers key off of certain abilities, that in turn may target particular defences. What you end up with is a surprisingly tactical game, with the heroes trying to maximize their actions during a turn to reduce the enemies on the board and what might pop back in later.

As the general artwork goes, it is very colorful and playful. The design of the loot cards is pretty neat, as they line up in particular orientations to the hero cards. The counters are also bright with several types indicating different status conditions. The figures are resin and surprisingly detailed. They assemble well, but expect to take some time gluing them together. I got mine done in a night, but I’d expect to take an afternoon or two to get them completed if working at a leisurely pace.

The models are quite a bit of pieces and fortunately there is a guide sheet you can now download to give you an idea how to assemble them. Most of the figures have wide slots and scored pegs that fit snugly into the main figure. Just about everything fit together without a hitch. Still, expect to fill some gaps with squadron putty and trim off a bit of flash. The only exception was the dragon boss model. That was a bit of a pain to assemble and I’d recommend tackling that first as it is easily the most frustrating to put together. After that, all the other pieces will be considered cake.

Sadly there are some negatives with the game. While the cards are pleasant to look at and colorful, they are printed on pretty flimsy stock. I opted to put mine in plastic sleeves, especially as they get handled so much. I seriously doubt they would stand up to typical wear and tear very well. Additionally the box is very cheap being corrugated cardboard. Expect to tape up the edges of that box also to reinforce it.

The rulebook does fairly satisfactory job explaining things, but I still ran into some hiccups determining how particular powers resolved. Also while there is a quick summary chart at the end of the rulebook, a play sheet or two would have been a welcome edition. Given the amount in the box, with color board sections, cards, and miniatures, I’m surprised they didn’t bother with a few sheets giving a quick summary of play and a short description of different status effects.

The game screams expansion, especially with the Console monsters. This leads to another detraction with the game, repetitiveness. While there are quite a few hero options, the Console is limited to two choices of monster factions. Even worse, there is one epic boss and limited mini-bosses. After a few plays, you are going to get the feeling of sameness, fighting through hordes of creatures to face the same end boss that has the same powers and the same game effects. I’m certain more content is in the pipe, it’s just a shame that different power cards for bosses weren’t initially included.

The Good – The models are nice and painted up I think would be gorgeous. The theme is light and playful. I think the mechanics move well and the game captures that feel of a frantic battle game, with hordes of minions being cut through until everyone has to gang up on the final boss creature. All the while, there are nuances to most of the models (both hero and monsters) with enough abilities and powers to keep things interesting. It also feels pretty balanced, so each player can give it their all and no one side has to pull any punches.

The Bad – Surprisingly the cards and game box are pretty flimsy. While there are enough heroes to mix things up and keep them fresh (8 out of the box), the Console forces are a bit limited. The greatest offender is the single epic boss monster. I can see keeping it limited based on the models, but no reason a few different cards could be introduced to give it different abilities. That is the biggest slight with the game and I think repeated play will have that feeling of ‘sameness’ creep in.

The Verdict – I’m a bit torn. As a miniature wargamer this is a good buy if the theme appeals to you. You get a pleasant little skirmish game with a ton of models that will be fun to paint up. The game is light and is a refreshing take on the typical dungeon crawl of other more serious games like Descent, or the recent WotC adventure board games.

However as a board game enthusiast I would tell folks to pass on this. I think the investment (both money and time assembling the figures) is simply not worth the asking price. You will end up with a game that will start to feel a little repetitive with frequent playthroughs although I’m certain more models and expansions are in the works.

In a way, I fall into the same bit of advice I give to folks that are interested in getting into Warhammer Fantasy or 40K, don’t buy it for the game unless you are planning on enjoying the modelling and painting aspect. That is the greatest flaw with Super Dungeon Explore. It seems more of a vehicle to sell miniatures than to sell a game. For folks that love miniature games and the painting hobby, you’ll get a lot of mileage out of the SDE. If you are a straight up board game fanatic, it will be much less so.

I’ll end this with a plea to Soda Pop Miniatures. Late next year when SDE has been out a while and hopefully you’ve rolled out an expansion or two, revisit the basic game. Rework the components and release a ‘game console’ version. Bump up the box and card quality. Throw in some summary play sheets. Add maybe another map board. Dump the miniatures and include all the heroes and monsters as cardboard counters. Throw in another monster faction, or at the least a few epic bosses and mini bosses. At a reduced price (say around $35 USD) I’m certain folks would pick this up. SDE is a fun game. It’s a good game. I think the inclusion of miniatures meant cutting some corners, not to mention bumping up the price, which ends up being factors that keep it from being a great board game.

Secret Santicore 2011 is available

Zak S., the guy that runs Playing D&D with Porn Stars, came up with a pretty nifty idea. Send in a generic D&D campaign idea and roughly how many pages you’d take up in a publication. A raffle for slots would be taken up. The winners would be notified and then have until the 3rd week of December to submit their material. It would be packaged up in a nice pdf and be available for free.

Secret Santicore is out and available at Giblet Blizzard. Most of it is geared towards OSR, but a good chunk is fairly system generic. And I dare say about 99% of the book could work with a 4E game with a little elbow grease. It has a ton of ideas, tables, and fodder for your game. Not to mention an old pal of mine that runs the excellent blog, the Fearless DM, has got some of his stuff in there.

I salute the guys and gals that got this together. You all did a fantastic job and nod to Zak S. for coming up with the idea. I’ll have to try and get into this next year if folks consider doing another one.

Suggested gift RPGs in a single box

With last minute shopping or that potential gift certificate burning a hole in someone’s pocket by next week, what kind of RPG would be a good buy for getting a person into the hobby? Both Pathfinder and D&D have some nice boxed sets. However both also have a looming library of other books associated with them. Some potential RPG fans might be a little leery of getting into a game with so much out there. So what about other games that are a full ruleset right out of the box, or a complete game between the covers of a single book. I’ve got a few suggestions for folks then.

Mouse Guard – An adorable setting where mice have their own simple medieval society fighting for survival in the wild. This is the game for a group of storytellers. Using a simplified Burning Wheels mechanic, players select goals and traits rolling regular 6-sided dice to gain successes against the game master, or against each other. Failure usually means more complications and setbacks in achieving goals rather than simply not completing a task.

I feel this game works better with an experienced GM that is confident enough to lay out a framework for adventures and able to adjudicate fairly on the fly. However given the collaborative nature of the game, if you have a group full of imaginative players that burden of coming up with adventure ideas can be shared. Mouse Guard is a great buy for players that enjoy telling a story, although the setting might be a bit limited. I’d also heartily recommend passing one of the graphic novels around as inspired reading before running a game.

Savage Worlds Deluxe – The Explorer’s Edition was a steal at $10 USD. The price of the book has gone up but I still think this is a solid buy for a very flexible RPG game. The core mechanic is based on rolling a single polyhedral die to beat a fixed target number. The better the skill or ability, the bigger the die. PCs usually start out rolling a lowly D4 or D6, but with emphasis on select skills and improved natural ability, they can move up to rolling a D10 or D12. Of course all of these rolls are coupled with an extra D6, allowing a player to choose the best of either die roll.

It is a very quick and dirty mechanic that leads to fast gameplay and is a ton of fun. Best of all, you can play just about any adventurous setting imaginable. From pulp action, supernatural horror, fantasy, superhero, western, or sci-fi, Savage Worlds gives the GM tools to run just about anything. Better yet, it is able to do so with fluid rules that doesn’t get bogged down relying on a difficult, convoluted tome of a rulebook. The emphasis of the game is on imaginative, cinematic, over-the-top action. What results is a very fun game that encourages players to commit heroic acts, with a fair amount of uncertainty for success. Consider throwing in 3-4 sets of polyhedral dice for a complete gift.

Gamma World – The latest edition of Gamma World is a hoot. Just about everything needed to play is in the box. It is a lighter toned take on the radioactive post apocalypse setting compared to other games. The game offers a streamlined version of the 4E D&D rules that plays very fast and is surprisingly light. Combats can be a little regimented, but can be quite deadly adding some brutal tension to fights.

Fortunately character generation is a snap revolving around random die rolls for abilities and powers. I was a little skeptical at first about this. But somehow it just clicks and I’ve found my players loving this process which, oddly enough, seems to generate more character roleplaying ideas than expected. People have lamented quite a bit about the cards in the game. However if you really wanted to shoot for a personal alpha mutation deck, you could still get 6 PCs around the table and have a few extra (in a pinch you could do a draft and allow for up to 8 players with 5 cards each). Don’t buy into the hate rumors, you don’t need to continually buy more cards for the game. In fact you don’t need to ever pick up any cards other than what you get in the box set.

What you do need however for a complete gift is a few sets of polyhedral dice (blows my mind WotC didn’t throw in a cheap set). I’d add that you might want to consider a dry erase battlemap also, but a few printed blank 1” x 1” sheets does wonders too. It is a surprisingly fun game and light hearted enough to get even the most stiff-backed player into a roleplaying mood. Good fun there right out of the box.

So those are my picks for someone getting into RPGs. Each has something folks could likely pick up, start playing, and best of all comes in a single book (or box).

Basic attacks or just hack it with your sword

Having my campaign filled with new players, I will admit that sometimes options can be a little daunting during their combat turn. Between the at wills, encounter powers, and class abilities, it can be a bit of information to process when they step up to the melee plate. There is this general idea among the group that each player should try to maximize their actions during their turn. Sometimes they pull off coordinated maneuvers getting a lot of synergy from their respective abilities which is really cool. But sometimes, things can slow down as they are unsure what would be the best course of action.

That’s when I pipe in, ‘Just make a basic attack.’

At will powers seem to be the bread an butter for most player combat attacks. They should be. They are often focused on key ability scores that translate into substantial bonuses for damage and to hit rolls. However at times I do find that they can curb options for players, where basic attacks open up a more free form of potential actions. Can’t quite make the distance to get into melee? Charge in and just make a basic attack. Still a bit too far even with a double move and all your powers are melee attacks? Throw that hand axe and make a basic attack. I tend to see new players so focused on their powers, they begin to ignore the option of just using the lowly basic attack.

Movement effects are optional – There is something a lot of new players forget about with powers that have movement effects, you can ignore them completely (PHB pg. 57). I’ve had players get into an optimal tactical situation and fret a little about using some power which employs a shift, or some other forced movement. That movement is completely optional. So if a player wants to just crank out the hurt and not bother dancing around, remind them that all that forced movement on a power means they can do it if they want to, and not that they are forced to.

Weapon proficiency is your friend – Making attacks using key ability score powers helps tons in getting past a monster’s defence. However weapon proficiency bonuses are worth noting too. At times I’ve found my ranged-heavy PCs cornered or surrounded, so that making ranged attacks is difficult. I try to remind them of that option of making a basic attack with a melee weapon. While it may not be the most optimal attack, they do get some form of a bonus to their to hit rolls.

Melee Training feat – There is a little gem of a heroic feat locked away in the PHB2 (pg. 187). Melee training allows a player to select any ability score other than strength with melee weapons they are proficient with. For melee basic attacks, they get a full bonus for that ability score with to hit rolls and ½ the ability score for damage (been hit with errata). Now non-strength characters have another option in place of other powers. That wizard might not be to hesitant to hit something with their staff if backed into a corner knowing they can use their intelligence modifier as a bonus (and don’t forget the weapon proficiency bonus to boot).

I am seriously considering giving this feat away as a freebie my next campaign, but just limit it to one proficient weapon type of their choice. I might even consider keeping this limitation in and house rule a similar feat for ranged weapons also.

Heavy thrown weapons – Fortunately there are weapon types that give a little flexibility for ranged attacks using strength instead of dexterity. Suggest that fighter to think about picking up a javelin or a throwing hammer. It gives them just a little bit of tactical flexibility if their mobility is hindered during a fight, and still allow them to make some kind of attack.

I’ve found once I started suggesting making basic attacks as an option, my players have begun to think beyond the stack of cards in front of them. The ranged rogue in the group has picked up an enchanted sword as a backup weapon. The warlord now opens up combat hurling a javelin before making a charge into the fray. I’m getting players doing bull rushes, kicking over braziers, throwing chairs, making all sorts of improvised attacks. Even the group sorcerer has stepped up and hacked away at a lowly minion with their dagger, rather than sacrifice a move action to get some distance for a ranged attack.

So I implore DMs out there if your players get locked into turn indecision, encourage that basic attack. Push PCs into realizing there are other things they can do in fights outside that list of powers. More importantly, those options are not horrible actions for PCs to take. After some time don’t be surprised if your players start coming up with some creative attacks and trying to use the environment in fights too.