Best Reads of the Week November 30 - December 6

Welcome back to the Best Reads of the Week! This week was a busy week for many of the blogs I'm following - you can get the ever expanding list (I have 171 blogs already done with 40 to add from blogger and nearly as many to add from Google+) by reading The Great Blog Roll Call - and as a result there is some outstanding stuff out there. We've got a Savage World variant that let's you fight as giant robots and monsters; strange frog-like races that inhabit the heavens above; beautiful bits of prose coming in from every direction; some great how-to guides; and more!

As always, these guys and gals spend a lot of time working on their blogs and if you like one of the posts these fine authors have published be sure and let them know.

The Best Reads for November 30 - December 6, 2013

Alphabetical by Article Title

The Abominable Island by Arnold K., from the blog Goblin Punch: Like the article Balalang last week this is a fantastic piece of fiction that describes a part of a world that you could disappear in. Incredibly fun read and it's the sort of location that makes you wish you had come up with it first. Great, great, article.

Aliens of the Directorate: Froguloids by Evan, from the blog In Places Deep: There is something so wonderful about a paranoid, frog-like race wondering about the cosmos. I just really dig these guys.

Arcane Armorials: Tiger Face Shield Tutorial by orlygg, from the blog Realms of Chaos 80s: A great tutorial for painting a miniature figure's shield. There are lots of pictures and the instructions on painting are well done. A great place to start for all you miniature figure painters out there who have yet to put paint to brush.

Hill Cantons Beastiary: Fobbits by Chris Kutalik, from the blog Hill Cantons: Have you ever wondered who's resetting those traps behind you and ruining your day? Fobbits of course!

I Kill a Man on Every Page by Patrick Stewart, from the blog False Machine: What a fantastic short bit of fiction! This sort of entry is the whole reason why I make it a point to read everything that comes out of the False Machine blog. Really, really great.

It's a Magical Place by Jim White, from the blog Wombat's Gaming Den of Iniquity: It's so easy to forget the sense of wonder that the world can hold for us as we disappear into our fantasy worlds and debate how the mechanics of a Grapple work; this article reminds us that we need to remember the actual magic and wonder in the world. Fantastic read. 

Make-it Monday: Sporkchop Attempts to Sew a Dicebag by Sprokchop, from the blog ROFL Initiative: While the post is not filled with step-by-step instructions on creating the bag it does have a video and follows his efforts to make his first dice bag. I love it when anyone goes out on their own and starts making things that they need, and this article is right in my wheelhouse.

Mecha Kaiju Sensō Tai!!!: Battling Robots and Monsters for Savage Worlds by Sean Bircher, from the blog Wine and Savages: Let's admit it, you love giant robots beating the crap out of foam monsters and so do I. Now that we've got that out in the open let's play this kick-ass variant for the Savage Worlds system that the folks at Wine and Savages have made for us.

Preparing a Player Handout for a Wild Blue One-off by John Large, from the blog the Red Dice Diaries: I'm not a FATE person, which is fine, but reading about how John is preparing a one-off adventure for some friends is really fascinating. And I'll be honest with you, I want to be robbing the Sky Train, not saving it.

Pruztian Five-Pence Piece (Wermspittle) by the Heretickwerks Team, from the blog Heretickwerks: A really smart piece of flavor-text for an alternative coinage. There are some things about the article that I would change before implementing it into my home campaign, but by and large it's really well done as it stands.

Purpose of the Enchanted Key by jasons, from the blog The Dungeon Dozen: Another great d12 chart from jasons. There are some really fantastic ideas that could be the key to a campaign all in themselves. Great chart jasons!

Signs Your Party is Not the First in the Dungeon by Gus L, from the blog Dungeon of Signs: It's surprising how many of us treat our campaign worlds like our adventuring group is the only group of explorers out there. Gus L from the blog Dungeon of Signs is out to remind us that not only are they not the only ones exploring the world, but that the biggest danger to our players is a group of homicidal hobos looking to loot their bodies.

D100 Rival Dungeon Parties, by The prophet Konsumterra, from the blog Elfmaids and Octopi: The Dungeon of Signs article will start you down the road, but this article by The prophet Konsumterra will give you the means to end that journey. A hundred possible encounters and most every one could change the course of your campaign for years to come. God I love it when great bloggers work with each other!

The Weird in Mystic Japan by Chief Broom, from the blog Tomb of Tedankhamen: Have you ever had the felling that all the Japanese inspired role-playing games didn't go far enough, today Chief Broom is out there to tell us all why you're right. Really interesting read on the cultural differences.

Touring the Strange Stars by Trey, from the blog From the Sorcerer's Skull: Have you ever wondered why anyone would ever leave the safety of their home world to go out into space? This article by Trey will make you wonder why we're not going on vacation there right now.  

 Best Article from Dyvers this Week

Come at them from the Side: Have you ever thought that the problem with a high armor class is that the players are being given too much goodness and you have to limit their power through a house rule? Me either.

Pruztian Five-Pence Piece (Wermspittle)