BEST READS OF THE WEEK! May 9 - 15, 2015!

Welcome back to the Best Reads of the Week! Every week I read through more than 450 blogs looking for the best rpg related articles and bringing them directly to you. This week we've got: a fantastic group of npc organizations from +Patrick Stuart; a look at Grappling rules and how to make it so they don't completely suck; thoughts on how to keep a dungeon threatening; the most terrifyingly helpful organization you'll ever think about putting in your games; and so much more! 

As always, if you liked any of the posts listed here be sure to let the author know. Leave them a note on their blogs, give them a plus 1, like them on the Facebooks, and share their posts in your social media feeds! Till next week!

BEST READS OF THE WEEK!

MAY 9 - 15, 2015!

Eight Navigating Houses of Nox by +Patrick Stuart, from the blog False Machine: There is something exceptional about the way that Patrick is able to create an underground environment that evokes a sense of nightmarish claustrophobia and other worldliness even when he's writing about an underground sea. Good stuff here.

Random Zonal Anomalies by +trey causey, from the blog From the Sorcerer's Skull: If you're looking to give an area a different feel this post, with its tables, is a great place to explore. Lots of good ideas here to give an area a unique feel that your players will remember.

Rules for Grappling Rules by +Douglas Cole, from the blog Gaming Ballistic: If you've been reading along with Douglas' excellent Violent Resolution series you already know that he's got a certain knack for combat in role-playing games so it should come as no surprise that he's decided to take on Grappling rules. Yet this entry is more than just a look at grappling in role-playing games - it's a look into making the rules we use and how we use them better for all of us.

5 Things I would like to see from WotC in the next 2 years by +Johua De Santo, from the blog Genius Loci: I think that we can all agree that there are things we would love to see some of our favorite companies do in the coming years, and Johua's list is right in line with my own. Would love to see Wizards do these. So what are yours?

Violent Resolution - Hit Him with my Mace by +Douglas Cole, from the blog Gaming Ballistic: In this Violent Resolution post Douglas looks at the classic weapons of fantasy role-play and their use in a variety of games. It's always interesting to see the way different games handle these things and his expertise is greatly appreciated.

Keep Dungeon Threats Threatening by +Arnold K., from the blog Goblin Punch: How do you maintain a dangerous environment in the dungeons your players explore if you allow spells like light, flight, and see invisibility? Arnold has some thoughts on the matter that make me long for the days of Fourthcore.

The Future of Gamebooks? by Graeme Davis, from the blog gramedavis: Do you remember the old choose your own adventure books that colored the early days of the role-playing game scene? Graeme was asked if he thought those halcyon days would ever come back again. Does he think we'll see a resurgence? Do you?

Healers. Curing haemorrhoids, one hot poker at a time by +Alasdair Cunningham, from the blog Iron Rations: The Sisters of Mercy; it has a pleasant sound to it, doesn't it? Unfortunately when left in the hands of some madman like Alasdair they become the most terrifyingly helpful organization you've ever encountered wandering about a fantasy setting. I love them and they will soon be in my home campaign waging war against the every day ailments of life. May God help my players.

Good Riddance Experience Points by Clovis Cithog, from the blog Jasoomian Dreams: So what happens when you get rid of experience points? Do you just level up at some arbitrary point? Well, what if you had a random roll that gave the players something special instead? Sometimes a level, sometimes something else entirely.