Dark Dungeons

A Pathfinder buddy shared this with our group for today's Pathfinder Saturday session. Harken back to the religiously-frightened mass hysteria anti-D&D days with Dark Dungeons.

Dark Dungeons Chick Tract

D&D House Rules: Monstrologist

A Field Guide to Monsters, by John Olander

Monstrologist: A person who studies monstrology.

Monstrology: The study of monsters.

SERIOUSLY! Why isn't this a D&D class already?!

Master of the Monster Knowledge Check, with little to no physical or magical combat skills. 

I would play one.

Maybe I'll write it up.

D&D House Rules: Critical Hits

Critical Hits

Natural 20

"When an attack roll against a target gets a natural 20, the power not only hits the target, but also scores a critical hit if the attack roll result is high enough to hit the target's defense. If the result is too low to hit the defense, the power still hits the target automatically, but without scoring a critical hit." - Dungeons & Dragons Essentials Rules Compendium, pg 216

I recently thought of a possible way to roll crit hits, partly influenced by the Pathfinder rule of rolling a d20 to confirm a crit hit. 

Player rolls a nat20, scoring an auto-hit. Player then rolls another d20 to see if the auto-hit is also a crit hit, according to the following:

d20 roll

1 - 5     No Crit

6-10     Crit hit, d4 / d6 / d8 damage

11-15   Crit hit, d6 / d8 / d10 damage

16 - 20 Crit hit, d8 / d10 / d12 damage

I think this method might speed up play just a twitch, and give the crit hit rule a bit more depth. I've not tested this yet, and as I'm not currently a DM to any campaigns, I have no idea when I may be able to. If you try this method out in a game session, please let me know what you think of it, if it works well, or not.

The Slaying Stone: Tyristys

We entered the hot springs cave home of the suspected dragon, and were promptly greeted by his kobold guards. I (Paen) am sneakin' around in the dark areas looking for a dragon, treasure pile, and other kobolds.

The dragon Tyristys comes up from her hidey-hole. I now know where the treasure pile is.

Sorrow (left) and Anna (right) attempt to parley.

I went down into the dragon's lair and secured the Slaying Stone before the dragon could get to it after she found out what it is. Now she's pissed. Whatever.

Fighter and wizard/cleric keep her busy while I shoot and throw things at her.

Tyristys dead!

Taking the Slaying Stone back to the ones who hired us to get it, we instead find a gaggle of orcs, and take 'em down. Adventure continues later!