Dwarven Forge unleashes its Ruins set to great delight as Ben decides to do some exploring and see what the newest classic dungeon terrain set has to offer.

Let’s start off by applauding the theme – we seemed overdue for a classic dungeon expansion from the talented crew over at the Forge. As you know, reusability is always key when deciding on what terrain to buy (or create) and the Ruins are universal in their setting. That valuable layout flexibility means they can be used by DM’s in countless scenarios. The window sills even let you transform the Ruins from a damaged indoor dungeon room to a battered outdoor building (think 80s reversible jacket).

Ben was once again awe-struck in the set’s detail. Everybody knows personal touches ultimately define one’s RPG landscape. In the case of the Ruins set, we’ve got scattered leaves, finite floor cracks, and tiny rocks strewn throughout the individual pieces. The joyous kicker is the added depth brought out by the layered dirt and stone. You even have pull away stones for those pesky traps or treasure-filled hiding places.

The Ruins also has some slick solo bits including a ladder, thin stone pieces, and stand-alone wall barriers. Ben just drools over these babies as they can be used with any other DF set with ease. You do own at least one set of each Dwarven Forge theme, don’t you? (wink, wink)

Hirst Arts creators should be pleased as well as the set provides the usual pallets of inspiration and makes it easy to integrate into Bruce’s Fieldstone series. Ben tends to favor Dwarven Forge over Hirst when taking his game on the road because of the added durability of the pieces (and their mysteriously light-weight).

There are even smaller, thinner floor pieces that give you lots of 3-D opportunities – a technique Ben and the gang have used in the past with Wizard’s dungeon tiles’ series. Try and get creative here.

At $89, the Ruins set is reasonably priced and you can certainly get by with two sets. Ben nabbed three because he had to snag that bonus, killer Dragon’s nest.

There’s no denying the pride of ownership when building your own terrain but there’s always a right time, perfect place and strong case for buying the best – and that my friends, is Dwarven Forge.

Questions to Ponder: How many Dwarven Forge sets do you own? What is your favorite set? Would you use the Ruins in an indoor or outdoor setting first? What D&D modules might require a Ruins layout?

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Ideas, ideas, ideas – can a good DM ever really have enough of ‘em? Thankfully, the Citybook All-system Catalyst Series is alive and well. Plug-in play encounters are truly abundant in this amazing book series.

Ben was organizing his bookshelf the other day to make room for all those great WotC 4E books and rested his hands on an original (yet tattered) Citybook: Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker. He was amazed at how the encounter ideas just started to leap off the pages. Ben rushed to the web to see if there were anymore.

Low and behold the RPG book series has amassed quite a selection including:

• CityBook I: Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker
• CityBook II: Port O’ Call
• Citybook III: Deadly Nightside
• CityBook IV: On the Road
• Citybook V: Sideshow

Flying Buffalo still prints these beauties with a development angle that the pre-generated business and NPCs can be used in any role-playing system. Of course, that’s a nice way of saying they’re absolutely perfect for any D&D campaign – regardless of edition.

Don’t fret the printer’s website. It has all the charm and appeal of a 1990s mail order bride site but the checkout system is smooth and the books come in a hurry. Ben’s online shopping experience was flawless.

Ben enjoys matching his pile of RPG accessories to the books’ scenarios. Dr. Gopp’s Traveling Emporium of Medical Wonders is a great example. He even used the books to inspire a street beggar skill challenge.

There’s role playing game gold in dem dar books, my friends. Besides being fun to read on the plane, they have oodles of inspiration and gameplay in them. We’re curious to see if Wizards of the Coast goes to this type of narrowed focus but the good news is at least someone already has laid the groundwork.

Questions to Ponder: Will Wizards go down this subject path? Have you ever used a Citybook encounter in your own game?

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Ben puts extra TLC in preparing an upcoming #dnd encounter and thought it was about time he showed you how. Maybe your game will get a little boost as a result.

This article is inspired by Mike Shea’s most excellent book, “Sly Flourish’s Dungeon Master Tips.” He has a great enhancing encounters section that mirrors several of Ben’s own prep tricks.

Everything in this RPG article is created in between game sessions. Ben finds these exercises help pass the slow curdling time between games.

So, here’s his typical DM drill:

• Write-up your encounter notes and expected flow.
• Have an area map handy for easy reference.
• Markup the encounter pages with your own notes/highlights.
• Embrace the plastic baggies to organize and sort.
• Create your NPC cards.
• Pick out, sort, and item card all the treasure.
• Create any quest or message cards.
• Print out your monster cards from the WotC monster builder.
• Select the appropriate miniatures.
• Create the 3-D terrain.
• Think of unique terrain and environment opps.

Most importantly – none of those steps are meant to be work. As Crash Davis would say, “It’s fun, goddammit!”. They’ll really make you think and interact with the story. Your players will love you for it. Your game will become memorable.

Hey, we all fly by the seat of our pants on occasion. Life is a busy. Of course, you won’t do some or even any of these steps every time. When do get the chance to do so though, your game and players will not be disappointed. And you can take that to the bank.

Questions to Ponder: Have a favorite step? Did Ben miss any helpful tips? How long does your prep take? Do you work on encounters in advance or wing it to keep things extra exciting?

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Fresh off another holiday can only mean it’s time for another installment of Hand Painted Miniatures. Some fun Gen Con 2010 finds are also included in this week’s entry.

Ben constantly gets asked the age-old question, “Why don’t you paint these metal minis yourself?” Easy answer – too small brushes and too steady of a hand required. Terrain is so, so much more forgiving. An avid gamer knows his limits.

The third set of our multi-part metal marvels installment includes: a hard charging barbarian, a sniper rogue, a dark slayer, a traveling halfling, a loyal war dog companion, a one-eyed man, and a wise wizard.

Ben had hit a bit of a dry spell with the Gamers’ Inn display case so these beauties were a welcome sight. He had nearly given up hope but that’s a key to good miniatures hunting – never get discouraged and never stop looking

Gen Con 2010 was the source of a few of these latest finds but man oh man, it is tough to dig through those endless plastic bins. Hunched over on mobbed convention floor is a backbreaker. Sometimes you just gotta dig deep.

Questions to ponder: Do you use metal minis in your game or have you gone all plastic? How many metal figs do you paint in a month? What is your favorite metal line for D&D miniatures? And when in Elminster’s name is Lords of Madness going to be in our hands?

See It | Installment I | Installment II

Ah yes – the death of your character…a historical event frozen in time. A great DM needs to seize this moment and make a typical downer scenario spring to life. That’s where these kick-ass new death certificates from our buddy and terrain aficionado, Rob come into play.

Remember all those silly paper awards you got in grade school (outstanding reader, math magician, etc)? Here’s a chance to use them in your own game but with some real flair and style. As Rob puts it, “Hey I respect your character, but man, he got jacked up!”

For DM prep, you simply have to fill in the gritty details on the template and print it out. If possible, stay classy and do it in color. Then take it to your next game session to award in a mini ceremony of sorts. If you’re feeling especially funny, don’t hesitate to get all munchkin on his ass as you hand it out.

Rob’s cert template has text fields for the PC’s name, the way they died, and the area in which it happened. For extra salt, Rob even has some fun skull stickers to print and put on your DM screen.

Your game group will appreciate the extra effort. A death certificate experience can turn a sometimes somber/bitter moment into a laugh-aloud-good-nature-fun-fest. Plus, guys will often find a place in their work cube or home office for their new-found memento.

Of course, the irony of is thick here – the average gamer can’t remember what the first amendment is but he sure as hell can recall when and how his beloved 12th level Wizard died. And that’s yet another reason why we love our D&D.

Questions to Ponder: How do you handle deaths in your game? Are they quick and ruthless or do you do anything fun to remember the characters? Do you resurrect any of them or is it a clean break?

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