My oh my how that ticking clock of father time goes by…

A year to the day the Internet gave birth to a bouncing baby Ben’sRPGPile.com – a collection of misfit gaming addicts who were hell bent on bringing a better gaming experience to their global D&D RPG brethren.

And what a year it’s been. We’ve been inspired and driven to create a slew of handy home brewed accessories (including our beloved Condition Flags and Hit Dice). We’ve uncovered a clump of handy downloads from fellow skillful inventors (such as the helpful Anatomy of a Combat Turn and Magic Item Cards). And we’ve reviewed a flock of must-have gaming products (including industry legends’ Hirst Arts and Dwarven Forge)

We’ve even blessed the airways with our silly banter and endless laughter with twenty-seven (and counting) weekly video podcasts.

And best of all – we continue to meet a plethora of talented and enthusiastic gamers who simply want to roll for initiative.

Here’s to another year of the ever-growing Pile. Thanks everybody.

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Initial quests are handed out as the group begins its journey to the Labyrinth. Pull up a chair and say hello to new module characters including Vickers and Brugg the Enforcer.

Ben’s RPG Pile took a turn for the very bestest…thanks to another successful trip to the holy land that is called Gencon. With feverish unpacking/sorting and daily UPS drops, it seemed best for this week’s entry to just give a couple sneak peak photos of the many glorious reviews to come.

Fabulous finds came from Wizards of the Coast (minis mania, my friends), Lifelike Little Landscapes, The Army Painter, Arena Gear, Hirst Arts, Miniature Building Authority, Chessex, Paizo, Dark-Platypus Studios, XDM, and many, many more.

All of these items are eventually utilized in our monthly game sessions and then reviewed in this blog and via recorded game footage on www.Justin.tv/bendbuddy.

Ben can’t wait to show you each kick-ass-eth piece from the pile of goodness. Stay tuned!

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To say Ben digs the guys over at Penny Arcade is an understatement. At first one might think what could some comic book guys possibly have to do with D&D? The answer is actually a hell of a frickin’ lot.

It began with their legendary D&D 4E podcast series with Wizards of the Coasts back in May of 2008. And it gleefully continues with a second series in 2009.

The Penny Arcade crew is also starting to sprinkle in some occasional product reviews of D&D accessories too. Even better, they’re creating some homebrew items as well. Check out the cool effect conditions! Of course, Ben wishes he could buy or download them.

So pop over to their Blog for weekly content updates and give their Gabe a say hey on Twitter.

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Sadly, RPG fans have little to choose from in terms of quality audio entertainment. So when one finds a tiny gem among a garbage-sized pile of copper coins, youthful exuberance reigns supreme.

The crown jewel of which I speak is the D&D Podcast with Penny Arcade and PVP. Originally recorded in May of 2008, this podcast is the perfect introduction into the relatively new 4th Edition Dungeons and Dragons. Penny Arcade even sprinkles in some kick-ass comics for added flavor.

The adventuring party is dubbed “Acquisitions Incorporated” and played by a group of guys anybody would kill to drop some dice with on any given game day. My personal favorite character is Jim Darkmagic (of the New Hampshire Darkmagics) but Binwin Bronzebottom is a close second.

My only knock is that the podcasts themselves are often just too darn short (sometimes as little as 30 minutes) and branded merchandise (shirts, mugs, etc) are still nowhere to be found.

Happily, the cast and crew are back with their second series and this time it includes former Star Treker, Wil Wheaton.

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