AD&D

I admit I'm not a fan of the "old school" style of play.  A lot of it seems to hinge heavily on metagaming.  If one of your characters died because of brown mold, how do the other ones magically know how to avoid it?  How does one of your characters who is on their first trip out of their home town know to check a long abandoned crypt for live traps on the door handles?  If no one in the group survives the Beholder fight, how does the next group know to be wary of it?  So many questions, not nearly enough answers.

Art from GIS for "Tomb of Horrors"
LooneyDM out

The PCs take a night on the town

The PCs take a night on the town.  As you might expect, the town does not survive.  This is the case with most things the PCs encounter.  For DMs this can become frustrating.  This is where you learn to let go.  Everything you create will likely end up destroyed by the PCs.  Letting go is easier when you don't spend overly long creating any of it.  So learn to be a lazy DM.

LooneyDM out

PC quotes, in honor of the topic.

Wibble: (( we should go back to the main city and buy a ton of airhorns ))
Wibble: (( sonic attack them to death ))

Pliny: (( Holy shit! Nothing saved! ))
Pliny: (( I think this is the first time this has ever happened to me! ))
* Pliny cries tears of joy!

Sora Katra: "Your attack on the khyberspawn allowed us to drive off their army. We should be able to retake The Great Crag today."
I'kishaeila: (( I misread that as kittyspawn. ))

Thransil: (( Screaming Thundering Bow of Songs? ))
Pliny: (( It is the epicest thing ever! ))

Thransil: (( Thransil's amazing diplomacy check wins the day...even though dicekhan is a little bitch ))

Pliny: (( Zombears! ))

Wibble: (( Victoria's Secret Amazon Warriors ))

* Drogun rolls: 1d20 => 3
Drogun: (( where did my feet go!?!? ))
* Iki rolls: d20+19 => 19 + 19 = 38
Iki: (( I found them! ))

Pliny: (( You're logicking it down from panicking? ))
Pliny: (( Man, it's like the opposite of those shows where robots are destroyed by sending them into logic loops ))

Wibble: (( only we can start forest fires! ))

Pliny: (( Are we going to fight zombie trees?!?! ))
Wibble: (( zombie redneck trees! D: ))

I'kishaeila: (( reasoning with the trees... negotiations would go in rings... ))

Animal Companions

There are few options that transfer well between fantasy and more "modern" settings.  The animal companion happens to be one of them.  Of course the type of animal companion tends to vary more in fantasy settings.

 Picture from WIN!
LooneyDM out

Hell Freezes Over

Every DM has a player who they feel will never take certain actions.  Like the player who enjoys their smashy barbarians and fighters who you'd never expect to play a pacifist cleric.  Or the one person who doesn't want to roleplay.  Or the one who doesn't want to participate in combat encounters.  And then one day, hell freezes over.  They change their mind or something shifts in their brain and they're off to the races trying out ideas you never thought they'd even touch.  And you cry tiny tears of joy as a DM that you can never let them see.

LooneyDM out

Prose Descriptive Qualities

There are days when you are in the mood for serious epic adventure, be it fantasy, science fiction, or modern day setting.  Then there are the days when you just want to play the silliest character you can imagine.  Prose Descriptive Qualities is for the latter.  PDQ is one of my favorite RPGs for comedy and other light hearted roleplaying pursuits.  It gets out of the way of your silliness easily.  You can also get it free here
Art from here
LooneyDM out

No Rest

There are always signs your DM is evil.  Sleepiness can be one of them.  Of course there are other signs.  And sleepiness can simply mean they've worked too late prepping the game.  Either way, keep and eye on them.

LooneyDM out

Psionic Mind Blade

Have you ever wanted to play a jedi in D&D?  I know I haven't, but lots of other people have.  Thus goes the many ways of trying to create jedi.  Brilliant energy weapons, mind blades, telekinesis, and suggestion.  All wonderful things to create your jedi.  All on completely different classes.  Sometimes D&D is frustrating like that.  Keeping you from building concepts that don't match the setting.
Art from WotC art gallery
LooneyDM out

Character Traits

Some characters are different, and that's okay.  Some are lumberjacks, and that's okay too.  Some prefer to do different things with their swords.  By all means you should encourage character traits from your players.  That's how you get the really crazy stories, plans, etc.  Which of course is why I DM.
Art from WotC art gallery
LooneyDM out

Thranish Inquisition

I'm sure everyone on the continent of Khorvaire has caught on to the Thranish tricks by now.  Not that they're particularly tricky.  I'm returning to the Eberron theme because, well because I had ideas for it.  That's how the creative juices flow sometimes.  Likely caused by the fact that I'm running two campaigns in Eberron currently so it's on the brain.

Art from WotC Art Gallery
LooneyDM out

Masterwork Tools

Justification is half the battle.  The other half is getting the DM to agree to it.
Art from GIS for "webbed gloves"
LooneyDM out