Tag Archives: D&D Championship

How Character Death Lands D&D in a Tug-of-War Between Game and Story

Posted on November 19, 2019 by David Hartlage

Character death has always torn Dungeons & Dragons between game and story. The threat of death makes the game exciting, but actual death brings a character’s story to an unsatisfying end that can disrupt a campaign. Without characters facing the … Continue reading →

Posted in Role-playing game design, Role-playing game history | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Origins 2017: Choose Your Own Dungeons & Dragons Adventure

Posted on June 27, 2017 by David Hartlage

This year at Origins, I split my time between serving as a dungeon master, and playing in Dungeons & Dragons games. Remember the disappearing McFly family photo from Back to the Future? It gave Marty McFly a look at his … Continue reading →

Posted in Conventions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Dungeons & Dragons at the 2016 Origins Game Fair

Posted on June 27, 2016 by David Hartlage

For many gamers, the Origins Game Fair feels just the right size. Unlike Winter Fantasy, the convention offers diversions beyond non-stop Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder. Unlike Gen Con, you don’t face a city and a convention center crowded to … Continue reading →

Posted in Conventions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Why the awesome Dungeons & Dragons Championship should return

Posted on April 13, 2015 by David Hartlage

As a kid playing sports, I had no role other than the goat—the guy who screwed up and caused everyone to lose. When people talk about the magic of youth sports, about how they build teamwork and character and leaders, … Continue reading →

Posted in Role-playing game history | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

Little-known D&D classics: Fez

Posted on August 18, 2014 by David Hartlage

In 1980, the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Open tournament played much like D&D games at home. The scenarios included dungeon exploration and fights with a dash of problem solving. Success came from quick play and cooperation. The Against the Slave … Continue reading →

Posted in Role-playing game history | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

9 popular things in D&D that I fail to appreciate

Posted on January 29, 2014 by David Hartlage

I love Dungeons & Dragons enough to spend money to write a blog about it, but I dislike some elements of fantasy role playing. Perhaps “dislike” is too strong. I don’t want to squash your fun. This is not a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Gen Con 2013 recap and the D&D Championship visits the Lost City

Posted on August 21, 2013 by David Hartlage

I’m back from Gen Con and four days of terrific gaming. For this year, Wizards of the Coast elected to focus its attention on exposing as many as possible to Dungeons & Dragons Next, and so they dropped all Living … Continue reading →

Posted in Living Forgotten Realms | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Picturing the dungeon – boxed text

Posted on November 15, 2012 by David Hartlage

As a dungeon master, I work to avoid confusion at the table, but from time to time, players misunderstand something in the game world.  “If I had realized the standing stones were only 18 inches high, I wouldn’t have tried … Continue reading →

Posted in Role-playing game history | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Battle maps take over Dungeons & Dragons

Posted on November 5, 2012 by David Hartlage

Early versions of Dungeons & Dragons always included miniature rules for movement, range, area effects, and even for actions similar to attacks of opportunity. But I never witnessed those rules in action. They seemed to require miniatures. Collecting miniatures cost … Continue reading →

Posted in D&D fourth edition, Role-playing game history | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments