Tag Archives: Wizards of the Coast

Vault of the Dracolich (2013): Greatest D&D Adventures Since 1985—Number 7

Posted on June 4, 2019 by David Hartlage

Vault of the Dracolich is a D&D Next adventure By Mike Shea, Scott Fitzgerald Gray, and Teos Abadia for level 4 characters. The Living Greyhawk organized-play campaign pioneered a popular new way to play Dungeons & Dragons at conventions. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Role-playing game history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

In 1981 a Troll Named Grimtooth Set a Path for Today’s D&D Books

Posted on April 30, 2019 by David Hartlage

Starting in 1981, Flying Buffalo Games published a series of Grimtooth’s Traps books. They featured diagrams of traps that showed heroes on the verge of being folded, spindled, and mutilated. For instance, one sample shows a covered pit trap where … Continue reading →

Posted in D&D fifth edition, Role-playing game history | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

The Unintended Consequence That Ruined Fourth Edition D&D’s Chance of Success, But Proved Great for Gamers

Posted on July 3, 2018 by David Hartlage

Publicly, members of Wizards of the Coast’s Dungeons & Dragons team never discuss sales numbers. Privately, they dispute the notion that the Pathfinder role-playing game ever outsold fourth-edition D&D. But at Gen Con, late in the short life of fourth … Continue reading →

Posted in Role-playing game history | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Why Fourth Edition Never Saved Dungeons & Dragons

Posted on June 12, 2018 by David Hartlage

“Fourth edition Dungeons & Dragons is all about taking that things that work in D&D, keeping them in the game, and fixing everything else,” designer Mike Mearls wrote after the edition’s announcement in 2007. “That’s the goal, and I think … Continue reading →

Posted in D&D fourth edition, Role-playing game design, Role-playing game history | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Why Fourth Edition Seemed Like the Savior Dungeons & Dragons Needed

Posted on June 5, 2018 by David Hartlage

In 2005, Dungeons & Dragons faced a possible future similar to the fate of another popular role-playing game, Vampire: The Masquerade. In this future, D&D only exists as a license for online games and t-shirts and another potential movie. The … Continue reading →

Posted in D&D fourth edition, Role-playing game history | Tagged , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

The Threat that Nearly Killed Dungeons & Dragons—Twice

Posted on May 29, 2018 by David Hartlage

Despite the alarmists warning that things like ascending armor classes, women, or fourth edition would ruin Dungeons & Dragons, the game has only faced one serious threat. Ascending ACs are just easier, woman have been improving the game at least … Continue reading →

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

Basic and Advanced—Why Gary Gygax claimed Advanced Dungeons & Dragons was a different game (Part 6)

Posted on January 9, 2017 by David Hartlage

The Story of Basic and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Part 1: The time Dungeons & Dragons split into two games Part 2: Dungeons & Dragons’ new audience versus its original rules Part 3: Dungeon & Dragons goes two directions Part … Continue reading →

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

How the end of lonely fun leads to today’s trickle of D&D books

Posted on August 31, 2016 by David Hartlage

Role-playing gaming must rate as the cheapest entertainment around. Even if a game master buys an adventure to run, five other people get hours of fun from the purchase. And those hours come from a slim packet of pages. A … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 27 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 , , , | 12 Comments

The new D&D miniatures line should add these figures that have never been done before

Posted on February 21, 2014 by David Hartlage

Last week, Wizards of the Coast announced a deal with WizKids to produce pre-painted, plastic miniatures for Dungeons & Dragons. These new figures will accompany the D&D Next release this summer. As with the Pathfinder Battles miniatures, also from WizKids, … Continue reading →

Posted in Miniatures | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments