Summer’s in full swing, and so is the RPG blogosphere! This month, designers and commentators are buzzing about everything from class design to pilgrimage tables, setting theory, OSR culture, and horror one-shots.
1. Deadlock Character Design is Neat + Tabletop Class Specializations via Abilities
Cacklecharm dives into class design inspired by the video game Deadlock’s “balanced kit” hero design. The post explores how active abilities from MOBAs can translate to tabletop RPGs, with each class featuring three key specialties (offense, survival/escape, and support). The author offers sample ability sets for Fighters, Rogues, Mages, and Clerics each with a “Y” stat you increase to specialize. Great food for thought for anyone looking to break out of the “just attack and heal” rut!
2. A Funny Thing Happened on Our Shrine Pilgrimage
Elfmaids & Octopi – by Konsumterra
Want to spice up your fantasy journeys? Konsumterra delivers a massive and playful toolkit for running pilgrimages in your game, d12 and d100 tables galore! There are reasons for pilgrimage, types of pilgrim groups, drama at every stop, weird merchandise, and an epic d100 list of “funny things” that might happen along the way. The result: your party’s next “overland trek” will never be boring again, and you might have a few cultists, weirdos, or holy relics to deal with before it’s over.
3. Thinking About Talking About Setting
The Walking Mind – by Rob Donoghue
Rob Donoghue (co-founder of Evil Hat) gets philosophical about how RPGs present settings. He proposes a three-tier model: Setting (the world), Frame (an immediate slice), and Situation (what’s happening now). Using the Forgotten Realms as an example, he discusses how different players engage at different tiers, and how game designers can structure their setting material for both fun and flexibility. For those interested in campaign prep, publishing models, or designing your own settings, this is a must-read.
4. Broken Hearted
A Knight at the Opera – by Dwiz
Dwiz responds to Quinns’ (of Shut Up & Sit Down) recent OSR review, using it as a jumping-off point for a meditation on the DIY/OSR scene. The post traces the roots of the OSR to “DIY D&D,” celebrates the collaborative, house-rule-driven energy of the early 2010s, and laments the creeping professionalism and rising production values that can sometimes stifle amateur creativity. Newcomers may find the OSR intimidating, but Dwiz argues that the real heartbreaker is thinking you can’t make your own. One of the best “state of the OSR” essays in ages.
5. The Horror at Hickory Park
Tales of the Grotesque and Dungeonesque – by Jack Guignol
Jack Guignol shares an actual play report from a modern-day Call of Cthulhu scenario set in the eerie Hickory Park. What starts as a tense reunion and blackmail plot quickly spirals into supernatural horror: mysterious deaths, time shifts, masked cultists, and a monstrous, four-armed horned beast. The post is a great showcase of how a one-shot mystery can blend nostalgia, cosmic horror, and a total party kill. If you’re looking for CoC scenario inspiration, or just love a good yarn, don’t miss it.
Links to all original posts:
- Deadlock Character Design is neat + Tabletop Class Specializations via Abilities
- A funny thing happened on our Shrine Pilgrimage
- Thinking About Talking About Setting
- Broken Hearted
- The Horror at Hickory Park
Happy gaming!
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