The Inside Scoop on Gaming

I've been running games of various kinds for well over 10 years now, and I have never seen a GM's guide as comprehensive and just plain useful as the 3e DMG. I really can't heap enough praise on this book.

The book starts with a table of contents and an introduction, with some general guidelines. Nothing to really write home about here.

Chapter One is Dungeonmastering. One of the smaller chapters, this one is also the most useful, especially to beginning DMs. Heck, like I said before, I've been running for over 10 years now and it gave even me a few pointers and things I hadn't thought about. It includes information on helping to teach the game to new players, gives lots of little hints and cheats to make the DM's job easier, discusses style of play, a general description of how to change the rules (and what to consider when doing so), how to handle what happens when you change the rules and make a mistake, how to run a game session (including a bit on jokes and off-topic discussions), quite a bit of info on describing what the characters see, scratch paper tricks, how to "cheat," and a handy game session checklist. It seems to present this, for the most part, on an intelligent, non-preachy level. Most of the suggestions are given as just that, suggestions.

Chapter Two: Characters, deals with alternate ability generation, subraces, how to modify existing races, how to create new races, monsters as PCs, how to modify or create new classes, how to create prestige classes and it gives the new, much awaited, prestige classes and NPC classes (though most of the NPC classes work perfectly well as PC classes, honestly, with the exception of the Commoner). Also provided are variant rules on 1st level multiclassed characters (rules that make sense!), information on advancing in levels, variant rules for learning skills, feats and spells, guildelines for creating characters above 1st level, suggestions for class roles in society, a bit on guilds, the Leadership feat, animal companions and possible tricks for them, and lastly, page after page of pregenned NPC stats. This section should save the average DM a lot of headache and time for NPCs, and makes creating new or variant classes or races a snap. Everything is explained clearly and with a great amount of detail.

Chapter Three: Running the Game, gives some hints, rules and suggestions on combat, spotting distances, variants for the initiative system, how to adjudicate (love that word) not-covered actions and the ever-problematic Ready action. There's also a variant rule for defense rolls, 2 variants for critical hits (instant kill and softer critical hits), a variant (and too-complex, IMHO) rule for firing into a crowd, some variant rules on damage, including damage to specific areas, information on using miniatures and grids (including examples of how several spells would appear on a grid), a section on movement which includes aerial movement, running away and a section entitled "moving around in squares" (anyone that's played 3e with miniatures on a map should read this section before they start thinking that 2 characters can't fit in one square), some damned good information about describing an NPC's actions, a listing (with long, detailed descriptions of how they work) of special abilities (such as poison and energy drain), a section on various conditions (blown away, blinded, cowered) and the rules to govern those conditions, environmental dangers such as landslides, drowning, starving, being blown around by wind, and falling in a river of lava), help and variant rules on ability and skill checks (including guidelines on how to modify the roll, and degrees of success if need be), variants for critical success or failure, a big ol' chart of difficulty class examples (tres useful!), a section on saving throws and how they work, how to describe spell effects and to handle divinations, how to create new spells (and make 'em balanced), and a few spell variants. A lot of information, and all presented in clear, easy to read format. This chapter alone pretty much made the book worth the cover price. Especially the section about lava damage (evil grin).

Chapter 4 is all about Adventures. Types of adventures, motivations, structure of adventures, random and planned encounters, how the challenge ratings system works for encounters, how to make tougher monsters, and, importantly, how to end an adventure. Included here is a discussion about episodic adventures and plot weaving, as well as an important end of adventure checklist. All of this stuff is very good, very useful, but then we come to the section relating specifically to dungeons. Here we get some detail, and I mean detail! Thickness, hardness ratings and hit points of walls, the different types of walls, floors, doors and some descriptions of special stuff that might be found in a dungeon. Can't break through that iron door and want to smash the hinge instead? The hardness and hit points are in here! Wanna punch through a magically-reinforced paper wall? Yeppers, got that, too. There are charts for determining minor and major features and furnishings within a room (like an animal nest or scented oil) for those who want such randomizaiton. There are also traps, both magical and non-magical, and why they should occasionally be used. Ever wonder how much damage you take from a cave in? Yeppers, here it be. Wandering monsters are discussed, as are the now-hazards green slime and yellow and brown molds (looks like we won't be seeing MM entries for these staples since, well, they're no longer monsters). A particularly nice bit of stuff scattered throughout this section is discussions of ecology of the dungeon, which will help make the dungeon seem more sensible. For example, most predators are going to be competing for food, so they're probably not going to lair right next to each other. Doors present problems to most dungeon beasties...no hands. Traps can be problematic too to dungeon dwellers. This chapter also has the long-awaited return of the random dungeon charts. Nice. A sample dungeon has been included. An example of play, very useful to illustrate some of the points presented previously, is also here. Then we move on to wilderness encounters, then how to generate towns (which looks to be pretty interesting and fun!). I love this chapter, but it's not *as* good as chapter 3 was!

Chapter 5 is all about Campaigns. How to establish one, how to keep a sense of time flowing and realism, bulding on the past, relationships, variant rules for upkeep, and other campaign issues like changing alignment and out of control PCs. NPCs get a large section here, and such things as henchmen and followers are described. NPC attitude and a random personality trait chart are given here, and expanded equipment lists including buildings, ships, transportation and siege engines are presented.

Chapter 6 is all about World Building. But, you think, I'm using a pre-created world, so I don't need this chapter! Wrong!! You do need this chapter, with it's discussions on ecology, demographics, economics, politics, religion and war. And it presents weapons for different cultures (like Asian) and timeframes (like futuristic) should you be so bold as to need them. All in all a good chapter, and one I plan to use a lot of! Again, like most of the chapters, this chapter is written clearly and well (although why they used "scattergun" instead of "shotgun" I'll never know...). Another useful bit here is the weapon size and damge chart, so you can see how much that fire-giant sized great axe or that dragon-sized dagger strapped to the dragon's tail does.

Chapter Seven: Rewards is familiar to many of you, because the XP section was posted on the WotC website a while back, so I'm sure a lot of us have read it. I have to just say I LOVE the new XP system so much more than the old one! Also, however, here is the Treasure chart, and it, too, seems to be better than the old A-Z or whatever treasure type table.

Chapter Eight is Magic Items. Now, this was in the old DMGs really the only reason to have the DMG...magic items. Not so in 3e. However, don't even begin to think you've been shorted on the magic items!!!!!! This chapter is 73 pages of item after item after item, including a lengthy description of the game rules needed to create items. Using these guidelines, and the prerequisites given for EACH ITEM, adjudicating item creation should be pretty damned easy now!!

Next up is an appendiz with almost all of the important charts from the PHB as well as the price lists for special and magic items. My only complaint is that I wish these pages were perforated so I could pull 'em out safely! :-) During actual play, I think this appendix will be getting the most use. :-)

The book is wrapped up with a (gasp) USEFUL index!!!!!!! I know, I know, I almost had a heart attack, too.

Overall, the art quality of this book, I felt, was a bit lower than the PHB, but it is in no way bad (in fact, I absolutely love the Arcane Archer and Assassin pix). The book is cleverly and well written, treats you like you aren't an idiot and is useful as all hell. And, it makes an Austin Powers reference. See if you can find it!

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide, 3rd Edition
Author: Monte Cook, et al Category: game Company/Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Line: D&D Cost: $19.95 Page count: 255 ISBN: 0-7869-1551-X SKU: TSR11551 Capsule Review by Prince Nightchilde on 09/13/00. Genre tags: Fantasy	I've been running games of various kinds for well over 10 years now, and I have never seen a GM's guide as comprehensive and just plain useful as the 3e DMG. I really can't heap enough praise on this book. The book starts with a table of contents and an introduction, with some general guidelines. Nothing to really write home about here. Chapter One is Dungeonmastering. One of the smaller chapters, this one is also the most useful, especially to beginning DMs. Heck, like I said before, I've been running for over 10 years now and it gave even me a few pointers and things I hadn't thought about. It includes information on helping to teach the game to new players, gives lots of little hints and cheats to make the DM's job easier, discusses style of play, a general description of how to change the rules (and what to consider when doing so), how to handle what happens when you change the rules and make a mistake, how to run a game session (including a bit on jokes and off-topic discussions), quite a bit of info on describing what the characters see, scratch paper tricks, how to "cheat," and a handy game session checklist. It seems to present this, for the most part, on an intelligent, non-preachy level. Most of the suggestions are given as just that, suggestions. Chapter Two: Characters, deals with alternate ability generation, subraces, how to modify existing races, how to create new races, monsters as PCs, how to modify or create new classes, how to create prestige classes and it gives the new, much awaited, prestige classes and NPC classes (though most of the NPC classes work perfectly well as PC classes, honestly, with the exception of the Commoner). Also provided are variant rules on 1st level multiclassed characters (rules that make sense!), information on advancing in levels, variant rules for learning skills, feats and spells, guildelines for creating characters above 1st level, suggestions for class roles in society, a bit on guilds, the Leadership feat, animal companions and possible tricks for them, and lastly, page after page of pregenned NPC stats. This section should save the average DM a lot of headache and time for NPCs, and makes creating new or variant classes or races a snap. Everything is explained clearly and with a great amount of detail. Chapter Three: Running the Game, gives some hints, rules and suggestions on combat, spotting distances, variants for the initiative system, how to adjudicate (love that word) not-covered actions and the ever-problematic Ready action. There's also a variant rule for defense rolls, 2 variants for critical hits (instant kill and softer critical hits), a variant (and too-complex, IMHO) rule for firing into a crowd, some variant rules on damage, including damage to specific areas, information on using miniatures and grids (including examples of how several spells would appear on a grid), a section on movement which includes aerial movement, running away and a section entitled "moving around in squares" (anyone that's played 3e with miniatures on a map should read this section before they start thinking that 2 characters can't fit in one square), some damned good information about describing an NPC's actions, a listing (with long, detailed descriptions of how they work) of special abilities (such as poison and energy drain), a section on various conditions (blown away, blinded, cowered) and the rules to govern those conditions, environmental dangers such as landslides, drowning, starving, being blown around by wind, and falling in a river of lava), help and variant rules on ability and skill checks (including guidelines on how to modify the roll, and degrees of success if need be), variants for critical success or failure, a big ol' chart of difficulty class examples (tres useful!), a section on saving throws and how they work, how to describe spell effects and to handle divinations, how to create new spells (and make 'em balanced), and a few spell variants. A lot of information, and all presented in clear, easy to read format. This chapter alone pretty much made the book worth the cover price. Especially the section about lava damage (evil grin). Chapter 4 is all about Adventures. Types of adventures, motivations, structure of adventures, random and planned encounters, how the challenge ratings system works for encounters, how to make tougher monsters, and, importantly, how to end an adventure. Included here is a discussion about episodic adventures and plot weaving, as well as an important end of adventure checklist. All of this stuff is very good, very useful, but then we come to the section relating specifically to dungeons. Here we get some detail, and I mean detail! Thickness, hardness ratings and hit points of walls, the different types of walls, floors, doors and some descriptions of special stuff that might be found in a dungeon. Can't break through that iron door and want to smash the hinge instead? The hardness and hit points are in here! Wanna punch through a magically-reinforced paper wall? Yeppers, got that, too. There are charts for determining minor and major features and furnishings within a room (like an animal nest or scented oil) for those who want such randomizaiton. There are also traps, both magical and non-magical, and why they should occasionally be used. Ever wonder how much damage you take from a cave in? Yeppers, here it be. Wandering monsters are discussed, as are the now-hazards green slime and yellow and brown molds (looks like we won't be seeing MM entries for these staples since, well, they're no longer monsters). A particularly nice bit of stuff scattered throughout this section is discussions of ecology of the dungeon, which will help make the dungeon seem more sensible. For example, most predators are going to be competing for food, so they're probably not going to lair right next to each other. Doors present problems to most dungeon beasties...no hands. Traps can be problematic too to dungeon dwellers. This chapter also has the long-awaited return of the random dungeon charts. Nice. A sample dungeon has been included. An example of play, very useful to illustrate some of the points presented previously, is also here. Then we move on to wilderness encounters, then how to generate towns (which looks to be pretty interesting and fun!). I love this chapter, but it's not as good as chapter 3 was! Chapter 5 is all about Campaigns. How to establish one, how to keep a sense of time flowing and realism, bulding on the past, relationships, variant rules for upkeep, and other campaign issues like changing alignment and out of control PCs. NPCs get a large section here, and such things as henchmen and followers are described. NPC attitude and a random personality trait chart are given here, and expanded equipment lists including buildings, ships, transportation and siege engines are presented. Chapter 6 is all about World Building. But, you think, I'm using a pre-created world, so I don't need this chapter! Wrong!! You do need this chapter, with it's discussions on ecology, demographics, economics, politics, religion and war. And it presents weapons for different cultures (like Asian) and timeframes (like futuristic) should you be so bold as to need them. All in all a good chapter, and one I plan to use a lot of! Again, like most of the chapters, this chapter is written clearly and well (although why they used "scattergun" instead of "shotgun" I'll never know...). Another useful bit here is the weapon size and damge chart, so you can see how much that fire-giant sized great axe or that dragon-sized dagger strapped to the dragon's tail does. Chapter Seven: Rewards is familiar to many of you, because the XP section was posted on the WotC website a while back, so I'm sure a lot of us have read it. I have to just say I LOVE the new XP system so much more than the old one! Also, however, here is the Treasure chart, and it, too, seems to be better than the old A-Z or whatever treasure type table. Chapter Eight is Magic Items. Now, this was in the old DMGs really the only reason to have the DMG...magic items. Not so in 3e. However, don't even begin to think you've been shorted on the magic items!!!!!! This chapter is 73 pages of item after item after item, including a lengthy description of the game rules needed to create items. Using these guidelines, and the prerequisites given for EACH ITEM, adjudicating item creation should be pretty damned easy now!! Next up is an appendiz with almost all of the important charts from the PHB as well as the price lists for special and magic items. My only complaint is that I wish these pages were perforated so I could pull 'em out safely! :-) During actual play, I think this appendix will be getting the most use. :-) The book is wrapped up with a (gasp) USEFUL index!!!!!!! I know, I know, I almost had a heart attack, too. Overall, the art quality of this book, I felt, was a bit lower than the PHB, but it is in no way bad (in fact, I absolutely love the Arcane Archer and Assassin pix). The book is cleverly and well written, treats you like you aren't an idiot and is useful as all hell. And, it makes an Austin Powers reference. See if you can find it! Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide, 3rd Edition