4E Red Box

I have avoided 4th edition Dungeons and Dragons like the plague. I read the quick start when they where released and found the sweeping changes to the game to be abysmal. I detested the focus on combat, the way roleplaying was reduced to a series of skill checks and nothing more. I despised the way the new game attempted to emulate popular computer role playing games. I did not want to play World of Warcraft on my table, I wanted to role play dammit. I maintained these opinions for a long time and I defended 3rd and 2nd edition with all my might, insisting that they where the best systems for Dungeons and Dragons ( while I realize that some old school purists would argue that 1st was the best but I am 29 so my introduction to D and D was 2nd). I wanted nothing to do with the grid-based combat, if I want grid-based combat I will play HeroQuest or Decent. I did not want to have to carry around cards for my characters because they worked on some crazy keyword system that looked more like if-then statements than gaming rules. If I wanted to multi-class into a fighter/ranger/rogue/bard/wizard/druid/monk then I would, because I played 3.5 and was not and will never play 4th.

So, I bought the red box for 4th edition last week.....

Keeping Your Players on Their Toes

Over the years of DMing I have come up with a few ways to keep the players guessing and involved in the game. Some of my tactics have become well known in my groups and the players are constantly on edge of what might happen next. I wanted to share some of the things I have used over the years that I feel made my games more interesting and memorable.