Toe

I ran a session for a group of 5 on Saturday. Most were new to D&D, with 1 being completely new to RPGs in general. Since it's my first time running a game of D&D (and second time DMing anything) I chose to run the Lost Mines Of Phandelvar from the D&D Starter Set. I think it was a bit of fun. Some of the players easily got into character, and I think playing without a map sheet or models allowed for them to be a little more creative in combat. The early part of this adventure is heavy on combat, and they definitely have picked up on how squishy they are at level one. In fact, the Paladin was already knocked out by a wolf, and had to be saved by the Cleric. After the first season, everyone said they were enjoying themselves. The one player new to roleplaying seemed a bit quiet during gameplay, but she said she was just unsure of where to act and when to interject. In the next session (they are about halfway through the first encounter, and I stopped them right before what could be a very large fight), I am going to try and focus more on her character to get her into it more. The other players don't seem to have any issues. I was intending to play this one with a little more serious tone, until one of the players named themselves Boobs. At that point, I just went with the flow. It was fun!

They played that on Beer And Board Games, and it looked pretty good.

They are missing out! It's so much fun!

Gloom is great - but you need to play with people that enjoy improvising and being creative. If you play with people that just play the cards and don't create a bit of a story, it's a lot less fun.

I don't think this group would want someone they don't know joining them. They are very new to this stuff. I think I'll just keep looking for another player. I can always start the campaign with just the two of them, and then add in a new player when we find one.

I have 2 people interested in trying D&D. I know 2 is not ideal for a group, but am struggling to find a third or fourth player. Do you think it would be OK for me to add myself into the group as a 3rd character while I am also the DM? I'd probably be a support character, and make sure that the character is not leading the group unless they are stuck.

This makes me sad.

I really like those white tops with the red shorts, but I don't think they really work with the blue shorts.

It's a tradition for me - get really drunk one night, get woken up by some obnoxious ray of sunshine peaking through my window, then watch some spring training baseball while nursing a hangover. I'm looking forward to it.

I think it sucks that Batista has come out and been so forward about his demands. It's going to make this a bit of a shit-show, and it's a no-win scenario for the new Jays management... unless they win the World Series.

I love the Polak deal. A second round pick for Polak, and another for Nick Spaling, is pretty good return for players that didn't really fit into the Leafs future plans. Taking on the salary of Torres this seasons means nothing to the future, too.

As a Leafs fan, I hope Michael Therrien and Marc Bergevin are in Montreal for a loooooong time. Their strategy for building a winning team seems to be "let the best goaltender in the league win games for us with no help".

http://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/957821

I'm clearly biased - but I think Ottawa got hosed in that deal. As for you, damshow - I've never heard anyone complain about sightlines or anything in the Bell Centre. I have never gone myself, but know a few that have. Most say it's a good place to see a game.

http://www.tsn.ca/maple-leafs-deal-d-phaneuf-to-senators-in-nine-player-trade-1.435458 Leafs send Dion to the Senators.

I need to upgrade my RAM and video card first. As soon as I do that, I am getting XCOM 2. Everything I see looks amazing.

I was afraid the Leafs were really going to fuck up the logo, but I am pleasantly surprised by what they've come up with. I put it in spoilers below, just because of the size of the image.

I'm excited to see the progress made by Toronto FC. They've made some moves to shore up their goaltending and defence. Last season was the first time they had ever made the playoffs. This year, it's time to make a run.

I had the exact same reaction. I expected something like New Vegas or Fallout 3, where it tells you a little about all the factions.

This could be a great trade for both teams. Nashville has needed a player like Johansen for awhile now, and Jone will now get to be the #1 guy in Columbus. I hope this works out for both of them.

If a mission is going to make it so you can't work with a certain faction, the game tells you with a pop-up before you act.

I just never wore armour, until I could get the armoured clothing from The Railroad. The greaser jacket and jeans was a go-to, as well as a clean black suit.

One game I like more and more every time I play it is Survive. It's easy to learn, so it's great to play with people that aren't into complex games. It's is incredible fun - watching someone stack a life boat with survivors, only to watch it get destroyed by a sea serpent just before getting to safety it priceless. I don't think there is a ton of strategy to it, but it's just chaotic, crazy, and a real blast to play. I highly recommend it. Another one I like that I want to play again soon is Escape: The Curse Of The Temple. It's fast paced and frenetic, and its a fantastic game where everyone has to work together to succeed.

The version on the PS3 and XBox 360 is the same game it was three years ago, pretty much. That's not a bad thing - I really liked the game.