The RPGA, D&D supplements and me

Over the past few months, I've been running several RPGA D&D sessions (Living Greyhawk; Legacy of the Green Regent) as part of my efforts to provide D&D to those who don't have a regular DM. (I also have a regular D&D campaign which is in its fifth year).

Something that I've found interesting is that recent D&D supplements actually get used in the adventures. It's quite good, actually - there have been times when I thought the books I've bought (mainly in previous editions) were being ignored by adventure writers. And, because they make the assumption that you don't have to own the books, the relevant material gets reprinted or incorporated into the stat blocks.

This is also a feature of the adventures in Dungeon magazine, I hasten to say.

For instance, LGR-17 (Tour of Duty) uses the Frostburn rules for adventuring in cold environments, has the adventurers travelling in snow and across icy lakes (and possibly falling in!), has a Favoured Soul (CD), spells from Frostburn, some Flinds (MM3) and Chraals (MM3).

LGR-18 has Drowned (MM3) and a bunch of other MM3 monsters. Drowned are tough! Mind you, both groups that encountered them managed to defeat them.

I've seen references to Libris Mortis, Fiend Folio and the Book of Vile Darkness.

Coming up in the next couple of months is a Living Greyhawk series of adventures set in the Bright Desert, and thus using Sandstorm - and also permitting the playing of Centaur characters (from Races of the Wild) for some players.

One reason this excites me is because I react better to seeing examples of how new rules and monsters can be used - I didn't really noticed the Drowned (MM3) until now, but now I know about them and I really like them - though I'll be wary when I use them as they are dangerous to unwary characters.

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RPGA adventures aren't for everyone, though. There are some wide variances in style just between the adventures (LGR17 is almost straight combats, though some Living Greyhawk modules are mostly investigation/roleplayings), but they're all constrained by their "tournament" nature - writing an adventure that has to be played in 4 hours or so doesn't allow a lot of room to manuever!

Funnily enough, some of those RPGA modules I've seen heavily criticised (such as LGR17) have been great favourites with my players, who prefer combats to roleplaying... such is the variance in D&D players.

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One thing that using these additional rules references - especially such as Frostburn - has also made very clear to me how much the DM has not been made obsolete. Although the structure of the rules is pretty much comprehensive, the application of those rules still require a master, and an artist.

The mastery is in knowing the rules; the artistry is in knowing when to apply them - and when not to, when such enhances the game.

An interesting passage from the introduction to the LGR adventures: "Use your DM's discretion... If the PCs are having too hard or too easy of a time, feel free to increase or decrease the level of the challenge. The goal is to challenge the PCs, not overwhelm or underwhelm them. The most enjoyable D&D games are the ones where failure and death are a possibility, but success and reward are available through daring and smart play."

Monte Cook recently talked about the difference between the referee DM and the guide DM (Dungeon #118). When running games, I'm now very much a Guide DM - trying to give the players a good time, and not always strictly following the letter of the rules (though I don't deviate that much!)