When I first started playing 13th Age, the living dungeon concept didn’t really click with me. Having spent over two decades in the world’s most popular tabletop roleplaying game, I was used to dungeons as static, trap-filled architecture: dead places built by someone, looted by someone else, and left behind. Dungeons that live, move, and […]
Category Archives: 13th Age
13th Age game
I often talk about how icon relationships are a powerful resource in the players’ hands. In this article, I’m going to discuss how I use the presence of multiple icons as a designer and a GM to make things interesting and challenging for the heroes. The icons provide background and context for the events in […]
It feels like a mere month since I last peered out from the nest to let you know what’s up with Pelgrane Press. That’s because it was a month. Among our efforts to ramp up our activities with my coming on board as Creative Director, we’re endeavoring to return to regular publication for this very […]
(necromancer art from 13 True Ways by Aaron McConnell & Lee Moyer) People have been asking me for the basic changes needed to use character classes from 13 True Ways while playing 13th Age Second Edition. Necessary Changes The simplest answer is that there are no major changes necessary! You’ll note my emphasis on the […]
A column about roleplaying By Robin D. Laws When asked what one can do to be a better player, the first thing I always say is: the mere fact that you’re concerned about this suggests that you’re probably already most of the way there. The second thing I say is: see where the ball is, […]
For the upcoming Paths of the Behemoth sourcebook, I contributed a parade of scavengers and weird mystics who trek along in the wake of the behemoths. I’ve a weakness for eccentric little guys who’ve found some niche and stick with it until they become crazy magic/mutant hermits – and the Dragon Empire setting is full […]
How can/should you change the Icons over the course of a campaign? I remember hearing, maybe at a Gen Con panel, that “If at least one Icon isn’t dead or changed by Epic tier you’re doing something wrong.” Suggestions or musings on how best to do this could be helpful. A great question! I’ll start […]
The upcoming 2nd edition of 13th Age updates the rules, tweaks the classes, gives lots of useful Icon-related advice – and murders the poor Orc Lord. It’s up to you how the Orc Lord perished in your campaign. The Eyes of the Stone Thief campaign does make quite a few references to the Orc Lord, […]
by Rob Heinsoo Tonight’s the night for our Teachers of the Court 13th Age campaign. We just turned 4th level and it’s my job to choose monsters-worth-playtesting for tonight’s action. The campaign is named after the cover story the PCs adopted to put off agents of this campaign’s infernal Archmage: “We’re not weird adventurers, we’re Teachers […]