Jamison Stone's Blog, page 9

D&D's Magic Cards - It's Time to See Legends

The most ambitious crossover in the history of Wizards of the Coast continues. Adventures in the Forgotten Realms is previewing more and more cards for the latest Magic the Gathering expansion, which is finally bringing the legendary D&D setting to my favourite card game.

We've seen the firs glimpse at some of the new cards on a previous article, including the Chaotic Evil goddess of the dragons. We have fewer cards to show off today, however, they're all characters with deep lore going back to the formation of Dungeons and Dragons.

Just like in the previous post, I'm going to talk about their D&D significance, but how well they'll play in the many different game formats of Magic.

Pick A Card

We start with the legendary king of the Dwarves. The high power to low toughness on a 4 mana Dwarf puts him on the more aggressive end. There is already a great deal of Equipment support in the current Standard, from Zendikar with cards like Maul of the Skyclaves. This free equipping will be quite valuable in a Red/White Warrior Equipment deck.

As for Commander, he holds the same Boros flavour as the likes of Akiri or Jor Kadeen, and will work leading similar decks.

Bruenor Magic cards

The subject of numerous novels has finally made his way onto a Legendary Creature card. He's also the first creature card to sport the “Ranger” card subtype, which is an amazing precedent. Will they save it just for him, or will they errata some old Scouts to Rangers?

As a card, he's very interesting. He comes with his panther companion, as all rangers should, and that synergises with his consistent growing ability. Stacking up counters on this Double Striking threat will be a welcome challenge, and may put him at the top end of Standard creature midrange, or at the very least another beater in deck like Atraxa.

Drizzt Magic Cards

All Hail Spider Mommy! The immense demonic queen of spiders gets the Planeswalker treatment. Which means there was a possibility that she was summoned to fight in the War of the Spark? I'll scratch my chin about that later.

The playability of Spider Mom is immense. There are ways to easily emblem and ultimate her when she enters play, just by letting 4+ of your own guys die. She feeds on death. That emblem turbo charges the damage dealt by your attacking force, by ensuring your team always deals at least eight damage. The -3 creates the spiders you'd expect to move with her, but I'm equally surprised she doesn't create Yochlol's.

Lolth Magic Cards

Collected Company

Legendary characters have translated perfectly into Magic from the Forgotten Realms. The alternate art versions feature art much like the original source books, while our lady of the spiders looks resplendent in full art. As exciting it is to see these cards, I'm personally hoping to get as much substance as style. I'm eager to see the more mundane cards that fill out a set and how they'll translate the best in TTRPG into the best of CCG gaming.

Now we want to hear from you. Are you excited to see the cross over of D&D and Magic? Which characters and items do you want made into cards? Let us know in our discord server or in the comments below.

Adam Ray contributes much for adventurers here on Apotheosis Studios. As co-founder of fantasticuniverses.com , he writes about card gaming and PC gaming to a corner of the internet he carved out himself. On Youtube, he can be found game mastering for No Ordinary Heroes , or editing the antics on The Hostile Atmosphere . Follow his Twitter @IzzetTinkerer.

Half-Elf, Pink, and the Bard - A Review of 1 For All

I am constantly scouring the internets for the tastiest content in and around the things I love. It's kind of all I do. New ways to optimise how I play Battle Royales. New decks in my plethora of card games. New things to bring into play in Dungeons and Dragons. So when my attention happens across excellent visual media like this, not only am I all over it, I'll rewatch this excellent slice of internet TV multiple times and look into the very attractive and talented people who made it.

Deerstalker Productions Presents All For 1

All For 1 is a web series on YouTube by Deerstalker Productions from Australia. These independent film makers have done wonderful things with cosplay showcases in the worlds of League of Legends, Overwatch, and AFK Arena. When you have professional grade costuming and make up, why wouldn't you use it to make cosplay? It's the right thing to do.

Half-Elf, Pink, and the Bard - Photo by Deerstalker Productions

The first episode of their Dungeons and Dragons themed web series, came out tail end of 2019. It features a Fighter, Bard, and nondescript Mage (likely a Sorcerer) meeting at a tavern. We go through all the tropes of a common table together – bad Perception and Stealth rolls. The Bard trying to seduce key NPCs. Party guests in the form of an overacting Warlock and frustrated Cleric. The murderhobo problem, and the dreaded Rules Lawyer are all addressed in this hilarious series.

As the world closed for obvious reasons, there was a possibility that this series would go down with the company. A sponsorship from Film Australia saved them. Yes. The Australian Government is sponsoring D&D comedy.

The latest episode, Bardic Inspiration, released one week ago is truly their best. The first one I saw, it provides the perfect entry point for the whole season, or a dramatic turn towards their being a big creator of D&D content. The constant show tune that tells the story is swelling and grips you from the off. Knowing the characters, you can instantly understand why they're there, and root for their daring antics – but if the characters are new to you, then you learn all you need to know from the perfectly paced song.

Adventures Aplenty

I love the trope in live-action D&D media which features the characters at their best in accurate settings and period costumes, but it frequently cuts to the same actors playing the same characters around the table. They follow the format consistently, and the added comedy of the Dungeon Master being every NPC in the earlier episodes makes such extra comedy.

The cast, playing their characters at, with a spectating cat - seems like a normal sight - photo by deerstalker productions

This is a series I'm going to keep up with very closely, as it's the kind of content I'd love to make. My background in writing, intense knowledge of D&D, and expertise in movie making could see it become possible. That's how I know this show to be a winner: it's brought legitimate Bardic Inspiration. You can find the entire series for yourself on their YouTube channel right here.

Now we want to hear from you. Are you excited for the next episode? What other live action D&D and gaming productions do you watch? Let us know in our discord server or in the comments below.

Originally Posted on Fantastic Universes

Adam Ray contributes much for adventurers here on Apotheosis Studios. As co-founder of fantasticuniverses.com , he writes about card gaming and PC gaming to a corner of the internet he carved out himself. On Youtube, he can be found game mastering for No Ordinary Heroes , or editing the antics on The Hostile Atmosphere . Follow his Twitter @IzzetTinkerer.

Keeping Close to Your Pets to see if They're Adventure Ready

I'm a big fan of offbeat internet humour that brings game logic into the real world. The Unraveled series by Polygon has been doing just that for years. I've also learned a lot about video editing from its delightful host Brian David Gilbert.

My favourite episode of that web series also happens to be the one which links back to Dungeons and Dragons the most closely. The video is a few years old, but its mass of views keeps it immensely relevant and the activity inside is a lot of fun.

Pet Hit Points

Calculating your pet's HP and level is indeed a great way to become close and connected with your hair baby (or scale baby, or leaf baby). It's also handy to know the overall power level of all the people in your immediate party to make sure you're optimised for whatever chaotic mess the universe will throw next.

My Cat Mimi in her nest - photo by Adam ray

I think it's high time I did some animal magic, and calculated the HP of my cat Mimi. Mimi is one of my favourite people in the world. She was adopted from the Cat's Protection League, after being rescued from a not-nice start as a stray. She went from very wary, to very loving in a few months, but her natural instincts to hunt and be generally mistrusting of strangers.

So, we're going to apply a little gaming logic to get a scientific read on my cat's level and hit points. Obviously we have the stat blocks for cat's and dogs in the back of the Monster Manual but that's for NPC pets, a player character like yours and mine, as well as familiars and Ranger Companions have many more.

In terms of the classes which work best for pets; Barbarian, Cleric, Paladin, Ranger, and Rogue, I feel that Barbarian is the best fit for my Mimi. She's not stealthy, she's very chatty, and she demands attention constantly.

my filled in data sheet for mimi - HP Behavior Data Sheet created by brian david Gilbert and olivia wang

She gained many points in funny vocalisation, and by lightly attacking for attention, she got quite a lot of XP in “impolite action”. She's recently been demanding playtime from us, and even though she has an array of sophisticated cat toys, her favourite is a length of elastic. The endless hours of her chasing the string instead of the bigger toys truly shows her uncaring towards smart things.

Number Crunching

When you boil down the actions, you multiply them by their weight, and you get your pet's level. Then a modifier according to your pet's type gives you your pet's HP in PC character terms.

I observed Mimi the cat for 6 hours and concluded she's a level 28 Barbarian. Which means, according to this table, she has a whopping 235 hit points. I feel closer to her all the more, just knowing this key and important detail, but I feel that some amount of power gaming is in order to up her numbers.

Now we want to hear from you. Will you do this calculation with your pets? What offbeat gaming logic do you think could be applied to normal life? Let us know in our discord server or in the comments below.

Adam Ray contributes much for adventurers here on Apotheosis Studios. As co-founder of fantasticuniverses.com , he writes about card gaming and PC gaming to a corner of the internet he carved out himself. On Youtube, he can be found game mastering for No Ordinary Heroes , or editing the antics on The Hostile Atmosphere . Follow his Twitter @IzzetTinkerer.

Iron Elementals - the Undergrounds Eternal Guardians

Elementals are second only to dragons for my favourite type of monster in Dungeons and Dragons. There's something truly magical about a living being made of something otherwise lifeless and inert. Air, earth, fire, and water taking humanoid forms is otherworldly and enchanting. Something truly draws me in. They're not just mesmerising to me, there's something alchemical.

Speaking of alchemy!

The four elements, that make up most elementals in Dungeons and Dragons, were chosen that way because alchemists in our real world believed that some combination of those four elements made up the entire world, and the people in it. As the centuries rolled on, other less mystical elements began to fill what people thought made the universe. All until Dimitry Mendeleev made an early, beta version of the periodic table.

How different would fantasy fiction be, if any alchemical building block could become an elemental?

Iron Elementals

Iron is a very symbolic metal, and one that has been used by civilisations since time began. It's the base of steel and one of the seven key metals in alchemy that mystics sought to transmute.

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The iron elemental stands viglant - ‘Bosh Iron Golem’ by Brom

Iron elementals exist in places between elemental extreme fire and deep earth. They have immense, hulking forms, with jagged, rough spikes. They take on an overall reddish grey colour, made of ferrite and other ores, more than the pure metal itself. The endless smelting process inside chaotic areas of our world can often enchant the iron to life.

These iron elementals are rare, and often found underground, in kingdoms who mine endlessly underground. It's worth noting these are different from golems. A golem is built by magical means to fulfil the whims of a creator. Iron elementals are independent, free thinking beings.

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Iron Elemental Stats generated with Homebrewery

In these places deep underground, the deep red grey coloured entities stand as eternal guardians over one location. They choose a single place and become a sentinel over it, unmoving. No one is sure why they choose this, but their diligence has been spoken of in myths of underground civilisations for centuries. This makes an iron elemental an immense challenge to overcome, as they will steadfastly defend a randomly chosen place. If it's a narrow road, or the entrance to an underground stronghold, no one will pass.

This fierce guardianship can work in the favour of some who are particularly shrewd. In times of great danger, someone with a good set of Charisma abilities can easily trick the elemental into believing its sacred place is in danger. To go forth and defeat a potential future threat to its location is the only reason an iron elemental would ever leave its home.

Ironclad Defender

The iron elemental stands tall over a place it loves and devotes itself to. It can work in the favour of some parties, but others will feel the heavy crush of iron fists under them as they try to go somewhere very heavily guarded.

Now we want to hear from you. What sites would an iron elemental stand guard at? Are you interested in seeing other metals or alchemical components make it to elemental status? Let us know in our discord server or in the comments below.

Adam Ray contributes much for adventurers here on Apotheosis Studios. As co-founder of fantasticuniverses.com , he writes about card gaming and PC gaming to a corner of the internet he carved out himself. On Youtube, he can be found game mastering for No Ordinary Heroes , or editing the antics on The Hostile Atmosphere . Follow his Twitter @IzzetTinkerer.

"D&D in a Castle" with Satine Phoenix NEW Sirens: Battle of the Bards Kickstarter Add-On!

So very excited to announce that we have just added "D&D in a Castle" with Satine Phoenix as a NEW Add-On! We have two different dates for 2021, Sept. 5 - 9, and Sept. 9 - 13 with accommodations for 1 or 2 so you can bring a friend or loved one, too! These Sirens: Battle of the Bards Kickstarter add-ons are available now, and are LIMITED with only a few openings available!

Tickets and accommodations for 1 at D&D in a Castle

Play in the world of Salvata with its creator Satine Phoenix this September at D&D in a Castle, the luxury vacation for geeks. Includes one Courtyard Classic bedroom ($1700 value) and registration for one person at the “Battle of the Bards” table run by Satine Phoenix ($2850 value). Transportation not included. All guests must accept the terms and conditions of the event at dndinacastle.com/terms-and-conditions. Total value ($4,550)

D&D in a Castle is presented by Tabletop Vacations Inc

Tickets and accommodations for 2 at D&D in a Castle
Bring a friend and play in the world of Salvata with its creator Satine Phoenix this September at D&D in a Castle, the luxury vacation for geeks. Includes one Courtyard Classic bedroom that sleeps two people ($1700 value) and registration for two people at the “Battle of the Bards” table run by Satine Phoenix ($5,700). Transportation not included. All guests must accept the terms and conditions of the event at dndinacastle.com/terms-and-conditions. Total value ($7,550)

D&D in a Castle is presented by Tabletop Vacations Inc

 Learn more at www.DnDinaCastle.com
 

Here's the link to upgrade the room

Come and relax with us and meet new friends as you play the D&D in a real castle in Northern England. A world-class Dungeon Master will take you through a three-day-long campaign while games and frivolity fill your days with a host of new friends.

We provide our guests with the ultimate opportunity to connect with the game they love and forge lifelong relationships in an unforgettable setting.

Everything you need is provided so that you can focus on your game. Enjoy fine dining for each meal and want for nothing during your games with snacks and beverages (alcohol not included).

Each of our DMs has been hand-selected to provide a unique and enthralling three-day campaign. We have an assortment of award-winning writers, popular streamers, and well-respected industry professionals.

D&D in a Castle is a four-day luxury vacation that offers a truly unique experience for new and experienced players.

Gaming's Ambitious Crossover - D&D and Magic Back Together Again

We here at Apotheosis Studios deeply love anything new to the world of Dungeons and Dragons. So it's a point of high excitement for us all, and for me personally, when it seems like the most ambitious crossover in gaming history is finally coming – and coming over 25 years late if you ask me!

Magic: the Gathering is the other great title published by Wizards of the Coast. The first trading card game was dreamt up by game designer Richard Garfield when he was bored in line at a D&D convention. The high fantasy flavour was done to mirror those themes, and has gone on to be the consistent flavour in the card game as a whole.

With both games being absolute titans in their respective fields, we've seen them start to intersect in the past few years. Magic's locations and characters have started appearing in D&D world books in both Plane Shifts, as well as, Guildmaster's Guide and Mythic Odyssey. This is the first time D&D has appeared in Magic cards.

There haven't been many cards shown, but I'll talk about them all here from the perspective of both an avid Dungeons and Dragons and Magic player.

Stacking the Deck

The 9th level Enchantment Power Word Kill has made it as a card very similar to Doom Blade. With the Standard rotation coming soon, I can very much see Power Word Kill replacing Eliminate in the decks that like to consistently kill things.

Portable Hole, Power word kill, and prosperous inkeeper magic cards

The classic Magic Item, Portable hole, has made it as a deceptively powerful O-Ring like Artifact. While this will be great in Standard and Historic to bust up the Glass Caskets and Seal Aways that have taken your things. I can even think of this being effective in older formats, reset with cards like Flickerwisp to take cards like Aether Vial or Noble Hierarch.

Prosperous Inkeeper is the first creature printed with the iconic D&D race. I'm certain this will be the first of many, and Green or White is the logical colour for these kind, small folk. An effect similar to Soul Warden is a nice and caring thing you'd expect.

Vorpal Sword - all Versions

The Sword which can cut off an enemies' head on a natural 20 is here giving a cheap but relevant buff to an aggressive Black deck, but the possibility to one-shot your opponent is funny. Not something I imagine seeing much competitive play, but a fun card nevertheless. The alternate artworks for it look wondrous too.

The evil dragon god has made her way from Challenge 30 stat block to a Legendary card. Incredibly fun and powerful, being able to essentially draw the 5 best dragons in your deck, while making a 7/7 that flies is an immense power play. Outside the Commander format, I'm unsure if Tiamat does much. The cost to play her is so steep, and the restriction of needing 5, different named dragons is incredibly restricting. In Commander however, she's excellent alongside The , and her alternate artwork is something to truly lust after.

Tiamat Cards - All Versions

The Realms of Adventure

The one thing that ties Magic and D&D together is the realms of adventure they both happen in. The lands that make up the settings campaigns happen in is the same as the land cards that work as the resource for your plays. The lands in this set feature narration that I could hear the best Game Masters retelling to their players. Such a fun inclusion.

Now we want to hear from you. Are you excited to see classic Dungeons and Dragons in your Magic cards? What other D&D tropes do you hope have made it into the TCG? We're going to look closely as more of these cards are released. Until then let us know your thoughts in our discord server or in the comments below.

Basic lands have the dm’s narration

Adam Ray contributes much for adventurers here on Apotheosis Studios. As co-founder of fantasticuniverses.com , he writes about card gaming and PC gaming to a corner of the internet he carved out himself. On Youtube, he can be found game mastering for No Ordinary Heroes , or editing the antics on The Hostile Atmosphere . Follow his Twitter @IzzetTinkerer.

The Doom of Nations and Bane of Parties - The Maelstrom of Ending

Forces of nature have been revered and worshipped as gods since the beginning of time. The ocean has been given names like Poseidon by the Greeks while the clouds are the domain of figures such as Thor. Natural forces are immense and change constantly.

The cloud has left endless devastation in its wake - Crying Sky by Yang Xueguo

The shifting miasmas over us bring rain that feeds the land. Sometimes these presences over our heads can bring foreboding. That dark cloud on the horizon brings a storm, and has been used time and again in fiction to be a metaphor for impending doom. But what if it's more than that. What if in the worlds of Dungeons and Dragons, the cloud itself is the doom.

Maelstroms of Ending

Some get truly miserable when the weather is bad. The looming black clouds on the horizon bring a storm that most people do not want to have to weather. It'd be totally different if the storm had swirling, malevolent faces spewing vitriol and doom.

Ending Maelstroms appear overhead as immense storm clouds. Roiling black plumes twist around themselves as they drift across the sky. The closer a person looks, the more they can see the details in its shape. Twisting faces and skulls whirl around each other letting the acidic contents dribble free and tarnish the earth beneath them.

There are times when air elementals can gain a charge of dark magical energy. This is usually from places deep underground or from the realm of shadow. It takes in toxic matter that wears down the soul of other living beings.

By being tainted in this manner, the maelstroms become very destructive and eternally hungry. They drift across the skies of many worlds, seeking to consume other clouds and living things in the air. As they pass over populated areas or wandering strangers, the rains tumble from its immense form.

Like all clouds, maelstroms exist tens of thousands of feet above the ground. Well out of the range of most spells or all ranged weaponry. The rain that maelstroms drop bring corrosion but also ground dwelling beings that destroy in service for the cloud. Defeating smaller beings greatly hinder the life of the maelstrom. The maelstroms also branch around high points, mountains and tall super structures. If the characters scaled such things, they'd be able to walk into the cloud itself, where it would be susceptible to all their attacks.

maelstrom of ending stats generated with hOMEBREWERY

Toxic Deluge

thrall of the cloud stats generated with homebrewery

The Maelstroms of Ending are named as such. The black, acid rain of these living evil clouds have wiped kingdoms off the face of history. An entity like this could dominate the arc of a campaign, as players strive to learn more, find a weakness or way to ascend, while racing against time to save their home before it washes away in deadly precipitation.

Now we want to hear from you. Would a maelstrom ever appear over a city in the games you GM? What inventive ways would your characters try to take out a death cloud? Let us know in our discord server or in the comments below.

Adam Ray contributes much for adventurers here on Apotheosis Studios. As co-founder of fantasticuniverses.com , he writes about card gaming and PC gaming to a corner of the internet he carved out himself. On Youtube, he can be found game mastering for No Ordinary Heroes , or editing the antics on The Hostile Atmosphere . Follow his Twitter @IzzetTinkerer.

Ice Elementals - The Savage Cold that Grows with the Freeze

I honestly love Elementals. As a creature type, they're so evocative and imposing. A being made of immense hulking shapes of air, earth, fire, or water is a constant and present threat in both fantasy and science fiction. In most tabletop role playing games, they're animated by immense and powerful magic or come from their own realm.

In past articles, I've explored some truly unique elemental monsters. In Dungeons and Dragons, most elementals exist as other forms of the four cardinal elements. I mixed together the elemental pairs to make six strange things, some of them twice over.

I also know that some of the elements have very different forms. Sometimes the air is dense and heavy with other gases that people cannot breathe, and sometimes water freezes.

Ice Elementals

Ice is one of the most abundant and strange materials on most worlds. Scientists still don't really know why it's slippery. The water that a person thinks is on the surface could not have been melted off when a person walks on it or from the much warmer air around it. Ice is very strange, so a being made of ice is just as distorting and dangerous.

The freeze can take all that it wants - Embodiment of Spring by Wayne Reynolds

The hulking white/blue figure of the ice elemental is a common sight in the coasts and tundras of most worlds. The jagged, uneven shapes of spikes and icicles lope around as crunching snow in its joints and constantly dripping limbs trail across the wilderness.

Ice Elemental Stats generated with Homebrewery

Ice expands when it freezes, one of the few substances in existence that does. As an ice elemental seeks out more and more water to freeze and take into its body, it grows as it does so. The As it takes in more water, the ice extrudes out into its body, making it taller or bulkier, growing extra limbs or better senses. It may be able to keep some of the water in looser crystals inside its body to hurl as a projectile, like a shard or in harsh winds. No two ice elementals are the same.

There is an unexpected benefit of this constant freezing and taking in water; it makes them very resilient. By plunging a limb into a pool or by simply taking water vapour out of the atmosphere, the elemental can quickly heal a lot of the injuries that have befallen it.

The Frost Bites Back

Ice elementals are a common blight for those living in arctic conditions. Sometimes in places where water is abundant and the temperatures are low, elemental water can freeze into an ice elemental, making them very common underground or on mountain peaks.

Now we want to hear from you. Where would ice elementals appear in games you GM? What other elements do you seek to fight, or hope to avoid fighting? Let us know in our discord server or in the comments below.

Adam Ray contributes much for adventurers here on Apotheosis Studios. As co-founder of fantasticuniverses.com , he writes about card gaming and PC gaming to a corner of the internet he carved out himself. On Youtube, he can be found game mastering for No Ordinary Heroes , or editing the antics on The Hostile Atmosphere . Follow his Twitter @IzzetTinkerer.

Keep the Magic Up by Throwing Spell Bombs in Battle

In the worlds of fantasy tabletop roleplaying games, the levels of magic and technology are always up for the Game Master to balance. I personally love the convention that most fantasy fiction is starting to move towards; that the world's overall technology level is in what we would know as the Renaissance. Science is just starting to get good, but magic dominates people's daily lives.

I've also played in games where we've had to use our spells to defend ourselves from a cyborg dragon while we were robbing a mag-lev train. Things can vary wildly depending on who runs your games. Though the overall tech levels of my games are kind of stuck in that one time, I think it's good to get a spread of what magic items could do.

Off with a bang, but helping or damaging? - Sunbeam Spellbomb by JIm nelson

This is the second Loot Drop I've written, and those are good for just about any world. I keep my magic items to be mechanics neutral, to inspire Game Masters to make them work in whichever system you play. For those who like a bit of sci-fantasy, I have the loot just for your games: spellbombs!

Spellbombs

There are many mechanics that allow a spellcaster to transfer the energy into another form. Storing them in a scroll or diluting them into a potion is common for most. There are even some grand robots that can have spells stored in their bodies to cast at their master's command. I want to take a more explosive thought.

The shell of a spellbomb is heavily runed to absorb a spell cast onto it. A low level spell is taken inside the metal casing. Pulling the pin and letting the shell shatter releases the spell as if it were cast.

The boom spells help and doom - Necrogen Spellbomb by Jim Nelson

It's often an idea to fill it with fire or lightning to turn it into some magical grenade. Why stop there? Imagine putting a summoning spell or healing spell into the spellbomb. When things seem dire, throwing a spellbomb on the ground, loaded with a fast travel spell can be the quick getaway you need. Even in a tense fight, leaving the players beaten and haggard, dropping a healing spellbomb, showering your team in white light can turn the tide.

Hands of the Inventor

To be able to save spells is a rare and costly thing. To keep it balanced, the lowest forms of magic in the systems you use could be contained in the casing of a spellbomb. Their volatile nature may lead to mishaps in their making, and perhaps special magical components are needed to put them together.

Now we want to hear from you. How would spellbombs feature in games you GM? What inventive uses can you think of, having a spell saved up for later? Let us know in our discord server or in the comments below.

Adam Ray contributes much for adventurers here on Apotheosis Studios. As co-founder of fantasticuniverses.com , he writes about card gaming and PC gaming to a corner of the internet he carved out himself. On Youtube, he can be found game mastering for No Ordinary Heroes , or editing the antics on The Hostile Atmosphere . Follow his Twitter @IzzetTinkerer.

The Endless Watcher Looks Over All Things with Thoughtful Patience

The Keepers are a rare and strange kind of creature that exist far from the understanding of mortals in most worlds of Dungeons and Dragons. All thinking creatures share certain concepts and ideas, enough to literally birth immense celestial beings that do their best to inspire and spread the thing they are incarnates of.

This leads to an interesting dilemma about the mortality of a Keeper. As they exist only as a manifestation of concepts like anxiety, violence, and determination, they can exist as long as that concept is held in at least one thinking mind. This makes truly killing a Keeper impossible. When their corporeal forms are destroyed, they reappear in the Astral Plane a few short days later, ready to continue.

This is the latest in a long line of articles written showing off the Keepers.

The Endless Watcher

A thing well done must not be rushed. There must be thought, contemplation, and deep meditation applied with everything. Sure, the impulsive can leap into action, but having thought up a backup plan and having the insight to know what to do. The ones who slow down and think have learned patience from The Endless Watcher.

It watches over all, thoughtful and judging - Hallowed Spiritkeeper by Steve Prescott

The Endless Watcher Stats Generated with Homebrewery

The immense white presence, made of animate marble, sits on the fringes of every being's perception. The vestments and tools on its hip help in the patient thinking that makes up its existence. It measures all as it moves through existence. The great spear it walks with, was the first thing it ever created. The balance is perfect, and the blade never dulls or rusts. The Watcher has been known to loan this spear to those who have shown true patience and the conviction to use it when their hour is dire but their patience is unwavering.

It hears and understands all that it takes in, and uses the endless reams of information to make an informed decision. It's restful hand on the shoulder of thinkers and leaders have lead to the greatest discoveries and atrocities in history.

The Endless Watcher is often a close and steadfast ally to The Aspect of Determination. Patience and determination are very closely related. Having the will to wait and think requires both skills, and these keepers watch those that show this with great pride. It is incredibly rare for Keepers to ever ally with each other. Most politely ignore each other, while The Endless Watcher deeply abhors the keepers which embody hesitation, often preyed on by The Vision of Dread and those that create feelings of sloth.

Eternal Vigilance

Like all Keepers, it rewards those who wait and contemplate. Their intentions could be good or ill, but that doesn't matter to The Watcher. It looks on and listens well, bringing its boons to those who wait.

Now we want to hear from you. What blessings would be given to thoughtful players? How would a being like this be seen in games you GM; as a help or hindrance? Let us know in our discord server or in the comments below.

Adam Ray contributes much for adventurers here on Apotheosis Studios. As co-founder of fantasticuniverses.com , he writes about card gaming and PC gaming to a corner of the internet he carved out himself. On Youtube, he can be found game mastering for No Ordinary Heroes , or editing the antics on The Hostile Atmosphere . Follow his Twitter @IzzetTinkerer.