Oh boy, comments!

So I have a youtube channel featuring a D&D Encounters webseries (If you're visiting this blog and haven't checked it out, please do), and occasionally I'll receive some comments.

Most are quite encouraging.

Some are not.

I usually like to respond to said comments directly over my Youtube channel, but I figure it'd be more fun to do so over my blog. At the very least, it'll be more efficient.

Plus, y'know, trolls.

Comments on Episode 1

"4th Edition is lame"

cool story bro.

"why dident the wizards just use that light spell on the roof so the roof and floor so no shadows could come out : ) since they use the shadows"

Okay, I'm assuming this is about the shadow creeper monsters. This was a question we (as players) asked throughout the adventure. The easiest answer is "because magic, so shut up", but a more honest and accurate answer provided by the rules from Wizards of the Coast in the adventure is "because magic, so shut up".

"I am guessing you have to know alot about D and D to join the encounters. Me and the wife are "just" starting to get into it. I guess it would be wise to really learn it alot before going to these?"

Why did you put 'just' in quotations? Either way, I hear this a lot. D&D Encounters is a program specifically designed for newcomers and brand new players. The adventures are easy to grasp and are designed around introducing as many core concepts of the game to new players in an easy-going environment (each encounter is only about 2 hours long, max). If you've never played D&D before, D&D Encounters is actually a pretty good introduction on most nights. Please give it a try.

Honestly, the biggest hurdle for new players playing D&D Encounters is contending with experienced players who are also at the table. Most longtime fans of D&D treat the Encounters program as 'Free public D&D night', forgetting that it's designed for new players and people just getting into the game. I think it's assumed by Wizards that once you play in D&D Encounters for a bit, you'll want to start playing in your own game at home or with friends.

Instead, many people make Encounters their exclusive D&D night. While this is fine for them, it does sort of make D&D Encounters seem more like an exclusive, nerd members only club, warding away a lot of new players.

Honestly, my recommendation is that if you've played D&D Encounters for more than, say, three seasons, and continue to play it, please try to run your own game. Chances are you're now experienced enough with the game to try and be a dungeon master, and other players will appreciate the chance to play in a new campaign. Leave D&D Encounters for the kids and new players. You're ready to step up your game.

"well you cna handle it with your "heroics" but my guy (half-orc druid) has been alive even though the other 5 players have died thrice each, and you know what? i'm not doing any heroics to save the land i'm a freaking anti-palidin black guard who is also cursed with multible personality disorder in pladin lvls and is literaly headless (long story) and still kicking. so i got to deal with all that crap with a half orc palidin,anti-palidin,black guard whos is down a head, so i do my evil thing!"

"Hello! I am interested in playing with you guys..... I would want to know if im able to.. i am 13 and i live in Hamilton Ontario.. so Please inbox me"

Go to this site and check which store nearest you hosts D&D Encounters. Anyone can play, so long as they're not disruptive or have a body comprised entirely of pure energy and/or anti-matter.

"were is the place for that hobby shope?"

At the beginning of (almost) every one of my videos, there's an ad and link to Dueling Grounds. It's a Toronto based game store and is currently one of the only places that hosts D&D Encounters in Ontario's capital.

"To me playing 4th edition is nothing more then a mmorpg board game with a little pen and paper rpg thrown infor good measure . They went from 3.5 and hd a d&d minis game that was seprate but then they went and combined them together , simplified the rules way down . Now you have to go and buy lots and lots of diffrent minis just to play and then you have to reuse the maps over and over or buy tile sets just to play. What happend to just eolling up a character and roleplaying it with out minis ."

Yup. I hear that a lot.

I honestly don't care what edition of D&D people play, so long as they actually play it and enjoy it. I like Type IV D&D best, but that's mostly because it's the system I am the most familiar with.

I could argue that Type IV does not require miniatures to play (also, Wizards now provides a number of very inexpensive solutions to miniature combat with The Red Box and the Dungeon Master's Kit/Monster Vault), or that simplified rules mean that the game can be approached and played by a much wider audience, but I'm just tired of trying to change the opinions of angry nerds.

It's difficult, and I'm tired.

"Where's Triumph the Comic Insult Dog when you need him???"

He usually hangs out with Conan. Y'know, putting his comedy to good use rather than baiting D&D nerds like us.

Comments on rest of Dark Legacy of Evard videos

"ITS AWSOME BUT THE BACKROUND PEOPLE HAVE TO SHUT UP!!!!!!!!"

I would, but WWII miniature war-gamers scare me. Those guys are huge.

"Robbie played a swordmage, I have heard chatter about others playing a swordmage as well in this Dark Legacy campaign. However I was under the impression that 4E essentials doesn't support swordmage are you house ruling it?"

I let any player play any kind of character they want. Because fuck the man.

Though if one more little kid plays a Githzerai or a Dragonborn, I'm going to murder them.

"I just love your videos and I love the whole concept of Encounters in general. You're doing a great job as DM and it really, genuinely warms my heart to see a wide variety of people playing D&D! Kids, girls, guys, it doesn't matter and everyone is having fun! Ultimately, that is what roleplaying games are all about and in this era of videogames, it's wonderful to see people gathered around tables, face-to-face, rolling dice and having a good time."

Genuinely nice comment is genuinely nice ^_^ Thank you.

"Wonderful video. It's about time someone other than Chris Perkins got it right. Remember that a focus shot of the dice roll and the player's reaction afterwards is a D&D must have moment. It's great to laugh at."

D'awww, you guy. Thanks.

"awsome vids, finally a good story and u r explaining whats going on unlike some of those stupid random pieces of junk"

Random pieces of junk are dungeon mastering? Seriously, give them a break. I think it's impressive that bits of rubbish are attaining sentience, but even more impressive that they're using their sentient lives to play dungeons & dragons.

Comments on Lost Crown of Neverwinter Series

"If u were smart u would have cut a deal with wizards after dmming for them in san diego lol. Then atleast u'd be making some money."

If only being a dungeon master was a paying profession. That said, certainly wouldn't mind an opportunity like that. I hear Seattle's pretty nice.

"Margaret is like a hottie off the bat... but nothing's hotter than a gamer chick! Loving these vids! Keep them up! And we gotta love all your voice acting!"

Thanks for the compliment. And yes, Margaret is supremely awesome. Then again, so are all the players that grace my humble table. I would not be on the internet without them.

So those are all the comments of note from my assortment of Youtube videos. As for the future of the D&D Encounters video series, it's pretty much on a hiatus at the moment. I'm not able to cover the recent season with any real success, though I'm looking into a few other possibilities to keep the series going in one form or another.

Thanks to all of you who keep me (my videos, and this blog) going.