Generation Decks

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As a break from all the boring #RPGaDAY2019 stuff I thought I’d share some thoughts about my current reading material.

As you may have guessed it’s MtG related.

Thanks to my friend Duncan I was put onto this a couple of weeks ago.

Generation Decks by Titus Chalk brings to the collectible card game world it’s version of Masters of Doom and Jacked by David Kushner from the videogame world and The Monopolists by Mary Pilon.

Where Generation Decks differs from those books, is they are more biopic with a sprinkling of dramatic license? Generations Deck is more factual events broken up by the authors personal journey and memories of playing MtG.

I’m about three quarters through the book, and it’s enjoyable. The factual parts are part retelling the key events from MtG history peppered with quotes and recollections of events. I think it would be fair to describe the style of writing as very journalistic. Unlike the books already mentioned above or the likes Of Dice and Men, I don’t come away from this book feeling that I know anything more about the brains behind the game than I already knew.

The personal reflections of the author are interesting, and do a good job putting over what the game means to so many. That sense of belonging, community and friendship, all bought together by these bits of rectangular cardboard.

I have spotted the odd annoying grammatical error, that should have been picked up in proof reading and editing. But long suffering readers, and ok even recent ones, will know that’s a bit hypercritical of me to mention that.

Overall this has been an interesting read so far. Definitely worth picking up by fans of the game. Can I recommend it to a wider audience? I’m not sure I can.

#RPGaDAY2019 Day 19 – Scary

D&D, RPG

After the only gaming thing I did over the weekend was finally getting round to sorting my Star Realms collection (actually got the cards in the official big storage box now) I’m back once more for this #RPGaDAY2019 thing.

Today’s inspiring word for #RPGaDAY2019 is…

Today’s theme is a toughie.

Mainly because I’ve not played a horror or scary RPG. Or a scenario that is meant to be either.

There are plenty of opportunities to play a system where horror and being scared are a major element or the basis of the theme.

The image below shows a handful of them. So whether you want that Lovecraft mythology or more vampire/zombie theme there is a system or setting for you. You can even go Stranger Things inspired with Tales from the Loop.

I’d like to run a scary/horror one shot around the traditional time of year for such things (although I hate the commercial Americanisation that over shadows our traditional Guy Fawkes celebrations). My leanings at the moment are either The End of the World or Curse of Strahd.

The End of the World is a zombie apocalypse themed RPG. The hook is you are playing yourself in which every town/city you are living in. Your starting equipment is whatever is in your pocket and around you in the room you are playing.

The Curse of Strahd is set in Ravenloft and is a D&D fantasy horror setting. There are already all the creatures needed for the traditional classic horror setting, such as vampires (the main villain of the setting is one), werewolves and zombies.

A setting and theme alone do not make a session scary. I think good horror or scary movie is not just about the gore. It’s about the shocks, build up of suspense and sometimes not so subtle social commentary. Plus the many tropes such as the final girl or vengeful spirit.

So the problem is how to transfer these over to the tabletop?

If I run The Curse of Strahd then I have to hope that all this has been done already. Or I could take the book as inspiration and roll my own one shot in that setting, and attempt to do the job myself of including that stuff. Which I have no idea how to do (at the moment).

The End of the World is a great opportunity to explore social issues. Zombie movies, especially the Romero ones are great at embedding them into the setting. Considering that this setting is current day using current events is pretty easy.

The easiest thing to include are the tropes (apart from the final girl).

But I think the fact players playing themselves along with the traumas (ones they are happy to talk about publicly) is a great opportunity to dial up the suspense, and shocks. Especially if you know the players really well. Although I think this system really needs a good discussion before the game starts about peoples no go areas. What are they not comfortable discussing or dealing with. Not just the personal traumas but also situations. A player may not be comfortable dealing with family members dying and becoming zombies.

The decision about which system to go with may come down to the simple fact that I have The End of the World already. But having written all of the above, my curiosity and need to just buy stuff because, that may not be the deciding factor nearer the time.

Ok now go off and find some proper words on this theme.

#RPGaDAY2019 Day 17 – One

D&D, RPG

Having skipped a day to tell you about the Fenland Gamers monthly meet up and have some technical issues with the blog. It’s time to write a little bit as my contribution to day 17’s theme for #RPGaDAY2019.

Today’s theme is…

The number one has a special meaning in D&D particularly.

Roll a 1 in combat and this is what the Players Guide says happens…

“If the d20 roll for an attack is a I, the attack misses regardless of any modifiers ar the target’s AC.”

But roll a 1 in an ability check, contest, whatever. Despite any modifiers you have basically failed.

Personally I use the 1 to aid storytelling. A natural 1 means that not only have they failed, but they have failed royally. So I try and add a twist to the outcome. It could mean they get lost, or drop an item, or smash the lock. A dramatic twist that is not in the favour of the player.

Naturally there is an exception. There are always exceptions. This time my favourite race Halflings are the exception with their racial trait of lucky. This is what the Players Guide says about that trait…

“Lucky. When you roll a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.”

The times that trait has been a life saver. A second bite at the cherry. Ok roll a 1 again and you are foobar just like everyone else. But still you’d have to be a pretty unlucky halfling for that to happen.

I hope you all enjoyed these short and predictable words on today’s theme.

Fenland Gamers August Monthly Meet-up 2019

Fenland Gamers, game night

“Do we have a venue this month?” asked adult man child Gavin (he will give me grief for that. Oh wait he already gave me grief on the Wednesday).

Such an innocent question. But relevant.

The “refit” at The Luxe has been a tad longer than the estimated 1 week when it was started at what now seems an eon ago. So we have been improvising with using a local school on an adhoc basis. But it’s use is reliant on a club founder/member.

It also helped remind me if we had a positive answer to the question that an event needed setting up pretty quickly.

After a group messenger chat between Gavin, myself and Jonathan we had a venue for the Monthly meet-up. It was time to get the word out to club members.

Wednesday evening, Jonathan had unlocked, and was ready for members to arrive. But he’d forgotten one important thing on Monday when he answered in the positive. No kids at home, meant his partner was expecting to go out. You know, be adults for a rare occasion. Apparently playing board games isn’t on the radar for going out. Hopefully Jonathan wouldn’t be residing in the metaphorical dog house too long.

Not long after my arrival. Katie and the usual suspect arrived.

Whilst waiting for their other members to arrive we started a game of No Thanks! I made a major boob at the start of the game, I hadn’t realised Katie hadn’t played before! The number of games we have played and with who, I had just assumed we had played the game with her before. So after a quick run through of the rules play started.

While we were playing the other members arrived. One of whom bought a very pleasant surprise with them. That surprise being in the form of Ice Blasts, packets of sweets, tea bags and coffee for those that wanted a hot beverage. Wow! Colour me grateful and impressed. So I think a big big thank you is in order for Nathan and The Luxe Cinema for their generosity.

The new arrivals formed a second play group and after some chat and a sushi supper for a couple of them , started playing some games (and you can see which ones at the end of this post along with some photos).

After 2 games of No Thanks! the honours where shared between The Usual Suspect and myself.

Our groups second game of the evening was Men at Work. Which Jonathan had tried at UKGE and liked so much he bought a copy.

Jonathan and I disagree about this game. But there is also some common ground. Which is we both think that the game is fun. Where we disagree is that I prefer Tokyo Highway. I think Tokyo Highway is more tactical. And I enjoy that element more.

Don’t get me wrong there are some nice extra elements to this game. Such as the deck of cards that control what action you have to do on your go. Some of the actions can be quite fiddly. Basically you are either placing a worker or a girder on your go. But placing that worker could be made more complicated by the fact you have to also balance a brick and/or a steal bar on that worker. The cards also tell you the colour of girder(s) that you have to use as well. So the worker may have to be placed on only a white girder on your turn.

I like how you have 3 lives, that you track using little card board contract tokens. You lose a life if anything touches/falls to the ground on your turn or you control the building site. As soon as something falls off, control passes to the next player, you lose a life, and the next player has to clear up the debris before they can take their turn.

Not sure how I feel about the bonus point mechanic, that kicks in once a particular card appears in the deck. You earn these points for adding a new highest point to the structure.

The records show that Katie won this without losing a life. She was the last one standing.

Our next game was a blast from the past, a game that hadn’t seen the table for 3 years. That game was Traders of Osaka. It’s still a good game. I still think that the payday scoring is over complicated. But from last place The Usual Suspect managed to grab the win with a couple of really well times paydays that saw him grab lots of victory points.

Whilst the others played Throw Throw Burrito (it looks a very exhausting game, and not my cup of tea), Katie and I played Penny Lane. For much of our game Katie had the lead on victory points and I thought I was going to lose the game. But I did manage to catch up and trigger the end of the game. My last action was the top decking of a building that allowed me to complete a victory point icon, taking me to 11 points. Katie sitting on 8 points at that moment, managed to then grab a final 2 points taking her to 10. Talk about lucky. I basically top decked the win with my last action.

Thanks to Nathan I can share some of his photos that he took from the evening as well.


A great evening, I think everyone had a good time. Once again a big thanks to The Luxe for their generosity for providing the refreshments for the evening.

Games Played: No Thanks!, Men at Work, Traders Of Osaka, Penny Lane

Games Played by others: Get Bit!, Dead and Breakfast, Throw Throw Burrito

#RPDaDAY2019 Day 15 – Door

D&D, RPG

And we’re back looking at some brief, poorly formed thoughts on the #RPGaDAY2019 theme for the day.

So let’s jump right in and look at today’s #RPGaDAY2019 theme…

I’m going to talk about the plural here. But first I’m going to briefly look at the singular, door and what it represents.

To me a door is an obstacle, a barrier. A challenge for the adventurers to overcome. How difficult that challenge is depends on the type of door and if it’s locked or not. It also represents a transition from one area to another.

As the image below of a dungeon map key shows there can be several types of door.

All of them present their own challenge to the adventurers. Are they locked or unlocked? Is the door hidden or wide open?

If the door is locked how do the adventurers unlock it? In my pirates lair the portcullis doors were opened by finding the nearby lever. It only hit me after I had created the pirates lair that this worked similar to the level design of first person shooters of the 90’s and still this day. Where a switch on the level opened a door somewhere on the level. And there is a similar comparison for finding the keys also to open a door.

As I write this post, and in-particular that last paragraph. It got me thinking there is plenty of great advice out there ranging from the DM’s Guide and stuff online for designing dungeons. But how much can we learn from the video game world and level design to compliment all that great advice out there already? I think from puzzle design alone a lot.

Another thing to consider if the door is locked, is the lock booby trapped? If so how deadly is the trap? What type of trap is it? Is the trap inside the lock itself or does it trigger a bigger more deadly threat inside the area the door is in?

For secret doors how will the adventurers find it? Can it be found? Or like in the Matt Colville’s “Delian Tomb” taster dungeon he created at the start of his brilliant YouTube series, will the secret door open if the adventurers solve a puzzle? What clues will be in the room to indicate that there is a secret door in the room? Scuff marks on the floor where the door has opened and closed?

In my pirates lair I used a combination of doors to provide a challenge to getting into the treasure room of the pirates. First the adventurers had to get past a portcullis, which could only be opened once they had found their way into the pirate leaders quarters and pulled the lever there. Once passed the portcullis they had a locked door to open. Which they would have to pick to open. So in total to get into a very well stocked treasure room full of gold, jewels and magic items the adventurers has to navigate 3 doors.

But doors also provide security, maybe not much for the adventurers as well. It provides a barrier to hinder creatures while they have a rest. If unable to lock the door, they can block it somehow, maybe with pitons to make it harder for any threat getting in. Slowing that threat down long enough for the party not to be caught off guard.

So there you have it my thoughts on doors in an RPG. I hope you found it of interest.

Starting to automate deck lists!

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One thing that has been eating away at me for my deck list posts is that they don’t link to card info on Gatherer.

I did try a plug-in for WordPress. But it wasn’t really that easy to integrate into my editing process. I had to tag stuff by hand. Plus the plug-in didn’t seem to be updating with WordPress releases to make sure it was secure.

So the plain lists with no links has been the default after that brief trial.

That sense of the deck lists could be better stuck with me.

So today I spent some time automating a process that takes a Deckbuilder deck list, and turns that into some HTML for me that I can copy and paste into a post.

Years ago I had a similar process for my “diary” when it first started up using vbscript to generate the HTML for my photos that I’d taken on walks and trips, and the updated menus for the site. All I had to do was take the HTML and copy it into the web pages. Which then got uploaded to the server. This was pre-Wordpress days. What I had was almost a very basic CMS made up of vbscript that I ran.

Today using Pythonista on my iPad I can write a python script that can read in a Deckbuilder deck list, go through the file and build up a line of HTML for each card used in the deck that when clicked takes you to the WotC Gatherer web page for the card.

For those interested or remotely curious here is the code (screen shot sadly, it’s the only way at the mo I can share the code so it is formatted correctly). Push comes to shove email me and I’ll send the file to you. Eventually I’ll put it on github once it’s finished.


The next thing to do with this script is to get it to present the information in the same format as if I’d used the Deckbuilder share deck text option. At the moment the list is ungrouped, no structure.

I hope some found this peek behind the curtain of interest.

#RPGaDAY2019 Day 13 – Mystery

D&D, RPG

So we have time warped on this #RPGaDAY2019 thing and skipped 3 days. In that time I’ve bored you with some MtG stuff instead.

But we are back to that hashtag thing, and today’s theme is …

So what does mystery mean to me in relation to RPGs, and particularly D&D?

From my limited DM experience, the sessions I’ve run so far have all been mysterious in some way. That unknown of what the adventurers will do. How will they react to a given situation? Will they get the clues? Solve the puzzle? Which adventure hook will they follow?

For me that bit of mystery always gives at least one pleasant surprise. Such as when the bard in the group stepped out of the bushes and started singing/playing a song to distract 2 goblin guards. The dice decided that the bard did a really great job doing this. Enabling the rest of the party to get the drop on the guards and take them out.

But there is another interruption of mystery. That being a puzzling crime/murder told through some medium like a book or film. And I’m eager to explore that interruption within my campaign. It is possible and initial research has led me to believe that a mystery scenario is possible but difficult to create and run.

So I’ve tabled that mystery style of scenario for later in the campaign. A time when I’m more experienced as a DM, and more confident that I can create a fun, entertaining and challenging mystery.

From a players point of view, each session is a mystery. With the unknown unfolding before them based on their decisions and actions. Plus a little bit of luck for good measure.

Not great insight I know, but these are just thoughts. Not well thought out or put together. But still.

Commander 2019 Spoilers I Like Part 2

magic, MtG

Welcome back to Darren talks more total bollux about MtG. Especially about cards from the Commander 2019 spoiler season that’s just finished.

So let’s get down to business.

These first 2 cards are definitely candidates for big green stompy. Momentous Fall looks an interesting card to play to get card draw and a little life gain. Especially when you know that your creature is going to die.

Giant Adephage ticks the box of being big and green. But that damage ability. If left unchecked this is going to get out of control exponentially. Dragonmaster Outcast is so going in my dragon tribal deck.


Board wipes are always good. Despite it’s cost Phyrexian Rebirth is nice because after the board is wiped clear you are left with potentially a really big body on the battlefield.

Desolation Twins is a reprint that will go nicely into a colourless deck along side some of the other colourless big hitters like Emrakul and Ulamog. I’m not sure how that deck will work, but with this card and others a target instantly goes on your back at the table.

Geth, Lord Of The Vault is just a nice zombie to try in the Scarab God Deck. I really like the activated ability. Steal an artifact/creature from their graveyard and mill the player. Nice.

Magus of the Balance I like because it’s activated ability is a nice leveller. All of a sudden everyone is on even grounds with the weakest player on the table.

Song of the Worldsoul I like for my mono white angel deck. Not sure it would really work in the token spam. It might. I may give it a try.

Tectonic Hellion, I like this in my mono red aggro deck and the gloves off land hate version of it.

Voice of Many might find a home in the elf deck. The way that deck plays, every player at the table will have less creatures than me.

Roc Egg all I’m going to say is look at my words below about the defender/wall idea. This would be a great include.

Another great include for mono red Magmaquake. Board wipe leaving flyers alone. Could work in my favour as long as the other players don’t have flyers. But an ideal include for the dragon deck.

Arla Palani, Nest Tender, I do like the idea of building around this card. Being able to cheat out creature cards for free that’s nice. It even leaves you in a good place after a board wipe. Have some large say colourless creatures like the twins above in the deck. Hmm a deck idea is starting to formulate.

Rolling Temblor another potential board wipe for red. But more a card for keeping those pesky token decks under control.

The thing I like about Purify the Grave is cheap graveyard hate for white.

Cliffside Rescuer is an interesting card. I’m just having second thoughts about it as I look at it writing this post. I like the protection bit, but for the current turn only makes me think meh!

What does a goblin deck need? Ramp. Dockside Extortionist gives that with it’s etb.

Back in Core Set 2019 we got new versions of the Elder Dragons. You know the ED in EDH (the original and still name for Commander). One of those Elder Dragons, Arcades, the Strategist loves cards that have the keyword defender, which a lot of walls have. Wall of Stolen Identity although missing the defender keyword is definitely a card I’d like to include in an Arcades defender/wall commander deck.

Sadly that Arcades deck idea could not have Pramikon, Sky Rampart in it thanks to that splash of Redon it’s casting cost. But I think this is a fun Commander card either as a Commander or one of the 99. I do like cards that changes the game, or causes interactions that enhance the political side of the game.

Green needs more ramp cards! Tempt with Discovery allows that with a little quandary thrown in for your opponents. They may need that land, but at the cost of giving you another? A hard choice for them.

Apex Altisaur a candidate for the dinosaur tribal deck and also the big green stompy deck. It’s big and green, it’s etb is removal, that can be a board wipe with that enrage trigger!

Ok that’s the wrap for the spoilers I like from the Commander 2019 spoilers. What ones caught your eye?

Commander 2019 Spoilers I Like Part 1

magic, MtG

After a week of no gaming and boring you with some posts as my contribution for #RPGaDAY2019, it’s my turn to bore you with some MtG stuff.

With GenCon and now the past week it has been spoiler season for…

In about 2 weeks time we will get our hands on the physical cards. But in the meantime it’s time for me to share with you some of the cards that caught my eye.

But first let’s talk about the elephant in the room. For the second year running we are seeing a price hike in the cost of the decks. A taster of the things to come with the Throne of Eldraine.

If you have seen the Commandzone spoiler season coverage they mention the value in each deck (based on reprints alone) but fail to mention the cost of the deck increase. It’s almost as if WotC asked them not to mention it.

The value is irrelevant really, it’s whether the reprints are any good, and Commander staples that matters. And that’s how they should be judged.

Another factor I take into account about a deck, and it only really comes into play once I’m playing them. Are they fun to play? It’s a hard one to quantify. And it’s very subjective, and personal.

At the moment based on the deck lists I think the deck I’m most excited about, and think I will enjoy the most is the morph deck Faceless Menace.

With the decks that have graveyard shenanigans like the Madness deck I keep thinking ok these decks will be ok when played against each of the other pre-cons. But graveyard hate is a thing. I use it in my decks, these 2 cards go in almost by default these days.

There are other cards that do similar, but I like these. Plus they are cheap and easy to get. Also Leyline of the Void is also a nice graveyard hate card.

Remember when I choose these cards I’m evaluating them for if I think I can i]use them in an existing deck. You know upgrading it (MtG players are known to do that). And if they inspire ideas for a new deck.

So let’s look at these new cards.

Beacon of Unrest get something back from the graveyard, and you get to do it again later. That’s always a neat trick. Dark Withering is a nice removal that with a later cars becomes super cheap with the madness cost. And Faith of the Devoted also combos off nicely with that later card also.


I think I already play From Under the Floorboards in my Scarab God Zombie deck. If I,don’t it needs to go in. 9 CMC for a board wipe seems expensive but In Garruk’s Wake I think is worth it (just). Mainly because it’s a board wipe that leaves your creatures and Planeswalkers alone. Nightshade Assassin now that I’m writing this I’m cooling on. I like it’s etb but not sure how big that X will be unless you can keep cards in hand.

Ok this next one isn’t a zombie, but it generates zombies. And the nice thing is a board wipe will leave you with zombies. It’s expensive but still I like Overseer of the Damned. I can see it being a sweet card in a Kaali (sp?) deck. Zombie Infestation is just a nice card that allows you to get rid of dead cards and get a zombie token. You can guess the deck I’d try those 2 cards in. Now Warstorm Surge is a sweet sweet card for my mono red Commander deck. Basically each time you cast a creature it’s removal or direct damage. Plus any other etb or effects they have.

Another card now that I look at the card I’m not sure about is Flayer of the Hatebound. I just don’t do much playing from the graveyard that involves red. But I do like that it comes with the same ability as the Warstorm Surge. Solemn Simulacrum is a body and mana ramp with it’s etb. A good utility card. Bone Miser is a great card with those activated abilities around the discarding of cards.

Wow do I like Nightmare Unmaking. It’s removal with that rather nice keyword exile. Destroying is ok. But exiling is better, especially those pesky indestructible creatures. Curse of Fool’s Wisdom there is only one player that will get this card. It’s whoever has Rhystic Study out. The last enchantment is such a funny graveyard hate card. Exile their graveyard and then cast it against them. Oh the chuckles I can see coming from this one.

Rogue’s Passage below is a land that definitely will be going into the Ninja deck. Making the ninja’s unblockable once they have been ninjitsu’d out on the next turn very very handy.

Emmara Tandris despite being an elf with a rather nice ability that my elves (would love to benefit from. Sadly it splashes white along with it’s green. So it can’t be there. But in my token spam deck it will be amazing.

Grimoire of the Dead combos with the Bone Mixer very nicely.

Well that’s it for the first part of my look at the new Commander decks. Part 2 tomorrow.

#RPGaDAY2019 Day 9 – Critical

D&D, RPG

Today or tomorrow might see a double post day. Look on it as making up for no post yesterday. Which means I skipped day 8 of RPGaDAY2019.

In the meantime you have a post for Day 9 to suffer. And the theme/inspiration for today is…

This is a toughie. Critical can be interpreted a few ways. It can be used negatively, saying something is bad. It can mean something is of importance. Or finally it can be giving judgement or an opinion.

So I’m going to try and give an answer for each definition below.

Negative – I’m going to be unpopular for this one. My criticism is the likes of Critical Roll with the voice actors, or the one on Caffeine which hired actors that are good at improv. Whilst this may make good viewing, in my experience I don’t think this gives a realistic view of an RPG game. Not everyone does the voice, feels confident to do them, or are that “expressive” or hamming it up. And by that I mean the majority of players.

Important – this is probably the one everyone will go with for their entries for today. It’s the easiest of the three definitions. I’m going to choose a category of magic items for my important. I’m running a campaign that is at sea and island hopping. At some point the adventurers will end up having to go underwater. Maybe visit some merfolk, explore a wreck, or have to deal to rescue some-one from the sahuagin.

However they end up on the sea bed my adventurers will need some way to breathe underwater. This is where magic items that allow them to breathe underwater are pretty critical to their mission. These items could be manta ray cloaks or helms of underwater action. Possibly pressure capsules, or potions of water breathing.

Without these magical items the adventurers would drown, or worse not get to experience the underwater world. That makes them critical in my opinion.

Opinion/Judgement – this is probably the easiest one of these for me. So far after the sessions where I have been the DM, I have written posts that give my opinion/judgment on how I think the session went. In these posts I try and be honest and reflect on the session. These are notes for me to help me improve as a DM.

Ok not a great post. But hopefully though provoking.