HabitRPG

Like many people, I struggle with my weight.  It's not easy to eat right and exercise.  I'm doing my best, but I'm always looking for ideas that can help me.

One idea is tracking all my food.  I use "MyFitnessPal" to do that.  It's a great site/app if you are interested.

Another site that I'm liking a lot is "HabitRPG"  It turns behaviors into a game.  My friend Ryan told me about it during our Warhammer 40k game on Sunday.

Do the right thing, you gain XP and Gold.  Do the wrong thing, you take damage.  :(

I just leveled up!

You get to set the Habits you want to reinforce.  Here's a bit of my list --

You don't have to do these every day, but if you do, you get XP and gold.

Then there are Dailies.  Things you want to do every day.  Skip these and you take a hit!

You can set them (like Blogging) to not happen "daily" but on some subset of the week.

You also have the chance to make To Do's.  Long term projects you'd like to get done.

So far so good with this site.  It does make me more conscious of the habits I want to reinforce.

It might work for you too!

Cavern Geomorphs (one set finished)

Previous posts here and here.

So, I abandoned the square cavern geomorphs.  My tests just didn't work out.  Over on the DM's Craft board, a person named @onethatwas suggested hexes.

This idea worked better.  I had a few quality control issues making sure that the hexes were exactly the same size, but they'll work fine.

Here are some pics --

The hexes are double-thick cardboard and the walls are a single layer.  The "door" gap is 2" and the hexes are 10" across.  I spray-painted them black and then I drybrushed the edges with grey.  I also used a sponge to highlight the "walls."  In some spots (you can see it on the tile above) I used the sponge to make slime/mold/fungus on the tiles.  Just for visual interest.

At this scale, they will integrate with my Dwarven Forge Game Tiles, so we'll see how that goes.

Crazy Initiative Idea

Cool chart by Telecanter - http://recedingrules.blogspot.com/2010/10/visual-weapon-chart.html

A single caveat --

• This idea is completely untested.  Sometimes you have to get ideas out of your head to see if they work...  :)

How I actually do things --

• When I do initiative, I roll a d6 for the monsters and the players roll a d6 for the party.
• High roll goes first.
• If the dice match, it all happens simultaneously.
• I have a deck of cards that I use to randomize the order of the PCs and the monsters within their initiative roll.

OK, now for the idea.

• High rolls are best.
• You get to add your DEX bonus (if any) to your roll.
• If you have a polearm, and are in position to use it, roll the better of 2d12
• If you have a fast/nimble weapon (rapier, whip, throwing daggers, arrows, darts, loaded crossbow, etc.) roll d12
• If your weapon is long (like a spear or 2h-sword,) and you are in a good position to use it, roll d12
• If you have an "average"melee weapon (sword, axe, flail, etc.) roll d10
• If you have a short melee weapon (dagger, shortsword, fist, shield bash, mace, crossbow that needs to be loaded, etc.) roll d8
• If you have a spear or 2h-sword up close where it's difficult to use, roll d6
• If you have a polearm up close, but there is still room to maneuver, roll d4
• If you have a polearm, spear or 2h-sword and you can't maneuver.  Drop your weapon and use something else.

Whatcha think?

DIY Ice Troll Miniature

Ice Troll:  HD 8+8; AC 2[17];  Atk 1 large claw (1d12), 1 small claw (1d6); 1 bite (1d8); Move 12 (24 through ice/snow); Save 8; CL/XP 13/2,300; Special: Ice and Snow Powers, Immune to Cold, Regenerates

Whether this beast is an elemental, or some kind of magical construct, is up for debate among the sages.  Suffice to say that this creature is inimical to sentient life and has been known to waylay travelers and attack remote villages when it appears.

In lieu of a large claw attack, the ice troll can fire an icicle bolt at a single target for 4d8 damage (to hit roll applies; no save) or an icicle storm against a 20' radius area for 3d10 damage; save for half).  In lieu of any melee attacks (it can still use its icicle power,) it can create a wall of ice twice per day.

Each round that the ice troll spends at a temperature below freezing, it regenerates 2d4 HPs per round.  If destroyed, it will melt into liquid, slowly freezing back to ice over 2d12 rounds and then regenerating as normal.  Once it is at 1/2 HPs, it will look and function as an ice troll.  Prior to that, it looks like a mound of ice and snow.

If standing on a substantial amount of ice or snow, the monster can dissolve into it and reappear up to 24" away as its movement action.  Because of its large, snowshoe-like feet, the ice troll can move about atop snow and ice with no penalty.

---

This model was part of the December "World of Craftwar" competition at The DM's Craft.

Here's a link to the "how to" if you'd like to see how I made this beast!

DIY Driders

I had some old Mageknight minis lying around (I got them in a big lot of MK minis...) and I had some cheap spiders.  Over at The DM's Craft message board, I saw someone made a Lolth out of an Electra mini and a spider, so....

I don't need a Lolth (got one in my Reaper Bone's KS) but you can ALWAYS use more driders!

Here's the starting bits --

One spider is slightly different (it has a stinger on the back) so that goes with Red.  The other two will be Blue and Yellow.  I'm glad I had one of each color for the driders.  :)

Using epoxy putty, I made a little mound on the top of the body, with a divot for the torso.  I waited for that to dry then I epoxied the torso onto it.

The plastic that MK minis are made out of is just not good.  It doesn't glue well.  Epoxy is about the only thing that I can get to work.

I painted the epoxy "blob" black, but I left the spider and the MK minis painted as is.  I think they are perfect for the table.

They ended up a little low to the ground, but that's not terrible.  You can put a little bit of poster-tac on their belly and they can climb on things like my Dwarven Forge or on a flight stand or on a bread box...

Spells from the Past (5)

Previous posts here, here, here, and here.  This stuff was written over 24 years ago.  No play balance is promised.  :)  This spell was created by one of my players, and longtime friends, GZ.  His wizard was Joryn Gemseeker.

JORYN'S MYSTICAL ARMOR

(Abjuration, Evocation, Divination)

Level 3

Range:  0
Components:  VSM
Duration:  1 day per level or special
Casting Time:  1 hour
Area of Effect:  Caster
Save:  None

This spell is a vastly improved version of Joryn's Gemstone Armor.  It is a full spectrum damper of most known damaging attack forms.  Its purpose is to lessen the damage to the mage so that counter-attack or ...perish the thought...retreat... is possible.

The physical manifestation of the spell resembles a crystalline field surrounding the caster, not unlike shimmering diamonds.  This effect may be turned on or off, at will.  When it is off, there is no protection afforded from the Mystical Armor.

The Mystical Armor spell allow the caster to subtract a certain amount from damage done to him by successful attacks.  The protection tops out at twelfth level of effectiveness. 

The Armor itself is divided into three categories of protection: physical, normal energy, and magical.  The amount of protection afforded to the caster is shown on the table below.  The Mystical Armor protects the caster differently from each attack form.

TYPE OF ATTACK	BASE  DAMAGE REDUCTION	* BONUS DAMAGE REDUCTION	FIELD DAMAGE
Physical (swords, claws, etc.)	Level	Level	1†
Normal Energy (fire, acid, etc.)	Level	1/2 Level	2
Magical damage	Level	None	3

* The caster may add this additional protection with a successful Spellcraft roll.  A -2 penalty is incurred for each additional attack beyond the first each round.

† The field integrity takes an additional amount equal to the '+' bonus of a magical weapon striking the Mystical Armor.

Under actual combat conditions, the duration is typically much shorter than one day per level of the caster.  

The Mystical Armor has a field integrity equal to double the caster's level plus 0 to 9 additional points.  The 0 to 9 additional points is rolled secretly by the DM.  Each and every attack which hits the caster, damages the Armor a little bit according to the Damage column in the table above.  

The Armor will persist until brought down by attack, dispelled, or the duration runs out.  The Mystical Armor does not reduce the damage of the blow which sunders it.

The wizard will know what type of attack is used against him.  When the Armor is struck, it flashes briefly, a specific color for each attack form.  Blue for normal physical, red for normal energy, and black for magical.

The material components of this spell are three robes.  The first robe must be spun of fine blue linen, woven with metal threads, and costing no less than 200 gp.  The second robe is made of red fabric inundated with phlogiston and worth at least 500 gp.  The third robe is solid black cloth, blessed by a Priest of Malko, and then charged with a Dispel Magic from the caster.  The black robe costs 1500 gp minimum.  The robes are only donned individually during the casting process then they are typically removed and put away for safe keeping.

(Unfortunately Joryn's Gemstone Armor has been lost to the mists of time...)

Spells from the Past (4)

Previous posts here, here and here.  I wrote these spells over 24 years ago.  No game balance should be expected.  :)

GRIMWELL'S GRINNING GLOBE

(Enchantment/Charm)

Level 2

Range:  2"

Components:  VSM

Duration:  4 rounds + 1 round/level

Casting Time:  2

Area of Effect:  Special

Save:  Neg.

This spell brings into being a grinning 2' Globe with a ridiculous grin on one side, like a face.

Any creature of 4 HD or less which gazes upon the sphere must save versus spell or stand mesmerized on the spot, staring at the sphere, with an equally stupid grin on its face.

The grin of the Globe is very hard to avoid.  Any creature facing it with its eyes open must save versus spell every round to avoid becoming mesmerized.  The caster can change the facing of the sphere at any time, but should the sphere turn away from a mesmerized creature, that creature regains its senses within one round.

The material component is a fist sized ball of wax with a smile carved on one side.  The component is consumed with the casting.

I was inspired to create this spell, so that my wife could use this funny "laughing face" prop at the game table.  (Yes I still have it!)  The batteries have died, so I don't know if it still works -- but I've taken it apart and I plan to get some batteries...   :)