I get frequent e-mail questions about gaming from our Critical Hit listeners. Often they ask me my opinion on a game setting or a particular power in 4th edition; but there is one question that I get more than any others, and it goes something like this: Dearest Rodrigo, HELP! I have an awesome campaign planned but ever since my players discovered that they can sell copper for 2 silver a pound they’ve decided that they are just going to become miners and settle in a sleepy mining town. How do I get them to pick up their swords

This Saturday you will be able to download the first episode of Season 4 of Critical Hit. Take the jump to read some information on the setting, and the official announcement of the new season’s title.

Hello, bacteria amusement parks. It is I, your robot overlord. Last season I spoke to Rodrigo, the game master for the Critical Hit podcast. In that interview we found out many points of data about the game. It appears it was well recieved and so, as “Celestial Crusade” draws to a close it is time to speak to this gaming mammal again. Be forewarned though. If you have not completed the season, you are in for many, many spoilers.

Wizards of the Coast is starting the new year with a bang, not only are previews for Dark Ascension up, they have officially announced that a new edition of Dungeons and Dragons is on the Horizon. Not only that, but they are saying that the consumers will be much more involved with the product, attempting to “…build a set of D&D rules that incorporate the wants and desires of D&D gamers around the world.” But what does that mean for you?

Raise your hand if you’ve played Neverwinter Nights for PC! I didn’t mean literally, put your hand down, you’re at work! You want your boss to see you? Alright, that was close… …Anyway Wizards of the Coast is apparently aware of all the love that game (by the now famous Bioware game studio) has garnered over the years. And so for the first time WoTC has dedicated a whole supplement detailing the Jewel of the North. …which has been hit by a meteor.

I used to play a Halfling Monk back when I was in college. As it turned out I made a lot of thematic choices that made the character really powerful, which is nice. Unfortunately, as my poor karatehobbit found out, sometimes you can make thematic choices that completely screw you over.

I’m not particularly good about keeping up with the latest from gaming companies. So my first interaction with the announcement that Wizards of the Coast has discontinued its miniatures collections came primarily from angry tweets. So I went to WotC’s page, I read the announcement, I thought about it for a bit, and here’s my opinion: It’s not surprising.

There has been a lot of Buzz about the Dungeons and Dragons Fantasy Roleplaying Game Starter Set, colloquially known as “The Red Box.” Unlike a lot of other RPG products you can find it almost anywhere; book stores, comic stores, even major chains like Wal*Mart are carrying it. But what lies within the mysterious crimson cardboard? And who is this product aimed at? Is it compatible with Fourth Edition? Are there new rules and powers for experienced players inside? Well, Let’s crack it open:

The Dark Sun setting was originally printed in 1991 and, if a somewhat-fringe hobby like tabletop RPGs can be said to have cult classics, then the not-medieval, not-european-ish, not-tolkienesque world of Athas would certainly fit that bill. Now Wizards of the Coast has revived the oft misunderstood Dark Sun setting. And I have finally managed to get my hands on their first offering, “The Dark Sun Campaign Setting.” And let me tell you, dear reader that I haven’t bored to tears yet, it is full of surprises.

It is no secret, Dear Meatbags, that the Critical Hit podcast has become quite popular. Although my mechanical brain does not understand the appeal of five overweight humanoids pretending to be technologically backwards mythical creatures, I know that its popularity is worth investigating. Thus in order to learn more about it I have sequestered its ring leader and seek to interrogate him about this strange phenomenon. Also, I have been advised to warn you that, if you are one of the few who have not finished the first arc of Critical Hit the following transcript is a veritable minefield of