Meet Luten: Halfling Bard

Pretty much my whole DnD/Pathfinder career has been spent playing a fighter. And why not? fighters are the first in, last out, which really reflects my overall gaming strategy (hit quick and hit hard)--although that strategy has not really worked out well in the past and thanks to B.H. Liddell Hart's book "Strategy," I am slowly learning why. But we'll save Hart for another posting.

Earlier this year, I wrote of the death of my 4th level fighter at the hands of a mounted orc and a hot d20. I then tried a cleric, who I do not believe even made it out of that session. After some thought I decided to have some fun and play a bard. Luten, the harmonica playing halfling bard, was born, as detailed in the past post.

I am having fun with the bard. As mentioned in the earlier post, he led an Orc patrol around a rock outcropping like the pied piper, allowing my companions to pick them off one at a time. Luten has not been without his issues, though, and this player quickly learned (the hard way) that bards do not play their music in silence, as I awoke a camp of sleeping orcs, who proceeded to slaughter all but myself and one other of our party. That other lone survivor (as soon as I saw the slaughter I headed out of camp and toward safety) was a wizard who easily slew a score of orcs. In fact, so impressed was Luten, that he wrote a song about "Diesil the Orc Slayer" giving my companions a +1 bonus against orcs.

It's been fun. I bought a Pathfinder Character Portfolio to flush him out, a miniature, and a book on playing halfings. I should be able to pick them up from the local online game store this week.

Happy gaming! Roll well and live!
Al

Warehouse Sale!

No two words excite a gamer more than "Warehouse Sale!" One of our local online game dealers, Miniature Market, had such a sale to commemorate the annual "Geekway to the West," held just down the road. The warehouse was open to the public to buy games at discounted prices and other games were dramatically marked down. I put myself on a budget ($100) because I will be moving soon and wanted to make sure I had a good stock of games before my money went into living expenses and stuff for the new house.

I've been looking for a good tactical level game pre-1800. Men of Iron (GMT) is out of stock so that was one of my shopping goals--to secure a game along those lines...something different for me. I had also been wanting to buy Crown of Roses, but have been reluctant to pay $80 for the game.

I ended up buying four games. I did get Crown of Roses for $50 and bought Chariots of Fire as my "something different" game.

I also bought a game called Rugby World. Talk about "something different." It looks fun though and I can't wait to play. The final game I picked up, for four dollars, was Barons, a card game that seems to have been well-received on boardgamegeek.

If you aren't familiar with Miniature Market, I encourage you to check out their website. They have quite a wide selection and some incredible prices.

Well, that's it for now. I will write more later...including a posting about playing Liberty with my older son and an update on my Stan Musial / Ted Williams career replays. Here's a preview: I haven't gotten far. Oh, and sorry for the lack of pictures this time out...just wanted to get something out there.

And just as I finish up I get an email about GMT games having a week-long 50% off sale. Eh...maybe the spending freeze can wait another week.

Roll well and live!
Al