Raging Owlbear
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ragingowlbear.bsky.social
Raging Owlbear
@ragingowlbear.bsky.social
AKA Marty. He/Him. Geek Dad, DM, Child of the 70’s #TTRPG blogger. #DnD #RPG #StarWars #CarWars #AFOL
http://Twitch.tv/RagingOwlbear
🐘[email protected]
In summary, there’s much to love about this gritty, lower powered D&D adjacent fantasy #TTRPG. I’ve played it a couple times in a con setting but really looking forward to running (and hopefully playing) #Dragonbane more regularly with my home group.
9/9
amzn.to/3Mjgl3N
Free League Publishing Dragonbane: Mirth & Mayhem Roleplaying Game Core Set, Includes Dice, Rulebook, Adventures, Map, and More, RPG Tabletop Board Game for Adults, Family, Teens 13+
Experience the perfect blend of fast-paced fun and epic fantasy with the Dragonbane: Mirth & Mayhem Core Set. This all-in-one boxed set has everything you need to dive right into thrilling adventures, with minimal prep time. Whether you're in the mood for a quick one-shot or an ongoing campaign, Dragonbane delivers a dynamic experience that mixes brutal challenges with moments of humor and lighthearted play. Rooted in decades of Swedish gaming tradition, this reimagined edition of the classic Drakar och Demoner combines old-school magic and mystery with cutting-edge design from Free League Publishing, ensuring an unforgettable tabletop journey.
amzn.to
December 4, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Spells also have a more gradual power curve and can be upcast based upon available Willpower Points. The spells are also more in-line with melee PC capabilities.

I’ve always wanted a spell point system like this, but not as crunchy as something like GURPS.
8/
December 4, 2025 at 8:56 PM
6) Spells and Heroic Abilities are powered by Willpower Points which are better than spell slots or similar Vancian styles. Some spells also have a lower power pre-requisite. I love this thematically. You have to light a candle before you learn to burn down a village.
7/
December 4, 2025 at 8:55 PM
5) When a player misses a roll, there is a push-your-luck re-roll that adds a negative condition on the PC. I really like this. There are similar “stress” mechanics in other games, but I don’t believe any D&D-like systems do exactly this.
6/
December 4, 2025 at 8:54 PM
I’m not entirely sold on automatic damage, but it does make the average damage per round more predictable. They also don’t “crit” as the damage output is based on which attack the monster takes. You can roll randomly, or select the attack type that fits best narratively.
5/
December 4, 2025 at 8:54 PM
4) Monsters never miss. This is a wild one. Every monster has a different series of varying attacks which may do different levels of damage or buff/debuff effects… but when they attack, they don’t miss. You go right to rolling damage.
4/
December 4, 2025 at 8:53 PM
3) No Hit Point inflation. Your CON score determines HP at character generation and stays the same as your skills progress. Some Heroic Abilities may make you slightly more durable, but stationary HP means ** combat stays very dangerous ** throughout a campaign.
3/
December 4, 2025 at 8:52 PM
2) Heroic Abilities are similar to D&D Feats, but they are gained less frequently which also keeps the power curve low.

For me, this is crucial. My biggest issue with most modern systems is PC power creep.
2/
December 4, 2025 at 8:52 PM
So here’s a few awesome mechanics that sets #Dragonbane apart in my mind.

1) It uses a d20 mechanic similar to D&D but there are no levels. Everything is skill based. Advancement is mostly through skills, keeping the PC power creep very low.
1/
December 4, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Signs point to Yes.
November 26, 2025 at 2:52 AM
Even back then there were slivers.

I always read Dragon. Never Polyhedron. Rarely Space Gamer.

I had friends who had acquired fan zines. I didn’t. I read USENET news groups. Most didn’t.

And some who never interacted with “the community” outside of our own gaming group.
October 24, 2025 at 5:07 PM
It’s about the real estate footprint required.

Most of the areas I’ve lived, the gas stations do not have room for a long row of parked cars. Truck stops already have the large parking footprint, but most standard gas stations do not.
September 1, 2025 at 3:55 AM
I had to look harder than I was comfortable with to understand this image.
September 1, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Can you make a visitor to Scotland disappear? Asking for a friend.
July 29, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Late night TV hosts have always criticized the parent corp. That was literally Letterman’s schtick for dozens of years.

This is absolutely about bending the knee for the FCC merger approval.
July 24, 2025 at 2:57 PM