State of the Planes November 2025

Although I aimed for 31 posts last month, I actually finished 25, which is much better than any other month this year. At the beginning of the month, I was creating new material, but the last posts were reposts.

I'm currently playing DnD 2024 as a Thief Rogue in the Vecna campaign from a year or two ago. We are at 9th level. We've lost a couple of people, and schedules are becoming more challenging, so we'll see what we can achieve. 

I ran a Deadlands by Gaslight 3-paeter and demos of Pathfinder for Savage Worlds and Dragonbane in the last six weeks, and those went pretty well.

I have been running a Swords and Wizardry game for my DnD Campers (we've been playing together for over a year), and we did a special one-shot for Halloween where they made characters based on their costumes, and it was an absolute blast. It is amazing to watch these kids hang out together and build a community.

I've spent the last few months testing out Shadowdark, Savage Worlds, and Dragonbane, and I think Dragonbane is my preferred game going forward. I need a break from the d20 system, and while I love SW, Dragonbane is easier to teach IMO.

I'm working on a setting for it that is a total rip-off of Thundarr the Barbarian and Kamandi. 

I'll use the Bestiary's Ogres and the various Anthropomorphic races...maybe Dwarves too.

B/X Essentials: Shimmer Boy Armor for Wyrmholes

Shimmer Boy Armor is a product of the Outsiders who came from beyond the Wyrmholes that have opened up over the last decade. At least a dozen of these walking siege engines wearing shimmering, metallic armor. What's worse is that each of the suits are equipped with a terrible thunder cannon that can threaten even the most well-designed keep. Rumors abound that Duke Egstrum of Tarmaland has two of them guarding his vault at Castle Dread.

What is known is that one of the pilots fell to the magic of Olia the Viper and she trained Sir Roland of Trent to use one. Many adventurers talk openly about finding a Shimmer Boy suit of their own.

SHIMMER BOY ARMOR
• AC 0; 1/2 damage from laser weapons
• Thunder Cannon 3d6+2 damage; 
   Must spend a full action activating grounding pylons.
• Targeting Systems grant +1 to Hit
• Pilot does 1d6 unarmed melee damage while wearing the suit
• Sensory pods let the pilot Hear Noise as a Thief of 
   the same level
• Pilot's Movement is 50' while wearing the suit