Hi all,
You can download a free copy of the first Blackdirge Pathfinder product at Gameloot right here: Creature Chronicles: Argentinosaurus.
Stay tuned for more info about Creature Chronicles and other Blackdirge Pathfinder products coming soon.
BD
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Hi all, This is the first product in our newest bargain PDF line for 4E. Those of you familiar with Goodman Games' Level Up should recognize the character of Azagar. We'll be releasing new bargain PDFs every week, and we'll be adding new product lines as we go along to give you a great selection of 4E material at a bargain price. Here are the bargain products currently available at Paizo: Blackdirge’s Bargain Bestiaries: The Created—Lesser Golems Blackdirge’s Bargain Bestiaries: From Beyond—Aberrant Horrors Blackdirge’s Bargain Bestiaries: Hybrid Horrors—Dragon-Blooded Blackdirge’s Bargain Templates: Brutish Blackdirge’s Bargain Templates: Trollborn For more info and news on Blackdirge Publishing Products, check us out on Facebook.
Hi all, This is the third release in our Blackdirge's "Bargain" lines for 4E. We will be releasing new bargain PDFs, each priced under $2.00, every week. Below are links to the bargain PDFs we've recently released: Blackdirge's Bargain Bestiaries: The Created - Lesser Golems Blackdirge's Bargain Templates: Trollborn Blackdirge's Bargain Templates: Brutish Coming Up: Blackdirge's Bargain Bestiaries: Hybrid Horrors - Dragon-Blooded
Blackdirge's Bargain Encounters: The Robber Knight
Blackdirge's Bargain Templates: Abominable
Hi all, This is the first release in our new "bargain" lines. Every week we'll be releasing new bargain-priced PDFs, featuring new monsters, templates, encounters, and player options for your 4E game. BD
Hi all, The sixth installment of the Critter Cache line gives you a healthy dose of Cthulhu-y goodness for your 4E game, with over 30 critters taken directly from H.P. Lovecraft's works. BD
Hi all, This is the third book in our Hero's Handbook series. This one presents new options for tiefling characters and a slight reimagining of their infernal origins. Make sure to check out the 9-page PDF preview, featuring information on tieflings from the lineage of Mammon, Lord of Avarice. Hero's Handbook: Tieflings Preview BD
Hi all, We've posted the submission guidelines for Level Up over at the Goodman Games site: Level Up Submission Guidelines. So get to work, and send me your best 4E ideas! :) Aeryn "Blackdirge" Rudel
Hi all, Here's a preview of Level Up #2, due out in July. In addition to the articles listed above, this issue also features an article by WotC's James Wyatt called Villains of Eberron. BD
Hi folks, The title for this one pretty much says it all. Critter Cache 5: Daemons re-imagines and reintroduces the classic race of fiends for Fourth Edition Dungeons & Dragons. BD
Hi all This is the the premier issue of Goodman Games’ 4E GSL magazine Level Up. It's now available in both print and PDF. Here’s a quick peek at what you’ll find in Level Up #1. Roads to Adventure: Rift of the Hill Giant Thane An exciting 7th level adventure written by Goodman Games’ Harley Stroh Blackdirge’s Bestiary: Natural-Born Killer Six new dinos…I mean behemoths for your 4E game. Deities of Áereth: Gorhan The first in a series of articles on the gods of Áereth, the setting for the popular DCC line; Deities of Áereth: Gorhan explores the worship of the god of war and valor. Includes new feats, magic items, and a paragon path for worshippers of Gorhan. Azagar’s Advice for Adventurers: Choose Your Weapons Part I The infamous hobgoblin warlord dispenses his own brand of curmudgeonly wisdom on the subject of choosing the proper weapon. Includes a dozen new feats that will help you choose the right weapon every time. GM Gems: Fiendish Foes Three new monster templates that allow DMs to make their monsters and NPCs a bit more “fiendish.” Includes the following templates: demon knight, hell beast, and hellfire adept. PC Pearls: Weapon Focused Warriors Three new paragon paths for martial characters focused on a particular weapon. The cudgel thug gives club-wielding rogues a real wallop; the crimson cleaver lets fighters bring the pain with the greataxe; and the arbalestier actually gives the ranger a reason to use the crossbow. Plus:
For more information about Level Up, including subscriptions, visit us at: Goodman Games.
Hi all, This the fourth release in our Critter Cache line, and as you can guess, this one covers the fey. The goal with this volume was not only to fill in some of the blanks left in the 4E Monster Manual, but also to reintroduce some classic fey monsters from previous editions, such as the spriggan, cu sidhe, and boggart. In addition, information on the two classic fey courts, the Seelie and Unseelie is provided in this product. Look for more 4E critters next month, when we reintroduce some old fiendish favorites with the release of Critter Cache: Daemons. BD
Hi all, Just in case you haven't seen this at any of the other sites... We are pleased to announce the official Goodman Games 4E magazine Level Up. Only $1.99 with the first issue slated for April release! Covering all things 4E, Level Up includes adventures, character options, new monsters, Azagar’s Advice for Adventurers, and the endearing wisdom of Dear Archmage Abby. All for only $1.99! Further details and subscription info can be found at our website: Level Up If you have any questions about the magazine, please feel free to ask in this thread or on the Goodman Games forums. BD
Goodman Games is looking for writers! This is an open call for 4E game designers who want to contribute to Book of Rituals, a hardback compilation that will see print in the fall. This is paid work-for-hire. All accepted submissions become the property of Goodman Games, and contributors receive 3 cents per word, printed credit, and a copy of the published book. Book of Rituals covers heroic level, paragon level, and epic level rituals. It includes rituals for binding, creation, deception, divination, exploration, restoration, scrying, travel, and warding. Submissions should be limited to rituals within the scope of the book. Here are the guidelines for submissions:
If you have additional questions, please post them to our forums.
Hi all, This is the second monster book in the Goodman Games/Blackdirge Publishing Critter Cache line. Obviously, this one covers dinosaurs and other prehistoric critters. Encounter levels range from 1 to 24, with various elites and solos mixed in. There are 27 monsters in all here, each with an illustration, description, lore, and tactics. BD
Hi all, This product introdcues the third 4E PDF line from Blackdirge Publishing and Goodman Games. Critter Encounters feature a fully detailed, short encounter for 4E, using monsters from the companion Critter Cache line. Each encounter comes with full-color maps, dynamic encounter areas, and full stat blocks for all monsters, traps, and hazards. In addition, SkeletonKey Games is publishing a Critter Encounters Tile set for each release in this series, allowing you to print out and assemble a full-scale battlemap for every encounter. BD
Hi all, This is the first product in another new line from Blackdirge Publishing and Goodman Games. Paths to Prestige gives you a new paragon path, plus a template and an example monster based on the paragon path. This first product features the fell knight, who is basically a fallen paladin that has thrown in with evil gods. However, he's not required to be evil, and could easily work as an unaligned paladin of a death god. BD
Hi all, Thi is the first in a series of new monster products from Goodman Games and Blackdirge Publishing. As the title indicates, this one features giant insects and other "big bugs." Upcoming products in the series will feature dinosaurs, animals and beasts, fey, and daemons, just to name a few. BD
Hi all, The cover art and monster list for this product have been posted over at EN World. It's in this thread: Blackdirge's Dungeon Denizens Monster List BD
BLACKDIRGE PUBLIHSING $1.00 SALE!!! Hi all, All Blackdirge Publishing products have been marked down to $1.00 for the month of September. Unfamiliar with Blackdirge Publishing? Here’s a brief description (and a link to the Paizo store) of the five major lines we publish. Animal Archives: This product line features bestiaries detailing prehistoric animals and dinosaurs. Each book describes between 5 and 10 new animals, with complete stats, information on how each animal can be used by PCs (animal companions, mounts, familiars, etc.), and intriguing information on the real-world animal. Blackdyrge’s Bestiary: These monster books detail unique and powerful monsters as chronicled by the mysterious sage of monsters: Blackdyrge. Each book contains 5 monsters, with an introduction by Blackdyrge and a complete and informative write-up. Other goodies found in these books include new magic items, prestige classes, diseases, spells, and much more. Blackdyrge’s Templates: In these short PDFs, the sage of monsters details one new monster template. Each template is introduced by Blackdyrge himself, and includes two example monsters with complete and compelling write-ups. Master at Arms: These short PDFs feature 5-level prestige classes for fighters based on individual weapons. Each prestige class features a number of new and innovative ways to use the highlighted weapon, and comes complete with an iconic NPC. In addition, the series often includes new weapons and new weapon special abilities. None so Vile: This product line is for mature audiences only, and features terrifying new prestige classes for evil characters and NPCs. Some of the subjects explored in recent releases are cannibalism, torture, blasphemy, and the destruction of the immortal soul. Thanks Aeryn Rudel
Hi all, This is the first product in our new OGL line. Blackdirge Publishing will be supporting the OGL, and Blackdyrge's Bits & Pieces will be one of our primary means of doing so. This product line will cover a lot of ground, and you can expect to see new feats, spells, weapons, monsters, and other useful OGL material in future installments. The first product, Weapons of Synergy, presents 12 new weapon special abilities that "synergize" with the existing feats and class features a character already has. Simply having the correct feats and abilities allows a character to unlock additional powers from his weapon. In addition, three example magic weapons that illustrate how synergy weapon abilities can work together are presented at the end of the product. Thanks BD
Blackdirge Publishing One-Year Anniversary Sale! Save 30% on all Blackdirge Publishing products! One year ago, Blackdirge Publishing broke away from Skeleton Key Games and began selling PDF products on its own. It’s been a great year, better than we could have hoped for, and to celebrate, we’re offering 30% off on all products from June 15th to June 22nd. Now is the time to save on all 3.5 Blackdirge Publishing products before the inevitable switchover to 4E. But don’t worry, some our best selling lines will remain 3.5 – more to come on that after the GSL is released. If you’re unfamiliar with Blackdirge Publishing, here’s a quick description of our most popular lines. Animal Archives – New prehistoric animals and dinosaurs for your d20 game. Blackdyrge’s Templates – Innovative monster templates presented by the infamous sage of monsters himself. Master at Arms – Five-level prestige classes for fighters built around specific weapons. None so Vile – Vile and disturbing prestige classes for mature audiences only. Also, we’d like love to hear what you think of our products. If you have an opinion on any product we sell, send me an email at blackdirge@gmail.com, or better yet, post a review.
Hi all, This is the first in our new line of fantasy stock art. Each installment of Blackdyrge's Portfolio features high-quality, black & white images, and is drawn by one of Blackdirge Publishing's veteran artists: Jesse Mohn, Hunter McFalls, and Erik Nowak. Future installments of the series will feature classic fantasy themes and subject, such as humanoids (orcs, gnolls, goblins, etc.), character classes (fighters, clerics, rogues, etc.), and legendary monsters (dragons, demons, elementals, etc.). BD
Hi all, As a d20 publisher, I have a lot of decisions to make in the next 4-6 months. Will I be an exclusive 4E publisher? Or will I continue to publish 3.5E material alongside the new edition? It’s a tough question, and Paizo’s recent decision has certainly made the question more interesting. So, since Paizo probably has the largest group of people sticking with 3.5, I was wondering if some of you might answer a few general questions for me.
Thanks for your input. BD
I brought this up when I first started selling here at Paizo, and I was wondering if any more thought has been given to creating a Publishers Forum. It would be nice to have a place to post product announcements and other publisher-specific items. I always feel a little guilty when I start a discussion thread on one of my own products. Unfortunately, at this point, it's really the best way to announce a new product. BD
Hi there, I raised this question when I first began selling products through Paizo. Has there been any further thought on opening a publishers' forum? It would be nice to have a place where we publishers could post new product announcement and other press releases without having to use a forum not designed for that purpose. I feel dirty every time I start a product discussion about one of my own products. =] Thanks BD
I'm finding that it regularly takes up to three days after I upload a new product for it to be activated. I think this is a little too long. My products go live at other vendor sites immediately, and having to wait for Paizo sometimes makes it difficult to coordinate advertising and press releases. I understand that holidays and weekends can be a problem, but I've uploaded new product in the middle of the week, and still had to wait two days for activation. Are vendors ever allowed to activate their own products? You know, after a probationary period or something like that. Thanks
Hi all, my name is Aeryn Rudel, and I am the owner of Blackdirge Publishing. Recently, I’ve started selling Blackdirge Publishing products at the Paizo download store, so I thought I would drop in here and talk a bit about my various product lines. Here’s a brief description (and a link to the Paizo store) of the five major lines we publish at the moment. New products are released for most of these lines at least once a month, and we typically release three to five new products monthly. Dozens of reviews for my products can be found at EN World and the two OBS sites (RPGNOW and DriveThruRPG). Animal Archives: This product line features bestiaries detailing prehistoric animals and dinosaurs. Each book describes between 5 and 10 new animals, with complete stats, information on how each animal can be used by PCs (animal companions, mounts, familiars, etc.), and intriguing information on the real-world animal. Blackdyrge’s Bestiary: These monster books detail unique and powerful monsters as chronicled by the mysterious sage of monsters: Blackdyrge. Each book contains 5 monsters, with an introduction by Blackdyrge and a complete and informative write-up. Other goodies found in these books include new magic items, prestige classes, diseases, spells, and much more. Blackdyrge’s Templates: In these short PDFs, the sage of monsters details one new monster template. Each template is introduced by Blackdyrge himself, and includes two example monsters with complete and compelling write-ups. Master at Arms: These short PDFs feature 5-level prestige classes for fighters based on individual weapons. Each prestige class features a number of new and innovative ways to use the highlighted weapon, and comes complete with an iconic NPC. In addition, the series often includes new weapons and new weapon special abilities. None so Vile: This product line is for mature audiences only, and features terrifying new prestige classes for evil characters and NPCs. Some of the subjects explored in recent releases are cannibalism, torture, blasphemy, and the destruction of the immortal soul. If you have any further questions about my products, just post them here, or shoot me an email at: blackdirge@gmail.com. Thanks Aeryn Rudel
I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this question, but here goes. I'm a PDF publisher, and I have recently started selling my products at the Paizo store. Is there a place set aside for publishers to post press releases or new product announcements? Thanks BD
I was wondering if any of the contestants would like a critique of their villain stat block. I've been working in the industry as a writer, editor, and stat block editor for three years now, and I would be more than happy to offer my expertise. What I want to do is go through the stat block (and only the stat block) and point out any formatting, math, or other errors that I find. It could be a really helpful tool for later rounds, especially the upcoming monster round. I will not make any comments on flavor or creativity; this will be a straight mechanical critique. I'll only do this for contestants that request it. I've actually finished the critique for the first entry. So, Mr. MacLeod, if you'd like to see my critique of Torquil, let me know. Don't worry; you did a very good job. =] BD
Hi all, my name is Aeryn Rudel, although most people know me by my EN World handle “Blackdirge.” I’ve been working as a freelance RPG designer and editor for a couple of years now, and a lot of the freelance work I’ve done involves stat block creation and editing. In fact, if you look at the last thirty or so products released by Goodman Games (especially the DCCs and the Xcrawl stuff), you’ll see me listed as a proofreader, editor, or stat block editor, or all three. Anyway, I thought I might offer a little stat block advice for those advancing to the next round. Below, I’ve highlighted just a few things to watch out for when creating your stat blocks. This includes some of the more common errors I've seen when editing. Monster Type The errors I've seen here usually crop up after the edition of a template, as many templates change the base creature’s type, and may add additional subtypes. For example, the addition of the vampire template changes the type of the base creature to Undead and adds the Augmented subtype. Most often, it’s the subtypes that are forgotten. So, if you plan to use a template for your villain, make sure you have the right type and subtype listed. Feats Make sure you denote bonus feats with a superscript “B.” This includes bonus feats from templates, race, and levels in the fighter class. Skills I find more errors here when editing than anywhere else. These errors are almost always attributable to the same two things: synergy bonuses and racial bonuses. Synergy bonuses must be included in the final skill modifier for a monster or NPC. Even if a monster or character has no ranks in a particular skill, the skill should still be listed if there is a synergy bonus present. The exception to this rule are skills that can't be used untrained, such as the Tumble skill. So, for instance, if your villian has 5 ranks in Jump, but no ranks in Tumble, he doesn't get the +2 synnergy bonus, and Tumble is not listed among his skills. Racial bonuses are treated the same way as synergy bonuses. Even if your elf has no ranks in Listen, he still gets his +2 racial bonus, and Listen should be included in his skill list. Other things that should be included in your villain’s final skill modifiers are armor check penalties, feat bonuses, and bonuses or penalties for movement rate (Climb, Jump, Swim). Ability Scores The most common problem I see here is using a “0” instead of a “-“ for a monster that has no score in a certain ability score. The first denotes a helpless, debilitative state from ability damage or drain, while the second denotes the absolute lack of a score due to the nature of the monster. Miscellaneous Modifiers Make a checklist of things that commonly modify stats (ability scores, feats, racial bonuses, magical items, etc.) and run through it once you’ve finished your stat block. This is especially important for the AC, Saves, Attack/Full Attack, and Skill entries. A checklist will help you remember everything, especially when stat blocks get complicated with the addition of templates, class levels, and magical items. Check Your Math! Seriously, use a calculator or, even better, use a spreadsheet. Do not try to add up the base attack modifier for a half-dragon minotaur fighter5/rogue5/wizard5 in your head. You will screw it up. =] Good luck in the next round! |