4th edition Dungeon Master's Guide

You have have noticed (well, it's possible...) that I haven't reviewed the DMG for 4th edition yet. There is a reason for this.

You see, I don't really believe that the DMG is wholly necessary this time around. You see, all the magic items are in the PHB in 4th edition, and unless 4th edition is the first RPG (much less version of D&D) that you've ever played, you probably already know how to run a game. A lot of the book is a rehash of the same thing from every DMG in the past (and most other such books from different RPGs) where it tells you how to run a game, basic mechanics that were probably covered in another book, and so forth.

About the only thing that the DMG does offer is rules on customizing monsters, better information on scaling encounters, and some guidelines on EXP and treasure rewards. (There's also the standard "Rules for the PCs to starve to death in the wilderness because they forgot to pack food" and other environmental hazards, but most GMs I know either gloss over the whole "Elf needs food, badly." or just assume we're always going to use magical means to feed ourselves.)

If you're getting this as part of a package deal through Amazon or your local gaming store, sure, pick it up. If you're one of those people who just has to have every book, you're going to get it regardless of what I say. If you don't fall into one of those categories, you can probably safely skip getting this book entirely. Let some other poor sucker gamer pick it up.

So I get to work last night

and almost immediately, two of my co-workers ask me if I need any extra money (to which I think, "Well duh."), and show me this advertisement for a medical study. Basically, it boils down to "take this stuff that we give you, which may be a placebo, may be a drug, may be caffeine, or may be caffeine plus the drug, then peddle a exercise bike for 90 minutes, and finally watch some flashing lights and so forth while we image your brain."

$150 and they give you a copy of your brain images. Now, my first thought was "Hell, I'll do it just for the brain images. Then I see that I am disqualified on the first requirement listed.

Ages: 18-30

I tell my co-workers this, and they're like "huh?" I explain that since I turn 36 next month, it is rather difficult to be between 18 and 30. Apparently, they thought I was in my late 20s.

Dear morons of the world

If you call and I tell you that you have the wrong number because you're looking for someone who doesn't live here, that means it's the WRONG GODDAMNED NUMBER YOU FUCKING MORON.

I just love getting woken up three hours early by some asshat who can't grasp that wrong number means wrong number. (I've had more phone calls tonight while trying to sleep then I've had at all in the last two weeks.)