Gen Con 2023 Review: My Not-so-favorite Things

I recently shared my favorite moments from Gen Con 2023, and while it was an unforgettable year for me, I believe in being honest about my experiences – even the less-than-perfect ones. So, here's a closer look at a few things that didn't quite live up to the hype at this year's con.

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Lorcana

Alright, let's dive right into my "hot take." I was lucky enough to snag a ticket to play the hottest game at Gen Con 2023: Ravensburger’s new trading card game (TCG), Lorcana. For those TCG enthusiasts out there, you already know that the game (as are most TCGs) is a derivative of Magic: The Gathering, or Pokémon, or every other TCG on the market.

Now, I must admit, I’m not a TCG person. I remember seeing kids in the halls at my high school playing MTG and Pokémon, but it never interested me. Firstly, because I was – in my head, and looking back on it, stupidly – too cool for that stuff. Look at us now, young Cavan. But, also, it seemed like a thing to spend a ton of money on hoping that you got the best cards in order to, maybe win a game against some friends, which I do like, but more likely to get someone to buy at an unimaginably high price, which I don’t like. Now, we have Elsa, Stitch, and Mickey Mouse on cards and we all can see where that will lead, especially with the foil cards: jacked-up prices that people, especially kids, will spend because it’s Disney.

We already saw what chaos it can cause during the con as there were actual physical altercations in the line. Plus, the line caused a massive headache area in the hallway. Not only that, but the line started at 6 p.m. for a 10 a.m. opening, which if that’s what you’re at Gen Con for, then kudos to you. For me, I was happy to play and get a starter set. 

Which, brings me to the game itself. The game is, well, fine. If you've played any TCG, you'll recognize the mechanics, just with Disney flair. They've renamed things, like "mana" being called "ink" and "tapping" being "exerting." Rather than attacking each other’s characters in order to reduce life points, your goal is to accumulate 20 lore points by sending characters, known as Glimmers, on quests. Some cards add lore, some subtract, some are characters, and some are items.

During my playthrough, I couldn't help but compare Lorcana to the Star Wars: Unlimited demo I had just done. The latter had cool game mats, life trackers, and sleek components. Lorcana had cards and LCD writing tablets. Not exactly magical.

Lorcana has potential, but it left me wanting more – especially considering its Disney pedigree. I will say that the art is solid, and I love that it’s all original art instead of utilizing film stills or something like that. I will also say the guy leading us through the game was fantastic and you could tell, though he was exhausted, he really cared for the product, even if the experience felt more like a cash grab to me. I can’t completely hate on Ravensburger, I mean, make money where you can. They do make decent games that I love; Horrified is always out in October at our house, and Villainous is a great Disney-based game. But, Lorcana, it’s not my cup of tea, or my well of ink, or something like that.

Kobold Press’s Tales from the Wastes: The Sanctum

It’s hard for me to put this here because I was completely of two minds about this experience. First off, this was my first experience at Gen Con 2023 and it happened at 10 a.m. on Thursday. So, I was giving them a bit of leeway with the experience because anything on the first day, especially that early in the day is going to be a bit rocky. 

It was a 5e game, so we were given a handful of character sheets to choose from to play, as I never get to play, I chose a class and species I hadn’t done before, a Ratfolk Wizard. The group I played with was fantastic. Everyone was friendly, fun, and we meshed well as a group, no murder hobos, no scene stealers. As an added bonus, our DM was great as well, which was something I had at every table I played at at Gen Con this year. 

The beginning was straightforward, we explored a town, chatted with townsfolk, and learned about The Speaker. An esoteric, pied piper sort of guy who the town was enthralled with. Easy peasy.

The problem? Once we reached The Sanctum, things went awry. I won’t spoil how we got there, or anything like that. However, we spent nearly 45 minutes in a room talking to people who only repeated blessings to The Speaker and vague references to The Mother, whom we had never heard of.  It felt like a dead-end. So much so that one guy at the table straight asked the DM, “So, are we just supposed to walk around until something happens?” Eventually, I stumbled upon a clue, and it led straight into the final battle. The battle went well and was reasonably tough, but, as expected we won.

The biggest disappointment was entering The Inner Sanctum of The Sanctum to see a grisly scene of death and mutilation, a shrine to something. However, the group I played with and I will never know to what, because even with a Nat-20 perception check to find an inscription, none of our pre-made characters could speak Abyssal. Yep, our premade characters from the makers of the adventure couldn’t read the language needed to get to the end of it. And so, we were left without an answer.

The game had its fun moments, but the lack of resolution and guidance left me wanting more. Still, I bought a Kobold Press book later, so no hard feelings. But, come on, someone tell me what the shrine said. Please!?

Daggerheart

I know I listed Daggerheart among my favorite things at Gen Con, but hear me out – I can have mixed feelings, right? Daggerheart itself seems like a good system that will be useful, especially for people who want to get a game going quickly. But, the session I was in, while overall pretty solid, was a bit of a letdown for two reasons. Firstly, we had a murder hobo at the table. Which, for me, is the worst kind of player around. I’m not a big battle-heavy person in D&D, give me mystery, give me fetch quests, give me roleplaying scenes, I love all that. Combat, while fun, and necessary in D&D, needs to be justified when it does happen. 

We eventually reined him in and got the game back on track, but that led me to problem number two, which was, funnily enough, the complete opposite direction. My character build was all about combat. I had drawn the card randomly and chosen a species that seemed to go well with it. The rest of the game, which I usually would be happy about, turned out to be completely non-combat went along without any fights at all and my character was, well, useless. So, I sat back, biding my time until I could intervene in a situation at the end, only to get arrested.

While I can tell that Daggerheart will be good, and I enjoy what it offers as a game, the game I got to play was just a bit blah. And truly, that was due to luck of the draw on one player and one card. Despite these hiccups, I'll give Daggerheart another shot when it's released. After all, everyone deserves a second chance to redeem themselves in the world of tabletop gaming.

Those were my more specific qualms with this year. Now, I have some general things that mar the experience a bit and I notice them every year that I attend. I’ll keep this short and, as sweet as possible because I’m starting to feel bad for complaining at all about something I enjoy so much and feel lucky to attend. 

Backpacks & Wagons, not nearly as fun as Dungeons & Dragons:

So, this trend is getting more and more popular, and in the words of my favorite clockwork automatons, it really grinds my gears: those folks who lug around giant gaming backpacks and wheel around wagons like they're on an expedition.

You’re standing at a table, getting a demo from a volunteer at a game booth when *shlabam* you get rocked in the side by a bag big enough to comfortably transport a halfling through Baldur’s Gate. You stumble, and trip and fall back into a wagon, “Farewell dearest shopkeep!”, you say, as you are whisked away through the convention.

Exaggeration? Yes. But come on, Gen Con aisles are chaotic enough! We don’t need to add these mobile fortresses to the mix. And the wagons, abso-freakin-lutely not, there is no way those should be allowed. Sure, people have their loot in there, but it feels like they're preparing for the tabletop gaming apocalypse. Can we all agree to downsize a tad and make the hallways more walkable?

70,000’s A Crowd:

Speaking of crowds, Gen Con has become the hottest ticket in town, rivaling the popularity of Eldritch Blast at a Warlock party. It's fantastic to see the gaming community thriving and our beloved event reaching new heights. However, at times, the crowd is overwhelming.

I understand there will be a crowd, but this year, on Thursday of all days, it was nearly impossible to get through some aisles in the dealer hall. This may seem a bit of a silly thing, but what makes it tough is when I went back through on Saturday I realized I had missed two of my favorite booths just because I literally couldn’t move through the crowd. Usually I’m only able to go for one day, so I would have just missed them.

I comprehend the monumental effort and financial investment it takes to pull off an event of this magnitude, especially after the hit Gen Con took from the pandemic. Yet, it's high time to contemplate a few options. Perhaps imposing a cap on attendance to ensure everyone savors the con without feeling like sardines in a can. Or, why not consider expanding the hall? It's a perfect segue into our next topic.

The Wizard Casts Teleport on the Artists & Authors

I have thought this since my first time attending the con, and it becomes more and more pronounced every time I’m here: the artists and the authors should not be in the dealer hall. And don’t get me wrong – I cherish my time in that corner, surrounded by mesmerizing artwork and engrossing conversations with authors. As an aspiring writer, I could get lost in those discussions for days. However, the area always looks a little overlooked, and that is because it likely is. Gen Con is a gaming convention, and while gaming includes books, art, cosplay, and a dozen other offshoots, the majority of the people in the dealer hall are there for one thing, games.

So, here's my modest proposal: let's liberate the artists and authors from the confines of the dealer hall. Reserve one or two of those spacious rooms just outside, and make it unmistakably clear with giant signs. Those who genuinely yearn for artistic and literary enrichment can seek solace there, away from the dealer hall's sensory overload. It's a win-win scenario: more room to roam and an opportunity to invite more game-makers. Trust me; it's a move Gen Con needs to consider.

Hotel Havoc

This will be my last true issue, and it is one of the few things I heard many people complain about. So, let's talk about the big elephant in the room – hotel prices at Gen Con. Now, I'm fortunate to live locally, but I've heard countless complaints about this issue, and it's hard to ignore. Travelers from far and wide have to cough up a small fortune just to have a place to rest their heads during the event. It's not a minor inconvenience; it's a full-on assault on your wallet that leaves you reeling.

I had a conversation with a guy over a plate of wings and a cold beer at Loughmiller's, and he and his buddies shelled out a jaw-dropping $1500 for a room, and they booked it nearly a year in advance! I get it; costs have been skyrocketing across the board in recent years, and private businesses set their own prices. But it genuinely saddens me to think that some folks are forking over what others make in a whole month just to secure a bed for four nights.

I know there's no quick fix for this, and it's not entirely in Gen Con's control, but it still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

Gen Con, Once a Year? Really?

"Finally, let's switch gears to a more delightful topic – the frequency of Gen Con. Now, by Sunday, I'm usually as worn out as the dice in my favorite set, and I'm sure many of you can relate. The whirlwind of gaming, or should I say 'gamenado,' leaves us exhilarated and exhausted. But here's the burning question: why does Gen Con have to be a once-a-year affair?

The gap between each Gen Con feels like an eternity. Can't we sprinkle a few more of these tabletop extravaganzas throughout the year? Maybe some smaller-scale Gen Con pop-ups? I know, I know, too much of a good thing and all that, but a bi-annual Gen Con – a boy (grown-ass man) can dream.

Creating Unforgettable D&D Encounters: 9 Critical Tips

Today, it’s time to roll for initiative. Crafting challenging and engaging D&D encounters is not as simple as it may seem. As a New DM it is easy to fall into the pit trap of making your first few encounters fall flat because you simply find a monster you’re stoked to unleash upon your PCs and that is as far in the planning as you get. While it will still be fun, I’ll tell you, from personal experience (whoops) that no matter how badass your monster might be, it takes much more thought and prep to craft a solid encounter that your players will remember, and if you do it right that battle against a dozen gnomes can be more fun, and dynamic than going toe to toe with a Tarrasque. So, here’s nine ways to transform your encounters from bad to rad!

Strike a Balance: Like a skilled bard crafting the perfect melody, finding the right balance in your encounters is crucial. In order to do this, you must first have a solid knowledge of your players’ abilities. By knowing what each Player Character (PC) can do, you can tailor the challenges to, well, challenge them. You want to be able to keep them on their toes with foes that exploit their weaknesses while allowing them to also utilize their strengths.

This means, if you have a villain who is attempting to escape, you make sure you pick something with high wisdom so your sorcerer’s Hold Person spell doesn’t immediately end the chase while making sure it has a lower intelligence so her Tasha’s Mind Whip can lash out 90 feet and deal some serious damage.

By balancing in this way, you will keep them fully engaged and feel rewarded when they eventually leave initiative. Remember, a well-balanced encounter is the foundation of an epic tale, and that’s what we’re all trying to craft as DMs.

Craft Dynamic Battles: There are few things more boring than a battle encounter that is purely hack-and-slash until all the baddies are dead. When crafting a fight, it is important to make sure that there is more for your players to do than just fight, another goal, or obstacle.

Maybe one of your PCs’ friends or family members is being held captive and they have to focus on saving them while also dealing with attackers, and, if they don’t save them in a particular amount of time things get more dire. Or they’ve been tasked with recovering an object, but if they kill the big bad of the week before they recover it it is lost forever.

Having secondary goals will make the battles dynamic and will avoid that terrible feeling when your players pull out their phones until it’s their turn to swing a sword or cast a spell. 

Build Purposeful Encounters: This ties directly to dynamic encounters; your encounters should not be mere obstacles to overcome. Infuse them with purpose and meaning, they should always be driving the story forward or dropping a little bit of world-building knowledge that the players can extract later.

Each battle should leave a mark on your players' journey, propelling them forward or revealing hidden truths that shape their destiny. That secret wooden shrine to a group of druids where they battled a group of dryads and blights, well, that wood is a unique wood that they find they need two sessions later, and those druids, if they find them, hold the cure to an illness that is ravaging the countryside 10 sessions from now.

Use your encounters to expand your world, add hints to future missions, and tie in your PCs’ backstories to keep them invested and intrigued. 

Mix It Up: Variety is the spice of … adventure! Your encounters should be as diverse as the landscapes they unfold in and the characters that take part in them. Not every encounter needs to be a fight, sure, D&D mechanics lean a little battle-heavy, but there is so much more that you can do in this game.

Thrilling combat is a good mainstay, but alternate in some other options that fit you and your players. Build in some mind-bending puzzles, put those high Charisma PCs in the driver’s seat with diplomatic negotiations, and test those other epic skills with unique, skill-based challenges. Give your players a taste of different flavors, leaving them hungry for more.

Give Your Enemies Personalities: No more one-dimensional foes! Can it be fun to go through and lay waste to a horde of nameless goblins, sure. And that will never stop being fun. But, there needs to be at least one goblin, or their bugbear leader, that your players can interact with. It will seriously up your encounter if you make your baddies as dynamic and interesting as your player characters.

Think about their backgrounds, what drives them, and what makes them tick. Infuse them with real motivations that go beyond just being obstacles to overcome. How about adding some twists during the battle? Maybe they reveal some hidden secrets that surprise your players? Maybe they aren’t that loyal to their cause and they will aid your players if they let them live?

Let your enemies be more than just cannon fodder – make them memorable, and your players will remember the epic clashes for sessions to come.

*A treasure trove of info on this topic can be found over at the wonderful blog by Keith Amman, The Monsters Know What They’re Doing. I highly suggest keeping it in your bookmarks as a regular DM tool.

Be Descriptive: As a Dungeon Master, you are partially a storyteller. A surefire way to have dull encounters is: “Does an 18 hit? It does. Nice. You take 7 piercing damage. Next in initiative is …” It’s easy to be this DM and I’ll admit I have fallen to it myself, especially in battles with tons going on.

Don’t make that mistake. While it may not come naturally to you, a skill you can hone to bring the battlefield to life and watch as your players become fully engrossed in the world you've created is being descriptive. Enhance your encounters with vivid descriptions, immersive details, and atmospheric cues. “That’s an 18 to hit. Fwip! Fwip! Two crossbow bolts soar through the air, and wham! pierce your armor, sending searing pain through your right arm. You take 7 points of piercing damage and look into the tree above to see a shadowy figure reloading. Next up is…”

So much better. And it paints a picture for your players, pulling them, and yourself, deeper into the encounter. I know it’s easier said than done, but with enough experience, your storytelling modifier will increase sooner than you think.

Embrace the Unexpected: Never forget that mischievous third party that accompanies most every TTRPG campaign, the dice. All the planning in the world can’t take into account how those little devils will be rolling on any given day and so when they throw a wrench in your works be ready to capitalize on that unforeseen event.

Your players will demolish your session’s main villain before they get to do anything cool, a nat 20 investigation roll or insight check will let them figure out your big mystery, they’ll walk right past that big encounter you spent hours planning, it’s going to happen. So, be prepared to adapt and improvise as the dice roll, for the most memorable encounters often arise from the unlikeliest of situations.

Build the Stakes: The DMG and Monster Manual have encounter ratings and monster ratings, and when I started out I followed them. I threw some easy and medium-difficulty encounters their way and that was nearly a waste, I did zero damage to anyone in our first encounter and barely any more in our next few.

My suggestion, even if it sounds a bit scary for those of us who don’t want Total Party Kills, is always, always go Deadly. Unless your party is rolling atrociously and/or playing stupidly, they will make it through, and yet, maybe one, maybe two go down and have to be healed during the battle.

And those death saving throws, those, in the end, are what we want. Aren’t they? We want this game to be exhilarating, to give us an adventure that we can’t have in real life, to make us feel alive in a way that life somehow can’t (and if life does get to feeling that way, well, that’s all too terrifying in itself). We want stakes, and nowhere else in this game is it easier, or more fun as a DM to give your players stakes and let them feel the glory of victory once they beat them. 

Seize the Drama: On a similar note to raising the stakes, this is what D&D is all about, making moments to remember. Every campaign has its defining moments, those heart-pounding, hair-raising instances that resonate with players long after the session ends. Craft your encounters in ways to make it possible for your characters to seek out and capitalize on these moments. Epic showdowns, character-defining choices, and unexpected alliances can create cinematic scenes that your players will cherish for years to come.

There you have it, New DMs! With these nine guiding principles, you are now armed with the knowledge to craft encounters that will leave your players awestruck and thirsting for more. May your campaigns be legendary and your encounters truly unforgettable! If you have any suggestions on ways to up your encounters or just want to share some of your most epic encounters, drop a line in the comments or email me directly at cmthenewdm@gmail.com.