#geeklife

[vladsnake]

My birthday was epic! 🎂 Celebrated at Serie Oro and Blu Vítola, Granada, with friends. Gifts included a Lucy MacLean figure from Fallout and a Freya Allan plush as Ciri (The Witcher). 💖 Thanks to everyone for making it unforgettable! 🥳

[digitalartmaresh]

The Mandalorian & Grogu | Star Wars Style New Year 2026

This is the Way to 2026! 🌌✨ This epic "Happy New Year 2026" visual features The Mandalorian in holographic armor standing with Grogu (Baby Yoda), who is holding a cute sparkler. Set against a futuristic Coruscant-style skyline with fireworks. Perfect for Star Wars fans, geek culture aesthetics, and sci-fi wallpapers.

[adafruit]

Newxie brings the joy of nixies without the 170V power supply 💡🕰️✨

If there's one thing that melts our hearts, it's a nixie clock - we built one 20 years ago!

but nixies are hard to find now that we don't hit up the MIT swapfest at 7am anymore

Swapfest -- The Flea at MIT -- Tech, tools, and gadgets flea market

Swapfest is a huge electronics, tools, technology, amateur radio, and gadget flea market held on the third Sunday of every month from April

well we saw this funky faux nixie clock

http://www.unitedcreation.co/marvel-tubes/

and realized they're just using the same 1.14" TFTs we stock already

Adafruit 1.14" 240x135 Color TFT Display + MicroSD Card Breakout

Say hello to our 1.14" 240x135 Color TFT Display w/ MicroSD Card Breakout – we think it's T-F-Terrific! It's the size of

so why not re-spin the breakout into a skinny right-angle-mount version? Instead of card edge, we have 2x7 right angle headers - both rows are the same contact, but this way, we get more mechanical stability. We kept the level shifting to work with 3.3V or 5V microcontrollers but dropped the micro SD card. You could stack these side by side on a breadboard with as little as 0.7" pitch!

[madlabgames]

A guide for new players to DnD, Character Creation.

Welcome to the wonderful world of Dungeons & Dragons! Creating your first character (PC) can seem daunting, but it's a fun and rewarding process. This guide will walk you through the steps for 5th Edition (5e) in 2024, combining essential information with insights into popular choices.

Phase 1: Concept & Inspiration

This is where your hero begins! Think about who they are at their core.

What kind of hero are you?

Start with the basics: Do you want to be a brave knight, a sneaky rogue, a wise wizard, or a nature-loving druid?

Think about their personality: Are they kind and compassionate, gruff and stoic, or mischievous and witty?

Consider their backstory: Where did they come from? What motivates them? What are their goals?

Don't be afraid to be inspired by books, movies, or video games!

The "Rule of Cool": D&D is about having fun. If an idea excites you, go for it! Don't worry about being "optimal."

Phase 2: The Core Mechanics

Now, let's get into the foundational choices that define your character.

Race (Species)

Your race (now often called species in 5e 2024) provides inherent traits, abilities, and cultural background.

Common Choices (and why they're popular):

Human: Versatile and adaptable, now even more so with extra skill and a "Heroic Inspiration" use, fitting almost any concept.

Elf: Graceful, long-lived, and often skilled in magic or archery. Various lineages (Drow, High Elf, Wood Elf) offer unique benefits.

Dwarf: Hardy, skilled in crafting, and resistant to poison. The 2024 version provides strong Darkvision, poison resistance, and bonus HP.

Goliath: Large, powerful humanoids, great for martial classes, now with increased speed and "Giant Ancestry" options.

Aasimar: Celestial-touched humanoids, gaining popularity for their Necrotic and Radiant damage resistance and "Celestial Revelation" damage bonus.

Tiefling: Humanoids with fiendish ancestry, unique appearance, and magical abilities like Darkvision and cantrips.

Dragonborn: Humanoid dragons with improved breath weapons that scale with level, usable in more versatile ways.

Halfling: Small, nimble, and lucky, generally buffed in the 2024 rules for better playability.

Gnome: Noted for mental fortitude, often gaining advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws.

Orc: Full Orcs in 2024 have super-long Darkvision and an "Adrenaline Rush" ability for extra movement and temporary HP.

Consult the Player's Handbook or basic rules document for a more complete list.

Consider how your race fits your character concept.

Class

Your class determines your skills, abilities, and role in the party.

Common Choices (and their general roles):

Fighter: Masters of combat, proficient with weapons and armor. Consistently the most played class due to versatility and combat prowess.

Rogue: Skilled in stealth, deception, and dealing precise damage. Excellent for out-of-combat utility and burst damage.

Barbarian: Raging warriors, capable of dealing massive damage. A strong frontline combatant with impressive resilience.

Wizard: Masters of arcane magic, capable of casting powerful spells. Offers immense versatility and powerful magical options.

Paladin: Holy warriors, capable of healing, smiting, and protecting allies. A strong hybrid of martial power and divine magic.

Warlock: Unique pact magic users with customizable invocations, offering a distinct spellcasting experience.

Cleric: Divine spellcasters, capable of healing and supporting allies. Vital for party support, with improved heavy armor proficiency in 2024.

Bard: Charismatic performers, capable of inspiring allies and manipulating enemies. Highly versatile in social interactions and support.

Druid: Nature-based spellcasters, capable of transforming into animals. Versatile with healing, control, and damage options.

Monk: Martial artists, capable of dealing unarmed damage and using ki. Significantly improved in 2024 with better damage and grappling.

Sorcerer: Innate spellcasters, with magic flowing through their blood. Known for Metamagic, allowing unique spell manipulations, improved in 2024.

Ranger: Skilled in wilderness survival, capable of tracking and hunting enemies. Wilderness-focused martial class with some spellcasting, with 2024 changes aiming for improved effectiveness.

Consult the Player's Handbook or basic rules document for a more complete list.

Choose a class that aligns with your desired playstyle.

Phase 3: Ability Scores

These six numbers are fundamental to almost everything your character does.

The Six Abilities:

Strength (STR): Physical power, often used for melee attacks and carrying capacity.

Dexterity (DEX): Agility and reflexes, important for ranged attacks, armor class, and initiative.

Constitution (CON): Health and stamina, directly impacts your hit points and resilience.

Intelligence (INT): Mental acuity and knowledge, crucial for spellcasting for some classes and many knowledge skills.

Wisdom (WIS): Perception and intuition, important for insight, survival, and spellcasting for other classes.

Charisma (CHA): Personality and social influence, vital for persuasion, deception, and spellcasting for certain classes.

Methods of Generation:

Standard Array: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8. Assign these numbers to your abilities as desired. This ensures a balanced character.

Point Buy: You have a set number of points to allocate to your abilities, with higher scores costing more. This allows for more customization while preventing extremely weak or powerful characters.

Rolling: Roll 4d6 (four six-sided dice), discard the lowest roll, and add the remaining three. Repeat six times, and assign the results to your abilities. (This method can lead to very strong or very weak characters, so many Dungeon Masters (DMs) prefer other methods).

Consult with your DM to see what method they prefer.

Racial Bonuses: Your race may provide bonuses to certain ability scores. Apply these bonuses after generating your scores.

Phase 4: Skills & Proficiencies

These define what your character is good at.

Proficiencies: Your class and race grant you proficiencies in certain skills, weapons, and armor.

Proficiency means you add your proficiency bonus to ability checks and attack rolls, making you better at those specific tasks.

Skills: Skills are tied to ability scores. For example, Athletics is tied to Strength, and Stealth is tied to Dexterity. Choose skills that align with your character's concept and class.

Phase 5: Background & Equipment

These elements flesh out your character's past and present.

Background: Your background provides additional skills, proficiencies, and equipment, plus crucial roleplaying elements.

Common backgrounds include:

Acolyte: Religious devotee.

Criminal: Lawbreaker.

Entertainer: Performer.

Folk Hero: Local champion.

Noble: Aristocrat.

Sage: Scholar.

Soldier: Veteran warrior.

Choose a background that complements your character's backstory and helps you imagine their life before the adventure.

Equipment: Your class and background provide starting equipment. You can also purchase additional equipment with your starting gold.

Phase 6: Putting It All Together

You're almost ready to play!

Record Everything: Use a character sheet to record your ability scores, skills, proficiencies, equipment, and other details. Many digital tools (like D&D Beyond or Roll20) exist to help with this.

Final Touches:

Give your character a name, unique personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws. These are fantastic roleplaying hooks.

Write a short backstory.

Work with your DM to integrate your character into the campaign.

Tips for First-Time Players

Don't be afraid to ask questions: Your DM and other players are there to help. No question is too silly!

Keep it simple: Start with a straightforward character concept. You can explore more complex ideas in future campaigns.

Have fun! D&D is about collaborative storytelling and adventure. Embrace the unexpected.

Use online resources: Websites like D&D Beyond and Roll20 offer helpful tools and information, including digital character sheets and rule lookups.

Read the basic rules: Familiarize yourself with the core mechanics of the game. It will make your first session much smoother.

By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to creating a memorable and enjoyable D&D character. Good luck, and have fun on your adventures!

[thetrendivault]

Budget-Friendly Tech: 10 High-Quality Gadgets You Can Get for Under $50

Click Link:)

[denofimagination-blog]

"In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war! Whether on the battlefield or in the mines, we always fight for survival. "

If you want to get this or similar one for yourself -> link in bio.

These dice are made by the one and only @baronofdice - https://baronofdice.com/?ref=DenOfDice

[thisgeeklifeblog]

Okay, hear me out: I am obsessed with Isekai anime and manga. You know, when a character is transported to or reincarnated in a different, strange, or unfamiliar world... I just can't get enough, and I suspect it's because I'm really just waiting for my isekai moment IRL. lol

So if you could be isekaied anywhere - where would you want to go and what skills and powers would you want to start?

I don't know if I would want to be over-powered, but I would definitely want to start with decent combat skills, a bunch of magic, and skills to hunt and gather. Oh, and merchant skills to sell my potions and farm foods. With magic, I could rustle up a home and garden and live a quiet life right outside of a major city.

I haven't put a lot of thought into this, at all!

[thatsgeeky]

Bringing Your NPCs to Life: Tips for Creating A Believable Character Backstory in D&D

As a dungeon master, one of the most important parts of your job is creating believable and interesting NPCs (non-player characters) for your players to interact with. These NPCs can range from shopkeepers and guards to quest givers and powerful villains, and they play a crucial role in bringing your campaign world to life.

However, creating NPCs that feel real and relatable can be a challenging task. In this blog post, we'll be discussing some tips and tricks for creating believable NPCs in D&D. From giving NPCs a backstory to making them react realistically to the players, we'll show you how to make your NPCs feel like real, living people. So whether you're a seasoned dungeon master or just starting out, read on to learn how to create NPCs that will keep your players engaged and invested in your game.

Family and Relationships

Family and relationships are an essential element of an NPCs backstory and can give insight into their personality and motivations. For example, an NPC who has lost a loved one might be more likely to be driven by grief and a desire for revenge.

Family and relationships can also provide hooks for the players to interact with the NPCs, creating interesting and dynamic interactions. It can also create conflicts for the NPCs and the players, and the NPCs can have different types of relationship with the player characters like friends, enemies, mentors, allies, and more.

Additionally, NPCs can have complex relationships, for example, an NPC who has a love-hate relationship with one of the player characters. Knowing the NPCs family and relationships can also help the DM to create a believable dialogue, as NPCs can have different roles in the family or society and it can affect their actions and motivations.

Childhood Experiences

Another crucial component of an NPCs biography is their early life, which has the power to influence their personality, worldview, and moral principles. An NPC who was raised in poverty, for instance, might be more motivated by a desire for money and status. Childhood memories can also serve as springboards for the players to engage with the non-player characters (NPCs), resulting in engaging and dynamic interactions. The early experiences of the NPCs might influence their beliefs, values, and worldview, and it can also lead to disputes between them and the players.

In addition, NPCs early life experiences can affect their talents and aptitudes; for instance, an NPC who grew up in a conflict zone may be better at surviving and engaging in warfare. Additionally, it can affect how they feel and think. For instance, an NPC who experienced abuse as a youngster may struggle with trust or develop PTSD. As NPCs can have diverse perspectives on life and the world based on their experiences, knowing the NPCs early experiences can also aid the DM in crafting believable dialogue.

Education or Training

An NPCs education and training can give meaning to their talents and abilities and are a significant part of their narrative. Knowing what an NPC has studied or received training in might help determine their level of skill and knowledge. A skilled wizard NPC, for instance, may be more motivated by a quest for power and knowledge.

The players' interactions with the NPCs may be made more fascinating and dynamic by means of education and training. As the education and training of the NPCs may impact their views, values, and worldview, it can also lead to disputes between the NPCs and the players.

Additionally, NPCs education and training can shape their career and occupation, for example, an NPC who is a trained engineer might be more likely to be a successful inventor or architect. It can also shape their social status, for example, an NPC who has received a noble education might be more likely to be a member of the upper class. Knowing the NPCs education and training can also help the DM to create a believable dialogue, as NPCs can have different perspectives on life and the world based on their education and training.

Career or Occupation

An NPCs career or occupation can also play a role in shaping their backstory and provide context for their skills and abilities. Knowing what an NPC does for a living can give insight into their skills, abilities, and motivations. For example, an NPC who is a shopkeeper might be more likely to be driven by a desire for wealth and success. A career or occupation can also provide hooks for the players to interact with the NPCs, creating interesting and dynamic interactions. It can also create conflicts for the NPCs and the players, as the NPCs career or occupation can shape their beliefs, values, and how they perceive the world.

The NPCs career or occupation can shape their social status, for example, an NPC who is a noble might be more likely to be a member of the upper class. It can also shape their reputation, for example, an NPC who is a notorious thief might be feared or respected by other NPCs. Knowing the NPCs career or occupation can also help the DM to create a believable dialogue, as NPCs can have different perspectives on life and the world based on their career or occupation.

Life Events

Life events that shape an NPCs personality are also an important element of an NPCs backstory and can give insight into their personality, beliefs, and values. For example, an NPC who has experienced a traumatic event, like a war, might be more likely to be driven by a desire for peace and safety. Life events can also provide hooks for the players to interact with the NPCs, creating interesting and dynamic interactions. It can also create conflicts for the NPCs and the players, as the NPCs life events can shape their beliefs, values and how they perceive the world.

Additionally, NPCs life events can shape their skills and abilities, for example, an NPC who has been through a shipwreck might be more skilled in survival and navigation. It can also shape their emotional and mental state, for example, an NPC who has suffered a great loss might have trust issues or PTSD. Knowing the NPCs life events can also help the DM to create a believable dialogue, as NPCs can have different perspectives on life and the world based on their experiences.

In Summary

Giving your NPCs a backstory is an essential step in making them feel like real and relatable characters

A backstory provides context for an NPC's actions and motivations, making them more believable and interesting to the players

Family and relationships are an essential element of an NPC's backstory and can give insight into their personality and motivations

Childhood experiences are another important element of an NPC's backstory and can shape their personality, beliefs, and values

Education and training are an important element of an NPC's backstory and can provide context for their skills and abilities

An NPC's career or occupation can also play a role in shaping their backstory and provide context for their skills and abilities

Life events that shape an NPC's personality are also an important element of an NPC's backstory and can give insight into their personality, beliefs, and values

By including these elements in an NPC's backstory, you can create characters that feel real and relatable to your players

Additionally, it will help you to understand the motivations and actions of NPCs, making the game more interesting and dynamic