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12 Apr 17:18

heroclix001

by nobody@flickr.com (brianschomburg)

brianschomburg posted a photo:

heroclix001

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

12 Apr 17:18

Zoo Crew Heroclix

by nobody@flickr.com (brianschomburg)

brianschomburg posted a photo:

Zoo Crew Heroclix

12 Apr 17:18

Zoo Crew Heroclix

by nobody@flickr.com (brianschomburg)

brianschomburg posted a photo:

Zoo Crew Heroclix

09 Apr 23:47

Learn How to Conduct Your Own Patent Search with This Infographic

by Patrick Allan

If you think you have an idea for an invention that’s never been done before, you might want to double check with a patent search before you work too hard on it. No need to hire a patent attorney yet, though, because you can check on your own.

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09 Apr 16:25

What Happens When You Get The Wrong Blood Type?

by Esther Inglis-Arkell

Being transfused with the wrong type of blood is incredibly rare, but it has occasionally happened. What does it feel like to have the wrong type of blood coursing through your veins? It feels like being doomed. Literally.

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08 Apr 16:41

How and did we start using "no" to mean "yes" — as "No, totally" or "No, exactly"?

by Katharine Trendacosta

How and did we start using "no" to mean "yes" — as "No, totally" or "No, exactly"? Kathryn Schultz at The New Yorker takes a deep dive into the linguistics of "Yes" and "No" and how English kept them and ditched their more precise brethren. [The New Yorker]

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08 Apr 16:38

An Extraordinary Photo Of A Bobcat Fishing For Sharks

by George Dvorsky

Earlier this week, a Florida resident was taking a stroll along Vero Beach in Florida's Sebastian Inlet State Park when he saw a bobcat staring at a shark that was feeding on smaller fish. But suddenly, the hunter became the hunted.

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06 Apr 19:46

A Chart Of The Most Common Colors In Paintings Over The Last 200 Years

by Ria Misra

Next time you're strolling through a museum, pay attention to just the colors of the paintings and the years. Notice anything? Paintings have been getting progressively bluer.

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05 Apr 00:35

New Monsters for D&D 5th Ed: Choker, Blazing and Decrepit Skeleton

by Jon
I had some time last night and today to do some fun things after finishing off a deadline earlier in the week, so I set about writing up some monsters from previous editions of D&D that I like, but haven't appeared in 5th edition yet.

As usual, these are my first passes at these critters, so if you have feedback or advice, I'd love to hear it. I think they're fairly balanced and correct, but I haven't yet run them in a game (thought I may soon!).

I wish I had some kind of graphic design program, so I could make a pretty PDF, but I don't, so instead you'll have to take this text-only PDF, if you want one.

**********

Choker                           

Chokers are small, cruel, and hate-filled monsters created long ago in the laboratory of some mad wizard or otherworldly being. They live underground or in heavily-shadowed areas that allow them to easily conceal themselves—both to keep them safe from predators and so they can attack from surprise. They are most often found in caves, tunnels, or the Underdark, but they’ve learned to live in large cities, specifically in sewers, crawl spaces, or other nooks and crannies that are easy to find in a city. Constantly on the lookout for food, chokers are nasty, evil creatures who prefer to work together to take down larger creatures before consuming them. Chokers have long, boneless arms and legs, more like tentacles than anything else, and walk with a strange, long, loping gait. While no taller than halflings, they look nothing like that race otherwise, instead they are gray skinned creatures with oversized hands lined with sharp spines, a hairless head with no nose, dark pits for eyes, and jagged teeth, and stunted feet with only a few long-nailed toes.

Nighttime Stalkers.During the daylight hours, chokers prefer to hide away, emerging from hiding only at night to hunt and inflict pain on others. Their preferred method of attack for a choker is to strike from surprise and wrap its pliable arms around its target’s neck, then slowly choke the victim to death. If attacking with others of its kind, one choker strangles the target while the others slash at it with their spiny tentacle-like arms.

Bauble Fascination.While not very bright, chokers are intelligent enough to understand that some things are valuable or important. Sometimes, this leads them to fixate on stealing a certain item from a person, like a brooch or shiny dagger, while other times a choker might become desirous of a fancy hat or cloak. As such, it’s entirely possible to find chokers bedecked in odd bits or clothing or secreting away odds and ends of uncertain value.
___________________________________

Choker

Small monstrosity, chaotic evil

___________________________________

AC 15 (natural armor)

HP 18 (4d6 + 4)

Speed 20 ft., climb 10 ft.

___________________________________

Str16 (+3)   Dex 14 (+2)     Con 13 (+1)

Int4 (-3)       Wis 13 (+1)     Cha 7 (-2)

___________________________________

Skills Stealth +6

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11

Languages Undercommon

Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

___________________________________

Quickness.The choker can take the Disengage or Move action as a bonus actions on each of its turns.

Actions                                  

Multiattack. The choker makes two tentacle attacks.

Strangle.Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage, and a Medium or smaller target is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained and takes 5 (2d4) bludgeoning damage at the start of each of its turns, and the choker can’t strangle or use a tentacle attack against another target.

Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.


**********

Blazing Skeleton                   

A blazing skeleton is the result of someone dying in a fire intense enough to reduce their body to smoldering black bones. The blazing skeleton is granted unlife due to the strong emotions it felt as it died or due to the presence of necromantic energy or evil linked in some way to fire or the hells.
___________________________________

Blazing Skeleton

Medium undead, lawful evil

___________________________________

AC 13 (armor scraps)

HP 26 (4d8 + 8)

Speed 30 ft.

___________________________________

Str10 (+0)   Dex 14 (+2)     Con 15 (+2)

Int6 (-2)       Wis 8 (-1)        Cha 5 (-3)

___________________________________

Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning, cold

Damage Immunities poison, fire

Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9

Languages understands all languages it knew in life but can’t speak

Challenge 1 (200 XP)

___________________________________

Explosive Destruction.The blazing skeleton explodes in a fiery blast when it dies, and each creature within 10 feet of it must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The explosion ignites flammable objects in that area that aren’t being worn or carried.

Fiery Aura.At the start of each of the blazing skeleton’s turns, each creature within 5 feet of it takes 3 (1d6) fire damage, and flammable objects in the aura that aren’t being worn or carried ignite. A creature that touches the blazing skeleton or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 3 (1d6) fire damage.

Blazing Weapons.When the blazing skeleton hits with a melee weapon, it deals an extra 3 (1d6) fire damage (included in the attack).

Illumination.The blazing skeleton sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet.

Actions                                  

Claw.Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage, plus 3 (1d6) fire damage.

Shortsword.Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage, plus 3 (1d6) fire damage.


**********

Decrepit Skeleton                  

At one time the decrepit skeleton was a normal skeleton, but that was a long time ago. Now, so much time has passed that the necromantic energies keeping the skeleton animated have weakened and its bones have started to rot and fall apart. A decrepit skeleton creaks and bone dust falls from it with every motion. While they can still fight, they are weaker than other skeletons and shatter with almost any blow or crumble to dust when affected by the power of the gods.
___________________________________

Decrepit Skeleton

Medium undead, lawful evil

___________________________________

AC 12 (armor scraps)

HP 5 (1d8 + 1)

Speed 30 ft.

___________________________________

Str10 (+0)   Dex 12 (+1)     Con 13 (+1)

Int4 (-3)       Wis 6 (-2)        Cha 3 (-4)

___________________________________

Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning, radiant

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8

Languages understands all languages it knew in life but can’t speak

Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)

___________________________________

Actions                                  

Claw.Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) slashing damage.

Shortsword.Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit:4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage.

Shortbow.Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit:4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage.

I hope you get some good use out of these!

04 Apr 18:37

The Most Essential Piece Of Writing Advice Ever, From Brian K. Vaughan

by Cheryl Eddy

Author Brian K. Vaughan took over the Panel Syndicate Twitter feed yesterday to answer questions. He shared info on his past and upcoming projects (including a "Y for yes" on whether there's been movement on that Y: The Last Man adaptation!!), but he also dispensed a wise bit of writing advice.

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03 Apr 22:47

Figures Toy Company to Release Reproduction of Mego Batcave

In addition to the Batcave, Figures Toy Company will sell an Aquaman vs. The Great White Shark set.
03 Apr 20:58

Here's A Map That Shows All The Future Megacities From Science Fiction

by Charlie Jane Anders

The cities of the future are massive, sprawling, beautiful monsters, covering entire coastlines — and in some cases, entire continents. Whether it's Judge Dredd's Mega-Cities or William Gibson's "Sprawl," future cities always devour land. Here's a map of future megalopolises.

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03 Apr 16:48

The Salary Required to Be “Middle Class" in Every State

by Kristin Wong

“Middle class” doesn’t have a definite, official definition. But the Pew Charitable Trust defines it as households that earn between 67 and 200 percent of a state’s median income. Based on this metric and some statistics, Business Insider came up with a list of how much you have to earn to be considered middle class, depending on your state.

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03 Apr 16:44

Finally trying Tragedy Looper. #gamenight

by nobody@flickr.com (BrotherMagneto)

BrotherMagneto posted a photo:

Finally trying Tragedy Looper. #gamenight

via Instagram ift.tt/1HpoQNO

03 Apr 16:40

Office Workers Brighten Drab Walls with Post-It Superhero Murals

Who hasn't wanted to cover their office with life-size pixel art of superheroes from Marvel and DC Comics?
03 Apr 16:37

ABC Eyes "Muppet Show" Revival

If all goes well, Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo and the gang will return in a new variety series, co-written by "The Big Bang Theory's" Bill Prady.
02 Apr 16:37

A Complete Ottoman Soldier's Camel Found In an Austrian Basement

by Katharine Trendacosta

Researchers excavated the first complete skeleton of a camel in central Europe — one that may have started out life in the army and ended it as a curiosity.

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02 Apr 16:32

Lee, Miller and More Cover New Moleskine Batman Collection

The Italian company has debuted a limited-edition series of Batman notebooks featuring cover art by Jim Lee, Frank Miller, Tim Sale and Mike Mignola.
01 Apr 17:58

Smithsonian Displays Wonder Woman’s Invisible jet (for April Fools’ Day)

Jon.9836

This I like.

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum got into the "holiday spirit" today, unveiling its limited exhibition of Wonder Woman’s invisible jet.
31 Mar 21:18

via pbsdigitalstudios:How do hummingbirds defy wind and rain?...

Jon.9836

I love hummingbirds!



















via pbsdigitalstudios:

How do hummingbirds defy wind and rain?  

Holy hovering hummingbirds, this video is amazing! Hummingbird flight is an amazing feat of physics, their metabolism and migration habits almost defy the laws of nature, and their feeding habits can even demonstrate economic principles

But when you put hummingbirds in a wind tunnel and simulate blustery rainstorms? That’s takes avian awesomeness to 11. Watch the full video from Deep Look here:

31 Mar 16:43

Quicklock: Bluetooth + NFC-Enabled Padlock

by Rory Bristol
Image: Quicklock

Image: Quicklock

My least favorite part of going to the gym is locking up my gear. Well, maybe I hate the muscle-ups more, but I digress. I hate keeping up with keys, so I switched to a combination lock. The problem with combination locks is that you can’t rescind someone’s access to that lock once they have it. They permanently have that combination at their disposal, which instantly compromises the security of the lock.

Enter the Quicklock padlock. This handy product has no keyhole. It has no combination. It has a single button. Press the button, tap the lock with your phone, and voila! Instant access. This works great for me, because often my phone and headphones are the only things I keep with my while I work out.

Image: Quicklock

Image: Quicklock

When the phone isn’t an option (dead battery, disabled Bluetooth) or I don’t want to hand over my phone, there are other great options. You can sync any NFC tag, including your credit card, or passport (if you are traveling), and more! I also have an NFC wireless ring which allows me to swipe the lock with my hand. I may or may not have used this to pretend to be a member of the Green Lantern Corps. When it doesn’t work the first pass (which is rare), I blame the fact that the lock is yellow, giggle at my own joke, and then unlock it. The ring is also a great option if you are going swimming.

Add ons and extras include:

What does all this add up to? A secure lock, with the ability to sync over 50 “keys,” capable of being controlled by a single user or up to 50 different users. It is usable in any situation where a lock is needed, and it’s the only NFC + Bluetooth padlock on the market.

If you value content from GeekDad, please support us via Patreon.

27 Mar 20:00

Man Forced to Sell His New House Because Comcast Lied to Him

by Jay Hathaway

A software engineer living in Washington state may have no choice but to sell the home he bought last December because, despite repeatedly checking with Comcast before he even considered buying the property, the company just can't (or won't) give him internet service.

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27 Mar 16:52

inappropriatelyadorable:Awesome women in STEM (science,...















inappropriatelyadorable:

Awesome women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) fields!

These are true badges of merit

25 Mar 17:06

Inquest Gamer 114

by nobody@flickr.com (brianschomburg)

brianschomburg posted a photo:

Inquest Gamer 114

19 Mar 16:44

These Historic American WWII Posters Haven't Been Seen Since 1954

by George Dvorsky

Grove City College archivist Hilary Walczak recently stumbled upon 175 American propaganda posters locked away in a library cabinet. Dating back to the Second World War, they haven't been seen since the library opened over 60 years ago.

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15 Mar 02:23

Make Brownies in a Muffin Tin And Get An Edge Piece Every Time

by Dave Greenbaum
Jon.9836

For Jason!

Many people prefer the crispy edges of brownies. They will fight over both the edge pieces, and the size of the brownie cut. Bake your brownies in a muffin tin and everyone will get a perfect individual brownie.

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07 Mar 00:30

If Comic Heroes and Villains Had Business Cards, They'd Look Like This

by Cheryl Eddy

Some of these make more sense ("Peter Parker, Photographer, The Daily Bugle") than others (would Natasha Romanoff really have the need for business cards?), but The Vocations of Heroes & Villains is nonetheless an art print that's quite fun to look at.

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03 Mar 17:24

What Marvel Characters End Up Being Called In Other Languages

by Katharine Trendacosta

Along with the actual text and words of superhero tales getting translated abroad, the names of these characters also gets changed. Some are pretty literal and others, like Loki above, are a bit more descriptive.

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03 Mar 02:28

Genghis Khan's Lost Fortress Uncovered In Western Mongolia

by George Dvorsky

A team of Japanese and Mongolian archaeologists have discovered the remains of a 13th century military outpost thought to belong to Mongolian conqueror Genghis Khan.

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02 Mar 23:07

There Is A Wooden Zombie Lurking At The Bottom Of The Pacific Ocean

by Lauren Davis

If you journey down to the Endeavour Hydrothermal Vents near Vancouver Island, British Columbia, you may run into Dudley, a creepy wooden mannequin who is starting to go to pieces on the ocean floor. But how did Dudley get all the way down there?

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