By Ross Payton and Tom Church

Synopsis: Since the holidays are around the corner, we turn our attention to that most treasured aspect of gaming: loot. Whether it’s a shiny +5 vorpal longsword or a slightly used bionic arm, every player looks forward to getting more loot. But is that the point of gaming? After all, MMORPGs thrive on the grind of leveling up to get better loot, so should pen and paper games focus on the same? We discuss it, offer some advice and feature our regular shout outs, gaming anecdotes and a letter from Tom.

Shout outs: Urban Dead is a great zombie themed MMORPG you can play from any web browser. Also, Blood Dimmed Tides is a useful supplement for the old World of Darkness.