Brilliant Gameologists: Difference between revisions

In mid-07, three gamers got together and began recording a [[Podcast]], and created a website to contribute to the gaming society. The three (Meg, Josh, and Zeke) created [[BG]] and posted [https://web.archive.org/web/20121127035204/http://brilliantgameologists.com/episode-1-gameology/ this podcast], asking a very simple question: What do you like about gaming?

While initial traffic was low, this would change due to events at the Wizards of the Coast forums. The [[Broken Base]] created by the release of [[Dungeons and& Dragons]] 4th Edition, combined with repeated, nigh-incomprehensible overhauls of the entire board (including a temporary rebranding to "[[Magic: The Gathering|Gleemax]], a [[Myspace]] for gamers"), resulted in large chunks of the userbase becoming... [[Unpleasable Fanbase|upset]]. Eventually Meg was fired from the moderator position she held at the Character Optimisation section, and [[Internet Backlash|a large chunk of the regulars there]] [[Eternal September|followed her to her podcast's boards in protest]]. By the times things stabilized, BG had become a community in its own right.

To this day, BG is a pillar in the tabletop optimization community (specifically oriented around [[Dungeons and& Dragons]] 3.5, but they will help posters with nearly any system or game if asked, or at least point you in the right direction), rivaling TheGamingDen and [[The Order of the Stick|GiantITP]] in sheer resources, and the podcasts (while infrequent) are very insightful for any gamer.

* [[Character Tiers]]: Home to [https://web.archive.org/web/20130818110005/http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=5293 the most widely-used tier list] for [[Dungeons and& Dragons]] 3.x, with classes rated on how much effort a [[Game Master]] needs to handle them (high tiers have [[Story-Breaker Power|Story Breaker Powers]], while low tiers are incapable of harming common enemies).

* [[Min-Maxing]]: By the boatload. As stated above, BG has one of the largest collections of optimisation content on the internet, being particularly known for its collection of Class Handbooks for [[Dungeons and& Dragons]]. Several of the podcasts also cover basic optimization tactics.

* [[Strategy Guide]]: [https://web.archive.org/web/20131016024213/http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?board=22 A near-comprehensive assortment of "handbooks"] exists for each of [[Dungeons and& Dragons|3rd Edition's classes]], as well as certain iconic character types and abilities. In general, if you can't find it at BG or WotC, it likely doesn't exist.