D&D is many things: creative, imaginative, social, collaborative, and immersive. But it’s also a game. And as with any game, good sportsmanship is essential.
Being a good sport: how to ‘play fair’ at the table
The Campaign Handbook
Over on Patreon, I'm making good progress with The Campaign Handbook! I've just released a new packet covering 5th to 7th level for forests and two new regions, arctic and desert. Each region includes session starters, NPCs, cool locations for your adventures, and encounter-building advice. There's also advice for distributing treasure and magic items. If … Continue reading The Campaign Handbook
12 reasons to stop worrying about pass without trace
Sometimes in 5e, you come across a spell that isn’t necessarily broken but runs the risk of causing a few problems. Pass without trace is a prime example of this, and for a long time I’ve agonized about how to handle it.
How to make legendary items feel special
Magic items should feel special. Right? So… why don’t they?
Nine things to look for in a perfect D&D game
Unusually for me, I've spent most of the last six months not DMing but playing. And it's been fun! It's also been a useful reminder of what players love most about RPGs at the table.
Five reasons why you should be taking notes
As a DM, I have played with many, many brilliant players over the years. Some are quiet, some are energetic, some are hilarious, some are proper thespians. But the absolute best players take notes.
A new handbook to help you run a complete campaign?!
I have only ever run one homebrew campaign from 1st to 20th level, and it followed a very loose structure, one session at a time. I would love to write something that helps other DMs achieve the same thing.
Should you stop letting players get spell components for free?
How many spells are there with expensive material components? Answer: more than you think.
How to roleplay every NPC (almost!)
I recently came across the idea of a psychological gesture from Justin Alexander of the Alexandrian. This is a technique created by Michael Chekhov where actors use a physical action to capture and express their character's main emotional or psychological state. I've been trying it out a bit, and it's fun and really helps me get in character quickly.
How many liches does your world have?
Should the world level up with the players? The question gets me thinking about the ecology of my game world. How rare is an ancient red dragon? A storm giant? A bulette? That’s really what this article is about: trying to find a framework for monster rarity.