Tired D&D clichés: which ones need to go?

We had a fun session last weekend (a brief sojourn to Tomb of Annihilation via a fairy ring), and one of my players made a comment that stuck with me: ‘Sometimes, you just want a dungeon and a dragon.’ It made me think about tropes: the conventions of a genre that you see over and … Continue reading Tired D&D clichés: which ones need to go?

Encounter balance in 2024: better or worse?

Is encounter-building that a big deal? In short, yes. So how has it changed in 2024?

I need a new RPG, and it isn’t D&D 2024: a wishlist

Here’s a confession I never thought I’d make: I’m not excited about D&D 2024. In fact, I have serious misgivings about it. And I thought I’d write an article about it.

Seven twists to make your D&D world unique

D&D diverges from our own world in seven major ways. How would our games be different if we moved away from these core assumptions?

Happy birthday, Scroll for Initiative: three years today!

Thanks for joining me along the way. Here are my top ten most read articles in reverse order! 10. How to run time travel in D&D This was one of the most ambitious and daunting sessions I've ever run, because time travel introduces all sorts of complications! In this article, I unpick some of the … Continue reading Happy birthday, Scroll for Initiative: three years today!

The Complete Guide to D&D’s Musical Instruments

Have you ever made a new bard character and wondered which musical instrument was a good fit? Have you ever looked at the equipment list in the Player’s Handbook and thought, hey, what even is a dulcimer? Do you want to use musical instruments to add depth and colour to your worldbuilding? If so, this post might be for you!

13th Age: The Best RPG I’ve Never Played (Review)

Back in January, there was an exceptionally good-value Megabundle for 13th Age where I picked up 19 PDFs for less than $40 (£34). It’s a game I’ve known about (and admired) for some time but never really devoted much attention to. Following the OGL debacle, I’ve been keen to diversify the RPGs I play and … Continue reading 13th Age: The Best RPG I’ve Never Played (Review)

Everyday Heroes: a great new RPG for modern adventuring

d20 Modern was one of my favourite games of the 3rd edition era. Everyday Heroes is its spiritual successor – and it's great!

How to reimagine evil species in D&D

There is a long tradition of certain D&D creatures being 'always evil'. But what if they are just misunderstood?

Make your own megadungeon with Dungeon 23

It's 2023, and many people in the tabletop RPG space have decided to do 'Dungeon 23'. The principle is simple: a 365-room megadungeon, with one room for every day of the year. What a great idea!