This may be controversial, but I think challenge rating has been missold. I might even go so far as to call it a dangerous myth.
Is challenge rating a lost cause?
A New Project? The Quintessential Guide to Monsters
I've been thinking about another potential side project. Would you use it at your table?
Hurry! The launch week deadline ends on Wednesday
Well. What a week. I've worked hard on the Handbook, and obviously didn't want it to be a flop, but—I didn't expect it to be anywhere near as popular as this. Thank you—so much—if you have shared it, bought it, followed me on Patreon, or given me advice and feedback along the way. I am … Continue reading Hurry! The launch week deadline ends on Wednesday
OUT NOW: The Campaign Handbook is finally LIVE!
A day later than planned, but it’s finally here!
One week to go: how to prep fast with The Campaign Handbook
Like many DMs, I broadly follow Mike Shea’s eight steps in Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master, and the Campaign Handbook is built on a similar skeleton.
Launching soon: The Campaign Handbook
After nearly two years of writing and editing, The Campaign Handbook is nearly here! And we have a release date: Tuesday 5 November, exclusively on DriveThru RPG.
Making Enemies (review): Make your monsters slay
There’s a new book on monster design—and if anyone knows about monsters, it’s Keith Ammann.
Table energy: what boosts and drains your DM?
It isn’t just the DM’s prep that keeps a game alive: it’s the rhythm of the table. Some things energize the session and keep things flowing, but others quietly drag it down. If you’ve ever left a game feeling weirdly drained, this post might help explain why.
D&D is more than just one game
D&D isn’t one game but a framework made up of multiple, overlapping mini-games. They can blend together so smoothly that you don’t notice when you’re switching from one to the other—until something feels off.
Amazing advice from the 3rd edition DMG
I know it’s not a particularly glamorous topic, but the rhythm of the adventuring day is key for establishing an appropriate sense of threat. If encounters are too easy, the game feels trivial; too hard, and every combat becomes a slog. Get the ratios right, and the players feel like badass heroes.