Is encounter-building that a big deal? In short, yes. So how has it changed in 2024?
Encounter balance in 2024: better or worse?

Is encounter-building that a big deal? In short, yes. So how has it changed in 2024?
My last post seemed to get a bit of interest, and a few of the comments asked if I could provide an example of its principles in action, perhaps using The Wild Beyond the Witchlight as a case study.
I thought it would be cool to have a kind of flowchart or checklist to help DMs design adventures around its principles. So: I made one!
I have now completed the second part of Tier 2, 8th to 10th level. I hope you like it! Constructive feedback is always welcome. You can download it over on my Patreon (link). I see Tier 2 as the 'fun and games' section of your campaign—'the promise of the premise' where all the 'trailer moments' … Continue reading Update: The Campaign Handbook
What if there was a way of making your character unique without any new rules? A way of making them more distinctive, more memorable? What if there was a way of creating new spells monsters without complicated new stat blocks? What if you could make the game your own with a quick and simple hack? It already exists! And it’s one of my favourite tools as a player and DM.
This is probably going to end up as an appendix of The Campaign Handbook, and if you think I've missed anything, I could do with your help!
Over on Patreon, I've just added the latest packet for The Campaign Handbook, which takes you up to 7th level. That's probably enough material for four months of weekly play!
This is the second part of a series on charms and enchantments in 5e. I focus on five spells: suggestion (and its high-level counterpart, mass suggestion), compulsion, geas, and dominate person.
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.
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.