Are site-based adventures going out of style? If you think dungeons are unimaginative, repetitive slogs that only reward combat – read on!
Site-based adventures, or how I learned to stop worrying and love the dungeon
Is rolling initiative a pointless ritual?
Today’s topic is something so iconic within D&D that some people have even named their blogs after it: rolling initiative. Using initiative to determine combat order has a history going all the way back to 1977. But do we need it, really? Or is it an unnecessary hassle? The case for rolling There are two … Continue reading Is rolling initiative a pointless ritual?
Foundry VTT: an exciting alternative to Roll20 (review)
Click here for an older post about online play. For many of us, the pandemic changed the way we play D&D. Our games moved online, and our dice became virtual. For me, though, online D&D was the norm. I got back into D&D after a hiatus of nearly a decade in spring 2016. My friends … Continue reading Foundry VTT: an exciting alternative to Roll20 (review)
Best Magic Items by Class
I don’t normally do this sort of ‘optimizer’ guide, but this one was fun to do and is as useful to DMs as it is to players. By the time you get to 20th level, you will probably have at least one magic item of each rarity (legendary, very rare, rare, and uncommon). This guide … Continue reading Best Magic Items by Class
Three great games that aren’t D&D – and what to steal from them
This blog mainly focuses on 5th edition D&D. Does that mean I only play D&D or that I think D&D is the only game worth playing? Of course not!
Seasons, one-shots, and epic levels: campaign length for beginners
How long should a campaign be? Tl;dr answer: as long as you want, of course. But it’s an interesting question. Ultimately, it comes down to five things: How often do you play?How long are your sessions?Do you use XP or milestones?What level do you start at?What level do you want to reach? Think of these … Continue reading Seasons, one-shots, and epic levels: campaign length for beginners
Welcome to the Arena: How to Run PvP D&D
If you’re a fan of RealmSmith, you might be following Champions of the Realm, a charity tournament of PvP (player versus player) combat. It’s good fun. They even got Bruce Buffer to do the announcements. If you want to run a PvP tournament in D&D, how do you make it work? Players and scheduling Realistically, … Continue reading Welcome to the Arena: How to Run PvP D&D
My Golden Rule For Making Combat More Interesting
Generally speaking, I don’t believe in telling people how D&D ‘should’ be played. There are different DM styles and different game styles, and that’s OK. Even now, I’m really offering a tip, not an instruction. But if there’s one easy way to improve combat, it’s this: Stop describing every hit and miss. Sacrilige! I hear … Continue reading My Golden Rule For Making Combat More Interesting
How deadly is the Monster Manual?
How much of the Monster Manual can – and should – a DM make use of?
How to get started with Dungeons & Dragons
So, you’ve heard about this amazing game called Dungeons & Dragons. Perhaps you found out about it from watching Critical Role or Stranger Things. Maybe you were given the D&D Starter Set or Essentials Kit. Maybe you played years ago and want to get back into it. This article is a guide to getting started with D&D.