D&D is more popular than it has ever been. Part of the reason for this is fifth edition itself, which in many ways streamlined the game without losing the flavour that made it ‘feel’ like D&D. I am generally very happy with the changes 5th edition made to the game but feel that skill checks … Continue reading Hack the game: improved skills in 5e
Being a DM is hard. Players interact with the game world, and you create that world. Without you, there is no game. That’s a lot of pressure! Prepping for a session can take a lot of out of you creatively, especially if you are already tired from work and life stuff. Sometimes you need a … Continue reading D&D inspiration
Most D&D campaigns begin at 1st level. Because of this, it can be hard to create an adventure that feels fresh and original. It is also the deadliest level of D&D, and a relatively ordinary enemy can kill an adventurer in a single blow. In this article, I look at how to plan a 1st-level adventure that is fun, exciting, original, and not too challenging.
How big is an ancient dragon? How tall is a cloud giant? What is the wingspan of a roc? How big is an ancient dragon? How tall is a cloud giant? What is the wingspan of a roc?
This post was difficult to write, for a number of reasons. It’s ironic, but writing about comedy can be distinctly unfunny. Is there anything more humourless than picking apart a joke to explain how it works?Comedy is a matter of personal taste. Take my comedy touchstones, for example: films like Monty Python, Airplane!, Anchorman, Four … Continue reading Humour in D&D
Do you have deities in your campaign? How many? What are they called? What are their portfolios? Are they active in the world or mysterious and withdrawn? For some DMs, deities are one of the most enjoyable aspects of world-building: a fun way to define their setting. For others, gods and demigods are just a … Continue reading Gods in D&D
Don’t get me wrong: I love fantasy roleplaying games. After all, I do write a blog about Dungeons & Dragons. But I also believe that fantasy, and D&D in particular, is not without its problems, some of which can be fixed, or at least mitigated. In this article, I plan to run through four issues … Continue reading Four Problems with Fantasy
Ubisoft I have recently been playing through some of the Far Cry games, and it occurred to me that much of what makes the series distinctive could also be fun in a D&D campaign. On the face of it, this might be surprising. The Far Cry games are first-person shooters: D&D is a collaborative fantasy … Continue reading Far Cry in D&D
Dying in D&D is momentous. When you watch a character die before their time, that can be a surprisingly moving moment. And it’s important, therefore, that it’s handled properly.
Wizards of the Coast In this post, I am going to look at feedback surveys as a way of hearing from your players. They don’t need to be done frequently to provide a useful insight into how the game is going. D&D rests upon good relationships. People put a lot of themselves into this hobby: … Continue reading Player Surveys: Talking to the Team