7 June marks one year since my first post on the site. And what a year it’s been! I want to say thank you to everyone who has commented on, shared, or subscribed to the site. What started as a vague idea last summer has since grown into something that brings me much joy. I … Continue reading Happy birthday, Scroll for Initiative!
How to find your DM style
What type of DM are you? Find out in this article!
How to nail a fantastic session recap
How do your sessions start? Many groups find it helpful to start with a recap of the previous session. But who should deliver it? The DM – or the players? Option 1: the player recap In some groups, summarizing the previous session is a job for one of the players. There’s a lot to be … Continue reading How to nail a fantastic session recap
Metagaming is dumb: how to fix it
As with the term ‘rules lawyer’, there is considerable disagreement about what ‘metagaming’ actually means. The 3rd edition Dungeon Master’s Guide says that metagame thinking is ‘any time the players base their characters’ actions on logic that depends on the fact that they’re playing a game’. It gives the example of a player who assumes … Continue reading Metagaming is dumb: how to fix it
Fixing NPC spellcasters
In D&D, playing a spellcaster is fun – as a player. As a DM? Not so much. Sometimes, in fact, running an NPC spellcaster can be a real headache. Fundamentally, NPC spellcasters use the same spellcasting rules as player characters. They have a spell list. They have spell slots, sometimes lots of them. But is … Continue reading Fixing NPC spellcasters
Hack the game: improved skills in 5e
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
D&D inspiration
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
1st-level adventures
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.
Size in D&D
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?
Humour in D&D
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