A combat crib sheet is an order of operations: a brief instruction manual for how to ‘optimize’ my character. For spellcasters, high-level characters, and characters with interesting feats and abilities, it can really come in handy.
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)
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
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
Want to start a new campaign? Run a session zero first. Here's how!
Some fantasy names are awesome. Some – a few – are awful.
Part One Part Two Part Three Over the last month, I have written three posts examining some of the most easily overlooked rules of the Player’s Handbook. Today I am looking at Chapter 10: Spellcasting. I am not doing Chapter 11: Spells because there are more than 300 spells in the PH alone! However, I might … Continue reading Spellcasting rules you never knew
Click here for Part One. Last week, I wrote a post examining some of the most easily overlooked rules of the Player’s Handbook. That was Chapters 1 to 3. Today I’m looking at Chapters 1 to 8. I suspect combat will need an article on its own. Spellcasting, too. Again, if I’ve made any howlers, … Continue reading MORE Rules You Never Knew
5th edition is simpler than previous editions of D&D, but it still has considerable depth built into its ruleset. Even after playing for half a decade, there are niche rules that still catch me out from time to time. That’s what this post is all about. This week, I’m mainly looking at Chapters 1 to … Continue reading Core Rules You Never Knew
Much has been written online about ‘the Matt Mercer’ effect and the pressure on DMs to perform to a high standard. What is often missed in these conversations is the importance of having good players. Matt Mercer isn’t just a fantastic DM: he also has a fantastic group of friends at his table who make … Continue reading Toxic or fantastic: what tier of D&D player are you?