What are the most powerful creatures by type in 5th edition? The results might surprise you!
The most powerful creatures in 5th edition
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
New Year, New You! 15 D&D New Year Resolutions
Stuck in a rut? Bored of playing the same thing all the time? Here are some ideas for D&D New Year resolutions! Get started with D&D Maybe you’ve been a long-time lurker, and you’ve been meaning for ages to find a D&D group of your own. Well, no time like the present! https://www.scrollforinitiative.com/2021/11/13/how-to-get-started-with-dungeons-dragons/ Play a … Continue reading New Year, New You! 15 D&D New Year Resolutions
How deadly is the Monster Manual?
How much of the Monster Manual can – and should – a DM make use of?
Duergar, erinyes, sahuagin, and yuan-ti: how to say it
I love etymology and lexicography. I even specialized in it at uni. So this post is a bit of nerd-out for me: an unofficial pronunciation guide for D&D. A few disclaimers: There is no standard way to transcribe pronunciation. Well, actually, there is – the International Phonetic Alphabet – but it’s probably not fair … Continue reading Duergar, erinyes, sahuagin, and yuan-ti: how to say it
Tools for better improv
When I started DMing D&D games 20 years ago, my approach was often very inflexible. Now, in general, I wouldn’t say I am much of a control freak in other aspects of my life. But when it came to writing adventures, I wanted a bit of security. My dungeons were linear. My notes were thorough. … Continue reading Tools for better improv
How to introduce a new character
D&D is a very reactive game. As a DM, there’s only so much you can do to prepare ahead of time. You have to learn to improvise – unless you railroad, of course, and if you’re railroading, are you really playing an RPG? The one part of the game that you can prepare with some … Continue reading How to introduce a new character
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.