This may be controversial, but I think challenge rating has been missold. I might even go so far as to call it a dangerous myth.
Is challenge rating a lost cause?
In Praise of the Forge of Fury
Do I admire this adventure so much because I'm nostalgic for it and it has a special place in my heart? Or because it's actually, objectively, really, really good?
Gods of the Forbidden North: A Monumental Achievement
Three volumes, 1,600 pages, and one of the most ambitious campaigns ever produced. Here's what I make of it.
OUT NOW: The Campaign Handbook is finally LIVE!
A day later than planned, but it’s finally here!
Launching soon: The Campaign Handbook
After nearly two years of writing and editing, The Campaign Handbook is nearly here! And we have a release date: Tuesday 5 November, exclusively on DriveThru RPG.
Tired D&D clichés: which ones need to go?
We had a fun session last weekend (a brief sojourn to Tomb of Annihilation via a fairy ring), and one of my players made a comment that stuck with me: ‘Sometimes, you just want a dungeon and a dragon.’ It made me think about tropes: the conventions of a genre that you see over and … Continue reading Tired D&D clichés: which ones need to go?
Encounter balance in 2024: better or worse?
Is encounter-building that a big deal? In short, yes. So how has it changed in 2024?
Write Adventures Like Cookbooks: 15 Tips For Better Information Architecture
I’ve recently started DMing The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. I’m about four sessions in, and so far, it’s been fun. But it hasn’t been without its frustrations. And actually, the more I think about it, the more I feel my frustrations with the adventure are not just limited to Witchlight specifically. There are general issues … Continue reading Write Adventures Like Cookbooks: 15 Tips For Better Information Architecture
A simple checklist for writing awesome adventures
I thought it would be cool to have a kind of flowchart or checklist to help DMs design adventures around its principles. So: I made one!
A new narrative template for cinematic one-shots
How can we apply the concept of ‘story beats’ to build a memorable single-session adventure?