I know it’s not a particularly glamorous topic, but the rhythm of the adventuring day is key for establishing an appropriate sense of threat. If encounters are too easy, the game feels trivial; too hard, and every combat becomes a slog. Get the ratios right, and the players feel like badass heroes.
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?
I have now completed the second part of Tier 2, 8th to 10th level. I hope you like it! Constructive feedback is always welcome. You can download it over on my Patreon (link). I see Tier 2 as the 'fun and games' section of your campaign—'the promise of the premise' where all the 'trailer moments' … Continue reading Update: The Campaign Handbook
How can we apply the concept of ‘story beats’ to build a memorable single-session adventure?
I overlooked this adventure for far too long. Now I rate it as one of my favourite 5e adventures so far.
Sooner or later, you are going to want to tinker with something in your game. The thing is, should you? What’s worth tinkering with, and what is better left ‘as is’?
I’m probably the wrong person to write this because – whisper it – I don’t really like Marvel films. But you don’t have to love Marvel to appreciate how wildly popular they are. Since 2007, Marvel Studios have produced more than 30 films, and the MCU is now the highest-grossing film franchise of all time … Continue reading Learning from the MCU to make your game epic
Have you ever made a new bard character and wondered which musical instrument was a good fit? Have you ever looked at the equipment list in the Player’s Handbook and thought, hey, what even is a dulcimer? Do you want to use musical instruments to add depth and colour to your worldbuilding? If so, this post might be for you!
There is a long tradition of certain D&D creatures being 'always evil'. But what if they are just misunderstood?
I’m disappearing for a bit but excited to share my latest project with you!