Three volumes, 1,600 pages, and one of the most ambitious campaigns ever produced. Here's what I make of it.
Gods of the Forbidden North: A Monumental Achievement
300 new spells—but do you want them? Dragonbane’s Book of Magic (Review)
Free League sent me a review copy of Dragonbane's Book of Magic. It's chock-full of usable options, beautifully presented, and squarely focused on doing one thing well. It's also a bewildering amount of new material. So do I recommend it?
Building a New Campaign, Part 7: The Drowned God
I’ve described the Labyrinth as ‘an ancient prison of a dreaming god’. But so far, I haven’t really gone into detail about who or what this ‘dreaming god’ might be. So let’s do it!
Reading the Bones: How to Embrace 3d6-down-the-line
Years ago, I wrote an article about rolling ability scores in 5e which did surprisingly well. Having lately been getting into OSR-style play—specifically, Old-School Essentials—I thought the topic was worth revisiting.
Fortune and glory: a review of Outgunned Adventure
If you like Indiana Jones, The Mummy, Lara Croft, or Uncharted, this book is for you. But is it as rules light as it wants to be?
Gear with Grit and Story, Part Two: Weapons!
This is part two of a series on gear and equipment: how it worked in real life, and how it contributes to your character’s story.
Gear with Grit and Story: How to Choose Your Loadout (Part One)
Whatever fantasy roleplaying game you’re playing, you probably have weapons, armour, and other gear. But how much do you think about this gear when you choose it at character creation?
Table energy: what boosts and drains your DM?
It isn’t just the DM’s prep that keeps a game alive: it’s the rhythm of the table. Some things energize the session and keep things flowing, but others quietly drag it down. If you’ve ever left a game feeling weirdly drained, this post might help explain why.
Almost great: The Wild Beyond the Witchlight (a review)
The Wild Beyond the Witchlight was released three and a half years ago in September 2021 and was something of novelty for Wizards of the Coast, especially coming on the back of Rime of the Frostmaiden and Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft, two quite dark and horror-themed sourcebooks. Witchlight promised to be the exact opposite, … Continue reading Almost great: The Wild Beyond the Witchlight (a review)
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