What works at your table?
The greatest false dilemma in roleplaying games: the railroad vs. the sandbox. While you may discover that your style is more narrative or improvisational, this is not a choice you need to make as a Dungeon Master. The Railroad. The "railroad" is a pejorative term that insinuates the DM has sacrificed player agency to push the … Continue reading Railroad vs. Sandbox
Cursed item mechanics have been revised in 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons to focus on the narrative element. Beyond hints dropped in the item's lore, a character attuning to a cursed item will have no idea of their impending affliction until it strikes. Let's take a look at the new mechanics and how to best employ them in your campaign.
I've heard some rumblings lately from players who want a Pact of the Genie subclass for the Warlock. I'm happy to oblige. Introducing via the DM's Guild: Pact of the Genie Build Notes I started this build by taking a look at genies and what they have to offer. Since each genie (Dao, Djinn, Efreet, … Continue reading Pact of the Genie Warlock Subclass Release and Build Notes
Grappling is a D&D mechanic that has evolved from many maligned paragraphs of text to a simple skill contest. Let's look at where the current iteration stands, and what can be done to improve grappling in your D&D game.
Flesh to Stone is a 6th level transmutation spell that has new mechanics from prior editions. Instead of instantly petrifying the target in ye olde "save or die" fashion, the target is restrained on the first failed save, and only petrified if they lose a “best of 5” save mechanic. Let’s examine how often its successful.
Contagion is a necromancy spell that requires an attack roll and a "best of 5" save mechanic to inflict a disease. Is this a good spell? Check your odds against the whole gamut of monsters.
Dungeons & Dragon’s May 2018 Unearthed Arcana released the Centaur race. There was mixed reception of the decision to shrink playable Centaurs to Medium size. Due to D&D 5th Edition's design, it was the right decision to keep them medium, as depicted through most of art history.
Dungeons & Dragon’s May 2018 Unearthed Arcana updated the Minotaur race. With three years since the original release, the improvements in the race design can tell us a lot about what lessons the Wizards of the Coast D&D team learned in that time.
Flanking is an optional rule in the D&D Dungeon Master's Guide that grants players advantage when their characters attack opposite sides of an enemy. This optional rule can enhance tactical aspects of your game. Understanding more about how this affects different characters can help you decide when to use flanking in your campaign. If you're a player who knows your DM employs the flanking rule, this may help you avoid some pitfalls.
I grew up hanging out in ballparks. Every once in a while, you'd see some grognard jotting notes in their program as the game progressed. Eventually, I tried keeping score myself and I loved it! Tracking a game on a scorecard gives you a heightened level of engagement and serves as a fun memory of … Continue reading RPG Scorecards: Action Tracker
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