MCDM’s Illrigger Preserves and Pushes 5e Design

Exploring how MCDM's Illrigger class capitalizes on classic 5e design and pushes the envelope with a new spellcasting template.

Heward’s Handy Haversack

Unpacking D&D's magical backpack.

The Gunslinger Misfire

Examining the Gunslinger's Misfire mechanic as a cautionary tale for importing character options from other games. Why to never base a class on a "critical fumble" mechanic.

Way of the Word (Monk)

This shout-based Monk subclass charges up different power words to attack with elemental force and to fortify abilities with enhancements.

Spell Fix: Avoid the Zone of Truth Torture Chamber

Fixing up an social spell so it does what it says without pushing the player characters to torturing the subject.

DC 0 Checks

As a matter of adventure design (or when improvising as a DM), you shouldn't lock mission-critical information behind a skill check. Because if the characters fail the check, the plot line is dead. But, the solution isn't to get rid of skill checks. The solution is progressive skill checks, starting at 0.

Poisoner’s Kit DCs

Fleshing out the missing rules for the Poisoner's Kit in 5th Edition D&D.

Smites Without Spell Slots

Let's hack smites to reinvigorate Paladin spellcasting, discourage multiclassing for the sake of powergaming, and promote more dynamic playstyles.

Death Saves Revived

Reviving the death save mechanics to give more interesting narrative results and keep fallen PCs engaged.

5 Skill D&D

Why have 18 skills when you can have FIVE?

We’re giving D&D players more agency over the narrative implementation of their skillsets by streamlining a bloated system and highlighting a popular variant rule.