Heward’s Handy Haversack

Unpacking D&D's magical backpack.

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.

Casting a Bonus Action and Reaction Spell on Your Turn

The bonus action spellcasting restriction in 5th Edition D&D can keep you from casting a reaction spell on your own turn. Why is this? Was it intended? And how can we rewrite the rule to alleviate this quirk?

Shield Master Unleashed

Can we rewrite the Shield Master feat to fix its fiddly action economy?

Two-Weapon Fighting Hacks

Last week we explored the mechanics and design goals of two-weapon fighting. This week, we're going to examine some hacks to make it more competitive with other fighting styles. Feel free to borrow pieces of these to spruce up two-weapon fighting in your game. While the goal is to achieve a system that fits into … Continue reading Two-Weapon Fighting Hacks →

How Minotaurs Caused the Shield Master Rule Reversal

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.

RPG Scorecards: Action Tracker

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 →

Tortle Shell Defense is Broken

Back in September of 2017, D&D released the Tortle Package on the DM's Guild in conjunction with the Extra Life event to raise money for Children's Miracle Network. Included in this class was a mechanic called Shell Defense. It's broken. Maybe I shouldn't say that. Like many things in D&D, it is situationally good. That in … Continue reading Tortle Shell Defense is Broken →