Dial your D&D designs up to 11 by focusing on the elements that bring your intended fantasy to life.
Design Dials
Tag: D&D
mXc Traps
5 traps inspired by Most Extreme Elimination Challenge (mXC) a/k/a Takeshi's Castle.
The Problems with Race Leveling
D&D's 5th Edition race design is trending in a direction with narrative and mechanical issues.
What Am I Counterspelling?
Counterspell is a spell you cast as a reaction to stop another spell: Xanathar's Guide to Everything (XGE) introduced an optional rule for identifying a spell. It also costs a reaction: This creates a tension between identifying a spell and deciding to counter it. You can only spend your reaction on one. The grand implication … Continue reading What Am I Counterspelling?
Cutting Words
Trimming a bad mechanic from 5e to improve the flow of combat and eliminate adversarial DMing posture.
There’s More Than One Way to Skin a Class
Examining reasons why creators might tread over an explored design space.
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.
No, You Can’t Cast Magic Missile at the Darkness (and Other Weird Rules)
A primer on magic missile, and its weird rules interactions.
Heward’s Handy Haversack
Unpacking D&D's magical backpack.
Size & Strength DCs
Can giants use their own doors?
