Step-By-Step Process for Creating Magical Items
Magical items are great for plot twists, key items, character advancements, or something similar. They can also be minor, non important parts of the game.
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13 Dungeons and Dragons Storyline Ideas
Crack open a book of fairy tales and mythology next time you can’t figure out a new story to embed in your game.
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DM’s Guide to Jumping Dimensions and Planes of Reality
This post is for those DM’s who need to create a quick random plane for those dimension jumping heroes who just love going off the beaten track and messing around with the whole of the universe.
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How to Generate New Monsters in Minutes
How to create a new monster in double-quick time.
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“Common” Uses of Language in Your Gameplay
Languages aren’t always easy to integrate, especially if we forget or your players argue about language decisions. Languages can be a dynamic after taste to an amazing campaign, and they can be the dead center of it.
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Essential Elements of a DND Campaign
Building a campaign can be tough and sometimes we forget and leave some of the important things out, so I’m going to take you into my world as we start from the bottom, and build up. As some of us know, a campaign is NOT an adventure but does not have to be a full…
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Reality Shift Part 3 – Living to Serve
In Reality Shift Part 1, I introduced the RS concept which asks: “what would our D&D worlds be like if we dropped the idea that the game rules are a model of reality and instead adopt them as the actual reality of this imaginary world?” Reality Shift Part 2 gave the first answer to that,…
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Elements of a Good Game Part 2
Illusions – how you use them and how to use “Disbelieve”. 4E: (Page 68, DM’s guide) “Illusions can mimic any terrain. Creatures that realize that an object is an illusion ignores its effects, while those that do not realize the truth behind the illusion react to it as appropriate. Use Character’s passive insight checks to…
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Elements of a Good Game Part 1
In my article “DMing Muse” I mentioned a few elements that are good to put into a DnD game, and then decided that “Wait a minute, this would be great to talk about also!” So here I am again! Some of the elements I mentioned in that article are traps, monsters, friendly npcs, non friendly…
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Haunted House: 4 Tips To Terrify Your Players
How to handle the unease, paranoia and dread of a haunted house without losing the fantasy hero charm.
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The James Wyatt Interrogation, Part 2
I ask James Wyatt about his choice for the next campaign setting, how the decision is made and his plans for the fifth edition.
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The James Wyatt Interrogation, Part 1
I sit down with Designer Manager James Wyatt and grill him about message board critics, the new ardent class and his old gnoll slaying days.
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Adventuring Under the Sea
We explore the lands beneath the waves and what your group could get out of adventuring there.
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You Want to Do What?! The Art of Improv in GMing (Part 4)
Focusing on your players is one of the most important things you can do as a DM besides actually showing up to the game. As an improviser, focus is vital. If you’re not actively listening to your scene partner, you are not only missing the scene, you’re missing the point!
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You Want to Do What?! The Art of Improv in GMing (Part 3)
Not every player interaction can be a violent confrontation resolved at the business end of a longsword. No, seriously.
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Fantastic Festivals!
Tips for building your own fantasy holidays and sample celebrations, such as the drow Festival of Webs.
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You Want to Do What?! The Art of Improv in GMing (Part 2)
I know this sounds contradictory to everything a DM knows to be true, but your job is not to write the story — it is to set up challenges and obstacles, and it’s your players’ job to find the solution.
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You Want to Do What?! The Art of Improv in GMing (Part 1)
With enough time and preparation, just about anyone can run a D&D game. But how do you create new stuff “on the spot”, under pressure, and when your players demand it?
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Character Sheet Cross Dressing
I put on my eye shadow and high heels and explore gender bending….in roleplaying games!
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Big Bad Good Guy… Wait, What?
Villains are a vital part of any campaign, but what happens when that villain is supposedly a charismatic paladin? Here is a nemesis for your campaign that is respected by many but loathed by your characters.
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Gamer Tots – Making RPGs Kid Friendly
All gamer boys and girls grow up some time, and when a gamer man and a gamer woman fall in love, they have a gamer baby. Unfortunately, many kids may not be ready to grasp all the rules. This article gives ideas and tips to simplify the rules and create adventures that work for your kids, allowing them to try DnD sooner and giving them a great way to express creativity and de-stress, just like us big kids.