People Get Ready – Is There Such a Thing as Too Much Character Backstory?

Backstory. Character development. It’s one of the most discussed topics in the TTRPG space. And the 3 Wise DMs were faced with the question when a friend offered to run a Call of Cthulhu one-shot for our group. This was followed by a Google Doc with twenty in-depth questions as to the character’s background, motivations, … Read more

Help! Our Best Tips For When the Forever DM Becomes the Player

You’ve been the DM for a long time (maybe even Forever!) and one of your players has finally said those magic words: “I think I wanna run a game.” So, with all your wisdom, all your experience, all your skills – how do you help the new DM along in the game so that they … Read more

Master of Puppets – What To Do When The DM Has To Control A Player Character

Possession. Dominate. Alignment shifts. There are a multitude of times where the rules make the DM take control of one of the player characters in the game. But, is that a good thing? In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down to discuss an issue that came up in DM Chris’ Tales of the … Read more

Unlock Your Inner Spy: Dive Into Top Secret’s Espionage RPG Adventure!

Top Secret: New World Order. That’s right, for DM Dave’s Birthday Game (of which we are quickly becoming well-versed), DM Chris ran our gaming group through the update to the TSR classic espionage RPG, Top Secret from TSR, Inc. by Merle Rasmussen. In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down to review the system, … Read more

Summertime!

Summer is here, and all of us in 3WD Land seem to have ramped life up to 100 mph! Between work duties, change of season illnesses, birthday shenanigans, and gaming (with a brand-new birthday game to talk to you all about!), Tony, Chris, and I were left unable to find a time to sit down … Read more

Your Virtual DM: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Enjoy Solo TTRPGs

Artificial Intelligence is a polarizing topic these days. From Skynet-style flights of fancy to the very real implications for content creators, it’s an evolving technology that isn’t going away anytime soon. But free from worrying about profiting off of others’ work, using AI at the game table can help provide you with a set of … Read more

Transforming Your D&D Campaign: Shifting from the Railroad to the Sandbox

Back in September of 2022, I wrote an article that asked the question, “Does what you’re currently running still feel fresh and fun? Are your players as invested in it as they were in the beginning? Does something feel missing? Are you burning out?” In it, I discussed how we had transitioned in the all-girl’s … Read more

We Built This City: Tools, Tips, and Tricks on Increasing Immersion in Your D&D Game

Terrain. Maps. Minis. Music. Handouts. TTRPGs aren’t movies and television and we can’t rely on moving pictures to help immerse our players, so what are some ways that you can help the imagination Build This City in your players’ minds? In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down to revisit our discussion with The … Read more

Cobblers, Glassblowers, and Weavers Unite! Utilizing Forgotten Proficiencies in Your D&D Games

Cobbler’s tools. Weaver’s tools. Glassblowing. There are a host of proficiencies that are part of building a character in D&D that seem strange at first for someone who is going out on adventures. For a lot of players, it just becomes something that you picked during character creation. We’ve come to call these the “orphan” … Read more

Too Much Time On My Hands – Our 8 Best Hacks For Busy D&D Players

Multiple times a week. Once a week. Every other week. Once a month. Once every several months. We’ve referenced how frequency of play can really alter how you run the game, how the story flows, etc. But, our longtime listener, Dr. DM, has brought up how real life has really gotten in the way of … Read more