Tony

Magic Item Workshop: Supercharging Your Wand of Wonder

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About a year ago, we released a list of magical items that had been homebrewed for our Storm King’s Thunder campaign. Since then, we have been busy crafting new, over-the top-items that are intended to allow players to go above and beyond the norm without tossing the game into a dumpster and setting it on fire. With that said, we just created a new magical item that is a little more than just extra. In fact, it is easily the most complex magical item any of us have created. So, without further ado, we present to you the Wand of Wondrous Chaos – a super-charged version of one of the game’s already most audacious magical items: the Wand of Wonder.

6 Ways DMs and Players Can Deal with Campaign and Character Fatigue

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Whether you’re running a campaign or playing in one, it can be a huge commitment in terms of real-life time. Case in point, nearly all the games we are currently running have been going anywhere from a year and a half to three years. Over that time, it’s not hard to imagine how playing a character or even the world itself might start to feel a bit stale. However, not all, or even most, of the members of the campaign may feel that way. They could still be having a great time. This is why we’ve composed a list of tips to help both DMs and players overcome the fatigue of their current games until it’s time to bring down the curtain.

Signature Magic Items: What They Are, How to Run Them, and Why You Should Put Them in Your RPG Campaigns

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The Master Sword, essentially a signature magic item.

They say a hero is only as good as their weapon, which may not be true but if you’re Thor, She-Ra, Drizzt Do’urden, or Trevor Belmont, but it gives them one hell of an edge.  Not to say that their amazing magic weapons or objects of badassery define them as characters, but they definitely add to their personas. The same concept can apply to D&D characters.

DM Time Management: 7 Tips to Ensure Your Game Has Just Enough Material to End Where and When It Should

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Wasting RPG session time.

As the DM, when game day finally arrives of course you want your game to be both as fun and memorable as possible. However, you don’t want your adventure to come off like a bad action movie that feels like three forgettable plots sandwiched into one. Nor do you want your game ending after just two hours because your crew ran through your content like they chugged a six-pack of Red Bull. This is why we have created a list of tips, so your session will have a satisfying amount of material but not so much that a one-shot adventure takes 12 hours to finish.

3 D&D 5E Rules That Are Due for an Update

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In my previous article, we looked at 10 game mechanics that have become more refined under Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition. However, even the best system is a work in progress. While most of us agree that 5E runs smoothly, it’s not without a few rough spots. Here are three aspects of the current system that could use some fine-tuning and some suggestions on how to make them run better.

10 Issues Dungeons & Dragons 5E Fixed From Previous editions

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For many players, 5E wasn’t the first edition of D&D they played. But by the time they did, most found that it corrected a host of previous issues. And while no system is perfect, the newer versions’ downsides were substantially outweighed by all the good things it brought to the table. Here are 10 ways it improved the game (IMHO).

Should Everything Be Handled During Game Time? 8 Pros And Cons To Help You Decide 

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One of the biggest selling points of D&D is that it provides an excuse to get together with your friends and do something interactive. However, sooner or later, one of the players will want to do something without the knowledge or approval of the entire group. This is why we have prepared a list of points both for and against keeping all events in front of a live audience to help determine what’s best for your game and group. 

7 Ways to Make Monsters Interesting for Both New Players and Veterans

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When we did our podcast about how to play iconic monsters, it was suggested that D&D-specific creatures are like celebrities. However, just like anything, if it gets too much exposure, it can get staler than some of my jokes. That’s a concern when the same creatures get too much airtime over the course of one or more campaigns. And while there is nothing wrong with getting into the deep cuts of the monster list, there are other options. This is why we’ve put together a list of ways to make monsters more interesting for new and seasoned players alike.

The Attunement Rule: If It’s Necessary, Then Why Is It So Disliked and How Could It Be Handled Differently

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One of the hallmarks of playing in a D&D game is it’s trademark magic-rich environment. However, there are games such as Diablo and Skyrim that offer a similar experience, allowing you to explore the world, face powerful enemies and collect magic equipment like Pokémon. And while these games are similar, one stark difference between D&D 5E and the above-mentioned games is the limitations with magical item attunement, toward which there are a great deal of mixed feelings both for and against it.

Should I Run or Play in a Solo Game? 8 Pros and Cons to Help You Decide

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If you’ve never run or played in a solo game of D&D or some different system, then you’ve missed out on an interesting experience – even if, admittedly, one of the cornerstones of the game is built on collaborative roleplay. And, while  solo adventure can be extremely fun, it’s definitely not for all players or DMs for a single session, let alone an actual campaign. This is why we composed a list of pros and cons to help you decide if a solo game is something you would like to introduce or request from your DM.