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Running the Game

WotC Changing D&D 5E Monsters and More – Are These the Updates the Game Needs?

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At D&D Celebration, Wizards of the Coast held a Future of D&D panel discussion. Among the topics discussed were changes to the way monsters will be presented, balanced, and rebalanced around Monsters of the Multiverse as well as some hints about how settings will be presented in the future. Are these the right changes to make? Thorin, Tony and Dave break down what we heard and how it could impact the way we DM.

6 Ways Google Docs Changed How I DM

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Advances in technology are said to be the ultimate game-changers, and with gaming it’s no different. For me, that game-changer is Google Docs, which is free and solves so many issues I had prepping and running games. So, allow me to explain how this online word processor became an invaluable tool for how my games are both prepared and run. Because every DM has a limited amount of time to spend working on any given game, and this could help you use that time more effectively. 

Patrons, Powers and Punishments in D&D 5E: So Many Classes Get Their Powers From a Higher Power … But at What Price?

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Patrons and punishments have been a part of D&D since 1st Edition’s paladins had to toe the line or get busted down to fighter status by an angry deity. But with so many classes drawing their powers from gods, devils and monsters in 5e — and not really getting any better deal than the wizard who studied, sorcerer who was born with it, barbarian who’s too angry to die, or the bard who just has to rock out with his glockenspiel out — how can the DM handle these patron relationships in a way that feels cool but doesn’t become unfair compared to the other classes?

Gods and Cheese: 5 Tips for Running RPG Deities, Demigods and Super-Powered NPCs

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Every fantasy RPG setting has its share of super-powered beings worthy of legend. And as the DM, it can be extremely tempting to introduce one of these mighty beings directly in the game to establish a presence. But such an NPC can cause numerous problems that easily do more harm than good, even derailing your campaign. This is why we’ve composed these 5 tips on how to introduce and run extremely powerful NPCs without wrecking the continuity of your game.

6 Ways to Get Everyone at the Game Table More Involved

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Ideally, you want all of your players getting the most from their gaming experience instead of just one or two players stealing the show. Rather than trying to coach several of your players to be more involved, there are ways you can adapt how your game runs to accomplish this painlessly. This is why we’ve composed a list of tips to get all of your players more involved in the game without it feeling forced. If done well, these will help your party not only function as a more effective team but perhaps enjoy the game itself even more. 

Keeping Your Story Straight: How We Manage All the DM Details of Our RPG Campaigns

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No DM’s plan survives contact with the players. Between remembering the story you’re trying to tell, the details you had to improvise, and the players’ actions (which may or may not have made sense), it can be hard to keep the details straight in your RPG campaign. Thorin, Tony and Dave each have their own tricks for keeping their stories straight.

5 Tips for Building Interesting Encounters, Random or Otherwise

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What does a good encounter look like? While not every battle should push the characters to their limits, whether in or outside on the main story arc, they also shouldn’t come off as material from a filler episode. If done well, these seemingly random battles should not only set the tone for your campaign but also promote its lore. So, let’s take a look at developing encounters, so yours can be memorable for all the right reasons. 

A Bad Day for the Black Dragon: 5 Mistakes I Made DMing My First D&D 5E Dragon Fight

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Dragons! They are the logo monster of Dungeons & Dragons. They are fire. They are death. They are the winged nightmares of any fantasy citizen. … Except the one my party chewed through in about 3 rounds. *sigh* So, the party had fun, and good for them! But on my end, mistakes were made, and here’s what I think they were.

How to Bring WrestleMania to Barovia: DM Dave’s Curse of Strahd Goes WAY Off Book With a Homebrew Wrestling PPV

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Sometimes you want to change the game up completely, even if it’s just for the night. Maybe you want to have a night of gambling games, a carnival with an archery contest, a little football, or, like DM Dave’s Barovia, a werewolf wrestling match to put the WWE to shame! When you have that urge, how do you make that happen? The 3 Wise DMs call them minigames, and in this episode, they’ll use Dave’s wrestling escapades to break down how to make these sessions fun for everyone.

Strange Homebrew: Knowing When, Where and How to Make Your RPG Campaign Weird Without Losing Your Players

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DMs have some crazy ideas. And deep down, there’s nothing most of us want to do more than unleash those ideas on our unsuspecting players. These strange homebrew ideas can be the coolest and most memorable part of the campaign, but they’re also risky. Will your player throw a fit after their corporeal form is replaced with a pile of insects? The quit risk is high. What makes sense in the story? If you can get the players to go along with that, you can have fun with all sorts of crazy homebrew ideas.