Master Ravenloft Tonight: Run a Thrilling One-Night Adventure!

For five years before its release, Tracy and Laura Hickman ran the original Count Strahd adventure, Ravenloft, as a Halloween, one-shot tradition. It’s easy to understand why… Count Strahd von Zarovich is one of the most infamous villains in D&D (and beyond), and what better way to get into the Halloween spirit than by exploring … Read more

Fourth Wing: 7 Helpful Steps to Turn Your Favorite Book into Your Favorite D&D Adventure!

Greetings gamers from all systems, places, and timelines! My girlfriend Jenn had been asking me for close to two years now to read Fourth Wing. Because I hadn’t, at least to her knowledge, it made the perfect foundation for a surprise birthday game one-shot. However, writing this game was a daunting task because, as they … Read more

Five Reasons Laughter Really IS The Best Medicine For Your D&D Campaign

Greetings gamers from all systems, places, and timelines! I’ve been running games for over three decades now, and my favorite campaign of all time, ironically, is my current one. Not because my table is filled with rule or dramatic roleplay experts. Actually, quite the opposite, as two of the players had never played a TTRPG … Read more

Too Much: Overcome D&D Idea Overload and Unleash Your Creativity

Movies. TV series. Books. Other DMs running games. There are a multitude of sources that provide fodder for our imagination in developing cool ideas that we want to play with in our own games. But how many ideas are TOO MANY ideas? Can you have too many ideas? In this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave … Read more

Whispers from the Party: Delivering Lore Through Your Players

One of the most rewarding experiences as a DM is watching the players at your table roleplay their way through the world you’ve created. Whether they’re laughing over a campfire, arguing over strategy, or carefully stepping into a haunted ruin, the joy of TTRPGs like D&D lies in the shared storytelling. It’s the players interacting with the world through their characters – and that’s where the magic happens.

Hey There, Cthulhu! Building The Immersion and The Horror in Your TTRPGs

Our last episode was the preamble. Last week’s article discussed some of what we learned from playing with new people. But, in this episode, Tony, Chris, and Dave sit down with the newest addition to our gaming group, Elizabeth, to delve deep into what went into running the Call of Cthulhu one-shot, playing with brand … Read more

Stranger Things of Thrones: 7 Tips to Running an Inspired Horror Mash-up D&D Game!

Greetings gamers from all systems, places, and timelines! As some of you may be aware, we at 3WD appreciate one-shot adventures and player birthday games. To which, we just completed a horror-style adventure in honor of a birthday in my all-girls campaign, which was inspired by Game of Thrones and Stranger Things – two of the … 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

3WD: DM Zen – The Calm Between the Rolls

Greetings, 3WD-verse! DM Chris here. One of the cornerstones of DMing is preparation. In many ways, you’re the tour guide for your players in the campaign world, so you need an understanding deep enough that you can help them learn and discover it. You’re more than just a narrator – you’re the weaver of possibilities, … 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