Advantage & Disadvantage in D&D 5E (and the bizarre creature that foreshadowed it)

Advantage & Disadvantage in D&D 5E (and the bizarre creature that foreshadowed it)

Reading Time: 4 minutesIf you’ve played Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, you already know the rhythm of advantage/disadvantage. The mechanic is simple, elegant, and defines the feel of 5E: roll two d20s, take the higher (advantage) or lower (disadvantage). Possibly one of the most elegant mechanics that 5E … [continue reading]

Push or Be Powerless: The Willpower Economy in Forbidden Lands

Push or Be Powerless: The Willpower Economy in Forbidden Lands

Reading Time: 8 minutesIf you play it safe in Forbidden Lands, you fall behind. The game’s Willpower system makes that clear almost immediately. You don’t build up power by succeeding: you build it by pushing your rolls, taking damage, and gambling on outcomes that could just as easily make … [continue reading]

Riddles for D&D: Puzzles, Traps, and Whispers Beneath Still Water

Riddles for D&D: Puzzles, Traps, and Whispers Beneath Still Water

Reading Time: 8 minutesRiddles have lingered in the bones of storytelling for centuries. Waiting in dark corridors, whispered by things that don’t care whether you answer correctly. They ask for more than knowledge. They demand patience, perception, and sometimes a willingness to be wrong in front of your … [continue reading]

What is Metagaming in D&D 5E? (Examples, Problems, and Fixes)

What is Metagaming in D&D 5E? (Examples, Problems, and Fixes)

Reading Time: 6 minutesIn the first season of Stranger Things, the kids huddle around a table, dice scattered across graph paper maps, as they face down “the Demogorgon.” In official D&D lore, Demogorgon is the Prince of Demons, but for the kids, it became the stand-in name for their terrifying … [continue reading]

Willow Film Characters as 5E Heroes and Villains

Willow Film Characters as 5E Heroes and Villains

Reading Time: 4 minutes  Willow Comes to D&D 5E: A Party of Unlikely Heroes (and Villains) The 1988 film Willow is a gem in the fantasy genre as far as I’m concerned, brimming with unforgettable characters and adventurous magic. With its reluctant heroes, villainous queens, clever rogues, and … [continue reading]

How to Run a Vaesen RPG Session 0

How to Run a Vaesen RPG Session 0

Reading Time: 4 minutesIf you’re introducing Vaesen RPG by Free League Publishing to new players—especially those unfamiliar with tabletop roleplaying games—the last thing you want to do is hand them a 227-page rulebook and hope for the best. When I prepped our Session 0 for Vaesen, I knew … [continue reading]

What is a Tiefling in D&D 5E?

What is a Tiefling in D&D 5E?

Reading Time: 3 minutesWhat is a Tiefling in D&D 5E? What do you get when you mix infernal bloodlines, blazing eyes, and a past steeped in prejudice and power? You get a tiefling—a mysterious and misunderstood playable race in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition. Tieflings offer rich roleplaying … [continue reading]

10 Creepy Ravenloft Adventure Hooks for D&D 5E

10 Creepy Ravenloft Adventure Hooks for D&D 5E

Reading Time: 3 minutesLooking for dread-fueled inspiration for your next D&D session? These Ravenloft-compatible adventure hooks are tailor-made to pull your players into a world of mist, monsters, and moral rot. Whether you’re running a one-shot in Barovia or your party just got Mist-napped from Faerun, the Domains … [continue reading]

Learning Dungeons & Dragons

Learning Dungeons & Dragons

Reading Time: 3 minutesLearn D&D by Playing It: A Kid-Friendly, Beginner-Wise Adventure That Builds Your Character as You Go Learning to play Dungeons & Dragons shouldn’t feel like a homework assignment. For new players—especially kids—the idea of flipping through a 320-page rulebook before rolling any dice can be … [continue reading]