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Tomb of Annihilation: Mundane Dangers of Chult
With the release of Tomb of Annihilation, I wanted to expand some on the dangers within a jungle setting. So I decided to base a few adventuring challenges off real life. While fantastical flora and...
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Twenty Questions with Rose Estes
In 1983 I was given a few Endless Quest books for my birthday. Already voraciously consuming anything Dungeons & Dragons related I could find, these were a great gift. The idea of a book where you...
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Diary of a Lich
Vita non est vivere sed valere vita est - Life is more than just being aliveOne of the things I have pondered over the years is what intelligent undead do with all their spare time....
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The Estoc
The Estoc, also dubbed the Tuck or Panzerstecher, is a two-handed thrusting sword, from the 14th-17th centuries. To this day the Estoc is often mistaken for a long sword or rapier. This was a weapon...
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Magic Item: Mind Steel Coif
This very rare chain coif is created by the Githyanki* in the Astral Plane. Legend holds that over the epochs they found ways to avoid the terrible mind attacks of those whom enslaved them. The coifs...
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Adventuring Gear: The Crowbar
The Crowbar. It’s perfect for prying open doors, removing nails, smashing glass, using the sharpened end as a chisel, or even an improvised weapon. Is there one in your adventuring pack? If not, there...
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Alternate Win Conditions in D&D
After playing D&D for nearly four decades I have developed some habits as a Dungeon Master. One of them is using alternate win conditions for battles with boss level monsters and villains. Some...
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A Dungeons & Dragons Birthday Party
This past weekend I took part in amazing party for our friend’s son who was turning 9-years old. It all started last year when my wife and I offered the use of the Game Tavern for his birthday. The...
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Save Your Game Session: DM Burnout
It has happened to us all. You scheduled the game weeks ago. It is final here. You just worked a gazillion hours or were up to a million o’clock the night before. You are tired, not in the mood, but...
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Review: Fiend Folio Dice Cup
Last year I reviewed the Demon Idol dice cup by Foster Leathercraft. Well I decided to commission a new one and wow it's just epic. This cup is an interpretation of the original wraparound cover for...
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Review: Hand of the Zombie Dice Tray
Recently my Hand of the Zombie Dice Tray arrived from Darksilver Forge. I wanted to take some pictures and share them with everyone. This is definitely a very cool piece of gaming swag. At 6” in width...
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Dragons: Unique Breath Weapons
Dragons. The most iconic monster ever. Their name is in the title of the D&D game. Over the years, there have been countless iterations. Admittedly, I have never been very keen with how they are...
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Review: Tome of Holding
In a hoard of gaming accessories, it is hard to stand out in the crowd. I think Alex Ingram has done just that with the Tome of Holding Kickstarter. I waited to post my review until after I had an...
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Krampusnacht Curios
So what does Krampus leave inside the shoes or boots of good little boys and girls? Since the winter months are so harsh and unforgiving, he usually gifts them with minor enchanted items. These items...
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Zine: Lead Beans & Bacon
Some time ago I purchased Frontier Scum by Den of Druids. It's a wonderful game about wanted outlaws making their mark on the lost frontier. It uses a slightly modified Mork Borg engine and is very...
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Strahd for Shadowdark
"I am the ancient. My beginnings are lost in the darkness of the past. I am not dead. Nor am I alive. I am undead, forever."- Count Strahd von...
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“Just House Rule It” Is a Lazy Answer
Critique a TTRPG mechanic, ask a design question, or point out a flaw in something like D&D, and you’ll see it pop up like clockwork.“Just house rule it.”“Fun is different for everyone.”These...
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When the Light Goes Out
There’s been a lot of noise lately about the one-hour torch timer in Shadowdark, and most of it comes from people who haven’t actually played the game. I keep pointing this out because once you do, it...
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Frazetta Armor
Heroes wore less when stories were bigger. On the covers of pulp paperbacks and the canvases of Frank Frazetta, warriors strode bare-chested through blood-soaked temples, cloaked in smoke, steel, and...
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Run the Game. Forget the Noise.
There’s no shortage of advice for new Dungeon Masters. Most of it is fine. Some of it even works. But a lot of what actually matters never shows up in the books. These are the things I learned the hard...
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