•10 min read
Foraging for Herbs in Shadowdark
OSR-inspired herbalism rules add strategic foraging, preservation checks, an expanded herb list, Ranger balance notes, and GM tips to your Shadowdark games.
Posts tagged with “DM Advice”
•5 min read
Experience Still Matters - The Benefits of using XP in 5e.
Argues for XP-based advancement in D&D, rewarding non-combat play, encouraging agency, easing pacing, and doubling as a memory log for your campaign.
•14 min read
TTRPG Tools for Collboration and Change
Build better tables by aligning assumptions about the world and preferred play styles, then using communication, examples, and incentives to support shared fun.
•6 min read
Gritty DnD Injuries - Expanding Exhaustion
Revamps exhaustion in 5e with -1 per level, gains on crits and death saves, class Shake It Off, and clearer recovery, adding tension, stakes, and teamwork.
•4 min read
Yes, if ... the true secret of crafting adventures
Rather than quick yes/no rulings, challenge players with conditional goals that turn edge cases into quests, deepening stakes and shared world.
•3 min read
DMing is not a Covert Power Grab
The DM initiates and shapes play; collaboration matters, but new norms that cast their creative lead as suspect risk stifling games.
•4 min read
The Statistical Mirage of Advantage in D&D 5th Edition
Advantage skews outcomes toward the mean, boosts easy checks more than hard ones, and its non-stacking design blunts creative tactics and tension.
•5 min read
Dungeon of the Grieving Mind - Not Your Typical Dungeon!
A level-5 DnD 5e grief-themed dungeon born from slain innocents, mixing environmental hazards and moral trials across five evocative chambers.
•4 min read
Narrative Landscapes - More Engaging TTRPG Travel
Transform travel by treating geography as a character, embedding hooks and implied encounters that spark curiosity and player-driven choices.
•7 min read
Summon the Unusual - 3 New Spells for DnD 5e
Homebrew options for arcane pet play: animate weapons, clockwork constructs, and mephits, with balance notes, scaling, and narrative discovery hooks.