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Tag Archives: role playing
11 Great Dungeon Master Tips Revealed at Winter Fantasy 2020
The Winter Fantasy convention fits into one hall at the convention center in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Despite the event’s compact size, it delivers as much Dungeons & Dragons as far larger conventions such as Origins or Gen Con. Plus, the … Continue reading →
Posted in Advice
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Tagged ability checks, backstory, difficulty class, interaction, role playing, scenes, split party, Winter Fantasy
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12 Comments
4 Pop-Culture Assumptions That Dungeons & Dragons Destroyed
The media keeps telling us how we, the geeks, have won popular culture. A show with dragons became prestige television, and networks keep aiming to produce the next Game of Thrones. A minister I know boasted that she was a … Continue reading →
6 Popular Things in D&D That I Fail to Appreciate
I’m used to having fringe tastes: I love Dungeons & Dragons, fantasy, and science fiction. These days, none of these passions rate as weird, but only because of a recent flip in popular tastes. As a teen, all these interests … Continue reading →
Posted in Uncategorized
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Tagged adventure design, Battle Interactive, Dave Arneson, Gary Gygax, miniatures, role playing
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48 Comments
How to Create Loveable Non-Player Characters While You Supercharge Your Sex Appeal
When roleplaying game players have affection for the friends and allies in a campaign’s supporting cast, the game improves. Players who feel an attachment to non-player characters will strive to help and protect them. That draws players into the game … Continue reading →
Posted in Advice
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Tagged Baldur's Gate, Charisma, Eric Scott de Bie, non-player characters, role playing, Tom Lommel
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5 Comments
How to Make Non-Player Characters That Your Players Will Like
The murderhobo stereotype sums the worst behaviors of Dungeons & Dragons player characters. Such characters roam the land, killing everything that stands in the way of treasure. They rob merchants, murder town guards trying to make an arrest, and attack … Continue reading →
Bring the Thrill of Finding Treasure Back to the Adventurers League
Dungeons & Dragons started as a game about treasure hunting. The rules awarded as much of 80% of total experience points for finding gold, so no one missed the point. Co-creator Gary Gygax knew a thirst for gold resonated with … Continue reading →
Posted in Adventurers League
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Tagged Adventurers League, Gary Gygax, role playing, treasure
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6 Comments
Running Group Roleplaying Scenes—How Permission From an RPG Legend Made Me Stop Talking to Myself
Much of a dungeon master’s skill amounts to choosing the technique that suits a moment in the game. I have two examples: Maps and miniatures bring advantages, but if a character battles a sentry or flees an army, skip the … Continue reading →
Posted in Advice
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Tagged non-player characters, role playing, Sandy Petersen, split party
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5 Comments
How to Get D&D Players to Make Unforgettable Character Introductions That Take a Minute or Less
Whenever I serve as a dungeon master for strangers at conventions, I learn things that improve my game. But the games where I play Dungeons & Dragons teach me too. I try to start convention games by giving players a … Continue reading →
Posted in Advice
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Tagged introductions, organized play, Origins convention, role playing, Teos Abadia
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11 Comments
Avoiding the Awkward D&D Moment When a Priest, a Wizard, and a Dwarf Enter a Bar and Nothing Happens
A few recurring types of adventure scenes make me want to fast forward the game. For instance, I dislike when an scenario starts a party in a tavern, masquerade, or other social gathering, and then expects them to spend an … Continue reading →
The Grand Campaign, Dungeon Master Gear, Fourth Edition D&D, and Other Reactions From the Comment Section
I’m ready for another trip into the comment section. The Grand Campaign My post on the grand campaign prompted a couple of commenters to tell of their long-running grand campaigns. Michael “Chgowiz” Shorten’s game has run more than 10 years. Rick … Continue reading →
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