Search results

There has been a lot of discussion about the strengths and weaknesses of 5e D&D lately. So, I thought it might be good for us to understand each other's experiences. To do this, maybe we should share an overview of the 5e (2014 & 2024) D&D campaigns we've DMed or played in. A simple chart like...

Seeing quite a few posts about artwork matching mood and tone, game mechanics matching mood and tone, and even verbiage matching mood and tone - it got me thinking. I know it's an age-old debate. It is basically the equivalent of do lyrics matter in a song. But I am curious to see what everyone...

Just wanted to share my experiences at having an LLM (in this case, Gemini) act as a gamemaster. I have completed five sessions, each that ran a couple hours long. The system I taught it was my own. The lore it used was written by me, although I gave it creative license to make-up anything it...

Just curious, for all the DMs and players out there adopting the new system, what is the first adventure you want to run or play? It could be a retrofit since it is supposed to be backwards compatible. It could be homebrew. It could be something you hope they publish. It could be something you...

Hi Everyone, It has been a long, long time since I've run a game from the Basic Set box. This set was a gift, and my friend wants to get together to play the adventure contained within - The Keep on the Borderlands. This will be a single session (3 hours), and the players are all experienced...

Just wanted to ask and share some outside inspirations for in-game campaigns. We all have different passions outside of our D&D table, so I am curious what they are and how they inspire your DMing or playing. So, what are your outside inspirations? I'll start with a few of mine from the past...

Long story short: I'm running a nine session campaign. Each session is two hours. PCs level after each session. And combat after level three has a tendency to take quite a while. I know all the tricks to making combat go faster. But, it is not me I am concerned with. We need time for story and...

Just as the question reads. And for the sake of simpleness, we are talking about a PHB, so let's assume they do create some side rule about half-species and different sub-species. So no lightfoot or stout halflings or high, wood, or drow elves. Let's pretend they are one species. How many do you...

I know some on this board feel that the DM's power has lessened in the 5e era. I don't see how this is quantifiable, but it doesn't make the matter moot. So, the question begs - what can One D&D do to bring back the role of a stronger DM? I was having a discussion with a friend, and we came up...

I've seen several threads on other sites lately about how one PC is stronger than another, and it is ruining the game for the other players. It got me thinking how we used to run mixed level parties. Sometimes a character would die, and they would start back at level 1, even if the others were...

I know... I know... We've been down this road before. But please hear me out: Charisma should include beauty. Right now it's "confidence, eloquence, leadership" and "... your ability to interact effectively with others. It includes such factors as confidence and eloquence, and it can represent a...

Hello Dms. Seeing the lore discussion and about a dozen others on mechanics, races, rules, etc, I can't help but wonder one simple question - why? More specifically, what makes you, as a DM, sit down and change a rule? What makes you craft different lore for your world? What makes you not...

Strength in D&D strength is often discussed here. I thought it might be nice to gauge the definitions we may have for strength. We know in 5e they define it as "natural athleticism" and "bodily power," as well as "athletic training and the extent to which you can exert raw physical force." Both...

Just a hypothetical: If Critical Role and a few other top broadcasts/podcasts teamed up to create their own roleplaying game, how much of a dent would it put into D&D sales? The way I see it, it is now or never if they ever want to trailblaze on the company side of the screen. Soon, I feel...

I just picked up and read the rulebook this weekend (physical copy). Does anyone have experience running this? If so, what did you think, and are there any do's or don'ts you might recommend? Thanks in advance. PS - I am really digging the magic system in it, although I can see how it is...

Along the same lines as building an adventure, this one is for the players.

We've had quite a bit of discussion regarding railroading and story now and other forms of gaming. So, I thought a natural segue would be a question to all the GMs and DMs out there.

After all the ASI discussion and other discussions, I was reflecting on the MM stat block. Here is my thought: Why have the attribute scores in their at all? What purpose does it serve? For example, a hill giant. For verisimilitude purposes, when a 16' tall huge creature smashes a tree near...

I was recently working on an adventure path, and trying to do it justice for players that like all pillars, it occurred to me that I actually break the game apart in four pillar - not three. I do not know why this hasn't occurred to me yet. I think I have always broken the exploration pillar...

A recent discussion lead to the sweet spot for DMing D&D. Personally, I would like two questions here: what you prefer DMing and what you prefer as a player. Maybe a different thread for players. But the question is basic - how many players do you enjoy DMing during a session. Of course, the...