Search results

So if we had 2,017 options each for class, ancestry, and background, each human on the planet could make a unique character. OK everyone, get to work!

I wonder if accounting for all the decisions you need to make while levelling is a blocker. DDB used to offer random characters, but they were hilariously unplayable. We used to do them for whacky one shots ("I'm a gnome barbarian with an 8 strength who put all his ASIs into Charisma!")

Like if I could play D&D right now with that character, I 100% would.

It works great! Just built a dragonborn paladin. The background I took gave me wizard spells (shield, blade ward), so I had a nifty, very tanky character. with a few clicks. This is really cool! Here's a link: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/163323412 I think backgrounds do pose a bit of...

For anyone wondering how D&D and TTRPGs are doing, I track crowdfunding as part of my job. We're up 20% year over year, and have a good shot at setting a funding record. 5e-based campaigns did dip a bit the past two years, but they now look they are rebounding as some of the big publishers bring...

I think this is the general media trend. If you wait for actual news to happen, you end up with a lot of dead air. You can always speculate, and negative speculation drives views. Most “news” sources these days are like this, lots of commentary and pondering theoreticals. The more lurid, the...

Lots of great stuff! Very happy to see Vault of Mini Things there. It deserves more attention.

I’m eager to try this one out. If I read the rules right, generating bonus dice while also autofailing on three 1s could make for really tense rolls. On paper, I like how the mechanic leads you dramatically success or disastrous failure.

FWIW, I've found in play that this rule makes hitting 0 hit points really tense. In my last in-person game, an evil illusionist hit the party with a prismatic blast that dropped everyone to 0 HP. It made the last round of combat incredibly tense, as the PCs started piling up failed death saves...

Thanks! I started using it in my games last summer, and it stuck on well enough that I've been using it since. I've included the full rules below under a spoiler tag. The TL;DR - you remain conscious at 0 HP and while making death saves. You make a death save each time you take damage. Three...

What a great pick up! His blog is an invaluable resource for TTRPG designers.

Left out one piece - I went with pet because I think it is the one piece that the ranger can really own. It also creates a nice link to Aragorn-inspired leadership abilities. Even if no one else in the party is there, you can boost your pet.

Exactly. I remember the follower table in 2e was filled with wild stuff. I still think the 2e version of the class is the best take. In a world where the stealth skill or two-weapon fighting were class features, it was a great design. 3e's universal mechanics undermined that.

Thanks! Hoping to get the gladiator posted tomorrow, and the lycanthrope class next week. Then on to the rest of the core!

That cover looks great!

Weird to me to claim that a company killed a game back in 2022, when that game just had its best year ever in 2025.

I think the way I wrote it needs some work. Here's how it should work: Are there enemies in the area you are moving into? Pick front or back rank. If you are by yourself, you are always in the front. No enemies? No need to track it. If enemies are in your area it can get tricky. When you...

Glad to see folks excited about Moldvay! If anyone has any questions about it feel free to hit me up here.

It's a bit hacky, but I use three things: * I'm testing the DM material, so the players are using 5e characters. That makes it far easier. Trying to get the new classes to work would be impossible. However, I think this is an overall better testing approach since it keeps on side of the...

FWIW, the original D&D Beyond site was cobbled together as a demo. When WotC greenlit it, the team never had time to go back and build out a code base that was better for supporting a living game. I believe a lot of functionality is hard coded, so adding stuff is a nightmare. The new approach...