This is a wonderful time to be a Dungeon Master. There’s a huge amount of material out there, interest in the game is at an all-time high, and there are all these creative Dungeon Masters out there who are sharing their techniques. Which is just as well, because I’m horrible at coming up with new monsters, spells and magic items. What makes a successful DM? … Continue reading The Art of DMing: Assembling the Pieces (The Non-Creative DM)

In my experience, a lot of D&D combat takes place around doorways, certainly if the players have played a lot of the game. Why would you want to go into a room? The DM has probably filled it with lots of traps to get you the moment you go in, and monsters are waiting to surround you at a moment’s notice. Far better to stay … Continue reading The Joy of Doorways

Barbarians are tough. Barbarians are strong. Barbarians are incredibly fun to play. Here are a few notes on how to play them effectively at first level. What is the Barbarian best at? The barbarian does the most damage of any first-level character with two-handed weapons. They need to be raging while doing so, but even the fighter doesn’t deal as much damage. Barbarians are the … Continue reading Playing a First Level Barbarian