With it being so close to Halloween, I am reminded of the times we would have special RPG sessions that were one-shots in new game systems. Often time we would spend time in the wee hours of the following day resolving the fun we had started the night before. So I wanted to share some of my favorites for the Halloween RPG session that you might have planned. White Wolf Products This includes everything from Vampire: The Masquerade to Demon: The Fallen. I group them as all one gaming system because they are all interchangeable. My favorite version is 2nd Edition so here are some of the 2E subsy ..read more

In the Pages – A review of Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes Product: Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes System: Dungeons and Dragon Company: Wizards of the Coast Edition: 5th Edition Release Year: 2018 Best Place to Get: Amazon Book Type: Supplemental Rule book Can Get Used: Yes ISBN: 9780786966240 Who needs it: DM and PCs Review Originally, when I read the title and got input from some other players I thought this was an NPC book. After reading it, I have found to be the most interesting addition to the D&D collection. This book puts some background lore in place for many creatures including the el ..read more

Behind the Screen – Dungeons and Dragons Monsters – Adjusting CRs Behind the Screen is an article series designed to give information to the Dungeon Masters/Game Master. So they can make an informed decision on what campaign they want to play next. As DMs we all hit the monsters are “too easy” or “too hard” complaing from our players. I have talked with several other DMs and discovered that most of us are not using the CR (Challenge Ratings) to our advantage. In the below article I will go over how to handle CRs (both too easy and too hard), loot calculation, and possible fixes for the group ..read more

In the Pages – A review of Volo’s Guide to Monsters Product: Volo’s Guide to Monsters System: Dungeons and Dragons Company: Wizards of the Coast Edition: 5th Edition Release Year: 2016 Best Place to Get: Amazon Book Type: Supplemental Rule Book Can Get Used: Yes ISBN: 9780786966011 Who needs it: DM & Player Review We all remember Volo guides from both the original 1E to 3E, they were the updated rules we needed to make that special character a little bit better. This is no exception in 5E, the Volo’s Guide to Monster brings in new rules and races that players and DMs can use. (Pending DM ..read more

In the Pages – A review of Ghosts of Saltmarsh Product: Ghosts of Saltmarsh System: Dungeons and Dragons Company: Wizards of the Coast Edition: 5th Release Year: 2019 Best Place to Get: Amazon Book Type: Module Book Can Get Used: Yes ISBN: 9780786966752 Who needs it: DM Review Like Tales from the Yawning Portal, Ghosts of Saltmarsh brings us 7 individual adventures on the sea. These kinds of module books are the ones I like. This means I get to run one part of the adventure any time I want. Need a transition to another continent? Poof, a separate adventure that only minorly affects the campa ..read more

Behind the Screen – Magic vs Technology – Armor Behind the Screen is an article series designed to give information to the Dungeon Masters/Game Master. So they can make an informed decision on what campaign they want to play next. In my previous article in the Magic vs Technology sub-series, Magic vs Technology – Weapons, I went over modifying weapons and comparing them to spells and current weapons in the Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition Universe. Lexicon Here are some of the terms I will be using, their abbreviations, and some examples. Low Tech  (LT) –  Technology is at its most basic Armor ..read more

In the Pages – A review of Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage Product: Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage System: Dungeons and Dragons Company: Wizards of the Coast Edition: 5th Edition Release Year: 2018 Best Place to Get: Amazon Book Type: Module Book Can Get Used:  Yes ISBN: 9780786966264 Who needs it: DM Review At first look, I thought this book was going to be something that I could use as an intermediate adventure. Then I started reading it, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was an Undermountain Tale of epic proportions. For those of you who do not know or have to experienced ..read more

Behind the Screen – Magic vs Technology – Weapons Behind the Screen is an article series designed to give information to the Dungeon Masters/Game Master. So they can make an informed decision on what campaign they want to play next. Dungeons and Dragons is a High Magic / Low Technology Fantasy RPG, meaning that it favors the wonders of magic over technology. So instead of an industrialized society working with steampunk inventions, you have archmages casting spells at sometimes world destruction levels. Shadowrun, on the other hand, is a High Technology / Medium Magic Science fiction RPG, favo ..read more

In the Pages – A review of Waterdeep: Dragon Heist Product: Waterdeep: Dragon Heist System: Dungeons and Dragons Company: Wizards of the Coast Edition: 5th Edition Release Year: 2018 Best Place to Get: Amazon Book Type: Module Book Can Get Used: Yes ISBN: 9780786966264 Who needs it: DM Review I had seen this book several times as I was leafing through some of the other books when it came up on my list to review. I was originally skeptical about it. I mean we have all been to Waterdeep several times and we know about the seven (if you have been reading the books or been playing long enough) s ..read more