The Desert World of Athas — Dark Sun Campaign Setting
Hello friends, Nerdarchist Ted here to talk about Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings. Today I would like to talk about Dark Sun or the desert world of Athas. With most D&D campaign settings the world is mostly good. That is not the case in Dark Sun. In most campaign settings magic is prevalent and not harmful at its core. In the desert world of Athas magic destroys life just by being cast.
How To Speeks Goblin | Lock Pick
This week's webcomic we check in on our little green friends to see what they are up to. The first thing we find is one our goblin friends hard at work and up to no good. Not all goblins are thieves, but this one appears...
Finding Inspiration for 5E D&D Campaigns
Hey friends, Nerdarchist Ted here. Running a campaign in fifth edition Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder or any other tabletop roleplaying game is hard and writing material for said campaign can be even harder. When doing so you have to predict possible actions your players will make and be prepared for the most obvious options but as as Dungeon Master where do you come up with the ideas?
5E D&D Character Build — Gnome Illusionist
Nerdarchy recently did a video on fifth edition Dungeons and Dragons races — the gnome. Which has led me to want to play one. For me gnome illusionist was one of the iconic characters from AD&D. The great thing about gnomes to me is they share a lot of the cool traits of dwarves when it comes to their industrialness, but lack the dwarven somberness. They are fun loving and gregarious by nature easily lending themselves to a comedic role without taking away too much from a serious game. One of the things about these guys is they’re practical jokers and jovial by nature. I think this adds a great dynamic to a group of adventures. When you combine their nature with their affinity for illusion magic in the case of the forest gnome or tinkering when it comes to the rock gnomes it’s the perfect storm for creating a trickster character.
How To Speeks Goblin | Gnoming
This week's webcomic How To Speeks Goblin we explore a goblin favored past time. Young goblins will go out looking for a good time after over enjoying a night on the town. From the Urban Dictionary Gnoming. I have a feeling Our goblins have a completely...
Constructing a 5E D&D One Shot
Last Friday night I was home alone and not an RPG game to be played in sight. My regular group wasn’t available yet and I still wanted to drop some funny shaped dice. So what is a gamer to do? I’ll tell you what I did. I reached out to the online RPG game community and some of my fellow Nerdarchists via Facebook. On Facebook there is this group called the Tabletop RPG One Shot Group started by fellow YouTuber GM Juce. He started it to bring gamers together and help people game. A while back I did an article on that FB group and how it’s helping gamers to game.
First Look at 5E D&D Monster Manual
Hello fellow gamers, Nerdarchist Ted here. Today I want to talk about the fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual. I have been playing D&D since second edition AD&D. There have been many changes in style layout and information contained in each edition’s Monster Manual. The art styles of each edition of course change as styles, techniques and tools to create art change with the times. The rules for all the monsters of course change to take into account the actual flow and dynamics of the new rules.
Willing Suspension of Disbelief Creates an Immersive RPG Experience
Even with the light from your torch the stairwell’s end cannot be seen. As you cautiously make your way down each step, the cracks and crevices on the sides of the wall quiver and writhe in time to the torch’s flickering flame.
Unseen cobwebs flutter against your eyes and face. There is a rushing sound like one unending breath that you hear too close to your ear. You see something move in the shadows just outside the torch’s glow. You hear a scratching, chattering cacopho-
*crackle, crackle*
*crackle, crackle*
” Hey pass over those Cheese Puffs”
Sigh… The dreaded words that quell the willing suspension of disbelief in an immersive RPG.
“Pass me the ______” ( food or beverage )
As a DM, if that blank is not filled by the words “Holy Avenger” or some other fantasy item, it really deconstructs the built up tension.
Thus undermining the work that we, as DMs, put into setting the mood of encounters.
While experienced players can still hack it when it comes to mood disruptions they still lessen the overall experience for everyone.
Why is that the case?
Are 5E D&D Tieflings Misunderstood or Soul Eating Hellspawn?
Hello Nerdarchy Fans and fellow gamers. Nerdarchist Ted here to talk Dungeons & Dragons races, specifically the tiefling. This devilsh race made its debut in Planescape and those who did not really play in that setting got to see them make a rise into the standard Player’s Handbook, or PHB as we all lovingly refer to it as, in fourth edition D&D. The tiefling is a humanoid with demon or devil blood or who has a infernal heritage depending on the edition being played. Fiends like these are typically evil and tieflings sometimes face prejudices because of this heritage. Creatures and potential allies might question where their loyalties are going to lie. Are they going to assist you or profit from your demise? These are the risks every one has to face as views from the outside if you are playing a tiefling in 5E D&D.
How To Speeks Goblin | Underwear
What do goblins wear underneath their clothes? In the weeks webcomic "How to Speeks Goblin" we explore the scary topic of goblin under garments. So now we know to think twice before entering a goblin sleeping quarters without knocking. As always leave your comments below. If...
Game Master Tips — How To Start an RPG Campaign
One of the toughest parts about being a GM in any RPG game is “How do you start the campaign?” You will have characters with different backgrounds, professions, motivations, and depending the the kind of game you are playing even different races or species.
For this game master tips article I’ll be referring to the Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition campaign I’m about to start running. The tips and advice I’m going to offer up will work in pretty much any setting or game, but I want to give a context in how these tips and tricks work and why I do certain things.
Nerdarchy Lays down some Game Master Tips in this video.
Famous Wizards of Distinction — Bigby
Greetings my fellow Nerdarchists. In the weeks and months to come I am going to highlight famous wizards of distinction by delving into the backgrounds and spells of magic users .
I have already completed articles on Leomund- the nerdy prepper, Tenser- the One Man Army for Goodness, Drawmij the Mysterious Traveler, and Otiluke- the Siege Alchemist.
I will continue focusing on famous wizards of distinction from RPGs but that does not mean I am excluding the backgrounds and spells of magic users from books, movies, and comics. 
Give me a compelling example of wizardry and I will write it up.
This week I am focusing my attention on the cautious yet force-full handy man himself, Bigby.
How To Speeks Goblin | Cosplay
This week we explore our happy little goblin taking part in a recreational activity, cosplay. What might a goblin like to cosplay as you might ask. Well perhaps a dwarf, a halfling, a gnome, or even a happy little elf like this fella. Not only...
5E D&D Character Build — Human Cleric
Hey guys Nerdarchist Ted, here to bring you a new type of Article. I hope you like it. Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition character builds. Today I want to talk about a Human Cleric.
Now many of you with lots of years chucking dice might sit back and question how boring is it to make a human cleric.
Well I am here to tell you that at least in Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition you are wrong. With a back ground to choose. a domain to choose and going with the variant human you get extra skill proficiencies and a feat.
Famous Wizards of Distinction — Drawmij
Greetings my fellow Nerdarchists. In the weeks and months to come I am going to highlight famous wizards of distinction by delving into the backgrounds and spells of magic users . I have already completed articles on Leomund- the nerdy prepper, Tenser- the One Man Army for Goodness, and Otiluke- the Siege Alchemist.
I will continue focusing on famous wizards of distinction from RPGs but that does not mean I am excluding the backgrounds and spells of magic users from books, movies, and comics.
Give me a compelling example of wizardry and I will write it up.
Now let’s take a look at Jim Ward ‘s character, Drawmij. A wizard played by that guy.
