Add More Dragons into Your Dungeons with Animon Story
What is Dungeons & Dragons without… well, dungeons? And dragons? While we just got done going through a dungeon crawl with Mork Borg over on Nerdarchy Live, we didn’t see a lot of dragons in the mix. Recently on the Nerdarchy the YouTube channel, Nerdarchists Dave and Ted talked about ideas for dragons in your RPG. There are some wildly good ideas in the discussion. Between the spider and clockwork dragons and the idea for keeping dragons as pets, my brain (of course) darted straight to Animon Story.
Capture Those Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Vibes with This FREE Indie RPG
We here at Nerdarchy love tabletop roleplaying games from granddaddy Dungeons & Dragons to underappreciated indie gems like Quest and Animon Story. We love Pathfinder, Cypher System and so many more. Every once in a while we encounter something we just have to talk about. This is the case with Legend of the Forgotten Ballad by cueinn on itch.io.
While You Wait for Digimon Survive and Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Check Out Fantastic Adventures for Animon Story
If you vibe with my flavor of nerddom then you follow video games — especially monster taming video games like Pokemon and Digimon Story. With the recent announcements of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet as well as Digimon Survive I’m more than eager to jump back into these science fantasy worlds! Sadly, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet won’t release until late this year and Digimon Survive has no firm release date at present. However, I need something to scratch the monster taming itch and if you’ve read my post on Animon Story then you know there is a certain tabletop roleplaying game that gives me my fix.
Invoke Dreams and Nightmares through 5E D&D Monsters of the Multiverse’s Fey Goblins
Fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons is by far its most popular iteration of the game to date. With this edition’s lifespan nearing the time many editions transitioned to the next, we’re getting an update in the form of Monsters of the Multiverse, which presents new insights into various D&D monsters and races including goblinoids. While some settings use these races as shorthand for villains or simple monsters, Monsters of the Multiverse reveals these creatures to be fey in origin. As part of that new revelation we’re getting updates to these races.
Make Your Game More Interesting with Unusual Races in D&D
Race has always been a core part of Dungeons & Dragons and fifth edition D&D is no exception. I’ve often heard arguments go both ways about whether or not a Dungeon Master should limit the racial options players can choose from. On the one hand players argue anything in an officially published source should be usable in any setting. They contend limits aren’t fun, they want to use the mechanics listed in their favorite sourcebook for a given race or even how limiting what race players choose from is a manifestation of racism (harsh!). On the flip side DMs who argue for limiting race options often have ideas for vibrant and specific worlds they’ve built. In these situations DMs often contend the limit of race options gives the game world more believability and immersion.
Spice Up Your D&D Combat with Critical Stunts
Combat has been a staple of Dungeons & Dragons since its inception. D&D started out as a mod for a war game, cementing combat at its core. As D&D has evolved and grown in popularity, expectations of narrative have changed and while I love some good old fashioned D&D combat it can get monotonous if all you’re doing time and again is rolling for hit and damage with little to mix things up. Some subclasses like the Battle Master fighter work to offer options but for some these feel a bit like they should be things anyone could or at least should be able to do.
Legend of Vox Machina Brings D&D to Your Living Room
I’d be lying if I didn’t open this post by disclosing I’m a massive Critter (fan of Critical Role) and I just got finished with the first three episodes of The Legend of Vox Machina on Amazon Prime. I think The Legend of Vox Machina isn’t what anyone expected. It’s topping critical reviews and it’s delighted many fans including me. Before we dive into things too much we need some context.
Set Healthy Boundaries in Your RPG Experiences
Running RPG sessions is intense. It’s a labor of love for your players — at least it is for me. However, for all of my joking about loving to tantalize players on the brink of their characters’ deaths the confidence is often a sort of mask I wear to hide the truth of my anxiety. Before I begin I need to stress that if you’re struggling with severe mental health problems please seek help. This post is not a replacement for therapy or medication or even coping skills. This is meant to be an honest discussion.
Describe the Food in Your RPG with Gusto!
I’m not going to lie — food is one of my favorite things and one of the best ways to immerse players in a tabletop roleplaying game and set a mood is to describe food with as much passion as a food critic. Describing food with less appetizing language can invoke disgust or even danger.
Top 5 Ideas for Better 5E D&D Campaigns Inspired by Netflix’s Arcane
If you haven’t yet seen Arcane on Netflix then what are you even doing with your life? I’m bingeing Arcane again for the fourth time now and the show has some amazing inspiration for your tabletop roleplaying game settings and stories. Netflix’s Arcane is honestly a master class in storytelling all on its own and I want to break down five avenues for better RPG experiences using ideas from the show.
Work for the Collective as a 5E D&D Warlock with a Cyberpunk Otherworldly Patron
The power of friendship is a staple in fantasy, science fiction and beyond. Fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons campaigns often revolve around this concept but why do we see villains and sinister folk employ this theme so little? I was contemplating the nature of millennial plights and the work force in general and my thoughts drifted to the cyberpunk genre and whether 5E D&D could be set in a cyberpunk campaign. (Watching Batman Beyond certainly didn’t have anything to do with my musings either.) I wondered what a cyberpunk setting for 5E D&D might look like and what kinds of unique subclasses might inhabit this space.
Embracing a 5E D&D Sorcerer’s Epic Destiny through The Witcher
Season 2 of The Witcher is officially out on Netflix and it’s no surprise how great it’s been. Based on the acclaimed novels that inspired the famous video game franchise The Witcher series is a treat for those fantasy fans who enjoy a thrill with a pinch of horror monsters. While watching I recognized a new use for one of our previously published subclasses.
The Nightmare Before Critmas Part 3
Welcome, dear nerds, to our holiday tale.
If you missed acts one and two, catch up; we won’t bail.
Now, my dear nerds, are you caught up on events?
Jolly! Now, sit back as Nerdarchy presents:
Ideas on Running Multiple 5E D&D Campaigns in One World – At the Same Time
Ashes of Ardor is the fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons campaign I’ve been running on Nerdarchy Live every Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET. Meanwhile Quill & Sword is a 5E D&D campaign I run every other Thursday night during the same time slot on my Twitch channel. Both campaigns take place in my dark fantasy world of Aulmn. Two campaigns, one world setting — infinite possibilities. As Ashes of Ardor comes to a close I want to share some of what I learned running two campaigns in the same world simultaneously. Whether you’re running a premade setting like Eberron, Wildemount or the iconic Forgotten Realms these tips should help with keeping things smooth and copacetic. Fair warning: there be spoilers ahead for both Ashes of Ardor and Quill & Sword.
Claim the Sky to Become a Superhero with this Cypher System Expansion
Claim the Sky is the newest expansion for Monte Cook Games’ Cypher System – and everyone is sleeping on it. Now, I’m not talking about literally napping on the hardcover book, which would be uncomfortable. But why is nobody talking about this book? Claim the Sky offers a streamlined, user friendly superhero RPG experience. In fact I’d go so far as saying Claim the Sky offers the most user friendly superhero RPG in any system, Cypher System or otherwise.
