Giving Thanks for Critical Role’s Undeniable Impact
Critical Role‘s Campaign 2 wrapped up a couple of weeks ago and while Critters like me eagerly await news about Campaign 3 I thought I’d look back and consider all Critical Role has done for me personally. Worry not — I am going to avoid spoilers for those not caught up yet.
Play Your Next 5E D&D Game as an MCDM Illrigger
Over at Nerdarchy the YouTube channel Nerdarchists Dave and Ted call on hellish powers to discuss the Illrigger, a custom homebrew class for Fifth Edition created by Matt Colville and his team at MCDM Productions. Now it’s my turn so let’s get into it.
Inspire Revolution in Sirens: Battle of the Bards 5E Campaign Setting
One of our earliest friends in the tabletop roleplaying game sphere launched a new crowdfunding campaign recently and we’re thrilled to be a part of the project too! Satine Phoenix partnered with Apotheosis Studios to create Sirens: Battle of the Bards, a 5E campaign setting in a city of artists where bards inspire revolution. The robust and sweeping project encompasses tons of material for Game Masters and players alike to create awesome memorable moments, stories and campaigns together and we couldn’t be more excited to take part in the creation. Let’s get into it.
Become a 5E D&D Master of Monsters
Our great friends from Kobold Press sent me an advance copy of their Kobold Guide to Monsters and I’m here to share the experience with you. Hot on the heels of… You know what? Kobold Press releases so many titles I’m not even sure what’s the most recent. I’ll go with Vault of Magic since our own Nerdarchist Ted contributed to the project. At any rate Kobold Guide to Monsters is set for June 8, 2021 release and features essays from 15 different creators and personalities about monster concepts, details and usage. Since they’ve built their reputation and library on content for Fifth Edition at this point in time these essays presumably focus on 5E Dungeons & Dragons, which of course is right in our own wheelhouse. Let’s get into it.
Enter Aizendore’s Vault of Tragic Treasure — If You Dare
We are all familiar with the ending of Raiders of the Lost Ark. (Pop culture is a powerful thing, eh?) We see that guy — a “Top man” — carrying the Ark of the Covenant away, then the camera zooms out, revealing countless more crates stretching as far as the eye can see. “What artifacts are locked away in all those other crates?” We hear you ask. Today we are presenting you with our very own “Top man” and he too safeguards countless dangerous and deadly artifacts. His name is Aizendore, a formidable wizard and his Vault awaits.
A Never Ending Parade of Characters and NPCs on NeverEnding
By guest poster Jamie Van Doren, Founder/CEO of NeverEnding, Inc
Dungeon Masters and players tend to have hundreds of character ideas living rent free in their head. And that’s just where they’ll stay unless you’re an artist or can afford thousands of dollars in character commissions. At least that’s how it used to be. NeverEnding is a brand new TTRPG company developing an entire digital tool box for DMs, players, streamers and storytellers of all kinds.
Make RPG Experiences Come Alive Through Finely Crafted Boxed Text
My personal Game Master style has been described to me as descriptive and evocative and this greatly pleases me. Whenever I play a tabletop roleplaying game the juice for me is imagining what it is like for a character existing in whatever settings and surroundings the game entails. So when I’m behind the GM screen it’s important to me to elicit the same immersive experience for the other players. Conjuring vivid imagery of people, places and things helps players put themselves in their characters’ perspectives and brings the world and the game itself to more vibrant life. The folks behind dScryb feel the same way and they’ve put together a terrific resource to help GMs free up their time and create a sensory experience to help set the narrative tone, introduce scenes and spotlight what is important in your worlds of epic fantasy.
Adding the Eldritch Foundry to your D&D Game
I wanted to create a cool location to add to your Dungeons & Dragons game and the fine people over at Eldritch Foundry asked us to share how awesome their minis are so here is a great way to do both. Eldritch Foundry makes great miniatures. I first met them at Gen Con and they were already fans of Nerdarchy. Eldritch Foundry is a web based program allowing you to design and print 3D miniatures for your tabletop roleplaying games. There are loads of ever expanding options for use in creating fantastic miniatures of your own design.
When Fight Club meets Cobra Kai Your RPG Character has to Fight
I take a lot of inspiration from everywhere both as a player and Game Master for my tabletop roleplaying game experiences. Reading novels, watching movies and TV present so many elements that have already been done so well — why not copy some elements to improve your own RPG experiences? I binged all three seasons of Cobra Kai over the weekend and man, what a show. It got me thinking about all the elements about fighting in a typical fantasy RPG. With so many urban adventures to play with it is no wonder fights can break out in the middle of the streets. If you plan to incorporate these kinds of groups, clubs or organizations focused around fighting in your games you could very much take inspiration from Cobra Kai and the movie Fight Club and make up rules and a place where these fights can go down.
Wanderhome RPG Warms Your Heart with Charming Whimsy
A deep and abiding affection for tabletop roleplaying games and they experiences they facilitate dwells deep in my heart. So when I recently read an article about RPG releases in 2021 I didn’t make it further than the second one on a list of ten. Described as a game where players “live a peaceful life as gentle woodland creatures in an upcoming fantasy RPG about pastoral lifestyles” Wanderhome captured my whimsy right away. The Kickstarter for Wanderhome launched in August 2020 and funded in three hours and continued on to spectacular success. The game’s creator Jay Dragon shared some time and insights about the game and I’m excited to pass them along with my own enthusiasm for this terrific RPG.
Discover Incredible Magic Items Inside Vault of Magic from Kobold Press
The industrious kobolds of Kobold Press launched a new Kickstarter and not surprisingly they’re knocking it out of the park once again. This time our friends over at Kobold Press crack open the Vault of Magic for 5th Edition to uncover over 800 new magic items created by leading tabletop roleplaying game designers and Kobold Press veterans bringing wild surprises to your games.
Take a Deep Dive Under the Seas of Vodari for Fifth Edition
Tribality Publishing took Fifth Edition adventures to the magical high seas with their successful Seas of Vodari Kickstarter and now they’re plunging heroes beneath the waves with the follow up Under the Seas of Vodari Kickstarter that fully funded in under six hours.
Cawood Publishing Challenges Adventurers with Monsters of the Wilderness
Our friends at Cawood Publishing unveiled a new excursion into the World of Myrr unfolding through their series of monster books. Monsters of the Wilderness for 5th Edition is the fourth book in the series and the Kickstarter campaign bringing it to life for gaming groups all over the world launched today and runs through March 4.
Behind the Scenes of Untraditionally Arcane — an All Wizard Campaign for 5E D&D
It is time for a new campaign on the Nerdarchy Live YouTube channel with the Chaos Crew. One of the players tossed out the idea of doing an all class party and we were off and running. Untraditionally Arcane is a fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons campaign featuring a party of wizards. The campaign premiere on Jan. 29, 2021 at 8 p.m. eastern streamed at Nerdarchy Live with future episodes streaming the last Friday of each month for viewers to watch live.
Behind the Scenes of Dungeons & Delving — the World’s Greatest Game Show!
Over at Nerdarchy Live on Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. a group of nerdy gamers muster to play tabletop roleplaying games. Players in the group rotate Game Master duties after each campaign wraps up following a preset number of sessions. On Jan. 19, 2021 a new campaign began. Dungeons & Delving is a fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Gameplay sessions tend to jump right into the action so whether you follow along live each week or catch up with VOD here’s some background information and guides to the players, characters and campaign scenario for the world’s most popular dungeon delving game show.
