Celebrate International Tabletop Day with a Free Download of D&D Stuff
In 2017, some folks on the Nerdarchy team put together a free adventure for fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons in recognition of International Tabletop Day. And for 2018 we’re at it again, and stepping up our game! To coincide with the revamp and relaunch of our Patreon rewards, we’re giving away a free download package of special rewards to everyone in the RPG community to help celebrate this most special of days on April 28. Empusia, Curator of Souls is a total package of D&D magic items, monsters, allies, enemies, dynamic and lost lore.
Help Save the Tarrasque: Gifted Vision Behemoth Mini Needs You
Hello gamers and fans of wonderful minis. Nerdarchist Ted here calling on you not only out of selfish greed to get the Gifted Vision Behemoth mini that I backed on Kickstarter but to help out an awesome company that makes cool miniatures. There is a bit of backstory here that I will try to explain as best as I can without being any more than a backer.
D&D Unicorn: Expanding the Legendary Creature Through Variety
Unicorns in fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons are celestial creatures known for their healing and purity, yet aside from a corrupted fiend known as the Nightmare they are very limited in selection. Considering how well known these creatures are in fantasy and how many varieties of dragons we have, it is almost a crime we have only two choices. [NERDITOR’S NOTE: Yeah, yeah, yeah, nightmares are created from pegasi but who’s to say a corrupted unicorn can’t become a hell horse too?]
The D&D Chimera – Randomized!
Chimera – the spawn of powerful beast of legend, a creation of a mad wizard or poor fool’s curse by a demonic prince. However a chimera comes into existence we can all agree the three-headed Dungeons & Dragons creature with the tenacity of a dragon, stubbornness of a ram and ferocity of a lion is pretty freaking cool. What could be better right? What about the petrifying gaze of a basilisk, the strong back of a mule and the rust monsters ability to corrode the tools of the enemy?
This article brings you another randomized fifth edition D&D monster.
Lord Soth Isn’t a D&D Death Knight, He’s THE Death Knight
Hello nerds! Nerditor Doug here with a bit of content to share from the Nerdarchy community. Viewers of our Nerdarchy live chats, RPG Crate-sponsored Adventures on the Open Road, Marvel Superheroes Roleplaying Game live plays and more are familiar with Fraginator. This fan and friend of Nerdarchy games with us and remains a great part of our community. Always on the lookout for cool content, when Frags mentioned a homebrew version of the death knight Lord Soth from his home game I asked him to send it in so we can share it with you.
The D&D Beholder – Randomized!
I have a love for all that is weird and other in the D&D fantasy worlds we share. One of my favorite creatures from the Dungeons & Dragons mythos is the beholder. As an avid reader of H.P. Lovecraft and the many other authors who followed in his footsteps, Arthur Machen, Robert Bloch and Stephen King, to name a few, it should come as no surprise that ball of tentacles, eyes and madness should attract my attention.
Worldbuilding: Tyrannical D&D Goblinoids and Dragon God
Building the darkness in D&D
I’ve been doing some D&D worldbuilding recently and one of my favorite elements to work on is the raid/conquest-driven peoples. For my own part the mental blueprint I draw from is the more romantic version of Mongols, Vikings, or Visigoths. I say the romantic version because, despite what pop culture may want you to believe, these were well-organized peoples. Complex internal structures were used to support raids which were more often a means to extend influence and power rather than fill the bellies and purses of the raiding warriors.
Fantastical Mounts: Ride into Legend with New Creatures for 5E
No terrain too difficult A dragonborn warrior, you are proud of your heritage. When your family came to Ulthe-Gana from the Dragon Realm, you were eager to explore the new lands and represent your kind among the people native to the world. As an...
Review: Creature Components vol. 1: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Creature Components Vol. 1 from Playground Adventures is a supplement detailing the use of spell components taken from fantastic creatures to power spells and magical items for fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder. The supplement gives rules and examples for the effects that components taken from many creatures may have in spells as well as new feats and magic items that emphasize the benefits of collecting components from creatures.
If you have watched Critical Role, you may have seen Vox Machina hunting monsters such as a white dragon for the Slayer’s Take and harvesting their remains. Looking into the Dungeon Master’s Guide or Player’s Handbook you might ask yourself why they would do this. Now you can bring those ideas into your game!
Kobold Press Grants Wishes with Genies Great And Small
D&D Creature to Character Conversion: Darklings
A few times in the past, I've written articles about elements of the fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons homebrew world I'm building (which I'm temporarily calling Gladius). One of my earlier D&D creations was the aatier, a half-tiefling half-aasimar race. Not to long ago, I...
Want More 5E D&D Monsters? How About Limitless Monsters?
Limitless Monsters Kickstarter from Limitless Adventures Unleashes 100 D&D Monsters!
Do you like monsters? Of course you do. Whether you’re a fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master on the lookout for exciting new creatures to challenge adventurers or a player whose character seeks fame, glory, gold and heroic deeds, monsters are one of the most amazing parts of the game.
Fortunately for you, there’s still time to head over to Kickstarter and back Limitless Monsters – the latest campaign from Limitless Adventures. (Campaign ends on Oct. 28). With two other successful Kickstarters to their credit already, this campaign is already funded with content written in advance to ensure delivery of high-quality material on time.
Top Ten D&D Monstrous Humanoids
The gift that keeps on giving! Nord Games’ Ultimate Bestiary: Revenge of the Horde inspired not one but TWO videos on the Nerdarchy YouTube channel, plus a review here on the website. And now its generating another post.
In the video above, Nerdarchists Dave and Ted and Nate the Nerdarch talk about their favorite monstrous humanoids in fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons. They each choose two, discuss the appeal and explore a bit why and how they’ve used them in games, either as player characters or as a Dungeon Master.
It’s worth noting that there is no official “monstrous humanoid” designation in D&D. There’s just straight-up humanoids. Many of them are most certainly monstrous though! Also, despite appearing in the Revenge of the Horde book, ogres and trolls are not humanoids – they’re giants. But in defense of the book, there is no claim made limiting the creature types to humanoids, simply “classic monstrous races.”
And minotaurs are monstrosities.
According to the current D&D Beyond monster database containing material up to and including Tales from the Yawning Portal, there are 231 humanoids in official D&D content. Many are individuals from various adventures and campaigns like Pharblex Spattergoo, an NPC from Hoard of the Dragon Queen. Aside from official sources, there’s plenty of third-party material like the Ultimate Bestiary.
Out of the Box D&D Encounters, Series 2, #9 – Bandersnatched
[caption id="attachment_14716" align="alignright" width="219"] Night hag as seen in the fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual. [Art courtesy of Wizards of the Coast][/caption] Introduction In a previous encounter within Series 1 (Auntie Knows Best) there was mention of a Hag Eye. This device was being employed...
