Out of the Box D&D Encounters, Series 2, #46 – “Your Deal”
Out of the Box introduction
Player characters have tool proficiencies they never use. That’s a fact. I cannot remember the last time any character used a gaming set at my table, either when I was a player or a Dungeon Master. Outside of bards, I cannot remember another character using a musical instrument. Therefore, let’s create a circumstance where at least the gaming set comes into play.
RPG Crate Unboxing – May 2018
Hello gamer. It is time for another unboxing and I think this one is a darn good one. Presenting from RPG Crate subscription box — 5th Edition Foes. This is their crate from May that sadly had an issue and arrived a little late. But no worries, it got here and I am so glad it did. This is crate number 22 so RPG Crate has been going strong for almost two years. Well done.
Getting the Most out of D&D Elves with Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes
The Nerdarchists continue their dive into Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes, this time pouring over the lore of the ancient and wise Dungeons & Dragons elves. A lot of interesting information within the Tome of Foes in regards to those weedy long ears got me thinking. So while Nerdarchists Dave and Ted delve into the text on what Wizard’s of the Coast has put in place for elven lore, I want to explore what I believe it must mean to be one of the D&D elves and how it effects the world around them.
RPG Character Types and the Sliding Scale of Tactical Characters vs. Heroic Characters
Salutations nerds! Today, I want to talk about RPG character types, in a way that directly lines up with playstyle. See, a lot of the players I know fall into patterns, somewhere between a couple of polls, and now that I’ve noticed I can’t help but find it kind of fascinating. I’m talking, of course, about tactical characters and heroic characters. They’re both awesome.
WizKids D&D Minis Get Raw with Nolzur’s Marvelous Miniatures and Deep Cuts Miniatures
Minis, miniatures — call them what you will, you know Nerdarchist Ted is obsessed with them. We know that most people who use 3-D miniatures at the table are getting them from one of two places. You either have Reaper Miniatures of you have WizKids. (Our our own Nerdarchy store of course!) There are two new lines of WizKids D&D minis. They have unpainted Nolzur’s Marvelous Miniatures and Deep Cuts Miniatures.
Crafting in D&D miscasts my cantrips
There are a lot of odd trends and desires within the tabletop roleplaying game hobby and I think that comes with the territory of imagination and group storytelling. One of these odd trends, and a crazy common request at my table, is the idea of player-controlled crafting rules. Within Dungeons & Dragons, a game with the obvious design intent of exploring dungeons and battling dragons there is an overwhelming cry from thousands of players around the world for more robust crafting rules. I want to explore and generate conversation on why I believe this might be and why I have such a hard stance against crafting in D&D.
Lurking in the Shadows with a D&D spy character
Hello! Nerditor Doug here to introduce a new voice to the Nerdarchy community here on the website. Tyler is a longtime fan of the Nerdarchy YouTube channel who got in touch with us to ask about contributing to the website as part of a high school program he’s a part of. As always we are happy to work with writers in the Nerdarchy community and share their work here. Tyler is sneaking onto the scene with a D&D spy character concept. In keeping with the theme I snuck in a video from the Nerdarchy archives with Nerdarchists Dave and Ted and Nate the Nerdarch taking a crack at their own version of a D&D spy character.
Infusing Horror and Mystery in 5E D&D with Darkvision
Among other topics, darkvision in fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons has been discussed at Nerdarchy HQ. While myself and the other Nerdarchists really don’t agree with the problem, I wanted to offer some helpful tips that I use in my sessions that might work in yours to make 5E D&D darkvision more enjoyable. There are all manner of creatures and tactics that can be used to increase the level of intrigue in your campaigns, making your players less comfortable in the dark.
Keep an Eye of the Deep on Aquatic Adventures in D&D
Sometimes, adventures in fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons take you away from dry land and the comfort of familiar tropes. When ancient evil threatens the world from the ocean floor, when rumors of a sunken city offer the prospects of rewards untouched by man, or simply when a transport ship sinks, then its time to dive below the waves. Aquatic adventures in D&D can offer a fresh new experience for players and give the Dungeon Master an opportunity to play with some creatures and locations that tend to go untouched. So, strap on your swim cap as we dive into running an adventure underwater.
Kickstarter Korner for June 2018, Week 2
Each week during the Quests & Adventures live chat, Saturday at 2 p.m. eastern, Nerdarchists Dave and Ted and Nate the Nerdarch hang out live with fans from the Nerdarchy YouTube channel. It’s a chance to share announcements and news, answer questions from the live chat and generally just hang out and talk nerdy with the Nerdarchy community.
Find your setting with 5th Evolution: New Genres for Your 5E Game
For anyone that has been playing within fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons for a while, it can be easy to tell how flexible the system is. There is a lot of homebrew out there to give evidence to not only its flexibility, but also to the wide reaching success of the system. I’ve spoken to players that love 5E, but sometimes want to play beyond the fantasy setting. This is where Limitless Adventures has you covered with 5th Evolution. This #5Evo Kickstarter promises to bring three supplements into the hobby covering Alternate WW II History, 80’s Horror and Super Heroes. The best part? These supplements can be used in any combination, opening the door all manner of unique stories and exciting scenes.
Deadly Foes of Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder Battles
Today we are going to talk about Deadly Foes. Now if I tricked you into clicking this expecting me to talk about encounter design or specific monsters, I am sorry. What I am here to talk about is the Pathfinder Battles: Deadly Foes miniature line put out by WizKids. Looking at this list while waiting for my minis to arrive is a lot of fun. I purchased a booster box, just like I did for Maze of Death and that results in 32 minis. It is never enough, hence the minis addiction I have, but that is beside the point.
Dungeon Crate Unboxing – May 2018
Hello gamer! It is that wondrous time again when we delve into another crate and see what glorious treasures can be found within. This is Dungeon Crate, for May 2018 to be exact. This month we get a variety of cool stuff to use in our gaming sessions, so without further ado, let us jump into the unboxing of this subscription box and take a closer look.
D&D Player traits – Backgrounds and the dreaded Background Uploader
There are many traits players can bring to the table that are less than desirable. From the edgelord who always starts in the corner not talking to anyone, to the non-adventurer playing an adventure-focused game. These traits can be tiresome. I put forth that in your D&D games, the trait that deflates a session, and maybe even a character as a whole, the fastest is the Background Uploader. In this article, we’ll explore what makes a Background Uploader, diagnose maybe why it is they do what they do so well and then, to end on a positive note, we’ll talk about ways to avoid it to include a cool background idea.
Sixth Edition D&D — Visions of the future
Dungeons & Dragons has had a long life with many iterations and there is no reason to believe the trend will end with fifth edition D&D. When a new team comes in, they will inevitably have a different vision than what was handed to them. Nerdarchists Dave and Ted have been speculating on what sixth edition D&D might look like, whether it will become a more modular system or something different entirely. While I don’t have a vested interest in a new edition, it can be fun to examine what we have and what it might lead to. My prediction relies on two variables: the form and success of Pathfinder Second Edition and if the current trend continues or turns around.
