Wrap Your 5E D&D Games in the Dark Embrace of Horror with Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft
Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft for fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons looks to be one of the best D&D books to date. With its horror elements steeped in a dark fantasy setting — the Domains of Dread — this book fills a whole new genre of fantasy for your 5E D&D group.
Create an RPG Character Backstory Your Game Master Will Actually Read
Salutations, nerds! I’m writing about backstory when it comes to tabletop roleplaying game characters. Generally you see a lot of backstory elements going one of two ways, or at least this is what memes would have you believe — 10 pages of detailed history your Game Master probably isn’t going to read. (If you have one who does never let them go.) On the flip side there’s players who show up to the table with absolutely no idea who their character was before the game begins.
Expanding 5E D&D Background Characteristics — Guild Artisan
Salutations, nerds! I’m rolling back in with another expanded set of suggested characteristics for fifth edition character background with a visit to the Guild Artisan. The background options in the 5E D&D Player’s Handbook offer suggested characteristics to help define a character and spark your imagination for roleplaying. Guild Artisans make wonderful characters because you can imagine them casually existing in the world. They have some big layfolk energy in many ways. As a writer this makes the Guild Artisan background feel a lot more relatable to me than most of the others and I know a lot of people who feel the same way. So let’s have some fun creating some additional personality traits, ideals, bonds and flaws for this one.
D&D Ideas — Hell
Welcome once again to the weekly newsletter. This week’s topic is hell, which we discussed in our weekly live chat. We hangout every Monday evening at 8 p.m. EST on Nerdarchy Live to talk about D&D, RPGs, gaming, life and whatever nerdy stuff comes up. We’ve got one hell of an announcement to make this week. We dealt 10d4 slashing damage to the price of our Nerdarchy Metal DND Dice Set! As part of the wildly successful Out of the Box Kickstarter we goofed and ordered a lot of extra sets. And they’ve got to go! There’s a limited supply left so if you want to add an awesome set of exclusive dice to your collection now is the time. The awesome Patreon community can take advantage of even more savings! We created a special discount code for our fantastic supporters to receive an additional $25 off. That’s a total savings of $50! Find out more about it here. You can get the Nerdarchy Newsletter delivered to your inbox each week, along with updates and info on how to game with Nerdarchy plus snag a FREE GIFT by signing up here.
Top 10 5E D&D Homebrew Roguish Archetypes by a Factor of Three
Over at Nerdarchy the YouTube channel Nerdarchists Dave and Ted takes a look at the top rated fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons homebrew warlock patrons from D&D Beyond. We get a kick out of seeing what folks come up with and sharing their homebrew creations. (There’s lots of these posts whether for homebrew subclasses, magic items, spells, feats and more floating around for the curious.) I’m peering into the shadows to see what creations demonstrate skill and precision for the shadiest class in 5E D&D — the rogue — and checking out the Top 10 homebrew Roguish Archetypes. There’s currently over 1,850 homebrew of them so let’s get into it.
Expanding 5E D&D Background Characteristics — Folk Hero
Salutations, nerds! Today I’m revisiting the Folk Hero background for fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons to expand on the list of suggested characteristics. When you look at the background options in the 5E D&D Player’s Handbook there are a number of background characteristics suggested for you to help define a character and spark your imagination for roleplaying and in this series I’m creating some additional personality traits, ideals, bonds and flaws for you to play with on the off chance you’ve burned through all of those and are interested in some new ones. Let’s dive right in!
D&D Ideas — Heaven
Welcome once again to the weekly newsletter. This week’s topic is heaven, which we discussed in our weekly live chat. We hangout every Monday evening at 8 p.m. EST on Nerdarchy Live to talk about D&D, RPGs, gaming, life and whatever nerdy stuff comes up. Speaking of heaven for the Perfection Seekers in Bestiary of Benevolent Monsters all paths to perfection lead to Protarch, a cosmic heaven of existence representing the ultimate law and the goodness derived of achieving supreme excellence. You can never have too many monsters for you Fifth Edition game! Bestiary of Benevolent Monsters fills an underserved niche within the game. We set out to construct new and interesting monsters of a good persuasion. Maybe you need to adjust the attitude of some overly aggressive adventurers. You could be running a campaign with evil characters. Or you’d like to set up an epic misunderstanding between the heroes and entities that are champions of good. Find out more about it here. You can get the Nerdarchy Newsletter delivered to your inbox each week, along with updates and info on how to game with Nerdarchy plus snag a FREE GIFT by signing up here.
Top 10 5E D&D Homebrew Monastic Traditions by a Factor of Three
Over at Nerdarchy the YouTube channel Nerdarchists Dave and Ted take a play from the book here at the website and check out the most popular homebrew content for fifth edition Dungeons & Dragon at D&D Beyond. We get a kick out of seeing what folks come up with and sharing their creations. (There’s lots of these posts whether for homebrew subclasses, magic items, spells, feats and more floating around for the curious.) I’m harnessing the mystic energy of ki this time around to see what creations embodying training and asceticism there are for the most disciplined class in 5E D&D — the monk — and checking out the Top 10 homebrew Monastic Traditions. There’s currently over 3,250 homebrew of them so let’s get into it.
D&D Ideas — Good Guys
Welcome once again to the weekly newsletter. This week’s topic is good guys, which we discussed in our weekly live chat. We hangout every Monday evening at 8 p.m. EST on Nerdarchy Live to talk about D&D, RPGs, gaming, life and whatever nerdy stuff comes up. Speaking of good guys in Balance adventurers who act as good guys in both word and deed (and mechanics!) may earn a very special new friend. A sadistic trap imprisons an innocent sprite. Item-destroying acid and a mysterious flask invite heroes to look closer along with 54 other dynamic scenarios in Out of the Box. Find out more about it here. You can get the Nerdarchy Newsletter delivered to your inbox each week, along with updates and info on how to game with Nerdarchy plus snag a FREE GIFT by signing up here.
Top 10 5E D&D Homebrew Divine Domains by a Factor of Three
Over at Nerdarchy the YouTube channel Nerdarchists Dave and Ted check out the most popular homebrew magic items for fifth edition Dungeons & Dragon at D&D Beyond. We get a kick out of seeing what folks come up with and sharing their creations in posts like this. (There’s lots of these posts whether for homebrew subclasses, magic items, spells, feats and more floating around for the curious.) I’m channeling divinity this time around to see what miraculous creations there are for the most devout class in 5E D&D — the cleric — and checking out the Top 10 homebrew Divine Domains. There’s currently over 1,175 homebrew of them so let’s get into it.
Expanding 5E D&D Background Characteristics — Entertainer
Salutations, nerds! Following the unassailable law of alphabetical order I’m writing about more suggested characteristics for the entertainer background in fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons. From small time pickpockets to hired muscle hopefully you find something here that works for you. When you look at the background options in the 5E D&D Player’s Handbook there are a number of background characteristics suggested for you to help define a character and spark your imagination for roleplaying and in this series I’m creating some additional personality traits, ideals, bonds and flaws for you to play with on the off chance you’ve burned through all of those and are interested in some new ones.
RPG Character Backstory — Family
Salutations, nerds! Today I’m taking a closer look at RPG character backstory, specifically what your character’s family looks like. Raise your hand if you’ve played an orphan or a character whose entire village has been burned to the ground. If you don’t have your hand up I very nearly don’t believe you. And you know what? Me too. Avenging loved ones is a totally compelling reason for a character to get out and adventure! But…what if we didn’t do this? Let’s take a look at different kinds of families and the sorts of people who shaped your character’s life. Even if you are playing one for whom everyone is dead these people matter in terms of who your character is now and they would at least remember them, right?
D&D Ideas — Bad Guys
Welcome once again to the weekly newsletter. This week’s topic is bad guys, which we discussed in our weekly live chat. We hangout every Monday evening at 8 p.m. EST on Nerdarchy Live to talk about D&D, RPGs, gaming, life and whatever nerdy stuff comes up. Speaking of bad guys in Standing Warning evil entities leave behind a mysterious relic to alter the fate of the dangerously curious. A pair of obelisks invite heroes to solve a name puzzle then best a spirit for gifts of fate along with 54 other dynamic scenarios in Out of the Box. Find out more about it here. You can get the Nerdarchy Newsletter delivered to your inbox each week, along with updates and info on how to game with Nerdarchy plus snag a FREE GIFT by signing up here.
Top 10 5E D&D Homebrew Bard Colleges by a Factor of Three
Over at Nerdarchy the YouTube channel Nerdarchists Dave and Ted explore the most popular homebrew spells for fifth edition Dungeons & Dragon from D&D Beyond. Here on the website I zero in even more when it comes to spells like these Top 10 force spells for 5E D&D. It’s a lot of fun to see what folks come up with and share their creations in posts like this. (There’s lots of these posts whether for homebrew subclasses, magic items, spells, feats and more floating around for the curious.) This time around I’m looking at perhaps the most versatile class in 5E D&D — the bard — and checking out the Top 10 homebrew Bard Colleges. There’s currently over 1,525 homebrew of them so let’s get into it.
D&D Ideas — Initiative
Welcome once again to the weekly newsletter. This week’s topic is initiative, which we discussed in our weekly live chat. We hangout every Monday evening at 8 p.m. EST on Nerdarchy Live to talk about D&D, RPGs, gaming, life and whatever nerdy stuff comes up. Speaking of initiative in Backstabber an unusual trap buzzes around a chamber and it can really sting when it lands on an adventurer’s turn. A cloud of flying knives combine with a magical moving pit trap to assail unwary delvers along with 54 other dynamic scenarios in Out of the Box. Find out more about it here. You can get the Nerdarchy Newsletter delivered to your inbox each week, along with updates and info on how to game with Nerdarchy plus snag a FREE GIFT by signing up here.
