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.
RPG Ideas — Souls
Welcome once again to the weekly newsletter. This week’s topic is souls, 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 souls to celebrate International Tabletop Day 2018 we launched our revised Patreon rewards by sharing Empusia, Curator of Souls for free. We’re making some changes over at Nerdarchy the Store including a new category for our FREE material like this one. 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. 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.
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.
Flex Your RPG Muscles with the Fantastically Flexible Cypher System
Twice in the past I bounced off of Cypher System. The first time was at a convention a few years ago so I took it with a grain a salt. The second time I was invited to play in a live stream game and after a couple of sessions I bowed out. When Nerdarchist Dave pitched a Cypher System campaign for our Tuesday night group on Nerdarchy Live I was hesitant. But I’m so glad I gave it a shot because since then it’s become one of my favorite tabletop roleplaying games. Recently I started a new campaign with friends using Cypher System so having run it myself now I’m excited to share my impressions. Let’s get into it.
RPG Ideas — Parasites
Welcome once again to the weekly newsletter. This week’s topic is parasites, 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 parasites our fully funded Mage Forge project nears completion but it can still benefit from the nutrients provided by your support. And you’ll get a huge collection of magic items in return! In our recent update we shared the Spirit of the Mage Forge encounter to pull together community inspired ideas and build on them while adding some fresh takes and more dynamic elements for better player engagement and story potential. Learn more about Spirit of the Forge and how to get your FREE copy 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. 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.
RPG Ideas — Cliffhangers
Welcome once again to the weekly newsletter. This week’s topic is cliffhangers, 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 cliffhangers we’re trying something new in this week’s newsletter. You’ll find the same content as usual except we’re saving some from each of the three editorials as Nerdarchy.com exclusives. You’ll find links below leading to the website post for more. 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. 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.
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.
RPG Ideas — Mage Forge
Welcome once again to the weekly newsletter. This week’s topic is Mage Forge, 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 Mage Forge we kicked off 2022 with our second Kickstarter project, which is fully funded and moving forward for full production! 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. 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.
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.
RPG Ideas — Aspirations
Welcome once again to the weekly newsletter. This week’s topic is the aspirations, 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 aspirations our strong desire for Mage Forge is realized! This project is fully funded thanks to awesome supporters who love magic items as much as we do. 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. 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 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.
Game Masters Aren’t Always the Smartest Person at the Table
One of the benefits of working in the tabletop roleplaying game industry is exposure to lots of different perspectives when it comes to gaming. Whether my takeaway from these is good, bad or indifferent there’s always at least a nugget of insight and ideas upon which to chew. A conversation I frequently encounter deals with the concept of consequences and very often focuses on the notion of dumb decisions from players leading to their characters’ death or otherwise adverse results. Adopting the same parlance I’m coming at this from the perspective the whole debate is dumb. Let’s get into it.
Tabletop Roleplaying Game Expectations in 2022
It’s the first day of a new year and reflection on the previous year naturally comes to mind. Recently we shared a collection of Nerdarchy’s Top 10 of 2021 and for a companion piece I’m looking forward to 2022 like I did 12 months ago for the year that’s just ended. I’m a lifelong nerd and now partner in our company so I spend considerable time thinking about the hobby personally and professionally. From this perspective here’s my thoughts about the future of the tabletop RPG industry including what I hope emerges. Let’s get into it.
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.
