Often in the RPG community we’ll see an uproar that divides everyone into camps, spawning infinite twitter threads – recent ones have been GM fudging rolls, GMs dictating scene outcomes, railroading vs. everything else, when PC deaths are acceptable, etc. and etc. Honestly, most of the disagreements are false dichotomies – there are many waysContinue reading “Is Your Game a Prophecy, or a Blank Page?”
Category Archives: Wyvern Bites
Review: Campfire (5e)
Supplement: CampfireAuthor: Matthew RossPublisher: Abyssal BrewsSystem: Dungeons & Dragons (5e)Summary: Campfire is an elegant travel system created for D&D Fifth Edition. It provides a middle-ground between simply montaging travel and rolling for encounters on a table. It focuses on interesting skill usage, roleplay, and meaningful windfalls and hardships that last after travel. The system can resolve any travel inContinue reading “Review: Campfire (5e)”
Slaying the Scheduling Dragon
Finally – you’ve found a good group of friends to play D&D with! You have a willing and able DM! Everything’s great for a month or two….maybe three….and then it starts: “Sorry team, I can’t make it this week.” And then, “Folks, I’ve got a lot going on right now, I need to take aContinue reading “Slaying the Scheduling Dragon”
The Unrepeatable Success of Critical Role
Critical Role is the most popular Actual Play series of D&D in the English language. It’s rise perfectly tracks the current resurgence and boom of D&D – the point where it’s hard to even separate the fates of the two. Did one spur the other? Is it the other way around? Does it even matter?Continue reading “The Unrepeatable Success of Critical Role”
Playing the GM
“Running a game is so much work!” If this is your attitude – you’ve already put yourself behind the 8-ball. Yes, it’s work in the sense that effort is exerted, but we have to reframe GMing – and prep “work” – as “playing the game” too. Players don’t consider writing a backstory “work” – orContinue reading “Playing the GM”
Fixing Inspiration (5e)
It’s right there, on the top of the character sheet. It must be important. You can’t miss it…though in my experience we miss it all the time. But it’s right there, how do we overlook it? Inspiration. What’s it mean? What’s it for? How do I get it and how do I use it? AsContinue reading “Fixing Inspiration (5e)”
Roll for Initiative
You turn the corner and you see them – just as they see you. The Blackguards’ eyes widen, hands going to their swords. One, wearing a blazing red officer’s cloak points and shouts, “There they are! Get them!”. You look at each other – this wasn’t how the heist was supposed to go. It wasContinue reading “Roll for Initiative”
The Plight of the Busy GM
D&D! Tabletop RPGs! The resurgence is here. Maybe you played the game as a kid – maybe you’re discovering it for the first time. The problem is – everyone is so busy! Busy people, I’m talking to you. You keep starting in campaigns, but the groups fall apart in a session or three. You tryContinue reading “The Plight of the Busy GM”
Busy Wyvern 