Our Team and Ethos

We believe in making games that are as easy to pick up and play as possible. With every product, we ask ourselves “how can we make this easier to run?” in an attempt to bring more people into the game and ensure that even the busiest people can get to the table come game night.

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We believe in making games that are as easy to pick up and play as possible. With every product, we ask ourselves “how can we make this easier to run?” in an attempt to bring more people into the game and ensure that even the busiest people can get to the table come game night.

DM Resources

Here’s a collection of useful tools and other tricks of the trade for any aspiring DM. It includes affiliate links for all the campaign and rulebooks (which partially support us), as well as tools for generating free maps, level-appropriate encounters, and other useful stuff!

How to Run a DnD Module – Tips and Tricks

How to Run a DnD Module – Tips and Tricks

Premade adventures—modules—are a great resource for everyone from inexperienced DMs to veterans who could occasionally use lighter fare or enjoy remixing source material. My tips: skim the module, ask players their plans, make a cheat sheet, modify as you please, and religiously keep track of changes.

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5e Tank Builds: How to be a Stalwart Defender

5e Tank Builds: How to be a Stalwart Defender

A tank is a character who can absorb damage without dying and deal consistent damage. They are front liners and protectors. They should be the most accessible target and keep foes from reaching the more fragile party members. Ideally, they can draw fire through abilities and spells.

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5e Skill Books: When, How, and Whether to Include Them

5e Skill Books: When, How, and Whether to Include Them

Skill books can provide short- or long-term benefits, but to avoid power differences between players, it’s best to provide short-term ones with limitations. One book per long rest; bonuses last 24h; avoid numerical bonuses, opting for advantage/proficiency in narrow areas. Read on for more detail.

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5e: Keeping Track of In-Game Time

5e: Keeping Track of In-Game Time

A round of 5e combat takes 6 in-game seconds; ten rounds make a minute. Outside combat, short rests take an hour; long rests, 8 hours. Chunking time into hours is useful for wilderness exploration and urban activities. For longer trips, days are best. Beyond that, narrative beats set the pace.

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5e Roleplay Guide: Tips and Tricks

5e Roleplay Guide: Tips and Tricks

Roleplaying is inhabiting a fictional world through a character, taking charge of their actions and expressing their personhood through action. D&D roleplay is a mix of freeform storytelling and mechanical gameplay (aka “rollplay”). Even freeform roleplay doesn’t necessarily equal acting.  

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5e: Madness and Sanity Scores

5e: Madness and Sanity Scores

D&D Madness isn’t about accurately portraying mental illness. It’s about a fantastical shattering of the mind by the uncanny, weird, or magical. This manifests as short or long-term Madness effects or more-or-less permanent character flaws. There are even variant rules concerning a Sanity Score.

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