So, as the title says, I didn’t have a game this past Sunday. The reason? Because I just needed a break. Today, we’re going to talk about DM burnout. It happens to the best of us: we DM time and time again, likely for multiple games and for multiple days, that stretch into weeks, months,Continue reading “How-To DM: So There Wasn’t a Sunday Game For My Table, But Here’s a Post”
Tag Archives: how-to
Painting Highlights: Minsc and Manshoon
So here we are again! This week, although my phone is broken, I was able to get some photos uploaded of my current progress on both Minsc and Manshoon. Minsc and Boo I got bored with seeing the crappy base unpainted and did what I feel is a decent flagstone street motif. Additionally, you canContinue reading “Painting Highlights: Minsc and Manshoon”
How-To DM: Building Encounters (Part 2)
Hello Everyone and welcome! Last week we discussed one philosophy behind building encounters. Today, I’d like to talk about some practical mechanics behind implementing those philosophies into a game. For our purposes here, let’s assume a party of 5 4th level characters: a Goblin Totem Barbarian, a Human Moon Druid, a Human TWF Ranger, aContinue reading “How-To DM: Building Encounters (Part 2)”
How-To DM: Building Encounters – Design
by yourdorkmaterials A Moon Druid, a Barbarian, a Rogue, a Monk and a Wizard walk into a cave…sounds like the start of a joke, doesn’t it? But a party like this can be a nightmare to build challenging encounters for. The Druid and Barbarian effectively have twice (or even three times at low levels) theContinue reading “How-To DM: Building Encounters – Design”
How-To Paint Minis: Painting Mins (and Boo)
Welcome to another addition of How-To Paint Minis! Today, I’ve decided to do something a little different. Today I am the miniature that I got with the D&D brand (by Army Painter; you guys seriously rock!) miniature paints. And I’m going to paint him mostly with the paints that they provide in box. When IContinue reading “How-To Paint Minis: Painting Mins (and Boo)”
How To DM – To Roll or Not To Roll
by yourdorkmaterials We all love our shiny math rocks what go clickety clack. And rolling dice is the core mechanic of the game. But when do you let them roll? Not often enough, and your players might feel like they’re just observers. Too much, and the game bogs down, and your players are rolling forContinue reading “How To DM – To Roll or Not To Roll”
How To DM: Fighting on the Fly
This week’s How-To post is by my good friend yourdorkmaterials… So. You’ve meticulously planned your big boss fight, carefully balanced your CR’s and come up with cool, integral roles tailored beautifully for each player. It’s going to be epic! Aaaaannnd…two players can’t show. Or the wizard goes down early. Or what was supposed to beContinue reading “How To DM: Fighting on the Fly”
How to DM: Creating Memorable Villains
What do you think of when you hear names like, Cruella DeVille, Melificent, Jafar, Scar (other than I can only seem to think of things Disney rolled out…)? They are memorable villains! Who can forget how awesome that fight between Prince Philip and Melificent was when she turned into a dragon? Who can forget theContinue reading “How to DM: Creating Memorable Villains”
DM How To: Campaign Building
Last week we talked about plot hooks. Remember that post. It becomes important. Start with building a home base. Usually it’s best to make this a small to medium village where you can flush out a number of NPCs and build out an area from there. All the characters should have a reason for beingContinue reading “DM How To: Campaign Building”
DM How To: Creating Adventure Hooks
So you know how to DM. And you know how to build an adventure. And you know how to build an encounter. The next question, then, is this: how do you get those @#&$+%! players to jump into your awesome adventure filled with equally awesome encounters? You give ’em a hook, a PLOT HOOK!! SoContinue reading “DM How To: Creating Adventure Hooks”
How To: Miniature Painting
So this week I had time to paint only two miniatures. The one we’re going to discuss today is Robin Hood. The last time we discussed painting miniatures, my advice was just a pain miniatures despite how good or not so good You are skills may be. Today we’re going to discuss the tools ofContinue reading “How To: Miniature Painting”
How To: Painting Minis
Before I begin, I want to say that I know, for some of you, the idea of taking the blank canvas of a miniature, and turning it into some sort of amazing piece of gamecraft that you are proud of is a truly daunting task. I get that. I really do. If you are notContinue reading “How To: Painting Minis”
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