Field notes from behind the screen.
Ten years of running tables, written down so the next DM does not have to learn it the hard way. Encounter design, session prep, and the small calls that decide how Wednesday night ends.
Hot off the desk.
Battlemap subscriptions vs one-time bundles: the real cost
Map Patreons run $15-25 a month and some tiers reach $50. A one-time bundle is a different model entirely. Which one actually suits how you run games?
Everything we have written so far.
Getting Started
11 postsFirst games, core tools, and getting set up behind the screen.
Daggerheart Core Set vs printing the cards yourself
The official Core Set is $59.99 for 279 cards and the rulebook. A printable SRD set covers 797 cards. Here's which you need, and why the answer isn't obvious.
Read moreDaggerheart is a card game: how to get the whole deck on your table
Daggerheart runs on cards, not page lookups. What each pile does, why printing the full SRD deck changes play, and how to print cards that sort correctly.
Read moreD&D Beyond alternatives: running 5e without a subscription
D&D Beyond costs $25.99 to $54.99 a year and your content lives on their servers. Here's how to run 5e with free tools and one-time purchases instead.
Read moreA D&D character creation checklist that avoids backtracking
Make a D&D 5e character in the right order: the decisions that constrain everything else first, the numbers last, and the two questions that make the character playable.
Read moreD&D gift guide for Dungeon Masters (2026)
What to actually buy the DM in your life — the things that get used every session, the things that gather dust, and good options at every price.
Read morePrintable D&D character sheets that actually fit your class
Why the standard D&D 5e character sheet fails half the table, what a class-specific sheet tracks instead, and how to pick printable sheets for 2024 play.
Read morePathfinder 2e for D&D players: making the switch
Curious about Pathfinder 2e after D&D 5e? What's different, what to expect, how hard the switch really is, and the character sheet that smooths the transition.
Read moreHow to Use a Battlemap as a New DM
A new DM's guide to using battlemaps: when to put one down, grid scale, placing minis and tokens, fog of war, and how to run combat on a map smoothly.
Read moreThe complete D&D session 0 guide
A complete D&D session 0 guide: what to cover, a ready checklist of questions, safety tools, and how to set expectations before your first session.
Read moreThe best free D&D DM tools (2026)
The best free D&D DM tools for 2026: browser-based generators, trackers, and map utilities that speed up prep and run sessions, with no signup or cost.
Read moreHow to Run Your First D&D Game: A New DM's Checklist
How to run your first D&D game: a new DM's checklist for prep, your first combat and roleplay, beginner mistakes to skip, and the 2024 DMG tools.
Read moreRunning the Game
29 postsLive DM craft: improvising, pacing, combat, and the table itself.
D&D puzzle ideas that don't stall the session
Why most D&D puzzles fail, the five-part structure that fixes them, and a set of puzzle ideas you can drop into a dungeon tonight without derailing the game.
Read moreHow to prep a D&D session in 30 minutes
A repeatable prep routine for busy DMs: the six things worth writing down, the four things that are never worth prepping, and how to run the rest from tables.
Read moreHow to run a carnival or festival in D&D
Carnival scenes are the best low-stakes session in D&D and the easiest to run badly. How to structure games, prizes and crowds so the whole table stays engaged.
Read moreKobold Fight Club alternatives that work with 2024 rules
The original Kobold Fight Club went offline in late 2024. Here are the working replacements, what changed about encounter maths in 2024, and how to balance fights fast.
Read morePrintable D&D traps vs Treacherous Traps: what to buy in 2026
Treacherous Traps 2 is on Kickstarter with a wait and a shipping cost. Here is how a boxed trap deck compares to an instant-download 140-trap compendium for 5e.
Read moreNord Games Ultimate Bestiary and NPCs: worth it, or print cards?
Nord Games' Ultimate books are $50 hardcovers packed with monsters and NPCs. Here's what a book gives you that cards can't, and where cards win at the table.
Read moreHow to add custom monster tokens to Roll20 and Foundry
How to add custom monster tokens to Roll20 and Foundry VTT: pixel sizes, transparent PNGs, default tokens, and where to get free VTT tokens.
Read moreHow to make paper miniatures for D&D
How to print and fold paper miniatures for D&D 5e: the cardstock and scale that work, three folding styles, and where to get free print-ready minis.
Read moreHow to use monster stat cards to run faster D&D combat
How to use printable monster stat cards in D&D 5e: what belongs on a card, how to sort a deck, track HP without a book, and where to get free cards.
Read moreThe best low-CR D&D monsters for early encounters
The most useful low-CR monsters for D&D 5e levels 1–4: goblins, kobolds, wolves and more, with why each works and how to combine them into balanced early fights.
Read moreThe deadliest monsters in D&D 5e (and how to run them)
The most dangerous monsters in the D&D 5e SRD, from the Tarrasque to ancient dragons and liches, what makes each terrifying, and how to run high-CR boss fights that land.
Read moreThe D&D 2024 DM screen: the reference sheets every DM needs
What belongs on your DM screen for 2024 5e. The rules worth keeping at a glance, why the printed panels fall short, and how to build custom DM screen inserts.
Read moreThe Dalelands 2026 sourcebooks: a DM's guide
Ed Greenwood's new Dalelands sourcebooks are landing through 2026. What each book covers, why the Dalelands is a great campaign setting, and how to bring it to your table.
Read moreFree RPG Day 2026: best one-shots to run and prep
Free RPG Day is the perfect excuse to run a one-shot for new players. What the day is, how to pick a beginner-friendly adventure, and how to prep a session strangers will love.
Read moreDnD 2024 card decks vs printable: which is worth it?
Official DnD spell, monster and magic item card decks land in August 2026. Are they worth it, or are printable cards the smarter buy? An honest comparison for DMs and players.
Read moreHow to run a DnD chase scene that actually works
The DnD chase rules confuse everyone. A simpler, tension-filled way to run a pursuit: zones, obstacles and a complication every round, so the chase feels alive instead of flat.
Read moreAI Dungeon Master Tools vs Doing It Yourself (2026)
An honest look at AI Dungeon Master tools in 2026: what they do well, where they fall short, and when free human-run DM tools beat them for your table.
Read moreHow Big Should a D&D Battlemap Be? Grid and Sizing
How big a D&D battlemap should be: grid square scale, common map dimensions, resolution for print and VTT, and how to size maps for a TV or tabletop.
Read moreWhat Are D&D's 2026 'Seasons'? The New Model Explained
D&D's 2026 Seasons model explained: what a Season is, how it changes releases for DMs and players, and what the Season of Horror and Season of Magic include.
Read moreHow to Make Your Own D&D Battlemap (Free and Paid)
How to make a D&D battlemap: free tools, paid map makers, grid scale and resolution, printing vs digital, and when buying a map pack beats building one.
Read moreD&D 2026 Release Schedule: Every Book and Season
The full D&D 2026 release schedule: every confirmed sourcebook and adventure, when each lands, prices, and the new Seasons model, organised for DMs.
Read moreArcana Unleashed: Deadfall — What DMs Know So Far
A DM's preview of Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall, D&D's September 2026 Red Wizards of Thay adventure. What's confirmed, what isn't, and how to prep for it.
Read moreHow to Improvise as a Dungeon Master (When Players Go Off-Script)
How to improvise as a Dungeon Master when players go off-script: a repeatable in-the-moment framework, reaction rolls, and copy-paste random tables.
Read moreHow to build balanced D&D encounters (2024 rules)
How to build balanced D&D encounters with the 2024 rules: the XP budget method, CR, action economy, difficulty bands, and a fast table-tested workflow.
Read moreHow to Speed Up D&D Combat
Speed up D&D combat with a before/during/after model: average monster damage, group initiative, minions, morale, and cutting rules-lookups. Usable tonight.
Read moreHow to Deal With a Problem Player in D&D
How to deal with a problem player in D&D: scripts for the private talk, an escalation ladder, an expectations template, and when to remove someone, kindly.
Read moreHow to Do D&D NPC Voices (Without Being a Voice Actor)
How to do D&D NPC voices without accents or acting training: a four-axis system, anxiety fixes, and a fill-in voice cheat-sheet for everyday DMs.
Read moreDM Note-Taking That Survives the Session
A practical DM note-taking system for D&D: prep categories before, phonetic shorthand during, and a 24-hour recap after — plus a reusable note structure.
Read moreHow to Write a D&D Session Recap Players Actually Read
A short formula for D&D session recaps players actually read: open with a promise, cut the clutter, end on a question, plus a fill-in template.
Read moreRules & References
11 postsClear, current rulings for 2024 5e conditions, spells, and mechanics.
D&D 2024 vs 2014: which ruleset should you run?
Two years on from the 2024 rules, an honest comparison for DMs — what actually changed, what it costs to switch mid-campaign, and when staying on 2014 is right.
Read moreCold weather and survival rules in D&D 5e
How extreme cold, exhaustion and survival rules actually work in D&D 5e, and how to make a frozen campaign feel dangerous without turning it into a saving throw simulator.
Read moreD&D Season of Champions: what we know so far
Season of Champions runs October to December 2026 and its headline release is still unannounced. What is confirmed, what is partnered content, and what DMs can plan for.
Read moreWild magic surge in D&D 5e: 2014 vs 2024, and how to run it
How wild magic surge works in the 2014 and 2024 rules, what changed, why the roll kills the moment, and how to keep surges fast and memorable at the table.
Read moreD&D x World of Warcraft: what DMs need to know
The D&D World of Warcraft sourcebook lands 17 November 2026 with 11 new species, 40+ specialisations and seven classic dungeons. What it means for your table.
Read moreD&D 2024 Conditions Cheat Sheet: All 15 Conditions Explained
A plain-English D&D 2024 conditions cheat sheet covering all 15 conditions, with the exact rules and what changed for exhaustion, grappled, and prone.
Read moreHow the frightened condition works in D&D 2024
A clear guide to the frightened condition in D&D 2024: what it does, what causes it, how it ends, what changed from 2014, and how DMs should use it.
Read moreHow Does Hiding Work in D&D 2024? Stealth Rules Untangled
A clear guide to hiding and stealth in D&D 2024: the Hide action, the reworked Invisible condition, what ends being hidden, and a simple table ruling.
Read moreHow Does Weapon Mastery Work in D&D 2024?
A clear guide to weapon mastery in D&D 2024: what mastery properties do, which classes get them, all 8 properties explained, and how to pick your two.
Read moreThe Best D&D 2024 Subclasses (A DM's Perspective)
A DM's look at the best D&D 2024 subclasses, which got buffed or nerfed, and what each change means for your encounter math at the table.
Read moreConjure Minor Elementals in D&D 2024: The Nerf, Explained
Conjure Minor Elementals was D&D 2024's most broken spell. Here's what it did, what the 2025 errata changed, why it was busted, and how to run it.
Read moreMaps, Tokens & Minis
28 postsGetting battlemaps, tokens, and miniatures onto your table.
Battlemap subscriptions vs one-time bundles: the real cost
Map Patreons run $15-25 a month and some tiers reach $50. A one-time bundle is a different model entirely. Which one actually suits how you run games?
Read moreThe best free D&D token makers in 2026
Token Stamp has been the default for years. Here's what it does well, where it stops, and the free alternatives worth knowing for Roll20, Foundry and printing.
Read moreThe best VTT for D&D in 2026: Roll20 vs Foundry vs Owlbear
Roll20, Foundry VTT and Owlbear Rodeo compared for D&D 5e — setup cost, prep time, automation, and which one actually suits your table.
Read moreBook of Battle Mats vs digital battlemaps: which is better value?
Loke's wipe-clean battle mat books are brilliant and cover about 60 maps for £22-£24. Digital libraries cover thousands. Here's when each one is the right buy.
Read moreDwarven Forge alternatives: 3D dungeons without the price tag
Dwarven Forge terrain runs from $111 to $369 a bundle and their Kickstarters raise millions. Here's what you're paying for, and the cheaper ways to get a 3D dungeon.
Read moreHero Forge alternatives: cheaper ways to get the mini you want
Hero Forge STLs are $7.99 each and printed minis cost more again. Here's what you actually pay, and the cheaper routes to a figure that looks like your character.
Read moreInkarnate vs Dungeondraft vs just buying maps
Inkarnate Pro is $25 a year and Dungeondraft is $30 once. Both are good. But making a battlemap takes an hour you might not have — here's how to decide.
Read moreWhere to get D&D monster tokens for Roll20 and Foundry
Where to get D&D monster tokens for Roll20 and Foundry: free packs to try first, what a good token library needs, and how to keep one set working online and in print.
Read moreWizKids prepainted minis vs paper minis: the real cost per creature
Icons of the Realms booster bricks run $160-$250 for around 32 random miniatures. Here's what that works out to per creature, and what paper minis do instead.
Read moreThe best D&D battlemap themes, biome by biome
A DM's guide to the battlemap themes worth owning, forest, dungeon, city, tavern, snow, desert, coast, infernal and more, and how many variants of each you actually need.
Read moreRoll20 vs Foundry VTT for battlemaps: which should you use?
Roll20 vs Foundry VTT compared for running battlemaps: cost, image handling, grid alignment, performance and setup. Which virtual tabletop suits your table, and the maps that work in both.
Read moreBuilding a D&D battlemap library: one bundle vs buying packs
Should you buy battlemaps one pack at a time or in a mega bundle? The real cost of a DM map library, what you actually need, and why a bundle usually wins.
Read moreRunning sci-fi and cyberpunk encounters in D&D
How to run futuristic, sci-fi and cyberpunk scenes in D&D 5e — Spelljammer, magitek cities, skydocks and neon streets — plus the battlemaps that make them land.
Read moreSummer DnD one-shot ideas your players will remember
Eight summer-flavoured DnD one-shot ideas, from a coastal festival gone wrong to a wildfire in the forest, with the hooks, stakes and battlemaps to run each in a single session.
Read moreTheatre of the mind vs battlemaps: when to use each
Should you run DnD combat with a battlemap or in the imagination? An honest comparison of theatre of the mind and grid maps, when each wins, and how to blend them.
Read moreHow to run a heist in DnD: a step-by-step guide
Heists are the encounter DnD's rules don't explain. A practical six-stage structure for planning, infiltration and the inevitable moment it all goes wrong, plus the maps you need.
Read moreDnD city battlemaps: running urban street fights
Urban combat plays nothing like a dungeon. A guide to city and street battlemaps, fighting with crowds and rooftops, running town chases, and the maps that make it work.
Read moreHow to import battlemaps into Foundry VTT
A step-by-step guide to importing battlemaps into Foundry VTT: grid sizing, why gridless wins, aligning the scene, walls and lighting, UVTT files, and keeping performance smooth.
Read moreDnD naval combat: ship battlemaps and boarding
How to run a ship fight in DnD 5e without it falling apart: the battlemaps you need, boarding actions, naval chases, and the hazards that make water combat sing.
Read moreDnD tavern battlemaps and running a tavern scene
The tavern is where most campaigns begin. A practical guide to what a great tavern battlemap needs, running brawls and downtime, and using one inn as a campaign home base.
Read moreThe D&D Battlemap Locations Every Campaign Needs
The battlemap locations every D&D campaign reuses: taverns, forests, dungeons, roads, throne rooms and more — what each is for and why to have them ready.
Read moreHow to make D&D tokens for Roll20 and Foundry
How to make D&D tokens for Roll20 and Foundry: the right sizes, borders, export settings, and a fast free workflow to turn any art into a clean VTT token.
Read moreHow to run D&D battlemaps on a TV or projector
How to run D&D battlemaps on a TV or projector: screen setup, grid scale, the best display method, and where to get maps that stay sharp at the table.
Read moreCheap D&D Miniatures: Paper vs Plastic
An honest cost comparison of paper minis, standees, official plastic, 3D-printed, and tokens — plus a clear which-to-pick guide for a whole party on a budget.
Read moreHow to 3D Print D&D Miniatures: A Beginner's Guide
How to 3D print D&D miniatures as a beginner: FDM vs resin, finding STL files, supports and slicer basics, and a realistic first-print plan with real costs.
Read moreDnD battlemaps for Roll20 and Foundry: a guide
Buying battlemaps for Roll20 or Foundry VTT? A practical guide to resolution, grid alignment, file formats, and why bundles beat single-map purchases.
Read morePrintable DnD paper miniatures: a DM's guide
Paper minis aren't a budget compromise. A practical guide to printing, assembly, double-sided design, and when to use paper, plastic, or 3D printed.
Read moreOn drawing rooms that feel lived in
A short essay on the difference between a tavern and an empty room with three tables in it, and what we ended up changing in the studio because of it.
Read moreLoot, Items & Spells
14 postsMagic items, treasure, shops, and player-facing card decks.
Deck of Illusions explained: 2014 vs 2024, and how to run it
How the Deck of Illusions works in D&D 5e, what changed in the 2024 rules, why it is one of the few items better as a physical object, and how to run it well.
Read moreThe official Deck of Many Things set vs printing your own
The 2023 Deck of Many Things bundle is $109.99 for 66 cards and two books. Here's what's in it, what you're actually paying for, and when printing makes more sense.
Read moreD&D loot tables: what the monster was actually carrying
"I search the body" is the moment most sessions sag. How to build or buy loot tables that give you a specific, characterful answer in four seconds flat.
Read moreD&D magic item card decks compared: official vs printable
The official Magic Item Deck covers 294 cards for one price. Printable sets cover 800+ and let you print the item your party just found. Which one fits your table?
Read moreThe D&D trinket table: how to actually use it at the table
The 5e trinket table is the best two minutes of character creation and the most wasted. How to roll it, hand it out, and turn a strange object into a plot hook.
Read moreOfficial D&D Spellbook Cards vs printable: which should you buy?
Gale Force Nine's Spellbook Cards are the default answer, but they're split across decks, priced per class, and predate the 2024 rules. Here's the honest comparison.
Read moreThe best D&D 5e cantrips for every class
The most useful cantrips in D&D 5e, class by class: attack, utility and social cantrips worth taking, why each one earns a slot, and where to find the full list.
Read moreThe best starter magic items for low-level D&D characters
The most useful low-level magic items to hand out in D&D 5e: common and uncommon items that feel great without breaking the game, and why each one works as an early reward.
Read moreSpell scrolls in D&D 2024: rules, scribing and using them
How spell scrolls work in D&D 2024 5e: who can use them, the scribing and crafting rules, costs and time, and how to hand them out as a DM without breaking your game.
Read moreHow to Run a D&D Magic Shop Players Actually Enjoy
Run a D&D magic shop without tedious price-lookups: how to set stock, price items by rarity, handle haggling, buy loot, and give merchants real personality.
Read moreThe Deck of Many Things, Explained (And How to Survive It)
A DM's guide to the Deck of Many Things in D&D 5e: how it works, the card effects that matter, 2024 DMG changes, and how to run it without wrecking your campaign.
Read moreHow to Hand Out Treasure in D&D 2024
How to pace and present rewards using the 2024 DMG: individual vs hoard treasure, magic items by level, treasure themes, and loot that lands.
Read morePrintable DnD magic item cards: why they matter
Physical magic item cards transform how loot lands at the table. A practical guide to rarity, attunement, scope, and the cards worth printing.
Read morePrintable DnD spell cards: a 5e guide
Physical spell cards change how players engage with their spells. A practical guide to sizes, illustrations, edition coverage, and how DMs use them too.
Read moreCampaigns & Worldbuilding
3 postsPlanning, launching, and sustaining a long campaign.
How to Keep Your D&D Campaign Going Over the Summer
How to keep your D&D campaign going over the summer: the play-with-who-shows-up rule, low-prep backup one-shots, and setting attendance expectations.
Read moreHow to Start a New D&D Campaign
How to start a new D&D campaign: choose a premise, sketch the arc, and prep your first three sessions so the launch lands and the table keeps coming back.
Read moreHow to Worldbuild a D&D Setting From Scratch (Start Small)
Worldbuild a D&D setting from scratch without the blank-map panic. Start with one town, expand outward, and build only what the next three sessions touch.
Read moreOne-Shots & Adventures
17 postsSelf-contained sessions, seasonal one-shots, and published adventures.
Beadle & Grimm's vs printable D&D handouts: is $425 worth it?
Beadle & Grimm's Legendary Editions are the most beautiful D&D boxes made, and they cost as much as a console. What you get, and what a printable bundle gets you instead.
Read moreHow to run Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden
A DM's guide to running Rime of the Frostmaiden: pacing Ten-Towns, using the secrets, keeping the cold a threat, and getting the party to Ythryn without a slog.
Read moreHow to run The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
A DM's guide to The Wild Beyond the Witchlight: running the carnival, handling a no-combat campaign, Lost Things, fey bargains, and pacing Hither, Thither and Yon.
Read moreHow to run Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus in Hell
A DM guide to running Descent into Avernus — grounding the party in Baldur's Gate, the fall of Elturel, infernal war machines, and the battlemaps that make Hell land.
Read moreLost Mine of Phandelver: the complete DM guide
How to run Lost Mine of Phandelver and Phandelver and Below — the best starter adventure for new DMs. Session-by-session prep, common pitfalls, and where it leads next.
Read moreHow to run Tomb of Annihilation: a DM's survival guide
Running Tomb of Annihilation? A DM guide to the Death Curse, the Chult hexcrawl, keeping the jungle deadly without killing the pace, and surviving the Tomb of the Nine Gods.
Read moreHow to run Waterdeep: Dragon Heist (and fix its problems)
A DM guide to Waterdeep: Dragon Heist — tying the party to the city, making Trollskull Manor matter, fixing the fireball investigation, and picking the right villain and season.
Read moreD&D Winter and Holiday One-Shot Ideas for Your Table
Festive and frostbitten D&D winter one-shot ideas: cosy, eerie, and heroic holiday hooks with twists and the maps you need to run a single-evening session.
Read moreD&D Halloween One-Shot Ideas You Can Run This October
Spooky D&D Halloween one-shot ideas for any level: ready-to-run hooks, twists, and the maps you need for a single-evening horror session your table will remember.
Read moreDark Gifts in D&D Explained (Ravenloft: The Horrors Within)
What Dark Gifts are in D&D's Ravenloft: The Horrors Within: how the horror feats work, the bargain they represent, and how DMs should hand them out.
Read moreHow to Run a Pirate D&D One-Shot (Summer Sea Adventure)
Run a pirate D&D one-shot in one session: a 4-beat structure, ship-to-ship and on-deck combat tips, a memorable villain, and the maps you need.
Read more10 D&D horror one-shot ideas you can run tonight
Ten ready-to-run D&D horror one-shot ideas across gothic, folk, cosmic and body horror, each with a hook, a twist, and the maps you need to run it.
Read moreHow to Run a D&D One-Shot at a Convention
Run a D&D one-shot at a convention with confidence: pre-gen characters, tight four-hour pacing, table etiquette, safety tools, and what to pack.
Read moreHow to run a D&D horror one-shot
Run a D&D horror one-shot that actually scares your table: pick a subgenre, build dread, use the frightened condition, and steal a ready-made skeleton.
Read moreHow to run Curse of Strahd: a DM's guide
How to run Curse of Strahd: a DM's guide to the Tarokka reading, playing Strahd as a recurring villain, pacing Barovia, and prepping key locations.
Read moreHow to prep for Ravenloft: The Horrors Within
Getting ready to run Ravenloft: The Horrors Within? Here's how to prep the Domains of Dread, pick a Darklord, use Tarokka draws, and set a gothic table.
Read moreArcana Unleashed: What D&D DMs Need to Know
A preview of D&D's upcoming high-magic sourcebook Arcana Unleashed. What is confirmed so far, what is not, and what it may change for DMs running high-magic tables.
Read more