PhD20

Black screen with the words "Game Over" in red. Small Pacman ghosts line the top of the screen.

Satisfying Player Character Endings

When I finish a long-running D&D campaign, I always ensure the last session includes three key things for each character.

Publishing a TTRPG Adventure Cheaper than you think!

Publishing an Adventure Is Cheaper Than You Think

You want to publish a Dungeons & Dragons adventure. But the task looks daunting. And expensive. Good news. It can be simple and cheap—even free.

Polyhedral dice close up.

Stuck Between Worlds | OSR vs. Modern D&D

Modern vs. old school D&D and why you shouldn't pick just one.

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My D&D Adventure Made This Much Money

I’ve self-published products across various platforms for 5E. I’ve learned a lot and I want to share that.

The 2 Programs I Use to Organize My D&D Lore

I talk constantly about all of the wonderful ways to organize your D&D life. But what do I use? This question gets asked often and I thought it was finally time to answer it with a little bit more detail.

1d16 Personalities for NPCs

NPCs are the lifeblood of our worlds. While creating quick NPCs is a useful tool, there are times when you want a bit more personality and depth. Enter 16Personalities.

A d20 showing the 20 face on a stack of maps and game books.

Simple 5E Sub-Systems for DMs in a Hurry

How do we embrace fun, new gaming opportunities in 5E without overly complex sub-systems? By asking three questions.

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The Ultimate Guide to TTRPG Campaign Managers in 2022

I’ve been obsessed with the intersection of software and tabletop roleplaying games. In particular, the management of campaigns and worldbuilding.

Obsidian: A second brain, for you, forever.

Using D&D PDFs in Obsidian

You know by now that I love using Obsidian for Dungeons & Dragons. One of the biggest reasons is how easily it enables me to use my PDF supplements. If you’re anything like me, you’ve got dozens if not hundreds (or thousands) of PDFs from the DM’s Guild, DriveThruRPG, Kickstarter, etc.

Getting Started with Obsidian for D&D

Getting Started with Obsidian for D&D

After years of searching, I’ve found my favorite way to manage my notes and worldbuilding for Dungeons & Dragons campaigns.

dungeons, dragons & downtime

Dungeons, Dragons, & Downtime

Downtime activities are a recurring theme in most D&D campaigns. Many 5E source books include rules for downtime activities. But how do you take those rules and run enjoyable downtime?

A witch and her cat falling through the air while reading a user manual in one hand and holding onto her broom in the other.

Flaws in Your D&D Game

Flaws and failure provide unparalleled opportunities for memorable moments in D&D. In this article, we’ll focus on flaws.

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Worldbuilding for the Story

Worldbuilding is a wonderful creative outlet. We build worlds to express ourselves. But not that alone. We could express ourselves through any other medium. Why choose worlds?

Midwest D&D Raid

In October of 2019, I participated in the most epic D&D game ever. A luxury loft in a historical part of town. Tons of food and drinks. More than a dozen players. Two Dungeon Masters. One epic raid.

Triad NPCs

Creating interesting NPCs is challenging for new Dungeon Masters. But it doesn’t have to be. Let’s take a look at three methods for creating interesting NPCs with ease.

Miniatures on a set of dungeon tiles.

Tools for Enhanced 5E Combat

As a Dungeon Master, we strive for fun and exciting combat encounters. The mechanics of Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition provide us with a nice toolset to help. But it isn’t perfect. Combat can drag, feeling like a chore.