I’ve made a few changes to this website to make navigation a bit more easier, but with over 2,500 posts here it can sometimes be a bit tricky to find everything you need. Here are a bunch of useful Tabletop … Continue reading Laidback DM – Useful Links!
Here’s a column I wrote a while back in response to lots of requests for beginner DM advice. I re-used it in the first issue of FiveE Magazine, and here I am re-posting it again, because it’s always nice to … Continue reading Beginner DM Advice!
Here’s an article I wrote a few years back about the merits of letting the dice fall where they may i.e. not fudging rolls. I am a firm believer in letting the dice do what they’re supposed to do in … Continue reading You Like Dice? Use ‘Em!
Pre-Covid, I used to run my games in the local game shop. I had the entire back room and a huge table for my DnD sessions (other DMs got cramped tables at the front of the store with lots of … Continue reading How to Run Role Playing Games with LOTS of Players
Okay, so you know that Tabletop Roleplaying Games (TTRPGs) have been a source of excitement, creativity, and storytelling for decades. You know they offer an unparalleled avenue for immersion and collaborative storytelling. But what’s one of the most important tenets … Continue reading Never Remove a Player’s Agency
Here’s a DM tips video I posted to YouTube a while back (yes, I know I’m playing catchup with these videos. That’s what happens when you get too busy to notice your website is falling behind lol). Enjoy! 🙂 For … Continue reading DM Tips Video!
Okay, some of you might think this is a no-brainer, but for those of you who are wondering… Dungeons & Dragons (D&D, or DnD if you’re modern lol) has been a beloved tabletop role playing game for over four decades, … Continue reading Why is Dungeons & Dragons so F$&@ing Popular?
Hi all, I’ve been asked in the past about what creative process I use in developing adventures and TTRPG products. Here’s a shortened version of an article I originally wrote for my Shotglass Rounds #11: Duumhaven adventure (available on DrivethruRPG). … Continue reading Laidback DM: Notes on the Creative Process
Everyone likes to try out a new TTRPG. New mechanics, new lore, new style of play – you name it, there’s a reason why you decided to buy that game and crack open the book or box. Here are a … Continue reading Laidback DM: Running New TTRPGs
About a year back (has it been that long?) I played a few games of Dragon Warriors, a cool OSR game by Dave Morris and Oliver Johnson, which features some annoyingly inconsistent systems lol. Despite that, the combat was fast … Continue reading Dragon Warriors Resources – Free Map, Roll20 Rules & Casket of Fays
I see a lot of Tweets asking about advice for new Dungeon Masters (DMs) or Games Masters (GMs) – which I will henceforth refer to as DMs. Rather than answer the plethora of questions there, I thought I’d do one … Continue reading Advice for the Young at Heart…Stuff for Beginner DMs
Hi all, I tied for first place in the 2020 One Page Dungeon Contest! Aside from winning some money and some nice RPG swag, I get to bask humbly in my own appreciation for a few days lol! This is … Continue reading 2020 One Page Dungeon Contest Winner!
What do you do when players cause dissent in your game? (And believe me, even if it hasn’t happened in one of your games yet, it WILL happen.) Here’s a few suggestions: Establishing Ground Rules Make sure you set ground … Continue reading Murder on the Dance Floor – Dealing with Dissent in TRPG Games
Some people (oldies and grognards, like me) remember when D&D was a lot more lethal for player characters (PCs). 5e changed all that. Now players have a suitably comfortable time with only a few chances of actually dying in a … Continue reading Brutal Damage in DnD 5e
Every DM knows one. Some know many. What am I talking about? Players who spend their lives working out the best options to make themselves the most powerful (or “optimised”) characters in the game. But is there anything wrong with … Continue reading Laidback DM: OP Characters and the Players Who Love Them
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