I love using new monsters in D&D and other fantasy role playing games (RPGs), and players love the uncertainty and the challenge that comes with them. Like many time-poor DMs, I’m always on the lookout for new monster books so I don’t have to waste time making my own (I still do, but a lotContinue reading “The Laidback DM: Big Books of Monsters – mini-reviews”
Tag Archives: Dungeons and Dragons
The Laidback DM: Murder Hobos vs. Negotiators
Is your party the kind that prefers to fight their way through a role playing game encounter (known in the trade as ‘Murder Hobos’)? Or one that likes to talk to the bad guys, using their role playing ability or character’s skills to get out of a tough spot (negotiators)? I believe players that preferContinue reading “The Laidback DM: Murder Hobos vs. Negotiators”
The Laid Back DM: Flying by the Seat of Your Pants
I’ve been a Dungeon Master (DM) for many years now, ‘refereeing’ role playing games in many genres—fantasy, science fiction, horror, modern age. I’ve had experience running all sorts of adventures (an interactive story the players undertake to complete a quest or mission, sometimes as part of a larger campaign), and I’m currently writing a Dungeons andContinue reading “The Laid Back DM: Flying by the Seat of Your Pants”
Finding My Voice
“In truth, I never consider the audience for whom I’m writing. I just write what I want to write.” J.K Rowling. “You have to follow your own voice. You have to be yourself when you write. In effect, you have to announce, ‘This is me, this is what I stand for, this is what youContinue reading “Finding My Voice”
The Laid back DM – Mini-Reviews
Hiya all! It’s been a while since I reviewed any tabletop role playing games (“What the?!” I hear you say. If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, check out this link here). Without further ado: Vagabonds of Dyfed This lovely little game was the result of a recent Kickstarter. It’s an elegant little system,Continue reading “The Laid back DM – Mini-Reviews”
Dragon’s Ahoy! Like Chips Ahoy, but with less chocolate…
Time for another of my Laidback DM posts, and a new free map! I love drawing maps for D&D adventures. I have far too many, though, so I’m giving them away every chance I get. This week: Dragon’s Lair! This large cave system has a number of shelves that vary the level of the terrainContinue reading “Dragon’s Ahoy! Like Chips Ahoy, but with less chocolate…”
It’s about time for a free Dungeon Map!
Time for another of my (currently) irregular Laidback DM posts, and a new free map! Map drawing for D&D adventures is my thang. I have far too many maps, so I’m giving them away every chance I get. This week: Border Keep! Reminiscent of the original Gary Gygax classic D&D Keep on the Borderlands castle,Continue reading “It’s about time for a free Dungeon Map!”
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. A review.
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything is Wizard of the Coast’s (WOTC) official new rules supplement for D&D 5e. Its 192 pages contain new sub-classes, racial feats, spells, magic items and lots of tables, including expanded magic items, random encounters and character background generators. Overall, I felt a bit ripped off. All the content included is non-essentialContinue reading “Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. A review.”
Mutant Year Zero – Gamma goings-on in the wasteland
I said ages ago (yes, literally eons, in a time when winter frost covered the land like icing sugar. Hmmm. That’s a stupid simile) that I would review some Tabletop Role Playing Games, as I am a complete nerd nut for these things. Today, I’m going to talk about a lovely little Swedish RPG calledContinue reading “Mutant Year Zero – Gamma goings-on in the wasteland”
The Laidback DM #12 – Free Village Map!
Time for another of my irregular Laidback DM posts, and a new free map! Map drawing for D&D adventures is my thang. I now have far too many maps, so I’m giving them away free each week. This week: Village at the Crossroads! At first this may seem like a boring little map, but imagineContinue reading “The Laidback DM #12 – Free Village Map!”
The Laidback DM #11 – Free Dungeon Map!
Yes, it’s that time of the week, and in the tradition of my irregular Laidback DM posts, here’s a new free map. I really enjoy drawing maps (nerd alert!) for D&D adventures, so much so that I have more maps then I know what to do with. So, I’m giving one away free on myContinue reading “The Laidback DM #11 – Free Dungeon Map!”
The Laidback DM #10 – Free Map!
Yes, it’s that time of the week, and in the tradition of my irregular Laidback DM posts, here’s a new free map. I loooooooove drawing maps for D&D adventures, so much so that I have more maps than I know what to do with. So, I’m giving one away free on my blog each week.Continue reading “The Laidback DM #10 – Free Map!”
The Laid Back DM #9 – Free Dungeon Map!
Yes, it’s that time of the week, and in the tradition of my irregular Laid Back DM posts, here’s a new free map. As you know I like to draw maps for D&D adventures. Often I have more maps then I know what to do with. So, I’m giving one away free on my blogContinue reading “The Laid Back DM #9 – Free Dungeon Map!”
The Laidback DM #8 – Yet Another Free Map!
Yes, it’s that time of the week, and in the tradition of my irregular Laidback DM posts, here’s another free map. As you know I like to draw maps for D&D adventures. Often I have more maps then I know what to do with. So, I’m giving one away free on my blog each week.Continue reading “The Laidback DM #8 – Yet Another Free Map!”
The Laidback DM #7 – Another Free Map!
I like to draw maps for D&D adventures. Often I have more maps then I know what to do with. So, I’m giving one away free on my blog each week. This week’s map is a Kobold and Demon lair. Whoa, you say? The game’s weakest creatures with some of the game’s toughest? If you’veContinue reading “The Laidback DM #7 – Another Free Map!”
The Laidback DM #6 – Free Map!
Despite being a bit laidback when it comes to D&D Dungeon Mastering, I do like to draw time-consuming maps. Since I don’t always use the maps I draw, I thought I’d offer them for free here on my blog. The following map is a base for a bunch of pirates who have an alliance with aContinue reading “The Laidback DM #6 – Free Map!”
The Laid Back DM #5 – Foiled again!
Trap tips for DMs of Dungeons and Dragons! Don’t let those player characters foil you again…
The Laid Back DM #4 – ‘Tales of the Yawning Portal’ Leaves me Yearning for Something Better
I received ‘Tales of the Yawning Portal’ the other day, after ordering it from the Book Depository. I’d heard that Wizards of the Coast (WoTC) were updating some of its best known modules to 5e, and was looking forward to it. Well, I’ve been reading it for a few days now. And all I canContinue reading “The Laid Back DM #4 – ‘Tales of the Yawning Portal’ Leaves me Yearning for Something Better”
The Laid Back DM #3 – Maps and random encounters?!
Welcome to my occasional series on Dungeons and Dragons (D&D)* refereeing (makes it sound like a sport, doesn’t it? Well it is, my friends: a sport of the mind. Okay, that sounded better before I read it out loud…). Here’s some more time saving stuff: No random encounters – hold on a second?! Didn’t IContinue reading “The Laid Back DM #3 – Maps and random encounters?!”
The Laid Back DM #2 – New-fangled Electronic Gizmos?
Welcome to the second of my Dungeon Master (DM) columns. (Didn’t catch the first one? Click here.) Today I’m going to talk about all these new wiz-bang apps and stuff that you can use during your sessions. (“What did he say?” Says the old grognard, raising his ear trumpet. “What’s an app? Is that someContinue reading “The Laid Back DM #2 – New-fangled Electronic Gizmos?”
The Laid Back DM #1 – Empowerment
I’m a Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) fan from way back. I’ve learned a few things over time as a Dungeon Master (DM). Over the next few weeks I’m going to be posting irregularly about DM’ing. Here’s a few things to get the ball rolling (or should that be dice rolling? Okay, crap joke).
D&D. A haiku tetralogy.
These haiku are about my love of tabletop role playing games (RPGs), particularly Dungeons and Dragons (D&D). I loooooove RPGs.
Top Ten Tabletop Role Playing Games
The top ten list of my current favourite tabletop RPGs…
13th Age – Storytelling and innovation set this Fantasy RPG apart from other D&D-derivatives
13th Age is an interesting fantasy role playing game. It’s meat and potatoes RPG elements are very much in the vein of Dungeons and Dragons, but it differentiates with a number of interesting and innovative mechanics, some of which are transferrable to other D20 systems.
Symbaroum – a tabletop fantasy RPG that reeks of deep darkness, blighted evil and drawn out death. Fun!
A while back I bought a tabletop RPG called Symbaroum. It’s a dark-edged fantasy set in a kingdom on the edge of Davokar, a massive forest consumed with corruption, wherein lies ruins of the ancient kingdom of Symbaroum.
When Good Dungeon Masters Go Bad
Have you ever played a game where the referee just doesn’t know what they’re doing? In D&D, it’s the type who rolls up (pun intended) to the game with no preparation, no rule books, no dice and very little clue. I experienced a game like that the other night.
Real Men Play D&D (when their girlfriends aren’t looking)
Like many young nerds, I played Dungeons and Dragons, a tabletop fantasy role playing game and glowing beacon for nerdity everywhere. Now some of you reading this blog (if there are actually any of you), may be wondering just what this D&D thing is.
Laidback DM: SteveStillStanding.com 