Wandering monsters have been around since the very earliest days of D&D. Their usage has waxed and waned through the years as the editions have come out but they still could have a strong purpose in your game as long as you use them correctly. #dnd #5e #pf2e #dmtips #gmtips #WanderingMonsters Resources: Wandering Monsters Suck: https://www.youtube.…

We GMs have to generate a lot about the world from the grand multiverse and pantheons of gods to what Typhon the baker looks like and their foibles. Sometimes players will have great ideas about their character, the world they live in and maybe even larger topics like names of towns and nations. In this episode I encourage my DMs to listen to playe…

DMs, whether we realize it or not manipulate our players sometimes multiple times a session. What does that mean, though to manipulate the players? Is it a good thing? Tune in to find out. #dnd #5e #pf2e #dmtips #gmtips #manipulation Resources: Bonus Action - Hacks DMs Use to Manipulate Players - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bokYGJPyKlI…

There’s nothing wrong with an adventuring party full of humans, gnomes, dwarves, and the like. But sometimes the campaign calls for or the player wants to play something a little different like a hobgoblin, merfolk, or even a troll. How do you handle these situations? In this episode I give you some tips as well as briefly review the new Paizo book…

Lore can be doled out in small measures any number of ways at your table from dreams to treasure, holidays to PC backstories. I hope the last two weeks have made you think about how you use lore in your worlds. #dmtips #gmtips #dnd #pf2e #5e #lore Resources: Matt Colville - Lore Delivery Systems - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tBXnD9g0XY Sly Flo…

Lore, like so many other aspects to our game can be as present or absent as you would like it to be. Lore makes your world richer and deeper but how do you reveal it to your players? Tune in and find out. #dnd #pf2e #dmtips #gmtips #lore Resources: Matt Colville - Lore Delivery Systems - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tBXnD9g0XY Sly Flourish - Ba…

Aboleths and Algholthu are amphibious creatures who feel they are gods whose domains have been wrongfully stolen from them by those who they feel should be their slaves. They are extremely savvy fighters who remember eons of combats and use those lessons when the PCs show up to try to kill them. In this episode we talk about these huge aberrations …

One sure way to put a period (or even a question mark) on the end of your campaign or adventure is by using one or more epilogue scenes. In this episode we talk about tips and tricks for creating those wrap-up scenes at the very end. #dnd #5e #pf2e #dmtips #gmtips #Epilogues Resources: Ginny Di - Give your D&D Campaign the epilogue it deserves - ht…

Sometimes we want a break from the rules heavy games and want to play something light and easy. Sometimes people we know are interested in playing RPGs but we don’t want to throw them into the deep end of a complicated RPG with 1,000 pages of rules. Rules Light RPGs can be a nice break from the usual routine and can introduce some people we know to…

Sometimes a break is inevitable. Your campaign needs to go on hiatus for one reason or another. If you know it’s coming, what can you do to prepare your game for a leave of absence? Tune in this week and find out. #dnd5e #pf2e #dnd #dmtips #gmtips #TakeABreakPor Taking 20 Podcast

Some DMs treat new character abilities as puzzles to solve or speedbumps on the path to kill the PCs. As characters level up, they will get all kinds of abilities, some of which are carefully selected and crafted by the players. In this episode, I give DMs some practical advice for embracing these new character abilities. Resources: None…

within the game. The way we describe encounters, how we interact with our players, and whether or not to offer advice can make a game session fun and engaging, combative, miserable, or boring. In this episode I offer some tips for choosing your words carefully while running a game and helping to ensure players get the information they need without …

A listener wrote in asking for more details about dragons and I’m happy to oblige. They are complex creatures that have a lot of abilities and long lifespans for good reason. In this episode I talk about more draconic features and briefly review the Pathfinder 2e Monster Core Rulebook recently released by Paizo Resources: Archives of Nethys - https…

Some groups keep combat conversations barebones, only allowing brief phrases to be exchanged during combat. In this episode, I’ll give some pros and cons about allowing players to talk during combat and provide some tips for DMs who are unsure whether they’d allow this. #dmtips #gmtips #dnd #pf2e Resources: https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/13f…

Some players want a hard game. They’ve been there, done that and got the scars to prove it. They want something more difficult and more punishing. In this episode I float some ideas on how you can give your game some teeth and make it a little or a lot more difficult for your PCs. #dmtips #gmtips #dnd #5e #pf2e #GameDifficulty…

Sometimes you as the DM want to make the game a little easier for the players. Maybe the players are new or just want a game where they feel like gods among men. There are a myriad of ways to make a game easier. In this episode, I discuss a few of them. #dmtips #gmtips #houserules #dnd5e #pf2ePor Taking 20 Podcast

Player Agency describes the power of players to make choices for their characters. There is an unspoken social contract around every RPG table that the DM won’t take these choices away and players won’t use these choices to ruin the fun of the DM. In this episode, I talk about how critical it is that both sides of the screen respect the agency of o…

In this episode I talk about ways you can make your characters and NPCs distinct from one another. I do encourage you to try to use an accent, even if you don't feel comfortable doing it. However, there are other ways to make them distinct: with language descriptors and body language. #dmtips #gmtips #dnd #pf2e #NPC Resources: 5 Ways to Make NPC Di…

Gaming sessions can vary widely in length but running very short gaming sessions (less than 2 hours or so) and very long gaming sessions (ones stretching 6 hours or more) require different mindsets from the DM. In this episode, I discuss the challenges and tips of each duration. #dmtips #gmtips #dnd #pf2e #5e #gamingsessions…

Some players and DMs love campaigns that take years to complete with multiple complex situations being resolved and a grand universal threat eliminated. But some like quick-hitting campaigns, smaller scale and quicker resolutions. Which is better? How do you run long and short campaigns? Tune in to find out. #dmtips #gmtips #RPGcampaign #dnd #pf2e …

Most GMs love their players and running games is a labor of love for them. However, burnout can happen to all of us and it might be a good idea for you to give your DM a night off now and then. In today’s episode I give you some suggestions on how to do so. #dmtips #dnd #pf2e #GMtips #burnout Resources: Clay-o-Rama (2017 republish) - https://media.…

Dungeons are core to many of our game systems out there. This week, in part 2 of the dungeon crawl series, I give DMs some tips for populating dungeons, using room descriptions and making them a bit more realistic. #DMtips #dnd #Pathfinder #GMtips #Dungeons Resources: Jennell Jaquays GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/jennell-jaquays-has-a-long-r…

Dungeon crawl adventures can be some of the most fun adventures that you run and they are relatively simple to set up provided you have a few pieces of information prepared ahead of time. Tune in this week to find out what those are: #pf2e #dnd #DMTips #Dungeon Resources: Redd Horrocks on Fiverr - https://www.fiverr.com/reddhorrocks 5 Room Dungeons…

This isn't your normal advice episode. In this surprise gift to all of you, here is a peek behind the curtain at just how many times I mess up while recording. This is a collection of some of my blooper reel for 2023. I hope you laugh as much listening as I did while making it.Por Taking 20 Podcast

There are two types of changes players and GMs can make to rules, spells, effects, weapons, and other aspects of tabletop RPGs: flavor or fluff changes and mechanical or crunchy changes. In this episode I talk about the difference, why one should be allowed almost always and why the other type of changes should be approached with caution. #dnd #pf2…

Not every combat needs to be a slog to determine which side grinds down the other to 0 hit points. By considering enemy motivations, the “why” of the fight you can introduce more variety to the end result of encounters. #dnd #pf2e #DMTips #rpgcombat Resources: 3D Crafts & Curios etsy store - https://etsy.com/shop/3DCraftsAndCurios Matthew Colville:…

We GMs have a certain way of thinking, sometimes lightning quick and nimble, and sometimes more methodical and measured. We need to learn how to get out of our own heads and think like enemies do during combat. In this episode, I give you some tips for running very intelligent and very unintelligent enemies for your players. #dnd #pf2e #DMTips #rpg…

DMs, our job is varied and difficult at times. We have so much on our plate to get ready for the game that we sometimes lose sight of the most important advice we can heed behind the screen. In this episode, I’m going to remind you of that advice that keeps your game centered and your players excited to come back. #dnd #pf2e #DMTips #OneImportantRu…

Players, your DMs love you and enjoy having you at their table but some of them could use a little help even if they don’t know how to ask for it. In this episode I encourage players to talk to DMs about how they can help carry the burden of keeping a weekly game going. #dnd #pf2e #DMTips #BurnoutPor Taking 20 Podcast

Exploration is the shortest of the three legs of RPGs and doesn’t get the love that combat or social encounters do at most tables. However, with a little planning, and learning how to run a hexcrawl or prepare some mysteries and histories, exploration can be a lot of fun for your entire table. Plus you will get to hear Jeremy struggle to say Lothlo…

While combat encounters are fun, there are two other pillars to tabletop RPGs that can turn a good game into a great one. In this episode I talk about social encounters and how DMs can get better at running them. #dnd #pf2e #DMTips #SocialEncounters Resources: Matt Mercer: Building RPG Social Encounters - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNoR-CcOtqI…

Preparing to run an entire adventure out of or inside a city can appear to be a daunting task. With a little preparation and some thought ahead of time, you can run an adventure that never has to leave the city walls. #dnd #pf2e #DMTips #Pathfinder #CityAdventures #AdventureDesign Resources: Drop Dice Build Cities - https://arcaneeye.com/all/dnd-ci…

Description Even preparing cities that the party will pass through or only stay at temporarily requires some thought on the DM’s part. In this episode I’ll give you some tips for creating quick-use cities that can help ground your cities in a touch of realism. #dnd #pf2e #DMTips #RPG #citydesign Resources: Dael Kingsmill’s SPERM principle - https:/…

Preparing your overarching campaign using smaller situational pieces has a number of benefits to preparing the entire adventure as a whole. In this episode, I talk about the benefits of preparing your game in manageable chunks and give you some tips for doing so. #dnd #pf2e #DMTips Resources: The Alexandrian: Don’t Prep Plots - https://thealexandri…

There are two problems I’ve seen regarding interest level: characters who don’t seem to be buying in to the story and players who don’t seem to be interested in the game. These situations have multiple possible solutions but require a little nuance to address. In this episode, I talk about the symptoms of these problems and ways you can possibly ad…

We all love making characters but one of the most common challenges I’ve heard in talking to players is how to make a memorable character; one that stands out from the crowd. In this episode, I’m going to give you 10 tips for making characters that can grow, evolve, and be easier to tie in to the campaign at large, beyond the numbers on the charact…

Immortal creatures will sometimes make deals with mortals for power and you can sometimes include these situations in your game. Warlocks have this mechanic built into the class but should you even include the good and bad of these contracts in your game? In this episode I talk about the different types of beings who will deal with mortals, example…

Doppelgangers are terrifying shapeshifters that are in the game solely to make an already paranoid group of players even more so. After all, how can you trust anyone if anyone could be lying about who and what they are? In this episode, I give you some common motivations for these monsters and tips for introducing them into your game. #dmtips #dopp…

Baldur's Gate 3 is an amazing game and even though it doesn't have a Dungeon Master per se, it does have some good advice and lessons that all of us can use to improve our DM style. In this episode I give 8 tips I learned about DMing from Baldur's Gate 3 #dmtips #baldursgate3 #dnd #pathfinder Resources: https://www.hipstersanddragons.com/difficulty…

A very special thank you to Rick Sandidge of Find the Path Ventures who was kind enough to come on the episode to discuss integrating character backstories into your game. Please give their amazing podcasts a listen at find-path.com. Resources: Find the Path Ventures: https://find-path.com/ Find the Path Podcasts: https://find-path.com/podcasts/ Fi…

Some decry AI as the worst thing to come to RPGs since THAC0. However, I’d like DMs and players to acknowledge the problems associated with AI use but also consider using AI as a tool to augment our games to make us better DMs and better players. #dmtips #dnd #Pathfinder #ArtificialIntelligence #rpgtips Resources: How to use AI as a Dungeon Master …

Many moons ago I gave tips on character death but as The Mummy said, death is only the beginning. How do you let your player gracefully replace their character in your game? #dmtips #dnd #Pathfinder #CharacterDeath Resources: Pathfinder 2e: Wealth by Level: https://2e.aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=587Por Taking 20 Podcast

In this short episode I talk about a common feeling among DMs: imposter syndrome and give DMs some advice for dealing with it. #dmtips #dnd #Pathfinder #ImposterSyndromePor Taking 20 Podcast

A few weeks ago I mentioned how rare I think class levels are in your world and promised a longer discussion on the topic. As threatened, here it is. I make my case that class levels should be relatively rare in your world and give some benefits to designing your world that way. #dmtips #dnd #pathfinder #starfinder #npcs Resources: Pathfinder 2e Co…

In this episode I use a bit of lore about the Vast to expand on a concept important to your game world - unexplored areas with the potential to have anything you can think of. #DMtips #dnd #Pathfinder #Starfinder #TheVast Resources: Paizo forums - What is the Vast? https://paizo.com/threads/rzs2v1by?What-is-the-Vast…

Robert Nores wrote in asking how I prepare one shot adventures so in this episode I give you some general tips and walk you through how I would prepare the free adventure A Fistful of Flowers published by Paizo. #DMtips #dnd #Pathfinder #OneShot Resources: A Fistful of Flowers at the Paizo Store: https://paizo.com/products/btq02d8f?Pathfinder-Adven…

RPG players depend on we DMs to effectively describe the combat, the encounter areas, and the world at large during exploration activities. The words we use and the quality of our narration has a direct effect on the quality of our game and the potential immersion into our game world. Narration is a skill that all GMs, including and especially me, …

Sometimes it's nice to remind players that not everything in the world revolves around them and they don't have the ability to control everything going on in the world. If you want the players to realize that sometimes they are small fish in a big pond, run a campaign centered around a war, cataclysm, revolution, or other world-shaping event where …

Your PCs tend to stroll through life like everything is great. They're walking through the Underdark, not a care in the world, oblivious to everything down here that wants to eat you. It's time to remind them that they may not be the apex predators in the dark places of the world. In this episode I talk about using ambush predators in your game, in…

There is something refreshing about not having to worry about nuance about the big bad's plans or fighting to find a reason for their actions. Sometimes, when you're designing an adventure, it's fun to just let the big bad be bad. In this episode, I encourage you to throw caution to the wind and give you reasons why a villain could be an irredeemab…