I nearly killed them all, but I'm actually glad about it.
All you need is TPK
How a near death experience saved my session
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Mage Advice
@mageadvice.substack.com
🇬🇧 Based account celebrating D&D and other ttrpgs. Free ideas, tips and advice every Wednesday at mageadvice.substack.com
I nearly killed them all, but I'm actually glad about it.
All you need is TPK
How a near death experience saved my session
buff.ly
You've heard of fight or flight - but what about freeze or fawn? This technique can breathe new life into your monsters.
A d10 table for 'fight or flight'
Using survival instincts to bring monsters to life.
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This might be my favourite mechanic from Daggerheart.
Steal this from Daggerheart and plug it straight in your game
Using combat roles to transform your monsters.
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Giving my players the power to create rumours has really changed things at my table.
A D6 rumour table
Creative collaboration
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Forgot you gave the troll a reaction? I find this a lifesaver.
I built this worksheet to make running combat easy
A simple tool to plan encounters.
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The World Cup might be over, but I'm tempted to keep developing this...
FuĂźborg: A football ttrpg
Replacing a round ball with a D6
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Puzzles are my kryptonite, but inspired by these four steps I've created a simpler approach.
Puzzle creation with a D6
Spark your imagination with a simple method
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Inspired by the World Cup - I thought I'd try making a football ttrpg. Check out FuĂźborg for free here: buff.ly/KGBXtQF
This week I’ve been thinking about how to use survival instincts to bring more realism to combat. You’ve probably tried fight or flight, but what about freeze or fawn? Read more here: buff.ly/M2NPQhg
Optional rule: “You're on mute.” Whenever playing online and any individual attempts to speak while muted in some way, any other player can shout “You're on mute.” The first person to do so gains the power of “Mute”...
After completing my read through of the core rules, I've turned my attention to understanding the DNA of Daggerheart...
Who is Daggerheart for?
My elevator pitch for the hit game
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As a long time @highrollersdnd.bsky.social fan, I'm really excited for this. There's still time to back, so check it out!
Altheya: The Dragon Empire – A High-Fantasy 5E Setting
Enter a land where dragons rule, planes clash in eternal wars, and magical vaults hold ancient secrets. A campaign setting for DnD.
kickstarter.com
Four simple steps to making one of D&D's most controversial systems feel better at your table: buff.ly/EDikbPU
I like the efficiency of Daggerheart's magic items tables (120 items across 5 pages)… but it does feel a little less special than the layout of D&D's Dungeon Master's Guide, with colour art for most pieces and big text blocks. Which do you prefer?
The Arches of Aoskar, Room 23 The entire room is filled with a scale model of a circus ring, however instead of performers are beautifully painted eggs. At the centre is an Oni in a top hat and red tail coat: "come and enjoy the show!"
To celebrate 10 years of @highrollersdnd.bsky.social I've been looking back on a campaign opener thats stuck with me years. Click the link to read three reasons I loved the start of Aerois.
The GOAT of campaign openers
Celebrating 10 years of High Rollers
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The Arches of Aoskar, Room Nineteen A large pool has been created in the centre of this room, filled by fresh, rose-scented water from an unknown source that keeps it at an invitingly warm temperature.
The Arches of Aoskar, Room Eighteen A single silver key flutters around the empty room on gossamer wings, it's head representing a dial. If captured, the dial can be set to any room number to instantly access that room. Read more about the Arches here: buff.ly/gyDpfFM
Underneath the Arches of Aoskar
The development of my mega dungeon project.
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The Arches of Aoskar, Room Seventeen. The room is laid out like a checker board, with each black square filled with a matching iron bound chest. A scroll nailed to the door reads: "Of course, most of these are mimics, but one contains a deck of many things."
The Arches of Aoskar, Room Sixteen. The room is empty except for a large archway made of skulls. Beneath it is chained a large black hound with three glowing red eyes: "I am that which remains, free me and I may guide your path through this maze." - Dungeonary: One room a day for a month
The Arches of Aoskar, Room Fifteen. The room is filled with a pile of broken bricks that block your passage as you realise the ceiling has collapsed. There is just enough gap above the pile to see dim torchlight the other side and the sound of an old man gently crying:
This fantastic tool from DnD Shorts Will Earl deserves a place in any great DM's arsenal...
How to use the Deck of Wild Magic and Mischief
Transform combat with this generator
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An inky purple void swirls in the centre of the room. --- Anyone who touches the void disappears for 2D4 minutes and returns with no memory of the experience, but is covered in a light dusting of ash containing flecks of burnt parchment.
You enter a well furnished dormitory, with comfortable beds on offer. In a small kitchen area, large mugs magically fill with relaxing hot chocolate. --- The room is cursed, every 59 minutes a klaxon sounds interrupting all resting creatures.
Round tables and comfortable chairs are overlooked by a sleek bar bearing steaming equipment. Every available chair is taken by relaxing halflings, while a team of gnome baristas make and serve coffee. Whats on the specials board - and what magical effect does it have?
As you enter the room you see an Iron Golem, it's body shaped to resemble a masked and robed mage, a wand in its hand. Its torso is hollow, to create a locked cage containing an exhausted Kobold. Find the stat block below: The Arches of Aoskar, Room Ten - Dungeonary: One room a day for a month
The Kobold fuelled Golem
The monster I never intended to make
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Illustrations cover the walls around a comfortable looking chair next to a desk filled with tattooing equipment. A Marilith smiles at you, each of her hands holding a needle: "want to get inked?"
Nine cages are placed facing each other in a circle, each containing a Kobold. They introduce themselves in turn: Barek, Direk, Eerek, Gorek, Irek, Jorek, Keyrek, Morek and Trek - and claim they have the key to the exit door which they will exchange for their freedom.
On a dirty floor, an infernal summoning circle has been drawn in chalk and bone. The remains of five candles long since burnt out surround a scorched skeleton. Sulphurous footsteps lead through a smudged rune to the exit door. The Arches of Aoskar, Room Six - Dungeonary: One room a day for a month
Slick ice coats coats every surface of this room, where carcasses frozen solid hang from huge meat hooks in the ceiling. A dull repetitive thudding sound comes from a bare chested frost giant who is using one of the carcasses as a punching bag. He looks at you and says: "You want to be a contender?"