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Campaign TrailNewsUnearthed Arcana

Feats Feedback & August 2016 D&D Survey

I’m busy working on my Storm King’s Thunder review, so this week’s Campaign Trail article is just going to take a quick look at D&D’s feedback from feats and their new August Survey. Chris Lindsay over at D&D shared the ...
D&D 5eMagic ItemsTribal Knowledge

The Problem of Ogre Power

Dating back to… I think it was the release of D&D Basic, I’ve been rankled by the design around ability-score-boosting items in D&D 5e. I got to thinking about ability-score-boosting magic items. I’ll explain why, and I’ll offer alternatives – ...
Performance Check

Get to Know the Azer

One of my favorite creatures of all time is the azer. Even though they have been around since 1983, I have never played in a game in which azers have featured, nor have I heard of games friends and acquaintances ...
GM ResourcesTribal Knowledge

The Schemes of the Archfey

In my last three articles on the fey, I presented a collection of fourteen Archfey. Today I’m going to talk a bit about how to make their schemes against one another, and against the other powers of the world, intersect ...
Performance Check

In Defense of Wands

We are approaching the eve of another expansion for a popular fantasy video game. This time around, classes get an artifact weapon to level up and empower in different ways. Each specialization gets a different weapon to call their own. ...
Campaign TrailNentir Vale

Make it Personal – Magic Items & Your Campaign

Let’s look at how to make those magic items we give out to players a little more personal. We’re 6 levels and 16 session into my 5th edition campaign set in the Nentir Vale. Along the way I provided my ...
ACKSHistory of the Classes

Domain Rulership, Part Nine

You know, there have been a lot more domain-management systems published for D&D, D&D derivatives, and D&D clones than I would have guessed. Today I’m tackling the Adventurer Conqueror King System (hereafter ACKS), which will take up enough column-inches to ...
Performance Check

The Personality of Ron Weasley (and Backgrounds)

With the advent of new Harry Potter material, what’s old is new again, and I can talk about the Wizard World without feeling old or silly. Let’s ignore the fact I don’t want to discuss the play⸺I’m a big believer ...
GM ResourcesThoughts & Things

Gen Con 2016 – Syrinscape with Ben Loomes

I was fortunate enough to get a one-on-one demonstration from Ben Loomes with Syrinscape at Gen Con. The sounds were incredible, and there are so many new sound sets that are now available. It was a lot of fun meeting ...
Board GamesThoughts & Things

Gen Con 2016 – Ice Cool Board Game by Brain ...

One of the “cool” games that had a US release at Gen Con this year was Ice Cool by Brain Games designed by Brian Gomez. I was able to get a thorough demonstration, and have been playing it ever since ...