Dungeon Guides

Nobody likes to lose control of their player, but perhaps there are times when it's not only a reality, but it simply makes sense? Another discussion along the lines of RP and where/when a GM could or should step in to protect a character from its player, or to help a player to better roleplay. As well as likes/dislikes regarding this occurrence, as well as possible reasons why these opinions...

Monsters look cool and sound cool, but what else about encountering the various foes and horrific monsters can make for memorable moments at your table? We spitball and vamp about ways in which GMs can help make their toys seem more tangible, more real, more.. more

The RP in RPG means different things to different people, both in definition and in importance to their enjoyment of these wonderful games. Some love roleplay, while others favor leaning into "Roll" play. In our follow-up to last week's "Hot Take" duo, we ask each other what roleplay means, and how we enjoy employing the various approaches.

Coppers burnin' a hole in your pocket? Need a new set of armor, or perhaps some potions of anti-flatulence? The little brother of the social pillar, shopping brings as many smiles as it does frowns with the players. We discuss ways in which a GM can make shopping more fun or interesting for the players. Besides, you're gonna need some means to get those money-grubbing munchkins to dispen...

Not every RPG system is focused on combat, but D&D started out as a combat simulator. We discuss the way combat feels in 'today's' D&D and take a look at ways we want combat to work in our play. There is always a balancing act between crunchy, realistic mechanics and smooth gameplay that may not be so focused on long combat encounters or hefty calculation of modifiers.

Our first entry for our 2024 New Game Bucket List is TSR's Marvel Super Heroes advanced set. Published in 1987, there are certainly some moments when reading this and can absolutely tell that this was the 80's. One computer in a room was a "computer room" with a "database", and if you were savvy you also had a microfiche reader and maybe even a color TV!! I kid, I kid...

In this episode we toss out our takes on how to make magic "feel" like magic. Comparing how magic works in different systems or editions, there will be poking at vancian magic, spell points, and how or when certain classes can feel like a unique take on spellcasting, or just feel like a reskinned version of the same ol' same ol'. Where does your group fall on the spectrum of bu...

As Arthur C. Clarke wrote "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic", so where does that leave us who play TTRPGs? One man's Molotov cocktail is another man's fireball spell... Setting, scope, and ability are crucial elements to any story or RPG engagement, with magic and technology typically defining those elements to great degree. We discuss variou...

It's easy to make a BBEG, but not so easy to make them memorable or especially hateable. In this episode we discuss possible ways to make bad guys interesting, compelling, or downright horrible. Whether through sheer power, mighty magic, or the power of social engineering and manipulation, there are many ways to impose the will and presence of the most dastardly characters in your world such...

Some times the gold loses its luster.. The gems cease to sparkle.. And Zach is subjected to yet another Conan reference. You can only buy what is available, and only sell to those who can afford it; there is a limit to the allure and utility of conventional "D&D" rewards like xp and gp's. What ways do you or your GM reward players beyond the typical coin and magic items? We take...

In this episode we each talk about works which inspire the types of worlds, situations, and characters we like to make or play in. One of the greatest aspects of TTRPGs is that we can design any setting, theme, approach, scope, scale, or level of crunch that we want. The limitless possibility of RPGs brings us to so many worlds, universes, and levels of absurdity we could never find streaming or o...

Whether it be for a novel or for a TTRPG campaign, there are important things to consider as a writer regarding how far in advance to develop your world, or how much you reveal to the reader or players. We discuss possible techniques and approaches which a worldbuilder and storyteller might find useful, regarding how they reveal lore elements. Leave plenty of room for the PCs to determine where th...

Playing evil characters can be a lot of fun, but it can also bring about complications for a playgroup if not approached mindfully. In this episode we discuss possible issues with party discord, player aggravation, and many new avenues of play which aren't available to traditional hero tropes. Where "that's what my character would do" meets "this is what the other party me...

Yeah, coins flow, magic bow, come on pally, let's go loot scoopin'. Oh, vorpal axe, scroll stacks, ranger give me half of that, we're gonna boogie. Oh, mage down.. cleric drowned.. rogue is bound... For the Loot Scoopin' Boogie!  

This week we bring two entries each to add to the Dungeon Guides 2024 bucket list for 'new' TTRPGs we want to try out by the end of the year. There are so many different and varied systems, genres, and approaches available to this wonderful hobby, and in this episode we commit to four systems and give our reasons for wanting to try them out. Look for future episodes where we review the s...

Helpful ways to remove problem players from your group: take a hike, go pound pavement, scram, skeedaddle, vanish, disappear, get to steppin', time to hit the 'ol dusty trail, you don't have to go home but you can't stay here. When a problem player arises in your gaming groups it is important to address any issues as soon as possible. And where communication and free will fail...

A looming presence in many TTRPGs is character death. In some systems, your character can even die in generation. How does your group handle character death? Is reaching zero and failing any last-ditch checks the end of it, or do you favor allowing the PCs the avenue to return? In any case, character deaths can be a significant moment, both tactially and emotionally. From character sheet-ripping e...

Was it a left, a right, and then the second left.. Or two lefts, a right, and then the first left? Sometimes directions and orientation are crucial for survival and success in TTRPGs, especially when delving the depths of a mine, crypt, or subterranean labyrinth. Many a hapless party who got lost in a dungeon crawl have aided those who followed by providing tasty loot and potions. As a player, wha...

In this episode we hit on a few elements regarding cursed items in gameplay. Whether you've actually run across one or not, the stigma and uncertainty surrounding unknown magical items is and has been a source of much study, experimentation, and folly of many an adventuring party. From simple -1 swords you cannot rid yourself of to blades which demand the souls of your slain enemies, curses c...

The value which randomness and the weird provide a story is invaluable. Even the most unlikely combination of character traits can result in memorable storytelling. Here at Dungeon Guides, we are big promoters of working with the randomness; and in this episode we discuss those possibilities with the help of a great resource in "The Weird" by Monte Cook Gaming, which Zach picked up via c...

From the common cold to mummy rot, what are some of the ways you've seen diseases emerge within your gaming groups? Diseases can be an interesting way to introduce challenges and complications, and there are a number of ways that a GM can implement various afflictions. Wandering around murky swamps, dusty crypts, and wading through corpse after corpse in an extended dungeon crawl are bound to...

There are more than one way to roll a stat, and we discuss a few of them. Do you favor the wildness of random rolls and character generation, or do you prefer a more measured and balanced approach? Where do you and your fellow gamers lie on the spectrum of possible methods for determining main stats/attrubutes for your characters?

I was flipping through my bestiary late one night, when I came across a ghastly fright. Found a creature to make my players cry. And surely... when the time was right. (They did the Bash) They did the Monster Bash (The Monster Bash) it requires a plus one smash (They did the Bash) its breath burns you to ash (They did the Bash) They did the Monster Bash.

Often times solutions rise from the unlikeliest of places, and even a half-baked plan can fill the knead. Grinding away at xp and gold is great, uncovering great magics is always crepe, but no matter how you slice it.. the mundane items which exist in any setting are the bread-and-butter of great roleplay and storytelling.

Whether we're talking about magic or technology, much of what brings us joy in TTRPGs is finding those 'magical' items which give our characters enhanced capabilities, or simply bring laughter and jokes due to their very nature or how they're used. What wonderful and awesome items do you yearn to uncover in a dragon's hoard? What items have you found which ended up causing...