Hook and Chance

So what is this really all about? Well it's always tough balancing the decision to give your players epic loot. If you do, you may run into balance issues forevermore, if you don't... well we call that a mutiny. So what is a DM to do? Well we wanted to explore what a middle ground looked like in this episode. Supporting Content The Homebrewery The Complete Armorers Handbook A Guide to Crafting Mag...

Have you ever had sat there brooding because you ended up with a sloppy broken club while your ally has the finest elven blade of shimmering splendor? We feel your pain. That's why we talk about five ways to introduce magic items, including our favorite, which we will dive into during our next episode. This one's also got a new short segment, for our grandma!

The air is calm. The rush of a dragons wings interrupts as it dives over the edge of a chasm with a halfling in its claws. Moments behind, you rush up to the edge of the chasm, brushing pebbles and dust into its gaping maw. The dragon gets farther away with every heartbeat. Cries of the wounded reach out from behind you, and you can see the distant approach of yet another set of wings. Ally or foe...

Ever have issues creating Non Player Characters that people you are playing with really connect with? We propose that there's a few crucial elements to start with. What do they have in common with your party, what do they have in contrast, and how do they fit in to the story? The temptation to spend the first 3 hours focusing on the design and origin of their walking stick is strong, we know, but...

Find The Complete Armorer’s Handbook by Heavyarms.

David Adams joins us! He laser beams his many amazing thoughts on party immersion into this episode. We talk about drawing yourself into party members characters, using catchphrases, honoring the tone at the table, and, of course, more. David has created lots of great content, so find him on twitter @level2npc, and find links to his work there or at our website.

Character backgrounds can be long, confusing, random, restrictive, or overly world shattering. Or, they can be clear, badass, and help you play an amazing game! We provide a structure for your glorious character concept that can do just that. It covers story beats, personality, wants and needs, and how to quickly get your vision across to your party.

Backstories are a troublesome foe. What is too much, what's to little? Character backstories done well inform about everything that means anything to the character themselves. At the worst they can be a boat anchor of lore that is never used and muddy the experience. Also, why do they never seem to match the background that was picked?

In this episode, we discuss the problems with this ability and seek to solve it with a simple system. We do this by providing a system that allows rogue players to use Thieves' Cant in a way that isn't intrusive, doesn't require extensive study and can be done while still speaking secretively at the table.

We look at three historical figures that embody different visions of what a rogue could be, discussing what the best parts of these tales are that we can portray in an amazing character. Don't put them all in the same character, though, or you'll end up with Max "Mad Dog" Mcpuncher, the master of invisible crime wars.

We run through some of the most dangerous and commonly used personality traits of rogues, like "I work alone", and propose ways to mold them into things that work in D&D. What if your job is actually spying on the party? Then you're still working alone, ya sneaky weasel.

Now you may have figured out game preparation, but now you need to actually play it. Now your preparation for your best D&D session will be tested, but you need not do it alone. With the advice of expert Dungeon Master Erik Frankhouse, host of Erik Frankhouse Presents, cartographer and game designer, you can boil down the immensely challenging task of DMing into something not just do-able, but...

Check out a great idea generator at eigengrausgenerator.com Take a look at our Adventure Template for new dungeon masters at patreon.com/hookandchance.

There are so many more resources than this for new Dungeon Masters, but here’s a direction or two that we’ve enjoyed. DND beyond new player guide Geek and Sundry DM Tips Sly Flourish

Shots going wide is reserved for foul balls and Stormtroopers. Why would we aim for the wild blue yonder and how do we as players and DM’s make our characters act with intent rather than fumble and bumble through an adventure?

You know the feeling… when that dice teeters on a heroic 19 but instead rolls over to a 1. Your hero is now a dingus. What could have been epic is now a slap in the face. What horrible fate has the DM cooked up for your character? Will they lose their pride or are they about to lose a limb? We cover why crit fumbles aren’t a thing and add a homebrew rule to take the sting out of the dreaded 1.

Wanna play a more human hero when terror strikes? We provide concepts for playing out a fear while you are facing down nasty beasts and twisted foes. It’s tricky to decide on a fear sometimes too, so we talk about how to derive them from character values and ideals. There’s also a simple mechanic for deciding when those fears actually influence a characters mind in the episode. All this and more,...

Check out Goblin Punch's False Hydra.

Check out our Horror Writing Guide at our Patreon.

Jonathan and Beth Ball of D&D Duet take a break from teaching, creating, writing, and having a general blast to join us! First we get to know the magic that makes them them. Then we learn one on one gaming secrets, like how to create a fantastic dynamic between the player and the DM, how to create a cast of DMPC's that highlight the hero, and how this style can make a more engaging player out of e...

In this 3rd and final episode focused on Tiefling society, the brothers ponder about how their unique physiology would change the function of their cities. Taller doorways would be a start... yeah, and ice cream vendors, lot's of em, to cool them down because they are muy caliente.

Growing up with horns in an intolerant world can be a challenge for Tieflings. How does it this kind of thing affect them? We find out in this episode how a Tiefling named Tivius might develop an affinity for wingless ducks and suffer from performance anxiety. Wait what?

What is life like for Tieflings? Some characters aren't as welcome as others, sometimes they need to go underground. In part 1 of the series on Tiefling Government or lack thereof, we look at the structure of how people stay hidden.

Check out our shownotes at hookandchance.com