Running Off The Rails

Ray and Ariel discuss what is at the core of every faction in D&D. We sort through some of the logistics you will need to cover and the different levers you can pull to make your factions feel unique. Then, we improvise a faction from scratch using the list we discuss in the beginning of the episode. If you liked the show today, please follow us on Instagram and Twitter . It is the only means...

Ray and Ariel Improvise a Lvl 5 and a Lvl 10 encounter. We hope that by demonstrating our own creative process, others will gain pieces of an actionable formula that they can use to apply to their own encounter design. We tinker with an existing monstrous statblock and create an encounter against humanoid foes. We discuss how to change the monsters not to just make them more challenging, but to fa...

Ray and Ariel dive into MCDM's FOURTH issue of Arcadia. Arcadia is a supplemental magazine that equips DMs and players alike with new and inspiring content. We discuss Willy Abeel's mounts, and magic items in "Swimming Through Sand To Sea," Cat Evans' new location, "The Chained Library," and Derek Ruiz's "On-The-Road Encounters".       Arcadia #4 is purchasable now for $7 on The MCD...

Ray and Ariel discuss a few of the major decisions a DM makes when designing a pantheon for their game. Is any god on the table? How can a DM choose a duality pantheon like Law vs Chaos, but still be supportive of a player that wants to worship a god or saint of death? When is the best time to start planning your pantheon? Do you need to have it nailed down before the first session? We discuss all...

Sometimes we can poor our heart into building a portion of the world that our players never end up encountering. Other times the task can seem so large and daunting that we have trouble approaching worldbuilding at all. Ray and Ariel discuss specific strategies, tactics, and tools that we use to worldbuild our D&D settings with intention. If you enjoyed the show today, please follow us on Inst...

Special guest JJ, Ray, and Ariel discuss what to do when what you want to do isn't what your character would want to do. Sometimes it makes sense to make player decisions for characters instead of purely roleplay-driven decisions. What will result in the best time and the best story for everyone at the table? We discuss how to navigate conflict that arises when different style players clash at the...

Ray and Ariel discuss the advantages of Battle Maps vs Theater Of The Mind. When should you reach for one tool instead of the other? If you feel your combats dragging or feel like your players aren't interacting with their environments this is the episode for you. If you enjoyed the show today, please follow us on Instagram and Twitter . It is the only means we have to get the show in front of new...

Ray and Ariel dive into MCDM's new D&D 5e class, The Illrigger. We discuss our thoughts about this new content and what pieces of inspiration we want to bring to our own games. The Illrigger is a knight from Avernas that serves the interests of the plane, standing above the squabbles of the Devil Lords that reside there. This anti-paladin gets a large array of infernal abilities that allow the...

Ray and Ariel discuss the virtues of running D&D at level 2. Many will try to persuade you that level 3 or 5 is best. It is easy to point at iconic abilities like Fireball and Extra Attack and claim that the best D&D can only be played when players have access to them. Why then is level 2 best? Listen to find out! If you enjoyed the show today, please follow us on Instagram and Twitter . I...

Ray and Ariel discuss the reasons why a DM might roll out in the open in front of their players. What purpose does the DM's screen serve if you are rolling in the open? If you enjoyed the show today, please follow us on Instagram and Twitter . It is the only means we have to get the show in front of new listeners.

Ray and Ariel discuss the stigma that surrounds players that optimize their character builds and how they get a bad rap. We dispel the myth that choosing to Min-Max will harm your ability to Role Play. Choosing to play a haphazard build does not make you a more virtuous player and in some circumstances will harm your ability to contribute to a collaborative narrative. We offer actionable tips and...

Ray and Ariel discuss the world-building of Madoka Magica and the pieces that we feel inspired to bring to our D&D games. We find inspiration for our games and our worlds in the strangest places sometimes. This was the second episode that we recorded ever, so the audio is a bit echo-y. If you enjoyed the show today, please follow us on Instagram and Twitter . It is the only means we have to ge...

Ray thinks we should start killing player characters again. Ariel thinks that killing player characters is a good way to ruin a good time. We go to battle for our beliefs and provide a number of examples and tools "to kill or not to kill" We discuss how it is easier to kill a player character in a fictional game rather than in a fantasy game: Matthew Colville, Fiction vs Fantasy If you enjoyed the...

Ray and Ariel dive into MCDM's THIRD issue of Arcadia. Arcadia is a supplemental magazine that equips DMs and players alike with new and inspiring content. We discuss Justice Arman's new playable races, "The Dream Kin", Celeste Conowitch's new spells, "Ten Spells You Need In 5e", Sam Mannell's aerial combat rules, "Aces High", and Alison Huang's adventure for 3rd level characters "A Diamond In The...

Ray and Ariel discuss the game Ryuutama and how running a TTRPG not based around combat has affected our D&D games. How would your game change if your players could not resolve conflicts through combat? How would your game change if your players did not have character classes, but chose only backgrounds? If you like the show please share us with your friends, and follow us on Instagram .

Ray and Ariel discuss tips and tricks to increase collaborative storytelling at your table. How can you give your players more space and opportunity to own narration around their character's actions, spells, and backstories? We discuss how you can identify when Role Play is counterproductive to pacing and strategies you can use to get your players unstuck. If you like the show please share us with...

Ray and Ariel dive into alignment in D&D. Conventional wisdom is to throw out alignment, but what happens when an alignment-based magic item appears in your game? We offer specific tips and tricks to incorporate alignment into your games without all the controversy that typically accompanies it. If you like the show please share us with your friends, and follow us on Instagram . 

Do your players always want a Long Rest? Do you have a split of Long Rest and Short Rest classes in your group and you don't know how to manage their expectations? Ariel and Ray talk about Resting mechanics in D&D and offer actionable tips to persuade your players to not rest after every encounter. They discuss how to manage players' expectations and how to incentivize them to push forward wit...

Ray and Ariel dive into MCDM's SECOND issue of Arcadia. Arcadia is a supplemental magazine that equips DMs and players alike with new and inspiring content. In part two of our review, we discuss Joshua Mendenhall's Subclasses of the Seasons, Makenzie De Armas' Periodic Table of Elementals, and Rich Lecouflair's Well of the Lost Gods.   Arcadia #2 is purchasable now for $7 on The MCDM Store *W...

We released our first product on DM's Guild. Ray and Ariel discuss the design philosophy and process involved in making Pact of the Dragon God, a Warlock subclass for D&D 5e. Use your spell slots to grow dragon wings, claws, and talons. Change your spells to deal elemental damage. Describe acid-flavored lightning bolt as a fearsome Black Dragon's breath weapon. Gain access to Dragon stat block...

Ray and Ariel discuss why we should all stop using the phrase the Matthew Mercer Effect. The Matthew Mercer Effect (MME) has become a scapegoat and a Shibboleth for the lazy Dungeon Master that has failed to effectively communicate with their players. If you prefer to read, we discuss the points and arguments in this episode in this article . The MME is often used to describe obnoxious players tha...

Counterspell is problematic as written. The short description is rife with unexplained edge cases and leaves the internet to clarify these technicalities. Then when you finally understand how Counterspell is meant to be used rules as written, you realize that it slows down the pace of the game and encourages dishonest play from DMs and Players. We examine all these elements and offer changes you c...

Ray and Ariel dive into MCDM's first issue of Arcadia. Arcadia is a supplemental magazine that equips DMs and players alike with new and inspiring content. In part two of our review, we discuss Willy Abeel's Jumping On Mounted Combat mechanics and Sadie Lowry's Uqaviel, The Recreant world-ending lore and stat blocks.  Arcadia is purchasable now for $7 on the MCDM Store *We are not affiliated...

Ray and Ariel dive into MCDM's first issue of Arcadia. Arcadia is a supplemental magazine that equips DMs and players alike with new and inspiring content. In part one of our review, we discuss Leon Barillaro's The Workshop Watches adventure and Gabe Hicks' Titan Heart Sorcerer subclass. Arcadia #1 is purchasable now for $7 on the MCDM Store *We are not affiliated with MCDM, nor do we gain any mon...

Can your players never remember the names of your locations or NPCs? Ray and Ariel discuss the limits of short-term memory. They offer some specific tips and techniques to help you free up valuable slots for new players who could struggle with the hundreds of rules in Dungeons and Dragons or any table-top roleplaying game. We hope you enjoy. If you liked the show today, please follow us on Instagr...