Let’s examine the “rules as written” regarding initiative: “Initiative determines the order of turns during combat. When combat starts, every participant makes a Dexterity check to determine their place in the initiative order. The GM makes one roll for an entire group of identical creatures, so each member of the group acts at the same […]
Mastering the Mechanics: Roll for Initiative Read More »
The Designing with Style series breaks down the official 5th Edition style guide to help designers create content that’s well-written, polished, and professional. In this installment, we’ll cover what Words You Should Capitalize (hint: not those ones).
Designing with Style: Capitalizing with Confidence Read More »
It’s time to throw your whole spellbook out the window because chances are that everything you thought you knew about casting two spells on the same turn is wrong. Get ready to cast feather fall because we’re going to take a deep dive off the cliff of D&D rules minutia.
Mastering the Mechanics: How to Cast Fireball Twice on Your Turn Read More »
In this installment, we’ll talk about headings (or headers, the terms are interchangeable), which are used to separate content into smaller pieces and indicate what information each of those pieces contain.
Designing with Style: Heading to the Races Read More »
Bonus actions are easily one of the most confusing parts of a combat turn in 5th Edition. In fact, designer Mike Mearls dislikes bonus actions and has declared that they are “fairly hacky” and that he prefers to run games without them. So why do bonus actions exist, and how can we understand them? To
Mastering the Mechanics: Bonus Actions Read More »
“Forth from craggy peaks they strode, Their blades bright-shined and razor-honed. Before them lay a dangerous road, With enemies both far and near.
Warlock’s Apprentice: Wotan’s Warriors Read More »
I recently played in an Adventurer’s League game (at D&D Live 2019) where the GM accidentally gave our war machine damage reduction 20 instead of a damage threshold of 20. This is an easy mistake to make, especially for those used to older editions, but it made a big difference in the longevity of our
Mastering the Mechanics: Features that Decrease Damage Read More »
The Designing with Style series breaks down the official 5th Edition style guide to help designers create content that’s well-written, polished, and precise. Using consistent language for rules and mechanics makes it easier for new players to understand the game and helps to avoid confusion that slows play. For example, the range of hold person
Designing with Style: Unlocking the Style Guide Using Thieves’ Tools Read More »
The Designing with Style series breaks down the official 5th-edition style guide to help designers create content that’s well-written, polished, and precise. The exact language for rules and mechanics is extremely specific for a reason: to avoid ambiguity, the enemy of elegant design and easy play.
Designing with Style: Ability Checks and Saving Throws Read More »
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