From behind the screen

March 28, 2026

How to Subvert Your Players’ Expectations Without Robbing Them

There is a right and a wrong way to surprise your D&D players. Learn the one rule for subverting expectations without stealing the payoffs your table has earned.

DM TipsStorytellingPlayer AgencyWorldbuildingRPG AdviceGame of Thrones Read the article June 25, 2025

Session Zero 2.0: How to Fix a Dying D&D Campaign

A dying D&D campaign doesn't need scrapping — it needs a mid-campaign session zero. How to spot the drift early and run a collaborative reset across narrative, character, mechanics and logistics.

DM TipsSession ZeroCampaign ManagementPlayer EngagementWorldbuildingRPG Advice Read the article June 13, 2025

How to Actually Challenge High-Level D&D Players

High-level D&D parties trivialise encounters because they have too many resources. Five practical tactics to challenge them — multiple encounters, secondary objectives, stakes, hazards and action economy.

DM TipsEncounter DesignCombatHigh-Level PlayGame BalanceRPG Advice Read the article May 27, 2025

Five Character Evolution Moments Every D&D Campaign Needs

Five character evolution moments for D&D campaigns — origin expansion, skill crucible, relationship transformation, defining choice and legacy — with worked examples and hooks you can run at your own table.

DM TipsCharacter DevelopmentStorytellingPlayer EngagementCampaign ManagementRPG Advice Read the article May 15, 2025

The Flaw in Fiction: Why Cosmic Stakes Are Not Enough

Robert Jordan said we always know the hero survives — the flaw inherent in fiction. Why emotional stakes beat apocalyptic ones, and how to use that in your D&D campaign.

StorytellingWritingDM TipsWheel of TimeFantasyRPG Advice Read the article April 27, 2025

How to Build a D&D Cult Your Players Will Never Forget

Build believable D&D cults using the four mechanics real cults share — isolation, charismatic leadership, special knowledge and us-versus-them — with fantasy translations and a complete sample cult.

DM TipsVillainsWorldbuildingCampaign IdeasStorytellingRPG Advice Read the article April 19, 2025

Your D&D Game Is a Mess: 10 Things to Clean Up

Ten spring cleaning jobs for Dungeon Masters — problem players, plot thread bloat, homebrew balance, the DMPC, lazy descriptions and the disaster zone that is your D&D folder.

DM TipsCampaign ManagementOrganisationTable AdviceRPG Advice Read the article April 13, 2025

Finding Endless Inspiration: The Stories That Shaped How I DM

The books, plays, musicals and video games that shaped how one DM runs games — Wheel of Time, A Song of Ice and Fire, Shakespeare, Hadestown, FromSoftware — and what to steal from each.

StorytellingInspirationWorldbuildingDM TipsFantasyRPG Advice Read the article March 18, 20259 min read

The Lessons of Tolkien’s Foreword to The Fellowship of the Ring

Before stepping into Middle-earth, The Fellowship of the Ring’s foreword offers surprising insights into storytelling, worldbuilding, and the creative process.

WritingWorldbuildingTolkienDM TipsFantasyRPG Advice Read the article