What D&D dungeon masters should learn from Elden Ring
A-roll, ye tarnished.
Opinions
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Every now and spren, you get the right material.
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Ruins of Symbaroum is one of the best D&D 5E adaptations yet, but it comes at a cost
Gain 2 permanent corruption for using the Fifth Edition ritual.
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Critical Role’s new talk show has a problem
Mask of Many Faces.
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Ankh: Gods of Egypt is like The Mummy - a blockbuster with substance
Doesn’t treat you like Anub-is.
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MTG cares more about collectability than accessibility - and it’s making the TCG worse
More than meets the eye.
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I wish Spelljammer was its own RPG, rather than just another D&D setting
Needs more space.
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The Simpsons should be resurrected by a Betrayal at House on the Hill board game
Simpsons and Betrayal – together at last.
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One of 2022’s best TV shows provides a masterclass in how to create your next D&D character
Ranking of Kings constantly defies expectations and flies in the face of fantasy stereotypes.
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Indie video game Hades would make for the perfect co-op board game
Cooperation is a boon.
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Gloomhaven digital is the ‘Dark Souls’ of tabletop video games
Yes, we’re going there.
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Magic: The Gathering Arena is great for Wizards of the Coast, bad for players
Counting cards, counting dollars.
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The new Batman tabletop RPG should take its cues from The Batman
Roleplay me this, Batman.
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Megagames are everything about board games made bigger – and better
Immersing yourself into a world with dozens of players is a gaming experience like no other.
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Elder Sign’s mediocrity shows how far the Arkham Horror series has come
Time to say Hastur-la-Vista?
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25 years after it changed board gaming, Catan is a terrible introduction to the hobby
It’s time to settle this.
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What’s worse than D&D being everywhere? Shutting people down for enjoying it
Complaining about the RPG’s popularity can be more harmful than helpful.
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How an RPG is written makes a big difference to how it plays
Textual feeling.
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Tabletop RPGs are perfect for safely exploring romance and intimacy
Fictionally falling in love.
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Wingspan is so much more than its birdwatching theme
A golden egg.
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The Legend of Vox Machina is a poor substitute for the original Critical Role
Not exactly animated.
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7 Wonders: Architects fails to live up to the original game’s legacy
Best left forgotten.
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Dungeons & Dragons’ creative campaigns are making up for its boring sourcebooks
Recent releases have disappointed.
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From Cowboy Bebop to Dark Souls, why licensed RPGs need to do better in 2022
Big names, small ideas.
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As an autistic GM, tabletop RPGs provide a perfect structure for social interaction
Things that make life difficult for me outside of the game room often make for better sessions in it.
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If Quacks of Quedlinburg had a better name, it could be the next blockbuster board game
Plus a change in artwork.
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Games of the Year 2021: Wheels on the accessible and tactical Summoner Wars: Second Edition
Second time's the charm.
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Games of the Year 2021: Liv on the re-inventive Unfathomable
Deeply engaging.
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Games of the Year 2021: Matt on the unforgettable stories of Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile
The creator of Root and Pax Pamir does it again.
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Changes are coming, however slowly.
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Tense miniature gameplay feels at odds with half-baked thematic trappings.
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Dungeons & Dragons brought us closer when the world said to keep our distance
Joining a nerdy, diverse D&D group when I needed it most.
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A battle of galactic proportions: Eclipse: Second Dawn of the Galaxy vs Twilight Imperium 4E
Two sci-fi heavyweights enter, two are consumed by the endless void of miniature ships.
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D&D 5E players are ignoring one of its central gameplay ideas - and that’s a good thing
The RPG’s growing popularity as a storytelling format has led to a shift away from endless fights.
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As Critical Role has grown, my love for the show has died
This actual play is not actually for me.
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Playing only trans characters in tabletop RPGs helped me understand myself
Cisgender people tend to exclusively play cis characters in games such as D&D, so what’s wrong with me only playing transgender characters?
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Games Omnivorous’ adventure books show evocative art thrives under weird constraints
The minimalist RPG publisher sets ten rules for its adventure books with fascinating results.
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Horror board games could be amazing if they took more risks
living and playing dangerously.
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Why the Blade Runner RPG will stand apart from the cyberpunk crowd
It might not last - but then again, what does?
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An Arkham Horror legacy game could revive the genre
Don’t say Hastur-la vista yet, baby.
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Clank! is a risk/reward board game that laughs at your plans, and I love it
Goofs with a great big lizard.
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Blades in the Dark’s TV series could blow away the D&D film
The cinematic gameplay and dramatic heists of John Harper’s RPG makes it perfect for a small-screen adaptation.
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RPG character backgrounds are rubbish - here’s how to make a good one
Or; why Obi-Wan Kenobi is a terrible RPG character.
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MTG Arena’s differences from paper Magic: The Gathering are a confusing, exhausting muddle
Digital-only cards, exclusive sets and a lack of popular formats have made it hard for players to keep up.
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Magic: The Gathering’s new Commander decks are a good thing for every player
More dedicated products for the popular format means fewer cards elsewhere - and that helps everyone.
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5 things we want to see from the new Marvel RPG
From weird superheroes to romantic arcs.
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Adventures in the Forgotten Realms’ best gameplay mechanic isn’t new to Magic: The Gathering
Treasure decks are stronger than ever.
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Monopoly Deal is the only Monopoly worth playing, because it understands why the board game sucks
Being bad feels pretty good.
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Critical Role’s Campaign 2 finale shows just how far the hit Dungeons & Dragons series has come
Forever throwing fluffernutters.
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GMs shouldn’t always break the rules in tabletop RPGs
Tend the rules.
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Magic: The Gathering is more ban-happy than ever, and it’s holding MTG Arena back
Getting the banned back together.
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The greatest board game stories are told around the tabletop, not on it
Playing with your tale.
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Unmatched is the Avengers Assemble of board games - it successfully unites a team of unlikely heroes
Kneel before this excellent tabletop series.
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What appeared to be a Kickstarter darling and fast-growing company was a carefully projected illusion.
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As thrilling as it is simple, Pack Wars is one of Magic: The Gathering’s best overlooked formats
Here’s how - and why - to play.
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Lines and veils, and other RPG safety tools, open up tabletop roleplaying for everyone
Ensuring comfortable, collaborative creativity around the table.
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Call of Cthulhu’s epic Masks of Nyarlathotep shows the perfect way to run a RPG campaign over years
Into the Months of Madness.
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Is Strixhaven a good entry point for the Magic: The Gathering newcomers? Well, it’s complicated.
For the cardboard curious.
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Disability representation in tabletop gaming matters - here are the games doing it right
Recent years have seen stories and characters that avoid ableist tropes, though there’s still work to be done.
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Dead of Winter bridges the intimidating gap between casual and complex board games
Gravely underappreciated.
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The multiverse is the perfect home for The Lord of the Rings, Warhammer and more - if handled correctly.
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Magic: The Gathering is at its best with more people - here’s why
All hands on decks.
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How Dungeons & Dragons helped me discover my gender identity
I was playing a man in real life - why not a woman in my escapist hobbies?
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6 things the new Dungeons & Dragons movie needs to do to become a critical hit
Not including a cameo from Jeremy Irons.
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Public libraries are using D&D to forge friendships and build community
No Knowledge (Arcana) check required.
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Root’s show-don’t-tell storytelling makes its world feel alive
Eyrie-lly want to go back there.
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How logging your board game plays can curate your collection - and save you money
Stats the way I like it.
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The Chess Effect: How The Queen’s Gambit turned me into a chess obsessive
What a feeling, when we’re castling on the ceiling.
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Warhammer looks expensive, but the truth is more complicated
Model behaviour.
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Games of the Year 2020: Matt on Pandemic Legacy: Season 0
A fond farewell.
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Games of the Year 2020: Johnny on The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine
More like cloud nine.
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Games of the Year 2020: Meehan on deckbuilding delight Fort
The kids are alright.
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