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Humans & Hit Dice
What ARE Hit Dice, anyway? I'll discuss how they function and my take on humanoids with Hit Dice.
Helpful NPCs
Dec 26, 2025
Armor Class vs. Armor Classes
It is an inevitability that people needlessly demand expansions to the rules of a game for no good reason. They desire options and demand choice regardless of the (usually negative) impact on the rest of the system. Armor Class in D&D is one such arena where being spoiled for choice worsens the game. Today, we're all familiar with the bloated list of armor types and options available to players: padded, leather, studded leather, spiked armor, scale mail, halfplate, full plate
Helpful NPCs
Dec 23, 2025
THAC0 is Easy If You're Smarter Than a 10-Year-Old
If you'll kindly note the frequency of the phrase "ages 10 and up." I'm feeling bombastic today, so I'm taking a moment to defend THAC0 and descending Armor Class as a whole. Why? Because I was an ignoramus up until today, when I had a flight of whimsy and decided to learn how they work. I am here to report back that neither descending Armor Class nor THAC0 are confusing unless: You are illiterate and/or innumerate. You suffer from poor pattern recognition skills. You are les
Helpful NPCs
Dec 18, 2025
The "Or Else" Clause: On Skill Checks and Saving Throws
Skill checks are bad! Fix them with this One Simple Trick!
Helpful NPCs
Dec 17, 2025
Dungeon World 2e: A Tale of Two Editions
Dungeon World 2e is in development. Will it alienate its existing fanbase to draw in diehard PbtA fans?
Helpful NPCs
Oct 27, 2025
DC 13 Is Great, Actually, And Bounded Accuracy Is Fine
The math in D&D 5e is pretty solid with a few rough spots, and most of your skill rolls should be DC 13. That's a great starting point when we assume that: Skill checks are only made in dangerous or uncertain situations. The average adventurer is reasonably competent at core adventuring tasks . Superfluous (non-impactful) d20 rolls are elided. 5e is built around point buy, with the assumption that your primary ability score will have a +3 bonus with a 16 or 17 base. (Clerics
Helpful NPCs
Feb 13, 2025
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