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5e: Making Skill Proficiency Better Without Changing a Single Number
A lot of people complain about skills in 5e because the benefits of being trained in a skill are miniscule. A meager +2 bonus at first...
Blog of Many Words
Hear ye, hear ye! Welcome, fair traveler, to this blogspot, whereupon you shall be enlightened, ensorcelled, and endowed with great wisdom by heeding our counsel.
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Helpful NPC Thom
- May 7
- 3 min
D&D 5e's Skills (Part 1): What's the DC for Open Heart Surgery?
Hello, Helpful NPC Thom here, and I'm going to talk about how to make 5e's skill system work for you, but first let's talk about the DC...
21 views
Helpful NPC Thom
- Mar 24
- 3 min
How To Trap Like a Furrier
As Helpful NPC Ryan noted, there's a methodology to making traps a part of your roleplaying game. Sadly, I wail and lament that good...
16 views
Helpful NPC Ryan
- Mar 23
- 2 min
Are Traps out of Touch?
Helpful NPC Thom says: No, it's the children who are wrong. One of my friends was recently discussing Elden Ring with me (which I’ve not...
17 views
Helpful NPCs
- Mar 2
- 1 min
Chapter 6, Episode 2: DMing Alignment Without Killing Your Game
Nothing kills a game faster than bad DMing, and alignment is ground whereupon a DM must needs tread carefully. As most DMs handle...
9 views
Helpful NPCs
- Feb 28
- 1 min
Chapter 6, Episode 1: The Malignment of Alignment
Take a listen to the fresh beats of the Helpful NPCs crew as they tackle the controversial system of alignment. It has been (rightly and...
9 views
Helpful NPCs
- Nov 29, 2021
- 1 min
Chapter 5, Episode 2: Loot and Plunder
Following up the previous topic of frittering away your gold, the Helpful NPCs crew discuss treasure management within D&D. You're going...
4 views
Helpful NPC Thom
- Nov 3, 2021
- 6 min
On the Virtues of Railroading
Choo-choo! That's the Dragonlance module leaving the station. Prepare yourself for a one-way ride in the land of Krynn as you watch Tanis...
6 views
Helpful NPC Thom
- Oct 18, 2021
- 6 min
Respect My (GM) Authoritah
This title blatantly stolen from a thread filled with contentious commentary on this issue. What are my thoughts on the matter (as it...
5 views
Helpful NPC Thom
- Sep 29, 2021
- 5 min
Ten Things I Fate About You: A Tool For Every Task
Full disclosure: I have never watched Ten Things I Hate About You, nor could I be induced to do so absent monetary gain or coercive...
15 views
Helpful NPC Thom
- Sep 3, 2021
- 3 min
"How Can I Make Permanent Injuries Fun?" And Other Inquiries
We've all been there. You're playing D&D and suddenly things aren't satisfying anymore. The most common culprit: hit points. Why does a...
6 views
Helpful NPC Thom
- Aug 25, 2021
- 5 min
"Failing Forward" For Dummies (That's You)
Fightin' words, I know, and I'm ready to bring the hammer. Straight out of the gate: fail forward is a big dumb meme that half of all...
5 views