Category Archives: Research

Combat Speed in D&D Next

Posted on July 2, 2012 by

Over the weekend, I was finally able to play Dungeons & Dragons Next. Our group had first playtested the game over a month ago, but I had to miss that session. I jumped into the fray as Professor Giroux, High Elf … Continue reading →

Posted in D&D Next, Research | Tagged , , , , , | 22 Comments

Dungeon Mastering: Theory & Practice

Posted on April 24, 2012 by

Several moons ago, I posed the following question on Twitter, “What is your biggest flaw as a DM?” I also asked, “What is your biggest strength as a DM?” It should come as little surprise that more DMs responded to … Continue reading →

Posted in D&D Next, DM Advice, Research | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Disposable Heroes: What Does Save Or Die Really Kill?

Posted on March 23, 2012 by

Earlier this month, a spotlight was shone on the save or die game mechanic by members of the development team for Dungeons & Dragons Next. The vast majority of my experience with D&D is through 4th Edition, which is built with less lethality … Continue reading →

Posted in D&D Next, PC Behavior, Research, Wizards of the Coast | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Critically Hit by Mike Shea

Posted on January 23, 2012 by

I had the pleasure of talking about Dungeons & Dragons and several psychological components of roleplaying games with Mike Shea for the Critical Hits Podcast. You may know Mike Shea from his popular blog, Sly Flourish. Long-time readers of this … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, DM Advice, PC Behavior, Podcast, Research | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Year of the Dragons

Posted on January 2, 2012 by

I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year! I was born in 1976, which just happened to be the Year of the Dragon. And 2012 marks the Year of the Dragon once again, which seems highly appropriate given … Continue reading →

Posted in Gratitude, Research | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Power Options, Status Effects & Mutual Assured Destruction

Posted on November 29, 2011 by

Last week’s Legends & Lore column by Monte Cook discussed issues related to rule complexity. Many have suggested in that past that 4th Edition is too complex, which is one of the primary reasons for combat encounters grinding to a … Continue reading →

Posted in Research | Tagged , , , , , | 45 Comments

Dungeon Economics 101

Posted on September 12, 2011 by

Managing treasure parcels for the my players is always an interesting challenge for me while DMing. It takes zero preparation to dish out monetory rewards to the party, “The lair has been cleared of enemies. In the corner, you find … Continue reading →

Posted in DM Advice, Research | Tagged , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

Obey Omar: Authority and Player Choice

Posted on August 25, 2011 by

Earlier in the month, Scott Rehm spoke about the importance of player choice during the life of a campaign. While there is certainly nothing wrong with traveling to a dungeon and clearing out monsters just for the sake of doing … Continue reading →

Posted in DM Advice, Research | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Introducing RPG ATTACK

Posted on July 19, 2011 by

I started The Id DM after being motivated by a lack of data on combat encounters in Dungeons & Dragons, 4th Edition. There was a great deal of discussion about the length of combat in 4e but no real numbers … Continue reading →

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Combat Encounter Analysis: Penny Arcade/PvP Podcast Series Enters “The Dungeon”

Posted on June 2, 2011 by

Introduction I recently listened to an episode of the DM Roundtable Podcast and someone – can’t remember who – suggested that if you do not see the type of information you are looking for, don’t complain and go create it. I had … Continue reading →

Posted in DM Advice, PC Behavior, Research | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments