Brian – Page 4 – Geek Philosophy

Using Thieves’ Cant in D&D

Thieves’ Cant might sound like a simple footnote in the 5e rules, but it’s a great example of how a small piece of lore can unlock deeper roleplay and world-building in your games. At its core, Thieves’ Cant is a coded language—a mix of jargon, dialect, and secret signs that lets rogues and other shady…

Conflicting Advice for Dungeon Masters

As Dungeon Masters, we’re surrounded by advice: videos, blogs, podcasts, and the insights of fellow players. Some of it resonates immediately—like those classic debates between Rules as Written versus the Rule of Cool. But some advice feels like it’s pulling in opposite directions, and that’s where it can get tricky. For example, one of the oldest debates is…

D&D & Star Trek: Adapting DS9 as a D&D CampaignD

If you’re a Star Trek fan and a D&D player, there’s a lot to love in Deep Space Nine—it’s one of the most layered and compelling series in the franchise, and it’s packed with ideas you can bring into your tabletop campaign. For me, DS9 stands out because it’s not just about exploration. It’s about politics,…

D&D & WWE | Storytelling in TTRPGs & Pro-Wrestling

Today, let’s explore how the world of professional wrestling—especially WWE—shares some striking similarities with the way we tell stories at the tabletop. These two worlds might seem different at first glance, but they actually have a lot in common when it comes to creating engaging narratives, improvising in the moment, and keeping the audience (or…

2024 D&D Player’s Handbook and Dungeon Master’s Guide

With D&D celebrating its 50th anniversary, Wizards of the Coast has released updated versions of the Player’s Handbook and Dungeon Master’s Guide. I’ve taken a look at both, and here’s my take! Player’s HandbookThe new edition does a great job of making D&D more approachable and intuitive, with clearer layout and better presentation. One of…

Game Master’s Book Review & Giveaway

I recently had the chance to dig into two exciting new additions to the Game Master’s series: The Game Master’s Book of Villains, Minions and Their Tactics and The Game Master’s Book of Proactive Roleplaying. Both of these books offer fresh perspectives and practical tools for any GM or group looking to expand their tabletop RPG experience. Let’s start…

Kickstarter Spotlight: The Game Master’s Compendium of Explosive Creation

I’ve been following Ryan Doyle’s Verdigree Table for a while, and when he launched his Kickstarter for The Game Master’s Compendium of Explosive Creation, I knew I had to give it a signal boost. This campaign caught my eye because it’s all about sparking creativity at your game table — a toolkit of ideas for…

Discussing the D&D Adventure Club!

For this episode of Tavern Talk, I had the pleasure of speaking with David Lemke from D&D Adventure Club — a monthly subscription service aimed at helping kids (and their families) jump into tabletop roleplaying with ease. We discussed how D&D Adventure Club is designed to fill a gap that many of us have felt:…

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Influence on the Future of D&D

Baldur’s Gate 3 has made waves since its release — not just in the world of video games, but in how it might influence the future of Dungeons & Dragons. While it wasn’t produced by Wizards of the Coast, Larian Studios’ dedication to the source material and the 5e ruleset shows just how impactful a…

A Review of the DnD Adventure Club Starter Pack

Finding good, kid-friendly roleplaying content can be a real challenge — even in a world where TTRPG resources seem to be everywhere. That’s one of the reasons I’m working on Guardians of Gettica: to make it easier for families to share the fun of tabletop roleplaying games. But there are already some great resources out there,…