Dungeon Master Tips – Geek Philosophy

Help Players Care About Your Lore

This month, I had my first Campaign Headquarters livestream on the channel, and it got off to a rocky start. I had some technical issues with the stream, and the video kept dropping out. But thanks to all of you who were in the chat live, I was able to adjust and restart with better success. So…

Hosting D&D Game Night? Start with These 4 Key Stages

There’s a special kind of magic that happens when everyone’s around the same table. The laughter, the shared snacks, the tension as dice roll across the wood grain—it’s a very different energy than an online game. And while I love the flexibility of virtual sessions, some of my most meaningful moments as a Dungeon Master…

The 3-2-1 Improv Framework for D&D

Whether you’re the Dungeon Master or a player, D&D has a way of throwing you into the spotlight. You get asked a question you didn’t expect.You’re called on to describe a detail you didn’t prep.Or someone turns and asks, “What do you think we should do?” And suddenly, you freeze—or you start rambling. That’s why I…

How to Connect D&D Sessions into a Living Campaign

As a Dungeon Master, there’s nothing quite like the thrill—and challenge—of planning a campaign that grows from one session to the next. For me, the key isn’t having every plot point mapped out in advance. It’s starting with a clear campaign story question that drives the action and using a simple structure to connect each encounter to…

10 Things I Learned from 30+ Years as a DM

Being a Dungeon Master isn’t about being perfect—it’s about creating a fun, collaborative, and memorable game. Over the years, I’ve picked up a few lessons that have helped me (and my players) enjoy the journey a lot more. Here are the first five: 1. You Are Welcome Here The first rule of running a game…

ChatGPT as an Assistant Dungeon Master

As a Dungeon Master, there’s nothing quite like the thrill—and challenge—of running a living, evolving campaign. For me, one of the best tools I’ve found for campaign prep isn’t a published adventure or a fancy piece of software—it’s ChatGPT. Specifically, I’ve been using the Projects feature in ChatGPT-4 to help me keep my notes organized,…

Beyond D&D: TTRPGs for Cinematic Action or Family Adventure

If you’re like me, you probably started your TTRPG journey with D&D 5e. It’s the big one, and it’s fantastic for learning the ropes. But once you’re ready to branch out, there’s a huge world of other games out there, each offering something unique. Today, I want to highlight two games that take you beyond…

The 2 Best Parts of the New D&D Monster Manual

The 2024 Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual marks the third and final core rulebook update for the year, bringing fresh energy and thoughtful updates to the fifth edition. While it doesn’t rewrite the core mechanics, it does reshape how monster information is presented—particularly in ways that are super helpful for DMs, especially those new to the game.…

What’s Missing from the 2024 DMG?

I’ve spent some time with the new 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide, and I think it’s a great update overall—more structured, more user-friendly, and clearer for new DMs. But there’s one rule I really wish they had included: the Proficiency Dice optional rule from the 2014 DMG. What’s the Proficiency Dice Rule?Instead of a static proficiency…

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…