Dungeon Master Tips – Page 4

Using Skill Challenges in 5e

Today, I’m sharing some thoughts about a mechanic from 4th Edition D&D that I’ve found really useful in my 5e games: skill challenges. Yes, 4e was a bit controversial, but there are some gems hidden in that system, and the skill challenge mechanic is one of them. Skill challenges are a way to resolve complex,…

Playtesting Our New Kids TTRPG Setting

Today, I’m sharing a bit of my own geek philosophy about a new tabletop role-playing game sub-setting I’m developing for younger players—Guardians of Getica—and inviting you to playtest it with me. Guardians of Getica is a unique world within a larger fantasy setting, designed to be accessible and fun for kids while also offering depth…

You Are Welcome Here!

We’ve been seeing a lot of new faces around the channel lately, so I wanted to take a moment to pause the regular programming and say, well, welcome! I’m Brian, and this is Geek Philosophy—where we’re all about sharing stories, ideas, and insights from the world of tabletop role-playing games. For those who’ve been here…

Adding Play-by-Post to a TTRPG Campaign

Scheduling conflicts and long work hours can sometimes make gathering everyone around the table—virtual or in-person—an impossible challenge. One of the ways I’ve found to keep the adventure alive is by weaving in a play-by-post approach alongside our regular game. Play-by-post gaming is nothing new—it’s been around since the days of dial-up modems and bulletin…

Adapting a Published Adventure

Sometimes, even the most creative Dungeon Master needs a little help—whether that’s to jumpstart a session, overcome writer’s block, or just save some time. For me, adapting published adventures has become one of my go-to approaches. I don’t always want to run the adventure as written, but there’s usually so much great material in these…

Earning XP as the Dungeon Master

Being a good GM (or DM) is a lot like earning XP in a roleplaying game. The more you play, the more you learn, and the more confident you become in weaving together stories for your players. Over the years, I’ve realized that the real leveling up as a GM doesn’t come from memorizing every…

Theater of the Mind or Battle Maps & VTTs?

When it comes to playing D&D or other tabletop RPGs, one of the biggest questions is how you and your players prefer to visualize your adventures—using the classic “theater of the mind” approach or bringing in a battle map or virtual tabletop (VTT). Theater of the mind lets everyone paint their own mental picture, driven…

Using ChatGPT to Write a D&D Adventure

I’ve been playing around with AI tools like ChatGPT to see how they can help generate ideas for D&D sessions, and I’ve been genuinely impressed with what they can do. You can start with a simple prompt like “Write a D&D adventure for my gaming group,” and in seconds you get a basic outline: a…

The Game Master’s Book of Legendary Dragons

I’ve been spending some time with The Game Master’s Book of Legendary Dragons—and let me tell you, it’s a treasure trove of inspiration. This book is brimming with over two dozen unique dragons, each with deep lore, encounter hooks, and detailed stat blocks that can easily slot into any campaign. One of the things I really…

D&D for Kids | Adapting an Adventure for Kids

Adapting D&D adventures for younger players is something I think about a lot—especially if we want the game to feel safe, fun, and engaging for kids. Over the years, I’ve landed on a six-step process that helps me adjust the tone and structure of existing modules so they’re kid-friendly and accessible. The first thing I…