Free Resources, Holiday Gift Guide, and Celebrating 100 Posts – Experience Points Vol. 4

Experience Points 6 Minutes

As a new dungeon master, you do not have to know the rules like the back of your hand
~ Matt Mercer ~

Table of Contents

5 Dungeon Master Tips

  1. Don’t aim for balanced combat encounters. Aim for engaging and dynamic. Waves of monsters, distance, elevation, alternate win conditions, difficult terrain, etc.
  2. Present situations to the players so they can make their own decisions. No solutions, just problems. 
  3. Include fantastical elements that will make them want to explore and reward their exploration with treasure, secrets, and clues. Make exploration and roleplay just as rewarding as combat.
  4. You’re not expected to prepare for everything. It’s ok to say, this is the adventure i have planned for today.
  5. Start with short descriptions, then provide more details with clarifying questions and dice rolls. Make exploration a conversation not a monologue.

5 (More) DnD Resources So Good They Should Be Illegal

And I use them all the time!

  1. Safety Tools.
    Going over lines and veils during a session zero is a must for every campaign I run. Super easy to use. Just click on the cards and it shares them anonymously. There’s even a card for anything goes and you can make your own if you don’t see it here. digital.deckofplayersafety.com

  2. Dungeon Master Reference Sheet.
    I ditched my DM screen a long time ago but recently I made a printable dungeon master reference sheet. Now that its in a sheet protector its easy to reference the 2024 (or 2014) dnd rules whether I’m running a game in person or online.
    https://ko-fi.com/s/95ed58812d and https://ko-fi.com/s/8f458ca661

  3. Fantasy Name Generators.
    A true hero to the ttrpg scene, it’s historically accurate, and does so much more than names! 
    fantasynamegenerators.com

  4. Simple Monster Stats.
    Every time I start home brewing a dnd monster I start with this handy chart I made. It has basic monster stats organized by CR. You have your AC, HP, to hit bonus, # of attacks, and the 6 ability scores bonuses. I even included an example monster with skills they may be proficient in to help you even more. 
    https://ko-fi.com/s/4a36794760

  5. d100 Character Connections.
    This table can help you create connections between the characters at the table. Super easy to use and adds depth to all sessions, even a one shot.
    https://ko-fi.com/s/89ba1414e8

Holiday Gift Guide

I have used each and every one of these products and I think you should too. These gifts are perfect for the dungeon master or dnd player in your life, even if that person is you!

  • Loke BattleMaps – The map books are so easy to use, versatile, and travel friendly. The spiral binding allows the books to lay flat on the table and use one side or two sides as a larger map.
    https://amzn.to/3M7brqk

  • Cantrip Candles – 100% Soy Wax Candles designed for use with tabletop games and fantasy adventures. 25% off site wide until Dec 1st.
    https://cantripcandles.com/

  • Emberglow Gaming – High quality dice, gear, and accessories. Check out their Bag of Holding Messenger Bag and the Glass Dice Display Cases.
    https://emberglowgaming.com/

  • Dice Envy – The coolest dice at affordable prices, and new dice every week! Get 10% off your order when you use promo code ‘JOYFUL’ at checkout until Nov 30th.
    https://bit.ly/3Rmr4tT

  • TTRPG Swag – Community driven apparel for all your RPG Awesomeness. I even partnered with them for some shirts, hoodies, and coffee mugs!
    https://ttrpgswag.com/pages/craigofinspiration

  • Düngeonmeister Random Monster Generator – Mix and match your very own DnD monster with this interactive, illustrated flip book. Perfect for one shots or anytime you want interesting and challenging enemies.
    https://amzn.to/4843ue9

  • Corvid Arts – Affordable minis with expressions that you can see! Laser cut minis, dice boxes, spells trackers, and more! 25% off site wide until Dec 2nd.
    https://corvidartsllc.com/

  • The Game Master book series – Some amazing resources and guides for GMs of all experience levels. Whether you want random tables, traps n puzzles, or tips on roleplaying there is a book for you.
    https://amzn.to/4p4vncc

  • Dungeon Craft – 2D fantasy terrain collection thats quick, portable, and durable. Usable with any 1 inch square battle maps and the tiles are water resistant and dry erase.
    https://amzn.to/44tfR0X

  • Arcknight – Flat plastic minis that come in a variety of themed collections. The artwork shows detailed front and back images giving them depth and character. They also have spell effects, battle maps, and terrain pieces.
    https://amzn.to/4rmbezP

  • Sly Flourish Lazy DM Series – Hand down the best thing to happen to my session prep. Having a framework for my notes every session has been super helpful for me.
    Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

  • Obojima: Tales from the Tall Grass – A beautiful fantasy setting inspired by the Legend of Zelda and Studio Ghibli. Explore an island full of whimsy, meet spirts, and uncover the secrets of the ominous Corruption.
    https://obojima.com/collections/all

  • One Shot Wonders – The Ultimate DnD One Shot Book that has over 100 ready-to-play adventures. Perfect for when you’ve had no time to plan or if a player drops at the last minute. And the physical book comes with a pdf version!
    https://rollandplaypress.com/products/one-shot-wonders

  • Czepeku – Level up your TTRPG adventures with award-winning battlemaps, scenes, and tokens. The maps are designed for anything from exploration and social encounters to tactical combat and epic set piece battles.
    https://www.czepeku.com/

  • CraigofInspiration – Find all my links, socials, kofi, and more all in one place. Want to stay up to date with all things CraigofInspiration? Join the discord server!
    https://beacons.ai/craigofinspiration

Point of Inspiration

This weeks Point of Inspiration goes to AnotherWorldTabletop. Aaron and Mandii have many years of TTRPG experience between them and it shows. Join them for a Vampire the Masquerade campaign every Saturday night, Sanguine Dominion. And join us every Tuesday for The Last Ideal a Cosmere RPG story, where I play Alstrym Flml, an artifabrian held back by a hidden identity.
https://www.twitch.tv/anotherworldtabletop

Thank You for 3 Years and 100 Posts

Cheers to Many More!

I just want to say thank you to everyone that has liked, commented, and supported me over the years. It means so much more than I can say. If you want more ways to support consider becoming a monthly member on Ko-fi or Patreon, or even just a one time donation. Every little bit helps a lot.

It has been so fun and rewarding to create with and for this beautiful TTRPG community. I look forward to what the next years will bring and to helping another 10,000 dungeon masters.

As always good luck with your next session, I believe in you. See you in the future!

Livestream Schedule

Find me live on Twitch and Youtube every Saturday talking about dungeons & dragons and answering YOUR questions!
I’m going to be doing some surprise live streams this holiday weekend. So follow me on twitch or youtube and be on the lookout for go live notifications.

Sales and Deals

Poll No. 4

Farming for more Experience Points? Make sure to follow on Ko-fi, Patreon, or Discord to stay up to date with all things CraigofInspiration.

Some links are affiliate links, I may earn from qualifying purchases.

Some artwork © 2015 Dean Spencer, used with permission. All rights reserved.

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