Motorcycles, D&D, and Post Apocalyptic High-Octane Chaos

Creating your character

Welcome to Crystalia, where street racers, gladiators, scavvers, and chaos freaks carve out survival one motorcycle chase at a time. Build bold, build weird, build fast. 🎲 Stats Point Buy or Standard Array Min/maxing okay—just keep it flavorful. 🧰 Starting Gear Standard class/background gear One of the following magic item packages: 1 Rare + 1 Uncommon 3 Uncommon 1 Very Rare +1,500 gp for mundane gear, common, or additional uncommon magic items (No hoarding twenty bags of holding. Be creative, not cheesy.) 🏍️ Vehicle You start with a custom Devil’s Ride (think Mad Max motorcycle or trike) powered by grind fuel. Free proficiency: Vehicles (land) We’ll mod the rides together—feel free to theme it wild (bone chassis, crystal turbines, scavver rigs, etc.) 📚 Allowed Content Any official Wizards of the Coast material UA and third-party only with DM approval (must fit the tone) ⚙️ Start at Level 9 💀 Tone Post-apoc, street-level, gladiatorpunk Gangs, chaos magic, weird tech, grim decisions Need help picking items, designing your ride, or tying your background into Crystalia? I got you.

Preparing for the session

Free accounts for D&D Beyond, Zoom, and Owlbear rodeo. Email account to receive the Zoom game link. Free Session Zero before the 6-session campaign.

What Nerdarchist Dave brings to the table

🎭 What to Expect at My Table Riders of Crystalia is fast, chaotic, and rich with story. You’re here to do cool, cinematic stuff and feel something while you’re at it—whether that’s launching your bike over a burning alley, trading words with a chaos cultist, or sharing a quiet, emotional beat with a goblin bartender just trying to make it in a brutal world. At my table, the game moves with you. You bring bold ideas, and we make them sing. Rule of cool is alive and well, and when it’s time for combat, you’ll get fights that are dangerous, tactical, and personal. Every encounter ties back to the story. Every moment gives your character a chance to shine. Your backstory matters. Everything you bring to the table—your goals, your weird secrets, your messy past—it’s all getting woven into the world. Your choices push the story forward. One session you’ll be knee-deep in gritty roleplay, the next you’ll be in a motorcycle chase through a collapsing factory. You’re part of this world now, and it’s going to respond to you. You’re seen. You’re heard. You’re part of a table that values creativity, inclusion, and collaborative storytelling. You’re showing up ready to build something unforgettable—whether you’re here to explore your character’s arc, stir up mayhem, or unload a crystal-charged cannon into a mutant warbeast. So buckle in. You’re going to stir up trouble, dive into the weird, and leave your mark on Crystalia. We’ll laugh, we’ll fight, we’ll break some rules—and if I start chuckling mid-session... you already know something big’s coming. Let’s ride.

Homebrew rules

Here’s how we roll in Riders of Crystalia: Critical Hits do full damage + a roll of the damage dice. (It hits hard. It feels good. That’s the point.) Potions can be chugged as a bonus action. (Need a top-off mid-brawl? Do it fast.) Dragonborn Breath Weapon can be used as a bonus action or in place of one of your attacks. (More dragon. Less waiting.) You start every session with Inspiration. (You're the hero of your own chaos.) Inspiration stacks. (Use it when it matters—or save up for a wild moment.)`

How Nerdarchist Dave creates a safe table

This game might be full of chaos magic, fleshwarped nightmares, and gladiator grit—but the table itself is a safe, respectful, and inclusive space. We’ll kick things off with a Session 0 to review expectations, discuss tone, and ensure everyone’s on the same page. During that session, we’ll also set up: Lines & Veils – We’ll define topics that are off-limits (lines) or should fade to black (veils), so no one’s caught off guard. X-Card – If anything crosses a line mid-game, say “X” or tap the X card virtual. No explanation needed—we’ll pause, rewind, and shift gears. My goal is to create a space where everyone can explore the wild world of Crystalia and feel safe doing so. All players, identities, and play styles are welcome here—as long as we treat each other with respect.