Discord is one of the most powerful tools for running Dungeons & Dragons, or any TTRPG for that matter. It can even be your only tool, if you plan on running theatre of the mind battles or a system where combat isn’t involved at all. You can just make an account, send out invite links, and start a call. Like many tools, however, Discord has a lot of uses apart from its most obvious one. Here is how to level up your Discord from a simple call app to a thriving community hub.

It’s the season of fey thanks to Wild Beyond the Witchlight. We at StartPlaying have many silly Dungeon Masters who are eager to weave a Feywild tale with you, and maybe pull a few tricks along the way. The only regrettable thing about Witchlight is that it ends so quickly, only taking players to level 8. So to help you keep the fun going, we looked up some neat folklore and fairy tales from different cultures. Feel free to drop these into your Witchlight campaign as you like, or use them to start a brand new quest! 

Many Dungeons & Dragons players want high level content, but Wizards of the Coast isn’t working on an endgame hardcover anytime soon. As many fans will point out, level 20 games are a different beast entirely. Player characters of higher levels have so many options and abilities that there is no universal adventure template capable of challenging them. DMs instead need to tailor the game to the specific characters.

One of the most convenient ways to play Dungeons & Dragons (or any TTRPG) is online. The internet gives you access to a literal world of potential players and Dungeon Masters, not to mention game styles. There’s also the matter of safety, as some people might not feel comfortable playing in person or lack the ability to travel. That said, there is admittedly a learning curve to playing online. You may need to use a character sheet you’re not used to, figure out how macros work, and learn how to make tokens. To make it easy, we broke down the essential tools for playing D&D online. 

Dungeons & Dragons is more popular than ever, which makes it a great time to start playing. Or StartPlaying, in this case, as we have a friendly group of expert GMs ready to run a variety of beginner-friendly sessions. But with so many different settings, hardcover campaigns, and play styles out there, it can be hard for both player and DM to pick the right first time game. 

What do you think when you hear the words “steampunk” and “Dungeons & Dragons” together? What about “noir” and “Dungeons & Dragons”? If your mind immediately goes to campaign ideas for high-stakes train heists, detective rogues with trench coats, and magical technology, then you’re going to love what’s happening on DMs Guild this month. 

It’s called Dungeons & Dragons, which means everyone expects to dungeon crawl and fight a dragon. That will only be more true in October, when Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons unleashes a trove of new dragon lore on 5E. Gem dragons will make their return, dragonborn players will get new options, and lairs will see expanded rules. But that doesn’t mean DMs need to wait until October to drop a dragon on their players. Here are five dragons you can find in the Monster Manual that will shock, awe, and burn your party to a crisp. 

You might have heard about this new thing called professional Dungeon Masters. It hit its stride during the pandemic, as more and more players were forced to navigate the complexities of online Dungeons & Dragons. Finding randoms on forums resulted in horror stories, creating a need for seasoned DMs who could give groups of strangers a fun (and safe) time. Even as restrictions ease, however, players are finding that paid DMs deliver. What exactly do they deliver? Here are 5 reasons you should hire a Professional Dungeon Master/Game Master.