Episodes

14h ago

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

4d ago

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:00:59 Sly Flourish News: Last Days of Sly Flourish Book Sale! 00:03:48 Sly Flourish News: Adventure Prompts, Crap in my Tackle Box 00:06:24 D&D & RPG News: JP Coovert Gift Guide 00:07:51 Kickstarter Spotlight: Crack the Sun for Draw Steel 00:11:50 Product Spotlight: Dread Dungeonomicon by Raging Swan 00:16:54 D&D & RPG News: D&D Beyond Developer AMA 00:31:42 D&D & RPG News: 5.2.1 SRD Released in Four Languages 00:36:52 DM Tip: Prep Through Villains 00:50:53 Patreon Question: Convincing Players to Play Folk-Heroic RPGs 00:57:49 Patreon Question: Players Drawing Maps on GM Descriptions 01:00:25 Patreon Question: GM Notes and Campaign Continuity and Consistency Links Last days Sly Flourish Book Sale! Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Seek Adventure Prompts Crap I Keep in my Tackle Box JP Coovert’s Gift Guide of Indie RPGs Crack the Sun Crowdfunding Campaign Dread Dungeononomicon D&D Beyond Producer Post D&D Beyond Producer AMA Maps Updates and Feedback Post 5.2.1 SRD in Five Languages

Dec 12

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Dec 8

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:00:59 Sly Flourish News: 20% Off Books and Free Shipping in US and UK on $50 or More 00:02:30 Sly Flourish News: Running Scarlet Minotaur, Seek Adventure Prompts, Monastery of Astarion 00:05:42 Sly Flourish News: Mike on the Games with Dave Stream 00:06:29 D&D & RPG News: Forge of the Artificer Articles on EN World 00:09:39 D&D & RPG News: EN World 2026 Anticipated RPG Nominations 00:16:14 Commentary: A Tale of Two Session Zeros 00:50:54 DM Tip: Campaign Prep Part 2 – Post Session Zero 01:03:02 Patreon Question: Types of Secrets Links A20% off Sly Flourish Books with Free Shipping in US and UK for $50 or More Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Running Shadowdark's Scarlet Minotaur as a One-Shot Game Seek Adventure Prompts Appearance on Games with Dave Forge of the Artificer first impressions on EN World Forge of the Artificer Deep Dive on EN World EN World’s Most Anticipated RPGs of 2026 Nominations Dragonbane Cheat Sheet Types of Secrets

Dec 5

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Dec 1

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:00:43 Sly Flourish News: Sly Flourish Books 20% off with Free Shipping 00:02:11 Sly Flourish News: Favorite 2025 Products, Running Shadowdark's Scarlet Minotaur, Patron Obsidian Vaults 00:05:16 Kickstarter Spotlight: Beast RPG for 5e 00:09:08 D&D & RPG News: Shadowrun 5e Bundle of Holding 00:12:09 D&D & RPG News: Dyson Commerical Maps of 2025 00:13:43 Commentary: RPGs of 2026 00:30:48 DM Tip: Prepping New Campaigns 00:46:48 Patreon Question: Roll Dice in the Open 00:49:24 Patreon Question: Is Shadowdark Still the Best D&D Starter Set? 00:53:02 Patreon Question: Improvising Failing Forward 00:57:26 Patreon Question: Trends in RPGs Post OGL 01:01:53 Patreon Question: Playing RPGs is Boring Links A20% off Sly Flourish Books with Free Shipping! Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Favorite RPG Products of 2025 Running Shadowdark's Scarlet Minotaur as a One-Shot Beast Kickstarter Shadowrun Bundle of Holding 5e Essentials Universe Mega Dyson 2024 Commercial Map Pack

Nov 28

Show Links Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Dragonbane Core Set

Nov 24

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:01:03 Sly Flourish News: When to Cheat at RPGs, 2025 Favorite RPG Products, Finished Two Campaigns, Next Campaigns 00:06:25 Sly Flourish News: Apperance on Solo RPG Podcast 00:07:20 Kickstarter Spotlight: Temple of the Lightbringers by MT Black 00:09:22 D&D & RPG News: Pax Unplugged, Lots of Daggerheart, Nothing for D&D 00:18:33 Commentary: Favorite RPG Products of 2025 00:32:51 Patreon Spotlight: Dwarven Forge VTT Backdrops 00:35:52 DM Tip: Run Great Campaign Endings 00:50:21 Patreon Question: Running Cohesive Campaigns 00:54:07 Patreon Question: Why Are the Eight Steps In Their Current Order? 01:00:09 Patreon Question: Factions in a Homebrew Setting Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: When and How to Cheat when Running RPGs Favorite RPG Products of 2025 Temple of the Lightbringers Kickstarter Daggerheart Announcements at PAX Unplugged Dragonbane Core Set Tales of the Valiant Game Master's Guide Daggerheart Core Set Chessex 24" Battle Mat Staedtler 315-9 Medium Point Wet Erase Marker (Black) Ending Campaigns

Nov 21

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Nov 17

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:04 Sly Flourish News: Mash Up the Eight Steps, How to Cheat at RPGs, Dread Necropolis, 03:47 Sly Flourish News: New RPGs Hitting My Desk 10:17 D&D & RPG News: Fantasy Grounds Free to Play and Online Compendium 13:20 D&D & RPG News: D&D Nexus on Demiplane 17:10 Commentary: Is Locally Owned Software Important? 23:57 D&D & RPG News: Apocalypse World Burned Over AMA on Reddit 24:56 Commentary: What Is the OSR? 50:38 DM Tip: Pre-Game Rituals 57:42 Patreon Question: Generating Random Adventures 01:02:26 Patreon Question: Stranger Things D&D Box To Bring In New Players Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Mashing Up the Eight Steps When and How to Cheat when Running RPGs Fantasy Grounds Free with Online Web Viewer New D&D Nexus on Demiplane Vincent Baker AMA on Apocalypse World Burned Over Using REAL CULT TACTICS to improve your D&D group

Nov 14

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Nov 10

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:01:08 Sly Flourish News: Alternative Initiative Options, Mashing Up the Eight Steps 00:02:49 Patreon Spotlight: Dread Necropolis Adventure Scenario 00:05:06 Sly Flourish News: Upcoming Games 00:09:29 D&D & RPG News: Kobold Press Book Bundle 00:13:06 Kickstarter Spotlight: Drakkenheim Daggerheart Campaign Book 00:18:02 Kickstarter Spotlight: Apocalypse World Burned Over 00:23:45 D&D & RPG News: Meg and Vincent Baker and Jonathan Harper Podcast with Ben Riggs 00:25:02 D&D & RPG News: Shannon Appleclein on Mastering Dungeons 00:28:09 D&D & RPG News: WOTC Brings Back Educational Resources for D&D 00:32:20 D&D & RPG News: New One Ring Adventures 00:34:38 DM Tip: Experiences with Dreadful Blessings 00:55:46 Patreon Question: Building Characters for One-on-One RPGs 00:58:31 Patreon Question: Motivations for Cultists 01:01:44 Patreon Question: Dealing and Facilitating Table Talk 01:03:59 Patreon Question: Tuning Bosses in Shadowdark Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Three Alternative Initiative Options Mashing Up the Eight Steps Huge Kobold Press Bundle Drakkenheart Kickstarter Apocalypse World Burned Over Kickstarter Meg and Vincent Baker and Jonathan Harper on Reading D&D Aloud Designers and Dragons Crowdfunding Campaign still going on D&D After School Programs Hasbro Educational Resources New One Ring and Lord of the Rings 5e Adventure Books Dreadful Blessings

Nov 7

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Nov 3

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:38 Sly Flourish News: Improv vs. Prep, Three Initiative Options 02:12 Patreon Spotlight: Dyson Commercial Maps Gallary 05:15 Sly Flourish News: Halloween Shadowdark Ravenloft Game 08:47 Sly Flourish News: Appearance on EN World 09:32 Commentary: Evil Hat Games and EPUB for Accessibility 13:44 Commentary: What Is the Lazy RPG Talk Show? 26:36 Product Spotlight: Forgotten Realms Heroes and Adventures of Faerun 49:29 Patreon Question: Improvising Map Annotations and Details 54:15 Patreon Question: Connecting with Another Player's Character 56:15 Patreon Question: How do you Review the Characters? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Morrus's Unofficial Tabletop RPG Talk with Mike

Oct 31

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Oct 27

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:01 Sly Flourish News: Gamehole Panels, Ravenloft with Shadowdark, Models Fuel Creativity, Prep Versus Improv 05:42 D&D & RPG News: StartPlaying.Games RPG Mental Health Survey 11:23 D&D & RPG News: Rob Weiland Passes Away 13:11 D&D & RPG News: Asmodee Takes Control of Lord of the Rings Tabletop License 16:56 D&D & RPG News: 30% Off Chaosium Products on DTRPG 17:50 Kickstarter Spotlight: Origins 4-Volume D&D Product History by Evil Hat 19:45 D&D & RPG News: Glass Cannon Liveplay using Shadowdark and Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master 20:33 D&D & RPG News: D&D 3D VTT Project Sigil Officially Ends 29:48 Product Spotlight: Phantasy Star RPG 37:23 Commentary: Experiences at Gamehole Con 2025 54:15 Patreon Spotlight: Crypts of Karigulon Updates 59:02 Patreon Question: Friend Doesn't Want My AI / LLM Generated Campaign Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Running Ravenloft with Shadowdark Frameworks Fuel Creativity Improv Versus Prep TTRPG Mental Health Survey on StartPlaying.Games Rob Weiland Passed Away Asmodee takes over LOTR RPG rights Chaosium sale on DTRPG Designers and Dragons crowdfunding campaign Glass Cannon Liveplay mentions Lazy DM Project Sigil D&D 3D VTT is No More Phantasy Star RPG

Oct 24

Mike Shea, David Christ, and Allan Patrick share our best GM tips and discuss with the audience at our Gamehole Con panel recorded on 18 October 2025 Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Oct 21

A recording of the "Beautiful Mess of 5e" Gamehole Con seminar recorded on 15 October 2025 with Teos Abadia, Shawn Merwin, Mike Mearls, and Mike Shea. Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books

Oct 17

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Oct 13

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:45 Sly Flourish News: Tab Your Books, Ravenloft with Shadowdark, Gamehole Con 04:01 Patreon Spotlight: 5e Artisanal Database Combat Tracker 10:43 Kickstarter Spotlight: Allies and Enemies for Shadowdark 12:26 Kickstarter Spotlight: Hall of Horrors for Daggerheart, Candela Obscura, and 5e 14:49 Sly Flourish News: Partnering with Let's Quest 16:49 Commentary: Back Up Your Digital RPG Stuff 34:25 DM Tip: The Value of Adventure Types 43:14 Patreon Question: Advanced Traps in 5e 48:18 Patreon Question: Keeping Multiple RPG Rulesets In Our Heads 53:10 Patreon Question: Homebrewing Adventures As Good As Published Adventures Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Tab Your Books Running Ravenloft with Shadowdark Allies and Enemies for Shadowdark Kickstarter Hall of Horrors: Bestiary for Daggerheart, D&D 5E, and CO Let's Quest Adventure Types: Dungeon Crawls

Oct 10

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Oct 6

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:58 Sly Flourish News: Take it Easy, Tab Your Books, Gamehole Con, PAGE 3 04:55 Kickstarter Spotlight: Hexploration Decks by Inkwell Ideas 06:51 D&D & RPG News: Better Accessibiliy for PDFs 11:15 D&D & RPG News: How to Make an RPG Book 12:34 Product Spotlight: The Land of Eem 33:10 Commentary: Great 3rd Edition Forgotten Realms Products 48:23 DM Tip: The Simplest Quest Model 55:03 Patreon Question: Preparing to Improvise 58:40 Patreon Question: Handling Monsters who Give Up or Run Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Last Week's Article: Go Easy On Yourself Next Week's Article: Tab Your Books Going to be at Gamehole Con Going to be at PAGE3 Hexploration Decks Expanded How to make an RPG book Part 1 How to make an RPG book Part 2 Land of Eem Quickstart Land of Eem Core Rule Book Land of Eem Boxed Set Forgotten Realms 3rd Edition Campaign Sourcebook Waterdeep City of Splendors Lost Empires of Faerun Unapproachable East Shining South Mysteries of the Moonsea Serpent Kingdoms Lords of Darkness

Oct 3

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Sep 29

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:00:50 Sly Flourish News: Use Agnostic Tools, Go Easy On Yourself, Vathrex Unchained 00:03:16 D&D & RPG News: Shadow of the Weird Wizard Bundle of Holding 00:07:05 Product Spotlight: Mythic Game Master Emulator for Solo RPGs 00:12:49 D&D & RPG News: How Many D&D Products Are There? 00:16:28 D&D & RPG News: Critical Role Interview on Dungeon Craft 00:37:47 DM Tip: What's Your Villain's Backup Plan? 00:52:34 Patreon Question: Share DCs and ACs? 00:57:09 Patreon Question: Worth Running Other RPGs? 01:04:13 Patreon Question: Starter Sets for Experienced Groups? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Use Agnostic Tools Go Easy On Yourself Shadow of the Weird Wizard How to Find and Read Blogs Mythic Game Master Emulator Free guidelines Mythic Game Master Emulator One Pager Mythic Game Master Emulator Second Edition How Much D&D Stuff Is There? Critical Role interview with Professor Dungeon Master Villainous Backup Plans Makes a pact with a devil Sacrifices themselves Sacrifices their followers Sacrifices something they love Finds another key Conducts a life stealing ritual Makes a deal with a rival Digs everywhere Goes after something the characters love Allies with a more powerful being Creates a fake key Moves at a faster pace Takes a big risk Digs a new entrance Attempts to destroy the thing Seeks an alternative route Goes after an alternative artifact Infiltrates through a parallel world Sends in an army Seeks the Forbidden Way

Sep 26

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Sep 22

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:59 Sly Flourish News: Published Adventures, Use Agnostic Tools, Vathrix Unchained 04:28 Sly Flourish News: Lazy DM's Workbook in NY Magazine 05:42 D&D & RPG News: Justice Arman on Mastering Dungeons 07:35 D&D & RPG News: D&D Starter Set Ad and Liveplay 11:25 Commentary: Is WOTC Being a Good Steward of the RPG Hobby? 38:59 Commentary: Dragonbane Feedback 52:08 Patreon Question: Running Paper Character Sheets 55:44 Patreon Question: Magic Item Attunement Criteria Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Lazy DM's Workbook in New York Magazine Justice Arman on Mastering Dungeons D&D Starter Set Ad D&D Starter Set Liveplay with Stinky Dragon Podcast folks New URL for D&D School Program pages Sly Flourish Sponsorship page D&D Beyond Isn't a Fair Platform for Customers or Publishers

Sep 18

Mike offers his first look at the new D&D Starter Set – Heroes of the Borderlands. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon

Sep 15

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:39 Sly Flourish News: Lazy Map Annotations, Are Published Adventures Easier?, the Beautiful Mess of 5e 05:35 Sly Flourish News: Attention Retailers 07:08 D&D & RPG News: Starter Set Spotlights 09:13 Product Spotlight: Dragonbane Core Boxed Set 40:18 DM Tip: The Value of Solo Play 46:12 Patreon Question: Preparing Dungeons 51:28 Patreon Question: Colonialism and Looting Treasure 01:00:49 Patreon Question: Running 90 Minute Games Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Lazy Map Annotation Are Published Adventures Easier to Run? Gamehole Con Alphastream Heroes of the Borderlands Starter Set - Components and Characters Review Heroes of the Borderlands Starter Set - What Adventures are Like Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes of the Borderlands - First Impressions Dragonbane Boxed Set Ironsworn RPG Solodark for Shadowdark Thousand Year Old Vampire

Sep 11

Mike dives into the three core books of four different 5e systems and offers his opinions on the best of the bunch! 00:00 - I love 5e 01:48 - What is 5e? 06:51 - Focusing on Four Versions -- D&D 2014, D&D 2024, Level Up Advanced 5e, and Tales of the Valiant 08:51 - Focusing on the Core Books 09:26 - What is the Best 5e? 11:36 - Best Player's Handbook 24:27 - Best Game Master Guide 36:57 - Best Monster Book 46:06 - Recapping the Ranking 47:02 - Mix and Match Links Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Black Flag System Reference Document D&D 2014 5.1 System Reference Document D&D 2024 5.2 System Reference Document Level Up Advanced 5e System Reference Document

Sep 8

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:36 Sly Flourish News: Secret of the Eight Steps and Lazy Map Annotations 01:43 Sly Flourish News: New Hat, Coffee Cup, and Calendar on the Store 04:29 Sly Flourish News: Key of Worlds 15 Releasing This week! 07:32 Sly Flourish News: Upcoming Conventions 09:16 Sly Flourish News: 5e, OSR, and Shadowdark on Dungeon Master Diaries 09:54 Kickstarter Spotlight: Scorched Basin by Homie and the Dude 12:50 Kickstarter Spotlight: Northlands by Kobold Press 30:15 Commentary: Daggerheart Initiative Feedback 37:36 Commentary: Lots Of You Play Lots of Different RPGs 44:59 DM Tip: Lazy 5e Crafting Guidelines 59:06 Patreon Question: Create a New or Use an Existing Location for Homebrew Adventures in Published Campaign Worlds 01:03:47 Patreon Question: Where to Spend time on Campaign Building 01:09:29 Patreon Question: Prepping Dungeons When you Don't Know Their Path Links The Secret of the Eight Steps of Lazy Game Prep Lazy Map Annotation Gamehole Con PAGE 3 Con Mike on Dungeon Master Diaries Talking about 5e and OSR and Shadowdark Homie and the Dude Scorched Basin Northlands Kickstarter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Sep 5

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Sep 1

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:44 Sly Flourish News: Track Turns the Shadowdark Way, The Secret of the Eight Steps of Lazy GM Prep 02:16 Sly Flourish News: 300 Room Descriptions 09:06 D&D & RPG News: DMs Guild Humble Bundle 12:26 D&D & RPG News: Dungeon Master Diaries on Playing Games Online 14:07 Commentary: Daggerheart Initial Thoughts 50:17 DM Tip: Roll for Monster Targets 56:57 Patreon Question: Dealing with the Mid-Campaign Blues 01:02:12 Patreon Question: Getting Players to Spend Treasure Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Track Turns the Shadowdark Way The Secret of the Eight Steps of Lazy Game Prep Room descriptions in the Lazy GM Resource Doc DMs Guild Humble Bundle Dungeon Master Diaries – Playing Online Daggerheart

Aug 29

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Aug 25

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:11 Sly Flourish News: Lazy 5e Magic Item Prices, Track Turns the Shadowdark Way, 14th Key of Worlds Scenario 05:48 Sly Flourish News: 5e Artisanal Database Treasure Generators 10:11 D&D & RPG News: Ironsworn Bundle of Holding 12:39 Kickstarter Spotlight: Aethereal Expanse Dreams of the Drowned God by Ghostfire Gaming 15:09 D&D & RPG News: Critical Role Season 4 Uses D&D 2024 33:40 D&D & RPG News: Dark Sun Subclasses in Playtesting 37:26 D&D & RPG News: Cypher System 2e Preview from Monte Cook Games 41:01 Product Spotlight: Nimble Boxed Set 51:39 DM Tip: Fixing Counterspell and Spell-Like Attacks 01:02:03 Patreon Question: How to Reveal Character Secrets Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Ironsworn Bundle of Holding Aethereal Expanse Dreams of the Drowned God Kickstarter Critical Role Season 4 Uses D&D 2024 Dark Sun Subclass Playtest Cypher System Preview Nimble Boxed Set Nimble Quickstart Rules

Aug 22

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Aug 18

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:12 Sly Flourish News: NPC Betrayal, 5e Magic Item Prices 03:03 Sly Flourish News: 20% Sly Flourish Books and Free US Shipping 04:04 Patreon Spotlight: Readings and Reflections 05:34 Patreon Spotlight: 5eADB Dice Roller and Point Buy Calculator 09:56 Product Spotlight: Tales of the Valiant Starter Set 21:52 Commentary: D&D Versus Magic the Gathering 49:23 DM Tip: Lazy Map Annotation 54:47 Patreon Question: Best Tools for Digital D&D? 59:18 Patreon Question: Shadowdark Feeling with 5e Links Sly Flourish Sale – 20% off and Free US Shipping until 20 August Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Avoid NPC Betrayal Lazy 5e Magic Item Prices Tales of the Valiant Starter Set Hasbro Earnings Call Transcript Ben Rigg's Gencon Panel: Solving the Mysteries of the D&D Business

Aug 15

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Aug 11

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:29 Sly Flourish News: Lazy World Building, Avoid NPC Betrayal 02:31 Sly Flourish News: Summer Sale - 20% off books and free US shipping \> $60 03:49 Sly Flourish News: City of Arches on Shard 04:57 Sly Flourish News: DM's Guid to Tyranny of Dragons by Beadle and Grimm 06:59 Sly Flourish News: Mike Joins Luke Hart on DM's Lair 09:19 Sly Flourish News: Sly Flourish Partnering with Let's Quest for After-School RPGs 12:34 Sly Flourish News: 5e ADB Monster Database 19:32 D&D & RPG News: D&D Starter Set Details 23:57 DM Tip: Choose Your Next RPG 36:11 DM Tip: Lose Yourself in Fiction 48:38 Patreon Question: Overwhelming Players with Villain Quest Progression 53:10 Patreon Question: Running Games with One Online Player 57:28 Patreon Question: D&D 2024 Slowing Down Combat? Links Twenty Percent Off Sly Flourish Books and free US shipping! Let's Quest – Empowering Schools & Libraries Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Lazy World Building Avoid NPC Betrayal City of Arches on Shard Tabletop Beadle and Grimm Tyranny of Dragons Legendary Edition Mike on DM's Lair with Luke Hart D&D Starter Set – Heroes of the Borderlands Details

Aug 8

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Aug 4

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:04 Sly Flourish News: Ten Heist Encounters, Lazy World Building 02:28 Sly Flourish News: Map Annotator in 5eADB 06:06 D&D & RPG News: ENNIE Winners 07:46 D&D & RPG News: Cypher System Revised by Monte Cook Games 14:59 D&D & RPG News: Daggerheart Class Decks, New Adventures, New Worlds with Keith Baker 20:06 D&D & RPG News: Critical Role Season 4 with Brennan Lee Mulligan 23:28 D&D & RPG News: Pathfinder Abomination Vaults on D&D Beyond 25:20 Commentary: D&D Beyond Isn't a Fair Business Platform 32:57 D&D & RPG News: Exclusive Forgotten Realms Products on D&D Beyond 39:26 Commentary: "Welcome Back" post by Dan Ayoub 01:00:24 DM Tip: Five Scenes 01:07:30 Patreon Question: 3-2-1 Quest Model Without a Job Board Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: ENNIE Winners Cypher Evolved by Monte Cook Games Daggerheart Gencon 2025 Announcements Brennan Lee Mulligan GMs Critical Role Season 4 Pathfinder Abomination Vaults PDF Forgotten Realms Digital Exclusives for D&D Beyond Welcome Back to the Table: D&D's New Direction D&D Beyond Terms and Conditions Jess Lanzillo interview with Christian Hoffer 3-2-1 Quest Model

Aug 1

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Jul 28

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:01:08 Sly Flourish News: Three Quests, Ten Heist Encounters, Endless Warrens Adventure Scenario 00:05:58 Sly Flourish News: Token Maker in 5e Artisanal Database 00:09:06 D&D & RPG News: Signed Sly Flourish Books and Hexploration Kits at Gencon Inkwell Ideas Booth 150 00:13:06 D&D & RPG News: Eddie Munson Stranger Things D&D Starter Set 00:24:09 D&D & RPG News: Cthulhu by Torchlight on D&D Beyond 00:34:39 DM Tip: Experiences Running the D&D 2024 Lich 00:55:03 Patreon Question: Fitting RPGs into a Busy Life 01:02:05 Patreon Question: Converting City of Arches and Grendleroot to Daggerheart Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Prep Three Quests Ten Easy Heist Encounters Eddie Munson Stranger Things D&D Starter Set Cthulhu by Torchlight

Jul 25

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Jul 21

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:38 Sly Flourish News: Take it Easy, Prep Three Quests, Shadowdark Adventure, Creative Spark Appearance, 03:12 Sly Flourish News: Lazy 5e Treasure Generator 06:00 D&D & RPG News: Black Flag Released in Creative Commons 11:45 Commentary: Eberron Forge of the Artificer is a Weird Product 24:16 Commentary: 2025 D&D Starter Set 33:20 DM Tip: Experiences Running the D&D 2024 Death Knight 42:29 DM Tip: Lazy 5e Magic Item Prices 52:20 Patreon Question: Where Do Your RPG Tips Come From? 57:15 Patreon Question: Converting D&D 2024 Material Back to 2014 Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Take It easy Prep Three Quests Guest on Creative Spark talking about being an RPG YouTuber Black Flag released in the CC Eberron Forge of the Artificer delayed D&D Starter Set Info RPG Tips in the Creative Commons

Jul 18

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Jul 14

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:54 Sly Flourish News: Treasure Parcels, Take it Easy, Shadowdark Adventure 05:06 Sly Flourish News: 5e Artisanal Database Encounter calculator 09:13 D&D & RPG News: New VP of D&D and a D&D Franchise Model 22:37 Product Spotlight: City of Arches Spotlight 40:09 DM Tip: What Do You Need To Run Your Next Session? 52:58 Patreon Question: Are We Leaving Fun at the Table? 58:59 Patreon Question: Revealing Character Secrets Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Dungeons & Dragons Shifts to Franchise Model, Dan Ayoub Named as Head City of Arches (with link to free preview)

Jul 11

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Jul 7

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:01:06 Sly Flourish News: Chessex Mat Review, Treasure Parcels, Shadowdark Adventure 00:03:06 Sly Flourish News: 5e Artisanal Database Advanced Search Features 00:09:43 D&D & RPG News: RPG Mega Bundle on Humble Bundle 00:14:31 D&D & RPG News: Free Leage Summer Sales 00:16:42 D&D & RPG News: 2025 ENNIE Nominations 00:17:36 Commentary: Dungeon Delves Core Book Compatibility and Betrayal Adventures 00:34:51 Product Spotlight: Labyrinth by Kobold Press 00:53:01 DM Tip: The Two Opposing Truths of RPGs 01:00:15 Patreon Question: Maps and Theater of the Mind Breaking Immersion Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Chessex Battle Mat Review Lazy 5e Treasure Parcels Go Big RPG Humble Bundle Free League sale ENNIE 2025 nominations Labyrinth Worldbook Running Theater of the Mind Combat Abstract Battle Maps Zone-based Combat

Jul 4

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Jun 30

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:00:45 Sly Flourish News: New Articles, Weapons of Power, Combat Tracker 00:01:53 Sly Flourish News: Weapons of Power Supplement 00:09:25 Sly Flourish News: Dread Necropolis Adventure Toolkit 00:12:53 Sly Flourish News: Combat Tracker in 5e Artisanal Database 00:18:17 D&D & RPG News: Numenera Humble Bundle 00:21:59 Product Spotlight: Dragon Delves for D&D 00:40:26 DM Tip: Building a Lazy Pantheon 00:54:43 Patreon Question: Adventure-Breaking Character Abilities 01:01:36 Patreon Question: Climactic Negotiations Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Avoid Removing Player Agency Chessex Battle Mat Review Numenera Humble Bundle

Jun 26

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Jun 23

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com 00:00 Show Start 00:59 Sly Flourish News: New Articles, Scions of Light, 5eADB Updates 09:19 Kickstarter Spotlight: Treasures in the Dark by Jeff Stevens 10:43 D&D & RPG News: Perkins and Crawford Join Darrington Press, Ivan van Norman Leaves DP, Todd Kendrick Laid Off, Jess Lanzillo Leaves WOTC 16:57 Commentary: The RPG Business Punditry Hobby 22:14 Commentary: What Makes an RPG Successful? 37:30 DM Tip: Running 200 Ghouls in One Battle 49:53 Patreon Question: Campaign Plans and Player Agency 55:30 Patreon Question: Best Resources for New GMs 58:43 Patreon Question: Managing Large Groups of Monsters Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books How to Get Your Group to Play Other RPGs Organizing Your RPG Prep Notes Avoid Removing Player Agency Treasures in the Dark Kickstarter Chris Perkins and Jeremy Crawford Join Darrington Press Ivan van Norman Leaves Darrington Press Todd Kendrick Laid Off Jess Lanzillo Departs Wizards of the Coast Mastering Dungeons Episode What Makes RPGs Successful Running Hordes

Jun 13

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Jun 9

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:48 Sly Flourish News: 5e Artisanal Database Updates, Key of Worlds Scenario 11 08:25 Kickstarter Spotlight: Dragonbane Arkand & Book of Magic 11:19 D&D & RPG News: LGBTQ\+ TTRPG Bundle on Bundle of Holding 11:54 Product Spotlight: Daggerheart 36:08 DM Tip: Track Monster Damage with Xs and Slashes 47:16 Patreon Question: Telling Players About Quests 51:13 Patreon Question: Keeping a Campaign's Tone Consistent 54:33 Patreon Question: Tying Character Backgrounds to Published Adventures Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Hang On Loosely How to Get Your Group to Play Other RPGs Dragonbane Kickstarter Pride Games Bundle of Holding Daggerheart Tallying Damage – Patchwork Paladin

Jun 6

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Jun 2

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:01:02 D&D & RPG News: Happy Pride Month 00:01:31 Sly Flourish News: Leave Blanks, Hang On Loosely, COA Available Worldwide, Markdown and EPUB Lazy DM's Companion 00:08:03 D&D & RPG News: Daggerheart in Markdown 00:09:50 D&D & RPG News: Grim Hollow Bundle of Holding 00:13:48 D&D & RPG News: RPG Game Master Book Series Humble Bundle 00:15:01 Kickstarter Spotlight: Tales of the Valiant Player's Guide 2 00:18:40 Product Spotlight: Horizon Issue 3 by Wildmage Press 00:21:46 D&D & RPG News: D&D 2014 to D&D 2024 Conversion Guide 00:25:51 D&D & RPG News: Ten Cultist Powers by Evan Rash 00:26:53 D&D & RPG News: Corridor Themes by Justin Alexander 00:29:58 Sly Flourish News: The 5e Artisanal Database 00:39:04 DM Tip: The Power of Text Files 00:50:41 Patreon Question: Running the Keep Scenario from Lazy DM's Companion 00:55:16 Patreon Question: Sly Flourish Tools for Shadowdark 01:03:04 Patreon Question: Stocking Dungeons Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Leave Blanks Hang On Loosely City of Arches Shipping Worldwide Daggerheart SRD in Markdown Grim Hollow Bundle of Holding Deadlands Humble Bundle The Game Master's Book Of Humble Bundle Tales of the Valiant Player's Handbook 2 Kickstarter Horizons Issue 3 New D&D 2014 to D&D 2024 Conversion Guide Ten Cult Powers by Evan Rash Corridor Themes by Justin Alexander

May 30

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

May 26

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:33 Sly Flourish News: New Articles, Updated Obsidian Notes, COA Shipping in Europe, Lazy DM's Companion in EPUB and Markdown 08:04 D&D & RPG News: Old School Essentials Bundle of Holding 11:14 Kickstarter Spotlight: Blades in the Dark Deep Cuts 13:52 D&D & RPG News: Daggerheart Released 27:42 DM Tip: Mashing Up the Eight Steps 48:04 Commentary: Too Much Linking In Markdown Notes 49:57 Patreon Question: Rolling 3d6 For Ability Scores 53:34 Patreon Question: Low Level Characters with Powerful Legacy Magic Items 57:11 Patreon Question: Building Rich Tactical Battles in Old School Adventures Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Your Criteria for Selecting Great Published Adventures Leave Blanks Old School Essentials Bundle of Holding Blades in the Dark Deep Cuts Backerkit Campaign Dice Exploder Interview with Jonathan Harper on Blades in the Dark Deep Cuts Daggerheart on Critical Role Store Daggerheart SRD Daggerheart Community License Daggerheart Quickstart PDF Evaluating an adventure — Patchwork Paladin

May 23

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

May 19

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:08 Sly Flourish News: New Articles, Key of Worlds Scenario 10, COA Shipping News 06:25 D&D & RPG News: Raging Swan Bundle of Holding 09:14 Kickstarter Spotlight: Neon City Outlaws by Rodney Thompson 12:17 D&D & RPG News: D&D 2024 5.2 SRD Available in Markdown 16:51 D&D & RPG News: Patchwork Paladin on Lord of the Rings 5e Dissecting and Piecing Together 5e 21:11 Commentary: Gary Gygax's 25 Year D&D Predictions from 1999 35:41 Commentary: 25 Years of WOTC Making Fun of It's Own Products 39:46 Commentary: AI GMing Taken to the Logical Conclusion - Just Run the Whole Game For Us 42:22 DM Tip: Lightning Rods for Each 5e Class Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Raging Swan Bundle of Holding Neon City Outlaws D&D 2024 5.2 SRD in Markdown Pulling Apart D&D 5e – Patchwork Paladin Lightning Rods – Showcase Powerful Character Abilities

May 16

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

May 12

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:55 Sly Flourish News: New Articles, COA Fulfillment, Artisanal Monster Database Updates 11:06 Commentary: Experiences Running Three 5e Systems in the Same Game 28:26 Commentary: Managing Character Options At Our Table 45:34 DM Tip: How to Run Stealth and Hiding in 5e 59:16 Patreon Question: The Intimacy and Focus of One-on-One Games Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Two-Word Cure All to Overpowered Characters Break and Prevent the Boredom Spiral Running One-on-One Games A Framework for One-on-One D&D Games: Sherlock Holmes and Watson

May 9

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

May 5

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:39 Sly Flourish News: Grendleroot for $5 02:56 Sly Flourish News: TOV Article, Patreon Benefits, New GM Card, COA Updates, Shadowdark Scenario 10:50 Kickstarter Spotlight: Fury of the Forsaken by Lazy Wolf Studios 12:27 D&D & RPG News: Huge Pathfinder 2 Humble Bundle 15:49 D&D & RPG News: Sage Advice Column on D&D Beyond 19:58 Commentary: Paizo Flip Mat Basic Versus Chessex Battle Map 38:46 Patreon Question: Lazy Encounter Benchmark and Waves of Combatants 44:55 Patreon Question: Leveling Up Villains with Forge of Foes 47:34 Patreon Question: Managing Real-World Time In-Game 52:00 Patreon Question: Character Motivation in Shadowdark with high PC Turnover 58:06 Patreon Question: Managing Monster Difficulty in D20 / 5e Games Links Grendleroot On Sale for $5! Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Gems of the Tales of the Valiant Game Master's Guide Fury of the Forsaken Kickstarter Pathfinder 2 Asian Fantasy Humble Bundle D&D 2024 Sage Advice Staedtler 315-9 Medium Point Wet Erase Markers Chessex Battle Mat Chessex Battle Megamat Pathfinder Flip Mat Basic Lazy Encounter Benchmark Dials of Monster Difficulty

May 2

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Apr 28

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:04 Sly Flourish News: Ruins of the Grendleroot On Sale 04:42 Sly Flourish News: 5e Artisanal Monster Database Updated with D&D 2025 MM Monsters 07:42 Sly Flourish News: New Articles and Podcasts 10:04 Kickstarter Spotlight: Knock Issue 5 from Merry Mushman 13:17 D&D & RPG News: 5.2 SRD Released into the Creative Commons 22:07 Commentary: What can GM's Do with the 5.2 SRD? 27:40 Commentary: A Look at Mike's Little Candles -- Is WOTC Being a Good Steward of the Hobby? 45:36 D&D & RPG News: D&D 2024 Errata 49:34 DM Tip: Using Physical Book At the Table Links Ruins of the Grendleroot On Sale for $5 Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Knock Kickstarter 5.2 SRD Page 5.2 SRD PDF D&D 2024 PHB Errata D&D 2024 DMG Errata D&D 2024 MM Errata

Apr 25

Mike builds an adventure from one of the adventure prompts in the City of Arches! Buy the City of Aches

Apr 21

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:01 Sly Flourish News: City of Arches, Latest SF articles and podcasts, new CC material 12:15 D&D & RPG News: D&D 2024 5.2 System Reference Document on Tuesday 15:09 Commentary: Why the 5.2 SRD Matters to GMs 20:25 Commentary: Do we Need a 5.2 SRD in the OGL? No! 24:52 Commentary: How to Play D&D 6E Today! 31:49 DM Tip: Get Your Players to Play Other Systems 39:47 Patreon Question: Getting Players to Search More 44:56 Patreon Question: Grim Portents and Focusing On Your Next Game 49:04 Patreon Question: Revealing Secrets Through Sages 51:22 Patreon Question: What Sections Are Missing From Most GM Books? Monuments Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: City of Arches D&D 2024 5.2 SRD Coming Tuesday 13th Age Shadow of the Weird Wizard Numenera Dusk City Outlaws Lazy GM's Resource Document

Apr 18

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Apr 14

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:01:25 D&D & RPG News: Jeremy Crawford Leaves Wizards of the Coast 00:07:31 D&D & RPG News: State of the OSR Podcast 00:09:42 Sly Flourish News: City of Arches Available in Hardcover in US and Canada 00:11:35 Sly Flourish News: SF Books for Friendly Local Game Shops through ACD 00:12:42 DM Tip: Running the D&D 2025 Monster Manual Beholder 00:24:25 Commentary: How do RPGs Die? 00:46:02 D&D & RPG News: One-on-One Adventures in Dragon Delves 00:49:42 DM Tip: Running One-on-One Games 00:54:52 Patreon Question: The Lazy GM Eight Steps on Index Cards 00:58:19 Patreon Question: Encounter Building for Three Characters 01:01:58 Patreon Question: Are 5e Systems Compatible and Which Would I Choose if I Had to Pick One? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Jeremy Crawford Leaves WOTC State of the OSR Gencon Panel Podcast City of Arches Hardcover available in US and CA Sly Flourish ACD Distribution for Local Game Shops One-on-One Adventures in Dragon Delves Tips for One-on-One play

Apr 11

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Apr 7

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:01:26 Kickstarter Spotlight: Scepter of the Lightbringer 00:04:57 D&D & RPG News: Chris Perkins Leaves Wizards of the Coast 00:09:26 D&D & RPG News: Tariffs and TTRPGs 00:15:15 Commentary: BG3, Stardew Valley, and Thoughts About Copyright 00:30:18 D&D & RPG News: Level Up Gateway for Level Up Advanced 5e and the Current State of 5e Character Builders 00:36:24 DM Tip: Build a D&D 2024 Character On Paper in Ten Minutes 00:44:56 Patreon Question: Managing Perception and Passive Perception 00:50:08 Patreon Question: Describing Terrain Mechanics in Combat Encounters 00:54:14 Patreon Question: Managing Boring but Effective Character Strateies 00:58:43 Patreon Question: Introducing Old Monsters as New Monsters 01:01:46 Patreon Question: How Long to Get a Feel for a New RPG? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Scepter of the Lightbringer Kickstarter Chris Perkins Leaves Wizards of the Coast EN World Discussion Tariffs and TTRPGs EN World Discussion Stardew Valley, BG3, and WOTC DMCA Takedown Discussion on EN World Level Up Gateway for Level Up Advanced 5e Dungeon Master Diaries Your Ability Check Toolkit What Does Passive Perception Show You?

Apr 4

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Mar 31

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:17 Kickstarter Spotlight: Free5e 07:24 Kickstarter Spotlight: Alien RPG Evolved Edition 09:23 D&D & RPG News: New Miniatures for Sigil? Where's my Gold Dragon Docker?? 14:01 D&D & RPG News: D&D 2024 5.2 System Reference Document Coming "Soon" 19:14 Commentary: Memoirs of a Dracolich 28:35 DM Tip: Slow, Medium, and Fast Initiative 32:03 Patreon Question: Promote Better Behavior for Online Play 35:56 Patreon Question: Choose Your Gamemaster's Guide 39:29 Patreon Question: Incentivizing Movement for Ranged Attackers 43:49 Patreon Question: Stealth and Hiding in D&D 2024 50:46 Patreon Question: Forge of Foes for Shadowdark? 52:18 Patreon Question: Lazy Encounter Benchmark for Tales of the Valiant Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Free5e Kickstarter Alien RPG Evolved Kickstarter D&D Mimic Miniature for Sigil 5.2 SRD "Soon" Discussion on D&D Beyond Ginny Di on Better Online Behavior Merric Blackman on Hiding Justin Alexander on Better Stealth Rules Shadowdark Monster Stats Creating and Adapting Monsters for use in Shadowdark RPG The Lazy Encounter Benchmark Comparing D&D 2024 to the Lazy Encounter Benchmark

Mar 24

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:01:09 D&D & RPG News: Delta Green, Dragonlance, and Kobold Press Humble Bundles 00:05:22 Kickstarter Spotlight: Zaminora Ballad of the Witch 00:06:48 D&D & RPG News: Sigil's Demise 00:13:46 Commentary: Where's the 5.2 SRD? 00:16:40 Commentary: Shadow of the Weird Wizard Initial Thoughts 00:36:04 DM Tip: Defending Yourself Out of the Fun 00:57:03 Patreon Question: Catching Characters Up to Higher Level Adventures 00:59:23 Patreon Question: Running Heroic Adventures with Shadowdark 01:01:33 Patreon Question: Which Monster Book Do You Reach For? 01:05:19 Patreon Question: Experiences with Level Up Advanced 5e Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Delta Green Humble Bundle Dragonlance Novel Humble Bundle Kobold Press 5e Player Option Humble Bundle Zamanora Ballad of the Witch Kickstarter Has Wizards of the Coast Given Up on Sigil? Gizmodo – Hasbro Is Scrapping Dungeons & Dragons‘s Ambitious Virtual Tabletop Shadow of the Weird Wizard Soren Johnson – Players Optimize Out of the Fun Dungeon Master Diaries with Kelsey Dionne

Mar 21

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Mar 17

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:06 Kickstarter Spotlight: Beyond the Woods 03:53 Kickstarter Spotlight: Shadowdark Western Reaches 15:25 Commentary: Shadowdark Price Ranges and FOMO 22:53 Commentary: Where Shadowdark Sits Among 5e Games 32:18 DM Tip: House Rules for Shadowdark 38:45 Sly Flourish News: City of Arches Hardcovers and the Key of Worlds Scenario Path 44:54 Sly Flourish News: Additions to the Lazy GM's Reference Document 49:49 Sly Flourish News: Forge of Foes on Audible 50:58 Patreon Question: Alternatives to Cultists 55:04 Patreon Question: Suggestions for Short Adventures and One-Shot Rewards Links Forge of Foes on Audible Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Beyond the Woods Kickstarter Shadowdark Western Reaches Kickstarter Shadowdark Quick Start Free PDF Shadowdark Quick Start Softcover City of Arches Lazy GM's Reference Document

Mar 14

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Mar 10

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:21 D&D & RPG News: Mork Borg Bundle of Holding 04:11 D&D & RPG News: Potbellied Kobold Bundle of Holding 05:03 D&D & RPG News: Dungeon Crawl Classics Humble Bundle 07:49 Kickstarter Spotlight: Secrets of Magic for Fateforge 10:29 D&D & RPG News: D&D 2025 Starter Set Info 15:44 Commentary: What WOTC Products Matter for the RPG Hobby? 17:42 Commentary: Sci Show on Science of Scheduling a D&D Game 23:14 D&D & RPG News: Bob World Builder on RPG Kickstarters 28:10 Commentary: RPGs I Want To Play 37:17 DM Tip: The Retreat Action 46:14 Patreon Question: How Does Fog Cloud Work with Advantage? 50:12 Patreon Question: The Eight Steps with Big Dungeons 52:45 Patreon Question: Players Forgetting Character Abilities 54:40 Patreon Question: Dealing with Players Whose Characters Run Ahead 59:35 Patreon Question: DM Screen on Small Table Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Mork Borg Bundle of Holding Potbellied Kobold Bundle of Holding DCC Megabundle Humble Bundle Fateforge Secrets of Magic Kickstarter D&D Starter Set Video Official D&D Starter Set Demo at New York Toy Faire EN World Thread Sci Show on Scheduling RPG Games Bob World Builder on Crowdfunding Historical Trends The Retreat Action

Mar 7

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Mar 3

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:11 Sly Flourish News: City of Arches in Markdown and EPUB 17:55 D&D & RPG News: Blog of Holding Monster Manual 2024 Stats in the Creative Commons 22:34 DM Tip: Challenge Rating Deep Dive 54:19 Patreon Question: Fantastic Locations in Contemporary Worlds Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: City of Arches Blog of Holding 2025 Monster Manual on a Business Card What Does Challenge Rating Mean in D&D 5e? The Lazy Encounter Benchmark

Feb 28

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Feb 24

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:20 D&D & RPG News: Kobold Press Black Flag SRD in Markdown 04:20 Kickstarter Spotlight: Creating and Adapting Monsters for Shadowdark 06:11 D&D & RPG News: Mike Mearls on Dungeon Craft 08:03 Commentary: How Bonus Actions Changed 14:31 Commentary: GM-Focused Products as Advanced Software for Advanced Users 21:06 Commentary: Experiences with the D&D 2025 Monster Manual Adult Black Dragon 29:31 DM Tip: Legendary Resistance Alternatives 39:51 Commentary: The End of One D&D 49:02 Patreon Question: Running Frostmaiden with Shadowdark 51:58 Patreon Question: Additional Roles for Exploration 53:38 Patreon Question: Did I Negate Character Abilities and Take Away Player Agency? 56:08 Patreon Question: Should I Kill Shadowdark Characters with Big Backstory? 58:38 Patreon Question: Is Your YouTube Channel Dying? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Kobold Press Black Flag SRD in Markdown Creating and Adapting Monsters for Shadowdark Kickstarter Mearls on Dungeoncraft

Feb 21

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Feb 17

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:00:58 Hexploration Decks 00:02:59 Mike on EN World and Kobold Press Podcasts 00:04:09 All Three D&D 2024 Core Books are Released 00:06:33 2024 Monster Manual is the Most Important DM-Focused D&D 2024 Book 00:07:46 Is the 2025 Monster Manual Better than the 2014 MM? 00:08:40 Is the D&D 2025 MM the Best 5e Monster Book? 00:12:30 Could It Have Been Better? Of Course. 00:14:36 Monsters Hit at Their Challenge Rating 00:19:59 Other Designers on the Monster Math 00:22:05 D&D 2025 Monster Manual Compared to Forge of Foes 00:25:56 2025 Monster Manual Effects Don't Negatively Impact Damage Anymore 00:28:04 Vampire 00:30:15 Requires Looking Up Spells 00:35:50 Cultist Fanatic 00:37:59 The Language of the 2025 Monster Manual 00:39:47 No Orcs, Drow, or Duergar 00:50:56 Static Initiative Scores 00:54:16 Crappy Treasure "Tables" 00:56:29 Crappy Ability Score Tables 01:00:05 Awesome Contextual Random Tables 01:03:01 Alphabetically Sorted Most of the Time 01:05:31 What Else Is Missing? 01:06:38 Day 1 Errata 01:07:55 Final Thoughts Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: BackerKit: Hexploration Decks by Inkwell Ideas Mike on Morrus's Unofficial Tabletop Podcast (YouTube – MM starts at 1:18:00) Mike on Morrus's Unofficial Tabletop Podcast (Podcast Recording) Mike on Kobold Chat Talking About Doom Points Paul Hughes on 2025 Monster Manual on a Business Card Alphastream YouTube Monster Manual Analysis Bob World Builder on the Monster Manual

Feb 7

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Feb 3

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:02:11 Product Spotlight: Horizon Magazine 00:07:31 D&D & RPG News: Alphastream on 2025 D&D Monster Manual Math 00:09:31 Commentary: D&D at Madison Square Garden 00:13:28 D&D & RPG News: Mike Mearls and Ray Winninger on the Past and Future of D&D 5e 00:15:42 Product Spotlight: 2025 Monster Manual Initial Thoughts 00:27:56 Product Spotlight: D&D 2025 Monster Manual Lich 00:32:28 DM Tip: Avoid Getting Caught in the Zeitgeist 00:44:13 Patreon Spotlight: Talk Show and Patreon Q&A Databases 00:47:13 Patreon Question: What D&D Classes and Features Do I Ban? 00:52:19 Patreon Question: Making Flat Paper Character Minis 00:54:34 Patreon Question: Dealing with Agency-Stealing Effects like Stun 01:00:32 Patreon Question: Basic Rules or 5.1 SRD for New Players Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Horizon Magazine Alphastream on 2025 D&D Monster Manual Math Ray Winninger and Mike Mearls on Past and Future of D&D 5e Printable Heroes

Jan 31

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Jan 27

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:01:15 Kickstarter Spotlight: Weapons of Lore by Jeff Stevens 00:03:46 Kickstarter Spotlight: Gate Pass Gazette by EN World Publishing 00:07:32 D&D & RPG News: Mike on Kobold Press Talking Doom Points 00:09:50 D&D & RPG News: Ray Winninger Interview with Stan! on YouTube 00:23:06 D&D & RPG News: No Roll20 Tales of the Valiant Character Builder 00:34:36 Commentary: Thoughts from the Philidelphia Area Gaming Expo 00:48:20 Commentary: RPG Communities on Independent Spaces 01:05:54 Patreon Question: Can I Submit Your Book to Adobe's AI Tool? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Weapons of Lore Kickstarter Gate Pass Gazette Annual 2024 Terror from the Underdeep Mike on KP talking Doom Points and Monster Vault 2 Ray Winninger EN World Discussion Ray Winninger on Stan!'s Show Stan!'s 50 Years YouTube Playlist Bring On the Discourse – Yochai Gal EN World forums.rpg.net Mastodon — dice.camp Mastodon — chirp.enworld.org Mastodon — mastodon.social Bluesky My Bluesky Starter Pack TTRPG Blogs RPG Blogroll ttrpg.network Top Rated RPG Podcasts

Jan 17

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Jan 13

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:01:11 Kickstarter Spotlight: Monster Vault 2 by Kobold Press 00:08:23 Product Spotlight: Crit Happens iOS Dice Roller 00:10:32 Kickstarter Spotlight: Free5e 00:15:54 Product Spotlight: Sly Flourish Newsletter Adventure Generator and One-Page 5e 00:20:49 Commentary: 2025 Monster Manual Videos 00:44:24 Commentary: What Do I Want From WOTC After the Monster Manual? 00:49:07 DM Tip: When and How to Fudge Your Game 00:59:41 Patreon Question: Monster Dials for Non-5e Games 01:01:47 Patreon Question: Alternative Initiative Options Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Monster Vault 2 Kickstarter by Kobold Press Crit Happens iOS Dice Roller Free5e Kickstarter

Jan 10

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Jan 6

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:00 D&D & RPG News: Most Anticipated RPGs of 2025 11:55 Commentary: Two Year Anniversary of the OGL Crisis 32:54 Patreon Spotlight: Talk Show Database with 2,000 Topics 38:28 DM Tip: Improvisation and the Eight Steps 51:29 Patreon Question: Lightning Rods for Control Wizards 57:06 Patreon Question: Running for a Mix of Online and Offline Players 59:54 Patreon Question: Homebrewing Character Buffs Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Most Anticipated RPGS of 2025 OGL Article by Lin Codega on 5 January 2023 The Story Behind WOTC's Blurring of D&D 2024 Videos – Lazy RPG Talk Show

Jan 3

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Dec 30, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:11 D&D & RPG News: Goodman Games DCC Bundle of Holding 03:20 D&D & RPG News: Humblewood and Heckna Pay What You Want 05:57 Sly Flourish News: Whitesparrow and the Night Blades in the CC 09:55 D&D & RPG News: Goodman Games 5e System - Advanced Advantage 13:57 Product Spotlight: Monster Overhaul 22:57 Commentary: Thoughts on Foundry 36:38 DM Tip: 3-2-1 Quest Model 44:07 Patreon Question: Dealing with the Strain of GMing 49:28 Patreon Question: Balancing Types of Secrets 52:06 Patreon Question: Which Books Do You Take With You? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Goodman Games DCC Adventure Bundle of Holding Humblewood Campaign Setting Pay What You Want Heckna Campaign Adventure Pay What You Want Whitesparrow and Night Blades in the Creative Commons Monster Overhaul Mobile Improvements for Foundry

Dec 26, 2024

Mike looks back over a year in the TTRPG hobby! 00:00 Show Start 02:19 100 Games in 2024 03:16 D&D 2024 PHB and DMG Released 05:00 Tales of the Valiant 07:03 Black Flag System Reference Document 10:06 2024 D&D on Foundry, Fantasy Grounds, and Roll20 13:35 Shadow of the Weird Wizard 14:37 Third Party Publishers on D&D Beyond 22:41 Shadowdark 23:25 City of Arches 25:24 RPGs and Generative AI 27:11 TTRPG People Moving to Bluesky 31:24 Other Non-Shittified TTRPG Platforms 33:59 Other WOTC Corporate Stuff and Bob World Builder's Survey 40:10 Looking Forward to 2025 45:42 Top Ten Sly Flourish Articles of 2024 Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Lazy GM Tools in Markdown on Github Obsidian Web Clipper

Dec 23, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 02:09 D&D & RPG News: Cities Without Number Bundle of Holding 07:51 D&D & RPG News: Shadowrun Bundle of Holding 08:58 D&D & RPG News: Join the Arcane Library Newsletter for Two Free Adventures 11:02 DM Tip: GM Resources in Markdown for Obsidian 25:27 DM Tip: Use the Obsidian Web Clipper to Save Web Pages 29:31 Sly Flourish News: Free Dice Roller Web App 35:23 Commentary: Notable Sections of the 2024 D&D Dungeon Master's Guide 59:44 Patreon Question: Pondering Conclusions for Sandbox Games 01:02:55 Patreon Question: Using a Big Monitor on a Gaming Table 01:04:37 Patreon Question: Advice for Bridge and Travel Sessions Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Cities Without Number Bundle of Holding Shadowrun 4e Bundle of Holding Arcane Library Lazy GM Tools in Markdown on Github Obsidian Web Clipper Free Dice Roller Lazy Encounter Benchmark Running Hoards

Dec 20, 2024

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Dec 16, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:03 D&D & RPG News: One Ring Bundle of Holding 03:57 D&D & RPG News: Haunted West 50% Off 04:52 Commentary: Running Mixed 5e Characters 20:18 DM Tip: Avoid the 2024 DMG's Enspelled Magic Items 33:14 Product Spotlight: Tales of the Valiant Game Master's Guide Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: One Ring Bundle of Holding Haunted West 50% off (Coupon HOLIDAY24) Tales of the Valiant Game Master's Guide (Affiliate Link)

Dec 13, 2024

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Dec 9, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:12 D&D & RPG News: Level Up Gateway Alpha Released 07:42 Product Spotlight: A5e.Tools 10:36 D&D & RPG News: Lord of the Rings 5e Not Independent 14:59 D&D & RPG News: So You Wanna Roleplay 16:48 Commentary: The Products We Continually Use at the Table 40:15 Sly Flourish News: 20% off Sly Flourish Books! 41:38 Sly Flourish News: New Quarterly Patreon Q&A 44:33 Patreon Question: Worldbuilding Off-Screen Towns and Settlements 47:33 Patreon Question: Relating CR to the Monster's Fiction 51:23 Patreon Question: Will "Update Available" overwrite my D&D Beyond Stuff? 55:29 Patreon Question: What Do You Think of the 4th Edition Dungeon Master's Guide? 01:00:42 Patreon Question: Full-Power Characters Showing Up Deep in Dungeons Links 20% Off Buy Sly Flourish Books: Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Level Up Gateway Alpha Announcement Level Up Gateway A5e.Tools Wanna Play Right Now Buy Wanna Play Right Now High-Use RPG Products – All Responses Worlds Without Number Worlds Without Number - Free Version Flee Mortals A5e Monstrous Menagerie A5e Trials and Treasure Knave 2 Maze Rats Maze Rats pdf Maze Rats Obsidian Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Forge of Foes Lazy DM's Companion So You Want to be a Gamemaster Monster Overhaul Ironsworn Raging Swan Dread Thingonomicon GM Miscellany Chessex Wet Erase Battle Mat Dyson Maps Midgard Worldbook (Affiliate link) Lazy Monster Tokens 5e Cheat Sheet Sly Flourish 2024 Gift Guide

Dec 6, 2024

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Dec 2, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:23 D&D & RPG News: Scott Gray on Points of Interest 03:11 Sly Flourish News: Mike's Going to the Philidelphia Area Game Expo! 04:24 D&D & RPG News: Lord of the Rings on D&D Beyond 10:11 Commentary: Building a Resilient Hobby when Elon Musk Threatens to Buy It 12:01 D&D & RPG News: Half-Off Lord of the Rings from Free League 13:58 Commentary: More Thoughts on a Resilient TTRPG Hobby 16:06 Sly Flourish News: 20% Off Sly Flourish Books 17:49 D&D & RPG News: Tales of the Valiant Pocket Editions 19:07 D&D & RPG News: Free League Sales 20:31 D&D & RPG News: Old School Essentials Sale 23:16 D&D & RPG News: Free League Bundle of Holding 24:12 D&D & RPG News: Heroforge Custom Flat Acrylic Miniatures 26:36 Commentary: The Best Value in TTRPG Accessories 31:38 DM Tip: The Dangers of Crafting Magic Items in the D&D 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide 43:18 Patreon Question: Organizing and Tracking Monsters in 5e Combat 47:54 Patreon Question: Getting Into Alien Minds 50:24 Patreon Question: The Resolution of Fantastic Locations 53:16 Patreon Question: Understanding Scenes and Locations Links 20% off Sly Flourish Books and Free US Shipping! Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Points of Interest by Scott Gray Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo Lord of the Rings on D&D Beyond What does the Lord of the Rings integration on D&D Beyond look like? Buy Lord of the Rings 5e from Free League Free League Humble Bundle Musk – "How Much is Hasbro?" Ensuring the resilence of your RPGs Surviving a Digital D&D Tales of the Valiant: Player’s Guide & Monster Vault Pocket Editions Old School Essentials Sale Flat Heroforge Miniatures Pathfinder Flip-Mat Basic Staedtler Lumovision medium black 315-9 Tracking Monsters by Player-Driven Characteristics

Nov 29, 2024

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Nov 25, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:15 D&D & RPG News: Lazy RPG Talk Show Number One D&D Podcast by D&D Fanatics 02:32 D&D & RPG News: Professor Dungeon Master on the 2024 DMG 04:55 D&D & RPG News: DM David on a 25 year D&D Wish List 08:53 Commentary: Elon Musk tells WOTC to Burn In Hell 19:55 DM Tip: Anatomy of a Situation -- Red Eagle Tower 41:45 Patreon Spotlight: Tomb of the War King Scenario 47:18 Patreon Question: Favorite Monster Abilities of Players 51:23 Patreon Question: Building Your Own Campaign Outlines 53:28 Patreon Question: Tips for Playing In-Person Games Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: The 10 Best DnD Podcasts (That Aren’t Actual Plays) Professor Dungeon Master on the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide DM David on 25 Year D&D Wish List Elon Musk Calls for WOTC to Burn in Hell over Making of Original D&D Passages The Making of the Original Dungeons & Dragons 1970 1977 (affiliate link) "Damn Right I'm a Sexist" Gygax defines self as a biological determinist in 2024 Cory Doctorow on Harlan Ellison D&D Co-Creator Gary Gygax was Sexist – Talking About it is Key to Preserving his Legacy When We Were Wizards Using Maps for In-Person Games Tools of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Nov 22, 2024

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Nov 18, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:13 D&D & RPG News: Mike on EN World Podcast Talking about the 2024 DMG 02:51 D&D & RPG News: Pathfinder 2 Humble Bundle 05:38 D&D & RPG News: Phantasy Star RPG Preorder 06:51 Kickstarter Spotlight: A5E Monstrous Menagerie 2 08:14 Commentary: Hard Truths About Crowdfunded RPGs 25:20 Commentary: Comparing DMG 2024 Advice to Lazy DM Advice 40:19 Patreon Question: Character Home Bases 44:45 Patreon Question: Set Piece Battles or Theater of the Mind? 49:10 Patreon Question: Best After-Session Notes 51:00 Patreon Question: Improving NPC Voices While Roleplaying Links Mike on Morrus's Unofficial Tabletop Podcast Pathfinder 2E Humble Bundle Phantasy Star RPG Preorder A5E Monstrous Menagerie 2 Top Tips for GMs – SlyFlourish.com Matt Mercer on NPC Voices – DM's Deep Dive Dialects Archive Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Nov 15, 2024

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Nov 11, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:21 D&D & RPG News: Blades in the Dark Deep Cuts 03:37 Commentary: What Do You Need to Prep Your Session? 36:52 Commentary: Encounter Building in the D&D 2024 DMG and the Lazy Encounter Benchmark Links Blades in the Dark Deep Cuts Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Lazy GM Resource Document The Lazy Encounter Benchmark 2024 DMG Versus the Lazy Encounter Benchmark Alphastream on Encounter Building Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Nov 8, 2024

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Nov 4, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:15 Kickstarter Spotlight: Draconics the Peaceful Way to Play 5e 03:21 Kickstarter Spotlight: Wondrous Worlds by Nord Games 05:16 D&D & RPG News: D&D 2024 Free Rules Givith and then Taketh Away 09:28 Commentary: D&D 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide Thoughts and the Four Gamemaster's Guides 34:07 DM Tip: Avoid NPC Betrayals 44:59 Patreon Question: Favorite Short Adventure Books 47:52 Patreon Question: Expanding a GM's Reading List 49:18 Patreon Question: Focusing on Prep for the Next Session 51:09 Patreon Question: Needing to Improvise with Shadowdark 54:01 Patreon Question: Top House Rules for Shadowdark 57:03 Patreon Question: The Urgency of Multiple Quest Hooks # [01:00:50 Patreon Question: Where to End Shadowdark Sessions Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Draconis: The Peaceful Way to Play DND 5E Wondrous Worlds by Nord Games Updated D&D 2024 Free Rules Oops, that was a mistake Level Up Advanced 5e Trials and Treasure Tales of the Valiant Gamemaster's Guide

Nov 1, 2024

Mike prepares the next session of his Tales of the Valiant Dragon Empire campaign. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Midgard Worldbook Tales of the Valiant Obsidian for TTRPGs

Oct 28, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:16 Product Spotlight: Defiler of Moonsilk Keep 03:44 Product Spotlight: Horizons Magazine Issue 1 06:25 Product Spotlight: Frontiers of Eberron 12:35 Kickstarter Spotlight: Adventures in Teaching and Learning with TTRPGs 14:27 Kickstarter Spotlight: Dwarven Forge Dungeons Reforged 24:25 Commentary: Experiences at Gamehole Con 34:20 DM Tip: Pool Table Game Mastering 45:43 Patreon Question: What Makes a Great Monster Book 51:44 Patreon Question: Running Big Timed Events in Scenes Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Defiler of Moonsilk Keep Horizons Issue 1 Frontiers of Eberron Adventures in Teaching and Learning in TTRPGs Dwarven Forge Dungeons Reforged Level Up Advanced 5e Monstrous Menagerie

Oct 21, 2024

Mike discusses his experiences running the Shadowdark RPG for a year Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG

Oct 18, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG

Oct 14, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 02:17 D&D & RPG News: Call of Cthulhu Humbled Bundle 04:40 Sly Flourish News: City of Arches Key of Worlds Scenarios for Hero-Tier Subscribers 12:28 Product Spotlight: Dread Thingonomicon Markdown for Obsidian 16:19 Sly Flourish News: Lazy GM Reference Guides in Markdown for Obsidian 20:23 Sly Flourish News: Sly Flourish 2025 Calendar! 22:00 Commentary: The Trouble with Crafting Systems in 5e 36:37 DM Tip: Advanced Random Encounter Tricks 49:46 Patreon Question: Adding Subquests and Managing Levels with Campaign Arcs 54:04 Patreon Question: Keeping Combat Descriptions Flavorful 57:17 Patreon Question: Designing a Heroic Shadowdark-Style Game Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Call of Cthulhu Humbled Bundle Dread Thingonomicon Dread Laironomicon Lazy GM Resource Docs likewise have Obsidian versions Lazy GM's Resource Document Lazy GM's 5e Monster Builder Resource Document Crit-Tech's Lazy GM Documents on Github (including Obsidian Markdown versions) Sly Flourish 2025 calendar

Oct 11, 2024

Prep for the finale of Mike's Shadowdark Gloaming campaign! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog https://slyflourish.com/ Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter https://slyflourish.com/subscribe/ Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast https://slyflourish.podbean.com/ Support Sly Flourish on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/slyflourish Buy Sly Flourish Books: https://shop.slyflourish.com/ Shadowdark RPG https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/pages/shadowdark Cursed Scroll 1 https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/products/cursed-scroll-zine-vol-1-diablerie-print Using Notion for RPG Prep https://slyflourish.com/lazy_dnd_with_notion.html

Oct 7, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:20 Sly Flourish News: Sly Flourish After-School RPG Club Sponsorship 07:44 D&D & RPG News: Free Kobold Press Encounter Builder 11:11 D&D & RPG News: Dread Thingonomicon Bundle of Holding for $8 13:52 D&D & RPG News: Goodman Games Humble Bundle 16:04 Kickstarter Spotlight: Grim Hollow Transformed Kickstarter 19:15 D&D & RPG News: Ars Magica in a Creative Commons License 26:33 DM Tip: Two Bandits Talking About the Characters 31:28 Patreon Question: Single Best Tip for New GMs 38:24 Patreon Question: What If Characters Don't Strike Lighting Rods? 44:12 Patreon Question: D&D 2024 Tool DCs and DM Agency 50:18 Patreon Question: Can You Mix TOV, A5e, D&D 2024, and D&D 2014? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Sly Flourish After-School RPG Sponsorship Kobold Press Encounter Builder Dread Thingonomicon Goodman Games humble bundle Grim Hollow Transformed Kickstarter Ars Magica Rules and Setting under CC BY SA Top Tips for RPG Game Masters Lightning Rods

Oct 4, 2024

Mike begins his campaign prep for his Dragon Empire Midgard-based Tales of the Valiant campaign! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Tales of the Valiant Midgard Worldbook

Sep 30, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:30 Kickstarter Spotlight: Enter the Labyrinth by Kobold Press 05:15 Kickstarter Spotlight: Dragontown and the Darkness Below 11:03 D&D & RPG News: Horizons Magazine by Wildmage Press 12:16 D&D & RPG News: Beadle and Grimm 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide Map Pack 14:04 D&D & RPG News: 2024 Player's Handbook is D&D's Fastest Selling Book Ever 18:22 Commentary: You Don't Own Your D&D Beyond Books 21:24 D&D & RPG News: Hidden Subclass Compatibility in D&D 2024 27:32 Commentary: The Current State of Generative AI and TTRPGs 46:23 Patreon Question: Industry Standards for Releasing RPG Material Under Open Licenses 52:03 Patreon Question: Coming Up with Villains or Fronts in Strange Campaign Settings 54:36 Patreon Question: Excluding a Player from a Game Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Kobold Press’s Labyrinth Kickstarter Dragontown and the Darkness Below Kickstarter Wildmage Press Horizons Magazine Beadle and a Grymm Greyhawk map pack D&D 2024 Player’s Handbook Fastest Selling D&D Book of All Time New California law means digital stores can’t imply you’re buying a game when you’re merely licensing it Where do your Steam games go when you die? The Best LLM for Generating RPG Stuff – Your Brain

Sep 27, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Join the City of Arches Kickstarter! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Sep 23, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:16 D&D & RPG News: Roll20 Packages for Doctors Without Borders 03:04 Kickstarter Spotlight: Pirate Borg 09:06 DM Tip: Run I6 Ravenloft with Shadowdark on Halloween 10:45 D&D & RPG News: Free D&D 2024 Rules with All Twelve Classes 13:20 D&D & RPG News: D&D Adventurer's League Moves to D&D 2024 26:13 D&D & RPG News: D&D 2024 PHB Available Physically and on Four VTTs 33:55 DM Tip: D&D 2024's Handling of Tools and DCs 41:02 DM Tip: Two Words for Increasing Combat Challenge 51:06 Patreon Question: What's My Next Campaign? 53:26 Patreon Question: Upward and Downward Beats in a Campaign 57:46 Patreon Question: Why Switch to Obsidian? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Pirate Borg Down Among the Dead Ravenloft with Shadowdark Video Ravenloft with Shadowdark Article D&D Beyond D&D 2024 Free Rules Includes All Twelve Classes D&D Adventures League Updates D&D PHB 2024 on Foundry D&D PHB 2024 on Fantasy Grounds D&D PHB 2024 on Roll20 Roll20 Characters Midgard Dragon Empire Campaign Video

Sep 20, 2024

Mike begins his campaign prep for his Dragon Empire Midgard-based Tales of the Valiant campaign! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Tales of the Valiant Midgard Worldbook

Sep 16, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:01:16 Kickstarter Spotlight: Worldographer 2025 by Inkwell Ideas 00:03:36 Kickstarter Spotlight: Shadow City Mysteries 00:04:53 Product Spotlight: Level Up Advanced 5e on Bundle of Holding 00:10:46 D&D & RPG News: MCDM's License for Draw Steel 00:17:33 Product Spotlight: Shadowdark Guide to Monster Statistics by Matt Dietrich 00:22:14 Commentary: Four Sources of D&D History 00:44:16 DM Tip: Instant Monsters for 5e 00:59:02 Patreon Question: Handling Back Seat Driving Veteran Players 01:03:17 Patreon Question: Running the City of Arches with Shadowdark 01:05:40 Patreon Question: Managing Secrets with Multiple Paths Ahead 01:08:09 Patreon Question: Building Single-Session Episodic Adventures Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Worldographer Kickstarter Shadow City Mysteries Crowdfunding campaign Level Up A5e Bundles of Holding – Core Level Up A5e Bundles of Holding – Adventures Draw Steel creators license Shadowdark Quick Monster Stats by Matt Dietrich D&D 50 Year Panel D&D 50 Celebration Games When We Were Wizards The Making of Original D&D: 1970 - 1977

Sep 13, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Join the City of Arches Kickstarter! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Sep 9, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:13 Sly Flourish News: Mike Loses a Bet 02:59 D&D & RPG News: D&D 2024 and Free D&D on D&D Beyond 14:06 D&D & RPG News: Rich Lescoulflair Talking Phantasy Star RPG on Morrus's Podcast 15:42 D&D & RPG News: Matt Coleville on Eldritch Lorecast Talking About Project Sigil 19:35 D&D & RPG News: Free Hex Crawl Rules from Cursed Scroll 4 23:26 Product Spotlight: Broken Weave for 5e by Cubicle 7 36:24 DM Tip: Distance, Activity, and Attitude for Random Encounters 48:18 Patreon Question: Rewriting Published Adventures for Table Use 52:09 Patreon Question: Building Your Own Pantheon 55:38 Patreon Question: Using the Eight Steps for Published Adventures Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: 2024 D&D Free Rules on D&D Beyond Rich Lescouflair on Phantasy Star RPG on Morrus's Podcast Matt Coleville on Eldritch Lorecast Free Hex Crawl Rules from Arcane Library Broken Weave for 5e Reaction Tables Across the Years Choosing the Right Steps from Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Sep 6, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Join the City of Arches Kickstarter! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Sep 2, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:01:49 D&D & RPG News: Follow Up on D&D 2014 Material in D&D Beyond 00:05:59 D&D & RPG News: Lost Worlds of Gygax Humble Bundle 00:10:46 D&D & RPG News: D&D Direct Announcements 00:19:48 Product Spotlight: Knave 2 by Ben Milton 00:41:12 DM Tip: Twelve Types of Medieval Artwork and Architecture for Dungeon Delving 00:53:50 Patreon Question: Convincing New Players to Try a New System 00:57:09 Patreon Question: 18 Months Since Other Publishers Published on D&D Beyond 01:05:04 Patreon Question: Using City of Arches with Theros 01:06:38 Patreon Question: Empire of the Ghouls Out of Print 01:08:41 Patreon Question: Favorite Sourcebook and Setting Links Join the City of Arches Kickstarter! Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Lost World of Gygax Humble Bundle D&D Direct Announcements Knave 2 Twelve Types of Medieval Artwork and Architecture

Aug 30, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Join the City of Arches Kickstarter! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Aug 28, 2024

Mike builds a 1st level character in the Shadowdark RPG. Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG

Aug 26, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 02:30 D&D & RPG News: D&D Designers of All Editions Talk About and Play D&D 06:05 D&D & RPG News: Kelsey Dionne of Shadowdark on Morrus's Unofficial Tabletop RPG Podcast 07:04 Commentary: WOTC Removes 2014 Spells, Items, and Rules from the D&D Beyond Character Builder 28:06 DM Tip: Track the Characters 42:07 Patreon Question: Running Short Games for Large Groups 46:14 Patreon Question: Favorite D&D 2024 Rule? 48:47 Patreon Question: Running Mastermind and Dark Nemesis Bosses 51:49 Patreon Question: Releasing the Forge of Foes Generic Monster Stats into the CC 57:47 Patreon Question: What's In your DM - GM Kit? Links City of Arches Kickstarter! Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: D&D Designers of All Editions Talk About and Play D&D - Celebrating 50 Years of Dungeons & Dragons Kelsey Dionne on Morrus's Unofficial Tabletalk Podcast D&D Beyond Removes 2014 Spells, Items, Magic Items, and Rules from the Character Builder Further "Clarification" EN World Thread – How D&D Beyond Will Handle Access To 2014 Rules D&D Beyond, Wizards of the Coast, 5e, and You Lazy GM's 5e Monster Builder Resource Document

Aug 23, 2024

Mike builds a 1st level character with Tales of the Valiant! Join the City of Arches Kickstarter! Tales of the Valiant Tales of the Valiant Character Sheet

Aug 19, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:35 Kickstarter Spotlight: Horror at Devil's Run on Foundry 03:34 D&D & RPG News: Rob Heinsoo on Gnomecast 05:09 D&D & RPG News: Free League Publishing Pulls PDFs from the Alchemy VTT 19:34 Product Spotlight: Thrones and Bones Player's Guide by Lazy Wolf Studios 25:36 D&D & RPG News: Letters to Washington Post About D&D 28:14 DM Tip: Running an Infiltration in Summervine Villa 49:54 Patreon Question: Do We Need to Change Forge of Foes and the Lazy Encounter Benchmark for D&D 2024? 59:59 Patreon Question: Can a Paid DM Run Your Books? Links Horror at Devil's Run Foundry Kickstarter Rob Heinsoo on Gnomecast Free League Removes PDFs from Foundry Alchemy's Stance on PDFs Thrones & Bones Player's Guide Thrones & Bones Campaign Guide These dungeons are home. These dragons forged friends – Washington Post Running Infiltrations and Heists Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Aug 16, 2024

Mike builds a 1st level character with Level Up Advanced 5e! Join the City of Arches Kickstarter! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Level Up Advanced 5e A5e Tools Form Fillable Character Sheets Video Contents 00:00 Show Start 02:13 What Is Level Up Advanced 5e? 06:00 The Step to Build a Character 07:02 Building a Character's Origin 09:52 Heritage Details 14:08 Culture Details 16:15 Background Details 18:46 Choosing a Destiny 21:22 Choosing an Adventure Class 30:31 Skill Specializations 32:34 Choosing Ability Scores 34:12 Equipping Weapons and Armor

Aug 12, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 02:04 Kickstarter Spotlight: Amazing Encounters and Dungeons 05:15 Kickstarter Spotlight: The Perilous Void 06:23 Commentary: Follow-Up on Blurring 2024 D&D PHB Videos 13:11 Sly Flourish News: Mike on Morrus's Unofficial Tabletop Podcast on Blurgate and Project Sigil - the D&D 3D VTT 13:55 Sly Flourish News: More Character Builds with Tales of the Valiant and Shadowdark 14:30 D&D & RPG News: WOTC Designers on Eldritch Lorecast 15:55 D&D & RPG News: Tales of the Valiant on Herolab and Shard 20:54 Sly Flourish News: Biomes of the City of Arches 29:03 Patreon Question: Bifurcation of the Hobby Between 3d Online and Tabletop Play 35:51 Patreon Question: Handling Simultanous Events 38:54 Patreon Question: Is a D&D Beyond Content Subscription Service Acceptable? 43:13 Patreon Question: D&D 2024 PHB or Shadowdark? Links Join the City of Arches Kickstarter! Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Amazing Encounters and Dungeons Kickstarter The Perilous Void Kickstarter A real lawyer talks about the blurring situation and fair use Mike on Morrus's Unofficial Tabletop Podcast WOTC Designers on Eldritch Lorecast Tales of the Valiant on Herolab Tales of the Valiant on Shard Black Flag on Shard

Aug 9, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Aug 7, 2024

Mike builds a character with the new D&D 2024 Player's Handbook City of Arches Kickstarter! Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Show Start 00:00 Video Start 01:17 Disclaimers 01:44 Making a Character Sheet 03:15 Creating a Character First Steps 04:08 Choosing a Class 07:51 Most Important Character Building Tip 09:44 Spells 19:56 Choosing a Background 26:09 Equipment 32:25 Species 36:41 Character Backstory Stuff 37:27 Languages 38:45 Determine Ability Scores 42:09 Appearances 44:41 Passive Perception 47:37 Calculating Weapon Attacks and Damage 51:03 Other Details 53:34 Final Thoughts

Aug 5, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:07 Sly Flourish News: City of Arches Kickstarter! 02:18 Kickstarter Spotlight: Victoriana 5e by Cubicle 7 05:12 Commentary: WOTC Made Me Blur My D&D 2024 Videos 25:09 D&D & RPG News: Shadowdark Wins Four ENNIES! 26:34 Commentary: Survive a Future Digital D&D 43:21 Sly Flourish News: City of Arches Campaign Outlines 51:31 Patreon Question: Maps and Mapping At the Table 54:23 Patreon Question: What Makes the City of Arches Unique? 58:29 Patreon Question: Awarding Treasure to Specific Characters Links Support the City of Arches Kickstarter! Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Victoriana Kickstarter by Cubicle 7 WOTC's Feedback Forum Shadowdark RPG Survive a Digital D&D JP Coovert Dungeon Mapping Book Dyson Logos Map Key

Aug 2, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Aug 2, 2024

Mike dives deep into the D&D 2024 Player's Handbook! City of Arches Kickstarter! Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Show Contents 00:00 Intro 01:58 Disclaimers 02:42 Big Thoughts Up Front 03:35 Should You Buy It? 05:55 What Do I Love? 10:11 What Do I Not Love? 15:25 No Cultures, Just Species 19:46 Other Things Not Fixed 22:26 On Compatibility 27:08 Things May Be in the DMG But I Wouldn't Know 27:49 Good for New Players? 34:49 How's the Art? 36:11 The Best Improvement in D&D 2024 37:33 New Mechanical Language and "Utilize" 40:18 No Downtime 41:49 No Gods 43:11 Not Enough On Session Zeros and Safety Tools 46:06 Backgrounds and Character Optimization 50:48 I Love the Conjure Spells 53:10 Lucky 55:27 The Awesome Rules Glossary 57:41 Marching Order 58:04 What Your Character Would Do 58:45 Final Thoughts

Jul 29, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:22 Sly Flourish News: City of Arches Kickstarter Next Week! 02:43 D&D & RPG News: Lots of D&D 2024 Info Next Week 03:51 D&D & RPG News: Solodark Solo-play Video by Kelsey Dionne 06:12 D&D & RPG News: When We Were Wizards Podcast 19:19 Kickstarter Spotlight: Nimble 5e 26:58 Sly Flourish News: City of Arches Obsidian Skull Walkthrough 38:40 DM Tip: Handling Questions of Morality in TTRPGs 51:38 Patreon Question: Players Suspicious of Potentially Betraying NPCs Links City of Arches Kickstarter! Solodark Video Free Solodark PDF When We Were Wizards Nimble 5e Backerkit Launch Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Jul 19, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Jul 15, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:21 D&D & RPG News: ENnie Voting Goes Live! 02:27 Product Spotlight: Dyson Maps Bundle of Holding 05:09 D&D & RPG News: Level Up Gateway Online Character Builder 22:52 Sly Flourish News: City of Arches Kickstarter Coming August 6th 35:00 Commentary: Top Ten Lazy 5e Tricks 54:46 Patreon Question: What Would I do If I Was In Charge of D&D? 58:19 Patreon Question: Magic Numbers to Keep In Your Head Links City of Arches Kickstarter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: ENnies Voting Dyson Maps Bundle of Holding Level Up Gateway Preview

Jul 12, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Jul 8, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:21 Sly Flourish News: City of Arches Kickstart Coming August 6th! 07:54 D&D & RPG News: The Negative Feedback of D&D Beyond's Exclusive Offers 21:27 Commentary: The Lost Modularity of D&D and How to Get it Back 35:41 Commentary: Is Shadowdark the Best D&D Starter Set? 49:07 Patreon Spotlight: The SlyFlourish.com Downloadable Archive 52:12 Patreon Question: Lazy DMing with Virtual Tabletops (VTTs) 56:07 Patreon Question: How Do We Feel About D&D 2024? Links City of Arches Kickstarter Prelaunch! PC Gamer on D&D Beyond's Preorders Shadowdark Quickstart Set Free Shadowdark Quickstart Set PDFs Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Jul 5, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Jul 1, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:11 D&D & RPG News: Dyson's Delves Bundle of Holding 04:19 D&D & RPG News: Monte Cook Games 50% off 5e Products 07:26 Sly Flourish News: Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master On Sale for 50% off 09:09 D&D & RPG News: D&D 2024 Class Videos 10:04 Commentary: 2024 D&D Needed a DM Advocate 17:45 Commentary: WOTC Says the Quiet Part Out Loud: "Frustrating for Dungeon Masters" 24:10 Commentary: Is Tales of the Valiant the 2024 D&D We Want? 26:23 Commentary: Comparing Four Versions of 5e 38:52 DM Tip: Expanding Tales of the Valiant's Doom Points 49:15 Patreon Question: Running Games for Young Neurodivergent Kids 53:59 Patreon Question: Comparing Monster Spellcaster Styles 59:40 Patreon Question: Asking Questions to Players Without Tipping Your Hand 01:02:59 Patreon Question: Tips for On-Call Players and Their Characters 01:04:45 Patreon Question: Tips for Evaluating Published Adventures 01:10:39 Patreon Question: Missing Stat Block Info when Running Monsters 01:13:35 Patreon Question: Why Are Gaming PDFs Crappy for So Many Devices? Publishers, Publish ePub! Links Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master On Sale for 50% off! Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Dyson's Delves Bundle of Holding Monte Cook Games 50% off 5e Sale "Frustrating Dungeon Masters" D&D 2024 Rogue Preview Tales of the Valiant Level Up Advanced 5e

Jun 28, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Jun 24, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:38 Product Spotlight: Esper Genesis on Bundle of Holding 02:35 Product Spotlight: Magic Item Card Generator by Inkwell Ideas 04:30 D&D & RPG News: 2024 D&D Core Book Videos 08:39 Commentary: D&D 2024 Monster Stat Block -- Yuck 14:10 Commentary: The 2024 D&D Players Handbook is the Only Book that Matters 17:53 Commentary: The Specifics of D&D 2024 Compatibility with 5e 29:56 D&D & RPG News: Mobile Character Builder for D&D 2024 on Roll20 32:12 Sly Flourish News: Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master On Sale 33:17 DM Tip: Use NPC Archetypes from a Single Show 40:50 Patreon Question: What Digital Tools Would Help Us? 46:57 Patreon Question: Managing Teleportation in Campaigns 52:57 Patreon Question: How Would I Run Vecna Eve of Ruin 59:48 Patreon Question: How Do You Run Maps? Links Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master on Sale for 50% off Digital and 30% off Hardcover! Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Esper Genesis on Bundle of Holding Printable Magic Cards by Inkwell Ideas D&D 2024 Reveals and Discussions on EN World D&D 2024 Updates on Comicbook.com D&D 2024 Monster Stat Block Revealed Roll20 D&D Character Builder Character Archetypes from Expanse

Jun 21, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Jun 17, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:18 D&D & RPG News: WOTC Begins Posting to EN World 04:15 Product Spotlight: Solodark for Shadowdark RPG 09:10 Product Spotlight: More Purple More Better Character Builder for 5e 22:43 Patreon Spotlight: 5e Artisanal Monster Database 27:23 DM Tip: Finding Players and Building a Resilient Group 41:24 Patreon Question: Allowing Alternative Character Options 44:18 Patreon Question: Uses for Generative AI and RPGs -- Is it Cheating? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: WOTC's Post on EN World Solodark – Solo Rule for Shadowdark More Purple More Better Finding and Maintaining a D&D Group How Do People Find In-Person Players?

Jun 14, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Jun 10, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:01 Commentary: Happy Pride Month 01:33 Commentary: How to Get More Engagement on YouTube! 02:18 D&D & RPG News: Roll20 Buys Demiplane 12:43 Kickstarter Spotlight: Voidrunner for 5e by EN World Publishing 16:27 Patreon Spotlight: Infiltration of Bonespur Keep 19:46 DM Tip: Organize Your Gaming PDFs 27:59 DM Tip: Searching PDFs on MacOS 30:49 DM Tip: Search PDFs with Finder on the Mac 32:20 DM Tip: Alfred for Searching PDFs on a Mac 34:18 DM Tip: Search PDFs with Ripgrep All 38:25 Patreon Question: Getting Excited for Longform Campaigns 42:17 Patreon Question: Contingencies for TPKs Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Roll20 Buys Demiplane Adam Bradford Moves to Fantasy Grounds Voidrunner Kickstarter by EN World Publishing Organize Your RPG PDFs Searching PDFs with Spotlight Alfred for MacOS Ripgrep All

Jun 7, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Jun 3, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:05 D&D & RPG News: Cover Art for 2024 D&D Dungeon Master's Guide 03:10 D&D & RPG News: Sly Flourish and Elderbrain Video on Adventure Design 04:24 Commentary: Are Actual Plays Building False Expectations? 21:04 Patreon Spotlight: Dwarven Forge Virtual Tabletop Backdrops 29:13 DM Tip: Leaving Blanks 45:06 Patreon Question: GM Tips for Players 48:18 Patreon Question: Managing Monster Stat Blocks 51:21 Patreon Question: Integrating Prophecies and Fate into D&D Games 53:42 Patreon Question: Medium-Length Campaigns 56:58 Patreon Question: Players Projecting Micro-Aggressions 59:59 Patreon Question: Commiting Time and Energy to Prep a Game Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: EN World on New DMG Cover EN World New Special Edition DMG Cover Sly Flourish and Elderbrain talk Adventure Design Against Lore by Cory Doctorow

May 31, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

May 27, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:02 Kickstarter Spotlight: Iskandar Adventures Volume 1 04:40 Product Spotlight: Torrents of the Spellhoarder by Elderbrain 09:40 D&D & RPG News: Rob Heinsoo on Mastering Dungeons 11:55 D&D & RPG News: Scroll for Initiative on Pass Without Trace 18:12 D&D & RPG News: Bob World Builder on Gridded, Abstract Maps, and Theater of the Mind 20:47 Commentary: New Poll Results on Combat Styles 24:44 DM Tip: The Lost Art of Abstract Maps 36:15 Patreon Question: Running a Quick Conclusion to a Campaign 40:00 Patreon Question: Are Secrets Always True? 41:09 Patreon Question: Upward Beats for Dungeons 45:18 Patreon Question: Appropriate Challenges, Quests, and Adventures for 1st Lvel Characters 47:29 Patreon Question: Taking Away the Characters' Stuff 50:48 Patreon Question: Buying Material Multiple Times on Different Platforms Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Kickstarter: Iskandar Adventures Volume 1 Torrents of the Spellhoarder Rob Heinsoo on Mastering Dungeons Scroll for Initiative on Pass Without Trace Bob World Builder on Grid, Theater of the Mind, and Abstract Maps Grid, Abstract Map, and Theater of the Mind 2023 Poll Results The Abstract Battle Map Sly Flourish article Beats of a Dungeon Crawl

May 24, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

May 20, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:24 D&D & RPG News: Cypher Humble Bundle -- $570 of books for $25 04:31 D&D & RPG News: New Covers and Greyhawk in 2024 D&D Books 11:35 D&D & RPG News: Support Victims of Rio Grande Flooding with this $20 RPG Bundle 12:48 D&D & RPG News: Rob Heinsoo Interview on La Taberna de Rol 15:56 Product Spotlight: Tales of the Labyrinth by Kobold Press 23:15 D&D & RPG News: Tales of the Valiant on Shard Tabletop 36:08 Patreon Spotlight: Myre's End Adventure for Patrons 39:23 Commentary: One Night with Level Up Advanced 5e 56:44 Patreon Question: Three House Rules for Shadowdark RPG Links Cypher Humble Bundle D&D 2024 Cover Reveal D&D 2024 Other News Rio Grande Flood Charity Bundle Rob Heinsoo on La Taberna de Rol Thirteenth Age V2 Kickstarter Guide to the Labyrinth by Kobold Press Tales of the Valiant on Shard Black Flag SRD on Shard Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

May 17, 2024

Mike ranks ten years worth of campaigns from S through F tier. 00:00 Show Start 01:18 Goal: Define Criteria for Evaluating Future Campaigns 02:58 Tier Ranking Ground Rules 06:28 Beginning the Tier Rankings 06:41 Shadow of the Demon Lord 07:28 Numenera 09:39 Rime of the Frost Maiden 11:29 Wild Beyond the Witchlight 12:35 Blades in the Dark 14:08 Curse of Strahd 15:29 Descent into Avernus 18:17 Eberron Rising from the Last War 19:01 Empire of the Ghouls 20:22 Ghosts of Saltmarsh 22:21 Hoard of the Dragon Queen 23:10 Dragons of Icespire Peak 25:33 Lost Mine of Phandelver 27:07 Out of the Abyss 28:40 Princes of the Apocalypse 29:23 Rise of Tiamat 29:56 Scarlet Citadel 32:04 Gloaming: Cursed Scroll 1 33:45 Shadowed Keep of the Borderlands 35:15 Storm King's Thunder 37:39 Tomb of Annihilation 39:56 Waterdeep Dragon Heist 41:50 Spelljammer: Light of Xaryxis 45:53 Dragons of Stormwreck Isle 47:14 Campaign Tier-Ranking Summary 49:36 What Did I Learn? 51:07 Product Design Matters More than Production Quality Links Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: https://shop.slyflourish.com/ Final Tier Ranking Image Tiermaker SF Campaign Tier Link Shadow of the Demon Lord Numenera Blades in the Dark Gloaming: Cursed Scroll 1 Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands (affiliate link) Empire of the Ghouls (affiliate link) Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Dragons of Stormwreck Isle (affiliate link) Curse of Strahd (affiliate link) Wild Beyond the Witchlight (affiliate link)

May 13, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:48 D&D & RPG News: WOTC Announces the Upcoming Release of 2024 Rules in the Creative Commons 05:28 D&D & RPG News: Black Flag SRD Released Under ORC 09:57 D&D & RPG News: Tales of the Valiant Released to Backers 16:13 Kickstarter Spotlight: Oracle Monster Generator by Nord Games 17:53 Kickstarter Spotlight: 13th Age version 2 19:00 D&D & RPG News: Nine Perfect Things for Your D&D Games 20:48 D&D & RPG News: Why Cults Are Awesome 23:10 Commentary: Why Open Licenses Matter to GMs 38:49 Patreon Question: Games Getting Too Complex Above 10th Level 42:18 Patreon Question: Getting Players Excited for Homebrewed Campaigns 45:11 Patreon Question: What Drains Your Energy In Your Games? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books WOTC Announces 5.2 System Reference Document in the CC in Early 2025 Black Flag System Reference Document Tales of the Valiant Oracle Monster Generator BackerKit Campaign 13th Age Version 2 Kickstarter Nine Perfect Things for your D&D Game – Scroll for Initiative Why Cults Are Awesome Building a One-Page Campaign Guide

May 10, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

May 6, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:11 D&D & RPG News: Shadow of the Weird Wizard Impressions by Gnome Stew 02:32 D&D & RPG News: WOTC Stops Selling A La Carte Items on D&D Beyond 11:08 Commentary: Bob World Builder D&D and WOTC Popularity Survey Results 27:42 Kickstarter Spotlight: Delve by Bob World Builder 29:32 Patreon Spotlight: Regnum Rattus the Rats in the Cellar 31:53 Sly Flourish News: 4,000+ DM Tips in the Creative Commons 34:17 Product Spotlight: The GMs Miscellany by Raging Swan 38:16 Commentary: Being a Good Steward of the RPG Hobby 49:15 Patreon Question: Should a New DM Run Fateforged? 51:09 Patreon Question: How to Expose Midgard and Big Campaign Settings to Players? 54:56 Patreon Question: Handling a TPK in Witchlight Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Shadow of the Weird Wizard impressions WOTC changes D&D Beyond — no more a la carte purchases Bob World Builder on WOTC and D&D Survey Results Bob World Builder WOTC & D&D Popularity Survey Predictions and Results Delve by Bob World Builder RPG Tips in the CC Raging Swan Wilderness Dressings

May 3, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Apr 29, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:23 D&D & RPG News: Roll20 and Discord Integration 05:12 D&D & RPG News: Alphastream on the Summit One Year Later 09:02 Product Spotlight: Return of the Witch King Adventures for Shadow of the Demon Lord 14:48 D&D & RPG News: Kobold Press Offers Sourcebook Subscriptions on Shard 23:18 Commentary: Tales of the Valiant Monsters Hitting Too Hard? 27:58 Patreon Spotlight: Forge of Foes Monster Stats Tool 31:08 DM Tip: Use an oracle Die 41:32 Patreon Question: Managing One Year Later Montages 45:05 Patreon Question: Sticking With the City of Arches 52:17 Patreon Question: Help Players Tap Into Their Emotions Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Roll20 on Discord Alphastream: Looking at the D&D Summit One Year Later Shadow of the Demon Lord - Falling Tears Shadow of the Demon Lord - You Shall Not Take these Noble Souls Kobold Press Bundle on Shard The Tales of the Valiant Mimic Ending Campaigns – One Year Later Montages

Apr 26, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Apr 22, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:12 Product Spotlight: PJ Coffey's Crafting Heritages and Cultures CC-Released Doc 04:38 Kickstarter Spotlight: Campaign Builder - Dungeons and Ruins 07:16 Product Spotlight: 13th Age 2e Preview 10:18 Patreon Spotlight: Secret of Summervine Villa 13:58 D&D & RPG News: Cynthia Williams Leaves Hasbro 16:26 Commentary: Build Your Resilient TTRPG Hobby 20:00 Commentary: Matt Coleville on Long-form versus Short-Form Adventures 27:14 Commentary: The MtG Hobby Compared to the D&D Hobby 36:47 DM Tip: Fantastic Short-Form Adventure Publishers 50:41 Patreon Question: Villains and NPCs Responding to High Level Characters 54:28 Patreon Question: Warlords Are in 5e 56:27 Patreon Question: Repeating Descriptions and Getting Players to Pay Attention Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Sly Flourish Fantastic Bundle PJ Coffey’s Crafting Heritages and Cultures SRD Kobold Press’s Campaign Builder: Dungeons & Ruins The 13th Age 2 Kickstarter Coming May Matt Colville on Short versus Long Adventures – There is no “default” Merric’s Article on Short-form WOTC Adventures Arcane Library Jeff Steven's 5e Adventures Kobold Press's Lairs books MT Black's Adventures Raging Swan's 5e adventures

Apr 19, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Apr 15, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:40 D&D & RPG News: Robert Schwalb on La Taberna de Rol 03:48 D&D & RPG News: DM David Compares MCDM, Daggerheart, and 5e 05:42 Kickstarter Spotlight: Wandering Tavern by Homie and the Dude 09:51 Kickstarter Spotlight: Infestation at Devil's Glade by Jeff Stevens 11:50 Kickstarter Spotlight: Restless Encounters by Inkwell Ideas 13:51 D&D & RPG News: 13th Age Megabundle on Bundle of Holding 17:23 Product Spotlight: Dyson Logos Commercial Map Packs 19:55 D&D & RPG News: Cairn 2 Character Builder Open Sourced 25:56 Patreon Spotlight: Readings and Reflections with Sly Flourish Podcast 28:21 D&D & RPG News: JP Coovert's video on Indie RPGs 29:11 DM Tip: Split Up Your Prep 39:05 Patreon Question: How Often to Level Characters? 43:27 Patreon Question: What to Prep When You Have a Long Time 49:26 Patreon Question: Accounting for High Power Charactesr with the Lazy Encounter Benchmark Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Robert Schwalb on La Taberna de Rol Daggerheart vs. the MCDM RPG vs. D&D: A Playtest Comparison – DM David The Wandering Tavern Kickstarter Infestation at Devil's Glade for 5E Kickstarter Restless Encounters Backerkit Campaign 13th Age Megabundle Dyson Logos Commercial Map Packs Cairn 2e open source character generator Indie RPG Roundup by JP Coovert

Apr 5, 2024

Mike dives into running the evil city of Vandekhul and the freedom it gives heroic characters to be jerks! Video Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:38 Number One Tip for Running Evil Cities 04:56 Ghoulish Elizabethian Politics in the Center of the Underworld 06:08 The Yojimbo / Fistful of Dollars Adventure Model 20:08 Double Check Your Session Zero Lines and Veils 22:38 Turning the In-World Safety Dials 26:26 Dungeons Everywhere 30:45 Adding Nice Places the Characters (and Players) Can Rest 35:55 Adding Nice People to Meet and Care About 37:31 Adding Physical Layers of History Show Links Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Empire of the Ghouls Dyson's Maps Dyson's Patreon

Apr 1, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:03 D&D & RPG News: Dungeoncraft on Getting Cheap Miniatures 03:58 Kickstarter Spotlight: Monsters of Drakkenheim 05:52 Kickstarter Spotlight: Cairn 2e Boxed Set 08:16 Commentary: Tales of the Valiant Wight 14:26 Commentary: Why CR3 is the best CR 20:09 Sly Flourish News: New Search Engine for Sly Flourish! 22:13 DM Tip: The Two Different Games at the Table 34:29 Patreon Question: Lazy DM Steps in an Online VTT World 40:55 Patreon Question: Handling Failure at the End of Campaigns 45:23 Patreon Question: Handling Flying Characters 48:53 Patreon Question: Feeling Bad After a Big Battle 54:22 Patreon Question: When to Give Out Magic Items Links How To Get Minis for D&D For Cheap! Dungeoncraft Monsters of Drakkenheim Kickstarter Cairn 2e Boxed Set Kickstarter Tales of the Valiant Wight Sly Flourish Search Engine Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books

Mar 29, 2024

Mike dives deep into Shadowed Keep of the Borderlands by Raging Swan Press. 00:00 Show Start 01:39 What Is Shadowed Keep of the Borderlands? 04:59 Why is it So Good? 07:07 What Do You Get? 10:09 Dulwich Overview and Quick References 18:24 The Duchy of Ashlar 22:42 The Shadowed Keep 31:35 Appendices and Player Handouts 33:35 My Own Shadowed Keep Campaign 42:22 Final Recommendation: Buy It Links Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: https://shop.slyflourish.com/ Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands (affiliate link)

Mar 25, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:59 D&D & RPG News: Jim Ward Passes Away 01:37 Commentary: Bob World Builder's Survey of D&D and WOTC Popularity 12:55 D&D & RPG News: Legos and Sneakers and Hawaiian Shirts 13:59 D&D & RPG News: Tome of Beasts 2023 on D&D Beyond 21:45 Patreon Spotlight: The SF Patreon Q&A Database 25:41 D&D & RPG News: Larian says No BG3 Expansions or BG4 29:27 DM Tip: Reach and Run Awesome Campaign Endings 45:36 Patreon Question: Too Much Comedy and Joking at our Serious D&D Game 49:15 Patreon Question: How Much is Gold Worth? Function Economies in our D&D Games 52:55 Patreon Question: Lazy Encounter Benchmark for Multiple Battles in a Day Links James Ward Wikipedia Page Bob World Builder WOTC Survey Video Take the Survey Here Tome of Beasts 1 2023 Larian Studios Won't Make Baldur's Gate 3 DLC, Expansions, or Baldur's Gate 4 Ending Campaigns The Lazy Encounter Benchmark Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Mar 22, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Mar 18, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Video Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:28 D&D & RPG News: Dungeon Crawl Classics Humble Bundle 04:35 D&D & RPG News: Worlds Without Number SRD in CC0 07:07 D&D & RPG News: WOTC's "Do You Like Me" Survey 16:11 D&D & RPG News: Hasbro's Chris Cocks on D&D and AI 20:36 D&D & RPG News: WOTC Partners with StartPlaying.Games 23:26 D&D & RPG News: Daggerheart Open Beta Available 30:05 Sly Flourish News: Lazy DM's Companion On Sale! 30:47 Patreon Spotlight: Dungeon Chambers 36:44 DM Tip: Challenging High-Level Characters 55:28 Patreon Question: Getting Players to Speak Up During (Online) Games 58:01 Patreon Question: Staying Excited about Long Campaigns Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Lazy DM's Companion on sale for 50% off! Huge DCC Humble Bundle Worlds Without Number SRD CC0 Hasbro on AI for D&D Penny Arcade on Hasbro WOTC Partners with Startplaying.games Daggerheart Playtest Released Collected Experiences Running D&D 5e Boss Fights Call on Individual Players During Online D&D Games Ginny Di on Online Game Etiquette

Mar 15, 2024

Mike explores using https://obsidian.md/ for tabletop RPG prep. Episode Contents 00:00 - Show Start 01:18 - Why Obsidian? 02:40 - Choose the Tool You Dig 04:19 - What Is Obsidian 05:11 - Check the Resource Links in the Show Notes 07:17 - The Fun and Dangers of Dorking With Our Systems 11:28 - Why Obsidian Again? 13:10 - On Markdown 20:10 - On Synching Notes 24:30 - Keeping Things Simple 35:18 - Limiting Hyperlinking 36:03 - The Lazy GM Campaign Template for Obsidian 41:38 - The Danger of Plugin Proprietary Notes 45:32 - Espanso for Text Autofilling 49:40 - Printing Notes to PDF with Automator, Shell Scripting, Pandoc, and Latex... 52:32 - Final Thoughts Links Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Getting Started with Obsidian for D&D – PhD20 Nicole van der Hoeven's D&D and Obsidian YouTube Playlist Nicole's RPG Obsidian Notes D&D-tagged notes Non-Lazy DMs use Obsidian for D&D Obsidian for Tabletop Roleplaying Games (collection) Obsidian TTRPG Tutorials Espanso

Mar 11, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:06 Sly Flourish News: Last Week's Sly Flourish RPG Newsletter 03:42 Kickstarter Spotlight: Planestrider 09:52 Kickstarter Spotlight: Surviving Strangehollow 12:02 Sly Flourish News: Lazy DM's Companion On Sale 50% Off 13:59 D&D & RPG News: NASA Releases a 5e Adventure 16:04 D&D & RPG News: Chaosium RPG Design Contest 21:58 DM Tip: Taking Notes During and After the Game 36:43 Patreon Question: Running City of Arches as an Open Table Game 41:18 Patreon Question: Villainous Plans and the Three of Five Keys Model 48:21 Patreon Question: Introducing New Players to RPGs 51:18 Patreon Question: Secrets and Lore as Character Knowledge 54:22 Patreon Question: Secrets and Clues in Dark Sun Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Last weeks Lazy RPG News Letter Planestriders Kickstarter Surviving Strangehollow NASAs RPG adventure Chaosium Basic Roleplaying Design Challenge Three of Five Keys Revealing Secrets

Mar 1, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Feb 26, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:01 D&D & RPG News: Rascal.News for TTRPG News 03:19 D&D & RPG News: Ginny Di on D&D with ADHD 05:50 D&D & RPG News: Shadow of the Weird Wizard Released 08:50 DM Tip: The Benefits of Character Factions 16:35 Commentary: The Many Right Answers of TTRPGs 32:53 Patreon Question: WOTC and Table-Usable Maps 38:06 Patreon Question: Selling Magic Items -- Info and Inventories 39:57 Patreon Question: Tying Backgrounds to Curse of Strahd 42:34 Patreon Question: How do I Feel about AI in TTRPGs? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Rascal.News Ginny Di on D&D and ADHD Shadow of the Weird Wizard Using Maps for In-Person Games

Feb 23, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Feb 19, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:26 D&D & RPG News: D&D 2024 Core Book Release Dates 03:58 Commentary: Call the New Books "D&D 2024" 06:47 D&D & RPG News: D&D 2024 on Roll20 08:41 D&D & RPG News: Humblewood on D&D Beyond 16:43 D&D & RPG News: How D&D Began Video 20:56 Patreon Spotlight: Best of Sly Flourish 2013-2023 27:30 DM Tip: Different Steps for Different Circumstances 40:45 Patreon Question: Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands Campaign 44:27 Patreon Spotlight: A Player's Version of Forge of Foes. Forge of Heroes? 49:52 Patreon Question: Favorite Three RPG Mechanics Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: D&D 2024 Core Book Release Dates Humblewood D&D 2024 on Roll20 How Dungeons & Dragons Started Video Choosing the Right Steps from the Lazy DM Checklist Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands

Feb 16, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Feb 12, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:04 D&D & RPG News: Ginny Di on One-on-One D&D 02:33 Product Spotlight: Crown and Skull by Runehammer 32:10 Patreon Spotlight: City of Arches Updates 34:31 Patreon Spotlight: 1d100 Monuments 40:18 DM Tip: Build Custom Faction Lists 47:52 Patreon Question: Banning Subclasses 52:16 Patreon Question: Paralysis Choosing What to Run Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Ginny Di on D&D Duets – One-on-One D&D Games Crown and Skull by Runehammer

Feb 9, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Feb 5, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:07 D&D & RPG News: D&D on Foundry 16:39 Commentary: D&D Beyond Isn't Destroying the 5e Hobby 29:19 D&D & RPG News: Shadowdark Print Books For Sale 30:46 DM Tip: When To Use Simple or Complicated Stat Blocks 46:13 Patreon Question: XP Loss on Death in Shadowdark 47:53 Patreon Question: Why No Shapechange for Flee Mortals Vampires? 49:20 Patreon Question: Looking Back on Old Secrets 51:05 Patreon Question: Teaching New Players 5e through D&D 53:59 Patreon Question: Quest Continuity in Shadowdark Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: D&D on Foundry Sly Flourish YouTube Poll Responses Shadowdark Print Copies Available Forge of Foes A5e Monstrous Menagerie Flee Mortals

Feb 2, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Jan 29, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:05 Kickstarter Spotlight: Vault 5e Crafting and Alchemy by Cubicle 7 03:50 DM Tip: Making Your Lore Optional by PHD20 10:49 D&D & RPG News: Bob World Builder on 15 Different RPGs 12:55 D&D & RPG News: Kelsey Dionne and Baron de Ropp on RPG Design 14:02 D&D & RPG News: Tegan J Gaming on a Defense of Dungeons & Dragons 18:01 Patreon Spotlight: Dwarven Forge VTT Backdrops 21:34 DM Tip: TTRPG Tips from Baldur's Gate 3 44:29 Patreon Question: Are Casters Better than Martial Characters in 5e? 47:38 Patreon Question: Running Single-Session One-Shot Games On Time 50:54 Patreon Question: Running Too Many NPCs 54:01 Patreon Question: Writing Adventures as Good as Published Ones 58:47 Patreon Question: Wolfgang Baur on Worldbuilding Links Vault 5e Crafting and Alchemy Kickstarter by Cubicle 7 Making Your Lore Optional by PHD20 Bob World Builder on 15 Different RPGs Kelsey Dionne and Baron de Ropp on RPG Design Tegan J Gaming on a Defense of Dungeons & Dragons Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Jan 26, 2024

Mike dives deep into Forge of Foes – build and run awesome monsters for your 5e RPG! Video Contents 00:00 Show Start 02:05 Forge of Foe's Main Advantage 04:26 Forge of Foes and 5e Modularity 06:36 Is Forge of Foes Compatible with Other RPGs? 08:38 The Book's Structure 13:28 The Quick Monster Builder and Stats by CR 23:35 Quick 5e Monster Stats Tool 24:33 Adding Monster Powers 28:00 General Use Stat Blocks 31:59 Using Stats by CR to Benchmark Existing Monsters 36:11 Monster Powers 36:49 Monster Roles 37:54 Other Lazy Tricks 39:01 Monster Advice Chapters 40:34 Alternative Takes on Encounter Building 42:57 Monsters By Adventure Location 43:43 More Monster Advice 45:14 Monsters by Story or Story by Monster? 45:57 Anticolonial Play 47:57 The Best 5e Monster Book Links Forge of Foes Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books

Jan 22, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:11 Kickstarter Spotlight: Tales of the Valiant Gamemaster's Guide 06:36 Kickstarter Spotlight: Gate Pass Gazette 2023 for Level Up Advanced 5e 12:00 Commentary: What Is 5e? 30:01 DM Tip: Using the Eight Steps At the Table 47:26 Patreon Question: How Many Battles in a Dungeon? 51:19 Patreon Question: Should We Demand Players Read the Books? 54:19 Patreon Question: Player Rolls or Player Skill for Puzzles? Links Tales of the Valiant Gamemaster's Guide Kickstarter Gate Pass Gazette 2023 for Level Up Advanced 5e Kickstarter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Jan 19, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Jan 15, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:29 Patreon Spotlight: City of Arches Update 09:52 D&D & RPG News: Jennell Jaquays Passes Away 11:26 Commentary: Don't Throw Away 5e Because of Hasbro 27:47 Product Spotlight: Weapons of Legend for 5e by Jeff Stevens 33:40 DM Tip: Add the Black Flag Luck System to your 5e games 45:36 Patreon Question: Pacing Quests for Villainous Plots 50:31 Patreon Question: Pricing Magic Items 53:03 Patreon Question: Best Quest Vehicles in City of Arches 56:04 Patreon Question: Preparing Players for a 2e Campaign Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Jennell Jaquays Go Fund Me The Legacy of Jennell Jaquays Don't Throw Away 5e Because of Hasbro Weapons of Legend for 5th Edition Black Flag Reference Document

Jan 12, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Jan 8, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:27 D&D & RPG News: A Player's Primer to Level Up Advanced 5e 06:23 Product Spotlight: GM Screen for Lazy GMs Portrait Mode 09:45 D&D & RPG News: Ben Riggs on the Fall of 5e 37:58 DM Tip: Making 5e Your Own on the GM Side of the Screen 48:48 Patreon Question: Tracking Alternative Endings for Combat 52:17 Patreon Question: Getting Shadowdark Treasure Right 54:09 Patreon Question: Best Designs for Published Adventures 59:13 Patreon Question: Secrets and Clues and the Quantum Ogre Links The Player’s Case for Level Up: Advanced 5e 5e Game Master Screen for Lazy GMs Ben Riggs: The Golden Age of TTRPGs is Dead Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Jan 5, 2024

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Jan 1, 2024

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:11 DM Tip: Adding Free Monstrous Menagerie Tokens to Owlbear Rodeo 07:55 D&D & RPG News: CORE20 RPG Playtest 10:47 Patreon Spotlight: 5e Artisanal Monster Database 14:53 Commentary: A Look Back at 2023 40:31 Product Spotlight: Sly Flourish 2024 Calendar 41:51 Patreon Question: Best Adventure to Learn Shadowdark RPG 44:13 Patreon Question: Using The Books We Buy 46:27 Patreon Question: When Will You Run Drakkenheim? 49:03 Patreon Question: Leaving a Game Gracefully 52:08 Patreon Question: Dealing with Missing Players in Character-Focused Adventures 53:57 Patreon Question: What To Do with Players of Dead PCs? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Level Up Advanced 5e Monstrous Menagerie tokens (affiliate link) Owlbear Rodeo Owlbear Rodeo Tutorial Video CORE20 Blog CORE20 Playtest Download Lazy DM 2024 Calendar

Dec 25, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:27 D&D & RPG News: Numenera Bundles of Holding 04:25 D&D & RPG News: Kobold Guides Bundle of Holding 05:46 DM Tip: Detailed Random Encounters with A5E's Monstrous Menagerie and Trials and Treasures 11:50 DM Tip: PJ Coffey's Intro to Level Up Advanced 5E 13:32 Patreon Spotlight: Patreon Discord Server 16:37 Commentary: Travel Options from 5e Books 33:25 Patreon Question: Tips for One on One Games 39:04 Patreon Question: What To Do with Weeks of Prep Time? 42:27 Patreon Question: How Much is Too Much for Describing Scenes? 45:37 Patreon Question: How Much Do I Need to Get Buy-In from Players on a Future Campaign? 47:49 Patreon Question: Offering Feedback to Other DMs Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Numenera Discovery Bundle of Holding Numenera Horizons Bundle of Holding Kobold Guides Bundle of Holding Level Up Advanced 5e Trials and Treasures Level Up Advanced 5e Monstrous Menagerie PJ Coffey's How to Explain: Level Up Advanced Fifth Edition Uncharted Journeys Campfire (affiliate link) Weird Wastelands Lazy DM's Companion Running One on One Games Balancing D&D Combat for One-on-One Play A Framework for One-on-One D&D Games: Sherlock Holmes and Watson

Dec 22, 2023

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Dec 18, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:00 Sly Flourish News: Last Hours of the Lazy DM Bundle of Holding 02:11 D&D & RPG News: Hasbro Lays Off 1,100 Workers 10:41 DM Tip: Get Exponentially More Value out of Random Tables 19:51 Patreon Spotlight: Readings and Reflections Podcast 21:00 Commentary: Favorite RPG Products of 2023 33:56 Patreon Question: Dealing with GM Burnout 39:59 Patreon Question: Character-Focused Side Quests Versus the Main Quest Links Sly Flourish Bundle of Holding Hasbro Layoffs Thread on EN World Level Up Advanced 5e Trials and Treasure: Tome of Beasts 1 2023 Zobeck Clockwork City Uncharted Journeys Flee Mortals Shadowdark RPG Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Dec 15, 2023

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Dec 11, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:03 Sly Flourish News: Sly Flourish Bundle of Holding! 02:22 Kickstarter Spotlight: MCDM's RPG 05:31 Kickstarter Spotlight: One Dollar One-shot by Penny Dragon Games 09:16 Patreon Spotlight: Game Master Screen for Lazy GMs 12:04 Sly Flourish News: Mike on EN World's Podcast Talking D&D Beyond 13:27 Product Spotlight: Level Up Advanced 5e Adventurer's Guide 46:19 DM Tip: Tips for Using Paper Character Sheets 58:48 Patreon Question: Secrets and Clues Creating Too Many Adventure Hooks 01:01:37 Patreon Question: Running a Prequel Campaign 01:03:43 Patreon Question: Preparing a Big Campaign Adventure Links Sly Flourish Bundle of Holding Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: MCDM RPG Backerkit Campaign One Dollar One-Shot – Tomb of the Undead King Backerkit Campaign Petero's Tome of Adventure by Penny Dragon Game Master Screen for Lazy GMs (affiliate link) Mike on Morrus's Unofficial Tabletop RPG Talk Show Level Up Advanced 5e's Adventurer's Guide YouTube Discussion on Paper Character Sheets EN World Discussion on Paper Character Sheets

Dec 8, 2023

Mike shares his experiences with Empire of the Ghouls! Links Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books : Empire of the Ghouls (affiliate link) Midgard Worldbook (affiliate link) Zobeck Clockwork City (affiliate link) Southlands Sourcebook (affiliate link) Book of Ebon Tides (affiliate link) Show Contents: 00:00 Show Start 00:51 This Adventure Is Awesome 04:26 Top Tips for Running Empire of the Ghouls 04:37 Tip 1: Deal with the Loads of Travel 11:19 Tip 2: Prepare for Dark and Mature Content 14:20 Tip 3: Add Upward Beats to the Final Two Chapters 15:41 Tip 4: Change Things to Suit Your Game 16:50 Tip 5: Use the Whole Kobold Press Midgard Library as Source Material 21:08 Tip Summary 21:37 A Deeper Chapter by Chapter Guide 22:15 Dread Chambers of the Undercity 24:20 Holy Robes of Sister Adelind 27:33 The Blood Marriage 30:45 Catacombs of the Ghul King 32:40 Into the Fuligin Realm 36:08 The Pure City of Vandekhul 38:34 Final Thoughts -- It's Awesome

Dec 4, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:17 Sly Flourish News: Sly Flourish Bundle of Holding! 03:15 Product Spotlight: Raging Swan 2021 5e Megabundle 05:01 Product Spotlight: Drake Koboldson's Exotic Weapons and Gadgets 06:00 Patreon Spotlight: Dyson Royalty Free Maps Gallery 08:59 Commentary: Other 5e Publishers on D&D Beyond 13:18 Commentary: What Can We Do to Strengthen 5e? 18:49 Commentary: Is it Good for Publishers? 22:55 Commentary: Why It Matters to GMs 28:32 Commentary: What Can Wizards Do For the 5e Community? 34:02 Commentary: What Can We Do for a Resilient 5e Hobby? 40:16 Commentary: You Can Get Involved 41:11 Commentary: WOTC's Role in the Community 45:35 DM Tip: High Value Prep Activities 57:52 Patreon Question: Helping Players Discover Secrets and Clues 01:00:10 Patreon Question: High-Level Monster Tactics 01:02:57 Patreon Question: Alignment for Factions 01:04:42 Patreon Question: Running Ariel Combat 01:06:03 Patreon Question: Revealing Lots of Campaign Info as Secrets and Clues Links Sly Flourish Bundle of Holding Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Raging Swan 2021 5e Bundle (affiliate link) Drake Koboldson's Exotic Weapons & Gadgets Ltd. Open 5e Open 5e Discord Server

Dec 1, 2023

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Nov 27, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:51 Kickstarter Spotlight: Grimtooth's Traps 07:51 Kickstarter Spotlight: Seekers Guide to Enchanting Emporiums 16:51 D&D & RPG News: Big Sales This Month 17:39 D&D & RPG News: EN World's Article on Free and Bundled RPG Products 18:50 DM Tip: Awarding Treasure in 5e 38:47 Patreon Question: Best Features for Funnels 41:06 Patreon Question: Forgetting Things in Combat 44:53 Patreon Question: Running Short Episodic Sessions 47:33 Patreon Question: Adding Spells to Monsters Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Grimtooth's Traps Seekers of the Enchanting Emporiums Blasphemies of Bor Bwalsch Midgard Worldbook on sale for $30 EN World Free and Bundled RPGs Awarding Treasure and Magic Items in D&D 5e Trials and Treasure – Level Up Advanced 5e A5e Treasure Generator donjon.bin.sh Treasure Generator

Nov 24, 2023

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Nov 20, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:02 D&D & RPG News: Free WOTC D&D After-School Materials and Adventure 05:34 Commentary: This Is What We Want WOTC To Do 08:36 Commentary: Practical 5e Digital Interoperability Today 25:20 Patreon Spotlight: Lazy GM's Random Generator 29:31 DM Tip: Prepping on a High Stress Short Timeline 39:32 Patreon Question: When to End a Campaign 42:02 Patreon Question: Prep NPCs with Personality Quotes 49:52 Patreon Question: Getting Backstory for New Characters Links D&D Educator Resources Free Peril in Pinebrook Adventure PDF WHO on the Dangers of Loneliness Beyond 20 Mr Primate's Foundry D&D Beyond Importer How to Import a D&D Beyond Character Into Shard VTT Open5e Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Nov 17, 2023

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Nov 13, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:33 D&D & RPG News: Fantastic Deals on D&D and 5e Books 06:51 D&D & RPG News: Roll 20 D&D Character Builder Outside the VTT 11:47 Commentary: A D&D Digital Utopia 26:10 DM Tip: Build Monuments of Power for Big Battles in 5e 41:48 Patreon Question: Dialog Options for NPCs 45:45 Patreon Question: Good AD&D Adventures for Shadowdark RPG 46:40 Patreon Question: Learning New RPGs Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Radiant Citadel on Amazon (Affiliate Link) Eberron Rising from the Last War on Amazon (Affiliate Link) Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica on Amazon (Affiliate Link) Mythic Odyssey of Theros on Amazon (Affiliate Link) 5e Humble Bundle Roll20 D&D Character Builder Level Up Advanced 5e System Reference Documents A5e Foundry Module Github Repo Anatomy of an Environmental Effect – Chernobog's Well

Nov 10, 2023

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Nov 6, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:01:06 Commentary: What's the Value of an RPG Product? 00:29:07 DM Tip: Using the 8 Steps At Your Table 00:49:15 Patreon Question: How I Feel about D&D 2024 00:54:17 Patreon Question: Where to Get D&D News 00:57:05 Patreon Question: Encounter Builiding for Waves of Monsters 01:03:48 Patreon Question: Running Gladiatorial Arenas Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Eberron Rising from the Last War (affiliate link) Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft (affiliate link) Midgard Worldbook Southlands Tal'Dorei Reborn Ptolus Cursed Scroll 1 Shadow of the Demon Lord (affiliate link) Iskandar (affiliate link) Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master EN World Lazy Encounter Benchmark Dials of Monster Difficulty

Nov 3, 2023

Mike shares his experiences, tips, and tricks for running the original 1983 I6 Ravenloft using the Shadowdark RPG. Show Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:17 Did Shadowdark and Ravenloft Work Well Together? 03:26 Get Ravenloft for $3 05:21 Main Experiences Running Ravenloft with Shadowdark 05:30 Use 5th Level Characters 08:06 Use Twice as Many Pregens as you Have Players -- Plan for Death 09:28 Include Some Silvered Weapons 10:31 Use Old-School Mapping 11:35 We Got Through a Lot of the Castle -- They Ran from a Lot 12:55 Introducing Shadowdark to 5e Players 20:06 Running Ravenloft in One Session 28:29 Modifying Ravenloft for Shadowdark -- Very Little Needed 35:59 Patreon Toolkit to Run Ravenloft with Shadowdark 39:50 VTT Ravenloft Maps 40:46 Other Ways to Run Ravenloft 41:57 Ravenloft + Shadowdark = Awesome Links Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books I6 Ravenloft (affiliate link) Shadowdark RPG Shadowdarklings Running Ravenloft / Curse of Strahd in a Single Session Ravenloft VTT maps (affiliate Link)

Oct 30, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:01:27 D&D & RPG News: Arcane Library Bundle of Holding 00:03:00 D&D & RPG News: Level Up Advanded 5e SRD in the Creative Commons 00:07:50 Commentary: Planescape Adventures in the Multiverse 00:37:20 Commentary: The Mortuary 00:42:42 Patreon Spotlight: Lazy GM Screen Sheets and a Forge of Foes Monster Stat App 00:47:41 DM Tip: Music Playlists For Your Game 00:57:52 Patreon Question: Pacing High-Level Campaigns 01:03:06 Patreon Question: Running Two Campaigns with the Same Setting and Story Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Arcane Library Bundle of Holding Level Up Advanced 5e System Reference Documents

Oct 27, 2023

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Oct 23, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:22 D&D & RPG News: Black Flag System Reference Document 07:37 Commentary: A Comparison of Cult Fanatics 20:53 DM Tip: Lazy Tricks for Making Great Magic Items 33:05 Commentary: Defining Adventure Types 50:29 Patreon Question: Running Battles in the Background (again) 53:42 Patreon Question: Running Ravenloft with Shadowdark Links Black Flag System Reference Document Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Oct 20, 2023

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Oct 16, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:38 D&D & RPG News: Amazon Sales on D&D Books 07:25 Commentary: What Do We Need from WOTC for D&D? 29:16 DM Tip: Running Monsters in Dynamic Situations 43:14 Patreon Question: Character Wants to Defer to Authorities 48:26 Patreon Question: Running Flashbacks 52:25 Patreon Question: Managing Big Battles in the Background Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Van Richten's Guide on Amazon (affiliate link) Big ship poster map for Pathfinder (affiliate link)

Oct 13, 2023

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Oct 9, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:03 Commentary: D&D Playtest on Bastions and Cantrips 23:30 Kickstarter Spotlight: The Vault of Life Well Lived by Cubicle 7 29:21 Patreon Spotlight: Secret of Summervine Villa 34:41 DM Tip: Prepping and Improvising Pacing 51:01 Patreon Question: Foreshadowing Roach Motel Dungeons 57:15 Patreon Question: Showing Locations in a Hex Crawl Links Unearthed Arcana Bastions and Cantrips Playtest Alphastream on Bastions Vault of a Life Well Lived by Cubicle 7 Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Oct 6, 2023

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Oct 2, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:01:05 Flee Mortals (Qualifiers) 00:02:28 Flee Mortals Overall Assessment 00:03:48 Flee Mortals - Not a Monster Manual Replacement 00:06:17 Flee Mortals - Are 5e Monsters Boring? 00:09:50 Flee Mortals Overview 00:13:32 Flee Mortals Monster Roles 00:15:54 Flee Mortals Action Oriented Monsters 00:17:44 Flee Mortals Minions 00:25:48 Flee Mortals Encounter Building Guidelines 00:28:21 Flee Mortals Monster Index Spreadsheet 00:29:10 Flee Mortals and Other Monster Books 00:30:20 Flee Mortals and D&D Beyond 00:31:59 Flee Mortals Other Chapters 00:34:22 Who Should Buy Flee Mortals? 00:35:22 Flee Mortals Lightning Round Questions 00:41:42 Flee Mortals Final Thoughts 00:42:37 Patreon Spotlight: Readings and Reflections Podcast 00:44:26 Patreon Question: Alternatives to Legendary Actions for Legendary Monsters 00:46:14 Patreon Question: WOTC changing Legendary Actions to Reactions 00:48:36 Patreon Question: Buying or Leasing Material from D&D Beyond or Demiplane 00:52:53 Patreon Question: Safest Place to Buy Digital RPG Content 00:55:40 Patreon Question: Going Off the Path on Published Adventures 00:57:13 Patreon Question: Good Advice I Don't Follow 01:02:46 Patreon Question: Handling Villagers in Protect the Village Situations 01:04:38 Patreon Question: Managing Sandbox Situations with the 8 Steps 01:06:40 Patreon Question: Overcoming the Need for High Production Value D&D Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Flee Mortals Flee Mortals Preview Flee Mortals Monster Index Spreadsheet

Sep 29, 2023

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Sep 25, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:03 Kickstarter Spotlight: Wanderer's Guide to Enchanted Emporiums 03:21 D&D & RPG News: VTT "Maps" in D&D Beyond 18:41 D&D & RPG News: Monstrous Compendium 4: Eldraine Creatures 28:57 Patreon Spotlight: Mire's End 4th Level Adventure 30:36 DM Tip: Adventure Structures 50:04 Patreon Question: Shaking Up Castle Ravenloft 53:14 Patreon Question: Three Weeks of GM Improvement Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Wanderer's Guide to Enchanted Emporiums D&D Beyond Maps Monstrous Compendium 4: Eldrane Creatures Running Ravenloft Kobold Guides

Sep 22, 2023

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Sep 18, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:08 D&D & RPG News: Chris Perkins's DM Tips 07:39 Kickstarter Spotlight: Level Up Advanced 5e Starter Set by EN World Publishing 12:01 Kickstarter Spotlight: Monstrous 14:19 Commentary: Correction on A5e Counterspell 17:13 DM Tip: Run Really Hard Battles and Let Player Get Away with Stuff 28:45 Patreon Spotlight: Dwarven Forge VTT Backdrops 32:59 Patreon Question: Prepping Adventures While Visually Impared 38:54 Patreon Question: Reciting Session Recaps and Previous Session Summaries 42:32 Patreon Question: GMs Bringing More Energy to the Game 46:37 Patreon Question: Best Starting Adventures for New Players and DMs Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Chris Perkins's DM Tips Level Up Advanced 5e Starter Set Kickstarter Monstrous Kickstarter A5e's Counterspell Choosing the Right Steps from Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Knights of the Braille Discord Server Dungeons And Dragons: a How-To For Blind And Low Vision Tabletop Enthusiasts Accessible Gaming Quarterly magazine That All May Read apparently has services for the D&D 5e core books in braille and audio

Sep 15, 2023

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Sep 11, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:13 D&D & RPG News: 2024 Players Handbook Playtest 7 09:43 Commentary: I Hate Counterspell 16:42 Kickstarter Spotlight: Side Quests and NPC Decks by Inkwell Ideas 18:14 D&D & RPG News: Demiplane Gets 5e Content 22:58 Commentary: Adventure Pitfalls -- Where Do Our Games Fail to Be Fun? 34:25 Patreon Spotlight: The Lazy RPG Talk Show Database 37:57 Commentary: Baldur's Gate 3 Ability Checks 47:10 Patreon Question: Does Baldur's Gate 3 Match the D&D Experience? 51:34 Patreon Question: Fudging Monster Stats Feels Bad 56:38 Patreon Question: Tips for Rules Versus Rulings in OSR Games 59:34 Patreon Question: Only Using Half of your Prep Notes Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Book 2024 Player's Handbook Playtest 7 Side Quests and NPC Decks by Inkwell Ideas Demiplane for 5e Adventure Crucible by Robin Laws

Sep 8, 2023

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Sep 4, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:53 Kickstarter Spotlight: Old Town Saga by MT Black 03:43 Kickstarter Spotlight: Weapons of Legend by Jeff Stevents 06:35 Commentary: D&D on Death Row 14:33 Patreon Spotlight: Tomb of the Red Headsman 18:06 Patreon Question: The Eight Steps for Call of Cthulhu and Investigative or Mystery Games 24:10 Patreon Question: Incentivizing Moving Around During Combat 28:03 Patreon Question: Thoughts on Anti-Colonial Chapter of Forge of Foes 36:29 Patreon Question: Player-Focused Tasks and Roles 39:22 Patreon Question: Where to Drop In the Three Choices For Future Sessions 41:56 Patreon Question: Fitting a Strong Start Into a Three-Hour Game 44:57 Patreon Question: Where Does Treasure Make Sense? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Old Town Saga Kickstarter by MT Black Weapons of Legend Kickstarter by Jeff Stevens When Wizards and Orcs Came to Death Row

Sep 1, 2023

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Aug 30, 2023

Mike prepares for his final Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books The 5e Artisanal Monster Database Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook Show Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:03 Top Tips for Running Scarlet Citadel 01:44 Tip 1: Bring Your Own Story and Motivation 04:03 Tip 2: Give the Villains Escalating Plots 05:30 Tip 3: Pay Attention and Note the Verticality of the Dungeon 07:10 Tip 4: Show How the Dungeon Evolves 08:43 Tip 5: Take Advantage of Scarlet Citadel's Excellent Maps 10:04 I can't Recommend Scarlet Citadel 17:22 What Do I Like about Scarlet Citadel? 18:52 How Did Our Campaign End?

Aug 28, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:12 D&D & RPG News: Baldur's Gate Gazateer Free on D&D Beyond 03:55 Product Spotlight: Bigby's Glory of the Giants 27:57 Patreon Spotlight: Uncovered Secrets Volume 2 35:55 Product Spotlight: Adventure Crucible - Building Stronger Scenarios for Any RPG 46:24 Commentary: Read Books Instead of Social Media 48:15 DM Tip: Adventure Models from the Lazy DM's Companion 54:53 Patreon Question: Handling Multiple 5e Systems 58:55 Patreon Question: Challenging Differently Powered Characters 01:02:45 Patreon Question: Encouraging Party Talk and Banter Links Baldur’s Gate Gazetteer Bigby's Glory of the Giants (Affiliate Link) Tribality Bigby's Glory of the Giants Review Adventure Crucible — Building Stronger Scenarios for any RPG (Affiliate Link) Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Aug 25, 2023

Mike prepares for his Shadowdark RPG campaign, the Gloaming! Shadowdark RPG Campaign Notebook available to Sly Flourish patrons Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 1 Dyson Maps

Aug 21, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:02 Kickstarter Spotlight: Ultimate Bestiary Secrets of the Fey 02:16 Kickstarter Spotlight: Objima Tales of the Tall Grass 03:30 D&D & RPG News: Elderbrain Adventure Survey 05:03 Sly Flourish News: Reading and Reflection Podcast for Heroic Patrons 07:23 D&D & RPG News: WOTC to Revisit Old Settings 12:21 D&D & RPG News: Tal'dorei Reborn on D&D Beyond 18:15 Commentary: Mike's Little Candles -- Is WOTC Being a Good Partner in the TTRPG Hobby? 30:49 DM Tip: The Bare Minimum You Need for an RPG Session 41:33 Patreon Question: Run an RPG with a Focus on Roleplay 45:37 Patreon Question: Pacing Going Too Fast? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Ultimate Bestiary Secrets of the Fey Kickstarter Objima Tales of the Tall Grass Kickstarter Elderbrain Adventure Survey SF Patreon Readings and Reflections Episode 1 WOTC to Revisit Old Settings Tal'Dorei Reborn on D&D Beyond Mike's Little Candles

Aug 18, 2023

Mike prepares for his final Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books The 5e Artisanal Monster Database Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Aug 14, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:23 Kickstarter Spotlight: Sky Zephyrs 04:29 Kickstarter Spotlight: Dolmenwood 11:48 Kickstarter Spotlight: Shadow of the Weird Wizard 16:27 D&D & RPG News: Shadow of the Demon Lord Bundle of Holding 19:11 D&D & RPG News: New Roll 20 D&D Character Builder 30:22 Sly Flourish News: City of Arches Outlands 38:43 Product Spotlight: Uncharted Journeys by Cubicle 7 49:28 Patreon Question: Scarlet Citadel for Shadowdark RPG 50:55 Patreon Question: Looking for System Neutral RPG Settings 53:08 Patreon Question: Defining My Style of RPGs Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Sky Zephyrs Kickstarter Dolmenwood Kickstarter Shadow of the Weird Wizard Kickstarter Shadow of the Demon Lord Bundle of Holding Demon Lord Legacies Bundle of Holding Roll20 Character Vaults Uncharted Journeys by Cubicle 7

Aug 11, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books The 5e Artisanal Monster Database Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Aug 9, 2023

Mike shares his thoughts after running a Shadowdark RPG 0-Level Gauntlet – Hoard of the Sea Wolf King! Links: Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 3 Shadowdarklings Show Contents: 00:00 An Opportunity to Play Shadowdark 01:46 My Main Point - We loved It and grasped it's theme quickly 04:23 Three Other Top Thoughts 05:49 Running Hoard of the Sea Wolf King 18:00 Other Thoughts about Shadowdark RPG 28:09 How is Shadowdark RPG to GM? 33:05 Final Thoughts

Aug 7, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com?utm_source=sf_podcast_talkshow&utm_medium=sf_podcast_description_link Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:06 D&D & RPG News: Flee Mortals For Sale 06:59 Kickstarter Spotlight: Where Evil Lives Crowdfunding Campaign 11:41 D&D & RPG News: Free Giants of the Star Forge Adventure on D&D Beyond 12:47 D&D & RPG News: Shadow of the Weird Wizard Preview 19:28 D&D & RPG News: 2023 Award Winning RPG Products 22:57 D&D & RPG News: New Starfinder 2 in 2025 23:40 D&D & RPG News: AI Art Used in Bigby's Glory of the Giants 42:28 Commentary: Don't Forget Why We Love RPGs 45:33 Patreon Question: Concerns with Planescape and other WOTC Sourcebooks 50:20 Patreon Question: Prep During Long Breaks with Different Players 52:40 Patreon Question: Being Overwhelmed by Huge Sourcebooks 55:35 Patreon Question: Where Do You Get Puzzles? 57:46 Patreon Question: Engaging Players Between Sessions Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Flee Mortals Where Evil Lies BackerKit Campaign Free Giants of the Star Forge D&D Beyond Adventure Shadow of the Weird Wizard Preview (Affiliate Link) Diana Jones Finalists ENNies finalists Starfinder 2 Announcement Glory of the Giants' AI-Enhanced Art WOTC Statement on AI-Generated Art Keith Amman on Bigby's Use of AI

Aug 4, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books The 5e Artisanal Monster Database Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Jul 31, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:58 D&D & RPG News: 5.1 SRD Released in Four Languages 10:23 D&D & RPG News: Shadowdark RPG Game Jam Results 12:46 D&D & RPG News: Pathfinder 2 Remaster Preview 21:47 D&D & RPG News: Map Crow Uses Forge of Foes and Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master 22:24 DM Tip: Moving Things Forward 43:22 Patreon Question: Balancing Spotlight and Player Creativity 48:11 Patreon Question: Recommends for Nautical Seafaring Adventuress 50:12 Patreon Question: Tips for Sci-Fi 5e games 51:39 Patreon Question: RPGs that Ephasize Theater of the Mind 54:26 Patreon Question: Handling In-World Dead Time 57:19 Patreon Question: Running Consecutive Campaigns in the Same Setting Links 5.1 System Reference Document in French 5.1 System Reference Document in German 5.1 System Reference Document in Spanish 5.1 System Reference Document in Italian Shadowdark RPG Game Jam Results Tragic Curse of Grimhill Fort Pathfinder 2 Remaster Preview Map Crow's Lazy DM Video Esper Genesis (affiliate link) Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Jul 28, 2023

Links Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Cursed Scroll 3 Shadowdarklings Show Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:41 What Is a Shadowdark Gauntlet? 03:46 Running Hoard of the Sea Wolf King 07:17 Prep the Session -- an In-World Session Zero 12:29 Add Some Secrets and Clues 15:01 Add a Dash of Cultists

Jul 26, 2023

Mike dives deep into the dungeon crawler RPG Shadowdark RPG Links Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowdark RPG Show Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:38 One of Three Videos 01:29 What Is Shadowdark RPG? 03:54 Key Features of Shadowdark RPG 04:04 Torches and Lighting 05:38 Always On Initiative 06:56 Really Flat Math 10:04 Slot-Based Encumbrance 11:44 Treasure-Based Experience 13:47 Differences with 5e 13:56 Very Different Style and Focus than 5e 15:39 Other 5e Differences 18:55 Convincing Your Group to Play Shadowdark RPG 19:58 Running the Gauntlet 20:56 An Opinionated RPG 24:25 Abstract Distances and Double-Near?? 26:08 Awesome Monster Design 30:41 I'm Excited to Try It!

Jul 24, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:43 Kickstarter Spotlight: Shadows of the Weird Wizard Coming Soon 02:05 Kickstarter Spotlight: 500 Year Old Vampire 03:59 D&D & RPG News: Fantasy Age 2 Released 05:47 D&D & RPG News: Hydra Co-op OSR Bundle of Holding 08:13 D&D & RPG News: Owlbear Rodeo 2.0 Fully Released 12:09 Commentary: What is the Easiest RPG for GMs to Run? 24:32 Patreon Question: Linear vs Railroad vs Sandbox Adventure Design 31:11 Patreon Question: Using Forge of Foes for Rival Adventuring Parties 33:48 Patreon Question: Customizing Downtime for the Characters 35:53 Patreon Question: What Issues as a GM Did I Have and Change? 39:52 Patreon Question: Standing Firm on Cliffhanger Endings 43:12 Patreon Question: Handling Tag-Along NPCs in Light of Xaryxis Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Shadow of the Weird Wizard Kickstarter Five Hundred Year Old Vampire Fantasy Age 2 Hydra Co-op OSR Bundle Owlbear Rodeo 2.0 Owlbear Rodeo 1.0 Comments on Easiest RPG for GMs

Jul 21, 2023

Mike dives deep into Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands for 5e, a short campaign adventure written by Raging Swan Press. 00:00 Show Start 01:01 Returning to the Joy of a Core D&D Experience 04:25 A Deep Dive of Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands 05:01 Tested for More than a Decade 06:56 An Expandible 1st to 4th Level Adventure / Campaign 09:27 Both Readable and Usable at the Table 10:31 Single Page References Throughout 15:22 The Duchy of Ashlar 17:02 The Shadowed Keep 20:39 A Juxtaposition from Spelljammer 21:38 My Mistake -- Tying it to Greyhawk 28:39 Homebrewing Almost Immediately 31:33 The Masks of Orcus 33:48 Filling Out the World with Dyson Maps 36:38 Usable with Many Fantasy RPG Systems 38:13 Which Parts of Published Adventures Are Most Scrapable? 42:47 Do You Have to Read the Whole Thing? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands for 5e

Jul 17, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:06 Product Spotlight: Free A5e Monster Tokens 03:03 D&D & RPG News: 2023 Ennie Nominations 12:05 Product Spotlight: Swords of the Serpentine 23:50 DM Tip: Running Cities 45:26 Patreon Question: Running Cozier Fantasty Games 50:28 Patreon Question: Running Tier 3 and 4 campaigns 53:27 Patreon Question: The Differences between Grim and Heroic D&D 57:28 Patreon Question: Building Fantastic Locations Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: A5e Monster Tokens at DriveThruRPG (affiliate link) Ennie Nominations - 2023 Swords of the Serpentine Swords of the Serpentine Quickstart Rules Waterdeep City Encounters Campaign Builder Cities and Towns

Jul 14, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books The 5e Artisanal Monster Database Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Jul 10, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:20 D&D & RPG News: Guest Host on Mastering Dungeons 03:07 Commentary: The RPG Fediverse and dndblogs.com 10:29 Commentary: Find Players for Non-5e RPGs 20:29 DM Tip: Project Deadly Threats 30:27 Patreon Question: Adjusting Spells with the Monster Dials 33:55 Patreon Question: Challenging High AC Characters 38:25 Patreon Question: Running Cozier Heroci 5e Games Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Mastering Dungeons Podcast Mastering Dungeons YouTube Channel RPG Blog Reader TTRPG Lemmy (Reddit Replacement) Dice.camp (Mastodon server) Chirp.enworld.org (Mastodon server) Comments from Youtube on Finding Players for Other RPGs

Jul 7, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books The 5e Artisanal Monster Database Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Jul 3, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:57 DM Tip: Build a Vampire Knight with Forge of Foes 09:11 Product Spotlight: Shard Tabletop 18:31 D&D & RPG News: New 2024 D&D Playtest Packet 32:56 D&D & RPG News: Two Tales of the Valiant Playtests 42:26 Patreon Question: Using PbtA Mechanics in 5e Games 47:36 Patreon Question: Giving Bonus Info for High Ability Rolls 50:48 Patreon Question: Improving Evocative Location Descriptions 54:44 Patreon Question: Telling Players about Changes You Made in Published Adventures Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Forge of Foes Preorder Shard Tabletop D&D 2024 Playtest 6 Tales of the Valiant Smallfolk Playtest 1d20 Shades of Gray

Jun 30, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books The 5e Artisanal Monster Database Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Jun 26, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:14 Product Spotlight: Tome of Beasts 1 2023 Revision by Kobold Press 10:07 D&D & RPG News: Tales of the Valiant Finishes at 10k Backers and 1.1M Dollars. 11:12 Kickstarter Spotlight: Gloomhaven RPG 14:44 Product Spotlight: Crucible for Foundry 16:51 D&D & RPG News: D&D VTT Hands-On Experiences 18:35 Commentary: The Digital Future of RPGs 25:16 Commentary: Where to Engage with the RPG Community 37:22 Patreon Question: Which Will Be the Most Popular RPG? It Doesn't Matter. 41:06 Patreon Question: Will the D&D 3D VTT Eat the World of RPGs? No. 43:43 Patreon Question: The Difference Between Old School Grim Characters and New Heroic Characters 49:24 Patreon Question: Sample Encounters for Monsters Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Tome of Beasts 1 2023 Revision Gloomhaven RPG Crowdfunding Campaign D&D VTT Hands-On Experiences by Daniel Kwan Crucible for Foundry BurnBryte for Roll20 Sly Flourish's Blogroll chirp.enworld.org dice.camp ttrpg.network EN World Monstrous Menagerie by Level Up Advanced 5e

Jun 23, 2023

Mike talks about how we can fix the 2014 D&D Players Handbook to preserve the value of the millions of copies that exist throughout the world and those in our own gaming room. Podcast Contents 00:00 How Would You Fix the 2014 D&D Player's Handbook? 02:09 What Parts of the 2014 Player's Handbook Disrupt the Game? 04:10 House Rules in My Own Game 05:26 House Rules Take 1: Nerf Nerf Nerf 05:54 Ability Score Generation 07:31 Class and Subclass Nerfs 08:31 Ispiration 08:48 Exhaustion 09:03 Spell Changes 13:33 Feedback I got: Too Many Nerfs 14:31 A Different Approach: Let's All Make the Game Better 15:20 Where Do You get These House Rules? 16:01 A Focus on Intention 16:31 Boss Monsters are Special 19:40 Requests for a Smooth Game 19:49 Please don't Run More than One or Two Sidekick NPCs 20:23 Please don't multiclass dip for Shield 21:33 Be Mindful of Arcane Eye's Disruption 21:53 Let's Avoid the Counterspell Arms Race 22:25 Familiars are either In or Out of Combat 22:59 Goodberries Are No Substitute for Real Food 23:17 Pure Immunity Breaks a Lot of Monsters 23:38 Tiny Hut Works Poorly in Dangerous Areas 26:17 Pass Without Trace Isn't Invisibility 27:50 Give Me Feedback Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Jun 21, 2023

Mike talks about the recent Reddit collapse, Cory Doctorow's "Enshittification" model for this type of collapse, and how DMs and GMs can protect themselves from the collapse of other enshittified platforms. Video Contents 00:00 Show Start 02:41 Main Points -- How GMs can Protect Themselves from Enshittified Platforms 05:08 The Enshittification Model 09:23 Why Does This Matter for DMs, GMs, and RPGs? 11:52 The Enshittification of Reddit and the RPG Subreddits 14:44 What GMs Are Really Losing -- The DM Academy 15:21 Where Will New DMs Go to Get Questions Answered? 17:18 Is D&D Itself Enshittified? 20:41 Enshittification Risks to GMs 24:21 What Are the Risks for Sly Flourish? 27:48 Know Enshittification, Have Backup Plans, Own Your Stuff 28:20 Returning to Blogs, Newsletters, Podcasts Additional Links Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Cory Doctorow's "Tiktok's enshittification"

Jun 19, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:22 Sly Flourish News: The Lazy GM's Resource Document in Japanese 04:05 D&D & RPG News: Bob World Builder's Four D&D Combat House Rules 07:12 Kickstarter Spotlight: Aetherial Expanse Setting Guide by Ghostfire Gaming 09:59 Commentary: Chat GPT for RPG Prep 33:05 Patreon Question: Making a Location Feel Dangerous 35:46 Patreon Question: Dealing With Emotional Drain After Intense Roleplay Scenes 38:14 Patreon Question: Running Campaigns Built from Multiple Published Adventuresb 40:17 Patreon Question: What Are GMs Not Thinking About Enough? 43:59 Patreon Question: Let Campaign Themes Come Out Naturally 46:16 Patreon Question: Combining 5e Subclasses with A5e Classes Links Lazy GM's Resource Document Lazy GM's Resource Document in Japanese Lazy GM's Resource Document on Github Bob World Builder's Top Four Combat House Rules Aetherial Expanse Kickstarter by Ghostfire Gaming RPG Safety Toolkit Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Jun 16, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books The 5e Artisanal Monster Database Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Jun 14, 2023

Mike offers a review and tips for running the Spelljammer adventure, Light of Xaryxis, with experiences from his own campaign. Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Podcast Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Show Contents 00:00 Video Start 00:28 Reviewing Adventures I've Actually Run 00:49 Top Tips for Running Light of Xaryxis 00:52 Tip 1: Use Stars Over Stormwreck to Connect the Characters to Light of Xaryxis 01:26 Tip 2: Stay with the Moondancer 02:22 Tip 3: Embrace Flash Gordon 03:03 Tip 4: Run Ship Combat in the Narrative 04:11 Tip 5: Give Players Agency Over the Ending 04:58 A Review of the Spelljammer Boxed Set 06:55 Breaking Down the Adventure 08:22 Tips for Part 1 11:36 Tips for Part 2 15:37 Tips for Part 3 18:11 Tips for Part 4 19:03 Missions of the FInal Battle 21:26 Who Lives and Who Dies? Let the Dice Decide! 23:26 Add a Touch of Mind Flayer... 24:06 Princess Xedali's Choice 26:04 Run a One Year Later Montage 27:12 Final Thoughts

Jun 12, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:13 Sly Flourish News: Dwarven Forge VTT 07:46 D&D & RPG News: Wizards on One D&D and 2024 Core Book Messaging 14:57 Commentary: 5e Isn't D&D 25:38 Commentary: High Trust Trad Concepts and Situation-Based RPGs 40:34 Patreon Question: Can the Eight Steps work for Dungeon World? 43:22 Patreon Question: Dealing with Missing Players and Absenteeism 47:49 Patreon Question: Why Are Hags Allowed to Persist? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: D&D Community Update: Clarifying Language: One D&D, 2024 Core Rulebooks What are the 2024 Fifth Edition Core Rulebooks? D&D YouTube Video What is high-trust trad adventure design? How to Handle Missing Players

Jun 9, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books The 5e Artisanal Monster Database Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Jun 5, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:20 Kickstarter Spotlight: Deck of Player Safety 04:24 D&D & RPG News: Tales of the Valiant on What's Compatible and What Isn't 13:35 Commentary: Homebrew Adventures in Published Settings 32:14 Patreon Question: Better Inclusiveness and Representation In Our Games 36:39 Patreon Question: Dice-Rolling for Stochastic Countdown Timers 38:57 Patreon Question: Managing Pacing of Downtime and Roleplayy Scenes 41:45 Patreon Question: Building Combat Encounters 45:00 Patreon Question: Tools for Improvisation At The Table 48:16 Patreon Question: Forge of Foes General Use Stat Block Encounter Math 52:00 Patreon Question: Improving NPC Dialog 53:41 Patreon Question: Character-Focused Spiral Campaign Development Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Deck of Player Safety Kickstarter Tales of the Valiant on What's Compatible and What Isn't EN World: Introducing the COUNTDOWN DICE Mechanic! THE UNDERCLOCK: Fixing the Random Encounter The Lazy 5e Cheat Sheet

Jun 2, 2023

Mike offers tips and a recap for running the third part of Empire of the Ghouls. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books

May 29, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 01:16 D&D & RPG News: Candela Obscura 08:18 Kickstarter Spotlight: Tales of the Valiant 33:52 Commentary: The D&D Book Price Increase 47:58 Patreon Question: Trying Out House Rules 51:17 Patreon Question: Dials for Magic Items 53:41 Patreon Question: Physical Tools for Online Play 55:39 Patreon Question: Gods for your Homebrew Campaign 58:18 Patreon Question: Alternatives to Notion Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Candela Obscura Tales of the Valiant Kickstarter D&D Studio Blog on Price Increases Enshitification

May 26, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books The 5e Artisanal Monster Database Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

May 22, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:56 Commentary: Maps - Is D&D an Incomplete Product? 02:54 Commentary: Maps - No Great Single Solution for In-Person Play 04:51 Commentary: Maps - What Does D&D Recommend for New DMs? 06:44 Commentary: Maps - A Big Digital Display 07:45 Commentary: Maps - The Pathfinder Basic Flip Mat 10:35 Commentary: Maps - Big Sheets of 1" Gridded Poster Paper 13:12 Commentary: Maps - Print "Blueprint" Maps for Cheap. 15:14 Commentary: Maps - Use Cloth for a Fog of War 16:24 Commentary: Maps - Print Individual Rooms on Normal Paper 18:59 Commentary: Maps - Mixing Different Types 20:24 Product Spotlight: JP Coovert's Drawing Dungeons Booklet 25:18 Commentary: Maps - Theater of the Mind and Abstract Maps 29:26 Commentary: Maps - Try Lots of Options 30:37 Product Spotlight: The Works of JP Coovert 40:18 Patreon Question: Rewarding Inspiration 43:57 Patreon Question: Balancing Encounters Across the Adventuring Day Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Using Maps for In-Person Play The Pathfinder Basic Flip Mat Big Pads of 1" Gridded Paper (affiliate link) JP Coovert's Draw a Battle Map video Flik Silverpen's Guide to Drawing Dungeons Running Theater of the Mind Combat Abstract Maps for D&D Combat

May 19, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books The 5e Artisanal Monster Database Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

May 15, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:49 Product Spotlight: Crown of the Oathbreaker Physical Book 03:57 Sly Flourish News: The Lazy GM's Resource Document in the Creative Commons 08:14 Sly Flourish News: Lazy Solo 5e generator on Perchance 10:04 Commentary: Developers! Help Open5e! 14:22 Commentary: Will WOTC Use Open5e? 15:58 Commentary: Playing Five RPGs in Three Days 18:57 Commentary: Playing Dungeon World at 1d4 Con 21:15 Commentary: Playing Pathfinder 2 at 1d4 Con 25:57 Commentary: Playing Call of Cthulhu at 1d4 Con 29:05 Commentary: Playing Dungeon Crawl Classics at 1d4 Con 32:12 Commentary: Playing My Friend's New RPG at 1d4 Con 34:29 Patreon Question: Players Questioning the GM's Logic 38:04 Patreon Question: Remembering Campaign-Specific Rules 40:18 Patreon Question: Is the DM the Storyteller or the Referee? Neither! 42:53 Patreon Question: Running 45 Minute Battles with No Tweaking 47:19 Patreon Question: Reigning in Wanderlust in an Island Hopping Campaign Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Crown of the Oathbreaker Crown of the Oathbreaker Spotlight Lazy GM's Resource Document Lazy Solo 5e Generator Open5e Open5e Discord Server Dungeon World Pathfinder 2 (Affiliate Link) Call of Cthulhu (affiliate link) Dungeon Crawl Classics (affiliate link)

May 8, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:17 Kickstarter Spotlight: Knave 2.0 08:02 Kickstarter Spotlight: Amazing Encounters and Quests 10:35 Kickstarter Spotlight: Emporium of Wonders 13:20 Commentary: Tips from the Midnight Temple 36:13 Patreon Question: Organizing an big RPG Club and Community 40:14 Patreon Question: Building Mythic Monsters 44:53 Patreon Question: Action-Oriented Monsters in Forge of Foes? 46:15 Patreon Question: Playing In Person after 30 Years Away 49:24 Patreon Question: Lazy Gamemaster's Guide? 52:27 Patreon Question: Does Curse of Strahd Take a Lot of Work to Fix? No 55:34 Patreon Question: Needing to Take a Break? 58:35 Patreon Question: Top Tips for New and Experienced GMs Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Knave v2 Kickstarter Amazing Encounters and Quests Kickstarter Emporium of Wonders Kickstarter Fantastic Lairs Monstrous Appendix Lazy DM's Toolkit Ginny Di on Burnout Top Tips for Being a Great Gamemaster

May 5, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books The 5e Artisanal Monster Database Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

May 1, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:10 D&D & RPG News: Owen KC Stevens Bundles on DriveThruRPG 02:26 D&D & RPG News: Owlbear Rodel 2.0 Official Release in July 06:19 D&D & RPG News: Kobold Press Tales of the Valiant Monsters Playtest 19:51 D&D & RPG News: 2024 D&D Players Handbook Playtest 5 24:48 DM Tip: Mass Effect Style Preludes and Wars 33:46 DM Tip: Tuning the Lazy Encounter Bechmark 38:34 Patreon Question: Chat GPT and AI For Adventure Generation 44:26 Patreon Question: Running Ship Battles in Light of Xaryxis 47:40 Patreon Question: Character Grabbing the Wrong Hook Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Owen KC Stevens Bundle 1 Owen KC Stevens Bundle 2 Owlbear Rodel 2.0 Full Release Owlbear Rodeo Videos Kobold Press Tales of the Valiant Monster Playtest D&D 2024 Players Handbook Playtest 5 Lazy Encounter Benchmark

Apr 28, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books The 5e Artisanal Monster Database Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Apr 24, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:17 Sly Flourish News: The Lazy GM's Resource Document 18:21 D&D & RPG News: Darrington Press Roleplaying Games 22:19 D&D & RPG News: Chris Perkins on the 2024 Dungeon Master's Guide 23:13 D&D & RPG News: Cubicle 7 on C7D20 Open Licensing 32:07 D&D & RPG News: More D&D Creator Summit Accounts 33:19 Patreon Question: Running High Level 5e Games 37:25 Patreon Question: Pointing Out Magic Items to Characters 40:16 Patreon Question: Tying Together Independent Published Adventures 43:04 Patreon Question: 5e Cross Compatibility Among Publishers Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Darrington Press RPG Announcements Chris Perkins on the 2024 DMG Cubicle 7 Interview about C7D20 Bob World Builder on the D&D Summit Alphastream Summit Writeup Part 3 Nerd Immersion Summit Recap

Apr 21, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books The 5e Artisanal Monster Database Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Apr 17, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:02 Product Spotlight: Regnum Rattus - The Rats in the Cellar 02:50 Product Spotlight: Iskandar Explorer's Journal Volume 1 04:36 Kickstarter Spotlight: Blood and Doom 11:24 Sly Flourish News: Three Books Released to the Creative Commons 14:21 Commentary: What's Changed over 13 Years of Lazy DMing? 27:52 Sly Flourish News: More Material to the Creative Commons 31:41 Commentary: What Does 5e Backward Compatibility Mean? 49:04 Patreon Question: Dealing with Non-Heroic Heroes 53:37 Patreon Question: Convincing a DM to Run Online Games 55:27 Patreon Question: Initiation Quests to Get Into a Cult 57:35 Patreon Question: Challenging Tier 4 Characters Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Iskandar Explorer's Journal Volume 1 (Affiliate Link) Blood and Doom Kickstarter Dungeon Master Tips – Creative Commons Running Epic-Tier D&D Games – Creative Commons The Lazy Dungeon Master (2014) – Creative Commons

Apr 14, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books The 5e Artisanal Monster Database Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Apr 10, 2023

Mike talks about the D&D Creator Summit with a focus on what matters most to 5e DMs and GMs. Contents 00:00 Show Start 02:10 D&D & RPG News: Kobold Press's Black Flag is Tales of the Valiant 02:48 D&D & RPG News: The ORC Open Gaming License Draft Released 05:18 D&D & RPG News: Thirteenth Age Humble Bundle 06:21 D&D & RPG News: D&D Summit Writeups by Others 07:05 D&D & RPG News: D&D Summit Top Three Observations for D&D DMs 10:51 D&D & RPG News: Looking Into the D&D Summit Organization, Missteps, and Recommendations for Next Time 18:50 D&D & RPG News: D&D Summit 2024 Core Book Updates 39:40 D&D & RPG News: The Format of Planescape 41:08 D&D & RPG News: Thoughts on a D&D Beyond Marketplace 44:51 D&D & RPG News: Other News from the D&D Summit 50:05 Patreon Question: What Should the Dungeon Master's Guide Do? 51:44 Patreon Question: Challenges for 11th+ Level Characers Links Tales of the Valiant ORC License Public Draft Thirteenth Age Humble Bundle EN World D&D Creator Summit Summary TheSpaceJamber D&D Creator Summit Summary Daniel Kwan D&D Creator Summit Summary and Thoughts Alphastream D&D Creator Summit Summary D&D Community Update on the Creator Summit Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Apr 3, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:22 D&D & RPG News: D&D Direct Announcements 05:50 D&D & RPG News: D&D 3D Virtual Tabletop First Look 09:54 D&D & RPG News: More Announcements from D&D Direct 13:03 D&D & RPG News: The D&D Virtual Summit 17:07 D&D & RPG News: PlayDnD and D&D Beyond 1st Level Pregens 21:04 D&D & RPG News: Cubicle 7's Design Goals for C7D20 25:22 D&D & RPG News: Shadow of the Weird Wizard Ancestries 27:09 Patreon Question: Getting Better at Being a DM 30:54 Patreon Question: Using Random Tables for Prep or At The Table? 33:12 Patreon Question: Using D&D For Facing with Real Life Issues 35:35 Patreon Question: Too Many NPCs as Upward Beats in a Dungeon Crawl 37:38 Patreon Question: Getting Through Lots of Story in Shorter Sessions 41:54 Patreon Question: Running Online With Some Players At Same Location 44:41 Patreon Question: How's Dungeon 23 Working Out? 48:05 Patreon Question: Dealing With High Passive Insight 50:20 Patreon Question: Offering Three Plus Infinite Choices 52:07 Patreon Question: Building Shorter Campaigns for 8 to 12 Sessions Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books D&D Direct Announcements Play D&D Homepage Cubicle 7's C7D20 Design Goals Shadow of the Weird Wizard Ancestries Paths for DM Expertise :

Mar 31, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books The 5e Artisanal Monster Database Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Mar 27, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:09 Sly Flourish News: Final Week of Forge of Foes 12:08 Sly Flourish News: Appearance on D&D Beyond Twitch Stream 13:41 Sly Flourish News: Forge of Foes Interview on EN World 14:30 Commentary: The Resilience and Antifragility of Tabletop RPGs 25:22 Commentary: What can WOTC Do for the RPG Community? 44:22 D&D & RPG News: Before the Storm D&D Intro on D&D Beyond 45:30 Patreon Question: Avoiding Bioessentialism in 5e RPGs 52:05 Patreon Question: Low Fantasy Survival Horror in 5e 56:18 Patreon Question: Dealing with Lots of Overpowered Tag Along NPCs Links Forge of Foes Kickstarter – Back Now! Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Forge of Foes on D&D Beyond! Forge of Foes Interview on EN World Before the Storm D&D Intro on D&D Beyond

Mar 24, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books The 5e Artisanal Monster Database Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Mar 20, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:23 Sly Flourish News: Forge of Foes Material Going to Creative Commons 03:33 Sly Flourish News: General-Use Stat Blocks for 5e in Forge of Foes 16:11 D&D & RPG News: Shadow of the Weird Wizard Kickstarter June 2023 17:13 Product Spotlight: Arcane Library Adventures for 5e 31:21 D&D & RPG News: Kobold Press Black Flag Playtest 2 53:53 Patreon Question: Why Make a Book About Building Monsters? 57:01 Patreon Question: Playing D&D with Small Children or Obstructive Pets Links Forge of Foes Kickstarter Reintroducing the Weird Wizard Arcane Library 5e Adventures Kobold Press Black Flag Playtest 2 Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Mar 17, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books The 5e Artisanal Monster Database Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Mar 13, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:36 Sly Flourish News: Forge of Foes Kickstarter Continues 02:52 D&D & RPG News: Radiant Citadel Nominated for a Nebula 03:53 D&D & RPG News: Tome of Beasts 1 Revisited 05:39 Product Spotlight: Campaign Builder - Cities and Towns by Kobold Press 14:24 D&D & RPG News: D&D Community Update 19:22 D&D & RPG News: D&D Content Creator's Summit 21:43 Commentary: How Can Wizards be a Stronger Positive Force in the RPG Community? 38:59 Patreon Question: Modifying NPCs with Species Traits 42:07 Patreon Question: The Challenge of Discovering Secrets 45:28 Patreon Question: Integrating In Disconnected Characters 50:10 Patreon Question: Using Dice for Other Things In-World Links Forge of Foes Kickstarter Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Radiant Citadel Nominated for a Nebula Tome of Beasts 1 Revsisted Campaign Builder: Cities and Towns (Referral Link) D&D Community Update Anydice

Mar 10, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books The 5e Artisanal Monster Database Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Mar 6, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:07 Sly Flourish News: Forge of Foes Kickstarter Going On Right Now! 02:48 Kickstarter Spotlight: Shadowdark RPG by Arcane Library 10:58 Product Spotlight: Open5e.com 18:01 Patreon Question: How to Handle Maps for Exploration 20:55 Patreon Question: Teaching New Systems to Players 23:25 Patreon Question: Taking Notes while Running a Game 25:45 Patreon Question: Helping Players Balance Character Types and Skills 27:59 Patreon Question: Not Offering Custom Lineage or Variant Humans -- Is that Wrong? 30:54 Patreon Question: Accomidating a Players's Spirit Being In Your Game 35:48 Patreon Question: Overwhelmed by Midgard Lore 40:49 Patreon Question: Dealing with Shopping Sessions 44:54 Patreon Question: Balancing Encounters in High Magic Item Campaigns 47:47 Patreon Question: Adopting the Eight Steps to Gumshoe Games Links Forge of Foes Kickstarter! Shadowdark RPG Kickstarter Open5e.com Open5e Discord Server Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Mar 3, 2023

Mike shares his tips and experiences for running Chapter 2 of Empire of the Ghouls!

Feb 27, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:55 Sly Flourish News: Forge of Foes Kickstarter This Wednesday! 02:04 D&D & RPG News: Arcana of the Ancients Bundle of Holding 03:48 D&D & RPG News: Mastering Dungeons on Shadow of the Demon Lord 04:26 D&D & RPG News: New One D&D Playtest 23:03 Product Spotlight: Iskandar Player's Handbook 31:25 Patreon Question: Co-DMing Two Groups in the Same Campaign Adventure 34:40 Patreon Question: Managing and Referencing So Many Monster Books 38:26 Patreon Question: Updates to the 5e Artisenal Monster Database in Notion 43:42 Patreon Question: Worldbuilding Book recommendations 45:37 Patreon Question: Sharing RPG PDFs with Google Drive 49:02 Patreon Question: Running D&D for a 5 year Old 51:12 Patreon Question: Getting Players to Be More Tactical Links Forge of Foes Launching Wednesday! Get Notified! Arcana of the Ancients for 5e Bundle of Holding Mastering Dungeons Podcast Mastering Dungeons on Shadow of the Demon Lord (YouTube) One D&D Unearthed Arcana: Druid and Paladin Iskandar Player's Handbook Notion 5e Artisanal Monster Database Kobold Guides (including Worldbuilding) Sharing Documents on Google Drive Without Downloading or Printing Fate Accelerated RPG Kids Magical Kitties Save the Day Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Feb 24, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Feb 20, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:17 Sly Flourish News: Forge of Foes Kickstarter Coming March 1st 13:20 Kickstarter Spotlight: Valikan Clans by Ghostfire Gaming 16:35 D&D & RPG News: Kobold Press Black Flag Playtest 1 35:05 D&D & RPG News: Demiplane 5e Nexus and the Future of Digital 5e Tools 40:43 Product Spotlight: Level Up Advanced 5e Trials and Treasure by EN World Publishing 50:20 Patreon Question: The Future of RPGs -- 5e or Independent RPGs? Links Forge of Foes Kickstarter Pre-Launch Page Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Grim Hollow Valikan Clans Kickstarter Kobold Press Black Flag Playtest 1 Black Flag Designer Diary 1 5e Nexus by Demiplane Level Up Advanced 5e Trials and Treasure by EN World Publishing Fantasy Heartbreakers

Feb 17, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Feb 13, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:04 Sly Flourish News: Forge of Foes Kickstarter 1 March 03:28 Sly Flourish News: City of Arches Updates 10:58 Commentary: Kyle Brinks and the Future of D&D from Wizards of the Coast 28:31 Kickstarter Spotlight: Escape from Undergarden by JVC Parry 30:58 Kickstarter Spotlight: Encyclopedia 2 by Studio Agate 38:25 Patreon Question: Overwhelmed Running Big Published Campaigns 42:02 Patreon Question: Players Voting on Campaign Adventures to Run 44:30 Patreon Question: How Long to Prep Games and Generate Ideas? 48:03 Patreon Question: Running Shorter Sessions Links Forge of Foes Kickstarter Goes Live 1 March! Three Black Halflings Kyle Brinks Interview Three Black Halflings Interview EN World Summary Mastering Dungeons Kyle Brinks Interview Mastering Dungeons Kyle Brinks Interview EN World Summary Ginny Di Kyle Brinks Video Escape from Undergarden Kickstarter Encyclopedia 2: Lore Book & Toolbox Kickstarter Spending a Whole Day Preparing a D&D Game Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Feb 10, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Feb 7, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:09 D&D & RPG News: Pathfinder 2 Humble Bundles 02:56 D&D & RPG News: Kobold Press Worlds Humble Bundle 04:21 Commentary: What's Normal in the Post OGL Fiasco RPG Hobby? 15:56 D&D & RPG News: Keys from the Golden Vault Free Adventure 18:02 Product Spotlight: Raiders of the Serpent Sea by Arcanum Worlds 24:23 Kickstarter Spotlight: Kibbles Compendium of Legends and Legacies 30:07 Patreon Question: Lazy Encounter Benchmark for Solo and Legendary Monsters 35:18 Patreon Question: Players Making Choices Against a Chracter's Alignment 38:33 Patreon Question: Converting Monsters Across RPG Systems? Reskin! 41:03 Patreon Question: Worried About Making Mistakes with Big Published Adventures 45:40 Patreon Question: Free to Use Dungeons of Fate? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Pathfinder 2 Humble Bundle Kobold Press and Friends Worlds Humble Bundle Keys from the Golden Vault Prisoner 13 Free D&D Beyond Adventure Raiders of the Serpent Sea Kibbles Compendium of Legends and Legacies Kickstarter Lazy Encounter Benchmark A5e Monstrous Menagerie Reskinning Monsters Dungeons of Fate

Feb 3, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Jan 30, 2023

D&D and RPG news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:13 D&D & RPG News: WOTC Releases 5e Into the Creative Commons 11:15 Commentary: What Does Trust Mean with Wizards of the Coast? 27:50 Sly Flourish News: Lazy RPG Podcast Awarded Best Talk Show Podcast by EN World 30:01 Kickstarter Spotlight: Oracle Character Generator Deck by Nord Games 34:41 Product Spotlight: Zobeck Clockwork City by Kobold Press 40:00 Patreon Question: Running Rich and Dynamic Combat Encounters 47:22 Patreon Question: Not Exposing a Movie-Based Adventure Plot 49:19 Patreon Question: Building a Villain or Monster from a PC 51:06 Patreon Question: How Many Rounds Should Encounters Go? 52:19 Patreon Question: Other RPGs I'm Running This Year? 53:16 Patreon Question: Finishing Writing One-Shot Adventures 57:11 Patreon Question: Balancing the Action Economy with Big Solo Monsters Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: WOTC Releases the 5e SRD to the Creative Commons Download the 5e SRD under a Creative Commons Right Now Morrus's Unofficial Tabletop Podcast Mastering Dungeons Podcast Oracle Character Generator Deck Kickstarter by Nord Games Zobeck Clockwork City by Kobold Press

Jan 27, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Jan 23, 2023

D&D news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:32 D&D & RPG News: OGL 1.2 Feedback and Suggestions 11:33 D&D & RPG News: The Industry Responds to the attempted OGL 1.0a Deauthorization 17:37 Commentary: Rebranding the Lazy RPG Talk Show 18:40 Commentary: I'm Here For You Whatever RPG You Play 21:47 DM Tip: Curing the OGL Blues 23:41 Kickstarter Spotlight: Deep Magic 2 26:27 D&D & RPG News: Two Huge Bundles of Holding and Humble Bundles 29:04 Patreon Question: Keeping Your Games on Track 32:51 Patreon Question: Running Games for Seven Players 35:41 Patreon Question: Introducing Lots of NPCs at Once 37:48 Patreon Question: Fueling Creativity 44:12 Patreon Question: Identifying Relics and Single-Use Magic Items 46:29 Patreon Question: Improving Representation in Older Material Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: WOTC OGL 1.2 "Playtest" WOTC's OGL 1.2 PDF (CC and OGL) Feedback to WOTC on the OGL 1.2 Draft Project Black Flag Update: Sticking To Our Principles The ORC license MCDM Rebranding Arcadia Deep Magic 2 Kickstarter RPG Worlds with Kobold Press and Friends Humble Bundle Bundle of Holding Alternatives to D&D Ancestries and Culture

Jan 20, 2023

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Jan 16, 2023

Mike talks about the OGL fiasco and offers up ten awesome RPGs that aren't D&D. 00:00 Show Intro 01:09 This Matters to All Of Us 03:35 WOTC's Excuses Hold No Water At All 07:53 What's Happening Now 08:45 We Can Never Trust WOTC Again 09:58 What Can We Do About This? 12:37 Ten Awesome RPGs that Aren't D&D 13:19 13th Age 15:56 Blades in the Dark 17:31 Fantasy Age 19:01 The Non-OGL Fantasy Bundle of Holding 19:38 Fate Condensed 21:41 Index Card RPG 23:44 Ironsworn 25:26 Level Up Advanced 5e 26:49 Numenera 28:59 Old School Essentials 30:55 Shadow of the Demon Lord Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: WOTC Attempts to Deauthorize the OGL 1.0a — Thoughts on the OGL 2.0 You, Me, and the D&D Open Gaming License Dungeons & Dragons’ New License Tightens Its Grip on Competition 13th Age 13th Age Bundle of Holding Blades in the Dark Blades the Dark SRD Fantasy Age The Non-OGL Bundle of Holding Fate Condensed Fate Condensed SRD Index Card RPG Ironsworn Level Up Advanced 5e Numenera Old School Essentials OSE Basic Rules Shadow of the Demon Lord

Jan 6, 2023

Mike covers the remaining Sly Flourish Patreon questions for December 2022! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:48 Patreon Question: Replacing or Houserulling 5e Mechanics and Favorite Houserules 06:17 Patreon Question: Dealing with Followers from a Rod of Rulership 08:30 Patreon Question: Offering Multiple Paths with Diviniation 10:38 Patreon Question: Handling NPCs with the Lazy Encounter Benchmark 13:53 Patreon Question: Offering Options when Captured 15:54 Patreon Question: Learning a New RPG With Your Players 17:38 Patreon Question: Trouble Committing to Deadly Attacks 20:21 Patreon Question: Making D&D Deadlier 22:25 Patreon Question: Alternative Patrons like Koblold Press's Warlock 24:31 Patreon Question: Making Undead Monster Variants 27:41 Patreon Question: Dungeon 23 Links Theater of the Mind Guidelines Lazy Encounter Benchmark MCDM's Arcadia Patreon CZRPG Patreon Elven Tower Patreon Raging Swan Patreon Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Dungeon 23 by Sean McCoy

Dec 26, 2022

D&D news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:13 D&D & RPG News: 13th Age Bundle of Holding 05:28 Commentary: How to Skip Content you Don't Want to Hear 06:52 Commentary: The WOTC OGL 1.1 Announcement 28:54 Product Spotlight: Alternate Objectives by Sneak AttackPress 33:14 Commentary: Favorite Product of 2022 37:27 Patreon Question: Connecting Published Adventures 41:12 Patreon Question: When to Use Which Dials of Monster Difficulty 46:10 Patreon Question: Thoughts on Owlbear Rodeo 2.0 50:35 Patreon Question: Making Failure Interesting with Ability Checks 53:58 Patreon Question: Performing Mid-Campaign Check-Ins 56:33 Patreon Question: Revealing a Pointcrawl Map 59:11 Patreon Question: Using AI Generators like Chat GPT and Midjourney Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: 13th Age Bundle of Holding OGLs, SRDs, & One D&D – Wizards of the Coast on D&D Beyond, 21 Dec 2022 Thoughts on the OGL 1.1 – MikeShea.net OGL 1.0a FAQ answered by Wizards of the Coast The OGL 1.0a and 5e System Resource Document version 5.1 (see if this link goes bad!) Level Up Advanced 5e Monstrous Menagerie by Paul Hughes Level Up Advanced 5e Monstrous Menagerie Video Spotlight Dials of Monster Difficulty Owlbear Rodel 2.0 Our Ability Check Toolbox Pointcrawls for City and Overland Travel

Dec 23, 2022

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Kobold Press Monster Database Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Dec 19, 2022

D&D news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:01:03 DM Tip: Rolling Lots of Checks with a Single D20 00:10:51 Product Spotlight: Chronicles of Eberron 00:26:28 Commentary: How I Baseline D&D Monsters 00:34:00 Commentary: Designing MCDM's Flee Mortals Vampires 00:51:31 Patreon Question: What Are My DM Weaknesses? 00:54:38 Patreon Question: Handling Pacing in D&D Games 00:57:08 Patreon Question: Describing Old School Essentials to 5e Players 01:01:24 Patreon Question: Handling Large Exposition and Descriptions Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Chronicles of Eberron Old School Primer

Dec 16, 2022

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Dec 12, 2022

D&D news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:55 Kickstarter Spotlight: Tome of Beasts 3 Monster Cards by Inkwell Ideas 04:05 D&D & RPG News: Blades in the Dark Bundle of Holding 05:34 D&D & RPG News: Free Monstrous Compendium 2: Dragonlance 27:37 Product Spotlight: Arcadia 22 Heroic Champions 36:37 Product Spotlight: GMs Miscellany Dungeon Dressing for 5e 45:07 Commentary: AI for DM Inspiration 48:18 Patreon Question: Tips for Running 20th Level One-Shot Games 52:04 Patreon Question: Campaign Hooks for West Marches Style Games 55:54 Patreon Question: Running Hordes and Minions Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Tome of Beasts 3 Monster Cards Kickstarter Blades in the Dark Bundle of Holding Monstrous Compendium Volume 2: Dragonlance Creatures MCDM Arcadia Patreon Arcadia Issue 22 GM Miscellany Dungeon Dressing for 5e Running Hordes

Dec 9, 2022

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Dec 5, 2022

D&D news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:59 D&D & RPG News: One D&D Species and Cleric Playtest Packet. 07:07 Commentary: One D&D and Backward Compatibility 16:41 Commentary: One D&D Species and Cleric Playtest Thoughts 30:01 Product Spotlight: Tome of Beasts 3 by Kobold Press 42:56 D&D & RPG News: Kobold Press Adventure Calendar 43:47 Patreon Question: Droctor Who style Talk, Move, Do Fight in D&D Combat 46:45 Patreon Question: Speeding Up Dungeon Exploration from Dungeon-Crawling Players Links One D&D Species and Cleric Playtest Moving On From 'Race' in One D&D Tome of Beasts 3 by Kobold Press Jeremy Crawford on Playtest Results Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Dec 2, 2022

Mike offers tips for chapter 2 of Empire of the Ghouls! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Empire of the Ghouls Empire of the Ghouls Notion Notebook

Nov 28, 2022

D&D news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:00:58 Sly Flourish News: Leaving Twitter for Mastodon 00:07:01 D&D & RPG News: Chronicles of Eberron by Keith Baker 00:08:23 Product Spotlight: Dragonlance Shadow of the Dragon Queen 00:41:17 D&D & RPG News: WOTC's Non-Answer About a One D&D SRD 00:45:26 Product Spotlight: Tomb of the Twilight Queen 00:50:17 Patreon Question: Incorporating Random Encounters 00:54:35 Patreon Question: Running Pointcrawls with Flying Characters 00:57:48 Patreon Question: Supporting Players Who Roll Poorly 01:03:00 Patreon Question: Making Friends from Online D&D Games 01:08:30 Patreon Question: Favorite Cult and Why Cults? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Sly Flourish on Mastodon D&D Tip Tweet Archive Keith Baker Presents: Chronicles of Eberron Statement on OGL from WotC Morrus’ Unofficial Tabletop RPG Talk #228: The Open Gaming License and One D&D Tomb of the Twilight Queen Playing D&D Can Save Your Life

Nov 25, 2022

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Nov 21, 2022

D&D news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:49 D&D & RPG News: Level Up Advanced 5e on Bundle of Holding 02:13 D&D & RPG News: Justin Alexander on Pointcrawls 03:56 D&D & RPG News: Morrus on One D&D and the Open Gaming License 08:57 D&D & RPG News: Dragon+ Goes Offline 14:04 D&D & RPG News: Is Takhisis Tiamat? Who Gets to Decide? 20:47 Patreon Question: Using Side Initiative 23:02 Patreon Question: Reading an Entire Campaign Adventure 24:37 Patreon Question: Making a Campaign World Feel Alive 26:56 Patreon Question: Curing Lycanthrope with a Wererat PC 29:52 Patreon Question: Focusing Over-Preparing 32:54 Patreon Question: Non-Lethal Attack Options 36:36 Patreon Question: Making NPCs Stand Out in Online Games 38:08 Patreon Question: Player-Driven Character Motivations Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Level Up Advanced 5e Bundle of Holding Justin Alexander on Pointcrawls Part 1 Justin Alexander on Pointcrawls Part 2 Morrus on One D&D and the OGL Dragon+ Archive WotC Officially Confirms Takhisis and Tiamat Are The Same

Nov 18, 2022

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Nov 14, 2022

D&D news and commentary by Mike Shea of https://slyflourish.com Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:59 Sly Flourish News: November Patreon Rewards 10:56 D&D & RPG News: WOTC's New Inclusivity Review 14:57 DM Tip: Jaquays-Style Design for Dungeon and Overland Travel 34:18 Patreon Question: Keeping Villains Alive in Combat 37:19 Patreon Question: Using Paper Notes for In-Person Games 40:19 Patreon Question: Mourning the End of a Campaign 42:05 Patreon Question: Deciding on a Campaign to Run 44:16 Patreon Question: Using Time Flies Rules from the Midgard Worldbook 46:35 Patreon Question: Tips for Promoting Paper Character Sheets with Players 48:58 Patreon Question: Scaling Up Monsters and their Stories to 11th level Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Leveling Up Our Creative Process: Learnings From Spelljammer Jennell Jaquays Wikipedia Page Pointcrawls for Cities and Overland Travel in D&D Run Pointcrawls for Overland Travel in D&D Video Hills Canton blog on Point Crawls Jaquaying the Dungeon by Justin Alexander Fantastic Lairs

Nov 11, 2022

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Nov 7, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:46 D&D & RPG News: Mastering Dungeons Goes Independent 02:39 D&D & RPG News: D&D on ESPN?? 04:42 Kickstarter Spotlight: Heretics Guide to Devotion and Divinity 08:48 Kickstarter Spotlight: Ultimate Guide to Foraging, Harvesting, and Natural Discovery 16:41 Patreon Question: Managing Pacing with Heavy Roleplay Scenes 18:50 Patreon Question: Does Writing Help You Become a Better DM? No. 23:50 Patreon Question: Players Coordinating Leveling Up 25:51 Patreon Question: Magic Items for Higher-Level Pregen Characters 28:27 Patreon Question: Feelings on Boxed and Read-Aloud Text 31:41 Patreon Question: Heroes and Anti-Villains Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Mastering Dungeons Goes Independent Mastering Dungeons Podcast Feed Mastering Dungeons on YouTube D&D on ESPN Heretics Guide to Devotion and Divinity Kickstarter Ultimate Guide to Foraging, Harvesting & Natural Discovery Kickstarter Ironsworn Paths of DM Expertise Describe D&D Character Abilities on Leveling Up Thinking Through the Eyes of our Villains

Nov 4, 2022

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Oct 31, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:51 D&D & RPG News: Free MCDM RPG Safety Toolkit 02:43 Kickstarter Spotlight: The Gloaming Wild 5e Survival Horror 08:06 Commentary: Running Ravenloft 2022 with Level Up 5e Vampires 17:11 Patreon Question: Keeping Big Battles from Being Boring 19:17 Patreon Question: What Other RPGs Do You Recommend? 21:44 Patreon Question: Filling In the Gaps During the Game 24:17 Patreon Question: Faction Ideas from Blades in the Dark 26:51 Patreon Question: Targeting Loot for the Characters 29:23 Patreon Question: Better Level Draining and Exhaustion for Vampires and 32:12 Patreon Question: What to Get for Staring Out with Numenera 32:59 Patreon Question: Comparing Midgard to the Forgotten Realms 37:51 Patreon Question: Including Every Character's Story Arc 40:24 Patreon Question: Showcasing High-Level Abilities 43:01 Patreon Question: Building Open World D&D Games 45:23 Patreon Question: Building Problems Without Solutions 46:58 Patreon Question: How Many Encounters Before a Long Rest? 51:12 Patreon Question: Offering Headquarters and Lair Upgrades to the Characters 53:05 Patreon Question: Secrets in Clues for Dungeon Crawls and Combat-Focused Games Links MCDM RPG Safety Toolkit TTRPG Safety Toolkit by Kienna Shaw and Lauren Bryant-Monk Monte Cook Games Consent in Gaming Gloaming Wild 5e Survival Horror Kickstarter Running Ravenloft in a Single Session Halloween Game YouTube Video Blog Article on Running Ravenloft / Curse of Strahd in a Single Session: Set Up Castle Ravenloft in Owlbear Rodeo in 10 Minutes The Dials of Monster Difficulty Fate Condensed Thirteenth Age Shadow of the Demon Lord Blades in the Dark Numenera Discovery Types of Secrets Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Oct 28, 2022

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Oct 27, 2022

Mike offers tips, tricks, and advice for running the D&D Starter Set adventure, Dragons of Stormwreck Isle! Contents 00:00 Video Start 00:13 Who This Video is For 00:54 Top Tips for Running Stormwreck Isle 01:28 Tip 1: Keep your Hands on the Dials of Combat 02:02 Tip 2: Dive Deep into the Lore 03:25 Tip 3: Remember Runara's Failsafe 04:33 Read the Pregen Character Background Ties to the Adventure 05:08 Read the DM Tips in the Adventure Book 05:49 Running Stormwreck Isle Online 06:33 Tools for Playing Stormwreck in Person 07:15 Tips for Chapter 1 - Dragon's Rest 08:08 Choose How to Run Combat 09:06 Handling Undead Fortitude 09:55 Manage the NPCs of Dragon's Rest 11:21 Combining Additional Encounters 12:39 Tips for Chapter 2 - Seagrow Caves 14:30 Tips for Chapter 3 - The Cursed Shipwreck 15:30 Tips for Chapter 4 - The Clifftop Observatory 16:58 Follow-on Adventures Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Stars Over Stormwreck (Affiliate link) Buy the D&D Starter Set on Amazon (affiliate link) D&D Starter Set Pregen Characters D&D Starter Set Sample Encounter Top Tips for New D&D DMs Dials of Monster Difficulty Lazy DM Tools Love Letter to the Pathfinder Flip Mat Dragon of Stormwreck Isle on Roll20 Dragon of Stormwreck Isle on D&D Beyond Dragon of Stormwreck Isle on Fantasy Grounds Above VTT for D&D Beyond Owlbear Rodeo VTT Playing D&D Over Discord Experiences Playing D&D Online Guidelines for Theater of the Mind Combat Zipperon Disney's $20 Accessories for Stormwreck

Oct 24, 2022

D&D News, Kickstarter spotlights, D&D product reviews, dungeon master tips, D&D questions and answers! Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:04 Kickstarter Spotlight: Under the Harvest Moons 09:15 Product Spotlight: Venture Maidens Campaign Guide 25:27 Commentary: D&D Lead Designer Ray Winninger Leaves Wizards of the Coast 31:43 D&D & RPG News: One D&D Expert Playtest Feedback Survey 38:32 Commentary: One D&D Ideas We Can Use Right Now 44:32 Patreon Question: Using NPCs as Assets in D&D Games 47:30 Patreon Question: Using 5e Rules with Numenera's Ninth World 49:53 Patreon Question: Props, Decorations, Accessories, and Themes in your D&D Games 52:59 Patreon Question: Filling Out Big Climactic Boss Battles Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Under the Harvest Moons Venture Maidens Campaign Guide Ray Winninger Leaves Wizards of the Coast Twitter Thread One D&D Expert Class Survey Mastering Dungeons on One D&D Feats Podcast Playing D&D can Save Your Life Making Great Handouts for D&D Collected Experiences Running D&D 5e Boss Fights

Oct 21, 2022

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Oct 17, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:53 Sly Flourish News: New Patreon Adventure - The Silver Grotto 04:41 D&D & RPG News: Midgard Sale - 30% Off 07:02 Kickstarter Spotlight: Apocalypse - The Complete Guide to Ending the World 09:05 Kickstarter Spotlight: Torrents of the Spellhoarder 13:17 Commentary: Elder Brain 5e Survey 24:45 Commentary: Experiences Running Dragons of Stormwreck Isle 29:46 Patreon Question: Differences Between DMs and Players and Tips for DMs Becoming Players 35:07 Patreon Question: Adventure for New Local Game Shop Group 37:09 Patreon Question: Modifying Published Adventures with a Different Map 39:16 Patreon Question: Injecting Horror into our Adventures 42:11 Patreon Question: Pontification on RPGs Moving Towards Digital 49:09 Patreon Question: Warlock Patreon of Evil God? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Midgard Sale on Kobold Press Midgard Worldbook Southlands Scarlet Citadel Apocalypse - The Complete Guide to Ending the World Kickstarter Torrents of the Spellhoarder Kickstarter Elder Brain Crown of the Oathbreaker Survey Elder Brain Spellhoarder Survey Ten Candles Dread

Oct 13, 2022

Mike prepares for his weekly Scarlet Citadel game! Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook

Oct 10, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:04 Sly Flourish News: Stars Over Stormwreck Released on the DM's Guild 01:42 Product Spotlight: Dread Thingonomicon by Raging Swan Press 10:46 Kickstarter Spotlight: Grimoire of the Grave by 2C Gaming 15:56 Sly Flourish News: Dungeoncraft Review of the Lazy DM's Workbook and Lazy DM's Companion 16:49 D&D & RPG News: New Senior Vice President of D&D 26:37 Commentary: Keeping D&D Resilient for Us and our Groups 32:30 D&D & RPG News: Other Commentaries on the One D&D Experts Playtest 33:56 D&D & RPG News: D&D Lego Contest 36:48 Patreon Question: New Lazy Combat Encounter Benchmark for One D&D? 39:11 Patreon Question: How to Destroy Artifacts 41:27 Patreon Question: Managing Dungeon Crawling and Offering Useful Options 44:02 Patreon Question: Good Material from Older Editions 47:37 Patreon Question: Changing Character Personalities with Magic Items Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Stars Over Stormwreck Dread Thingonomicon Raging Swan press Grimoire of the Grave Dungeoncraft Review of the Lazy DM's Workbook and Companion D&D Senior Vice President Press Release Mastering Dungeons on One D&D Expert Playtest Eldritch Lorecast (with yours truly) on the One D&D Expert Playtest DM David on One D&D Expert Playtest D&D Lego Contest i6 Ravenloft 1st Edition Dungeon Master's Guide 4th Edition Dungeon Delves

Oct 7, 2022

Mike prepares for his session zero of his Scarlet Citadel D&D Campaign by Kobold Press. Visit the Sly Flourish Blog Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Buy Scarlet Citadel (affiliate link) Scarlet Citadel Notion Notebook Scarlet Citadel One-Page Campaign Guide Richard Green's Scarlet Citadel Campaign Blog Midgard Interactive Map

Oct 6, 2022

Mike talks about his campaign finale for his Numenera Fourth Emperor Campaign, offers tips for D&D DMs and those interested in running Numenera, and discusses feedback from his players! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Oct 5, 2022

Mike covers the remaining Patreon questions for September 2022! Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books

Oct 3, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:01:23 D&D & RPG News: Free Drowned Sailors Encounter from WOTC 00:02:24 Sly Flourish News: Stars Over Stormwreck Adventure Coming This Week! 00:11:11 Commentary: The One D&D Experts Playtest 00:40:14 Commentary: Dungeoncraft on Why D&D Editions Don't Matter 00:45:07 RPG Industry Tip: Teos Abadia on Freelance Rates 00:48:34 Patreon Question: Your Thoughts and Plans for Patreon 00:52:27 Patreon Question: Practical Jokes with Tiny Hut 00:54:10 Patreon Question: Experienced Player Tips for Inexperienced DMs 00:56:22 Patreon Question: The Three Most Useful Third-Party Products 00:58:28 Patreon Question: What's In Front Of You When You DM? 01:00:50 Patreon Question: How Do You Choose and Run Lots of Campaigns? 01:03:11 Patreon Question: Helping New Players Avoid Bad Choices 01:05:40 Patreon Question: Charismatic Players with Non-Charismatic Characters 01:06:48 Patreon Question: How to Get Value from Purchased RPG Material 01:09:19 Patreon Question: Is a Focused Campaign Railroading? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: What Is D&D? How to DM Drowned Sailors Encounter One D&D Experts Playtest Dungeoncraft – Editions Don't Matter The Horrid Truth About Freelance Pay (Ep3, Success in RPGs) Ptolus - City by the Spire Dread Thingonomicon Midgard Worldbook

Sep 29, 2022

Mike prepares to run the finale of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Sep 26, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:47 D&D & RPG News: WOTC D&D After-School Program 03:01 Commentary: Good Digital Tools for WOTC + Third Party Product Use 22:50 DM Tip: Sharing Third Party PDFs With Your Players 29:52 Patreon Question: Running Wild Beyond the Witchlight for Tier 2 Characters 35:30 Patreon Question: When Is It Appropriate To Hit Downed PCs? 39:15 Patreon Question: Advice I Regret from Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master 43:15 Patreon Question: Dealing With Player Optimizing Away From Fun 47:43 Patreon Question: Why Do NPCs Not Use Character Classes? 52:04 Patreon Question: Is 5e Too Complex? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: WOTC D&D After-School Program Matt Colville on Fantasy Grounds Restricting Access on Google Drive Mastering Dungeons Podcast

Sep 22, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Sep 19, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:46 Product Spotlight: Amazing Encounters and Places by CZRPG 10:04 Kickstarter Spotlight: Apocalypse Keys by Evil Hat Games 16:23 Commentary: D&D Beyond, Limiting Character Options, and Third Party Products 43:30 Sly Flourish News: The Sly Flourish Stream Bingo Card 44:57 Patreon Question: Running the Same Campaign for Multiple Groups 47:01 Patreon Question: D&D Plots and Inspiration from Westerns 50:32 Patreon Question: Conflicting Secrets and Clues? No Thanks! 52:34 Patreon Question: Describing Your DM Style to New Players Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Amazing Encounters and Places PDF Amazing Encounters and Places Map Pack Amazing Encounters and Places PDF / Map Pack Combo Apocalypse Keys Kickstarter by Evil Hat The Sly Flourish Streaming Show Bingo Card

Sep 15, 2022

Mike talks about preparing and running his Empire of the Ghouls campaign. Video Contents 00:00 Show Start 02:04 One-Page Campaign Guide 15:51 The Characters of My Campaign 19:08 Empire of the Ghouls as a Tour of Midgard 20:04 Using All the Kobold Press Books 24:26 Tome of Heroes and the Midgard Heroes Handbook 25:52 Sharing Books using Roll 20's Compendium 29:08 Other Kobold Press Books I'm Using 31:32 Running and Modifying Chapter 1 Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Empire of the Ghouls One-Page Campaign Guide

Sep 12, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:52 Kickstarter Spotlight: Wastes of Chaos by Kobold Press 05:41 Sly Flourish News: New Lazy D&D Talk Show Topic Database for Patrons 10:01 Kickstarter Spotlight: Anatomy of an Adventure by MT Black 13:11 Product Spotlight: Path of the Planebreaker by Monte CookGames 45:44 Patreon Question: Dealing with Secret Truths of a Campaign World 48:04 Patreon Question: AI-generated Art and the Lazy DM Links Wastes of Chaos Kickstarter by Kobold Press Anatomy of an Adventure Kickstarter by MT Black Path of the Planebreaker by Monte Cook Games Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Sep 8, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Sep 5, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:08 D&D & RPG News: One D&D Origins Playtest Survey 02:25 D&D & RPG News: Mastering Dungeons on the Origins One D&D Playtest 03:09 Patreon Update: World of Dead Temples and Secrets of Summervine Villa 07:49 D&D & RPG News: Spelljammer Errata 16:04 Kickstarter Spotlight: Dungeon Delver's Guide 20:31 Product Spotlight: Planegea 30:47 Commentary: I don't Review Third Party Products I Don't Like 36:05 Commentary: 5e Isn't 5e Compatible - We're On Our Own 46:23 Patreon Question: Strongest Criticism of Lazy DM Advice 48:59 Patreon Question: Adding a New Player Mid Campaign 51:00 Patreon Question: Spelljammer for New Players 52:50 Patreon Question: Adventure Anthologies and Heists 54:48 Patreon Question: Awarding Gold with the Lazy DM's Companion 58:03 Patreon Question: Tips for Reaching a Satisfying Campaign Conclusion Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: One D&D Playtest and Survey Mastering Dungeons on the One D&D Playtest WOTC Spelljammer Apology and Errata Dungeon Delver's Guide Kickstarter Planegea Reddit Thread on Backgrounds and Feat Mismatch Poll on Satisfying Conclusions for D&D Campaigns

Sep 1, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Aug 29, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! This week a Spelljammer deep dive! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:51 D&D News: WOTC Offering Refunds for Dragonlance Pre-Orders 02:40 Kickstarter Spotlight: Horror at Devil's Run 05:32 Kickstarter Spotlight: Sebastian Crowe's Guide to Drakkenheim 07:30 Product Spotlight: Spelljammer - Adventure's In Space Boxed Set 09:11 Astral Adventurer's Guide - Spelljammer Character Options 14:35 Limited (No) Ship-to-Ship Combat Rules 17:19 Light of Xaryxis - the Spelljammer Adventure 20:17 Spelljammer DMScreen 21:07 Boo's Astral Menagerie - Spelljammer Monsters 31:55 Amazing Production Quality 33:01 No DM Tools to Build Spelljammer Adventures 37:31 Not Compatible with Spelljammer Academy 39:54 Spelljammer Doesn't Help DMs Run Games 40:45 Should You Buy It? 41:40 Patreon Question: Is Witchlight Still Great Without Dreadful Incursions? 43:33 Patreon Question: How Well Does Numenera's Stat Point Spend and Roll Negotiation Work? 46:53 Patreon Question: How Much Character Background for New Players? 49:05 Patreon Question: Making a Dungeon Feel Like a Megadungeon 51:20 Patreon Question: Actionable and Relevant Secrets and Clues Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Wizards of the Coast D&D Customer Service Form Horror at Devil's Run Kickstarter Sebastian Crowe's Guide to Drakkenheim Kickstarter Spelljammer Adventures in Space Boxed Set (Amazon Affiliate Link) Add Dreadful Incursions to Wild Beyond the Witchlight Alphastream on Actionable Lore

Aug 25, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Aug 22, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:58 The One D&D Announcement 02:45 One D&D and Backward Compatibility 04:25 Playtesting Experiences and Expectations 05:51 Providing Feedback 08:19 Looking at the First One D&D Playtest Document 08:53 Character Origins 13:25 On Power Increases 17:22 Changes to Fundamental Rules 18:10 A 20 Always Succeeds, a 1 Always Fails 20:24 Critical Hit Changes 23:50 Inspiration on a 20 - Should be a 1!! 25:51 Changes to Long Rests 26:45 One D&D 3D Virtual Tabletop Alpha screenshots 28:49 Does That Mean No 2d VTT in D&D Beyond? 29:53 Dragonlance - Wizards Took my $160 For Something I Don't Want and Won't Refund It 36:27 Five Other Books Announced for 2023 37:14 Phandelver Campaign - Eight Years Too Late 40:14 Book of Many Things 40:42 Planescape - Please Don't Make it a Boxed Set 43:57 Final Thoughts Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: One D&D Playtest One-Hour with Jeremy Crawford on Character Origins Ancestry and Culture in D&D D&D 3D Virtual Tabletop Shots

Aug 18, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Aug 15, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:52 D&D & RPG News: New 13th Age in 2023 07:51 DM Tip: A New D&D Ability Score Standard Array 15:50 Product Spotlight: Dungeons of Drakkenheim 30:25 Patreon Question: Distinct Racial Characteristics for NPCs 33:10 Patreon Question: Making Prophecies Come True Without Railroading 35:07 Patreon Question: Inspiration for City of Arches 37:51 Patreon Question: "Milestone" Event-Based Leveling Without Removing Player 41:13 Patreon Question: Running Zero Prep One-Hour Games Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: New 13th Age Escalation Edition in 2023 Zipperon Disney: $20 for everything you need to run Dragons of Stormwreck Isle Dungeons of Drakkenheim Powerslave by Iron Maiden Ozymandias by Percy Shelley Running One-Hour D&D Games with Shawn Merwin

Aug 11, 2022

Mike dives deep into the Numenera RPG by Monte Cook Games with tips and tricks for Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters. Contents 00:00 What This Video Gives To You 00:56 What Is Numenera? 05:04 Top Three Favorite Things about Numenera 09:19 Three Challenges Running Numenera 17:47 Numenera Buyer's Guide 27:49 Bringing Your D&D to Numenera and Vice Versa 33:11 Ideas from Numenera You Can Bring to D&D 40:33 Other Thoughts About Numenera 46:02 Final Thoughts on Numenera Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Numenera Discovery Technology Compendium: Sir Arthour’s Guide to the Numenera Numenera Bestiary 1 Numenera Bestiary 2 Numenera Bestiary 3

Aug 8, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:49 Sly Flourish News: Sly Flourish Wins Two ENNIES! 03:05 D&D and RPG News: Wizards Presents Announcements 18 August 05:16 D&D and RPG News: Final Spelljammer Academy Adventure 07:54 Dragons of Stormwreck Isle Character Sheet PDFs 09:23 Kickstarter Preview: Face Folio by M Blake 12:34 Commentary: Encounter Building by Dragna Carta 32:59 Patreon Question: Best Adventure for New Players 34:22 Patreon Question: Choosing Your Next Campaign With Your Players 36:56 Patreon Question: Building a Quest Board 39:23 Patreon Question: Not Enjoying Game Prep Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: 2022 ENNIE Awards Wizards Presents Announcements Spelljammer Academy Spelljammer on Amazon for 40% off (Affiliate Link) Dragons of Stormwreck Isle Pregenerated Characters Face Folio Kickstarter Encounter Building on Dragna's Den D&D Combat Simulator Challenge Ratings 2.0

Aug 4, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Aug 3, 2022

Mike offers tips and tricks for running chapters 4 and 5 of Wild Beyond the Witchlight! Contents 00:00 Show Intro 00:51 Recommendation 1: Consider Dreadful Incursions 02:02 Recommendation 2: You Don't Have to Run All the NPCs 03:41 Recommendation 3: You Don't Have to Run Every Location or Encounter 04:16 Recommendation 4: Run Hag Lairs as Big Situations 05:09 Recommendation 5: You Can Ignore Valor's Call and the League of Malevolence 05:47 Recommendation 6: You Don't Have to Run All of the Palace of Heart's Desire 06:44 Recommendation 7: Add a Dark Lord Villain If Desired 07:43 Overall Campaign Thoughts Thus Far 08:41 Witchlight Chapter 4 - Yon Deep Dive 18:14 Motherhorn 19:52 Witchlight Chapter 5 - The Palace of Hearts Desire 21:27 The Final Battle 22:52 Saving Zybilna 24:15 One Year Later... Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: YouTube Playlist of All Witchlight Videos Notes from the Video Add Dreadful Incursions to Wild Beyond the Witchlight Reddit Post on Palace of Hearts Desire

Aug 1, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:45 Product Spotlight: D&D Starter Set Dragons of Stormwreck Isle 18:03 Sly Flourish News:The Sly Flourish Bookstore is Open! 21:47 D&D News: DM David On Monster Roles 24:26 D&D News: ENWorld's Review of Radiant Citadel 25:16 Patreon Question: Banning and Limiting Material In Your Game 31:17 Patreon Question: Dealing with Tag-Along NPCs 32:13 Patreon Question: How Many Monster Types in a Battle? 33:18 Patreon Question: Players Catching On to Film Homage 34:37 Patreon Question: Stealing Ideas for Homebrew Campaign Setting 36:26 Patreon Question: Checklist for Building Situations 38:52 Patreon Question: Lazy Dungeon Mastering and the Quantum Ogreb 41:11 Patreon Question: Ranking Wild Beyond the Witchlight 42:14 Patreon Question: Dealing with Prisoners 44:53 Patreon Question: Pre-Gen Story Hooks for One-Shot Games Links D&D Starter Set – Dragons of Stormwreck Isle Thoughts (Notion Notes) D&D Starter Set at Target Sly Flourish Bookstore DM David on Monster Roles ENWorld on Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Jul 28, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Jul 25, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:28 Product Spotlight:Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel 13:34 D&D News: Wonders of the Multiverse Unearthed Arcana 17:43 Commentary: Adding Reactions to the Resolution Stack 26:53 D&D News: New Spelljammer Academy Adventure Released 30:46 D&D News: Teos Abadia's Spelljammer Dispatch on Roll20 31:12 D&D News: Ben Riggs's TSR D&D Sales Stats 39:30 Patreon Question: Running Multiple Games a Week 42:28 Patreon Question: Meaningful Choices in Adventure Designb 45:06 Patreon Question: Running Too Many Different RPGs 47:57 Patreon Question: Running Streaming, Live Play, or Actual Play Games 52:16 Patreon Question: Players Drawing Other Players Into the Spotlight Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Wonders of the Multiverse Playtest Spelljammer Academy on D&D Beyond Spelljammer Dispatch on Roll20 Mastering Dungeons with Ben Riggs Slaying the Dragon: A Secret History of Dungeons & Dragons (Referral link)

Jul 21, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Jul 18, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:00 Sly Flourish News: Two SF Products Nominated for the 2022 ENnies! 03:10 Sly Flourish News: City of Arches Updates and Walkthrough 11:24 D&D News: Free Spelljammer Academy Adventures 16:26 D&D News: Roll20 and DriveThruRPG Merger 23:10 D&D News: First Look at D&D 5.5 "Soon" 24:26 Commentary: What I Want from D&D 5.5 39:29 Patreon Question: Dealing with the characters of players who leave a campaign 41:13 Patreon Question: Introducing Large Cities 43:47 Patreon Question: Running multiple villainous factions in a dungeon 47:09 Patreon Question: Magic items with a price 49:00 Patreon Question: Keeping Prep-time Brief 51:08 Patreon Question: Using Subsystems 54:43 Patreon Question: Handling the Guidance Cantrip Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: 2022 ENnie Voting (remember 1 is better than 5!) Spelljammer Academy Roll20 and DriveThruRPG (OneBookShelf) Merge Ray Winninger on Next Iteration Design Look Soon The Only Subsystem You Need: The Ability Check

Jul 14, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Jul 11, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:53 Sly Flourish News: Update on the Lazy DM Companion Kickstarter 06:00 Sly Flourish News: SlyFlourish.com and the Lazy DM's Companion Nominated for the Ennies! 07:34 Product Spotlight: Mork Borg Bare Bones Editon Free! 12:04 Sly Flourish News: Scarlet Citadel and Empire of the Ghouls for my Next D&D Campaigns 16:47 Commentary: Adding Third Party Character Options 25:53 Commentary: The Best Features for Near-Perfect D&D Games are Free 34:58 Patreon Question: What's Fun for Dungeon Masters? 41:57 Patreon Question: Handling Shopping Trips 46:01 Patreon Question: Making Players Like Your Patron 49:14 Patreon Question: D&D Stories for 14-Year-Old Silly Larsons Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: 2022 ENnie Nominations Mork Borg Bare Bones Edition Mork Borg Spotlight Scarlet Citadel Empire of the Ghouls Tome of Heroes Midgard Heroes The Best Ways to Improve Your D&D Game are Free Building the Critical Role Gaming Studio

Jul 7, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Jul 4, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:58 D&D and RPG News: Roll 20 Partners with the DM's Guild 03:43 D&D and RPG News: NODES system from Dungeon Delver's Guideb 09:46 DM Tip: More on Revealing NPC Archetypes 13:21 DM Tip: More on the Near-Perfect D&D Game 28:40 Patreon Question: Games Falling Flat with Disinterested Players 32:44 Patreon Question: Playeres Wasting Spells on Immune Creatures 35:03 Patreon Question: Good Third Party Books 36:23 Patreon Question: Changes to Improvised Statistics 40:12 Patreon Question: Digital Versus Analog Character Sheets 42:02 DM Tip: Write Down Page Numbers on Paper Character Sheets 43:19 Patreon Question: Running Campaigns with Often Absent Players 46:34 Patreon Question: Customizing Random Tables 50:56 Patreon Question: Determining Starting Gear for Higher Level Characters Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Roll20 Partners with the DM's Guild Level Up Advanced 5e Dungeon Delve NODE system Johnn Four on 5-Room Dungeons Mike Shea and Johnn Four talk about Five-Room Dungeons Notable Third Party D&D Books

Jun 30, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Jun 27, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Intro 00:45 RPG News: Radiant Citadel Free Chapter 05:00 Commentary: Vecna in Actual Play 08:28 D&D Tip: Revealing NPC Archetypes 15:33 D&D Tip: What Does a Near Perfect 10 Game Look Like? 30:57 Patreon Question: Helping Players Think Creatively During Combat 36:54 Patreon Question: Staying Consistent with your Own Fiction 39:19 Patreon Question: Running "Good" Monsters 42:47 Patreon Question: Actionable Clues Versus General Lore 45:37 Patreon Question: Interesting Third Party Monsters 47:41 Patreon Question: How Many Secrets Do You Typically Reveal? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Radiant Citadel Free First Chapter 2C Gaming Kobold Press Level Up Advanced 5e Monstrous Menagerie (affiliate link)

Jun 23, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Jun 20, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 01:07 Product Spotlight: The Mouthless One Archlich from Level Up Advanced 5e 11:54 Product Spotlight: A5e.Tools Level Up Advanced 5e Resource Website 13:32 Product Spotlight: The Night of the Dissolution 20:17 RPG Industry Tip: Alphastream on Finding Your Passion 29:51 Patreon Question: Products of Drag and Drop Encounters for 5e 31:27 Patreon Question: Reviewing the Characters for One-Shot Adventures 33:32 Patreon Question: Content Creators for Player-Focused Tips 35:58 Patreon Question: Handling Character Death 39:13 Patreon Question: Building Challenging Combat Beyond the Four Dials 41:58 Patreon Questions: Which D&D Books Would You Buy in Order? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Bob Worldbuilder on Vecna search popularity Mouthless One Stat Block Level Up Advanced 5e Monstrous Menagerie (affiliate link) A5e Tools Night of the Dissolution (affiliate link) Alphastream on Finding Your Passion Prepared – One-shot adventures for 5e Prepared 2 - More one-shot adventures by 5e (affiliate link) The Game Master's Book of Random Encounters (affiliate link) Ginny Di's videos Bob World Builder's videos

Jun 16, 2022

Mike offers tips and tricks for running Wild Beyond the Witchlight Chapter 3 and how to incorporate Domains of Dread from Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft. Contents 00:00 Show Intro 01:07 Witchlight Runs Well On It's Own 03:16 Customize the Getaway Gang 05:30 Use Nib as a Handy Vendor 07:14 Foreshadow the Jabberwock 09:31 Place the Unicorn Horn Before Loomlurch 11:00 Reveal Secrets and Clues at the Wayward Pool 12:13 Foreshadow Zybilna's True Origin 13:48 Run Loomlurch as a Situation 19:00 Little Oak can be a Mobile Home Base and Guide Across Thither to Yon 21:02 Final Thoughts on Chapter 3 21:36 Expanding Dreadful Incursions into Witchlight 23:37 Small Encounter-sized Incursions 25:55 Anchors Between Worlds 29:39 The Quest of the Dread Lord to Escape Their Doman 31:34 Tying Domains of Dread to the Characters Links Wild Beyond the Witchlight (Affiliate Link) Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft (Affiliate Link) Wild Beyond the Witchlight Video Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books:

Jun 13, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:55 D&D News: Vecna Stat Block 19:56 RPG News: Cypher System Open License 20:49 Product Spotlight: Potbellied Kobold's Guide to Villains and Lairs 24:03 D&D Tip: Running War Priests and Enchanters 33:39 Patreon Question: Dealing with Overly Cautious Players 37:46 Patreon Question: Reading and Running Published Adventure Text 42:14 Patreon Question: Exposing Narratives and Events Outside of the Characters 44:05 Patreon Question: Tying Characters to the Game with Limited Background Lore 45:54 Patreon Question: Influences on our Games Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Vecna Stat Block on D&D Beyond Cypher System Open License Announcement Potbellied Kobold's Guide to Villains & Lairs

Jun 9, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Jun 6, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:43 Sly Flourish News: New Campaign Arc in City of Arches 08:52 Product Spotlight: Battle Walker from the Abyss 14:28 DM Tip: Focusing on the Fiction and Starting with the Story 39:42 DM Tip: Focusing the Lens 45:20 Patreon Question: Hooking Characters Into Adventures 49:17 Patreon Question: Heralds for Factions 51:31 Patreon Question: Heuristics for Running Current and Future D&D Concepts Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: Goblin's Henchmen on Hexflowers Hexflower Toolkit (Affiliate Link) Battle Walker of the Abyss (Affiliate Link) DM David Blog on Battle Walker of the Abyss Safe Havens

Jun 2, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

May 30, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:00:45 Product Spotlight: Arcadia 16 and the Blackweald 00:09:14 Product Spotlight: Alphastream on Defining Your Success in RPGs 00:13:29 Product Spotlight: Monsters of the Multiverse Part 2 00:38:20 Patreon Question: How can DMs Enjoy Being Players? 00:41:51 Patreon Question: Running Third Party Campaigns with D&D Beyond 00:46:01 Patreon Question: Choosing a VTT to Invest In 00:49:42 Patreon Question: Collapsing a Wide-Spread Campaign 00:51:50 Patreon Question: Running Strahd 00:53:59 Patreon Question: Sharing Villainous Plans and Actions 00:55:24 Patreon Question: Choosing Third Party Character Options 00:56:35 Patreon Question: Running Multi-Table Events 00:58:35 Patreon Question: Using Gold in Mythic Adventures 01:00:25 Patreon Question: Defining Leveling Milestones 01:01:38 Patreon Question: Drawing Out Character Backstory 01:02:37 Patreon Question: Managing Chaotic Characters 01:05:17 Patreon Question: Recognizing GM Burnout 01:07:46 Patreon Question: Surprise Twists in D&D Campaigns Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books: MCDM Patreon Alphastream on Defining Success in RPGs Building a Great D&D Character Good Behaviors for D&D Players Running Strahd Matt Coleville on Offering Better Rewards Campfire Stories

May 26, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

May 23, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:44 D&D News: Free Phandelver and Acq Inc on D&D Beyond 02:21 Product Spotlight: Monsters of the Multiverse 30:35 Kickstarter Spotlight: Murder in the Shielding Peaks 34:13 Product Spotlight: Treacherous Traps 37:14 Patreon Question: Encouraging Player Ingenuity 40:40 Patreon Question: Running Dungeon Crawls 48:31 Patreon Question: Describing Irregular Caves in a Dungeon Crawl 49:52 Patreon Question: Witchlight with Three Players 52:17 Patreon Question: Resource Management During Travel Links Free Phandelver and Acquisitions Incorporated on D&D Beyond Monsters of the Multiverse (affiliate link) D&D Adventurer's League rules for Monsters of the Multiverse Races Blog of Holding Analysis of Monsters of the Multiverse Level Up Advanced 5e Monstrous Menagerie (affiliate link) Kickstarter: Murder in the Shielding Peaks Treacherous Traps

May 19, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

May 16, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Intro 01:00 D&D News: Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes Comes Out on 16 May 02:01 D&D News: Can't Buy Tome of Foes or Volo's Guide to Monsters on D&D Beyond after 17 May 05:57 Product Spotlight: Above VTT 19:00 Kickstarter Spotlight: Campaign Builder - Cities and Towns 20:46 D&D Tip: Hex Flowers 31:37 Patreon Question: Introducing Villains in your Campaign 34:22 Patreon Question: Challenging Characters vs. Players with Puzzles 37:47 Patreon Question: Dealing with Bickering Players 41:55 Patreon Question: Evoking High Adventure in our RPGs 45:30 Patreon Question: Pacing Games with Split Parties 47:30 Patreon Question: What To Do With Gold 50:53 Patreon Question: Focusing a Homebrew Campaign Links Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes (affiliate link) Volo's Guide to Monsters (affiliate link) Monsters of the Multiverse (affiliate link) Above VTT Above VTT Patreon Page Campaign Builder Cities and Towns Kickstarter Hex Flowers Hex Flower Cookbook (affiliate link)

May 5, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

May 2, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00:00 Show Intro 00:00:54 Sly Flourish News: Update to the City of Arches 00:04:15 D&D News: Heroes of Krynn Revisited Unearthed Arcana 00:08:25 Kickstarter Spotlight: Dungeonmorphs IV 00:12:58 Kickstarter Spotlight: Fraternity of Ash 00:15:40 Product Spotlight: Isle of the Dreaded Accursed 00:18:49 Patreon Question: Building Resilient Villainous Plans 00:23:30 Patreon Question: Points-of-Light Settings for Lazy DMs 00:25:54 Patreon Question: Long-Ranged Combat 00:27:42 Patreon Question: Reskin or Build a Big Bad Evil Mage From Scratch? 00:32:06 Patreon Question: Integrating Characters of Stand-By Players 00:34:22 Patreon Question: Managing Conflicting Factions 00:35:47 Patreon Question: Too Many Pirate Lords! 00:37:17 Patreon Question: Building an Apocalyptic Eberron 00:39:27 Patreon Question: Handling a Situation Where you Crossed the Line Accidentally 00:43:44 Patreon Question: Managing Portals in the City of Arches 00:46:04 Patreon Question: Published Inspiration for Homebrew Campaigns 00:47:59 Patreon Question: Handling In-World Pacing Problems 00:50:09 Patreon Question: Surprising Players vs. Surprising Characters 00:52:50 Patreon Question: Managing Political Intrigue the Lazy Way 00:54:39 Patreon Question: Managing Before-Combat Attacks and Actions 00:56:20 Patreon Question: Managing Downtime Activities 00:57:33 Patreon Question: Rewarding and Balancing Named Spells 00:59:09 Patreon Question: Managing Adventures Focused on a Missing Character 01:00:31 Patreon Question: Managing Timing While Running Fall of Elturel Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Heroes of Krynn Revisited Dungeonmorph's IV Kickstarter Fraternity of Ash Kickstarter Isle of the Dreaded Accursed Building Resilient Villainous Plans

Apr 28, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Apr 25, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:51 D&D News: Last Days of the Sly Flourish Bundle of Holding 01:56 D&D News: Lots of Wizards Announcements 02:13 D&D News: The Monstrous Compendium Volume 1 07:06 D&D News: Campaign Case - Creatures 10:01 D&D News: Campaign Case - Terrain 11:30 D&D News: D&D Starter Set - Dragons of Stormwreck Isle 12:59 D&D News: Spelljammer Boxed Set 16:58 D&D News: Dragonlance - Shadow of the Dragon Queen and War of Krynn 21:14 Kickstarter Spotlight: Shadow Under Hardflint Hall 24:46 Patreon Question: Who Do I Listen To, Watch, and Read? 28:34 Patreon Question: On Fudging Rolls and Choosing Targets 31:49 Patreon Question: Dealing with Familiars and Dungeon Reconnaissance 36:06 Patreon Question: How Do we Actually Begin our Sessions? 38:46 Patreon Question: Introducing Players to Other Game Systems 40:32 Patreon Question: Making NPCs Distinct 42:00 Patreon Question: How Strict to Represent Time Pressures 44:05 Patreon Question: Should I Worry about my Evil PC? 46:27 Patreon Question: Projecting Evil Humanoid Creatures 48:21 Patreon Question: What Bad Habits Have I Broken? 51:31 Patreon Question: Checklist for Homebrew Finales 55:14 Patreon Question: Running Deadly Standoffs in D&D Links Sly Flourish Bundle of Holding! Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Shadow Under Hardflint Hall Kickstarter D&D Direct – Announcement Video Monstrous Compendium Volume 1 (WOTC) Monstrous Compendium Volume 1 (D&D Beyond) D&D Campaign Case: Creatures D&D Campaign Case: Terrain D&D Starter Set – Dragons of Stormwreck Isle Spelljammer Boxed Set Dragonlance – Shadow of the Dragon Queen Bob Worldbuilder Dungeoncraft DM David Alphastream.org Mastering Dungeons Eldritch Lorecast The Alexandrian

Apr 21, 2022

Mike offers tips and thoughts for running Chapter 2 of Wild Beyond the Witchlight! Contents 00:00 Show Intro 00:37 Four Tips for Witchlight Chapter 2 01:01 Tip 1: Reinforce the Theme of Whimsy and Wonder 02:19 Tip 2: Reinforce the Characters' Goals 04:34 Tip 3: Solidify the Chapter's Main Required Progression Key: Clapperclaw 05:42 Tip 4: Limit Agdon Longscarf's Multi-attack 07:48 Witchlight Runs Great On It's Own 09:01 Injecting Dreadful Incursions from Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft 14:29 Reinforce the Rules of Conduct 15:46 Manage Your Upward and Downward Beats 19:24 Make Telemy Hill Dangerous 20:19 Fall in Love with the Soggy Court 22:56 Lots of Options for Bavlorna and her Cottage 25:08 Choose Where you Put the Unicorn Horn 25:51 Add a Vendor 27:14 Fill Out Empty Locations As Desired 28:07 Be Careful While Leveling Slowly 29:33 Foreshadow the League of Malevolence 30:14 Show The Maps Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Witchlight Video Playlist

Apr 18, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:41 D&D News: Sly Flourish Bundle of Holding 02:02 D&D News: WOTC Buys D&D Beyond 08:56 D&D News: D&D Direct Announcements Coming Thursday 21 April 2022 10:05 Kickstarter Spotlight: Flee Mortals by MCDM 29:30 Product Spotlight: Volo's Vetted Vendors 33:06 Patreon Question: Seeding Future Quests Without Starting Them 36:41 Patreon Question: Handling Augury 39:00 Patreon Question: Manging Sources and Books for Game Prep 41:40 Patreon Question: Handling Curses That Remove Curse Doesn't Fix 45:15 Patreon Question: Running a Rebellion 48:13 Patreon Question: Uncomfortable Roleplaying NPCs 50:27 Patreon Question: Passing Complex Lore to Players 53:06 Patreon Question: Handling Mounts in Combat 55:03 Patreon Question: Strong Starts and Cold Opens Links Sly Flourish Bundle of Holding! Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Mastering Dungeons Video on D&D Beyond Acquisition D&D Beyond Acquisition Announcement D&D Beyond Acquisition Press Release D&D Direct Event & Product Announcements Flee Mortals Kickstarter Volo's Vetted Vendors

Apr 14, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Apr 11, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:10 D&D News: Sly Flourish Bundle of Holding! $100 of PDFs for $20! 03:33 D&D News: City of Arches Update with Amazing Side-View Cutaway Map 11:42 Product Spotlight: Kenku.fm 18:50 Kickstarter Spotlight: Tome of Adventure Design 26:24 Patreon Question: Fast and Slow Initiative in D&D 5e 30:23 Patreon Question: Run Eberron in Sharn and in the Wilds 32:33 Patreon Question: Five Elements of Storytelling in D&D 37:01 Patreon Question: Players Running NPCs or Monsters 39:07 Patreon Question: Tactical Combat in Theater of the Mind 44:04 Patreon Question: Managing On-Call Players 47:48 Patreon Question: Recovering from a Bad Game Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Sly Flourish Bundle of Holding! Kenku.fm Tome of Adventure Design Kickstarter Running Combat in the Theater of the Mind Finding and Maintaining a D&D Group Recovering from a Bad Game

Apr 7, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Apr 4, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:49 D&D News: Spelljammer Confirmed?? 08:38 Product Spotlight: Crown of the Oathbreaker 18:06 Commentary: Elderbrain's 2,000 Player D&D Survey 25:04 D&D News: Patreon Q&A for April 2022 Coming Wednesday 27:16 Patreon Question: Evolving Villain Stat Blocks 31:29 Patreon Question: Favorite Classic D&D Encounters 33:04 Patreon Question: Dealing with Insight Checks for Lie Detection 36:41 Patreon Question: Making Awesome Skeletons 41:06 Patreon Question: Helping Players Understand High Level Quests 45:28 Patreon Question: What Makes a Good Cultist? 47:04 Patreon Question: Mixing Ruins of the Grendleroot and Where the Machines Wait 48:51 Patreon Question: Outlining Scenes vs. Defining Situations Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Sly Flourish Books Crown of the Oathbreaker Elderbrain D&D Survey Where the Machines Wait Outlining Scenes Video Situation-based D&D Video

Mar 31, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Mar 28, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Intro 00:36 D&D News: Journeys through the Radiant Citadel 15:43 Product Spotlight: Warlock Lairs - Into the Wilds 21:09 Commentary: The Intractable Problem of Maps for In-Person Games 43:15 Patreon Question: Tracking Secret Organizations In Your Campaign 46:07 Patreon Question: How do You Grab Artwork? 47:33 Patreon Question: How Are Heists Different than Dungeon Crawls? 50:11 Patreon Question: Challenge Ratings for Custom Monsters 52:17 Patreon Question: Running a One- or Two-Hour Adventure 53:59 Patreon Question: How Do You Run a Dungeon? 56:16 Patreon Question: Solidifying Choices in a Homebrew Campaign 58:12 Patreon Question: Why Do Bosses Need Mobility? Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join the Sly Flourish Patreon Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Workbook Journey through the Radient Citadel Warlock Lairs – Into the Wilds Large Graph Paper (affiliate link) Lazy D&D Monster Tokens

Mar 24, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Mar 21, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:38 D&D News: New Product Announcements Tuesday 05:04 Product Spotlight: Call from the Netherdeep 22:32 Kickstarter Spotlight: Remarkable Guilds 27:16 DM Tip: Another Look at "Attack on a Miss" 35:22 Patreon Question: Players Won't Interact with Quest NPCs 40:30 Patreon Question: How to Use 3rd Party Monsters 44:57 Patreon Question: Villainous Banter During Combat 48:32 Patreon Question: Your Own Canon for Published Campaign Worlds 51:27 Patreon Question: All-in Group Checks and Secret Ability Checks 55:36 Patreon Question: Understanding Which Monster Make Sense For a Situation 59:14 Patreon Question: Overwhelmed with Locations and NPCs in Strixhaven Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join the Sly Flourish Patreon Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Workbook Enworld on new product announcements Call from the Netherdeep (affiliate link) Remarkable Guilds Kickstarter Ability Check Toolbox

Mar 17, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Mar 14, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:00:34 WOTC Product Spotlight: Heroes of Krynn Playtest 00:20:07 Product Spotlight: Book of Wondrous Magic Volume 2 00:27:18 Product Spotlight: Free Dwarven Forge Adventures 00:34:33 DM Tip: Attack Again on a Miss 00:39:19 RPG Industry Tip: Lunch break Heroes on Making Money in RPGs 00:45:59 Patreon Question: Scaling Combat for Six Players 00:49:32 Patreon Question: Lazy Tricks for Incorporating Character Backgrounds 00:53:39 Patreon Question: Tools for In-Person Games 00:56:47 Patreon Question: Handing Out Magic Items 00:59:32 Patreon Question: Best Adventure I've Ever Played In 01:01:16 Patreon Question: Running Structured Social Encounters 01:03:47 Patreon Question: Blades in the Dark for D&D Heists Links Join the Sly Flourish Patreon Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Workbook Heroes of Krynn Unearthed Arcana Playtest Book of Wondrous Magic Volume 2 Alphastream on YouTube Alphastream's Blog and Newsletter Dwarven Forge Adventures Lunch Break Heroes on Making a Living in RPGs Lazy D&D Combat Encounter Benchmark Tools for In-Person Games Invasion of the Planet of Tarrasques

Mar 10, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Mar 8, 2022

Mike covers the remainder of the February 2022 Sly Flourish Patreon questions! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:28 Commentary: Patreon Q&A Guidelines 01:41 Commentary: Disclaimer...I'm Just Sharing My Experiences 02:45 D&D News: The Lazy D&D Talk Show Topic Database 04:04 Patreon Question: Managing Mechanics-Focused Players 07:23 Patreon Question: Being Too Nice? 10:47 Patreon Question: Limiting Turn Time in Combat 13:55 Patreon Question: Druids Conjuring Giant Octopi 17:27 Patreon Question: Projecting Deadly Threats in Numenera 19:29 DM Tip: Limiting Polymorph by Treating Monster Sightings like Pokemon 20:46 Patreon Question: Getting Ideas for Fantastic Locations 22:53 Patreon Question: Managing Table Talk in Online Games 25:47 Patreon Question: Really Big Pointcrawls? Sure! 28:28 Patreon Question: Campaign Outlines for Lazy DMs? 31:08 Patreon Question: Player Agency with Dominated Characters 33:24 Patreon Question: What Program Did I Layout City of Arches In? 34:39 Patreon Question: Appendix N for Grendleroot Games 37:13 Patreon Question: Better System for Quest Rewards? 38:59 Patreon Question: Upward and Downward Beats During Combat 41:22 Patreon Question: Selecting Magic Items for Shopping Characters 43:37 Patreon Question: Experiences Writing City of Arches 51:42 Patreon Question: Telegraphing Deadly Situations Links Ginni Di on Table Talk Etiquette for Online Games Join the Sly Flourish Patreon for the City of Arches and much more! Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Pick up Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Pick up the Lazy DM's Workbook

Mar 7, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:24 D&D News: City of Arches Updates 10:06 Commentary: The Shift to Online Play 18:08 Product Spotlight: Cult of the Hydra 26:44 Commentary: Writing Expensive Products for the DM's Guild 36:01 Patreon Question: Getting Players to Read the Books 40:34 Patreon Question: Building a Dark Lord Boss Monster 43:34 Patreon Question: Speeding Up Milestone Experience Rewards 46:00 Patreon Question: Introducing Villains All at Once or One At a Time 48:30 Patreon Question: Deadly Encounter Benchmark for Level 11+ 54:01 Patreon Question: Experiences Playing Solo RPGs Links Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Shift in Online and In Person Play Roll 20 has 10 million users Cult of the Hydra Collective Experiences Running D&D Boss Monsters Improvising Legendary Boss Monsters Video Improvising Coleville-style Action Oriented Monsters Lazy Encounter Benchmark Ironsworn Thousand Year Old Vampire Mork Borg Feretory

Mar 3, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery

Mar 1, 2022

Mike uses the Lazy DM's Companion and the City of Arches to put together a heist one-shot adventure! See the show notes for details Links Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Check out the Lazy DM's Companion Sample Pages Join the Sly Flourish Patreon for the City of Arches and much more! Check out the final Notion page for the adventure Learn more about Notion for Lazy Campaign Building Pick up Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Pick up the Lazy DM's Workbook

Feb 28, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:00:23 City of Arches Player's Guide 00:02:39 City of Arches Map by Chloe Bollard 00:06:19 Obsidian Skull Patreon Adventure 00:08:26 Lazy D&D Talk Show Topic Database 00:13:38 Product Spotlight: Uncaged Godesses 00:27:57 Kickstarter Preview: Old School Essentials 00:34:57 Patreon Question: Lazy DM Steps for Sandbox Urban Adventures 00:39:30 Patreon Question: Tips for Running One-on-One D&D Games 00:42:16 Patreon Question: Tips for Describing Combat 00:44:14 Patreon Question: Player Worldbuilding 00:46:08 Patreon Question: Feats in DMG, Magic Items in PHB? 00:48:12 Patreon Question: Random Tables for Hunt-Based Adventure 00:51:01 Patreon Question: Character Race and WOTC Storylines 00:54:30 Patreon Question: Favorite Non-D&D RPG 00:55:17 Patreon Question: Lazy D&D Tips for Megadungeons 00:57:06 Patreon Question: Re-Balancing High Level Characters 01:00:13 Patreon Question: Filtering New Players for Online Games Links Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Uncaged Godesses Old School Essentials Kickstarter A Framework for One-on-One D&D Games: Sherlock Holmes and Watson Balancing D&D Combat for One-on-One Play Running One-on-One D&D

Feb 24, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery Injecting the Weird Voices in the Datasphere Technology Compendium: Sir Arthour’s Guide to the Numenera

Feb 21, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00:00 Show Start 00:00:37 Lightning Rods - Leaning In on Powerful Character Abilities 00:10:19 New D&D Starter Set: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle 00:15:32 Kickstarter Spotlight: Epic Legacy - Tome of Titans 2 00:26:21 Product Spotlight: Home Field Advantage - Lair Actions for Most D&D Monsters 00:37:16 Alphastream on Spellcasting Monsters 00:51:40 Patreon Question: Using GM Intrusions from Numenera in 5e 00:55:24 Patreon Question: Setting Up Gamestore Games for New Players 00:57:13 Patreon Question: Faster Leveling in Witchlight 01:00:16 Patreon Question: Overwhelmed with Lore 01:03:02 Patreon Question: Lazy DM Tips for Drawing Maps Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Ginni Di on Leaning In on Powerful Character Abilities Nerd Immersion on New D&D Starter Set EnWorld on New D&D Starter Set: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle Ray Winninger on Starter Set Price Error Kickstarter: Epic Legacy Tome of Titans 2 Home Field Advantage: A Compendium of Lair Actions Alphastream: The Future "We" Want for Spellcasting Monsters Alphastream: How WotC Already Found the Future of Spellcasting Monsters Dyson Map Key for drawing quick battle maps Map Fu by Chris Perkins Map Fu SF Archive

Feb 17, 2022

Mike prepares to run his next session of his Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery Injecting the Weird Voices in the Datasphere Technology Compendium: Sir Arthour’s Guide to the Numenera Taking the Narrative by the Tail: GM Intrusions & Special Effects

Feb 14, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:51 Kickstarter Spotlight: Elements of Inspiration Decks 05:53 Product Spotlight: Dragonflight by 2C Gaming 27:09 Sly Flourish Patreon Product: The City of Arches Guidebook 38:55 Patreon Question: Running Sandbox Games with the Eight Steps 42:47 Patreon Question: Going Too Far with End-of-Campaign Montages 44:49 Patreon Question: Underused Nugget from the Eight Steps? 46:28 Patreon Question: Good Aspects of 4e 49:10 Patreon Question: Organizing Useful Info from RPG PDFs 52:27 Patreon Question: Running Labyrinths in D&D 55:22 Patreon Question: Preparing Upward and Downward Beats 59:24 Patreon Question: Preparing Options after a Cliffhanger Battle Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Elements of Inspiration Deck Kickstarter Dragonflight by 2C Gaming

Feb 11, 2022

Mike offers tips and discussion for chapter 1 of Wild Beyond the Witchlight and prepares to run chapter 2! Contents 00:00 Show Start 01:20 Top Three Tips for running Chapter 1 of Wild Beyond the Witchlight 11:25 Other Tips for Running Wild Beyond the Witchlight 14:30 What Did I Do in Chapter 1 in My Game? 23:36 Adding Dreadful Incursions - Not Good for Every Witchlight Campaign 28:41 Thoughts about Chapter 2 35:13 Prepping my Next Session in Chapter 2 48:16 Building a Dreadful Incursion 58:38 Finishing Up our Session Prep Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy Wild Beyond the Witchlight on Amazon (affiliate link) Wild Beyond the Witchlight Notion Template Wild Beyond the Witchlight One-Page Campaign Guide Using Notion.so for Lazy D&D Campaign Planning

Feb 10, 2022

Mike prepares to run his session zero of his first Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery Injecting the Weird Jade Colossus

Feb 7, 2022

WOTC's new president, Lazy DM's Companion PDF for sale, Tal'Dorei Reborn product spotlight, more on Monsters of the Multiverse monster difficulty, and February Patreon Q&A in this week's Lazy D&D Talk Show! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:35 New President of Wizards of the Coast and the Unpredictability of the Future of D&D 07:20 Lazy DM's Companion PDF Now for General Sale! 08:36 Tal'Dorei Reborn Product Spotlight 25:17 Videos and Articles about Monster Difficulty in Monsters of the Multiverse 37:57 Patreon Question: Running with One Remote Player and Three Physical Players 41:55 Patreon Question: Running a Predator-style Adventure that Doesn't Suck 45:55 Patreon Question: Any Further Tips on Campaign Development? Not really! 47:51 Patreon Question: Getting Players to Use More Character Features 50:31 Patreon Question: Getting Players to Understand Old-School Style Adventures in 5e 53:29 Patreon Question: Building Legacy Weapons that Scale Up in Power Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master New WOTC President – Cynthia Williams Lazy DM's Companion PDF for general sale! Tal'Dorei Reborn

Feb 4, 2022

Mike discusses his Blades in the Dark finale and thoughts about the game. Blades in the Dark Blades in the Dark Cheat Sheet by Justin Alexander Blades in the Dark Notion Campaign Notebook Using Notion.so for Lazy D&D Campaign Planning Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Feb 3, 2022

Mike prepares to run his session zero of his first Numenera campaign! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Numenera Lazy DM Campaign Notebook Numenera Discovery Injecting the Weird Jade Colossus

Feb 2, 2022

Mike goes through the final 33 Patreon questions of January 2022! Contents 00:00:00 Show Intro 00:01:01 Cliche Bad Guy Expositions 00:02:49 Managing Treasure Distribution 00:05:08 Describing Three of Five Keys In Fiction 00:07:30 Building Quick Monsters from Scratch 00:09:39 Incorporating Character Backstories - Not for Everyone 00:13:46 Lazy Tips for Character Retreats 00:17:41 Sly Flourish DM Screen? 00:21:05 Creating Interesting Combat Encounters 00:25:12 Adding New Characters to Descent into Avernus 00:27:06 Making a CR 3 Vampire 00:28:56 More Sly Flourish Streamed D&D Games? Nope, Sorry. 00:30:29 Running One-Hour D&D Games 00:33:33 Tracking Factions in Notion 00:35:26 One-Page Campaign Guide for Homebrew Worlds 00:38:49 Setup for Running Games Online 00:41:08 Experience with Devesting Critical Hits 00:42:05 Using Extra Encounters for WOTC Hardcover Campaigns 00:43:33 Fog of War for Tabletop Maps 00:46:01 Secrets and Clues for West Marches Games 00:48:16 Managing Monsters with Debilitating Fun-Stealing Effects 00:51:04 OGL Good for Smaller Publishers? Not sure. 00:52:57 Running Grendleroot in Avernus 00:54:10 Integrating Monuments 00:55:50 Running Forgotten Realms for Knowledgable Players 00:58:05 Running Townbuilding Scenarios 00:59:44 Revealing Pointcrawls to Players 01:01:59 Playing in an 11-year-old's D&D Game 01:03:01 Running Grendleroot to 20th Level 01:04:31 Converting Settings to Other Systems and Running Fate 01:07:12 Speeding Up Combat 01:09:10 High-Level Relics Too Powerful? Nope! 01:11:03 Getting Players to Roleplay With Each Other 01:12:26 Revealing Numenera to Unknowing Characters Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Ruins of the Grendleroot Shawn Merwin Deep Dive on One-Hour Games Three of Five Keys Sly Flourish D&D Cheat Sheet Running a West Marches Grendleroot Campaign

Jan 31, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:29 My friend Bryan and the Importance of D&D 08:07 Quick Thoughts on Blades in the Dark 09:23 Further Thoughts on D&D Beyond and Monsters of the Multiverse 12:28 Kickstarter Spotlight: Tome of Beasts 3 by Kobold Press (Sponsored) 17:04 Product Spotlight: Level Up 5e Monstrous Menagerie 42:58 Patreon Q&A 43:23 Patreon Question: 5e's Time Sinks 48:22 Patreon Question: Do Monster Dials Prevent Character Death? 50:27 Patreon Question: Digital 3rd Party Products Outside of PDFs? 53:09 Patreon Question: Tips for Monster Morale 55:18 Patreon Question: 4e Modules of Note for 5e Conversion? 56:59 Patreon Question: Secrets, Clues, and Discoveries for Numenera Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Playing D&D Can Save Your Life Tome of Beasts 3 Kickstarter (Sponsored) Level Up Advanced 5e Monstrous Menagerie Madness at Gardmore Abbey

Jan 27, 2022

Mike prepares for his Blades in the Dark game. Blades in the Dark Blades in the Dark Cheat Sheet by Justin Alexander Blades in the Dark Notion Campaign Notebook Using Notion.so for Lazy D&D Campaign Planning Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jan 24, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:38 Lazy DM's Companion PDF Delivered! 09:29 Monsters of the Multiverse on D&D Beyond on May 17th 13:25 MotM Not Updating Previous Content on D&D Beyond 23:26 A Look at Monsters of the Multiverse Stat Blocks 47:56 Patreon Question: Transitions Between Scenes and Encounters 50:47 Patreon Question: Running "World Without Heroes" Campaign 53:35 Patreon: Using Callbacks 56:08 Patreon Question: Problems and Benefits of D&D Canon 59:36 Patreon Question: Bite-sized Lore and Inspiration Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Preorder the Lazy DM's Companion Monsters of the Multiverse on D&D Beyond on 17 May 2022 Enworld on Monsters of the Multiverse not replacing existing monsters Reddit transcript of D&D Beyond Twitch show on Monsters of the Multiverse DDB Taking Queues from WOTC on MotM integration Brandes Soddard's Twitter Preview of MotM See Brandes Soddard's media files for all of his MotM previews Level Up 5e Monstrous Menagerie (affiliate link) A World Without Heroes: A 1st to 20th level Campaign Outline

Jan 21, 2022

Mike talks about his first full session of Wild Beyond the Witchlight. Contents 00:00 Show Start 02:10 Seven D&D Tips from Last Night's Game 12:31 The Theme of Witchlight and the Dreadful Incursions 16:42 The Characters in my Witchlight Campaign 21:22 First Witchlight Session Retrospective 45:11 Prep for my Next Session 59:49 Listing the Cool Dreadful Domains for Dreadful Incursions Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy the Lazy DM's Companion Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy Wild Beyond the Witchlight on Amazon (affiliate link) Wild Beyond the Witchlight Notion Template Wild Beyond the Witchlight One-Page Campaign Guide Eventyr's Complete DM's Bundle for Wild Beyond the Witchlight (affiliate link) Using Notion.so for Lazy D&D Campaign Planning

Jan 20, 2022

Mike prepares for his Blades in the Dark game. Blades in the Dark Blades in the Dark Cheat Sheet by Justin Alexander Blades in the Dark Notion Campaign Notebook Using Notion.so for Lazy D&D Campaign Planning Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jan 17, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Sorry about the plosives in the recording, I was speaking too much into the mic (no need to comment =)) Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:41 Lazy DMs Companion Update - All is Great! 05:02 Thoughts about Wild Beyond the Witchlight Sesson Zero 15:42 More on D&D Not Being Like World of Warcraft 33:05 Patreon Questions 33:28 Patreon Question: Revisiting Old Eliminated Prep Areas 36:04 Patreon Question: Preparing Multiple Sessions in Advance 38:35 Patreon Question: Handling Unexpected Character Deaths 41:25 Patreon Question: Publishing Homebrew Campaigns 45:14 Patreon Question: Favorite and Least Favorite Parts of 5e Seven Years In 51:07 Patreon Question: Evaluating Published Adventures 55:30 Patreon Question: DCs Higher than 30 and Choosing DCs based on the Characters Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Preorder the Lazy DM's Companion

Jan 15, 2022

Mike's special mic-check episode of the Lazy D&D Talk show. Just general chatter about lots of random stuff. Contents 00:00:00 Show Intro 00:01:16 What Did I Do Today? 00:03:33 Cobra Kai 00:05:15 Reddit on Character Race Changes 00:13:12 Checking my Mic 00:16:58 Predictions on the Next D&D 00:18:47 Jim Collins's "Good to Great" and Wizards of the Coast 00:28:07 Lots of Monster Books Coming 00:28:50 Dangerous Destinations by Nord Games 00:32:32 Potential Numenera Campaign Adventures 00:45:17 Alphastream's New Patreon 00:49:23 My Dream: An RPG Industry Talk Show 00:52:45 Mike's Next Thing... (Join Patreon to find out!) 00:55:35 Latest Lazy DM's Companion Preview 01:06:54 How do you Grow Your Patreon Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Preorder the Lazy DM's Companion Good to Great Five Stages of Decline Dangerous Destinations Preorder Page Alphastream's New Patreon

Jan 13, 2022

Mike prepares for his full Blades in the Dark game. Blades in the Dark Blades in the Dark Notion Campaign Notebook Using Notion.so for Lazy D&D Campaign Planning Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jan 11, 2022

Mike prepares for his session zero of Wizards of the Coast hardcover adventure Wild Beyond the Witchlight! Video contents 00:00 Show Intro 01:09 How I feel about Wild Beyond the Witchlight 07:41 Running a Session Zero 12:15 Witchlight Campaign One-Pager 39:26 Reading and Absorbing Wild Beyond the Witchlight 44:04 Adding Dreadful Incursions for Combat Options in Witchlight 57:13 Prepping the First Session at the Witchlight Carnival Links Buy Wild Beyond the Witchlight on Amazon (affiliate link) Wild Beyond the Witchlight Notion Template Eventyr's Complete DM's Bundle for Wild Beyond the Witchlight (affiliate link) Using Notion.so for Lazy D&D Campaign Planning Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon

Jan 10, 2022

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Intro 01:24 WOTC CEO Chris Cocks Promoted to Hasbro CEO 10:03 Kickstarter Spotlight: Limitless Heroics 14:53 Kickstarter Spotlight: Adventurer's Guide to the Bible 18:47 Kickstarter Spotlight: Nerdarchy's Mage Forge 20:33 Kickstarter Preview Spotlight: Tome of Beasts 3 by Kobold Press 22:31 Product Spotlight: What Crooked Roots 28:04 4e Skill Challenges vs. Blades Progress Clocks 34:52 Patreon Questions 35:27 Patreon Question: Keeping High Levels Challenging 41:00 Patreon Question: Sly Flourish Books on Roll 20? 44:44 Patreon Question: When Do You Give Out the One-Page Campaign Guide? 46:19 Patreon Question: Pre- and Post-Game Rituals 48:34 Patreon Question: Running Complicated Political Intrigue 51:12 This Isn't Gospel. I'm Just Sharing My Experiences 52:05 Patreon Question: Good 5-Page Product Types? 56:11 Patreon Question: Running RPGs for Kids? 57:55 Patreon Question: Good Downward Beats from Hamlet's Hit Points 59:25 Patreon Question: Scaling D&D for Three Characters Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Kickstarter: Limitless Heroics Kickstarter: Adventurer's Guide to the Bible Kickstarter: Mage Forge Kickstarter: Tome of Beasts 3 What Crooked Roots (affiliate link) Mike on Progress Clocks RPG Kids No Thank You Evil Honey Heist Hamlet's Hit Points

Jan 7, 2022

Mike prepares for his first full Blades in the Dark game. Blades in the Dark Blades in the Dark Notion Campaign Notebook Using Notion.so for Lazy D&D Campaign Planning Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jan 3, 2022

Notable 3rd party D&D products of 2021 and Patreon Questions! Contents 00:00 Show Intro 00:12 Mastering Dungeons for D&D News 01:14 Lazy DM Companion Art Previews 04:44 Notable 5e Third-Party Products in 2021 06:02 Arcadia by MCDM 08:54 The Book of Fiends by Robert Schwalb and Green Ronin 10:11 Complete Kobold's Guide to Monsters by Kobold Press 11:43 Iskandar by MT Black 12:32 Level Up Advanced 5e by EnWorld Publishing 14:08 Ptolus 5e by Monte Cook Games 16:12 Scarlet Citadel by Kobold Press 18:16 Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands by Raging Swan Press 19:22 Southlands by Kobold Press 20:19 Vault of Magic by Kobold Press 21:49 Where the Machines Wait by Monte Cook Games 24:56 Patreon Questions 25:22 Patreon Question: Epic and Meaningful Deaths 28:58 Patreon Question: Handling Petrification and Flight 30:40 Chamber of Secrets - Worst Harry Potter Movie 33:19 Patreon Question: Rolling Secret Rolls for Characters 35:29 Patreon Question: Organizing Digital Products 40:18 Patreon Question: Tying Hooks to Characters in Published Adventures 42:55 Patreon Question: Separating Treasure, Traps, and Locations in Prep 43:46 Patreon Question: Thoughts on 1st Level Adventures 45:37 Patreon Question: Revealing Pointcrawl Maps to Players 49:46 Patreon Question: Tying Characters to Linear Adventures 51:31 Patreon Question: Gaslighting Players and the False Hydra 55:05 Patreon Question: Tracking In-World Time 57:24 Patreon Question: Go-To Reskinnable Monsters 59:31 Patreon Question: Preparing GM Intrusions with Cypher System Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Preoder the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Mastering Dungeons Podcast Favorite 2021 3rd party D&D Products Tweet Thread Arcadia by MCDM The Book of Fiends by Robert Schwalb and Green Ronin Complete Kobold Guide to Monsters Iskandar by MT Black Level Up Advanced 5e Monstrous Menagerie by EnWorld Publishing Ptolus 5e by Monte Cook Games Scarlet Citadel by Kobold Press Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands by Raging Swan Press Southlands by Kobold Press Vault of Magic by Kobold Press Where the Machines Wait by Monte Cook Games Pointcrawls Mermaid graphs Organizing RPG Products Tweet Thread

Dec 30, 2021

Mike prepares for his session zero of Blades in the Dark! Blades in the Dark Blades in the Dark Notion Campaign Notebook Using Notion.so for Lazy D&D Campaign Planning Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Dec 27, 2021

Mike talks about all things D&D! 00:00 Show Intro 00:23 DM Tip: Lightning Rods in Boss Fights 09:04 Player Campaign Survey Results 17:16 1,100 Pages of Awesome 5e Third-Party Books in One Day 27:21 Patreon Questions 28:18 Patreon Question: What Lazy DM Material Do I No Longer Agree With? 34:14 Patreon Question: Help Struggling Players Explore 39:26 Patreon Question: Organizing Campaigns in Notion, OneNote, and Other Tools 45:35 Patreon Question: Character Options in One-Page Campaign Guides 48:41 Patreon Question: Game Intro Rituals 51:01 Patreon Question: Concluding a Campaign with Limited Time Left 52:47 Patreon Question: Point Crawls with Geographic Maps Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Preoder the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Player Campaign Survey Results Grim Hollow Monster Grimoire Grim Hollow Monster Grimoire Lairs Dungeons of Drakkenheim Remarkable Inns Remarkable Shops Remarkable Cults

Dec 24, 2021

After finishing his Rime of the Frostmaiden campaign, Mike offers his thoughts and advice for the adventure and describes the epic conclusion to his campaign. Contents 00:00 Show Intro 01:14 Experiences and Tips for Running Rime of the Frostmaiden 02:07 Be ready to modify a lot of this adventure 04:01 Cut quests liberally from chapter 1. It's far too big. 05:46 Add quests, adventure paths, and keys to tie chapter 2 to the rest of the adventure 07:38 Modify the timing of the Chardalyn dragon's attack to suit your story 09:47 Add trials of Auril based on the characters' backgrounds and drives 11:23 Tie Grimskalle and Ythryn together as requirements to end the Endless Night 13:03 The Conclusion to Mike's Frostmaiden Campaign 18:49 The Final Battle - Waves of Nasty Monsters and Lightning Rods! 28:21 The Final Sacrifice 32:03 One Year Later... 41:06 The End of my 18th campaign in seven years 44:45 Preview of the Witchlight campaign: Dreadful Incursions! Links Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden Notion Notebook Rime of the Frostmaiden One-Page Campaign Guide Using Notion.so for Lazy D&D Campaign Planning Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon

Dec 22, 2021

Mike prepares for his final session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Dec 20, 2021

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Intro 00:45 Lazy DM's Companion Art and Maps Preview 03:53 D&D Errata and Feedback 17:39 Kickstarter and Blockchain - Ugh. 25:48 D&D Beyond Combat Tracker Automatically Includes Character Initiative! 31:45 Dungeon Craft Reviews Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master 33:45 RPG Spotlight on Index Card RPG 40:48 Patreon Questions 41:07 Patreon Question: Filling Empty Rooms 46:05 Patreon Question: Homebrewing Rest Mechanics 49:28 Patreon Question: One-line 5e Monster Stat Blocks? 51:44 Patreon Question: What's In the Lazy Player's Guide? 53:37 Patreon Question: Adding Fate-style Aspects to D&D Games 56:12 Patreon Question: Advice for Adventurer's League DMs? Links D&D Errata Kickstarter on Blockchain Kickstarter Announces Blockchain Future, Doubles Down After Users Say 'No Thank You' D&D Beyond Combat Tracker Auto-Tracking Character Initiative Dungeon Craft Ultimate Dungeon Terrain Dungeon Craft review of Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Dungeon Craft spotlight on Index Card RPG Index Card RPG Free Preview Index Card Hardcover Index Card Master Edition PDF Index Card Essentials Deck Lazy DM's Companion Free Preview (with Monument generators!) Good Behaviors for D&D Players Building a Great D&D Character

Dec 17, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Dec 16, 2021

Mike offers some thoughts and shares some experiences on the topic of what it takes to "make it" in the D&D and RPG industry. No magic bullets here but hopefully some useful thoughts on the topic. Contents 00:01:03 What does "Making It" Mean to You? 00:04:30 Advice is Bullshit 00:06:28 The Duality of Optimism and Pragmatism 00:09:46 Practical Advice (oops) 00:13:07 Use Lots of Platforms 00:14:38 The Marketing Funnel 00:21:33 The Value of Email Newsletters 00:28:09 Getting Attention - Go Wide 00:28:42 What About Podcasting? 00:32:17 What About Conventions? 00:33:59 Consistency + Visibility. Both Are Important. 00:38:13 40% Find Me Through YouTube 00:43:17 What Products Should One Make? 00:54:37 RPG Writer's Workshop 00:56:22 Where Do You Sell Your Stuff? 01:08:37 Final Thoughts (NOT ADVICE!) Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon John Baldessari and the Three Rules for Artists Washington Post article about the Twitch streamer Glengarry Glen Ross Put the Coffee Down The Marketing Funnel Great video on the value of newsletters Tubebuddy Rob Schwalb's Short Adventures Raging Swan Press Waterdeep City Encounters Dyson's Commercial-Usable Maps Adventure Writers Workshop

Dec 14, 2021

Mike does a spotlight look at the new Wizards of the Coast hardcover D&D sourcebook and adventure, Strixhaven, a Curriculum of Chaos. Contents 00:00 Show Intro 02:16 Digital vs. Physical. Why not both? 04:08 A Different Kind of Sourcebook 05:57 Magic University 07:15 Three Facts about Strixhaven 17:39 A Place You Want to Go 26:42 Character Options 44:06 School is in Session 52:31 Mike Hates the D4. Worst Die Ever. 56:20 Let's Look at Monsters Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon

Dec 13, 2021

Mike talks about all things D&D! Open up these notes for video contents and links. Contents 00:00 Show Intro 01:33 Lazy DM's Companion Update 04:09 Tips for High CR Monster Damage 13:10 Product Spotlight: Southlands by Kobold Press 37:59 DM Tip: Don't Punish Characters Taking Initiative 42:47 Patreon Questions 43:16 Patreon Question: Restarting an Old Campaign 45:42 Patreon Question: Transitioning a Game to a New DM 48:02 Patreon Question: Unconnected Fronts 51:31 Patreon Question: What's the Problem with Twilight and Peace Clerics? 59:16 Patreon Question: Breaking Up with a Player or Game Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Preoder the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Southlands by Kobold Press

Dec 10, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Dec 6, 2021

Lazy DM Companion update, Polls on Fudging HP, Silvery Barbs and Opting-In for Non-Core books, Blades in the Dark, and Patreon Questions! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:39 Lazy DM's Companion Update 07:55 Fudging Hit Point Polls for DMs and Players 11:06 Silvery Barbs and Opting-In for Non-Core Books 23:16 Blades in the Dark Spotlight 38:32 December Patreon Questions 39:08 Patreon Question: Too Much Hoarding of Physical Books? 42:13 Patreon Question: Options for Zombie Characters? 44:47 Patreon Question: Procedures for Dungeon Crawls 47:49 Patreon Question: Balancing the Campaign Theme and Six Truths in Spiral Campaign Development 51:43 Patreon Question: High Charisma "Face" Characters Stealing the Show in RP Scenes Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Preoder the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Fudging HP Poll (Players) Fudging HP Poll (DM) Think DM: Why Are DMs Banning Silvery Barbs Blades in the Dark Blades in the Dark Player's Kit Video on Spiral Campaign Development

Nov 29, 2021

Mike chats about all things D&D! Contents 00:00:00 Show Intro 00:01:12 Lazy DM Companion Update 00:03:59 The Sly Flourish After-School RPG Grant 00:06:22 D&D Beyond Usage Poll 00:11:45 Patreon Q&A 00:12:16 Patreon Question: Tuning Encounters Around Your Group 00:19:30 Patreon Question: Noir-Style Adventures in Tier 2+ 00:24:00 Patreon Question: Running Fun High-Level (Level 16+) Campaigns 00:30:36 Patreon Question: More Stuff for Martial Characters 00:34:11 Patreon Question: Players Hoarding Relics and Magic Items 00:38:34 Patreon Question: Getting Players to Use High Level Spells 00:39:54 Patreon Question: Balancing Custom Monsters 00:45:26 Patreon Question: Completely Improvising a Session 00:49:02 Patreon Question: Making Use of Tool Proficiencies 00:52:55 Patreon Question: Avoiding Plot-Armor for Character-Focused Plots 00:55:45 Patreon Question: Rewarding Magic Items While Avoiding Overpowering Characters 01:01:53 Patreon Question: Incorporating Character Secrets 01:05:50 Chat Question: Magic Item Identification 01:06:40 Chat Question: Converting Older Adventures 01:07:09 Chat Question: Fistful of Copper 01:07:43 Chat Question: Creating Rivals 01:08:53 Chat Question: Ideal Endings 01:11:38 Chat Question: Recommended Books, TV Shows, Movies, and Games? 01:13:39 Chat Question: Grendleroot with Small Parties 01:14:00 Show Ending Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Preoder the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Sly Flourish After-School RPG Program Grants D&D Beyond Usage Poll Lazy Encounter Benchmark

Nov 25, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Nov 22, 2021

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 01:02 Lazy DM's Companion Kickstarter Update 02:30 Mastering Dungeons on Fizban's Treasury of Dragons 08:14 Improvising Monsters With Stat Tables 18:16 Using Different Monster Books for Different Areas 19:52 Sharing Experiences - Not Offering Advice 23:26 Patreon Questions 23:42 Patreon Question: The Non-Core Books with the Biggest Impact on D&D 27:44 Patreon Question: Running Games at a Game Store 31:48 Patreon Question: Using Old School Essentials to Teach D&D? 36:17 Patreon Question: Challenging both Optimized and Non-Optimized Characters 41:52 Patreon Question: Guidelines for Alternative Systems 45:02 Patreon Question: Thinking About Villains Early On 47:17 Patreon Questions: Managing PC Home Bases 48:38 Patreon Question: Managing Character Creation for New Players 51:26 Patreon Question: Is D&D Become Less Flexible? No. Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Preoder the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Mastering Dungeons on Fizban's Treasury of Dragons Blog of Holding, Monster Manual on a Business Card Managing Time Old School Essentials D&D Basic Rules Teaching New Players D&D Video Lord Gozumba's D&D Twitch Show Ythryn Expanded Towers by Daniel Khan Deep Magic by Kobold Press

Nov 19, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Nov 15, 2021

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Intro 00:34 Patreon Update: Sly Flourish's Uncovered Secrets Volume 1 & 2 02:59 Lazy DM Companion Update 03:55 DM Prep with Obsidian.md 13:19 Kickstarter: Expedition to the Mysterious Peaks 15:16 Kickstarter: cy_borg 20:05 Product Spotlight: Mork Borg Feretory 27:18 DM Tip: Beefing Up 5e Vampires 31:05 Using Fizban's Treasury of Dragons in Play 34:14 Patreon Question: Setting the Mood 39:10 Patreon Question: Planning Upward and Downward Beats 42:42 Patreon Question: Has Character Death Become Taboo? 50:57 Patreon Question: Satisfying Conclusions for Weak Villains Links Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Preoder the Lazy DM's Companion Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Obsidian.md Nicole van der Hoeven's video on using Obsidian with D&D Prep Kickstarter: Expedition to the Mysterious Peaks Kickstarter: cy_borg Mork Borg Feretory Descent into Avernus: Fall of Elturel Campfire Story Prompts During Rests in D&D

Nov 11, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Nov 8, 2021

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00:44 Preorder Page for the Lazy DM's Companion 00:03:21 Thoughts on Fizban's Treasury of Dragons 00:12:43 WOTC's Problem with High CR Damage 00:20:45 Kickstarter: Planegea by Atlast Games 00:23:05 Kickstarter: Skyraiders of Abraxis by Laura and Tracy Hickman 00:25:06 Kickstarter: Rewards and Rarities by 2C Gaming 00:27:13 Kickstarter: Reliquaries by Dwarven Forge 00:32:04 Transitioning to 70% Online Play 00:35:39 Spotlight: Vault of Magic by Kobold Press 00:44:19 Patreon Questions and Answers 00:45:14 Patreon Question: Transitioning to Published Adventures 00:47:46 Patreon Question: Worrying about Subverting Expectations 00:50:37 Patreon Question: Character Deaths and New Characters 00:53:21 Patreon Question: Keeping Track of Characters' Knowledge 00:55:02 Patreon Question: Handling NPC to NPC Conversations 00:56:34 Patreon Question: Adding Details to Fantastic Locations Links D&D Talk Show YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Preoder the Lazy DM's Companion Level Up Advanced 5e Kickstarter: Planegea by Atlast Games Kickstarter: Skyraiders of Abraxis by Laura and Tracy Hickman Kickstarter: Rewards and Rarities by 2C Gaming Kickstarter: Reliquaries by Dwarven Forge Vault of Magic by Kobold Press

Nov 5, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Nov 1, 2021

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:01:01 Lazy DM's Companion Kickstarter 00:02:14 Thoughts on Ravenloft Halloween One-Shot 00:13:32 Fizban's Treasury of Dragons 00:21:50 Kickstarter: Amazing Encounters and Places 00:24:29 Kickstarter: Potbellied Kobold's Guide to Villains and Lairs 00:25:33 Kickstarter: Planebreaker 00:28:24 Numenera Humble Bundle 00:30:02 Kickstarter: Book of Ebon Tides 00:31:02 Building RPG Companies Around Kickstarter 00:32:43 Patreon Question: Best Encounters for 1st Session 00:36:54 Patreon Question: Ideal Sidekicks for One-on-One Games 00:38:46 Patreon Question: Running Natural Disasters as Villains 00:41:57 Patreon Question: Ideal Facts for the "Six Truths" when Campaign Building 00:43:38 Patreon Question: Lazy Prep for Dungeons 00:46:42 Patreon Question: Process for Building Boss Monsters 00:50:58 Patreon Question: Tell Players about Monster Immunities and Legendary Resistances 00:54:02 Patreon Question: Lazy Prep for Marathon Sessions 00:56:22 Patreon Question: Ideal Number of Sessions for Milestone Leveling 00:57:24 Patreon Question: Keeping the Tension in Roleplay Scenes 00:58:26 Patreon Question: Using Lazy DM Steps for Other RPGs 01:00:20 Patreon Question: Failing Forward on a TPK? Links D&D Talk Show YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Lazy DM's Companion Running a One-Shot Ravenloft Game Video Running a One-Shot Ravenloft Game Article Draft One-Shot Strahd Stat Block Kickstarter: Amazing Encounters and Places Kickstarter: Potbellied Kobold's Guide to Villains and Lairs Kickstarter: Planebreaker by Monte Cook Games Numenera Humble Bundle Kickstarter: Book of Ebon Tides by Kobold Press Running 1st Level Encounters Tier-based Quests and Adventures Spiral Campaign Development Video Dan Dillion's Tweets on Tuning Bosses Think Through the Eyes of your NPCs

Oct 29, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Oct 25, 2021

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Intro 00:39 Artwork from the Lazy DM's Companion 03:22 Mike on D&D Beyond Talking Fizbans 04:21 Call from the Netherdeep Announced 06:23 Critical Role Season 3 08:10 Critical Role's Gaming Room 10:03 How Much Better Would Your Game Be with a Million Dollar Gaming Room? 20:15 Mastering Dungeons 20:59 WOTC's D&D Growth Over Time 25:01 Paizo's Union 27:23 Level Up: Advanced 5e Kickstarter 29:42 Raiders of the Serpent Sea Kickstarter 31:04 Kickstarters are the Most Interesting Growth Areas of RPGs 35:36 Patreon Questions! 36:11 Patreon Question: Running Lighthearted Campaigns 41:38 Which Third Party Products to Trust? 48:24 Running Chases in D&D 55:43 Avenues for Indy RPG Creation - Newsletters!! Links Lazy DM's Companion Kickstarter Mike on D&D Beyond Talking about Fizban's Treasury of Dragons Call from the Netherdeep Critical Role in Variety Critical Role's Gaming Room Hidden Brain podcast on Fear of Missing Out Select the Right Accessories The Best Ways to Improve your D&D Game are Free Mastering Dungeons D&D Growth Over Time Level Up: Advanced 5e Kickstarter Raiders of the Serpent Sea Kickstarter

Oct 22, 2021

Mike uses material from the Lazy DM's Companion to continue his preparation for a single-session D&D game! Back the Kickstarter!

Oct 20, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Oct 18, 2021

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:29 Lazy DM's Companion Kickstarter 03:14 Fizban's Treasury of Dragons 05:38 The dragons in the First World 10:48 Aspect of Tiamat, Great Wyrm stat blocks, and spellcasting dragons 18:32 Monster Design Guidelines from WOTC 23:45 13th Age Spotlight 43:30 Patreon Question: Tracking what happened 46:44 Patreon Question: Putting on pressure in flexible campaigns 51:26 Patreon Question: The 8 steps in a megadungeon 54:29 Patreon Question: Putting puzzles into your game Links Lazy DM's Companion Kickstarter D&D Talk Show YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Let's Make an Adventure with the Lazy DM's Companion Fry's Walkthrough of Fizban's Treasury of Dragons Mastering Dungeons

Oct 16, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Oct 15, 2021

Mike uses material from the Lazy DM's Companion to build an adventure! Support the Lazy DM's Companion on Kickstarter! Single-Page Notion Lazy DM Adventure Template Dungeon of Shadow - the results of this "let's make an adventure"

Oct 11, 2021

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:40 Lazy DM's Companion Kickstarter 03:24 Mastering Dungeons Live on Twitch 05:12 More New D&D Core Book Thoughts 05:41 This is Different from Other D&D Revisions 09:48 Thoughts on New Monster Design 11:57 Thoughts on the Different D&D Communities 22:28 On Fudging Hit Points 30:43 Patreon Questions 31:54 How do you handle the number of monsters with the lazy benchmark? 38:21 How do you keep a 20th level party going? 41:38 Making Your Own Encounter Tables 45:15 Better Support for Tier 3 and 4? 56:34 Can't Remember Spell Details? That's ok! Links D&D Talk Show YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Lazy DMs Companion Kickstarter 2nd Kickstarter Q&A Video Analysis of the D&D Twitter Community (2017) Daniel Kwan on Fudging Hit Points 2C Gaming's Epic Legacy 2C Gaming's Total Party Kill Bestiary Vol 1 2C Gaming's Total Party Kill Bestiary Vol 2

Oct 8, 2021

Mike goes through more questions for the Lazy DM's Companion Kickstarter! Links Back the Kickstarter Contents 00:00 Start - About the Kickstarter 02:09 Any modifications based on upcoming D&D changes? No. 04:05 Will the Companion be useful for non-D&D games? Yes! 05:05 Can you show the book in action? Yes! Next time. 06:33 Will the spiral-bound Workbook be available post-Kickstarter? Yes! 07:36 Really? No Stretch goals? Yep, no stretch goals. 09:04 Will the PDFs come through DriveThruRPG? Yes! 09:22 Will we get the PDFs of existing books right away? Yes! 10:00 Will the digital versions include existing ePubs? Yes! 10:44 Can we get the physical versions of the "Fantastic" book add-ons? Not through the Kickstarter. 11:52 Is the Companion "Done"? No. First draft is done. 13:02 Can we see what the books will look like? Not yet. 13:30 Can we add audiobooks as add-ons? Unfortunately, no. 15:00 Can I print maps for my own private use? Yes. 15:17 Can I give away extra digital copies? Yes. 16:02 Can we get the digital art as a download? Yes. 17:41 Will these questions get added to the FAQ? Yes. 18:09 Will there be a retailer pledge? No, but... 19:16 Will the printed books be available on Amazon? Yes, eventually. 20:19 Will Return look like Babar in hardcover? No. 21:17 Going to any conventions this year? No. 23:05 How different are the printed books from PoD? Nicer! 25:03 Experiences with Off-set Printing? Too early to say. 29:12 Plans for different languages? Not at the moment. 31:30 How do you plan to cope with the next 21 days? It's great! 35:48 A look at the TOC and design of the Companion 37:03 The Lands of the Fey page and design 42:51 Turning a 1d20 list into a 1d400 list 45:23 Useful guidelines and generators each in a single page 48:00 Not re-creating existing guidelines 49:36 Monster templates 57:57 Can I mix and match physical and PDF orders? Yes!

Oct 8, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Oct 6, 2021

Mike offers advice for recovering from a bad D&D game. YouTube Video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Workbook

Oct 4, 2021

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Intro 01:09 Lazy DM's Companion Kickstarter 05:23 New D&D Core Books coming in 2024 21:04 Mordenkainen's Guide to the Monsters of the Multiverse 31:41 WOTC Doesn't Control D&D – We do 40:06 The Potential D&D Digital Armageddon 51:08 Patreon Question: Oscar M. Connecting Characters in an Ongoing Campaign 54:49 Patreon Question: Tim S. Spiral Campaigns in Cities 57:30 Patreon Question: Pierce S on Countdown Clocks in D&D Links Lazy DM's Companion Kickstarter D&D Talk Show YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master D&D WOTC Future of D&D Panel Video Comparison of Old and New Monsters from Volo's Guide

Oct 1, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Sep 30, 2021

Mike talks all about the Lazy DMs Companion and takes questions from Twitch. Join the Kickstarter here ! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/slyflourish/the-lazy-dms-companion?ref=9hlew2 Show Contents 00:00 Intro 2:27 Will there be a hardcover version of the Handbook? 3:20 How come no stretch goals? 6:25 Is the hardcover of Return different? 8:56 Have you thought about combining the three books into one? 14:56 Who are the artists behind this great art? 16:25 How useful do you expect it to be for other systems and editions? 19:40 Will the shipping cost change? 20:20 Is the book future proof? 27:40 Will there be any changes to the Lazy Combat Encounter Guide? 31:46 What do you know about 6e? 32:37 Is there something you wanted in the book that didn't make it? 36:16 Have I started my next book? NO! 37:07 Ever considered WOTC-hardcover-focused guides and products? 39:20 Does the Lazy DM's Companion include downtime activities? No. 40:22 Will the book be available on Amazon? Yes. Mid to late next year after backers get theirs. 41:34 Do you have an "Appendix N" of inspirational resources? Yes!! 44:13 Have you considered adding indexes to your books? No, but I will now! 46:02 When do you get your stuff? 49:15 How is your day going? 52:52 Are you planning any appearances on YT/Twitch channels? 53:31 Would you ever consider streaming a one-shot if the campaign did crazy numbers? 54:59 Would you rather fight one horse-sized kobold or a hundred kobold-sized horses? 55:15 What is your favourite Monte Cook supplement or product? 55:47 How much for you to hand deliver the books? 56:22 Any plans on an audiobook version? 58:11 Have you thought of tabs for quick reference? 58:54 Will their be epub versions of Return and Ruins of Grendleroot in it? 59:36 What type of content is in the Lazy DM's Companion?

Sep 29, 2021

Mike talks about ways to customize your published D&D adventures. D&D Tips YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Sep 27, 2021

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Intro 00:24 Lazy DM's Companion Kickstarter Coming Soon! 02:34 Planebreaker Kickstarter 04:43 Dwarven Forge Reliquaries Kickstarter 08:02 Wild Beyond the Witchlight Thoughts 13:11 D&D Celebration 15:29 DM's Guild Dungeoncraft Adventures 20:03 DM's Panel on Immersion 24:51 New Adventurer's League Rules (They're Awesome) 28:41 Sharon C. Are Hybrid Conventions Here to Stay? (Yes!) 35:23 Tracking villains in published adventures 39:18 Questions about the Kickstarter 43:16 Running Wilderness Exploration 46:49 Non-combat Strong Starts for Adventures 50:22 Tips for Running NPCs and Giving Away Secrets Links D&D Talk Show YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Lazy DM's Companion Kickstarter Planebreaker Kickstarter by Monte Cook Games Dwarven Forge Reliquaries Kickstarter D&D Celebration DMs Panel on Immersion DM's Guild Dungeoncraft Adventures D&D Adventurer's League Startplaying.Games

Sep 24, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Sep 22, 2021

Mike talks about how to build a campaign from the characters outwards. D&D Tips YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Sep 20, 2021

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Intro 00:22 Lazy DM Companion Kickstarter Notification Signup! 03:14 Wild Beyond the Witchlight marketing in full force 06:29 World simulation vs scaling challenges 22:30 Pacing – potentially the main DM weakness 36:49 Shadow of the Demon Lord spotlight 53:11 Building NPCs for different situations 58:30 Building fronts in the middle of a campaign Links D&D Talk Show YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Lazy DM Companion Kickstarter Notification Signup! Mastering Dungeons Podcast on Wild Beyond the Witchlight Alphastream.Org: For an Epic Hero, What is the DC to Pick a Lock? Your Best Game Ever Improving Pacing - Sly Flourish Timing and Pacing Adventures - Sly Flourish Shadow of the Demon Lord Bundle Shadow of the Demon Lord Products Mike's quick NPC generator Thinking Back on Fronts - Sly Flourish

Sep 17, 2021

Mike proposes using the ability check instead of more complicated subsystems. D&D Tips YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Sep 16, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Sep 14, 2021

Mike talks about how we can help players make informed decisions in D&D. Non-Focal Random Encounters on the Alexandrian D&D Tips YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Sep 13, 2021

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Intro 01:03 Lazy DM's Companion Kickstarter Coming 28 September! 05:26 New Adventures League Rules! Yay! 15:17 Alignments on Monsters are back 20:51 WOTC published monsters are often took weak and its not getting better 27:39 Interesting Third Party Products 30:56 Raging Swan's Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands 41:40 Lazy DM Prep and Running West Marches 46:28 Getting Games Back On Track 49:50 Can All the Characters Roll an Ability Check? Links D&D Talk Show YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Lazy DM's Companion Kickstarter Page! Sign up and be notified! Adventure League Article by Chris Tulach Jabberwock Stat Block with Alignments Tome of Heroes Tanares Valda's Spire of Secrets Delver's Guide to Beast World Quest-o-Nomicon Raging Swan Press at DriveThruRPG Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands VTT Maps Grand Experiments: West Marches

Sep 10, 2021

Mike talks about how we can help players make informed decisions in D&D. D&D Tips YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Sep 9, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Sep 7, 2021

Mike talks about good behaviors for players from a DM's perspective. D&D Tips YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Sep 6, 2021

Mike talks all-things D&D! Contents 00:00 Intro 00:39 Dwarven Forge with Owlbear Rodeo 10:50 Why I Love Numenera and the Cypher System 42:19 Post-game Disappointment 47:39 Handling NPC to NPC Conversations 49:08 Handling the Totally Unexpected 52:01 Lore Continuity in Our Own Forgotten Realms Links D&D Talk Show YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Dwarven Forge Dwarven Forge Buyer's Guide Owlbear Rodeo Owlbear Rodeo Sly Flourish article Numenera Discovery PDF Numenera Discovery Hardcover Numenera Starter Set Cypher System PDF Cypher System Hardcover

Sep 3, 2021

Mike makes the case for keeping average monster damage as a tool in your DM's toolbox. YouTube Video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Workbook

Sep 2, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Aug 31, 2021

Mike describes how to quickly an easily build legendary boss monster for your D&D game. D&D Tips YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Aug 30, 2021

Mike talks about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Intro 00:55 Kobold Fight Club Returns! 02:12 Esper Genesis Quick Look 14:27 Finally, Arby's Dice! 17:12 Alexandrian on Non-Focal Random Encounters 23:58 Taking Patreon Questions 25:53 Patreon - Sean H on Balanced vs. Situational encounters 36:46 Patreon - Raymond C on Deviating from Plotted Campaigns 44:11 Patreon - Eloy C on Rolling in the Open Links D&D Talk Show YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Kobold Fight Club Esper Genesis Core Book (PDF) Esper Genesis Core Book (Hardcover) Esper Genesis Technicians Guide (PDF) Esper Genesis Threats Database (PDF) Esper Genesis Threats Database (Hardcover) Esper Genesis Free Preview (players) Esper Genesis Free Preview (GMs) Arby's Dice (Finally) Alexandrian on Non-Focal Random Encounters

Aug 27, 2021

Mike talks about the value of thinking through the eyes of our NPCs in D&D. Original YouTube Video The War of Art by Steven Pressfield Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Aug 26, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Aug 24, 2021

Mike offers ten uses for index cards in your D&D game. Contents 00:00 The Value of Index Cards 00:26 Index Cards for Initiative 00:53 Numbered Table Tents for Initiative 01:28 Quest Cards 02:01 Magic Items 02:26 Zone-based Combat 03:44 X Card 04:20 NPC Info for DMs or Players 04:34 Secret Notes to Players 04:50 Monster Customizations Links Original YouTube Video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Easier Initiative Cards Zone-based combat Fate Condensed Index Card RPG X Card

Aug 23, 2021

Mike chats about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Show Intro 00:32 The fall of Kobold Fight Club 06:54 The fallacy of the adventuring day 08:12 Don't become dependent on digital tools 13:50 On the Lazy Encounter Benchmark 18:33 Start with the story 24:58 Owlbear Rodeo, scenery, and new features 33:10 Call from the Deep Review 46:01 Hidden Costs of DM's Guild Publishing Links D&D Talk Show YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Mob Damage Calculator Running Hordes the Lazy Way Lazy Encounter Benchmark Owlbear Rodeo V 1.10 Token Video Forgotten Adventures tokens and scenery Call from the Deep

Aug 20, 2021

Mike talks about the advantages and disadvantages of ending your D&D game right before a big battle. Original YouTube Video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Aug 19, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Aug 17, 2021

Mike talks about battling back the voice in our head that tells us we aren't ready to run our D&D game. Original YouTube Video The War of Art by Steven Pressfield Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Aug 16, 2021

Mike chats about all things D&D! Contents 00:00 Intro 00:29 YouTube Videos of D&D Beyond Appearances 10:24 Would I Still Do This if D&D Were 10% as Popular? 20:14 Kobold Press Tome of Heroes 23:18 Vorpal Board for Broadcasting Physical Tabletop RPGs Online 31:53 Thoughts on Streaming D&D Games 39:17 Frostmaiden Grievances and Accolades Links D&D Talk Show YouTube Playlist Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Mike on D&D Beyond Talking about the Lazy Dungeon Master Mike on D&D Beyond Talking about Encounter Building Kobold Press Tome of Heroes Kickstarter Vorpal Board for Broadcasting Physical Tabletops Online Mike and Enrique Play D&D One on One Frostmaiden Grievances and Accolades

Aug 13, 2021

Mike discusses the balance between realism and fun in our D&D games. YouTube video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Aug 12, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Aug 10, 2021

Mike talks about the value of reinforcing a cooperative character motivation to smooth out inter-party conflicts in your D&D game. Original YouTube Video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Aug 9, 2021

Mike discusses the latest D&D news and tips for lazy dungeon masters! Contents 00:00 Intro 00:31 Mike's Appearances 00:53 D&D Beyond Appearance 01:46 Mike with Matt Coleville and James Introcaso talking D&D and Arcadia 6 02:25 Why Am I Called Sly Flourish? 03:20 New Uncovered Secrets and Adventure Generators: Gods, Lost Kingdoms, Legendary Villains 22:13 Scarlet Citadel by Kobold Press 32:02 Tome of Beasts 2 by Kobold Press 33:59 Avatar Last Airbender Kickstarter 38:08 No More UA in D&D Beyond 43:46 My OK D&D game, Give Players Things to Do 51:20 13th Age and 5e Links Original YouTube Video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Mike on the D&D Beyond Stream Mike on MCDM talking about Arcadia 6 MCDM Patreon Scarlet Citadel by Kobold Press Tome of Beasts 2 Avatar Last Airbender Kickstarter D&D Beyond on Not Including Unearthed Arcana Content 13th Age 13th Age Bundle on Humble Bundle (tremendous deal)

Aug 6, 2021

Mike extols the virtues of taking a walk while pondering your D&D game. YouTube Video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Workbook

Aug 5, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Aug 3, 2021

Feel like darkvision is overpowered? Mike talks about the combination of rules that makes darkvision not as good as many DMs think. Original YouTube Video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Aug 2, 2021

Mike talks about the latest D&D news and topics. Click "SHOW MORE" for links and details. Contents 00:00 Intro 00:18 Kickstarter Date for Lazy DM's Companion 04:06 Chris Perkins on Canon 09:59 Grim Accord in Arcadia 6 14:34 Chris Spivey on Independent RPG Struggles 22:42 Christian Zuech: Encounters in Barovia 30:29 Elven Tower 34:46 Patreon and Kickstarter For Most Interesting RPG Content 36:56 Dungeoncraft Videos 46:30 Paid DMing. I'm all for it! Links Original YouTube Video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Chris Perkinson D&D Canon Mastering Dungeons on D&D Canon Arcadia 6 with the Grim Accord MCDM Patreon Chris Spivey from Darker Hue Studios Tweet Harlem Unbound Christian Zuech Products on the DM's Guild Encounters in Barovia Elven Tower Patreon Elven Tower Products on DriveThruRPG Faith For Fools Dungeoncraft Channel Ultimate RPG Terrain Dungeoncraft on Proficiency Dice and Background Proficiency

Jul 30, 2021

Mike discusses the value of using "knives" as a DM in your D&D game. How do you wield the fiction that players bring to the table responsibly and effectively to let your stories expand ever outward. YouTube Video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Worldbuilding for Lazy Dungeon Masters Pax Unplugged Panel 2021

Jul 29, 2021

Mike discusses D&D news! Podcast Contents 00:00 Intro 00:37 New Tal'Dorai sourcebook 07:32 My Evil Adventuring Group in Arcadia Issues 6! 10:04 MCDM's New Monster Manual 16:47 Details of Fizban's Treasury of Dragons 19:05 Crawford on Streaming's Influence on WOTC Production 32:51 Printable Heroes Patreon 41:41 Tabletop Audio Patreon 45:23 You Get to Decide What's Canon Links Original YouTube Video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Tal’Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn MCDM Patreon for Arcadia Matt Coleville and James Introcaso on the MCDM Monster Book Details on Fizban's Treasury of Dragons Crawford on Streaming Influence on D&D Printable Heroes Printable Heroes Patreon Tabletop Audio Tabletop Audio Patreon D&D Spinoffs Aren't Canon

Jul 26, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Frostmaiden YouTube Video Playlist Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jul 23, 2021

Mike discusses the importance of understanding how to facilitate decisions in D&D. Original YouTube Video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jul 22, 2021

Mike talks about all things D&D! Click Show More for notes and links. Table of Contents 00:00 Intro 02:13 Wild Beyond the Witchlight 04:16 Fizban's Treasury of Dragons 08:44 Strixhaven: Curriculum of Chaos 13:53 Running D&D In Person Again 18:39 Dread Metrol: Into the Mists by Keith Baker 34:18 The Dogs of War Adventure Generator with Dread Metrol 36:59 Iskandar City Sourcebook by MT Black 45:29 Miniatures, too expensive for new DMs? 54:14 Sad WOTC didn't make Planescape? Buy the Old One Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Nerdarchy on Wild Beyond the Witchlight Nerdarchy on Fizban's Treasury of Dragons Nerdarchy on Strixhaven: Curriculum of Chaos Dread Metrol: Into the Mists Iskandar City Sourcebook Wizkids Witchlight Miniature Collectors Pack Spelljammer on the DM's Guild

Jul 20, 2021

Mike talks about the value of running small battles in the Theater of the Mind. YouTube Video Sly Flourish's Guide to to Narrative "Theater of the Mind" Combat in the 5th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Buy the Lazy DM's Workbook

Jul 19, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! YouTube Video Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jul 16, 2021

Mike offers options and tips for handling rests in D&D. Click "Show More" for notes and links. Original YouTube Video Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon

Jul 15, 2021

Mike chats about all things D&D! 00:00 Show Start 00:44 D&D and Magic the Gathering 08:07 Playing MtG again 16:37 Reviewing Patreons Next Week 18:54 Knife to Know You by Doryen Chin 24:25 Mork Borg 36:46 Downtime in D&D 48:07 Getting back to playing in person Links Original YouTube video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master In Scarlet Flames D&D MtG Adventure The Hidden Page D&D MtG Adventure Knife to Know You by Doryen Chin Mork Borg Running Downtime in D&D

Jul 13, 2021

Mike talks about the best, and cheapest, ways to improve your D&D game. The best tools to improve your D&D game are free. Original YouTube video Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon

Jul 12, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! YouTube Video Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jul 9, 2021

Mike describes how to use Lu Quade's "Stars and Wishes" to get great feedback from your players on your D&D game. Original YouTube Video Stars and Wishes by Lu Quade Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jul 8, 2021

Mike talks about all things D&D! 00:00 Video Intro 00:13 TSR (3) and the Ernie Gygax Situation 05:46 Gender Identity Thoughts from an Old Cis White Dude 12:14 How Important is D&D Voicework Poll 16:41 Why I Review Third Party Products 18:27 Empire of the Ghouls by Kobold press 27:56 Where the Machines Wait 34:17 MtG D&D Adventures and Pregen Characters 38:05 Making Cheap D&D Tokens from MtG Cards 40:44 Rolling for Monster Horde Damage 46:37 Matt Colville making his own RPG? Level up 5e RPG 49:21 Dungeons of Drakkenheim Links YouTube Video Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Enworld on TSR (3) and Ernie Gygax Morrus's Unofficial Podcast on Ernie Gygax How Important is DM Voicework poll on Twitter Empire of the Ghouls PDF Empire of the Ghouls Hardcover Where the Machines Wait PDF Where the Machines Wait softcover In Scarlet Flames free D&D MtG Crossover Adventure D&D MtG Planeswalker Character Sheets Lazy Monster Tokens Level Up, Advanced 5e Dungeons of Drakkenheim Kickstarter

Jul 7, 2021

Mike uses the Adventure Generators from the Sly Flourish Patreon to build an adventure from scratch for his Saturday D&D game. Part 2 of 2. Zoho Annotator Dysonlogos Maps Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon

Jul 6, 2021

Mike offers a tip for thinking up secrets and clues by considering the types of secrets the characters may discover and how they might discover them. Types of secrets Character secrets NPC secrets Story secrets Villainous secrets Location secrets Historical secrets Theological secrets Ways to discover them Character background NPCs (friendly or hostile) Books, journals, notes, and scolls Items Frescos and mosaics dreams and portents sentient magic items Links Original YouTube video Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon

Jul 5, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! YouTube Video Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jul 2, 2021

Mike offers a tip to get players to think more about monsters in the story of your D&D game by asking them to define interesting physical characteristics of monsters. Original YouTube Video A Troll Named Handbag: Player-Driven Monster Identification Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jul 1, 2021

Another episode of the Lazy D&D Talk show. Topics include how to steer damage away from the boss, the Mercer effect, yam-shaped adventures design, and reviews of Grymmworld and the Oath of the Frozen King. Contents 00:00 Intro 00:36 Finding a D&D group 05:07 How did my Keep of the Black Gate game go? 07:05 Player tip: Always have a ranged attack 08:36 DM Tip: Redirect damage away from the boss 13:30 The Mercer Effect 24:21 Grymmworld by Grant Ellis and Ryan Servis 33:40 Oath of the Frozen King by Absolute Tabletop 40:32 Too many quests in chapter 1 of Frostmaiden 43:49 Yam-shaped adventure design Links Original YouTube Video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Finding and Maintaining a D&D Group Dungeoncraft on the Mercer Effect Grymmworld Oath of the Frozen King

Jun 30, 2021

Mike uses the Adventure Generators from the Sly Flourish Patreon to build an adventure from scratch for his Saturday D&D game. Part 1 of 2. Zoho Annotator Dysonlogos Maps Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon

Jun 29, 2021

What makes a good D&D map and where can a lazy DM easily find them? Original Youtube version Dyson Logos Maps The Alexandrian: Jaquaying the Dungeon Lazy DM's Workbook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jun 29, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Original Youtube Video Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jun 28, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Original YouTube Video Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jun 25, 2021

Mike talks about the value of heralds who announce villains far and wide. Original YouTube video How to Create Pay-Per-View Worthy Adventures or "How to Stop Worrying and Start DMing Like Vince McMahon" Building Villains like Pro-Wrestlers Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon

Jun 24, 2021

Mike chats about all things D&D! Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Show Contents 00:00 Intro 00:17 Tricks for the D&D Encounter Builder 12:35 Mork Borg 17:41 Old School Essentials 24:40 Runehammer Games's 5e Hardcore Mode 32:14 2C Gamings Total Party Kill Bestiary 2 37:42 Nord's Dreaded Accursed 40:19 Increasing the Deadly Encounter Benchmark at level 11+ 46:09 Returning to our one-on-one D&D game Links D&D Beyond Initiative Parser to Discord Text Mork Borg Old School Essentials 5e Hardcore Mode Total Party Kill Bestiary 2 Dreaded Accursed

Jun 22, 2021

Mike discusses how to prepare for your game in about 15 minutes. Original Youtube Video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jun 21, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Original YouTube Video Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jun 18, 2021

Mike offers two tools for better D&D 5e encounter building. Original YouTube Video Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon

Jun 16, 2021

The lost recording of the Worldbuilding for the Lazy Dungeon Master panel at Pax Unplugged, December 2019, hosted by James Haeck with Makenzie De Armas, Mike Shea, Morrigan Robbins, and Renee Rhodes. James Haeck @jamesjhaeck Makenzie De Armas makenzielaneda Mike Shea @slyflourish Morrigan Robbins @MorriLoremother Renee Rhodes @raedeanner Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jun 15, 2021

Mike chats about D&D! Show Contents 00:00 Show Start 00:52 Translations Pushing Back 6e Predictions 5:00 Reviews of Third Party Books 07:22 Arcana of the Ancients 12:07 Ptolus 15:07 Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands 18:04 Ironsworn 20:56 Adventures of the Potbellied Kobold' 23:51 Mike's Appendix N (what's yours??) 37:25 Mike's Take on Stress Effects 58:15 Player vs. Player and Player vs. DM Consent 1:10:20 Rant about Adventurer's League Links Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Arcana of the Ancients Ptolus Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands Ironsworn Adventures of the Potbellied Kobold

Jun 14, 2021

Mike talks about the importance of being nice to 1st level characters and offers three tips to make their lives a little easier. Original Youtube Video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jun 11, 2021

Mike discusses the importance of managing time in your D&D game. Original Youtube Video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jun 10, 2021

Recently recovered from the deepest depths of the ancient Sly Flourish libraries, I bring you my interview with Paige Leitman in which we discuss D&D Adventurer's League, our favorite conventions, and all sorts of fun topics. Video Contents 00:00 We love Winter Fantasy! What We've enjoyed. 03:07 Who's Paige Leitman? 06:07 Paige's there new tips for current DMs 07:15 Use an X Card (see the link below) 08:44 Cater to your audience and ask them what they want 09:01 Read your published adventures 11:00 What's changed in 2 years? AL moving towards story. 16:56 How are the changes being accepted? 19:20 What people think of Waterdeep: Dragon Heist 21:17 Other trends from the 5e Facebook: greater diversity and inclusion. 22:30 Interesting homebrew is popping up. 23:20 The impact of D&D Beyond 26:30 Navigating the curve between tactical and story 31:58 Play a different game X Card Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon

Jun 9, 2021

Mike chats about all things D&D including the new D&D book leaks and other stuff! Video Contents 00:00 Show Start 03:15 New D&D Books Leaked 03:49 Wild Beyond the Witchlight 04:50 Curriculum of Chaos 05:50 How to Enjoy D&D + MtG Books More 12:51 The Problem Challenging Players 38:16 Critical Role and the 20th Level Complexity D&D Game Links EnWorld on the new D&D books: The Wild Beyond the Witchlight and Curriculum of Chaos Using Ravnica in Eberron Alphastream on the Trouble Challenging Players Choose Monsters Based on the Story Lazy Encounter Benchmark The Dials of Monster Difficulty Paths for DM Expertise

Jun 7, 2021

Mike offers three simple quest models you can keep in your toolkit when preparing your D&D games. Original Youtube Video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jun 6, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Original Youtube Video Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

Jun 3, 2021

Mike does an in-depth review of Van Richten's Guide to Everything. In short, it's awesome. Original YouTube Video Buy Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Video Contents 00:00 Video start 00:58 I Highly Recommend This Book 03:09 Are "Ravenloft" and "Domains of Dread" the same thing? (Yes) 04:25 Great Player Guidance I Wish Was in the PHB 06:14 Lineages (they're awesome) 10:09 Building Domains of Dread (Meh) 14:27 Genres of Horror (I loved this section) 17:53 Domains of Dread (110+ pages of awesome) 24:47 Travelers in the Mist (didn't dig in too much) 30:04 Haunted Traps (What the hell is a haunt bonus?) 30:39 Survivors (0 level characters???) 34:47 The House of Lament Adventure (Awesome) 36:01 Monster Traits and What-Not 38:12 Monster Stat Blocks 46:49 Concluding thoughts

Jun 1, 2021

Mike talks about the value in understanding that secrets and clues serve you. Original Youtube Video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

May 30, 2021

Mike prepares for his latest session of Icewind Dale, Rime of the Frostmaiden! Original Youtube Video Notion Frostmaiden Campaign Notebook Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

May 28, 2021

Mike discusses and ranks nearly all the hardcover WOTC-published D&D adventures. Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Support Sly Flourish on Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master Guide to Published D&D Adventures Video Contents 00:00 Beginning 03:52 Lost Mine of Phandelver 06:17 Dragon of Icespire Peak 08:47 Curse of Strahd 12:10 Ghosts of Saltmarsh 16:05 Tomb of Annihilation 22:23 Storm King's Thunder 26:15 Tyranny of Dragons (Hoard of the Dragon Queen and Rise of Tiamat) 29:52 Waterdeep Dragon Heist 33:32 Out of the Abyss 36:07 Rime of the Frostmaiden 42:01 Princes of the Apocalypse 44:13 I've enjoyed ALL of these adventures 45:25 Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus 48:04 Even rough adventures can be great fun Amazon Associate Links for these adventures... D&D Starter Set: Lost Mine of Phandelver D&D Essentials Kit: Dragon of Icespire Peak Curse of Strahd Ghosts of Saltmarsh Tomb of Annihilation Cellar of Death for Tomb of Annihilation Storm King's Thunder Tyranny of Dragons Waterdeep Dragon Heist Out of the Abyss Rime of the Frostmaiden Princes of the Apocalypse Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus Fall of Elturel

May 26, 2021

Mike talks about the value of running simple D&D adventures. Original Youtube Video Subscribe to the Sly Flourish Newsletter Join Sly Flourish's Patreon Buy Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

May 26, 2021