Author: Liz the DM

From TSR's 2.0 starter kit to the more recent 5.0 system, I have rolled my way through plenty of critical fails and successes throughout the years. Now, I spend my time roleplaying with friends, cuddling my cats, writing, and drinking way too much coffee.
red dice

Easy Step-By-Step Guide To Building a 5e Character

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There are a lot of things that go into building a D&D character, from the hard statistics to the roleplay aspect, plus spells, equipment, and everything in between. It can be a lot to try and do all at once.

But, building a character doesn’t have to be difficult and shouldn’t require you to constantly flip back and forth in the Player’s Handbook. So, here is an easy step-by-step guide to creating a D&D character in 5e that is guaranteed to make that process simple. In fact, once you start using this guide, you should be able to create awesome characters in about 15-20 minutes.

Continue reading “Easy Step-By-Step Guide To Building a 5e Character” →

hiking and backpacking

15 Mundane D&D Items You Didn’t Know You Needed

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Filling out your inventory sheet is usually the last step of building a character. And, despite the fact that it’s probably one of the more important steps, most people basically skip over it or, even worse, just buy the pre-made packs and call it good. After all, we all know that magic items are really where it’s at, right?

Well, while there will always be space on my character sheet for a bag of holding or an immovable rod, these 15 mundane items deserve just as much attention because they’re infinitely more useful and, let’s face it, no DM will stop you from buying anything on this list at level one. Continue reading “15 Mundane D&D Items You Didn’t Know You Needed” →

25 Ways to Use a Monk's Elemental Attunement | The Dungeon Hacker

25 Ways to Use a Monk’s Elemental Attunement

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Out of all three of the paths available to the 5th Edition D&D monks, one of the least popular has to be the Way of the Four Elements. Much like the popular anime series, Avatar: The Last Airbender, the Way of the Four Elements monk can use earth, air, fire, and water in their attacks and abilities.

Although there are a lot of different abilities associated with this path, one of the most interesting (and overlooked) skills is called “Elemental Attunement”. Similar to prestidigitation, it is the only ability for this monk path that does not require ki and it easily provides the most room for actual roleplay. Continue reading “25 Ways to Use a Monk’s Elemental Attunement” →

a hand holding four dice

How to Find a D&D Group

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Easily the most important (and most elusive) part of D&D is finding a good group in your area. If you aren’t blessed to have a handful of friends who are all interested in tabletop roleplay, then getting the chance to play is difficult and might even seem nearly impossible.

However, what most people don’t realize is that finding a group doesn’t have to be that hard, especially if you’re willing to run your own group (read: be the DM). There are upsides and downsides to that, but we’ll get into those here in a minute. Continue reading “How to Find a D&D Group” →

three dice on a character sheet

5 DM Secrets All Players Should Know

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Being a dungeon master is very different from being a player. Instead of just keeping track of one character, there is an entire world full of creatures, monsters, characters, and cities all with their own agendas and plot lines to remember. It’s a lot for any one person to keep all in their head, and many DMs will spend hours planning out campaigns, creating worlds, and designing locations and items.

For players who haven’t been a DM, it can be hard to really grasp what is going on behind the screen. But it’s not as mystical as you think it is. For those of you who have never tried your hand at being a dungeon master, there are a few dirty secrets that you should know about being a DM. Continue reading “5 DM Secrets All Players Should Know” →

old fashioned typewriter

3 Character Backstories You Need to Stop Using Right Now

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Dungeons & Dragons is absolutely riddled with cliches. They really are everywhere, from the half-elf ranger to the dwarven fighter, halfling rogue, and human paladin. But that’s okay. In fact, it’s kind of part of the system and if you haven’t played one of those cliches, then you’re missing out on some pretty classic D&D experiences.

And, along the same lines, there are a handful of backstories which everyone has used at least once. The three most common are, unfortunately, also the three worst. You’ve probably used them, or played with someone who has; but these backstories are making your characters less interesting and fun on many levels. Next time you’re making a character, watch out for these three backstory tropes.

Continue reading “3 Character Backstories You Need to Stop Using Right Now” →

red door of choice

Which D&D Class Should You Play?

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Do you want to be a sneaky rogue or a monk with fists of fury? Do you prefer to smash things or shoot them from afar? Did you earn your magic via years of study, or is it just something you do for fun on the side? Choosing a class should involve thought and careful consideration to all of the above.

Or, you know, you could just follow this handy flow chart and see what happens.

Continue reading “Which D&D Class Should You Play?” →