Sly Flourish's Lazy DM Prep

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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