Before we dive into the news around the net, let’s review what you may have missed from Full Moon Storytelling. There’s some awesome tools to create NPC character art. Using those the post about Thoumas, the Swarmkeeper of Terriers, now has art. You should also check out Ginny Di’s recommendations to make virtual D&D suck less. Every recommendation is also valid for your business meetings.
Let’s get on with the news around Dungeons & Dragons and the other stuff that geeks like us enjoy.
Official D&D Products Releases and Reviews
Dark Alliance’s big bad gets a deep look over at GameRant.
DnD Beyond Staffing Changes and New Product
Nerdarchy is the second third-party publisher to partner with DnDBeyond.com. The first, of course, was Critical Role. It’s an interesting development as Kobold Press and other 3rd party publishers partner with Shard, which is in a Kickstarter phase.
The four public faces of D&D Beyond all announced they are leaving this month.
They also just fixed three more of the features from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything.
Heroes’ Feast
The Shepherd Gazette gets in on the Heroes’ Feast review action. This is a fun little story for a smaller paper to cover. Stuff magazine in New Zealand also covers the 3rd most popular cookbook of 2020.
Dragonlance Art
Advice for Dungeons & Dragons Payers and DMs
Think DM thinks that the language about surprise can be simplified by bringing back Surprise Rounds and/or using the Surprise Condition.
It can be hard to find schedule a full table for D&D, even if everything is virtual. Kobold Press is jumping on the duets (D&D with just a Player and a DM) bandwagon.
Get your players to embrace their outgoing spirit with this advice from Nerdarchy.
The Blog Carnival is over at Sea of Stars. They wrote about the Third Celestial Armory.
Third-Party Products
Level Up, the to-be-launched “advanced 5e,” has plans on how you can spend all the gold you find out adventuring. This, and Strongholds & Followers from MCDM answer Screen Rant’s request for Strongholds to return to D&D.
What happens when you combine a pirate from the early modern Middle East with D&D? Add Piri Reis to your game.
Playing D&D in Civic Spaces During the Pandemic
As someone who grew up in the 80s, with a mom who bought into the Satanic Panic, I will never get used to libraries and community centers hosting D&D for the general public.
Pogosa Springs, Colorado’s public libraries are hosting D&D.
The Oak Lawn, Illinois public library wants to help you build your first D&D character.
Somers Library in New York is hosting D&D.
Dungeons & Dragons & Mainstream News
Salon suggests D&D as a way to get through the pandemic blues.
Southeast Asia has a booming RPG developer community. CNN covers the Filipino designers in the movement.
NPR station WSIU featured a therapy center using D&D in its sessions.
A care home in England has regular D&D sessions. I’m making retirement plans.
Is Geralt from the Witcher a Cleric or a Rogue? GameRant agrees with the Netflix tweet.
The Milwaukee Record introduces the world to Fight Dice, an artist collective that just released a single that’s even more D&D than their name.
Over in New Zealand the Fringe Fest features four different D&D-themed shows. New Zealand has festivals and they’re safe and their nerds are out there doing D&D among other artists.
Them Coulee Boys are releasing a new album, and one of their Kickstarter rewards is playing D&D with a band member.
Other Geek Stuff
For The King is a rogue-like dungeon crawl currently free on the Epic play store.
The Hollywood Reporter reviews the movie Cryptozoo, which as this point I’ll watch just for the wacky unreal beasts.
Zinequest3 is the latest version of micro-RPGs out. Polygon has the deets on the Kickstarter.
I’m all for more Wakanda. Ryan Coogler is going to give us a limited series when he’s done with Black Panther 2.
As Always, Maps
Dungeon Alchemist is creating amazing fantasy interiors. These isometric maps are perfect for a quick tavern, castle, or other building you need. Yes, I’ve signed up to be notified when the Kickstarter goes live.
Everyone needs an icy villa map to help you pass time during the icy winter.
Or you can put your group in a slightly warmer location.
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