One of the things I missed most about running a website was the ability to read your comments directly on my own platform and reply there, article by article. That is now back.

I have added comments, replies, and likes across the site, so you can now interact directly on each article and even on tool pages. You can leave a comment, reply to someone else, or simply like a post if you enjoyed it.

I also added a small share feature. You can now open a preview of what you are about to share and quickly copy the link if you want to send it to your own audience. It is a small addition, but one that makes sharing much easier.

What makes me especially happy about all of this is that it brings the conversation back onto the website itself. I have always liked the idea of not only publishing things there, but also being able to actually continue the discussion in the same place.

To make sign-in simple, I added two login options. The first is Google login, since it is familiar and easy for most people. The second is an email magic link option. With that one, you just enter your email address, receive a link in your inbox, click it, and you are automatically logged in.

Visit the new website

I also added basic profile management. Once you have an account, you can update your username and upload an avatar image. This should make it easier if you want a bit more privacy, or if you would rather stay consistent with the same username you use on Substack or other platforms.

I am really excited to have these features in place. More than anything, I am looking forward to reading your comments again and continuing those exchanges directly on the site.

If you run into any issues signing up or logging in, please let me know. Quick feedback will help me improve things faster.

And as always, if there are other features you would like to see, or specific articles you would want me to write, tell me. I would be happy to explore that.

Thanks for reading, cheers!

Leave a comment

Introduction

Starting this month, I’m going to send one recap at the end of each month with everything I published on my website.

The idea is simple: I want an easy way to share my latest writing with Substack subscribers without sending too many separate posts or emails. Since creating my main website, it’s become much easier for me to write and publish when I have the time, without worrying too much about sticking to a specific posting schedule or a particular day of the week. I can just publish when something is ready.

That freedom has made writing feel much lighter for me. On my own website, I feel less pressure and a lot less anxiety around publishing. I can post more naturally, without worrying that I’m being excessive or sending too many notifications. I always try to be mindful of people’s time and attention. I know none of us subscribes to just one newsletter, so I want to keep things useful and manageable for you.

That’s really the purpose of these monthly recaps. Instead of sending multiple updates throughout the month, I can gather everything in one place and send a single newsletter with all the articles I published. It feels like a nice, low-pressure way to stay in touch and share what I’ve been working on.

I’d like to try this for at least a few months and see how it goes. I’ll still occasionally post directly on Substack, especially if there’s something timely or something I want to share right away. But for now, my main website will be the primary home for longer articles, and Substack will be where I share recaps, notes, and community updates.

I also want to keep using Substack in the ways I already enjoy: reading posts, liking and commenting, and sharing notes. I really like the community here, and I still want to stay active in that space. This change is mostly about making my long-form writing process more sustainable.

Articles

D&D Beyond Quick Builder

A closer look at D&D Beyond Quick Builder, how it works, and why it makes character creation easier for new players.

Read more

Dungeons & Dragons: 5.5e vs 2024 rules

Name convention changes for the latest Dungeons and Dragons Edition.

Read more

D&D Beyond Quick Builder

How I organize my TTRPG library in Obsidian and publish a searchable rules wiki with Quartz.

Read more

Dungeons & Dragons 2026 Release Roadmap

After a relatively quiet start to the year, D&D Beyond has revealed the official 2026 roadmap for Dungeons & Dragons. The announcement outlines a new structure for upcoming releases built around themed “seasons.”

Read more

Thank you

Thanks for reading, and I hope this monthly format will be a fun and useful way to keep in touch.

Subscribe now

Visit my website

RSS feed

A while back, I wrote about how I use Obsidian as a digital library to catalog all my TTRPG books, both physical and digital.

If you are curious about the original system I use to manage my collection, you can explore the tool I built here: Games Library Tool.

What started as a simple catalog eventually turned into something much bigger.

Building the Library Inside Obsidian

Inside my vault, every game gets its own note with structured metadata such as:

• Cover art

• Whether I have read the book

• Whether I have played the game

• The last time I played

• Personal ratings

• Wishlist or backlog status

• The universe or system the game belongs to

Once this information is in place, filtering and browsing the collection becomes very easy.

For example, I can instantly view:

• All my Dungeons & Dragons books

• Everything related to Pathfinder

• My Old-School Essentials collection

• Or simply everything I own at a glance

This is one of the biggest strengths of Obsidian as a note-taking environment. It lets you turn simple notes into a structured knowledge system.

If you want to learn more about Obsidian itself, visit the Obsidian Official Website.

Subscribe now

Rewriting the D&D Rules in My Vault

At some point, I started rewriting the Dungeons & Dragons rules directly inside my vault. That may sound excessive, but it solved a real problem.

At the table, physical books are fantastic. I love owning them and flipping through pages, but during play, they can slow things down.

For example:

• Someone might be using the Player’s Handbook for character creation

• I might need to check a spell description

• Another player might want to reference a monster ability

Now multiple books are being passed around the table. If you are also using expansion books or setting guides, it gets even more complicated.

Inside Obsidian, everything becomes:

• Instantly searchable

• Cross-referenced

• Interconnected through wiki links

A spell can link to conditions. Conditions can link to combat rules. Combat rules can link to actions.

The result is essentially a personal D&D wiki, and building it was honestly a lot of fun.

New Website

Why I Did Not Just Use D&D Beyond

There is already a digital platform for this: D&D Beyond. To be clear, I think D&D Beyond is a good product, but a few things personally bother me:

• You do not truly own the digital content you purchase

• You depend on their platform being online

• You cannot freely share books you purchased with friends

• If the site is in maintenance or has bugs, access can disappear

When I buy a physical RPG book, I own it. I can lend it, pass it around the table, and reference it anytime. So while I enjoy digital tools, I prefer systems where I retain control over my content.

Publishing My Vault

At some point, I wanted my players, especially online players, to access this interconnected rules reference.

The first obvious option was Obsidian Publish, which turns your vault into a hosted website. It is a great service, but it is also another subscription. Since I am trying to reduce the number of subscriptions I maintain, I started exploring alternatives.

As a front-end developer, I already knew about static site generators that transform Markdown into websites. After exploring different approaches, I discovered Quartz, an open-source project that converts an Obsidian vault into a fully navigable website: Quartz.

Subscribe now

Why Quartz Works So Well

Quartz preserves many of the things that make Obsidian powerful:

• Wiki links

• Backlinks

• Markdown structure

• Graph-like navigation

• Fast search

Because the output is a static website, it can be hosted almost anywhere.

My workflow now looks like this:

1. Write and maintain notes inside Obsidian.

2. Sync the notes into my Quartz project.

3. Generate the static site.

4. Deploy it automatically using Vercel, GitHub Pages, Netlify, etc.

The result is essentially a private Wikipedia for my campaign.

My players can search for:

• Spells

• Conditions

• Rules

• Lore

• Monsters

• Character options

Everything is interconnected through wiki links.

Why I Am Not Publishing My Full Vault (Publicly)

Even though the system works perfectly, I am not comfortable publishing the full version publicly. My vault contains rules and information that go beyond what is available in the official free rules. Even though I own the books, redistributing that content publicly raises copyright questions. Rather than navigating that grey area, I decided the safest option is to keep the full version private (protected with a password) for my table.

The Next Experiment: A TTRPG Starter Vault

Instead of publishing a public rules wiki, I am now thinking about creating a TTRPG starter vault that anyone can download and use as a base for their own system.

The goal would be a public repository with a clean structure so people can start writing notes right away, whether they play D&D, Pathfinder, OSR games, or something else entirely.

I would include a few small opinionated defaults, such as:

• A practical folder structure

• A clean theme setup

• A lightweight plugin selection

• A consistent metadata pattern for notes

Nothing would be locked in. Everything could be changed later as your own vault evolves. If that sounds useful, let me know. I can share it publicly once it is ready.

Resources

• Obsidian

• Quartz

Leave a comment

Before I jump into the list, I want to make a small statement.

A couple of weeks ago, I said I didn’t want to purchase any new TTRPG books until I'd played or at least read more of the ones I already own. The goal for me is to buy beautiful books with great illustrations, interesting mechanics, and thoughtful system design. But also… to actually enjoy them.

I genuinely love reading TTRPG books for what they are. Sometimes just reading them is enough for me to feel happy with the purchase. I’m really interested in the design of a gamebook itself. What font did they choose? What’s the layout like? Is it full color? What type of paper did they print on? Is it A4? A5? Digest size?

All those little details matter to me.

Of course, the dream would be to play every TTRPG I own. But that’s simply not possible right now. Time is limited.

I also recognized that I spent a lot in 2025. And I didn’t want to repeat the same thing in 2026. I received so many books last year that I haven’t even read all of them yet. So I told myself: before spending more money, read what you already have.

That being said… I did make a few Kickstarter pledges in 2025 that are delivering in 2026. I can’t do anything about those now; they’re done, paid for, processed.

So this article isn’t about new purchases this year. These are projects I already backed. Think of this as a small sneak peek of what’s arriving at my door in 2026.

Have a good read.

New Website Here

Shadowdark RPG: The Western Reaches

• Kickstarter Link

• Shadowdark Website

The campaign is complete (with slight delays), but I have a lot of trust in Kelsey Dionne and the Shadowdark team. I pledged for the premium slipcase set.

I already own the Shadowdark physical core book, and another third-party book, Unnatural Selection. But the Western Reaches just felt too enticing to pass on.

You get:

• Three new Curse Scrolls (4, 5, 6)

• A ~200-page Player’s Guide (A5 hardcover, ribbon bookmark, lay-flat binding)

• A ~200-page GM Guide

• A fully interconnected hex-crawl setting

The Player’s Guide alone includes 18 classes, 8 ancestries, full spell lists, gear (boats, mounts, poison), lore, factions, secrets, and more. The GM Guide includes a complete map, 16 regions (10 brand new), sandbox advice, monsters, and a brand new starter adventure.

I chose the premium slipcase because, for about $20 more, I got:

• All six Curse Scrolls in cloth-bound art covers

• Matching cloth-bound Western Reaches guides

• A heavyweight slipcase

• Stretch goals (mini adventures, holographic cards, a soundtrack, tokens, even a miniature)

When this arrives, I’ll definitely do a full in-depth review of each book + the core rules. Stay Tuned!.

ShadowHack: An Expanded Ruleset for Shadowdark

• Kickstarter Link

What’s included:

• 20 ancestries

• 80 lineages

• 16 classes

• 150+ spells

• 150+ monsters

• 80+ magic items

I went digital-only for this one.

Usually, with third-party content, I prefer digital first. If the physical quality is excellent and reviews are strong, maybe I’ll upgrade later. But if the book ends up being flimsy, it’s more disappointing than not.

I don’t necessarily use third-party content exactly as written. I like it for inspiration. I tweak it. I hack it. I remix it. So this one looked fun for those reasons.

Learn more about my Obsidian Setup

The Streets of Port Noir (5e Solo Adventure)

• Kickstarter Link

• Obvious Mimic website

This is a noir-style 5e solo investigation set in a rain-soaked city full of canals, crime, and secrets.

It’s designed for level 5+, which is new for them. That alone makes it exciting.

Like their other solo adventures:

• No DM required

• No maps or minis required

• Pick your own path

• Play your own character

You’re pulled into the criminal underworld, looking for a missing woman, stolen property, and something darker lurking in the shadows.

I went digital here, too. I don’t always replay solo adventures that much, and I already own a lot of physical books. But the art always looks amazing.

I really like those solo adventures. I finished The Wolves of Langston and am finishing The Secret of Oki Island.

Read The Wolves of Langston Review

Land of Eem: Beginner RPG + The Underlands

• Kickstarter Link

• Exalted Funeral Website

Land of Eem is described as “The Muppets meets Lord of the Rings.” It supports silly adventures, epic quests, or darker tones, depending on how you want to play.

The Underlands expansion adds:

• 300+ pages

• 4 underground regions

• 100+ locations

• 300+ NPCs

• 250+ quests

• Tons of rumors, factions, crafting, recipes

But what really makes this special for me is the Dungeoneer Adventures Beginner RPG.

It’s designed for kids. Streamlined rules. Custom dice. Character cards. Ready-to-play adventures. Easy for parents to run.

My oldest is four (turning five this year). She’s not fully ready for a full session yet. But I already love reading the books and looking at the illustrations with her. Out of all the Kickstarters I pledged for, this is the one closest to my heart.

Because this is the one I want to play with my kids.

Read Land of Eem Review

What About You?

These are the projects I’ll be receiving in 2026. Did you back anything you’re excited to receive? What games or systems are you most looking forward to in 2026? Cheers!

Leave a comment

Hi everyone 👋🏻

If you’ve been wondering why things have been quieter lately, this post is the answer. At the start of the year, I said I wanted to write more, and then I disappeared for a few weeks. That wasn’t accidental.

I spent that time rethinking where I write and why.

Wanting a Place That Feels Like Mine

One of the main reasons I decided to build my own website, solorpgstudio.com, is that I wanted a space that truly feels like mine.

I like knowing where my words live. I like having the freedom to shape the space around them. Writing about RPGs is a creative outlet for me, and over time, I realized I wanted a home for that creativity that wasn’t defined entirely by someone else’s platform.

I also genuinely enjoyed the process of creating the site. Making something simple, intentional, and tailored to what I want to share felt good, and honestly reminded me why I like building things in the first place.

Visit the new site

Still on Substack?

Well, yeah, of course!

I’ve returned to my original Substack address, solorpgstudio.substack.com, and plan to keep using it. I really value the sense of community there. I love reading other people’s posts, leaving comments, and having conversations around shared interests.

There’s something nice about those small interactions, a comment, a like, a new subscriber, that makes writing feel less solitary. I don’t want to lose that.

Two Spaces, Two Kinds of Writing

What I’m aiming for is balance.

On Substack, I’ll keep things lighter and more conversational: ideas, questions, short thoughts, things I discover, and moments where I want to hear what others think. Like this post, for instance!

On solorpgstudio.com, I want to go deeper. Longer reviews, detailed playthroughs, and posts that take their time. Writing without worrying about limits, structure, or format lets me slow down and explore ideas more fully.

The goal isn’t to duplicate everything in both places, but to let each space do what it does best.

Why I Went Quiet (and What’s Next)

I put most of my free time into setting this up before continuing to publish. It felt important to get it right first, even if it meant being quieter for a bit.

Now that the groundwork is done, I’m excited to get back to writing, without friction, without rushing, and with a setup that actually supports how I want to work.

Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll keep refining the site and start publishing regularly again. Things should feel normal again soon… maybe even better.

Thanks for sticking around, and thanks for reading. More RPG writing very soon. Cheers!

Leave a comment

A Perfect Solo D&D Adventure to Start 2026

For my first review of the year, I wanted to talk about a game that’s easy to jump into, doesn’t require a ton of prep, and can be paused whenever you want. That game is The Wolves of Langston, a Solo 5e Adventure from Obvious Mimic.

Obvious Mimic is a company that specializes in solo Dungeons & Dragons adventures by creating interactive stories designed for a single player. You don’t need a DM, a group, maps, or minis. You just need a character sheet, some dice, and the book.

At its core, The Wolves of Langston is a choose-your-own-path fantasy story powered by D&D 5e mechanics. You read a section, make a choice, roll some dice, and then jump to a different page depending on the result. Every decision has consequences, which means every playthrough can feel a little different.

How the Game Works

You start by creating a D&D 5e character, using whatever method you normally prefer (I personally choose the character builder on dndbeyond). The adventure is designed for characters from level 1 to 4, and the story is balanced so you’re not underpowered or broken compared to the challenges you’ll face.

As you move through the book, you’ll be prompted to:

• Roll skill checks and saving throws

• Fight monsters

• Use class features and spells

• Interact with NPCs

• Make choices that affect the story

If you succeed on a roll, you go to one page. If you fail, you go to another. It’s very much like a Baldur’s Gate 3-style dialogue system on paper—pick an option, roll if needed, and see what happens.

The adventure is built so any class can succeed—or fail—based on your choices, not just raw power. That makes it a great way to test new builds or explore how different characters handle the same situation.

A Dark Mystery in Langston

The story takes place in Langston, a town plagued by dangers. You arrive just in time to investigate, meet suspicious locals, uncover secrets, and try to figure out what’s really going on.

This particular adventure leans heavily into social interaction and investigation, with plenty of dialogue, mystery, and tense decision-making mixed in with combat and exploration. You’ll talk to NPCs, choose what to say, decide who to trust, and slowly piece together what’s happening.

The art is really good, the setting feels original, and the tone hits that classic fantasy-mystery vibe very well.

Perfect for New and Veteran D&D Players

One of the coolest things about The Wolves of Langston is that you don’t even need to own D&D books to play it.

You can use the free D&D 5e rules on D&D Beyond, create a character using the basic classes, and be ready to go. You’ll have access to all 12 core classes, with some limitations on subclasses and spells—but it’s more than enough to enjoy the adventure.

That makes this an excellent entry point if you’ve never played D&D before and don’t want to spend money on books before you know whether you’ll like it.

At the same time, it’s also great for experienced players who want something to play between sessions, or who want to try out new character ideas.

It won’t fully replace the experience of playing with friends—nothing really does—but it gives you a good solo D&D experience that still feels like real 5e.

Formats and Value

The Wolves of Langston (Second Edition) comes in PDF and EPUB, with a softcover/hardcover print option as well. The second edition adds more art, smoother gameplay, and stronger connections to Obvious Mimic’s growing solo-adventure world.

It’s a 132-page book, currently on sale at $25.00 CAD instead of $33.00

If you’re curious, I recommend starting with the PDF + EPUB, which is usually the cheapest option.

More Adventures in the Series

Langston is just one part of Obvious Mimic’s growing solo-adventure line. They also have:

• The Secret of Oki Island

• The Crystals of Z’leth

• The Mystery of Witchhaven

• The Streets of Port Noir (currently in pre-order)

• SideQuest Volume 1, a collection of shorter solo adventures for levels 1–6

All of their main adventures are built for levels 1 to 4, making them perfect for new characters or side stories between campaigns.

*I’m currently playing The Secret of Oki Island, and I’ll compare it to Langston once I’m done.

Obvious Mimic AI

They also recently launched Obvious Mimic AI, a web platform available through their Patreon. It lets you read your adventures digitally, get narration, and use an AI assistant to answer D&D rules questions like:

• How much damage does Fireball do?

• What does the Prone condition mean?

Importantly, Obvious Mimic is clear that they do not use AI to write their stories or create their art (they wrote a blog post about it here). The AI is just a rules and reference tool, which is honestly a really smart way to use it.

Final Thoughts

The Wolves of Langston is fun, easy to get into, and a fantastic way to experience D&D when you don’t have a group ready to play. Whether you’re brand new to 5e or a long-time player looking for something to do between sessions, it’s absolutely worth checking out.

If you enjoy mystery, investigation, and meaningful choices in your RPGs, Langston is a great place to start.

In a past article, I wrote about my Soft Stack and my TTRPG goals for the year.

One of the big goals I set for myself was to read and play at least two different tabletop RPGs every month. That would put me at a little over 20 RPGs covered by the end of the year.

I genuinely think this is feasible. It’s ambitious, but achievable. That said, I’m also a father, I work full-time, and TTRPGs aren’t the only thing I do with my free time. So if I want to reach that goal, I’ll need to be more intentional about how I use my time.

Another goal that goes hand in hand with this is writing more on Substack. Every time I write about a game I’ve read or played, it acts as proof that I actually did what I said I would do. It’s like a stamp, a badge, or a small form of validation that I followed through on my plan.

With that out of the way, let’s dive into the games I already own and would like to either replay, play for the first time, or at least sit down and properly read this year.

The Physical Games on My Shelf

Here’s a big chunk of what I already have sitting around, waiting for attention:

• Forbidden Lands

• Tales of the Valiant (Starter Set)

• Vaesen (Starter Set)

• Cosmere (Starter Set)

• The One Ring (Starter Set)

• Pathfinder (Starter Set)

• Mouse Ritter + The Estate Collection

• Mothership

• Into the Void

• Dead in Space

• Old-School Essentials

There’s also one 5e module I really want to dig into: Dragon Delves.

On top of that, I’ve got the new Alien (Starter Set), Cthulu (Starter Set), Daggerheart, and I’d really like to experiment with the Obojima setting—although I’m not entirely sure I’ll be able to fully manage it.

I definitely want to spend more time with Dragonbane, and I also own two Warhammer 40K starter sets that I’d love to explore further. I really enjoy the theme and the lore in that universe, and I also have two of the role-playing games from that franchise: Imperium Maledictum and Wrath & Glory.

And that’s not all. I also own:

• Cairn (2nd Edition)

• Nimble

• Break

• Fabula Ultima

• Pirate Borg

So yeah… that’s already a lot.

Subscribe now

And Now the PDFs

Beyond the physical books, I also have a bunch of PDFs that I’d love to get back to.

I really want to play 2d6 Dungeon again, or maybe try 2d6 Realm, since I never explored that part of the system. Cave & Catacombs also looks really interesting, and I’d love to replay D100.

There’s one called Hero of Cerulea that I’m especially interested in because it has built-in solo rules. Ironsworn: Starforged is also high on my list—I have a lot of fantasy games already, so something more sci-fi really appeals to me.

I’ve played Ker Nethalas before, but I stopped, so I’d like to go back and see if there’s an expansion or something new I could explore.

There’s also The Secret of Oki Island by Obvious Mimic, which is a “play your own adventure” style book. Those are really fun because they don’t require much investment in time or preparation; you just make a single D&D 5e character and start playing.

Shadowdark is another big one. I backed the Kickstarter for the Western Marches and received some of the new Cursed Scrolls, so diving into one of those would be a lot of fun.

And finally, Notorious is something I’d also like to look into.

Subscribe now

So… Yeah, That’s a Lot

Honestly, it’s probably too many games. But this list represents the ones I’m most interested in and most excited about right now.

So here’s where you come in.

From everything on this list, let me know which ones you’d be most interested in seeing a review of, or just hearing my thoughts about. It could be a first impression article, a short review, or even an unboxing of one of the starter sets.

Your feedback will influence my decisions a lot.

You can probably expect the first article about a game I’ve tried sometime next week.

Thanks so much for reading. Have a great day. Cheers!

🔴 P.S. I recently started a YouTube Channel, take a look here

Leave a comment

Happy New Year

Really wanted to wish you all a Happy New Year, and good health to you and your loved ones. Be kind to yourselves and to others, and continue to share your TTRPG passion with us.

The Art, it’s always the art

For some of you, this might feel like a stretch. Yes, the newest Monster Manual was technically part of the 2024 rules refresh, but it was released in February 2025, so I’m counting it (this is when I got it, anyway).

What might be surprising is why it’s my favorite TTRPG purchase of 2025.

• It’s not a setting book.

• It’s not an adventure.

• It’s not even a rules-heavy volume.

• It’s “just” a bestiary.

But for me, this book matters more than any other purchase I made this year.

A Personal History with the Monster Manual

The way I was introduced to Dungeons & Dragons, and really to TTRPGs as a whole, was through D&D itself. About three years ago, I stumbled across a really good discount on the 2014 slipcase that included the Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual.

At the time, I didn’t really know anything about D&D. I knew it existed, sure, but that was about it.

In my head, D&D was basically a board game: miniatures and dice. I had no real understanding of storytelling, Dungeon Masters, lore, or how deep the game actually was. But the slipcase looked cool, it was around $60 CAD, and I’ve always loved fantasy, so I bought it.

When I got home and opened the box, I started flipping through the books. One was clearly for players. One was for the GM, full of magic items, pantheons, and bits of lore. I didn’t really understand any of it. I remember seeing terms like “bonus action” and “armor class” and having absolutely no idea what they meant. Mostly, I was just looking at the layout and the art.

Subscribe now

The Book That Opened the Door

I didn’t understand the rules yet, but I didn’t need to. The Monster Manual pulled me in through pure imagination, page after page of incredible creatures, evocative names, little bits of lore, and striking artwork. I remember thinking, There are so many cool monsters.

I didn’t know how to run them. I didn’t know how combat worked. But I could immediately imagine these creatures existing in a world.

A few days later, I bought my first starter set, Dragon of Icespire Peak, and started playing solo because I didn’t have anyone to play with. That was my first real TTRPG experience.

Fast-forward a few years, and here I am, writing about my top purchases of the year. And that journey started, in large part, with the 2014 Monster Manual.

Why the 2025 Monster Manual Is #1 in my heart

The 2025 Monster Manual doesn’t just live up to that legacy; it completely surpasses it.

I picked up the alternate cover with the mind flayer, and the book is absolutely gorgeous. The production quality is excellent, but what really sets it apart is the art.

To be clear, the 2014 Monster Manual has very good artwork, but the 2025 version is on another level.

They’re no longer static illustrations posed like entries in a catalog. They’re caught mid-action, mid-motion. You can almost feel what it would be like to encounter them. The aboleths, the demons, the dragons, especially the dragons, are stunning. The new dragon art alone is worth the price of admission.

I genuinely grab this book at least once a week just to flip through it. Not to prep a game. Not to look up stats. Just to look at it.

Subscribe now

More Than a Game Book

You can say whatever you want about Hasbro or Wizards of the Coast, and I know many people do. But when I look at this book, I don’t think about shareholders or corporate decisions. I think about the artists, writers, and designers who poured passion into these pages.

The people who were tasked with imagining bone demons, aberrations, and legendary dragons absolutely nailed it.

This is the kind of book I would recommend even to someone who doesn’t play RPGs at all. If you love fantasy, art, or worldbuilding, the Monster Manual is pure inspiration. It invites you to imagine ecosystems, cultures, and stories built around these creatures.

That was true for the 2014 Monster Manual.

It’s even more true for the 2025 Monster Manual.

Final Thoughts

This book earns its number one spot not just because it’s mechanically useful or beautifully produced, but because of what it represents for me.

The Monster Manual was my gateway into the TTRPG world, and the 2025 edition feels like a celebration of everything that made me fall in love with D&D in the first place.

Even if you never roll a die, this book is worth owning for the art alone.

If you can, visit your local game store and pick up a copy.

Thank you for reading. If you have a favorite monster or a favorite bestiary, I’d love to hear about it. Cheers!

🔴 P.S. I recently started a YouTube Channel, take a look here

Leave a comment

Last Year Recap

If I had to summarize 2025 in a single word, it would probably be something like “collection” or “backlog.” I did, in fact, purchase a bit more than I would have expected at the beginning of the year.

I was fully aware of every purchase I made. Still, something is amusing about realizing this when tabletop role playing games are a hobby that does not actually require much to enjoy.

In most cases, you buy a single book, and you are ready to play. Many systems even offer free rules that let you play for a long time before spending anything on core books. That said, I discovered many great publishers this year, including Exalted Funeral and Free League. On top of that, my long-time favorites, like Dungeons and Dragons, also had some great releases.

So yes, I spent more than I planned. I do not regret those purchases at all. However, I do want to make sure I spend time with those products before acquiring more RPGs.

Subscribe now

What I really want is to enjoy the TTRPG products I already own. That can mean actually playing the games, but it can also mean simply reading them.

For me, playing is only half the fun. I genuinely enjoy reading rulebooks, discovering the art, the layout, the fonts, the art direction, and the overall production quality. All of that is part of the experience.

I also enjoy digging into game mechanics, reflecting on them, and imagining small tweaks I might make. In that sense, I sometimes treat TTRPG books the same way I treat novels. Simply owning and reading them can already be enough to make me happy.

That said, there is definitely a part of me that wants to play more. Time is always a factor, whether it involves group play or solo play. Solo gaming gives me more flexibility, and I already play in a weekly D and D campaign with friends. Still, I would like to make room for more games overall.

Try to be S.M.A.R.T

Whenever I set goals, whether they relate to hobbies, health, finances, or other areas, I try to follow a clear framework. I often come back to the SMART framework, which means goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

With that in mind, I know I cannot realistically say that I want to play every TTRPG I own in 2026. There are simply too many.

A more realistic overarching goal is to explore and play more TTRPG than I did last year, and to revisit the purchases that interest me the most, either by reading them or by playing them.

From there, I can break that intention down into clearer goals.

Subscribe now

Goal #1

My first goal focuses on play and reading. Specifically, I want to engage with at least two TTRPGs per month. When I say play, I also include reading the books in depth. This goal is measurable, achievable, and realistic. It directly supports my desire to become more knowledgeable about different systems and to feel that my purchases were worthwhile.

Goal #2

My second goal focuses on writing. I want to be more consistent in sharing what I discover. Ideally, I would like to write about TTRPGs every week, with at least two reviews per month. That means publishing an article every two weeks. This gives me a clear deadline, makes progress easy to track, and feels realistic in terms of time and effort.

If I stick to that pace, by the end of the year, I will have covered around 26 different TTRPG products.

That feels meaningful without being overwhelming. Publishing articles also serves as proof to myself that I actually read or played the game, which ties everything together nicely.

Final thoughts

So those are my goals for 2026: play more, explore more, and write more about the games I love.

I would love to hear your thoughts, and I would also appreciate hearing about your own goals or resolutions for the year. What are you hoping to explore next?

Thank you for reading. Cheers!

🔴 P.S. I recently started a YouTube Channel, take a look here

Leave a comment

Tiny Time Machine

I’m not much of a gamer anymore.

I don’t spend long evenings grinding levels or chasing achievements. But when I was younger, my Game Boy went everywhere with me. They weren’t just something you played; they were places you went. Worlds you disappeared into.

As an adult, that feeling is hard to find again. I’ve tried. Modern games are impressive, bigger, louder, and more cinematic, but they rarely hit the same emotional note (exceptions exist, of course, looking at you, BG3 and Senua's Saga). Something always felt missing.

Then I started thinking about the games that shaped my childhood.

Advance Wars. Golden Sun. Metroid Fusion.

I owned those cartridges. I played them endlessly. And today? I have no idea where my old Game Boy Advance is. It was probably sold years ago during a yard sale my parents held…

Subscribe now

Discovering Retro Handhelds

At some point, YouTube’s algorithm did its thing and started showing me videos about retro handheld consoles. Suddenly, a whole new world opened up, with modern devices built specifically to preserve and replay classic games.

Some of them are incredible. They’re also expensive. Three hundred dollars. Four hundred. Sometimes more. That was far beyond what I wanted to spend.

Then I came across the Anbernic RG353.

What immediately caught my attention was the vertical form factor. It might seem odd, since the GBA itself was horizontal, but I always preferred playing on my Game Boy Color.

Pure Joy

For the first time in years, I felt the same emotion I felt as a kid playing video games. That quiet excitement. That sense of comfort. Amazing!

Is it nostalgia? Absolutely.

Is it because I’m playing the same games I loved as a child? Probably.

Since getting the RG353, I’ve:

• Finished Advance Wars

• Finished Metroid Fusion

• Played Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater

• Played Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga

• Made it halfway through Golden Sun

  Subscribe now

A Console That Fits Adult Life

Most days, I play for about 30 minutes.

Sometimes an hour on the weekend.

Often during lunch breaks, while at work, or when commuting.

The device is small enough to:

• Bring to the office

• Play in bed while my youngest naps.

• Pick up instantly, with zero friction

That’s the key—it fits adult life.

Then there was Pokémon FireRed.

That one really did something to my brain.

Playing it felt like time travel. Back to the late ’90s and early 2000s. Familiar, but clearer—like revisiting a memory that’s been restored rather than remade.

Not a Review—Just a Recommendation

I’m not a hardware reviewer or a tech YouTuber. There are far better breakdowns online if you want deep dives into:

• Other Anbernic models

• The Retroid Pocket

• The Odin handhelds

I mostly wanted to share that these devices exist. I didn’t even know about them until this year, and discovering them has been genuinely meaningful.

Subscribe now

Final Thoughts

The Anbernic RG353 isn’t just a gadget. For me, it’s a small, plastic time machine. Easily one of the best purchases I made this year.

Resources

• Anbernic Website

• AYN Website

• Retroid Pocket Website

Thank you so much for reading. Let me know what your favorite video games were when you were growing up. Cheers!

🔴 P.S. I recently started a YouTube Channel, take a look here

Leave a comment

If I had to pick one new tabletop RPG system from 2025 that completely won me over, it would be Land of Eem, without hesitation.

Land of Eem is an exceptional product, both in terms of design and identity. The creators themselves describe it as “Lord of the Rings meets the Muppets,” and that immediately caught my attention. I’d also add strong “Adventure Time“ vibes, thanks to its whimsical tone, playful art, and sense of earnest heroism.

Familiar, Yet Fresh

Land of Eem is easy to pick up. One of the standout aspects of the design is how much effort went into reducing cognitive load for the GM.

This is most evident in the core dice mechanic.

The d12 Resolution System

Instead of constantly setting DCs (difficulty class), Land of Eem bakes the outcome directly into the die result:

• 1–2: Complete failure

• 3–5: Failure with a plus

• 6–8: Success with a twist

• 9–11: Success

• 12: Critical success

You roll a d12, add modifiers (bonuses or penalties), and immediately know what happens—no checking charts, no recalculating difficulty mid-session. Advantages and disadvantages can still apply, but the resolution remains fast and intuitive.

What I also like about those fixed thresholds is the narrative element that accompanies the results of the role. This single design choice keeps the game flowing, especially for solo play.

Subscribe now

A Whimsical Aesthetic with Purpose

Most fantasy RPGs lean toward gritty realism or hyper-detailed, dark art styles. Land of Eem goes in the opposite direction. Its cartoon-inspired art is vibrant, expressive, and joyful; the mechanics support that tone.

The system actively encourages players to think creatively, not default to violence. Combat is an option, but it’s rarely the only or best solution.

Conflict Resolution Beyond Combat

When encountering adversaries, players choose how they want to approach the situation:

1. Parley (negotiation, conversation)

2. Improvise (using the environment, clever tricks, traps)

3. Run

4. Combat

What’s brilliant is how the initiative order supports this philosophy:

• Parley actions resolve first

• Improvise approaches come next

• Run after that

• Combat resolves last

Non-violent solutions are mechanically rewarded, not just narratively encouraged. As a solo player, this system shines; you can mix and match approaches freely, or even have different party members attempt the same resolutions.

Characters, Attributes, and Classes

Characters in Land of Eem are defined by four attributes:

• Vim – Charisma, spirit, intuition

• Vigor – Physical presence and fortitude

• Knack – Cunning, dexterity, stealth

• Know-How – Knowledge, wisdom, resourcefulness

These attributes feed directly into stats like Courage, Attack, Defense, Quest Points, and Inventory Slots.

Skills are grouped intuitively (Charm, Might, Sneak, Lore, Wilderness, and more), and the system stays lightweight without feeling shallow.

Classes with Personality

There are six classes in the core rules:

• Bard

• Dungeoneer

• Gnome

• Knight-Errant

• Loyal Chum

• Rascal

Even the class names reflect the game’s charm. The Gnome, being both a folk and a class, is a delightful throwback that feels intentional rather than gimmicky.

Leveling is simple and flexible: XP can be spent to improve skills and boost stats. Leveling up gives players meaningful choices at every step.

Subscribe now

Folk, Homelands, and Identity

Character creation truly shines with its folk system (Land of Eem’s take on ancestry/species). The options are plentiful and wonderfully strange:

Bugfolk, Slimes, Goblins, Imps, Mushrooms, Skeletons, Gnomes, Humans, and many more—all with distinct flavor and charm.

Add to that homelands, which function like deeply integrated backgrounds. Instead of “former farmer” or “ex-soldier,” your character comes from a specific place with its own culture and history. Where you’re from matters, and it shapes how your character fits into the world.

A Living, Breathing Setting

The setting book is the heart of Land of Eem—and it’s massive, clocking in at over 400 pages.

Exploration is the core gameplay loop:

• Choose a region

• Visit settlements

• Meet NPCs

• Roll for rumors and quests

• Travel, discover, and branch out organically

Everything is self-contained. You don’t need a separate adventure module to start playing. NPCs, quests, crafting materials, regions, and rumors are already there, waiting for you.

Crafting and Downtime

The game includes robust systems for:

• Cooking

• Alchemy

• Crafting

• Component harvesting

Different regions yield different materials, encouraging exploration even during downtime. For solo players especially, this adds depth between adventures and makes the world feel alive.

Subscribe now

Monsters and Bestiary

The bestiary is a joy. Stat blocks are clean and easy to parse, each monster comes with an illustration, and the cartoony art style really shines here.

If you’re someone who loves flipping through monster books just for inspiration (like I do), Land of Eem delivers.

Perfect for Solo Play (Even If It Doesn’t Say So)

Officially, Land of Eem is listed as a game for 2–6 players. But in practice, it’s one of the best solo-friendly TTRPGs I’ve ever played, without needing extra rules or tools.

You can:

• Create a full party

• Pick a location

• Start exploring

• Resolve conflicts naturally

• Let the tables and mechanics drive the story

Everything is streamlined, intuitive, and designed to keep you immersed rather than flipping pages.

Final Thoughts

Land of Eem isn’t just my favorite new system of 2025—it’s one of the most thoughtfully designed TTRPGs I’ve played in years.

Its whimsical tone, strong setting design, elegant mechanics, and solo-play friendliness make it something truly special. I wish more RPG settings were structured and presented this way.

There’s still so much more I could cover—individual books, deeper mechanics, solo play examples—but for now, I’ll say this:

And More…

• Visit the Land of Eem YouTube Channel and learn from the creators.

• Land of Eem Publisher Store (*Free quick start download available)

• Affiliate PDFs download link

  • Core rule

  • Bestiary

  • Settings

  • Bundle

Thank you so much for reading. Please let me know if you have questions or would like to know more about Land of Eem. There is so much more to cover. Cheers!

P.S. I recently started a YouTube Channel, take a look here

Leave a comment

🔎 Find more content here

🔴 Youtube
🟣 Apple Podcast
🟢 Spotify Podcast
⚫ Patreon

Today’s post is a little different—no TTRPGs, no rulebooks—just pure video-game nostalgia. For my birthday, I received an absolutely gorgeous book from Bitmap Books, and I’ve been dying to share it with you.

If you’re not familiar with them, Bitmap Books specializes in high-quality anthologies that celebrate retro gaming: consoles like the Nintendo 64, the original Game Boy and Game Boy Color, the Sega Genesis, and even genre-focused collections like Japanese RPGs or first-person shooters.

But today, we’re talking about something very close to my heart:

The unofficial Game Boy Advance Pixel Book.

A Love Letter to the Game Boy Advance

The GBA is easily one of my favorite consoles of all time. I played Advance Wars, Golden Sun, Tony Hawk, Pokémon, and so many others to absolute death. This book is basically a curated stroll through my childhood—a beautifully assembled collection of pixel art, screenshots, maps, and memories.

The book is organized by genre:

• Adventure & Strategy

• Dungeon Crawlers

• Pocket RPGs

• Platformers

• Action Games

• Miscellaneous Titles

Each section is packed with full-page spreads, crisp pixel art, and layouts that feel like flipping through an art gallery of your youth. If you love pixel art or grew up with a GBA in your hands, it’s hard not to smile while turning every page.

Subscribe now

A Coffee-Table Treasure

This is the kind of book that lives perfectly on a coffee table. Friends who come over will instinctively start flipping through it, pointing at games they forgot existed:

“Oh my god, Metroid Fusion!”

“I remember this Castlevania!”

“Wait—Sonic was on GBA?”

I even found myself rediscovering games I had completely forgotten I played. The book even includes full maps of certain titles, which brought back that feeling of spending hours trying to find one NPC, or that secret room in Golden Sun, without guides, mods, or YouTube walkthroughs.

Honestly, just sitting with this book feels like being 12 again, playing in the backseat of the car with that tiny attachable GBA lamp because the screen didn’t have a backlight. Bliss.

Some Personal Highlights

Pokémon (of course)

Who doesn’t love Pokémon? Magikarp and Snorlax still have a special place in my heart.

Metroid Fusion

Still one of the coolest suits in the whole series—such stylish art direction.

Castlevania

I’m not a Castlevania expert, but the GBA title where you collected cards to combine powers? Loved it. Never finished it—it was way too hard—but I remember how unique it felt.

Advance Wars

A major turning point for me. It was my first turn-based strategy game after years of real-time strategy on PC (Age of Empires, Age of Mythology). It’s honestly where my love for the genre really started.

Metal Slug

Funny enough, the first time I played Metal Slug wasn’t even on GBA—it was on Xbox. My best friend and I spent entire weekends trying to beat it and never managed to finish the final boss. We knew the levels by heart. If either of us lost even one life too early, we’d restart the whole run. Brutal, but unforgettable.

A Few Games I Never Expected to See

Sonic on GBA?

Sports games I barely remember?

Dragon Ball titles I somehow never touched despite being obsessed with the manga?

The book reminded me just how wild and varied the GBA library actually was.

Why This Book Is So Special

It’s a pure feel-good object.

A nostalgia machine.

A time capsule for anyone who grew up mashing buttons before school or spending Saturdays playing Tony Hawk with a bowl of cereal.

Bitmap Books really outdid themselves here—the quality is incredible. Thick pages, vibrant printing, and even a protective slipcase. For some of their other books—like the Nintendo 64 anthology or the Japanese RPG book—I might genuinely need to make room on my shelf soon.

Share Your Nostalgia With Me

If you grew up in the GBA era, I’d love to know:

• What was your favorite Game Boy Advance game?

• What console defined your childhood?

• Which game in this book sparked the strongest memory for you?

Whether you were a Pokémon kid, a Golden Sun fanatic, a Metroid loyalist, or someone who lived for sports titles, I’d love to hear your stories.

Thanks for reading—and if you ever get your hands on this Pixel Book, prepare for one heck of a nostalgia blast.

Leave a comment

🔎 Find more content here

🔴 Youtube
🟣 Apple Podcast
🟢 Spotify Podcast
⚫ Patreon

Today I want to talk about how to play Dungeons & Dragons solo. We’ll go over how to create your character (or characters), how many you should play with, how to handle balancing encounters, and what to do with the meta information you inevitably learn when you’re both the player and the DM. I’ll also share what I’d like to cover next in this series.

Choosing Your Party

When you play a published 5e adventure, the book generally assumes four to six players. So as a solo player, you have a few options: run four characters, run just one, or run a smaller party like two or three. Each approach changes how the game feels.

Option 1: A Full Party (Four Characters)

Pros:

• You don’t need to change the adventure very much. The encounter difficulty is already tuned for this.

• You can build the exact party you want, with all the synergy, roles, and personalities you enjoy. Something you can’t always do in a group, where everyone picks their own class.

Cons:

• You have to manage all the spells, traits, abilities, and inventory of four characters, plus the NPCs and monsters.

• If you’re not already very comfortable with the rules, gameplay becomes slow because you constantly look things up.

• Works better for short campaigns or one-shots. For longer adventures, it can get tiring.

If you’re a very experienced player and know the classes well, this can actually be very fun. But it’s a lot to juggle.

Option 2: One Character

Pros:

• Extremely easy to manage.

• You can really embody the character and invest in their personality and story.

Cons:

• You lose party synergy. You don’t have someone to heal you, buff you, or take hits for you.

• You must rebalance almost every encounter, because most fights are too hard for a solo character by default.

To make this work, you can:

• Reduce the number of enemies

• Lower a monster’s AC or HP

• Remove multi-attack

• Or start at a higher level (for example, level 3 so you have your subclass abilities)

This works, but requires constant adjustment.

Option 3: Two Characters (Recommended)

This is the approach I use personally. It’s the best of both worlds.

Why it works:

• You still get synergy: for example, a martial frontline character + a support spellcaster.

• You only manage two sheets, which is manageable.

• Balancing encounters becomes much easier. Most of the time you can simply divide the number of enemies by two.

• It has a strong narrative appeal—think Frodo and Sam, Batman and Robin, Geralt and his bard companion.

This is usually the easiest and most enjoyable solo setup.

Balancing Encounters

Once you’ve chosen your party size, you will need to do some balancing—especially if you use fewer than four characters.

For single characters:

• Reduce AC, HP, and damage output of enemies

• Remove multi-attacks

• Or start your character at a higher level to avoid constant tweaking

For two characters:

• Split enemy group sizes in half

• Adjust on the fly only if something feels off

It doesn’t have to be perfect. If a fight is too hard, adjust. If it’s too easy, adjust. You’re the player and the DM—flexibility is part of the fun.

Dealing With Meta-Knowledge

Solo players always have meta information since they’re reading the adventure. The trick is not to fight that—it’s exhausting and doesn’t work anyway. Instead, embrace it, but use dice rolls to determine what your character actually learns or notices.

• Know a monster that has resistance to fire? Just don’t use fire spells. Don’t pretend you don’t know.

• Know a chest is a mimic? Let your character’s personality decide what they do. Maybe they always open chests. Roll the attack and take the consequences.

• Know there’s a secret door? Roll for Perception. If you fail, you fail.

Let dice, not willpower, decide outcomes. This keeps the game fun and prevents internal arguments like “Do I pretend I don’t know this?”

What’s Coming Next

I’d like to create a series where I pick a specific published adventure and show how to run it solo, chapter by chapter. I’ll create two characters, explain how I balance encounters, how I run NPCs, and how I make decisions when multiple quest paths open up.

If you’d be interested in that, let me know—and if you have a favorite adventure you’d like me to cover, leave a comment or send me a message.

🔴 Youtube
🟣 Apple Podcast
🟢 Spotify Podcast
⚫ Patreon

Intro

Heroes of the Borderlands is one of the newest starter sets released by Wizards of the Coast, and after going through the box, I can confidently say that this is not just another beginner kit. It’s heavier, denser, and more thoughtfully produced than the previous starter sets we’ve seen.

The price reflects that—here in Canada it runs around $60–70, compared to something like Dragons of Icespire Peak which was closer to $30—but you’re getting substantially more in return.

This product is designed as an introductory tabletop RPG experience, and it excels at being exactly that. If you want to introduce new players to Dungeons & Dragons with as little setup friction as possible, this set is probably the best tool Wizards has ever released.

Playable Right Out of the Box

Many starter sets still assume someone at the table already knows how to DM or create characters. Heroes of the Borderlands goes in a different direction. It borrows design ideas from board games to create something tactile, guided, and visually clear.

What stands out immediately:

• Large character boards

• Equipment and spell cards

• Monster tokens

• Full-color maps

• Simple, smart rules reminders and guides

You can essentially hand people components and start playing—no character sheet deciphering required. New players can see their abilities right in front of them, swap equipment cards, place spell cards, and track rests. This removes so much of the “Did I write that down? What does my ability do again?” confusion that can bog down a first session.

This is easily one of the most inviting D&D products they’ve made.

Adventure Structure

The adventure is broken into three booklets:

1. Wilderness

2. Keep on the Borderlands

3. Caves of Chaos

Even though they’re separated, they function as parts of a single loop:

• Start in the Keep → talk to NPCs, shop, gather quests

• Travel the Wilderness → encounter creatures and events

• Explore the Caves → pick your dungeon path, fight, retreat when needed

• Return to the Keep → rest, recover, plan

This structure is excellent for teaching the core pillars of D&D:

• Roleplay (Keep)

• Exploration (Wilderness)

• Combat (Caves)

And interestingly, the product encourages rotating DMs. One person might run the Keep and NPC encounters, another might run the Wilderness, and another might handle the dungeon sections. It’s a surprisingly smart teaching design for groups that are new not only to playing, but to running the game.

Character Boards: Great Idea

Each class (Fighter, Cleric, Rogue, Wizard) gets a physical character board. It shows:

• Ability scores

• Hit points

• Attack modifiers

• Spell slots

• AC values

• Equipment slots

• Rest rules

• Class reminders

Then, at level 3, each class gets a choice of subclass. That’s huge for new players—it introduces character identity without overwhelming them.

Example subclass pairings:

• Cleric: Life or Light Domain

• Fighter: Champion or Eldritch Knight

• Rogue: Thief or Assassin

• Wizard: Evocation or Abjuration

Component Philosophy: Board Game Meets TTRPG

One thing becomes clear using this kit:

It’s built to feel like a board game for the first hour, and then gradually become D&D.

This is extremely intentional—and extremely smart.

Players learn:

1. How combat works

2. How abilities function

3. How items interact

4. How to roleplay and explore

Without ever being overwhelmed.

Once players reach level 3, the game naturally transitions into standard character sheets—and by then, they’re ready.

Final Thoughts

I would not buy this product digitally or for virtual tabletops—you lose nearly everything that makes it special.

But as a physical box meant for a real table, Heroes of the Borderlands is one of the best introductory D&D products Wizards has ever released.

• It’s approachable.

• It’s tactile.

• It’s thoughtfully designed.

• And above all—it’s fun to learn from.

I can’t wait to run this with new players and see how quickly they pick up the game thanks to this structure.

If you’ve tried it already—or have questions—feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to hear your experience.

Leave a comment

🎲 Support the Channel

Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you enjoyed it, consider liking, sharing, or leaving a comment. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.

🔎 Find more content here

🔴 Youtube
🟣 Apple Podcast
🟢 Spotify Podcast
⚫ Patreon

Intro

Wizards of the Coast has released a new starter set titled Welcome to the Hellfire Club, a collaboration between Dungeons & Dragons and the Stranger Things series. Arriving in October 2025, it follows closely after Heroes of the Borderlands, making it the second new starter set of the year and using the new 2024 core rules.

While both products aim to introduce new players to the game, Welcome to the Hellfire Club takes a different approach, a more linear adventures with a unique art style, filled with nostalgia.

This set contains four adventures, pre-generated character sheets, maps, tokens, dice, and a Dungeon Master screen. Unlike Heroes of the Borderlands, which emphasized open-world exploration and an easier board-game-to-RPG approach, this starter set offers a more traditional, dungeon-focused play experience.

Theme, Story, and Presentation

The thematic framing is one of the standout features. The adventure is presented as though Eddie Munson—the Hellfire Club’s Dungeon Master—has passed down this adventure box to the next DM at Hawkins High. Opening the box is meant to feel like receiving something personal, a gift to help the new DM take the reins of the club. This idea is reflected in the physical design:

• The adventure booklets feature faux wear, doodles, tape marks, and handwritten-style notes.

• The art direction leans into 80s zine aesthetics.

• Black and White illustrations for the token and monster cards.

It’s clear the design team had fun with this product. The details feel intentional and character-driven, and the tone resonates particularly well with players who enjoy Stranger Things or the nostalgia of early D&D play.

Subscribe now

What’s Inside the Box

The box includes everything required to begin playing immediately:

• Four adventure booklets (Levels 1–3 structured progression)

• Premade character sheets for:

  • Will – Wizard

  • Mike – Paladin

  • Lucas – Fighter

  • Dustin – Cleric

  • Erica – Rogue

• Full-color battle maps with solid paper texture

• Punch-out creature and character tokens (clean black-and-white line art style)

• DM Screen tailored to the adventures (condition references, difficulty guidelines, key rules reminders)

• 11 red dice (standard D&D starter color)

• Equipment, Spell, and Action Cards to hand to players as needed

Compared to digital play or online VTT setups, the value here is especially visible with all the physical components that are in the box . Tokens, handouts, maps, and the DM screen make this ideal for in-person sessions, especially with new or younger players.

Adventures and Play Style

The included adventures are linear and dungeon-centric, offering a familiar “rooms → encounters → progression” structure. This makes it beginner-friendly while still giving the DM enough flexibility for creativity.

The tone leans adventurous rather than horror—though one of the highlight monsters, a Demi-Dragon / Demo-Gorgon hybrid creature, pushes the Stranger Things atmosphere forward without overshadowing classic fantasy.

Battle maps look visually strong and are sized well for the table. Paper durability may vary with frequent play.

Who This Starter Set Is For

Best suited for:

• Groups who plan to play in person

• Fans of Stranger Things or anyone drawn to the 80s tabletop nostalgia vibe

• People who prefer pre-generated characters and quick start play

• Dungeon Masters who enjoy tactile props and table immersion

Less suited for:

• Groups playing exclusively online

• Players seeking a longer campaign (this covers roughly levels 1–3)

• Those who prioritize cost-efficiency over presentation

Price-wise, it sits around $60–70 CAD, depending on retailer. Almost the same price as a traditional 5e adventure book, although the physical production quality is high, and the components do feel worth using.

Final Thoughts

Welcome to the Hellfire Club is a thoughtful, well-constructed starter experience that understands the appeal of passing down stories, play traditions, and character sheets from one group to another. It is nostalgic and tactile.

For groups learning D&D at the table—especially those who appreciate the Stranger Things connection—it stands out as one of the stronger starter boxes Wizards has released in recent years.

If purchased at a discount or during a sale, it is an easy recommendation. At full price, the value comes down to whether the physical play experience matters to your group.

Leave a comment

🎲 Support the Channel

Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you enjoyed it, consider liking, sharing, or leaving a comment. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.

There’s been a lot of conversation online about the Ranger in the 2024 Player’s Handbook. Some players are disappointed with how the class turned out, especially around its core feature — Hunter’s Mark.

Before diving into the mechanics, though, I want to make one thing clear: I love the Ranger.

Why I Love the Ranger

Flavor-wise, the Ranger is one of my favorite archetypes in all of Dungeons & Dragons.

When I play one, I imagine myself as Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings, Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher, or Drizzt Do’Urden, the legendary drow ranger from the Forgotten Realms.

When I play a Ranger, that fantasy comes alive. Even before touching the mechanics, I’m already excited about who this character is. And honestly, that’s a huge part of what makes D&D fun — stepping into a fantasy that feels right.

For me, the Ranger hits that fantasy 10 out of 10.

The Core Issue: Hunter’s Mark

Most of the criticism online focuses on Hunter’s Mark, the Ranger’s signature spell.

It’s a 1st-level spell that:

• Takes a bonus action to cast.

• Requires concentration.

• Lets you deal an extra 1d6 damage to the target whenever you hit it.

• Can be moved to another enemy when the marked target drops to 0 HP.

At first glance, it seems fine. In the 2024 version, Hunter’s Mark is always prepared for Rangers, and you can cast it a limited number of times per day without spending spell slots with the Favored Enemy feature.

But here’s where things get tricky.

The Concentration Problem

A big portion of the Ranger’s spell list relies on concentration — things like Spike Growth, Conjure Animals, or Pass Without Trace.

Because Hunter’s Mark also requires concentration, it competes directly with your other core abilities.

If you want to maximize your class features, you’re forced into a choice that feels bad: either deal your bonus damage or use your cool spells — but rarely both.

And since many of the Rangers’ upgrades tie into Hunter’s Mark, ignoring it means ignoring your own class design.

Community and Homebrew Fixes

Plenty of homebrewers and players have tried to solve this. I’ve come across a few interesting options — and I’ve thought of a few myself.

1. Remove Concentration Entirely

The simplest solution is to just remove the concentration requirement from Hunter’s Mark.

That instantly fixes the main frustration and makes the class feel smoother.

However, it does create one issue: at level 13, Rangers gain the Relentless Hunter feature, which prevents you from losing concentration on Hunter’s Mark when you take damage.

If Hunter’s Mark no longer requires concentration, that level effectively becomes a dead level, which isn’t ideal.

You’d either need to redesign that feature — or just accept the tradeoff for better gameplay overall.

2. Allow Dual Concentration (for Hunter’s Mark Only)

Another idea I like is to keep concentration, but make Hunter’s Mark an exception.

Basically, you can concentrate on Hunter’s Mark and one other spell at the same time.

You’d still risk losing Hunter’s Mark if you fail a concentration check, but it wouldn’t block you from using other great spells.

This keeps the feature’s risk-reward element intact while freeing up the Ranger’s flexibility.

3. Make It Work Through Favored Enemy

This is my favorite fix.

When you cast Hunter’s Mark through your Favored Enemy feature, it doesn’t require concentration.

Outside of that feature, it functions as normal.

It feels balanced, thematic, and clever — and it doesn’t break the level 13 feature.

Plus, it gives Favored Enemy a more tangible impact on gameplay.

4. Give Players a Choice

A more dynamic version of the above idea would be to let Rangers choose how they cast Hunter’s Mark:

• With concentration: You can move it freely to a new target when one drops.

• Without concentration: It lasts the full duration, but you can’t move it to another creature when it hits 0 HP.

This introduces a nice bit of tactical choice.

If you’re facing one big boss, cast it without concentration.

If you’re fighting multiple smaller enemies, cast it with concentration so you can move the mark around.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Ranger in the 2024 Player’s Handbook still nails the fantasy I love — the tracker, the wanderer, the beastmaster. But mechanically, it could use a little fine-tuning.

Hunter’s Mark is iconic, but it shouldn’t hold the class back.

I’ll personally be trying out the Favored Enemy = no concentration fix in my next campaign. It keeps things flavorful, balanced, and most importantly — fun.

What about you?

How do you handle Hunter’s Mark in your games?

Have you homebrewed your own fix, or are you happy with the official design?

Let me know in the comments — I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Cheers! 🏹

Leave a comment

Hey everyone! Today, I want to share a little creative twist I’ve been using for my solo RPG sessions — something a bit different from your usual virtual tabletop setup.

I’ve been using Figma, a popular UI design tool, as my personal virtual tabletop (VTT) for running combats and visualizing scenes. It started as an experiment, but it turned out to be one of my favorite ways to play.

P.S. I made a quick video demo that you can see here or at the end of the article

Why Figma?

Figma is a web-based design app used for creating websites, apps, and interfaces — but its features make it surprisingly handy for tabletop gaming, especially if you enjoy solo play or light visual aids during sessions.

Here’s what makes it so flexible:

• An infinite canvas – You can zoom in or out endlessly, perfect for sprawling dungeon maps or close-up encounters.

• Easy image management – Upload and arrange maps, character portraits, or tokens freely.

• Visual customization – Add borders, colors, or effects to track conditions or differentiate characters.

• Cross-platform and free – Works on Windows, macOS, Linux, or directly in your browser.

• It’s Free - My current setup does not require using one the the paid tiers.

Setting Up Your Game Space

Getting started is easy. Go to Figma.com, create a free account, and open a new file.

I like to organize my setup into a few simple pages:

1. Battle Map – Where the session happens. Import your map image and lock it so it doesn’t move accidentally.

2. Assets – A place to store character art, monsters, and scenery.

3. Extras (optional) – A sandbox page where you can create or test new tokens before dropping them into your main scene.

Because Figma offers an infinite canvas, you can fit as many encounters or maps as you like on a single page, then pan or zoom between them as needed.

Creating Tokens in Seconds

One of the best parts of using Figma is how easy it is to create tokens.

Here’s my quick method:

1. Find a piece of artwork you want to use — character portraits, monsters, or NPCs.

2. Take a square screenshot or crop it to a square format.

3. Drop it into Figma.

4. Adjust the corner radius to make it circular.

5. Add a stroke (outline) — I usually go with an 8px black border for a clean token look.

You can also color-code tokens to represent different statuses:

• 🔴 Red for injured

• 🟢 Green for poisoned

• 🔵 Blue for asleep or frozen

Once you’ve got one token ready, just duplicate it for quick setup of enemy groups or allies. It’s fast and satisfying — especially during those tactical combat moments.

Subscribe now

Managing the Scene

Figma’s left-hand panel lists every element on your canvas, which makes it easy to hide, group, or rearrange things. You can even lock background layers so only your tokens move.

If you like visual immersion, change the canvas background color — black for darker dungeons, white for bright landscapes, or anything else that fits the mood.

Zooming in and out feels natural and smooth, and you can keep all your maps in one file without ever running out of space.

Shared Play Possibilities

Even though I mainly use Figma for solo games, its collaborative features are a nice bonus. Since it’s built for teamwork, you can share a link to your project and let others join in — either as viewers or active participants who can move their own tokens.

That means if you ever want to run a small game with friends online, you already have the tools to make it happen — no extra software needed.

Why I Like It for Solo Play

For solo RPGs, I love having something visual when the action gets tactical. Figma lets me quickly sketch out where characters stand, visualize a battle, or track conditions without any setup overhead.

It gives me:

• A clean and flexible space to map out encounters.

• A way to track turn order and positioning visually.

• Total control over how I organize and present my game.

It’s not about replacing other virtual tabletops — it’s about having another creative option in your toolkit.

Demo

Final Thoughts

If you enjoy tinkering, experimenting, and finding simple ways to enhance your RPG experience, give Figma a try as your virtual tabletop.

Whether you’re playing solo or testing out encounter ideas, it’s a surprisingly versatile tool that combines creativity and simplicity.

So what do you think? Will you give it a try? Let me know in the comments below, cheers!

Leave a comment

Over the past few weeks, a small stack of starter sets has arrived at my doorstep. I have waited for a couple of months now. The delay was caused by a pre-order that held up the rest of the shipment, but now everything is finally here — and I might have gone a little overboard.

My plan for the next few months is simple: go through these boxes one by one, play them, and share detailed impressions of each. I’ll focus on what’s inside, how beginner-friendly the system feels, and how enjoyable the included adventure is to play.

Here’s the current lineup:

• Tales of the Valiant

• Fallout*

• Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes of the Borderlands

• The Walking Dead Universe*

• Twilight: 2000*

• Dragonbane*

• Warhammer 40K: Wrath & Glory*

• Pathfinder Beginner Box

• The One Ring Starter Set*

• Hellfire Club (D&D)

Links marked with an asterisk * are affiliate links. If you buy something through them, it helps support the blog at no extra cost to you.

I usually gravitate toward fantasy settings, but this time I want to explore a wider range of genres — science fiction, horror, and even modern-day adventures.

There’s something special about starter sets. They feel compact and self-contained, almost like board games. You don’t have to worry about every spell, rule, or monster in the full system. You just open the box and play the story it gives you. It’s a great way to test a new RPG without needing to learn the entire ruleset.

Expanding into Video

Alongside the written reviews, I’m also planning to create more video content on YouTube.

Video is often a more natural format for me. It’s easier to sit down and record a few thoughts than to draft, edit, and polish a full written post — especially when balancing work, family, and creative projects. My current plan is to use YouTube as a kind of first-draft space, where I can share spontaneous impressions and early thoughts about each game.

Later, I’ll take those transcripts and turn them into structured Substack articles, expanding on the ideas and adding more context. This workflow should keep content flowing steadily while allowing me to refine ideas at my own pace.

A Solo Guide To…

I’m also working on a new series called A Solo Guide To…, which will focus on adapting traditional tabletop RPGs for solo play.

Each entry will explore a specific game — Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, Fallout, Warhammer 40K, Shadowdark, and others — and break down how to approach them without a game master.

These guides will discuss topics like:

• How many characters to manage in a solo campaign

• How to handle hidden information or GM-only knowledge

• When to use random oracles versus character-driven decisions

• How to rebalance encounters or tweak adventures for one player

It’s a topic I’m passionate about, and I think it will help more players discover just how flexible and rewarding solo TTRPGs can be.

Solo Play Reports

In addition to the guides, I’ll also share session reports from my own solo playthroughs.

Each report will cover a full adventure — one post per chapter or session — with a focus on storytelling and adaptation rather than dice math or turn-by-turn details. I’ll highlight what worked, what didn’t, and what adjustments I made to keep the game balanced and engaging when playing alone.

The goal is to give readers a sense of what solo RPGs feel like in practice — not just in theory.

Looking Ahead

Between the upcoming starter set reviews, video updates, and solo RPG series, there’s a lot in motion. I hope that Solorpgstudio continues to grow as a space for curious players — people who love trying new systems, experimenting with solo play, and talking about what makes tabletop games special.

Thanks for following along and being part of this journey. The next few months are going to be a lot of fun.

Leave a comment

A couple of weeks ago, I shared my frustration that Dungeons & Dragons doesn’t provide PDFs of their 5th edition books. Instead, Wizards of the Coast locks all their digital content to a license on D&D Beyond. To be fair, the system works fine for what it is, but it leaves me uneasy. When I buy a book, I want to own it. What D&D Beyond sells me isn’t ownership—it’s access.

That means my library only exists as long as their servers stay online and supported. If the site shuts down one day, or if Wizards simply decides to shift their strategy, or even if the site goes down for routine maintenance, I lose access. And that’s frustrating.

PDFs and Ownership

Compare this to the dozens of other RPGs in my collection—Pathfinder, Shadowdark, Mörk Borg, Mothership, Dragonbane, Into the Odd, Dead in Space, 4 Against Darkness, and plenty more. Every single one of these games provides PDFs.

And PDFs are fantastic for tabletop play. I can:

• Actually own the file. It’s mine, forever.

• Bookmark, highlight, and annotate pages while studying or prepping.

• Search instantly for rules, spells, or monster stats.

• Organize my library however I want across devices.

• Bring it anywhere—whether on a laptop, tablet, or even just my phone when gaming at a friend’s place.

I still love physical books—my first read-through is always on paper. Nothing beats flipping through a well-printed rulebook. But when I’m running or playing a session, digital is simply more practical.

So yes, I understand Wotc’s hesitation with piracy. PDFs are easy to share. But they’re also the only big publisher refusing to provide them. Everyone else does, and the hobby is thriving. To me, that makes the “no PDF” stance feel like flawed logic.

So I decided to do something about it, rather than simply complain.

Subscribe now

Enter Obsidian

That’s when I decided to rebuild Dungeons & Dragons for myself—digitally—in Obsidian.

Obsidian is one of my favorite tools. I already use it for work, personal journaling, recipes, and general life organization. It’s local-first, meaning I don’t need the internet to access my notes. I sync everything through iCloud, though you could use Dropbox, OneDrive, or Obsidian’s own paid sync. On top of that, it has an amazing plugin ecosystem, but the real magic for this project is its support for WikiLinks.

With WikiLinks, I can cross-reference notes the same way you’d click through Wikipedia. For example, if I write a monster entry that uses the Fireball spell, I can link directly to my Fireball note. Hover over the link, and the spell pops up instantly in a preview window.

That means I don’t need to retype Fireball’s description in every place it appears. I only need to write it once. After that, every monster, class, or rule that mentions Fireball can simply link to it. This “don’t repeat yourself” approach is perfect for a rules-heavy system like D&D.

I keep my setup fairly minimal—no heavy plugin reliance—so that my files remain portable Markdown. If I ever stop using Obsidian, the notes will still work anywhere else.

Building My Digital D&D Vault

So, where to start? My first thought was monsters or spells. But the truth is, almost everything in D&D builds on the rules glossary. Conditions, actions, saving throws—they all show up everywhere. So I started there.

Here’s the process I followed:

1. Copy from D&D Beyond – The free Basic Rules are available online. I copied the glossary entries into a Markdown file in Obsidian.

2. Clean the formatting – I wrote a quick script to remove external links and convert them into Obsidian WikiLinks. In about 15 minutes, I had a usable glossary. “This could also be done manually, but hey, I guess my web dev experience came in handy here”.

3. Expand to other categories – After the rules, I moved on to:

   • Spells (with metadata: level, school, casting time, duration, components, etc.)

   • Monsters (with CR, AC, HP, abilities, resistances, XP value, source book, etc.)

   • Magic Items (with rarity, type, attunement, description)

   • Lore glossary (places, deities, iconic NPCs like Vecna)

Each category has a dedicated template so I can add metadata consistently. That way, searching and organizing is a breeze.

As of now, I’ve created around 1,300 notes.

Vault Video Overview

The Hobby Within the Hobby

I’ll admit it—this is not for everyone. If you’re happy with your physical books, or if you’re fine using D&D Beyond or a VTT, there’s no reason to go down this rabbit hole. For many, it would seem like an unnecessary duplication of effort, even a waste of time.

But for me? This is part of the fun. Writing and organizing my own vault is a hobby within the hobby. I love tinkering with systems, documenting things, and building tools I’ll actually use at the table.

Now, when I flip through my notes, everything is linked together. Rules connect to spells, spells connect to classes, conditions connect to monsters—it feels alive, almost like my own personal encyclopedia of D&D.

And most importantly: it’s mine. I own it.

What’s Next

My next steps are polishing the vault further, filling in missing details, and refining the templates. Once things are in a cleaner, more complete state, I’ll share an update—and probably a video walkthrough so you can see how it works in action.

For now, I’m just happy with where it’s heading. It’s a lot of work, yes, but it’s deeply satisfying. And at the end of the day, isn’t that what this hobby is all about?

Thanks for reading, and feel free to ask questions, leave comments.

Leave a comment

Last week, I finally received a game I backed on Kickstarter a while ago: Traumatarium Deckulus. It’s a solo dungeon crawler card game, and I couldn’t wait to dive in.

First Impressions

The art is gorgeous, the setup is simple, and the gameplay is smooth. Right out of the box, I felt this was going to be one of those games you can pick up and play in just a few minutes.

About the Creator

The game was designed by Horatiu Radoiu, an art director from New York. He originally started building the world of Traumatarium during the pandemic by making Game Boy games.

He wanted to create something that combined quick play, strong visual design, and the kind of worldbuilding he had already explored in his digital projects. By collaborating with some of his favorite artists, Traumatarium Deckulus was born.

How It Plays

Setup couldn’t be easier. You need:

• A deck of cards (the core of the game)

• A hero card

• A few dice (D6s, and optionally a D20)

• A tracker

From there, gameplay is straightforward: reveal a card each turn, resolve what happens, and keep going until you face a boss. The deck I received includes two different bosses, each with unique abilities. The game ends when you defeat the boss—or when your hero falls.

Games typically last 5–10 minutes, making it perfect for quick sessions. There’s no heavy rulebook or steep learning curve—just shuffle, play, and see how long you can survive.

The Art & Design

What really sets this game apart is the art direction. Each card feels unique, thanks to contributions from multiple artists. Dungeon cards and monster cards are clearly labeled, but their designs vary in typography, style, and texture. All of them even look slightly aged or scratched, giving the whole deck a gritty, lived-in dungeon-crawl aesthetic.

The cards themselves are high-quality and satisfying to handle. Combined with the diverse artwork, they make every draw feel exciting and immersive.

Final Thoughts

Traumatarium Deckulus is exactly the kind of compact, thematic solo game I love. It’s quick, visually striking, and endlessly replayable. I’ve been really happy with this purchase, and I’m looking forward to exploring more of the world Horatou Redou has created.

I’ll share a few photos of the cards below so you can see the visuals for yourself—but trust me, they look even better in person.

Leave a comment

Resources

• Kickstarter Campaign

• Creator Website