Crypt of Knowledge

What do you think of when you hear the word spellcaster? Many think of Harry Potter or Gandalf, but that's not necessarily the case. Spellcasters in D&D can be varied and have many uses depending on the needs of the group. We'll take a look at what a spellcaster really is, give some examples of the kind of roles they fill in parties, and discuss which martial classes can choose subclasses to cast spells. Then we'll rank all five pure spellcasting classes by how easy they are to play on this episode of Crypt of Knowledge.

00:00 - Introduction

Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.

Crypt of Knowledge

Puzzles in D&D can be hit or miss. No matter how simple you think a puzzle is, players can make it seem like the Davinci Code. To start Season 2, we're going to take a look at some of the most common puzzles used in D&D - like one of our favorites, the mirror room. But why are puzzles so difficult to implement? It usually boils down who you're trying to challenge - your players or their characters. We'll give you some suggestions on how to make them fit your table by being more centered around character's strengths on this episode of Crypt of Knowledge.

00:00 - Introduction

Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.

Crypt of Knowledge

Wizards has once again released an Unearthed Arcana for One D&D to playtest. Instead of giving us three classes to dissect, they've narrowed it down to just one: the cleric. The original 5E cleric was already a pretty well balanced class, but they're changing things to keep it more in-line with other classes. We'll look at why they moved the cleric's subclass to 3rd level and what small adjustments were made to the Life Domain subclass. Then we'll dive into the controversy surrounding some major spell changes and the switch from race to species. All that and more, on this episode of the Crypt of Knowledge!

00:00 - Introduction

Want to take a look at the One D&D playtest for yourself? Check it out here!

We'll be taking a break for the holidays. Thank you everyone for a fantastic season one! The next season will bring more guests, more rules and concept breakdowns, and more tips to help everyone enjoy D&D better. We look forward to seeing you for the start of season two on January 13!

Crypt of Knowledge

DNDBeyond is one of the best places to create D&D characters and run campaigns. Originally formed as a wiki site by Curse LLC, it's now directly owned by Wizards of the Coast. The improvements that have been made over the last few years have brought tools like the encounter builder, while future features will include its own virtual tabletop. On this episode, we'll show you just how easy it is to create a character using their simple menus. We'll also walk you through many of the other features including the encounter builder and creating homebrew items.

00:00 - Introduction

You can find DNDBeyond by clicking this link!

Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.

Crypt of Knowledge

Limited resources in D&D can make for interesting scenarios and  some tough choices from the players. But some resources listed in the  Players Handbook can mean little to actual game play and are annoying  for players to keep up with. On this episode, we'll look at several of  these resources that can easily be amended or removed for your games  entirely. Some tables enjoy a more gritty and realistic type game and  we've got you covered there as well. We list some reworks and changes  you can add to keep things fresh and exciting.

00:00 - Introduction

Want to add more grit, realism, and darkness to your campaign? Check out Giffyglyph's Darker Dungeons!

Listen to Matt Colville explain his action-oriented monsters and surprise your players next session!

Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.

Crypt of Knowledge

DMs can often struggle with correctly pacing the game for their players. Even when the DM feels they have the pacing right, the players can throw it off. This week we take a look at the three different areas of game pacing in D&D. We'll break down how each of them are affected by both DM and players, how you can adjust and learn to improve pacing, and how NPCs can play a part in that. Lastly we'll discuss overland pacing and when you should use montages versus playing it out.

00:00 - Introduction

Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.

Crypt of Knowledge

Everyone  has heard horror stories of bad TPKs. Can they be avoided? This week we  dive into HP and death in D&D. Goose and Blake look at all the  nuances of losing your precious life force, talk about the differences  between resistance and immunity, and tell you how to knock someone  unconscious. We’ll also discuss what death saving throws are and how you  can bring yourself back from the brink of death. Listen up and save  your soul from the Nine Hells!

00:00 – Introduction

Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.

Crypt of Knowledge

Do you remember the first time you heard about or played D&D? For some of us, we were well into adulthood before experiencing the hobby. How would things have been different for us if we'd started much younger? This week we're discussing what we think the right age to get kids involved in D&D is. There are several life skills that can be learned in the fun environment that the game presents. We'll take a look at why more kids aren't introduced to the game, and then give some options on how to overcome them.

00:00 - Introduction

Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.

Crypt of Knowledge

This week we're joined by the Arcane Keeper himself, Luke Piechowski. Adding horror to your TTRPG, especially D&D, can be difficult and intimidating. Luke brings his love of horror games to the discussion as we talk about what truly makes a setting spooky. We also take a look at whether jump scares can work in a TTRPG, how fun campy horror is, and discuss the advantages to having players be lower levels in order to build tension. So sit back and enjoy this spine-tingling episode of Crypt of Knowledge.

00:00 - Introduction

You can find Luke Piechowski doling out horror advice on his Instgram.

You can find the replay of his time raising money with Roll For Good on their Twitch Channel.

Looking for a good horror game to run? Check out these options from the DMs Guild.

Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.

Crypt of Knowledge

Last  week we began reviewing all the information from the One D&D  Unearthed Arcana that was recently released. If you missed it, be sure  to check out our review of the Bard and the Ranger.

00:00 – Introduction

If you missed our discussion on the first One D&D Unearthed Arcana, you can check it out at this link.

Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.