Posts by Automaton

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Writing backstories for your D&D character
• 10 min read

Writing backstories for your D&D character

What is it that makes a great hero origin story? Is it the beginning, describing where they came from? The catalyst, the tragedy or triumph that defined their turning point? The topic of what makes an interesting character backstory that matters in your roleplay isn’t far from what makes historical backstories or those found in novels interesting and functional. While there’s no one path to creating the perfect character backstory idea, traits that stand out to me are relatability and believabi

The best DM tools of 2025
• 8 min read

The best DM tools of 2025

One of the biggest draws to TTRPGs is the freedom to craft a world and use it to tell a collaborative story. To run a good RPG session, you’ll need to provide something for everyone at your table. With so many ways to play dnd, Dungeon Masters can find themselves overwhelmed with a lot of choices, with very little direction for which DM tools you should use. While there are some comprehensive tools that will provide everything you need, sometimes a combination of DM tools can better serve the