Category: Training

Creating the game your table actually wants to play Homebrewing is the great frontier of tabletop RPGs. It’s the moment a GM says, “What if falling damage didn’t suck?”Or a player asks, “Can I play a talking sword that also brews coffee?”Or someone at the table—casually, inevitably—adds a rule about cheese-based sorcery and suddenly it’s canon. Custom rules are part of what makes tabletop RPGs so powerful. Unlike video games or board games, TTRPGs are inherently flexible, ready to be retooled, hacked, or completely rebuilt to fit the vibe of your table. But with great power comes… well, occasional chaos. […]

Demystifying the math behind your dice rolls—so you can game smarter, not just harder Dice are the lifeblood of tabletop RPGs. From the tense roll of a d20 before a dragon strike to the satisfying tumble of percentile dice when looting the vaults of a forgotten lich, dice make magic—and misfortune—real. But beyond the clatter and chaos lies something much deeper: probability. Understanding how your dice really work can change how you build characters, approach challenges, and tell stories. Whether you’re a strategic player, a math-curious game master, or someone who just wants to know why you keep missing, this […]

Creative tactics, terrain tricks, and enemy behaviors to make early-game encounters unforgettable Level 1. Hit points like wet paper. Spells like sputtering candles. Damage rolls that feel more like polite pokes than actual threats. For new players, this is their first taste of combat. For seasoned GMs, it’s the struggle of making kobolds and goblins feel exciting for the fifth campaign in a row—without accidentally TPKing the party with a housecat. But here’s the truth: low-level combat doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, it’s a golden opportunity for creativity, drama, and fun—if you know how to juice it. Today […]

step-by-step guide to building vibrant, playable worlds for any tabletop campaign Whether you’re preparing your first homebrew map or fleshing out your tenth continent, world-building is one of the most rewarding—and occasionally overwhelming—parts of running a tabletop RPG. It’s where maps meet myth, where politics and geography shape gameplay, and where your players realize they’re in a world that breathes, not just one that waits for their next action. But how do you create a setting that feels alive, believable, and fun to play in—without writing a ten-volume lore bible no one reads? Welcome to World-Building 101, where we break […]

Because the barkeep shouldn’t be forgettable—and neither should the world you build Non-player characters, or NPCs, are the lifeblood of any good tabletop campaign. They guide the players. Annoy them. Betray them. Heal them. Haunt them. And if you do it right? They live rent-free in your players’ heads forever. But let’s be honest—sometimes it’s hard to keep those characters from blending together into a gray, generic slurry of shopkeepers and quest-givers. How many gruff dwarves and mysterious cloaked strangers can one party meet before it all starts to blur? Today on RPGInquisitor, we’re diving into practical, creative, and repeatable […]

Guidelines for introducing custom rules or items without breaking the table There comes a point in every game master’s life when the rules… just aren’t enough. Maybe you want to create a new spell that lets your bard charm someone by tap dancing. Maybe your warlock wants a sentient umbrella that shoots fireballs. Or maybe your entire table is bored of existing subclasses and craving something new. Welcome to the world of homebrew. It’s exhilarating, creative, and dangerous. Done well? It’s unforgettable. Done poorly? It’s campaign-breaking, spotlight-hogging, or worse—it’s boring. So how do you walk the line between letting your […]

How to bring the cunning of Clue, the strategy of Risk, and the chaos of Monopoly into your magic system Not all spells need to be about fireballs and healing words. In fact, some of the most fun, flavorful, and memorable spells in a tabletop RPG aren’t borrowed from real-world folklore or high fantasy—they’re borrowed from board games. Yes, really. Board games are full of mechanics that drive drama, tension, and victory—not unlike the best spellcasting moments in TTRPGs. Whether it’s the calculated dominance of Risk, the deduction dance of Clue, or the spreading dread of Pandemic, each game has […]