Deal of the Day - GM's Miscellany: Wilderness Dressing (5e) (Essentially System Neutral)

The GM Miscellany series of releases is one of the best resources for any GM running a campaign, OSR or otherwise. They exemplify the ideal resource for the improved GM, and little comes close in quality.

If any GM Miscellany resource indicates a rules system, especially if it is on sale, you can easily ignore it and regard it as system-neutral.

Today's Deal of the Day is GM's Miscellany: Wilderness Dressing (5e). Usually 21.95 in PDF, it is on sale for 10.98. (until March 30th @ 11AM ET)

Tired of glossing over the details of your PCs’ overland journey (except for the inevitable, violent random encounters)? Want to add in minor features of interest to their journeys? Want to make their journeys seem more “real”? Then GM’s Miscellany: Wilderness Dressing is for you! A compilation of the Wilderness Dressing line, each instalment focuses on a different type of wilderness or a feature therein and gives the harried GM the tools to bring such features to life with interesting and cool noteworthy features.

GM’s Miscellany: Wilderness Dressing presents loads of great features and details to enliven your PCs’ travel both overland and by sea. Designed to be used both during preparation or actual play, GM’s Miscellany: Wilderness Dressing is an invaluable addition to any GM's armoury! 

GM’s Miscellany: Wilderness Dressing presents the material originally appearing in:

• Wilderness Dressing: Badlands
• Wilderness Dressing: Bandits
• Wilderness Dressing: Castles
• Wilderness Dressing: Caves & Caverns
• Wilderness Dressing: Deserts
• Wilderness Dressing: Extreme Weather
• Wilderness Dressing: Hills
• Wilderness Dressing: Isles & Islands
• Wilderness Dressing: Jungles
• Wilderness Dressing: Ruins
• Wilderness Dressing: Moorland
• Wilderness Dressing: Mountains
• Wilderness Dressing: Ocean Voyages
• Wilderness Dressing: Plains
• Wilderness Dressing: Primal Forest
• Wilderness Dressing: Savannah
• Wilderness Dressing: Snow & Ice
• Wilderness Dressing: Steppes
• Wilderness Dressing: Swamps
• Wilderness Dressing: Travellers
• Wilderness Dressing: Tundra
• Wilderness Dressing: Woodlands
• Wilderness Dressing: Underwater

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Deal of the Day - GM's Miscellany: Dungeon Backdrops (5e/Systemless?)

I do love the GM's Miscellany series from Raging Swan. If you are a GM that enjoys flying by the seat of your pants and prefers improv over prep, this is the series you need to stay on top of.

Today's Deal of the Day is GM's Miscellany: Dungeon Backdrops, nominally for 5e but essentially systemless. Normally 9.95 in PDF, but until tomorrow morning it is on sale for 4.98.

So, what is GM's Miscellany: Dungeon Backdrops?

You are a GM, but you are busy. You want to write your own modules, but you just don’t have the time. And you don’t want to use commercial modules. You want to make your campaign your own. That’s where the Dungeon Backdrop line comes in! Each Dungeon Backdrop presents a fully fleshed out and lovingly detailed self-contained dungeon ready for you to use as you see fit. Stock the dungeon with your own monsters (and—perhaps—their treasure), decide their back story and you are good to go.

Every Dungeon Backdrop is carefully designed to be easily inserted into almost any fantasy campaign. Dungeon Backdrops: we describe the dungeon, you add the monsters (and the treasure).

GM’s Miscellany: Dungeon Backdrops comprises the following dungeons:

• The Crumbled Tower
• Dethur's Folly
• Deszraul's Hold
• The Death King's Forlorn Isle
• The Shadow Fane
• The Splintered Crypt

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Deal of the Day - GM's Miscellany: Urban Dressing II (System Neutral Edition)

What can I say about Raging Swan's GM's Miscellany Series that hasn't been heard before? It is, quite simply, an amazing resource, both for game prep and for use in game, when your party zigs and you had planned for a zag.

Until tomorrow morning at 11 AM Eastern, GM's Miscellany: Urban Dressing II (System Neutral Edition) is available for 7 bucks in PDF, half off its usual 13.99 pricetag.

Tired of your towns and cities being boring, bland places in which your PCs show little or no interest? Want to bring them alive with cool, interesting minor features of note? Then Urban Dressing is for you! Each instalment in the line focuses on a different kind of town and gives harried GMs the tools to bring such locales to life with interesting and noteworthy features.

This compilation presents loads of great features, NPCs and minor encounters to add to the towns in your campaign. Designed to be used both during preparation or actual play, GM’s Miscellany: Urban Dressing II is an invaluable addition to any GM's armoury!

 The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. 

DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar 

Deal of the Day - GM's Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing (System Neutral Edition)

I've stated it before and I'll say it again, I'm a huge fan of Raging Swan's system-neutral series of releases to assist GM's with game prep and in-session improv. I'd snap GM's Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing (System Neutral Edition) up in a second at this price if I didn't already own it ;)

Until tomorrow morning at 11 AM Eastern, GM's Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing (System Neutral Edition) is on sale in PDF for 6.99, 50% off its usual price of 13.99.

A System Neutral Edition GM's Resource by Ben Armitage, Alexander Augunas, Aaron Bailey, John Bennett, Creighton Broadhurst, Jeff Erwin, James Graham, Brian Gregory, Eric Hindley, Ben Kent, Thomas King, Greg Marks, Andrew J. Martin, Jacob W. Michaels, Julian Neale, Chad Perrin,  David Posener, Brian Ratcliff, Pierre van Rooden, Liz Smith, Josh Vogt and Mike Welham.

Tired of dungeons lacking in verisimilitude? Want to add cool little features of interest to your creations but don't have the time to come up with nonessential details? Want to make your dungeons feel more realistic?

Then GM’s Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing (System Neutral Edition) is for you! This gigantic compilations comprises all 34 instalments in the line as well as scores of riddles, new material and design essays by Creighton.  GM’s Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing (System Neutral Edition) presents loads of great features to add to your dungeon. Designed to be used both during preparation or actual play, GM’s Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing (System Neutral Edition)  is an invaluable addition to any GM's armoury!

GM’s Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing (System Neutral Edition) presents the material originally appearing in:

• Dungeon Dressing: Altars
• Dungeon Dressing: Archways
• Dungeon Dressing: Bridges
• Dungeon Dressing: Captives
• Dungeon Dressing: Ceilings
• Dungeon Dressing: Chests
• Dungeon Dressing: Corpses
• Dungeon Dressing: Doom Paintings
• Dungeon Dressing: Doors
• Dungeon Dressing: Double Doors
• Dungeon Dressing: Dungeon Entrances
• Dungeon Dressing: Dungeon Names
• Dungeon Dressing: Floors
• Dungeon Dressing: Fountains
• Dungeon Dressing: Gates & Portals
• Dungeon Dressing: Goblin’s Pockets
• Dungeon Dressing: Legends
• Dungeon Dressing: Legends II
• Dungeon Dressing: Mundane Chest Contents
• Dungeon Dressing: Pits
• Dungeon Dressing: Pools
• Dungeon Dressing: Portcullises
• Dungeon Dressing: Sarcophagi
• Dungeon Dressing: Secret Doors
• Dungeon Dressing: Simple Magic Traps
• Dungeon Dressing: Stairs
• Dungeon Dressing: Statues
• Dungeon Dressing: Tapestries
• Dungeon Dressing: Thrones
• Dungeon Dressing: Trapdoors
• Dungeon Dressing: Walls
• Dungeon Dressing: Wells
• So What’s The Riddle Like, Anyway?
• So What’s The Riddle Like, Anyway? II
• So What’s The Riddle Like, Anyway? III

New Material: New material focusing on concealed doors, strange growths, illumination, graffiti and loads of miscellaneous dungeon features; also includes nine dungeon design essays by Creighton.

This product is a Dual Format PDF. The downloadable ZIP file contains two versions, one optimised for printing and use on a normal computer and one optimised for use on a mobile device such as an iPad.

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. 

DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar   

Deal of the Day - GM's Miscellany: Village Backdrops I (5e)

The GM's Miscellany series of releases from Raging Swan Press are simply priceless. Ignore the system indicated - even their 5e books work just as well with the OSR and other rulesets as do their system-neutral titles.

Today's Deal of the Day is GM's Miscellany: Village Backdrops I (5e). Normally 12 bucks, its on sale until tomorrow morning for 4.80.

Village Backdrops are short, richly detailed supplements that each present a single village ready to insert into almost any home campaign. Perfect for use as a waystop on the road to adventure, as an adventure site themselves or as a PC’s home, Village Backdrop present the details so the busy GM can focus on crafting exciting, compelling adventures. 

This GM’s Miscellany collects together twelve Village Backdrops, along with bonus, never seen before material, together in one place. 

GM’s Miscellany: Village Backdrops is the work of many talented designers and features the following villages: 

• Creighton Broadhurst: Ashford, Coldwater, Kingsfell, Lanthorn, Longbridge, Thornhill, Wellswood
• Jeff Gomez: Bleakflat, Suurin
• Richard Green: Black Wyvern
• Marc Radle: White Moon Cove
• Mike Welham: Shroudhaven

This product is a Dual Format PDF. The downloadable ZIP file contains two versions, one optimised for printing and use on a normal computer and one optimised for use on a mobile device such as an iPad.

Yes, that is an affiliate link above. Keep your bartender in fresh beer and hot lunches by using The Tavern's affiliate links :) 

Deal of the Day - GM's Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing

I can't say enough good stuff about the GM's Miscellany series of releases. GM's Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing might actually make the top of the list.

Although technically released for Pathfinder, it is 95% plus system neutral and an excellent resource if you want to make your dungeons come alive.

While I previously owned Dungeon Dressing in PDF (which you can grab for $9.97 today instead of the regular $19.95), Raging Swan has also put the Print plus PDF version on sale for $16 in softcover. Considering that the softcover is normally $24 on its own, $16 is a steal. Yes, they got my $16 today...

What's inside:

Tired of dungeons lacking in verisimilitude? Want to add cool little features of interest to your creations but don't have the time to come up with nonessential details? Want to make your dungeons feel more realistic?

Then GM’s Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing is for you! This gigantic compilations comprises all 34 installments in the line as well as scores of riddles, new material and design essays by Creighton.  GM’s Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing presents loads of great features to add to your dungeon. Designed to be used both during preparation or actual play, GM’s Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing is an invaluable addition to any GM's armoury!

GM’s Miscellany: Dungeon Dressing presents the material originally appearing in:

Dungeon Dressing: Altars
Dungeon Dressing: Archways
Dungeon Dressing: Bridges
Dungeon Dressing: Captives
Dungeon Dressing: Ceilings
Dungeon Dressing: Chests
Dungeon Dressing: Corpses
Dungeon Dressing: Doom Paintings
Dungeon Dressing: Doors
Dungeon Dressing: Double Doors
Dungeon Dressing: Dungeon Entrances
Dungeon Dressing: Dungeon Names
Dungeon Dressing: Fiendish Traps I
Dungeon Dressing: Fiendish Traps II
Dungeon Dressing: Floors
Dungeon Dressing: Fountains
Dungeon Dressing: Gates & Portals
Dungeon Dressing: Goblin’s Pockets
Dungeon Dressing: Legends
Dungeon Dressing: Legends II
Dungeon Dressing: Mundane Chest Contents
Dungeon Dressing: Pits
Dungeon Dressing: Pools
Dungeon Dressing: Portcullises
Dungeon Dressing: Sarcophagi
Dungeon Dressing: Secret Doors
Dungeon Dressing: Simple Magic Traps
Dungeon Dressing: Stairs
Dungeon Dressing: Statues
Dungeon Dressing: Tapestries
Dungeon Dressing: Thrones
Dungeon Dressing: Trapdoors
Dungeon Dressing: Walls
Dungeon Dressing: Wells
So What’s The Riddle Like, Anyway?
So What’s The Riddle Like, Anyway? II
So What’s The Riddle Like, Anyway? III
New Material: Three new fiendish traps as well as material focusing on concealed doors, strange growths, illumination, graffiti and loads of miscellaneous dungeon features; also includes nine dungeon design essays by Creighton.
All That Glimmer: Also includes as a free special bonus are treasures hoards 1-20 from All That Glimmers - after all, what’s a dungeon without treasure!

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Free - GM's Monthly Miscellany: November 2016

I just downloaded and read the latest GM's Monthly Miscellany: November 2016 and I'm impressed at what you get for the price of free. Sure, it's labeled Pathfinder, but GMs of any edition of D&D or its retroclones should find 10 pages or truly useful content.

I should grab all of the previous releases, as this is a sandbox GM's friend and then some. Print the pages out and just organize everything as needed: random tables, plot hooks and urban areas. Really, what more do you need to keep your players engaged when they step out of the dungeon?

Did I mention the price was free?

This month’s issue features: 

-10 Cultists with Personality
-Suurin at a Glance (from Village Backdrop: Suurin)
-Tumblestone at a Glance (from Places of Power: Tumblestone Inn)
-Gloamhold Updates
-20 Vile Things to Find in a Cultist’s Lair

Mini Review - GM's Miscellany: Urban Dressing II (System Neutral Edition)

One thing I've learned over the years as an "Old School" DM is that you can never have enough random tables. Well, that's not totally true. I don't need 101 Things Found in the Middens (actually, bad example, as I can see my PCs digging through that shit). The thing is, one good set of tables is worth more than a thousand tables that are so esoteric they will rarely, if ever, come into play.

The tables in GM's Miscellany: Urban Dressing II (System Neutral Edition) WILL come into play. Sandbox prep often means lots of basic info but little drilled down. These tables help solve that problem for urban environments.

That's a ton of inspiration in those tables listed above. Hell, the Hooks, Complications and Opportunities could probably keep a campaign going for years with the right group. Here's just a small example:

I really do like the System Neutral versions of the GM's Miscellany series as they forgo the usual Pathfinder bloat and easily fit in an OSR or even 5e campaign.

$12.99 isn't cheap for a PDF, but put this on your tablet for easy reference and you should be as good as gold.

And yes, I'm trying to complete my GM's Miscellany collection. I'd like to try and do some "live" campaign prep at The Tavern as a series of posts using this collection and the D30 series by New Big Dragon.