Creating exotic locations

If you have a location you would like to feel unique or exotic, one thing you can do is use an entirely different monster book to populate the monsters and animals. This is especially important if you have experienced players who are familiar with the Monster Manual (and even other WOTC monster books such as Volo’s Guide or Tome of Foes). 

This works great for isolated islands, portals to other worlds / continents, etc. 

Some example monster books you can use: 

• Tome of Beasts by Kobold Press
• Monstrous Menagerie from Level Up Advanced 5e
• Monster Manual Expanded

Let me know if you have any other favorite 3rd party monster books!

My favorite DMing podcasts, blogs, etc.

Although we all have our favorite DMs and content creators, it’s good to have a wide range of perspectives providing us with tips and advice. After all, no one person alone can be an expert on every aspect of TTRPGs. 

Here are a list of some of my favorite blogs, podcasts, youtube channels, etc.

• Running the Game series by Matt Colville: I’ve mentioned this before but it bears repeating. Over 100 topics addressed for new & experienced DMs.
• Lazy DnD Talk Show by Sly Flourish: great podcast discussing DM tips, new happenings in the TTRPG industry, kickstarter & product spotlights, Q&A, etc. Also is very experienced in monster design & balance and helps review newly released monsters.
• The Alexandrian by Justin Alexander: A long time blog with lots of insightful articles, particularly about adventure & dungeon design.
• M.T. Black newsletter: a weekly list of 10 interesting resources or articles. He always find very insightful and thought-provoking content to share.
• Thinking Critically: a biweekly podcast with a different topic each episode. The host brings on a different guest for each one (including yours truly once), so no matter the topic, you will always receive knowledgeable advice.

Let me know what your favorite sources are!