Raging Swan Press – Creighton Broadhurst

I’m Starting a 5e Game: What Should I Know?

I’ve been a Pathfinder 1st Edition player and GM since the game released. I love the rich complexity of the game and the stories it allows you to tell and share with friends.

For all that, though, the idea of a 5e game has been growing in the back of my mind of late. Perhaps it’s the seductive (apparent) simplicity of the system and speed of play or perhaps it’s the rise of Pathfinder 2nd Edition that is prompting me to take the plunge coupled with my desire to play a game actively supported by its publisher. Whatever the reason, I can’t shake the feeling it’s time to try 5e again.

So—to the point of this article—if you play or run 5e, I’m after your advice.

Given I’m an old fart gamer/grognard of a certain vintage what should I know about 5e (beyond the rules) before starting to play? How do its assumptions and play style differ from Pathfinder or earlier editions of D&D? What am I going to find different (or perhaps problematic)?

If you’ve got any insights, or links to handy resources, please leave a comment below.

33 Reasons You Should Have Joined Raging Swan’s Patreon in 2018

Dressing, detail and flavour can elevate your game. Role-playing is a game of the imagination and anything you as a GM can do to help your players dive into your campaign world and suspend their disbelief is a good thing.

That’s why every month, patrons supporting Raging Swan Press at the $2 and up level get a free copy of that month’s 20 Things instalment and both monthly instalments in the Monstrous Lairs line.

In 2018, patrons who supported us for the whole year got free copies of:

20 Things #22: Ocean Voyage
20 Things #23: Fallen Dwarven Hold
20 Things #24: Sun-scorched Desert
20 Things #25: Curio Shop & Pawnbrokers
20 Things #26: Townsfolk & Villagers
20 Things #27: Ruined Castle
20 Things #28: Travellers’ Inn
20 Things #29: Lich’s Lair
20 Things #30: Orc Village
20 Things #31: Blue Dragon’s Lair
20 Things #32: White Dragon’s Lair

And!

Monstrous Lair #1: Owlbear Den
Monstrous Lair #2: Troll Cave
Monstrous Lair #3: Ogre’s Cave
Monstrous Lair #4: Goblin Raiding Camp
Monstrous Lair #5: Harpy’s Nest
Monstrous Lair #6: Minotaur’s Den
Monstrous Lair #7: Giant Spider’s Web
Monstrous Lair #8: Ghoul Nest
Monstrous Lair #9: Wights’ Barrow
Monstrous Lair #10: Mummy’s Crypt
Monstrous Lair #11: Dark Creeper Village
Monstrous Lair #12: Medusa Lair
Monstrous Lair #13: Aboleth’s Sunken Cavern
Monstrous Lair #14: Lizardfolk Village
Monstrous Lair #15: Bandit Camp
Monstrous Lair#16: Thieves’ Hideout
Monstrous Lair#17: Witch’s Hovel
Monstrous Lair #18: Bugbears’ Lair
Monstrous Lair#19: Gnolls’ Camp
Monstrous Lair #20: Kobold Warren
Monstrous Lair #21: Pirates’ Cove
Monstrous Lair #22: Sahuagin’s Sunken Cave

That’s 55 pages of 20 Things and 48 pages of Monstrous Lairs for a total value of $58.85 completely free!

But more importantly than the money saved, these books helped busy GMs like you save time and bring the dungeons, towns, NPCs, wilderness treks and more in their campaign to life with virtually no effort.

So if you’d like to save your precious time and add detail and flavour to your game with free GM’s Resources from Raging Swan Press all you have to do is sign up to our Patreon campaign at the $2 or up level. Every month, you’ll get three free supplements from us as a thank you for your epic support.

Join Us!

I want your campaign to be as awesome as possible, and I’d love to start sending you your free GM’s Resources. To sign up to Raging Swan Press’s Patreon campaign, head on over to our Patreon page.

Raging Swan Press has a New Blog!

Over the weekend, I set up a blog at the Raging Swan Press Store and I’ve already posted up a couple of articles for the busy GM. If you need resources for an adventure featuring bandits or an adventure set in an evil fane check them out!

Please let me know what you think about the new format of the dX articles. I’ve tried to keep them short and sweet so a GM could print them out and take them to the game while providing enough detail to be useful. Let me know what you think, by leaving a comment on one of the articles!

Raging Swan Press Turns Ten…Next Year!

Late last week, I realised I missed Raging Swan Press’s ninth anniversary. (Bad Creighton, naughty Creighton). Back in the dim and distant past that was 2010 we released out first product–the 1st-level adventure Retribution–sometime in March of that year.

Continue reading Raging Swan Press Turns Ten…Next Year!

State of the Swan 2019

Last year was a year of both growth and change, for Raging Swan Press. Looking back over the last 12 months in some ways it’s been a more turbulent year than almost any other in Raging Swan Press’s eight-year history. That said, Raging Swan Press has managed to grow despite battling some pretty serious “headwinds”. (Gosh, don’t I sound professional and businesslike!)

Continue reading State of the Swan 2019