HeyJaredBehind the Screen
Behind the Screen is your resource for all things DMing and TTRPGs. Learn from practical guides that break down the preparation process, enjoy creative insights, and access resources for both new and seasoned game masters and TTRPG fans.
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- Sep 30, 2026
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- Jul 20, 2026
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Table Ready: Player Backstories & Motivations (opens the original)
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Back in July I wrote about how to run a Session Zero and spent a good amount of time discussing backstory. September’s Table Ready drop is the worksheet version of that!Hand it to your players during a Session Zero, send it out beforehand, or give it to a new player who’s joining the table for the first time.Here’s what you get!What’s in the KitThe basics. Name, pronouns, species, and age. Mostly obvious thing but it starts the process.Origins. Gets
My Therapist and My Campaign Notes (opens the original)
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As I look upon the beautiful mountains of Colorado, I’m struck by the sheer size and how encompassing they are on the horizon. When we drove through Big Thompson Canyon and saw the still-existing wildfire damage from the Cameron Peak Fire of 2020, my girlfriend coined the name “Burnscar” and said, “Wouldn’t that be a cool name for a character or location?” Once I had a name, I had the structure of an idea, and then my brain went to work on an adventure involving a coming wildfire in a town still
How to Build High-Level D&D Encounters (opens the original)
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Have you ever wanted to run a high-level campaign filled with memorable villains and tough combat encounters, but were nervous about keeping it challenging while also accounting for the myriad of tools and options your players now possess? Then this article is for you.What does Tier 3 and Tier 4 mean?Tiers in D&D represent the players’ power level and note the kinds of challenges they’re able to effectively tackle. Tier 3 represents levels 11-16. The players are effectively masters of the realm
Circle Magic and You! (opens the original)
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Aside from the typical new spells, magic items, subclasses, and other content we get with each release, every new book released seems to quietly include some new mechanic for us to play with. Arcana Unleashed gave us evolving magic items. Ravenloft: The Horrors Within gave us a random encounter mechanic via the updated Tarokka deck. And Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerun gives us Circle Magic.What is Circle Magic?You know how when our adventures involve some cult, group of wizards, or sentient c
Arcana Unleashed DM Review! (opens the original)
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The newest content expansion for D&D 5.5e is due out in a few weeks: Arcana Unleashed. And I’ve had the chance to get early access and have begun incorporating some of the new content in my campaign.This review won’t cover content designed for players, such as subclasses, backgrounds, and feats. There are plenty of opinions out there about the effectiveness of the subclass changes. The goal of this review is to focus on the content DMs use for their games.BackgroundArcana Unleashed is a gameplay
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