Ernie Noa's RPG Blog

  https://www.dmsguild.com/product/421047/DL7-Dragons-of-Light This is a 5e D&D conversion guide of the various monsters, creatures, and encounters for the classic module DL7: Dragons of Light. The original module, the Monster Manual, Dungeon Masters Guide, Volo’s Guide to Monsters, and Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes are required to use this conversion guide. Monsters of the Multiverse may be used instead of Volo’s Guide to Monsters and Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes.  The adventure is for characters who are levels 7-9. Conversions of the original pre-generated characters are included. Other 5e conversions of classic Dragonlance adventures are also available: DL1 Dragons of Despair  DL2 Dragons of Flame  DL3 Dragons of Hope  DL4 Dragons of Desolation  DL6 Dragons of Ice Seven maps have been prepared of key locations at 70 DPI. Grid and no grid variants of most maps are included. Maps provided include: Southern Ergoth and the Lands of the Elves in Exile Foghav...

  https://www.dmsguild.com/product/417995/UK4-When-A-Star-Falls--A-5e-Conversion-Guide-with-Maps This guide is a conversion of the various monsters, creatures, spells, magic items, and encounters for the classic D&D module UK4 When A Star Falls.  The original module, the Monster Manual, Dungeon Masters Guide, Volo’s Guide to Monsters, and Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes are required to use this conversion guide. Monsters of the Multiverse may be used instead of Volo’s Guide to Monsters and Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes.  The adventure is for characters who are levels 3-5. The following digital maps have been included at 70 DPI.  Grid and no grid options have been included.     Two variants of each map have been provided. Map 1 – The Region Map 2 – Near Cwm Cernant Map 3 – Near the Derro Lair Map 4 – Therno Pass Map 5 – Near the Tower Map 6 – Near the Forge Plan C – Cwm Cernant Plan D – Derro Lair Plan K – Forge of the Kagu-Svirfnebli Plan T- Tower of the...

  https://www.dmsguild.com/product/416122/UK6-All-That-Glitters--5e-Conversion-Guide-with-Maps This guide is a conversion of the various monsters, creatures, spells, magic items, and encounters for the classic D&D module UK6 All That Glitters.  The original module, the Monster Manual, Dungeon Masters Guide, Volo’s Guide to Monsters, and Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes are required to use this conversion guide. Monsters of the Multiverse may be used instead of Volo’s Guide to Monsters and Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes.  The adventure is for characters who are levels 5-7. The following digital maps have been included at 70 DPI.  Grid and no grid options have been included.     Two variants of each map have been provided. Indicara Jungle Fire Giant’s Lair Barrier Shrine Valley of the Mouth Ash Mire Wind Walker’s Passage Windgate Terminus Maintenance Station VIII Terabar Terminus The Camp Temple of Aumata Perion The Windgate Terminus, Maintenance Station VII...

  X1 The Isle of Dread - A 5e Conversion Guide with Maps https://www.dmsguild.com/product/413313/X1-The-Isle-of-Dread--A-5e-Conversion-Guide-with-Maps This is a 5e D&D conversion of the various monsters, creatures, spells, magic items, and encounters for the classic D&D module X1 The Isle of Dread.  The original module, the Monster Manual, and either Volo’s Guide to Monsters or Monsters of the Multiverse are required to use this conversion guide.  Appendix A: Of Ships and the Sea in Ghosts of Saltmarsh may be helpful but is not required. The adventure is for characters who are levels 3-6. The following digital maps have been included at 70 DPI.  Grid and no grid options have been included.     Two variants of each map have been provided. Continental Map 8192 x 14000 Isle of Dread Players Map 2550 x 3300 Isle of Dread DMs Map 2550 x 3300 Central Plataeu 4130 x 3990 Pirate Lair with cave and tunnels Pirate Lair without cave and tunnels General Ca...

How I Prep for my Weekly Gaming Session My long-term campaign prep and short-term weekly prep are quite different.  The long-term campaign prep is more intensive early on and is ongoing throughout the campaign.   The weekly prep is relatively short and quick but the long and short-term prep definitely influence one another.  Short Term \ Weekly Prep Prep for the next game takes place during the current game.  I take notes as I go.  Names, professions, and locations of key NPCs, particularly unexpected or improvised NPCs are written down. Magic items picked up by the party are noted.  The date and time of the end of the session are also noted.  I am pretty confident I can remember what happened in the session and do need to write that down during the current game.   My notes are quick and dirt, usually a bulleted list and just a few words, rarely complete sentences. During the off week, I create an outline for the next sessions.  ...

  https://www.dmsguild.com/product/409692/L1-The-Secret-of-Bone-Hill--5e-Conversion-Guide-with-Maps Please enjoy this 5e D&D conversion of the various monsters, creatures, magic items, and encounters for the classic D&D module L1 The Secret of Bone Hill.  The original module, the Monster Manual, and the Dungeon Masters Guide are required to use this conversion guide.  This 30 page conversion guide includes conversions of each location and encounter, maps, new monsters and NPCs as well as new magic items.   The original adventure is available for purchase on DMs Guild. The following digital maps have been included at 70 DPI.  Grid and no grid options have been included.     Two variants of each map have been provided. Map of the Wilderness The Village of Restenford Bone Hill Castle Ruins Castle Bone Hill Castle Ruins 2nd Floor Bone Hill Castle Ruins 3rd Floor Bone Hill Castle Ruins Basement Bone Hill Castle Ruins Lower Level Guard St...

  https://www.dmsguild.com/product/406088/Q1-Queen-of-the-Demonweb-Pits--5e-Conversion-Guide-with-Maps Please enjoy this 5e D&D conversion of the various monsters, creatures, spells, magic items, and encounters for the classic D&D module Q1 Queen of the Demonweb Pits.  The original module, the Monster Manual, and either Volo’s Guide to Monsters or Monsters of the Multiverse are required to use this conversion guide. The original adventure is available for purchase on DMs Guild. The following digital maps have been included at 70 DPI. Grid and no grid options have been included. Two variants of each map have been provided. Demonweb Variant A Demonweb Variant B Demonweb Level 1 – Room 1 Demonweb Level 1 – Room 2 Demonweb Level 1 – Room 3 Demonweb Level 1 – Room 4 Demonweb Level 2 – Room 5 Demonweb Level 2 – Room 6 Demonweb Level 2 – Room 6 Demonweb Level 2 – Room 7 Demonweb Level 3 – Room 8 Demonweb Level 3 – Room 9 Demonweb Level 3 – Room 10 Demonweb Level 3 – Room 11 ...

  UPDATED: 6/17/2024 I create maps for Dungeons and Dragons for my own custom world and for many 5e conversions I post for sale on DMs Guild . I have piles of hand-drawn maps from the 80s and 90s over the past 10 to 20 years I have tried many mapping programs and settled on a few favored pieces of software.   Dungeondraft by Megasploot Dungeondraft by Megasploot is my favorite mapping program for dungeons, small wilderness areas, and battle maps.    It is easy to learn and I can knock out a good-looking map in a few hours or less depending on what I am trying to create.  It comes with a healthy number of textures and assets.  Free assets can easily be created and added or purchased from 3rd parties.     The learning curve is low, the price is low and the software is fast and flexible.  It is possible to bring in an image and trace or draw over it, using it as a guide or template.  This works well, but if the old map has a grid...

Two years ago most Gen Con events were virtual due to the Covid pandemic. I signed up for several sessions by Ben Riggs about the fall of TSR and the purchase of the company by Wizards of the Coast. Ben was an engaging and knowledgeable presenter, and I watched most of his sessions twice. I was very excited to hear he was publishing a book based on his research and this year the book was slated for release on my birthday. "Slaying the Dragon A Secret History of Dungeons & Dragons" was at the top of my Amazon wish list and I was thrilled to receive a copy. With my own gaming preparation and 5e conversion efforts I do not get through as many books as I used to, but I absolutely devoured this enjoyable book. Mr. Riggs's writing is as engaging as the presentations I attended two years ago and the book is full of informative and interesting stories about the rise and fall of TSR. I enthusiastically recommend purchasing this book to anyone interested in learnin...

  N1 Against the Cult of the Reptile God - 5e Conversion Guide with Maps - Dungeon Masters Guild | Dungeon Masters Guild (dmsguild.com) Please enjoy this 5e D&D conversion of the various monsters, creatures, magic items, and encounters for the classic D&D module N1 Against the Cult of the Reptile God.  The original module, the Monster Manual, and the Dungeon Masters Guide are required to use this conversion guide. The original adventure is available for purchase on DMs Guild. The following digital maps have been included at 70 DPI.  Grid and no grid options have been included.     Two variants of each map have been provided. The Village of Orlane The Golden Grain Inn Inn of the Slumbering Serpent Temple of Merikka – Ground Floor Temple of Merikka – Upper Floor Temple of Merikka – Cellar The Dungeon of the Reptile God – Level 1 (two variations) The Dungeon of the Reptile God – Level 2 (two variations)

Advice for New DMs I have been running D&D games since the early 1980s .  Here are my thoughts that may help new Dungeon Masters as they begin running games.  Keep it moving.  This is the most important advice I can offer.  Keep the game moving and don't get bogged down by the rules.  If you aren't sure about a rule or game mechanic, make a quick ruling at the table and move on.  Make a note about the rule and in between games look it up and implement it next time around, or if you prefer your own house ruling, keep using it.  The rules are a framework, and there are many optional rule variants in the official books.   Experienced Dungeon Masters like Professor Dungeon Master over at Dungeoncraft or Ye Old Geek frequently recommend game hacks or rules changes to improve or speed up the game.  Make Notes If your players meet an NPC or make a discovery make a quick note, particularly if it was not something you anticipated.  ...

“ The limp body of the captain was lifted high in the claw of the massive glabrezu.  The captain’s companions lept towards the beast before it claw could either crush the life out of its prey or cast him into the nearby flame-filled chasm .”   This was the scene during my weekly game this past week.   The party had chased the Matron Mother of a Drow House into a shrine within her manor hoping to capture her.   The matron had polymorphed into a glabrezu and had attacked the rogue dropping him to zero hit points.   What would this NPC do?  Crush or otherwise kill the player character, or drop him and attack other player characters.   Handling NPCs tactics and strategy requires considering the intelligence, behavior, knowledge, and motivation of each NPC.   I have read and listened to a fair amount on this subject and first and foremost, I would recommend taking a look at the “The Monsters Know What they are Doing” book o...

I grew up playing D&D in the early 80s and tend to view D&D through an old-school lens.  I enjoyed Advanced Dungeons and Dragons and if I am lucky, I still run an A&D game once a year at a local convention.   I played 2 nd edition, read the 3 rd edition books, and played some video games based on 3 rd edition.  I read the 4 th edition books, wrote a campaign \ adventure for 4 th edition , and ran a few games, mostly with my kids.   I found 3 rd and 4 th editions to be pretty complicated and they didn’t feel like earlier editions.  I really enjoyed the edition of minions in 4 th edition and I’ve tried to use them a bit in 5 th Edition.  4 th Edition felt almost too tactical and a bit like a video game.  It was not bad, but it did not ‘feel’ like D&D.  5 th Edition felt like the best of both worlds or all five worlds.   In my humble opinion, it took the best of AD&D, 2 nd edition, 3 rd edition (3....

 I have created a new page on this blog with a concise list of all of my publications for D&D as well as for a few computer games.   The previous list in the menu was long and messy looking, this page should be a better way to keep track of everything.  I hope you find it helpful. Publications (enoa4rpg.blogspot.com) Happy Gaming.

 I do not clearly remember the year I started playing Dungeons and Dragons, but it was around 1980 give or take a year or two.  I was a player a little, but almost exclusively ran games as a Dungeon Master.  I collected TSR books, adventure modules, and games, and dabbled a bit with Traveller, but D&D was my primary game.   I wrote custom adventures and created homebrew worlds through college, and stopped a few years after as friends drifted away and adult life set in.  Computer games scratched the itch for role-playing from the mid-1990s until around 2016.  I even wrote adventures for the Neverwinter Nights 1 and Neverwinter Nights 2 computer games based on Dungeons and Dragons. My kids were old enough that I could sneak out of the house once a week or an open game at Titan Games , a local gaming store.   The open group grew steadily until it was quite large and hard for the DM and store owner to run each week.  He knew I was itch...

  https://www.dmsguild.com/product/401794/B1-In-Search-of-the-Unknown--5e-Conversion-Guide-with-Maps Please enjoy this 5e D&D conversion of the various monsters, creatures, magic items, and encounters for the classic D&D module B1: In Search of the Unknown.  The original module, the Monster Manual, and the Dungeon Masters Guide are required to use this conversion guide. The original adventure is available for purchase on DMs Guild. The following digital maps have been included at 70 DPI.  Grid and no grid options have been included.     Two variants of each map have been provided. • Caverns of Quasqueton Upper Level 4900 x 6160 • Caverns of Quasqueton Lower Level 4900 x 6580

  DL6 Dragons of Ice - 5e Conversion Guide with Maps - Dungeon Masters Guild | Dungeon Masters Guild (dmsguild.com) This is a 5e D&D conversion guide of the various monsters, creatures, and encounters for the classic module DL6: Dragons of Ice. The original module is required to use this conversion guide and may be purchased here . Conversions of the original pre-generated characters are included. Seven maps have been prepared of key locations at 70 DPI. Grid and no grid variants of most maps are included. Maps provided include: Camp of the Ice Folk Ice Wall Castle Lower Reaches Ice Wall Castle Upper Reach Map of the Ice Reachers and the New Tarsian Coast Tarsis The World of Krynn – Western Ansalon Other 5e conversions of classic Dragonlance adventures are also available: DL1 Dragons of Despair - https://www.dmsguild.com/product/357010/DL1-Dragons-of-Despair-5e-Conversion-Guide-with-Maps DL2 Dragons of Flame - https://www.dmsguild.com/product/396779/DL2-Dragons-of-Flame--5e-Con...

  https://www.dmsguild.com/product/399037/DL4-Dragons-of-Desolation--5e-Conversion-with-Maps This is a 5e D&D conversion guide of the various monsters, creatures, and encounters for the classic module DL4: Dragons of Desolation. The original module is required to use this conversion guide and may be purchased here. Conversions of the original pre-generated characters are included. Over 20 maps have been prepared of key locations at 70 DPI. Grid and no grid variants of most maps are included. Maps provided include: The Kingdom of Thorbardin with labels (Hex and No Hex Variant) The Kingdom of Thorbardin without labels (Hex and No Hex Variant) The Floating Tomb Lower Level The Floating Tomb Middle Level The Floating Tomb Upper Level The Floating Tomb Top Level The Kingdom of Thorbardin – 01 Gatehouse The Kingdom of Thorbardin – 02 Great Hall The Kingdom of Thorbardin – 03 Kings Wall Corner I The Kingdom of Thorbardin – 04 Kings Wall Gate The Kingdom of Thorbardin – 05 Kings Wall I...

  DL3 Dragons of Hope - 5e Conversion Guide with Maps - Dungeon Masters Guild | Dungeon Masters Guild (dmsguild.com) This is a 5e D&D conversion guide of the various monsters, creatures, and encounters for the classic module DL3: Dragons of Hope. The original module is required to use this conversion guide and may be purchased here. Conversions of the original pre-generated characters are included. Maps have been prepared at 70 DPI of key locations. Grid and no grid variants of most maps are included. Maps provided include: Overland Overland – alternate Skullcap Level 01 Skullcap Level 02 Skullcap Level 03 Steam Caverns Steam Caverns City

  https://www.dmsguild.com/product/396779/DL2-Dragons-of-Flame--5e-Conversion-Guide-with-Map s This is a 5e D&D conversion guide of the various monsters, creatures, and encounters for the classic module DL2: Dragons of Flame. The original module is required to use this conversion guide and may be purchased at DMs Guild.  Conversions of the original pre-generated characters are included.  Maps have been prepared at 70 DPI of key locations. Grid and no grid variants of most maps are included. Maps provided include: Elven Mosaic Area Map Pax Tharkas – Lower Level West Pax Tharkas – Middle Level West Pax Tharkas – Upper Level West Pax Tharkas – Middle Level Center Pax Tharkas – Middle Level East Sla-Mori Inn of the Last Home

Please enjoy this 5e D&D conversion of the various monsters, creatures, magic items, and encounters for the classic D&D module B2: Keep on the Borderlands. The original module, the Monster Manual, Volo’s Guide to Monsters, and the Dungeon Masters Guide are required to use this conversion guide. The original adventure is available for purchase on DMs Guild. The following digital maps have been included at 70 DPI. Grid and no grid options have been included.  Caves of Chaos Exterior 9620 x 6300  Caves of Chaos Interior 9620 x 6300  Wilderness 6650 x 8400  Keep on the Borderlands 6020 x 7000  Guild House 700 x 1330  Trader 840 x 980

  A4 In the Dungeons of the Slave Lords - 5e Conversion with Maps - Dungeon Masters Guild | Dungeon Masters Guild (dmsguild.com) Please enjoy this 5e D&D conversion of the various monsters, creatures, magic items, and encounters for the classic D&D module A4: In the Dungeons of the Slave Lords.  The original module, the Monster Manual, Volo’s Guide to Monsters, and the Dungeon Masters Guide are required to use this conversion guide. The original adventure is available for purchase on DMs Guild. The following digital maps have been included at 70 DPI.  Grid and no grid options have been included.  The Dungeons of the Slave Lords The Dungeons of the Slave Lords – Area 6 The Dungeons of the Slave Lords – Area 10 The Dungeons of the Slave Lords – Area 11 The Dungeons of the Slave Lords – Area 16 The Dungeons of the Slave Lords – Area 21 The Island The Water Dragon The Docks

  A 5e Conversion with maps now available at DMs Guild. Please enjoy this 5e D&D conversion of the various monsters, creatures, magic items, and encounters for the classic D&D module A3: Assault on the Aerie of the Slave Lords.  The original module, the Monster Manual, and Volo’s Guide to Monsters are required to use this conversion guide.  The following digital maps have been included at 70 DPI.  Grid and no grid options have been included.   Two variants are provided of the city of Suderham map   Cave Map Part A City Map (Suderham) Part B – Variant A City Map (Suderham) Part B – Variant B Sewer Map Part C Bonus Map – Tavern and Warehouse Bonus Map – Three-Story Warehouse

  Please enjoy this 5e D&D conversion of the various monsters, creatures, magic items, and encounters for the classic D&D module A2: Secret of the Slavers Stockade. The original module, the Monster Manual, and Volo’s Guide to Monsters are required to use this conversion guide. The following digital maps have been included at 70 DPI. Grid and no grid options have been included. The slavers stockade maps are com composites maps which include the stockade, gatehouse, curtain wall, and area 34. The gatehouse, curtain wall, and area 34 are also provided as separate maps. The Slavers Stockade – Ground Level The Slavers Stockade – 2nd Floor The Slavers Stockade – 3rd Floor The Slavers Stockade – 4th Floor Curtain Wall 2nd Floor Curtain Wall 3rd Floor Gatehouse 2nd Floor Gatehouse 3rd Floor Gatehouse 4th Floor Dungeon Level https://www.dmsguild.com/product/391517/A2-Secret-of-the-Slavers-Stockade--5e-Conversion-Guide-with-Maps