Given the fantasy nature of Inception, it's a great fit as a theme for a D&D campaign and a perfect model for a skill challenge.

The heist

This skill challenge begins with a simple premise. Perhaps an enemy of the PCs has information they must get and the only way to get it is to dig into the enemy's mind. Keeping this goal as straight forward as possible makes the whole skill challenge come together.

How the PCs actually invade the dreams of their enemy is up to you. Maybe they acquire access to a special "dream pool" that lets them invade the dreams of their enemies. Maybe an old hag gives them a ritual to do so. How they get there isn't that important. What they do there is.

The roles

Like Inception, each of the PCs should have a role. The roles can be determined by the best skills of the PCs and not every role needs to necessarily be present. Some characters can accept multiple roles if need-be. The roles and key skills include:

• The Mark: The target for this particular event.
• The Architect: Puts together the overall dreamscape the party and the mark will inhabit. During the actual job, the architect will change the way the environment acts and reacts. Key skills: dungeoneering, history, nature, perception.
• The Extractor: The person who will actually dig into the mark and find the piece of information they have. Key skills: thievery, insight, perception, bluff, diplomacy.
• The Enforcer: The person who handles trouble as it arises. This is mostly a physical role, keeping potential dreamscape attackers away or breaking through things the architect can't control. Key skills: endurance, athletics, acrobatics.
• The Chemist: The person who handles the connections between the mark and the extraction team. Key skills: religion, arcana.
• The Forger: The person who tricks the mark into believing the forger is someone else. Often acts as a key figure in the life of the mark such as an estranged father, a slain brother, or a lovely damsel. Key skills: thievery, bluff, intimidate, streetwise.

Because this sort of skill challenge is based on these roles, it quickly becomes clearer what the PCs are able to do. This makes the overall skill challenge more refined than a standard open-ended series of skill checks.

Sometimes it gets physical

This scenario doesn't necessarily need to only be a series of skill checks. Dreams can take on very violent forms, requiring the party to engage in a battle with the subconscious enemies within the mark. Since this battle takes place during the rest of the dream, it has lots of potential Combat Outs such as convincing the mark to dismiss the subconscious enemies, giving the architect enough time to change the physics of the environment, or many other potential endings.

The potential for expansion

While you might only use this idea as a single short skill challenge, you might expand this into an entire adventure or even a main source for your campaign. If your players like it, there's no telling how far you can take it.

If you liked this article, please take a look at Sly Flourish's Dungeon Master Tips and Running Epic Tier D&D Games. You can also use these links to pick up Inception, the Dungeon Master's Kit, or the Monster Vault. Need some cool nightmarish monsters? Take a look at the Dreamblade miniatures at Troll and Toad, an official Sly Flourish sponsor.

The joining of characters through relationships is an easy component to steal from Fiasco that brings rich connections between D&D characters and the group in which they find themselves.

Establishing these relationships solves one of the most tiresome cliche's of our beloved game: the old "you all meet in a bar" character introduction. Using the chart we can build simple yet rich relationships among the members of the party that can lead to all new adventures, quests, and connections to the world.

How to use this list

During character creation, have each player roll 1d20. The result ties his or her PC to the PC of the player on his or her left. This repeats around the table until each PC has two relationships, one with the player on the left and one with the player on the right.

Let the players discuss the nature of this relationship, choosing a side when applicable and adding some details of their own. Record all of this and reinforce it by sending it in email and having players record it on their character sheets. If one doesn't make sense or is quite displeasing to one or both of the players, let them re-roll it.

Throughout your campaign, tie the plots and adventures to these relationships and backgrounds of the PCs.

The relationship chart

1. Only two survivors of former adventuring company
2. Former friends or lovers that fell out
3. Mentor and apprentice
4. Boss and hired hand
5. Siblings
6. Former prison cell-mates
7. Former members of a town militia
8. Former members of a mercenary company
9. Former members of a thieves guild
10. Former students of a beloved teacher
11. Lord and serf
12. Former veterans of the same war
13. Ward and protector
14. Bounty hunter and prisoner
15. Former members of the same grifter crew
16. Former members of the same street gang
17. Former enemies that now work together
18. Members of the same adopted family
19. Former slave
20. Business partners

Tailoring this list

When running a campaign in a specific game world such as Dark Sun, Neverwinter or Gloomwrought, tailor the list to tie characters to the game world you have selected. Replace or add details to the chart above based on specific houses, factions, or locations within your campaign.

Update: Logan Bonner's Dragon Slayers for Fiasco

When I originally wrote this article, I was unaware of Logan Bonner's Dragon Slayers accessory for Fiasco. It contains an excellent set of backgrounds and relationships (some of which appear, coincidently, in the list above). If you're looking for a more in-depth set of backgrounds and relationships, that is a great accessory to reference. Thanks to Logan Bonner for putting it out for free!

If you enjoyed this article, please take a look at Sly Flourish's Dungeon Master Tips or Running Epic Tier D&D Games. You might also take a look at the new Pathfinder Heroes miniatures at Troll and Toad, an official Sly Flourish sponsor.

Today we'll talk about all the components you might want to carry in that D&D DM Walk-Away kit, whether it's for a convention or for a quick trip to a friend's house. This is a perfect kit to fit easily into your luggage and let you run many a D&D 4e game.

The DM Kit Checklist

• 1 Gamemastery Flip Map
• 1 D&D Starter Set poster map
• 1 pack of color dry erase markers
• 2 large retractable dry-erase markers
• 4 sets of dice
• 6 level 1 pregen characters (7 meg PDF) in sheet protectors
• 6 PC miniatures to match your pre-gen characters. The Pathfinder Heroes minis are a good start or go with Troll and Toad minis.
• 1 copy D&D Beginner Set DM Book
• 1 set of D&D monster tokens also from the beginner set
• 40 3x5 cards
• 1 set of colored hair ties
• 1 copy of the DM Cheat Sheet in a sheet protector
• 1 large flexible and durable portfolio to hold all that stuff.

Most of the actual D&D materials in this pack comes from the D&D Starter Set. Though of limited use in a home campaign, the box comes with a lot of materials useful for a walk-away DM kit. The poster map is an excellent resource, as are the PC and monster tokens. The DM book includes enough rules to keep a game going and enough monsters to let you build out a few small adventures. It even has a spare set of dice.

If you want a better dry-erase flip map and some stand-up cardboard tokens, the Pathfinder Beginner Box contains both of these. They're great for a walk-around kit and stand-up tokens are nicer than the flat ones in the starter pack. Unless you play Pathfinder, though, you won't get much else from the box.

Dry-erase markers are great for writing on the plastic sleeves of character sheets or on the dry-erase poster map. The thick black retractable markers last for a long long time while the colored ones let you draw out a bit more detail on the flip map.

3x5 cards are a DM's ultimate tool for tracking initiative, handing out secret notes, outlining a short adventure, keeping track of NPCs, or a variety of other purposes. Always have a small stack on-hand.

Colored hair-ties, available for a few bucks at Walgreens, work perfectly for tracking bloodied creatures and other status effects. They're very light-weight which is important for our kit.

If this article was helpful, take a look at Sly Flourish's Dungeon Master Tips and Running Epic Tier D&D Games. You can also bookmark and use this Amazon link for your Amazon purchases.

Here's to a new year of dice rolling and monster slaying! Happy new years, my friends!

Question for math nerds. What would Mastermind be like with only three potential slots and four potential colors? How much faster to solve?

I'd really like to see @Wizards_DnD spend more energy getting groups together to play regardless of whether it's at a game shop or not.

Limiting Lair Assault and #dnd Encounters to game shops hurts. Why can't local library groups order such things? Community centers?

By the way, I agree with my friend @newbiedm that marketing RPGs to kids and families is a good future route. If he goes public, I'd invest.

#dnd tip: Ask your players what they enjoy the most and the least in your games. Always seek to tweak and improve your game.

@EldritchReverie My resolutions are similar: Help DMs run better games and help more people find games to play in.

You could probably assign certain feats at certain levels and thus streamline character progression and reduce the large number of feats.

#dnd tip: A small number of monsters at a higher level can be easier to manage and makes for a faster yet still challenging encounter.

The pathfinder beginner box pretty amazing. Dry-erase map, stand-up tokens, awesome pregen char sheets. Lots to love: https://t.co/zmSLeWYr

I actually think it's a great time to be a tabletop gamer. There are a lot of excellent high-quality options.

I'd like Pathfinder more if I thought it wouldn't fall apart above level 10 - of course, most of them seem to, but 3.5 was the worst for me.

The dry erase poster map in the Pathfinder Beginner box is my new DM kit default: https://t.co/Pzoc6DM3 http://t.co/6IZaQJgs

Check out Chris Perkins's adventure outline format for his home game. Cuts right to the important parts: http://t.co/QGofsCVB #dnd

#dnd tip from @erikscottdebie: Keep a page or two of random NPCs around for your sandbox games. http://t.co/1EGDY5QL

.@KatoKatonian @jelmore Setting up a map index is worth doing. I use mine all the time when planning adventures. http://t.co/W6GxNE90 #dnd

Here's how a pro like @TheIdDM runs a #dnd game: http://t.co/zX0mPmek

Excellent pregen character library from Dungeon's Master: http://t.co/iGlivMA3 #dnd

#dnd tip: Keep some maps and tiles of generic rooms, inns, streets, and wilderness encounters for on-the-spot encounters.

Good advice for #dnd DMs if you reverse the tips from @Mongonius: http://t.co/rQKxWnaQ

The more I read @alphastream's words, the more impressed I am with that guy. Consider this my #ff even though I don't believe in such things

Wizards of the Coast announces the upcoming open playtest of the new edition of Dungeons and Dragons: http://t.co/WuXhGV8G #dnd

New York Times on 5e #dnd: http://t.co/8x0fsFFw and Forbes: http://t.co/m50bRBwi

"Combat was quick and satisfying" Yay! #dnd: http://t.co/T384MoYn

Here's to hoping some of my wishes get addressed: http://t.co/u1E1iDee

The Escapist on the new edition of #dnd: http://t.co/bEX2sisT

If you want more detail into what they might be thinking for the new #dnd, read the Legends and Lore compilation: http://t.co/4xRlqXqv

CNN on the new #dnd including quotes from yours truly: http://t.co/ZAiClo4u Special thanks to the awesome @SarahDarkmagic for the intro.

By the way, in case anyone cares, I plan to continue writing 4e stuff short term and move into the new edition as my passion desires. #dnd

#dnd tip: Want some extra threat and a way to deal with so many multiple attacks? Give your monster a fire shield that hits back!

@4eblogs just renamed itself to @dndblogs and a new domain for the site has been acquired. http://t.co/TsRXID96

#dnd new edition designer, @rjschwalb, speaks! http://t.co/a5XuoQPA Given his previous posts and criticisms, I'm very excited.

Best combined news source about #dndnext I've seen: http://t.co/8WIcQxgb Thanks @Morrus!

4eBlogs is now officially DnDBlogs! http://t.co/TsRXID96

So what are some ways we've played #dnd 4e modularly? I know selecting specific source books for character creation is one way. Others?

So to make life easy for your #dnd 4e group, choose a default point buy of 16, 16, 12, 10, 10, 10 as your default ability scores.

.@SarahDarkmagic Short campaigns are the most fun I've had. 3 to 6 level mini-campaigns is very rewarding and allows for modularity. #dnd

A good conversation on #dndnext with @Squach, @SarahDarkmagic, and @DMSamuel: http://t.co/QNPk7wPP

@matt_james_rpg Best names ever: http://t.co/56qEWt5W

I like my wizard duel idea: best of 3 rounds. D20+arcana. High wins. Play rock, paper, scissors each round for a +4 bonus. #dnd

Think Saruman and Gandalf's duel in Two Towers.

Sponsored Tweet: For a true epic-threat, check out the Pathfinder Huge Black Dragon at Troll and Toad: http://t.co/WCQbGuWC #dnd

Pathfinder minis apparently to be released tomorrow: http://t.co/E56KfFUa Thanks @Hzurr

The upcoming map packs may very well be my favorite tabletop accessory this year: http://t.co/3xh1bz6x I love poster maps. #DnD

#dnd tip: When building monsters, keep them to only the most important powers. Keep them lean and simple at the table.

@PennyArcadeFeed: News Post: The Way Forward http://t.co/m0Pyvfz7

@jelmore http://t.co/rVcI2X3r but thats ALL tweeters. http://t.co/QdN1dxtE is my secret stat page.

Between the new #dnd miniatures coming out by WOTC and the just-released Pathfinder minis, it's a good year for minis! http://t.co/E56KfFUa

Ran an epic essentials+ game last night: Fast combat, tons of damage, good monster threat, generally happy players. #dnd

One thing about my essentials+ epic tier game last night: it was like pee-wee soccer. So many melee folks chasing one dude down. #dnd

#dnd tip: Not every boss needs to be a solo. Elites, and even normal monsters, can work well as humanoid bosses.

Is that Cryonax on the cover of Heroes of the Elemental Chaos? Sure looks like Cryonax: http://t.co/V1l0uqes Does @rjschwalb know?

Nerd #dnd question for the day: What is your favorite D20 and where did you get it?

#dnd tip: Turn a normal creature into an elite easily with twice the hit points and an extra standard action each round.

Probably one of the best articles I've read on #dndnext by @shawnmerwin: http://t.co/8sVGooJo

My simplified level 12 slayer #dnd character sheet:
http://t.co/oi4IMAC7

Add a second little patch of the toolbox liner to keep your acrylic sheet stable on your tiles. #dnd http://t.co/tcoUtCCI

#dnd tip: Poster maps and a 24" by 36" polycarbonate sheet are the best encounter props you can get.

Nice to know I wasn't the only one having problems challenging epic PCs. @cwgabriel felt much the same: http://t.co/DskSm0bD #dnd

Considering my #dndnext campaign: Temple of Elemental Evil, Queen of Spiders, Tomb of Horrors, and the Bloodstone adventures. Level 1-100!

Sponsored Tweet: Check out the new Pathfinder Heroes and Monster minis at @trollandtoad: http://t.co/GMqgfh4X #dnd

@SithLordYoda The game went a lot faster and the threat to the PCs was high. I'd definitely recommend essentials only for high level play.

#dnd tip: Mix and match your mini collection and the D&D Adventure Board Game minis to make the most of both.

My order from @trollandtoad came in! Look at that lich! http://t.co/TfF0MZdi

Here's a close up of the lich. http://t.co/PF2aLoTb

An important community announcement upon which we should all take heed from the @dungeonbastard: http://t.co/hQLWM9wL #dnd

#dnd tip: For an easy Combat Out, tie brutes or skirmishers to artillery or controllers. If either group dies, the others break down.

Tonight the Heroes of Shadow make a hard visit to the Raven's Eyrie in Gloomwrought. Blood will very likely spill. #dnd

Wow. @Wizards_DnD is releasing a reprint of the 1st edition #dnd books: http://t.co/hxe4OUUD

#dnd tip: Granting combat advantage is a nice clean nasty status effect to give to a monster's attack or aura.

#dnd tip: Don't force a story. Think what the main NPCs in your campaign are doing right now as they react to the PCs' actions.

Still heavily considering adding a "daze, stun, and dominate end at start of turn" to all solos and elites. So simple and powerful. #dnd

Here's a question: has finding a good #dnd group gotten any easier over the past 4 years?

@Bartoneus It's funny because I thought @davethegame had a whole posse who mocked me for complaining about WOTC's lack of Mac support.

Interesting to look at my first take on 4e #dnd: http://t.co/hqENLvPv questionable scaling, fast NPC generation, fun powers, long battles.

@wizards_dnd I hope there's a list there of "things we shouldn't go back to" somewhere on @MonteJCook's white board.

#dnd definitely needs some mechanical tweaky bits but it should stay simple enough to roll up a character on paper in under 15 minutes.

Here's a useful chart for any version of #dnd you might be playing! d100 NPC traits! https://t.co/7RHOkCLm

Fantastic article by @TheIdDM on the psychology of change as it relates to #dndnext: http://t.co/tefFMZJG I hope @Wizards_DnD reads this.

Running Talon of Umberlee. http://t.co/iTaXZhge

My group beat the Lair Assault easily. Stealthed through first encounter. Went right for the Baron in the second. Baron flubbed attacks.

Great list of #dnd twitter personalities curated by @morrus: https://t.co/fgEW5dBE

#dnd tip: Pull out some fun old adventures for inspiration into your current 4e game.

@2Dskillz It's actually Perkins's Instant Monster: http://t.co/b5T5PVoW

Your @trollandtoad Tuesday miniature of the week: The Giant Caveweaver Spider! An excellent #dnd monster at any level. http://t.co/1347nRWf

#dnd tip: For your more open-ended games, having about three possible paths the party might go and don't fall in love with any one of them.

#dnd miniature of the week, the Balor! One of the best boss minis you'll ever have. http://t.co/prHjNfDN available at @trollandtoad.

Just got the Haunted Temples map pack. It comes in a nice folio: https://t.co/vHQ2bXkN http://t.co/3oJepsdi

Haunted Temple Map images uploaded to my WOTC map index. They're the first six in the album. https://t.co/6Jmuge4s #dnd

Three of the haunted temple maps feel heroic-tier to me. Three of them feel paragon-epic tier. Nice mix of temple types. #dnd

I still love how @TheIdDM's article statistically shows that @wilw takes too long on his #dnd turns. http://t.co/4cvwbePk

DDXP travel kit. http://t.co/vpxsZaf0

#dnd tip: Keep a list of favorite supporting characters in movies you liked for ad-hoc NPC roleplaying.

@DrNathanJPanke My cheat sheet, an old delve, pregens, 3x5 cards, pathfinder map, starter set map, monster tokens, hero minis.

DDXP side one of the main hall. Beautiful place but probably not as nice as @newbiedm's house. http://t.co/4EgOJwGE

The seminar area of the main hall. A secret meeting already takes place. I see @Trevor_WotC there. http://t.co/NOIiW317

A mini vendor lane finishes up the virtual tour: http://t.co/QFld0QTx

The quiet before the storm. http://t.co/LJYCcr09

@gregbilsland: Game of #dndnext here at#ddxp being run by @Alphastream. http://t.co/7FzNTexH My arms are in that pic!

#dnd tip: Build out your story, then refine it to the most cool piece of it.

@mikemearls @MonteJCook and Jeremy Crawford preparing for the first #dndnext seminar. Follow @criticalhits for news. http://t.co/aS2zcKjB

@newbiedm. Guess who else has a Moleskine notebook? @MonteJCook! I'd take a pic but it would probably get me killed.

Our adventurers are leading a clan of orcs against a clan of kobolds. My well-placed fear spell role the Orc chief's resolve. #dndnext

Awesome game with @MonteJCook, @geeksdreamgirl and others. Played #dndnext twice and it was totally different each time.

Pic from the game I was in earlier with @geeksdreamgirl @MonteJCook and friends. #dndnext http://t.co/poszp0eZ

Seeing a 4e solo's "wipe any effect" from the player side, its definitely a cheesy monster effect. #dnd

The MV dragon's daze and stun mitigation is good but won't help with other oppressive effects like marks, weakened, or stunted movement.

Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Article (Unfinished Business) http://t.co/n9ulzjq0

#ddxp day 2. Thinking about status effects, solos, and high-level play. Guess I could have said that for four years. #dnd

Excellent DDXP 2012 Report by @geeksdreamgirl: The First Glimpses at the New Edition of Dungeons & Dragons http://t.co/lsF65fKN #dndnext

#dnd tip: While you can get away with tokens for monsters, invest in a good set of PC miniatures. http://t.co/eumz5gQ5

Great lunchtime question from @RosaMoonshadow. What keeps you engaged in a #dnd game as a player?

Random encounter with @rjschwalb. I asked him about poor gimpy solos. His reply: "we've got you covered". #dndnext

@rjschwalb spoke on the value of Charm Person being 10.5 points of damage to balance it at level one. Interesting. #dndnext

From my #dndnext game. Guess what mod we're playing! http://t.co/I9OxzaL2

Ran my first #dndnext game. Like Bilsland showed yesterday, I ran both with and without a tactical map in the same game. Worked great!

Cool news on the next set of Pathfinder minis. I loved the first set. http://t.co/JVZJWoAc #dnd

"We enter the room in a standard burst 1 formation." That never gets old. #dnd http://t.co/QYM4v5hq

My berserker barbarian dice. Guess which set is my rage dice. #dnd http://t.co/44EH1osb

My barbarian is in his happiest place. He's the one with the fur cloak and fire hair. #dnd http://t.co/LAeH8mFV

.@dmalenda said his play group had a maneuver they called "the dolphin" that he never understood. Definitely a 4e #dnd game.

I haven't cracked it open yet but "traps galore" sold me on this Cathedral of Chaos #dnd dungeon tile set. http://t.co/soI4LEEP

Ran into my first SF DM cheat sheet in the wild when @rosamoonshadow and I met @tirionalexander at Champions across from #ddxp.

Last day of #ddxp. Everyone is looking a bit rough around the edges but the dice will still fly! I have one more #dndnext game to run.

Pretty epic pic of the #dndnext team at Champions last night taken by @BruceCordell
http://t.co/cOTGnFYj

Finished my final run of #dndnext. Group had a blast. That's three games I ran and two I played. Good times.

It's really nice to see ability scores actually matter in #dndnext. In 4e, the score was pretty meaningless.

.@rjschwalb hopes skill challenges die in a fire. He prefers a series of skill checks to remove a rigid rule set.

After playing it five times, I think the core system of #dndnext is very solid. Still needs a lot of content and polish, but lots of fun.

@Wizards_DnD The core mechanics of #dndnext was my favorite thing. The focus on attributes and the shallow bonus curve are great.

@TheIdDM: Critically Hit by Mike Shea http://t.co/vkI1dcQl I was interviewed by @mshea for the @criticalhits podcast. Take a listen! #dnd"

#dnd tip: It's easy to wipe people out in Gamma World. Plan accordingly.

.@enworld's #dndnext roundup continues to be the best source for 5e info: http://t.co/8WIcQxgb

.@Alphastream's initiative system for #dndnext worked really really well: http://t.co/WmVREBGO

Here's a great list of NPCs for your Deadwood-based sandbox #dnd game: http://t.co/NdqA7Hzc

Good talk on powers in this weeks rule of three. #dnd http://t.co/GCpnYzZh

#dnd tip: Stick to two to three different kinds of monsters in an encounter. More than that gets too complicated to run easily.

Another excellent introspective #dnd article by @TheIdDM on the Arena: http://t.co/YS0pV2XK

Troll and Toad Tuesday #dnd mini: Everyone needs a great-axe wielding half orc barbarian in their hero pile: http://t.co/mDULBZ38

Good looking printable maps for your #dnd Gamma World games: http://t.co/elLPmyNf

If you enjoyed these tips, take a look at Sly Flourish’s Dungeon Master Tips book or Sly Flourish’s Running Epic Tier D&D Games. You can also use these links to purchase the Heroes of the Fallen Lands, the Dungeon Master’s Kit, or the Monster Vault or bookmark this link to buy anything from Amazon.

Need some battle maps? Pick up some Gamemastery Flip-Maps from Troll and Toad, an official Sly Flourish sponsor.

If you enjoyed this video, please take a look at Sly Flourish's Dungeon Master Tips or Running Epic Tier D&D Games. You can also purchase the dungeon tile master set, the Shadowghast Manor tiles, or the toolbox liner mentioned in this video. Good tiles are nothing without good miniatures. Check out the latest Pathfinder singles at Troll and Toad, an official Sly Flourish sponsor.

But what if that single boss isn't a a single boss at all? What if the boss is split among a number of different monsters? Now nuking a single target isn't possible. That focused PC wrath will be redistributed among a group of monsters. How can this be possible? Let's take a look at an example.

The Hag

The party finally faces off against a nemesis of theirs, a powerful street hag. As the party faces off against her, her form splits into three identical images. One of them, begins twisting her fingers into channeled arcane energy while two other forms grow long claws, slide along the ground, and tear into the party. All three cackle with the same maniacal voice as two huge golems burst from the streets and attack.

In this example, our big boss simply splits into three single hags, each of them a part of the whole. The party doesn't have a single target and the hag gets three full turns worth of actions. There's really no mechanics to this, it's all in how the encounter is described. On paper, it's three hag monsters. But in flavor it's a single hag split up into three forms.

Adding a Combat Out

A battle like this also has a built-in combat-out. While the three hags also have two street golem bodyguards, the bodyguards are clearly not the main target. A good perception or arcana check will inform the party that the golems are under the control of the hag and will fall apart if all three hags are defeated.

The Wizard's Simulacrum

The traditional wizard's simulacrum spell is another great way to do this. Big bad boss spell casters are big targets for PC nuking. What if that wizard simply split his form into three or even five different simulacrums? Now there is no single target to defeat. Each of these three wizards act independently but all represent a single boss.

The Master Vampire

You can even have a battle switch phases upon defeat. Consider a master vampire who, when bloodied, transforms into three bat swarms (reskinned Stirge Suckerling Swarms) and a pair of dire wolves, both from the Monster Vault. When three of the five are defeated, the vampire returns to his original form for a final onslaught.

Spreading the PC's wrath and improving the action economy

A group of monsters representing a single boss has a lot of advantages over solos and elites. First, they spread attention, status effects, and damage among a group rather than a single creature. Dazes, stuns, dominates and other such debilitating effects are far less effective against a group than they are a single creature. This also improves the action economy of your boss. Instead of having three to five actions a round, they now have all the actions of all of the monsters representing the boss.

It's all in the flavor

There really aren't any mechanics to this trick. It all comes with your ability to flavor a group of monsters as a single entity. Tell the story right and your group will get the benefit of a tough battle against a single foe without simply destroying a single target on the battle map.

If you enjoyed this article, take a look at Sly Flourish's Dungeon Master Tips and Running Epic Tier D&D Games. You can also pick up my favorite monster books the Monster Manual 3 and the Monster Vault. Need some good hags or vampires? Pick up D&D Miniatures from Troll and Toad, an official Sly Flourish sponsor.

Choose a specific and focused setting

There are a lot of settings for 4e D&D available right now, and each has their own unique feeling. Neverwinter, Dark Sun, Gloomwrought, and Eberron all make for unique and exciting campaigns.

Begin building your modular D&D game by choosing a setting and including the source material that best fits that setting. It's the unique flavor of each of these settings that will keep your game fresh from campaign to campaign.

Build a focused campaign theme, goal, and level range

With a setting selected, it's time to pick a theme. Do you want your game to feel like Lord of the Rings or Ocean's 11? Do you want it to be low-magic barbarian stuff or more of a Final Fantasy feel? This theme should guide the rest of your choices in building out your campaign.

Finally, heed the wise words of the Chatty DM and run a more focused and select range of levels for your campaign. If it's a treasure hunt through the Astral Sea, choose something in high paragon or low epic. If it's something a bit more down to earth, choose something in mid heroic. If it's more of a straight-forward return to the old-school feel of D&D, start at level 1. With a limited scope in levels, you don't have to worry about running a full 1 to 30 open-ended mega-campaign. Now you're focused on a set of levels and a limited number of adventures.

Finally, select the seed or goal of the campaign. What's the main purpose? Whatever you choose, keep the goal relatively simple such as "stealing Szass Tam's phylactery" or "finding the Orb of the Sun in Xen Drek" or "Dethrone Prince Rolan in Gloomwrought" or "Stop Kalak's last Templar from resurrecting the dead sorcerer king". This central goal should steer the rest of your modular campaign.

Choose races, classes, themes, and source material

With a good theme and setting in mind, choose the source material allowed for both you and your players. The core classes and races from the Essentials books is always a good start. Add any other races, classes, or sourcebooks you think will fit well in this campaign. For example, the Heroes of Shadow book is a perfect fit for a Gloomwrought adventure but maybe not so much for a Feywild romp. The same is true for running satyrs and pixies in the Elemental Chaos. For some campaign worlds, like Dark Sun, it's much easier to choose.

If you open up race and class choices too wide your campaign might lose its thematic element. Switching up available classes and races will also keep your players from getting stuck on a particular class every time you run a new campaign. Switching things up gives them as much exposure to new material as it does you.

The addition of themes in the Dark Sun book opened up a new way to tailor your campaign. Pick a set of twelve or so themes that uniquely identify your campaign world. Consider having players roll randomly to determine their theme before they choose a race or class. Let the theme dictate the rest of the character. Since it's a shorter campaign, they won't be too upset if they don't get the exact thing they want. However, you might want to give players a chance to re-roll in case they get something they really don't want.

Choose thematic aids

Newer sets like the Gloomwrought and Gardmore Abbey include unique and interesting thematic aids with the Despair Deck and the Deck of Many Things. Any time you can include a new game element to your mini-campaign that sets it apart from the other games you run, it will help tie together the rest of the game. Not all of those aids need come from D&D products. Maybe your Dark Sun game uses a lot of Jenga puzzles.

Your short-run modular 4e gamedvd

Building a modular 4e game is often nothing more than selecting specific components you want to use to build out your game. Cutting out so much existing material may seem counterproductive, but this limitation builds the whole feel of your campaign from one to the next. Running a shorter series of adventures gives you the chance to try out a few different ideas and build unique games that give your players a fresh look every two to three months. Give it a try.

If you enjoyed this article, please take a look at Sly Flourish's Dungeon Master Tips and Running Epic Tier D&D Games. You can also pick up some excellent new Pathfinder miniatures at Troll and Toad, an official Sly Flourish sponsor.

First, some full disclosure. On top of receiving a review copy of this book, I am also a paid freelancer for Wizards of the Coast. That said, given my propensity to write articles that contradict my own books, you can rest easy knowing that my primary goal remains giving you the best DM material to help you run your D&D game.

This article isn't a review of the Book of Vile Darkness. If you want a review, check out Neuroglyph's excellent review of the Book of Vile Darkness on Enworld. Instead, what you'll get here are a few things to consider in the design and the use of this dark and twisted tome.

Design NPCs as traps

Pay particular attention to the design of the Crypt Thing on page 35 of the dungeon master book included in the Book of Vile Darkness. Though it is started out as an 18th level trap, it is, in fact, an NPC. This design matches perfectly with the original crypt things found in the 1st edition Fiend Folio.

When designing your own focused NPCs, particular golems, magical statues, and other challenges; consider building them out as traps or hazards instead of traditional NPCs. For one major advantage, traps and hazards are generally immune to all of the nutty status effects that PCs might heap up on a typical monster. You don't want to use it all the time but it's a nice tool to have handy.

Build minion Traps

Traps and hazards can be tricky business. Given their experience budget, traps and hazards are often not worth it. We've already discussed ways to get the most out of traps but the Book of Vile Darkness shows us examples of another great idea: minion traps.

For 1/5 the experience budget cost of a typical monster you get a single-use trap such as an exploding glyph, a single dart trap on a chest, a swinging poisoned scythe, or such single-use trap. The Symbol of Death on page 39 of the DM book in the Book of Vile Darkness is a great single-use high level minion trap. It's very dangerous but only fires once.

Reuse the poster map

As discussed before, poster maps bring a lot of value to a lazy DM's game. They're easy to set up, highly detailed, and relatively inexpensive. The three maps (one full-size and two half-size) included with the Book of Vile Darkness adds three re-usable layouts to your encounter arsenal. The rocky ruins map can be used for a variety of potential situations included a war torn ruin or a sieged battlefield. Perhaps it is a wasteland from the Dawn War out in the Astral Sea. The standing stones map can likewise be used for a wide range of situations including an ancient grave site, a magical clearing in the Feywild, or a camp ambushed by orcs. The Well of Many Worlds map is a great central encounter for the conclusion of a big mystical adventure. It's packed with spots for potential terrain effects, traps, hazards, and terrain powers. However you use them, this is a map you can use again and again throughout any tier campaign.

Reskin and re-level

Reskinning and re-leveling are two of the best tools for running D&D games these days and these techniques work perfectly with the Book of Vile Darkness. Though the challenges in the book focus around the paragon tier, you can level these challenges up or down without too much difficulty. As Chris Perkins describes in Instant Monster, to increase the challenge add one point per level to defenses, attacks, and damage and ten hit points per level. Subtract a like amount to reduce the level of the challenge. Now the fallen angels, hordelings, and filth hags can be useful in just about any campaign.

The various monsters and traps in the Book of Vile Darkness can also be easily reskinned into creatures more appropriate for your campaign. Now that Hordeling Mob might make for a perfect greater stirge swarm.

Run a mini-campaign of shadow and darkness

The Book of Vile Darkness fits very well with the Heroes of Shadow and the Shadowfell: Gloomwrought and Beyond books. When running a vile campaign, the use of the gloom cards from the Shadowfell can add another layer of darkness atop the evil already in play. Likewise, the shadow-focused classes in the Heroes of Shadow fit perfectly with the more gloomy character themes, paragon paths, and the epic destiny included in the Book of Vile Darkness.

For a short-run, focused, and evil campaign, consider running a six-level mini-campaign focusing on the races, classes, and themes included in the Heroes of the Fallen Lands, Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms, Heroes of Shadow, and Book of Vile Darkness books.

A toolbox for DMs

Schwalb mentions in the book's introduction that the Book of Vile Darkness includes a toolbox for DMs to build vile campaigns. Take that idea to heart. Like many of these products, the mechanics are easily manipulated to help you pick out and use the pieces that make the most sense for your game. Don't feel like you have to keep the components of a supplement like this pristine, feel free to twist, reuse, rename, and rejigger them to fit the needs of your game. Use these tools wisely and it will reap great rewards.

If you enjoyed this article, please use this link to purchase the Book of Vile Darkness. You can also pick up more tips and tricks to make your games great in Sly Flourish's Dungeon Master Tips and Running Epic Tier D&D Games. Need some good vile miniatures? Pick up D&D Miniatures from Troll and Toad, an official Sly Flourish sponsor.

Ran a skill challenge based on Inception tonight. The players loved being extractors, architects, forgers, and chemists. #dnd

#dnd tip: "Restrain until the beginning of your next turn" works well for restraining hazards without making them too painful

#dnd tip: Hang a white-board near your table to write monster defenses and common DCs during a game.

All this epic discussion and angst aside, I still believe my book makes running epic #dnd much better: http://t.co/9klYCkw7

It's a good day to be a #dnd geek at my house! http://t.co/y2kkoXgc

#dnd tip: Don't worry too much about monster size. Sometimes players with low level PCs should fight a huge or gargantuan dragon.

.@GSLLC Level + 8 is the average damage of the DMG updated damage expressions: http://t.co/DHEY5rcq #dnd

Some excellent epic advice from Chris Perkins in today's Rule of Three: http://t.co/Ob8vyvml #dnd

From @MonteJCook's article I think fewer rules, DM empowerment, and a system of modular complexity is ideal. http://t.co/iU1O6giY #dnd

Example ideal rule, the cover system from Gamma World "DM determines cover". So much easier and fewer words. @montejcook #DnD

Interesting look at switching over to an Essentials Only "Back to Basics" campaign from @digitaldraco: http://t.co/eDqdYsBZ #dnd

@ArcaneSpringbrd Interesting thoughts on 4e BASIC. I approached it by starting over, though, instead of trying to retrofit the existing.

I think #dnd is a combat-focused game with rules to match, but a simpler base and modular expansion would be better than 300 pages of rules.

@newbiedm "No DMs Left Behind" became the new philosophy. That's what changed in 4e.

.@Xer0Rules I agree. I'm not into tiles either after buying like 40 sets. Poster maps and Dwarven Forge are my go-to encounter setups.

#dnd tip: Sometimes auto damage is the only way you'll actually threaten high-level PCs. Don't use it all the time but a dash will do ya!

@geneome @theiddm @montejcook more rules = more rules lawyering. I don't want fiasco, but there's room for more DM interpretation.

The future is independent publishing on the web with print-on-demand hardcopies for 99% of games. Big publishers are the exception.

I think the #dnd board games have an interesting take on epic tier. Fighting a balor at level 1? Pretty cool.

You know, I think if skills got a bit more useful and we keep PC powers, I could completely do without feats.

Good advice from @TychoBrahe and @cwgabriel. Don't get too hard core: http://t.co/Kz52qMrm - take note @TheAngryDM #dnd

#dnd tip: Go over your whole encounter setup to ensure it threatens the whole party. Enough artillery? Enough brutes?

Ran six optimized level 30s through the Far Realm in "Nightmare Mode". Definitely gave them a challenge. #DnD http://t.co/SRCHVG2j #DnD

@matt_james_rpg I have three seven-drawer plastic storage boxes that I bought from Target. Can't find the link.

@matt_james_rpg Found it: http://t.co/HDCHWhds About $30 each at Target I think.

Just in case you haven't seen my #dnd dwarven forge photos: http://t.co/8YeTwFw9

#dnd tip: In high level encounters, ensure at least one monster can hit each defense type.

Had a cool moment in my game last night where Vyrellis, the talking skull in Pyramid of Shadows, saved the PCs from the Far Realm. #dnd

Interesting take on 3 acts for an epic-tier encounter by Chris Perkins: http://t.co/ozcsDlvF #dnd

Awesome random dungeon chambers from @DreadGazeebo and @saveversusdeath http://t.co/7fbluTnu #dnd

Good article with @rjschwalb on the upcoming 4e Book of Vile Darkness: http://t.co/GIqp77p3 Buy it here: http://t.co/NsL9l6Yj #dnd

Sorry, the awesome free random Iconic Dungeon Chambers is only from @saveversusdeath: http://t.co/7fbluTnu #dnd

Interesting take on epic-tier challenges by @shimmertook: http://t.co/0ZM3lJTC I'm glad he understood my core hypothesis. #dnd

Here are some awesome variant rules for the #dnd Board Games: http://t.co/tMSvrVlI

@SarahDarkmagic Yeah, I was just talking to @RosaMoonshadow about how fun for players can come at a cost of fun from the DM.

#dnd tip: Instead of statting out full traps, just keep the theme in mind and use the DM Cheat Sheet for damage: http://t.co/5rCqc0w7

The Justin Sweet cover to @rjschwalb's latest book, Death Mark, is awesome Frazetta-style stuff! http://t.co/u08J7TsC #dnd

By the way, the awesome book @DelayedSession referred to is Sly Flourish's Running Epic Tier D&D Games: http://t.co/9klYCkw7 #dnd

Our level 7 group just ran from a beholder. A sound choice if you ask me. http://t.co/f3sqQuvs #dnd

Good Enworld thread on running Essentials Only. @MerricB hits the nail on the head with his advice: http://t.co/F3hB4nWN #dnd

Good review and look at the Shadowgast Manor tiles: http://t.co/2Hpmxnut #dnd

Cool epic-tier Demonweb-focused LFR adventure for level 23 PCs: http://t.co/NhAaTzSF #dnd

#dnd tip: You might be tempted to run a high-level elite instead of a lower-level solo. Level + 5 is about as far as you'll want to go.

I wonder how many are like me. I love Dungeon Tiles but I just can't seem to get myself to use them very often. #DnD

I joke with my players, but I always see my DM role as a facilitator for storytelling. Sometimes that story is horrible burning death. #dnd

Regarding @MonteJCook article, I think the rules, where complicated, should hand the reigns over to the DM: http://t.co/rAkTNmTt #dnd

Very cool #dnd 4e rewrite of the first "Against the Giants" old-school adventure, Steading of the Hill Giant Chief: http://t.co/oZlIH9HF

Scale model of the Steading of the Hill Giant Chief adventure: http://t.co/4vGRnTDL Thanks @EldritchReverie

#dnd tip: Random loot can be fun, but verify that your PCs have enough gold every so often by checking their ideal gold per level.

Every time I look at this picture, I want to run a Queen of Spiders re-do. She got robbed first time around: http://t.co/9yIsAPDW #dnd

The more I read Essentials characters, the more I wish this had come out first. People love their old broken complicated stuff too much.

This might sound self-helpy but if you're a capital G Gamer, you owe it to yourself to change your life around so you can game regularly.

My #dnd article, Abyssal Plague Epic Threats, was posted to #ddi today: http://t.co/FYGLJ3YR

Really looking forward to @rjschwalb's Book of Vile Darkness. I love poster maps! http://t.co/YiRLSmx2 #dnd

Great article on making slimy terrain from @bandofmisfits
http://t.co/IIWioNJ0 #dnd

Great article from friend @chattydm on building an ad-hoc adventure with just the red box. #dnd http://t.co/DyAMgbd0

#dnd tip: Lazy DMing can help you focus on story and NPC interactions, but don't skimp on designing some good pre-planned encounters.

Question for a future article: what feats do you consider the "default" feats of #dnd 4e Essentials+? http://t.co/6GSnic3P

Very cool stand-up #dnd cardboard miniatures from Paizo. http://t.co/LhZgtjYS Bit far away though, May 2012.

Some great #dnd observations and insights from @NeoGrognard on Wizards.com: http://t.co/U9Hnp3cF

#dnd tip: Environmental effects that strictly do damage can be boring, but they're a lot easier to design and implement. Ware complexity.

I love Gamma World #dnd http://t.co/x12kwUkp

Playing Gamma World with @Nullzone42 who showed me the great value of the plexiglass sheet over battle maps. #dnd http://t.co/wQAy4apq

Roger Daltry, my arachnid entropic spider hunts for lost LPs across the wasteland of Gamma Terra. #dnd http://t.co/6Dw17I24

Are you a selfish #dnd DM? http://t.co/NMLfRLI5 Great article from @TheIdDM

Finding it hard to go into "lazy DM" mode with Gloomwrought. I have six potential paths the PCs could go next week. #dnd

I know I've written a good #dnd monster when @RosaMoonshadow writes "ack!" in the margins during her edits.

#dnd tip: Stick to rewarding magic items from the DM Kit and Mordenkainen's. You get a good wide variety and better balanced items.

I'm very bad at number 7 on this list: http://t.co/OWBEbSkV #dnd

@SkylandGames It's a good one, but my favorite is still the Monster Vault. If only it had Orcus in it...

On the Appalling Things on this list: what is the DM or the game doing to create this behavior? http://t.co/G7TxbceT #dnd

By the way, when I play #dnd as a player, I hand my cellphone over to my wife. I'm terribly ADD when playing.

Interesting Rule of Three (http://t.co/rQSIOshM)..) I think #dnd 4e still has too many choices for players at the table.

@mudbunny74 I think people's reaction and their actual behavior are at odds. Those same people still take 8 minutes a turn.

To keep options simple at your table: stick to Essentials, use Inherent Bonuses, limit magic items, stick to level 1 to 10. #dnd

Really good Rule of Three this week, @Wizards_DnD. It's a good glimpse of inside-baseball, but interesting: http://t.co/rQSIOshM #dnd

I bet epic one-shot adventures would work well with Essentials-only chars, inherent bonuses, and one "rare" item. #dnd I'll let you know.

@Mongonius According to WOTC, epic characters are 3 to 4 times more complicated than they intended. http://t.co/rQSIOshM

Excellent article on the 10 commandments of epic tier #dnd and not just because it mentions and quotes my book: http://t.co/P8G4WyQR

Adventures like this are a lot more likely to get me to buy dungeon tiles: http://t.co/kevfLqGE Great stuff! #dnd

#dnd tip: When running for 4 PCs, keep in mind that much synergy is lost. Go easy on them or you'll wipe them out accidentally.

@Bartoneus I think Essentials runs better at all levels. I really don't have a lot of experience with Essentials-only at Epic.

@shawnmerwin @bartoneus I convinced my epic group to switch to Essentials (after being transformed by the Far Realm). I look forward to it.

@Bartoneus @shawnmerwin As the guy who wrote "Running Epic", I have a bad gut reaction too, trust me. But I've tried and tried and tried.

#dnd tip: With four "Heroes" books in publication, consider limiting short-run games to PC classes and races from only those books.

Ran a more open-ended game tonight but my group told me they like stuff on the rails. #dnd

Giving options and choices at the end of the game to guide the next session always works well for my group. #dnd

A good way to be sort-of sandboxy but still have guidance is the "three paths at the end of the adventure" idea. Builds next-week's game.

.@Bartoneus I force them to choose at the table at the end of the night with a vote. Email never worked for me. Three options works well.

.@SarahDarkmagic @bartoneus Making them vote on three choices at the end of the game, before they leave works well for me. #dnd

#dnd tip: Not every room in a dungeon needs monsters. Give them some interesting rooms to explore filled with story hooks.

.@sarahdarkmagic I still want to see adventures as a toolbox for DMs instead of end-to-end blocks of prose: http://t.co/50WUJo7w

I really dig this Dwarven Forge dungeon delve format. http://t.co/iuQEA9CJ I'll have to make one of these sometime. Thanks @SarahDarkmagic

How's this for a modern-day #dnd Delve format? The Throneroom of Lolth! http://t.co/x5IhhoK6

Top #dnd taggers on twitter since 24 October. @TheAngryDM leads the pack. http://t.co/rVcI2X3r

By the way, looks like "A Knight in Shadowghast" is available to all with or without a #ddi subscription: http://t.co/o3j4ssTg #dnd

Picked up Shadowghast tiles (https://t.co/vCLvAi0i) and toolbox liner (https://t.co/c3u4dVjj) ala @mikemearls. #dnd

What I'm really looking forward to is the Haunted Temples map pack: https://t.co/9EXntRjm #dnd

Another #dnd Delve-style one-page encounter formatted in PowerPoint (ugh..): http://t.co/zHJpXI3L

#dnd tip: Give challenging bosses environmental terrain that penetrates damage resistance, boosts damage, or boosts damage shields.

@SarahDarkmagic I'm not sure it's rules that showed me a bad GM. There are probably lots of signs.

Nothing says Christmas like waking up and finding a copy of the Book of Vile Darkness! http://t.co/e09Ng2eL

@GSLLC the MV dragons do a good job of limiting daze and stun without removing it completely. Yeah, daze and stun with solos is plain broke.

@OregonPinkRose Good question. I find three actions, one per round, standard or reckless minor that results in more damage on failure.

Love walking with @RosaMoonshadow and brainstorming back and forth on some nasty new monster. Who is your #dnd idea buddy?

@myuzishun @uberkent Being married to a geek is the best thing in the world.

For you poor bastards going back to work today, here is a Legends and Lore compilation worth your study. http://t.co/zhtJXk2o #dnd

If we use Strimko and Sudoku puzzles for magical runes and mazes for lock-picking and trap disarms, what other puzzles can we use for #dnd?

I like Jenga as a sort of psychic or magical barrier-breaking contest. What other mini-game metaphors can we add into our #dnd game?

Trying to find the right #dnd metaphor to bring Hungry Hungry Hippos into my game.

#dnd tip from @rosamoonshadow: Build stories based on and influenced by individual PCs.

Here's a good maze generator for your lock picking and stuff. http://t.co/T19KhLxf #dnd

Good article on #dnd two-hit minions. The minions that get knocked prone when hit but only die while prone work well: http://t.co/wiPZdH3A

Oldie but goodie, the DM of the Rings: http://t.co/cqzAMSLr

#dnd tip: Make sure your players have enough options to keep them interesting from level to level.

Some excellent words by @rjschwalb on skill challenges: http://t.co/lhuLmuzh #dnd What have been your greatest skill challenge successes?

Sorry, my link to the new #dnd miniatures on Amazon didn't work: http://t.co/cChvpk3M Thanks @TheSheDM!

Given the cost of plastic and the vast array of monsters, I don't think there's a great solution to #dnd miniatures that all will love.

With the huge circulation of older #dnd minis, the new sets, the Pathfinder minis, and the cardboard alternatives, we have a lot of options!

Here's some pics of the Pathfinder minis. Some really good ones in here: http://t.co/E56KfFUa Thanks @jelmore! #dnd

Tool box liner, Shadowghast dungeon tiles, and a polycarbonate sheet from Home Depot. #dnd http://t.co/W7iDxPUU

@rjschwalb Sometimes I think skill challenges aren't gamey enough. That's my problem. Thats why I use things like this: http://t.co/KkF5jxml

new way to make a Geletanous Cube miniature from @1grumpyyoungman: http://t.co/wpzQSxNF #dnd

Great article by @rjschwalb on the danger of too many rules and how it affects skill challenges: http://t.co/lUDSsNt0 #dnd

Added @rjschwalb's Book of Vile Darkness poster maps to my poster map index: https://t.co/6Jmuge4s #dnd

Very glad to hear @mikemearls's statement about the lack of DM authority in recent #dnd. http://t.co/MDCBx1t8

#dnd tip from @rosamoonshadow: Guide your players to develop their PCs' backstories gradually over a campaign.

What are the best ways you've found to find your #dnd group? This is something I want to spend more time on - helping people find games.

In the DC Metro area, join up with the DC Syndicate: http://t.co/N6Ywts58 @GSLLC and @Luddite_Vic are both awesome.

Recruiting geek friends from work can also work, but you have to be pretty outgoing. Many in my group are work friends, spouses, and others.

Have you guys had success with Meetup for #dnd? http://t.co/xBBMtBHS

Dungeon Tiles + Toolbox Liner + Polycarbonate Sheet #dnd video on Youtube by yours truly: http://t.co/JIYNGysj

If you enjoyed these tips, take a look at Sly Flourish’s Dungeon Master Tips book or Sly Flourish’s Running Epic Tier D&D Games. You can also use these links to purchase the Heroes of the Fallen Lands, the Dungeon Master’s Kit, or the Monster Vault or bookmark this link to buy anything from Amazon.

Need some battle maps? Pick up some Gamemastery Flip-Maps from Troll and Toad, an official Sly Flourish sponsor.

The following list of default feats will help build up a PC with simple, always-on feats that give them the right leg up in offensive and defensive power without overly complicated mechanics. While a lot of these feats offer situational bonuses, most of them give static bonuses to attack, damage, or defenses.

Specific characters, like scouts, might replace some of these feats with feats that fit their class such as two-weapon defense and two-weapon fighting. You'll want to tweak these results when building your character.

As a default set of feats, however, this list should keep a PC with the right scores without a lot of extra work.

Master at Arms or Implement Expertise: A +1 bonus to attack is always worth while. Master at Arms is a good choice for weapon versatility and drawing as a free action is nice. For casters, you'll want to choose the right implement expertise. Like other Essentials feats, this scales up per tier.

Toughness: 5 extra hit points is always nice, but the sooner a PC gets this feat, the more those hit points will matter. Scaling up to 10 and 15 at paragon and epic is also very nice. It's a good always-on feat.

Lighting or Superior Reflexes: The first of the defense feats, at lower levels more creatures attack reflexes but shoring up your lowest defense is always a good strategy.

Great or Superior Fortitude: Again, choose which ever defense boost shores up your weaker one first, but choosing all three defense boots will make themselves useful at all tiers and all levels.

Iron or Superior Will: The last defense boost. Superior bonuses have nice additional effects, even if they are often forgotten. The straight-up defense boost is still well worth the slot.

Weapon or Implement Focus Though not as universal as Master at Arms, Weapon and Implement focuses gives the PC a good bonus to damage, particularly when the PC heads into paragon and epic.

Heat / Cold Adaptation: Both of these feats give the PC good resistance to cold and fire. Fire is more likely so start with that but having cold resistance is nice as well. Good solid always-on feats.

Resilient Focus: A nice +2 bonus to saving throws is a bonus the PC will use often, particularly at paragon and epic where saves can mean a lot more.

Durable: Another always-on feat, durable gives the PC some nice padding to healing surges. Useful when PCs get up into the paragon tier and face some surge-draining beasts.

Improved Initiative: Area blasting spell casters probably want this early on but its a nice static bonus to give PCs a leg up on the monsters.

While this list won't take PCs all the way through the epic tier, it gives them a good base from which to start. When building these characters, you'll want to mix in some specific feats based on their class or race as well. Still, as a start, you could do a lot worse than beginning your character build with this list.

If you enjoyed this article take a look at Sly Flourish's Dungeon Master Tips and Running Epic Tier D&D Games. You can also collect all these feats in the two Essentials books where D&D 4e should have started: Heroes of the Fallen Lands and Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms. Looking for some good heroic minis? Check out the Pathfinder Heroes miniatures at Troll and Toad, an official Sly Flourish sponsor.

Sandbox gaming with Erik Scott De Bie - 57 meg mp3

This is just one of a number of similar one-on-one podcasts focused on topics such as the combat out, skill challenges, epic-tier play, and encounter design.

If you enjoyed the podcast, please take a look at Sly Flourish's Dungeon Master Tips and Running Epic Tier D&D Games or bookmark this link to Amazon.com. You might also take a look at the dragon collector's miniatures at Troll and Toad, an official Sly Flourish sponsor.

Abyssal Plague Pool

In the Voidharrow's pocket universe, the pure red essence of its being pours over the ground in pools of malevolent red jelly. Any mortal who steps into these pools finds themselves filled with a seething blinding rage against other mortals.

Abyssal Plague Pool: Any mortal creature within this pool takes -4 to all defenses and vulnerable 15 to all damage. If a mortal creature ends its turn within the pool, it takes a free action to move its speed and attack with an at-will attack against its closest ally with a +15 damage bonus.

Design note: Reducing defenses and adding vulnerability is a great way to keep the threat on a PC without reducing actions with things like daze, stun, or immobilize. The free-action attack is a good alternative to dominate. It has the same effect without removing any actions from the target.

Breath of the Eye

Throughout the Voidharrow's pocket universe, black poisonous gas billows from cracks in the ground that lead to the chambers of the Elder Elemental Eye itself.

Breath of the Eye: Any creature that begins its turn within the gas takes 25 poison damage. This damage ignores up to 10 points of damage resistance. This gas blocks line of sight and any creature within the cloud is blind.

Design note: The damage resistance penetration is a way to help deal with the issues around damage resistance without removing it completely. If they have 15 poison resist, something they could conceivably have at epic, this will still give them resist 5.

Chambers of the Voidharrow

The battle maps from the Fantastic Location: Hellspike Prison map pack offer some very good battle maps that represent the chambers of the Voidharrow's pocket universe. Though out of print, some stores still carry new copies of this four-map set, and it's worth the money to pick it up. The hellspike map, the magma keep map, and the temple map all would make excellent encounter areas that use the above terrain effects to full advantage.

If you enjoyed this article, please take a look at Sly Flourish's Dungeon Master Tips and Running Epic Tier D&D Games. Snaketongue Cultists make for great Heralds and the Huge Fire Elemental makes for a great Voidharrow miniature. Both are available at Troll and Toad, an official Sly Flourish sponsor.

The polycarbonate sheet

The poster-sized polycarbonate sheet, available at Home Depot for about $22, is the best accessory you can buy for poster maps. It's one of those great finds that has so many uses, you keep discovering more as you use it. When placed over a poster map, this polycarbonate sheet protects the map, keeps things perfectly flat, feels great when used with miniatures, and lets you draw on it with a wet or dry erase marker. It works just as well over dungeon tiles and dry-erase maps as it does over pre-printed poster maps. It's the best money you can spend for your encounter setups.

Poster maps

For the money, the most detailed battle maps you can get come from pre-printed poster maps. The best value you're likely to find come from the upcoming Map Packs: Haunted Temples and Vaults of the Underdark, due to come out next year. Each of these packs will contain three double-sided poster maps. That's twelve maps for $18, a deal that is very hard to beat. If you can't wait, however, there are a few great options for poster maps you can get right now including the following:

D&D Starter Set Red box: Includes two versatile poster maps including the Monster Lair / Crossroads and the Inner Dungeons.

Dungeon Master's Kit: Includes four very versatile maps; the roadside shrine / arcane sanctum, the skull cave / tavern and stables, the keep wall, and the road-side farmstead.

Monster Vault Includes the winter village and a detailed dungeon.

Monster Vault 2: Includes the small temple / swamp lair and the cracked cave lair / rocky hillside.

Madness at Gardmore Abbey: Includes the large temple, the entry hall / crypts, the throne room / outer temple, and the tower complex.

These five products contain a total of 21 detailed encounter areas you can use and re-use throughout your campaigns.

The dry-erase battle map

For pure versatility, the fold-up dry-erase Gamemastery Flip Mat is still a great purchase. At about $12, it can let you draw any environment your imagination can dream up. The more detailed you want to be, however, the more work it will take. You're never likely to build out an environment as beautiful as you'll have with poster maps, but it can fill in those gaps that poster maps don't fill. It's always worth having one of these on hand.

What about dungeon tiles?

Over the past five years, I've tried and tried to use dungeon tiles well and never had a lot of luck. While more flexible than poster maps, they take too long to set up and never quite build out the dungeon you want. Unless an adventure specifically calls for them, like the Monster Vault adventure, they aren't generally going to fit the environment of a pre-published adventure. I ended up giving away most of the tiles I have except for a set of the Dungeon Tile Master Sets. Even those I can't really recommend. You're simply better off with a dry-erase flip map and a pile of poster maps.

Where's the Dwarven Forge?

I've talked a lot about Dwarven Forge in the past and have used it for years in my own games. As much as I enjoy it, I cannot recommend its purchase for four simple reasons:

1. It's too expensive. A single set of Dwarven Forge can pay for nearly all of the other recommendations on this list and two sets of Dwarven Forge isn't enough to build a good battle map layout. A good set of Dwarven Forge can quickly get into four figures.

2. It's too heavy. Unless you run your D&D games at your own house every week and you have a wife willing to let you keep twenty one plastic shelves in your dining room, Dwarven Forge is simply too heavy to transport.

3. It takes too long to set up and tear down. It takes just a couple of minutes to set up a battle map. It can take an hour or more to set up a good Dwarven Forge setup. That's time you're taking away from the planning of the rest of your game.

4. It doesn't lend itself to dynamic gaming. If you and your group like heading in any direction at any given time, Dwarven Forge isn't for you. While you can quickly put together an encounter area using maps, dungeon tiles, or a dry-erase mat; Dwarven Forge just doesn't have that flexibility.

While Dwarven Forge setups are still the best looking set-ups you can have for your D&D game, the four reasons above keep them out of this year's buyer's guide.

If you enjoyed this article and love D&D, take a look at Sly Flourish's Dungeon Master Tips and Running Epic Tier D&D Games. You can also pick up some great miniatures to go with your battle maps by buying some D&D Miniatures from Troll and Toad, an official Sly Flourish sponsor.

Keep your traps simple

To begin, here are a few tips to keep your traps simple and effective.

Use static damage expressions instead of rolling dice. A flamespitting skull that does 15 damage on a hit is easier to keep track of than one that does 2d8+6 fire.

When it makes sense, have traps activate on a character's turn. Rolling a separate initiative for your traps slows down the game. Further, a trap that activates at the beginning of a character's turn scales with the number of characters in its range. A poison dart pillar trap will hit six PCs just as easily as three.

Use skill checks to disable instead of defenses and damage. It's easier to keep track of skill check successes than defenses and damage. When a character wants to blast or smash a trap, have them use the applicable skill instead of an attack power.

Traps should generally be immune to status effects. You can't mark them or slide them or daze them.

Good traps augment good monsters. Arcane traps might be tied to a wizard boss who battles the PCs. When the wizard dies, the traps cease their attacks. This helps you keep a battle focused and fast without sacrificing threats against the PCs.

Location, location, location

Good traps need to be well placed. Too often it's easy for PCs to simply avoid a trap by avoiding an area. When you're designing a trap-heavy encounter, ensure you have placed your traps to make them effective against a group of PCs.

The advantages of artillery traps

Artillery traps have a lot of advantages over other traps. Location doesn't matter nearly as much for a trap that can shoot across the whole room. You can also place artillery traps in challenging locations, getting PCs to move all around a room and engage in some difficult feats of acrobatics to reach them.

1d8 random traps

Here are a few random traps you might add into your dungeon encounters. Each of these traps activates when a PC begins its turn within range of the trap. An adjacent PC can deactivate these traps with two successful standard action medium DC arcane, athletics, or thievery checks. A PC may instead use a minor action to recklessly deactivate the trap. This uses a hard DC and failure activates the trap, targeting the failing PC.

1. Flamespitting Skulls: range 10; level + 3 vs Reflex; Level + 8 fire damage damage.
2. Poison Gas: 5 poison damage, increases by 5 every round.
3. Lightning Runes: range 5; level + 3 vs fortitude; level + 8 lightning damage and the target is dazed until the beginning of its next turn.
4. Poison Dart Pillar: range 10; level + 3 vs Reflex; level + 8 poison damage and ongoing 5 poison damage per tier (save ends).
5. Light Beam: range 10; level + 3 vs Reflex; level + 8 radiant damage and the target is blinded until the beginning of its next turn.
6. Screaming Walls: level + 3 vs Will; level + 8 psychic damage and the target is -2 to defenses and vulnerable 5 to damage until the beginning of its next turn.
7. Evard's Tentacles: level + 3 vs Fort; level + 8 force damage and the tentacles slide the target 5 squares.
8. Prismatic Beam: level + 3 vs Reflex; level + 8 fire, radiant, necrotic, and lightning damage and the target is teleported 8 squares.

If you enjoyed this article, take a look at Sly Flourish's Dungeon Master Tips and Running Epic Tier D&D Games. You can find some great traps in the Dungeon Master's Kit or the Dungeon Master's Guide 2. Good dungeons need great maps. Pick up some Gamemastery Flip Maps at Troll and Toad, an official Sly Flourish sponsor.