DropTheDie

@dropthedie

Heyyyy everybody. I'm JB, better known as DropTheDie. ➤He/Him ➤Dungeon Master ➤Bestselling TTRPG Author ➤Business e-mail: DropTheDie@gmail.com ➤Links to it all: ☰ Put me to WORK!

287 Folgt1.061 Follower1.431 Posts

Bluesky

gamer

Ist das dein Profil?Übernimm es — dann gehört dir dropthedie.dirty.social.Profil übernehmen

DropTheDie@dropthedie· 24d

My partner and I struggle with buying groceries, so we do a delivery service, even though we're VERY close to the store. And every single time i buy bread, its elbow dropped into a bag full of cans or wedged beneath a bag of potatoes. Once or twice, that happens. EVERY TIME, though?

A loaf of sliced bread, half of which looks like it was walked on, pressed flat inside the packaging.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· 29d

Do i know anyone in stagecraft, interior decorating, art galleries, or similar who can help me source an extremely pinpoint spotlight for a framed picture? My partner @staffofsage.bsky.social got a beautiful lighthouse picture for the house and I want to illuminate it and only it from ~11 feet away

A large burned-wood framed picture several feet in height and width that shows a black and white image of a lighthouse on a lonely island surrounded by choking dark stormclouds and churning dark sea. Along the bottom of the image, in the alcove, a picture of a bison, a bison wood carving, a delicate teepee of sticks holding a dried goat horn, and a rusty candle holder finish the adornments.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Jul 12

How your email finds me.

A stuffed shark plushy, lumpy and malformed, lies on a bed half covered in pillows and blankets with the vague expression of disillusionment on its felt face.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Jul 6

I've got 17 pages of this nonsense before I can find a legitimate comment on my website, and that legitimate comment basically calls me a hack, which is almost comforting compared to the clearly-visible shape of how machine learning algos write.

A series of comments each of which have a short sentence, sometimes exclamatory, followed by a longer toothless, referential sentence, followed by a short exclamatory sentence.

Example: "Love this! This product is the best product for my needs and contributes positively to my current lifestyle. I can't wait for more!"

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Jun 25

If you've not checked it out, highly recommend trying Expedition: Into Darkness. There's a playtest now until the 30th, i think? and it'll open your eyes to a few things I swear by in TTRPG design.

A heavily armed and armored man stares at a massive old tree. In the man's hand, an orange torch burns, casting warm light on half of his body. From the massive branches of the huge tree, corpses hang from nooses, their arms and feet bound with ropes. In the gloomy distance, the sun barely burns through the smoke and haze of a benighted day.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Jun 21

the fact i fell asleep for 1.5 chapters and missed /actually nothing/ is pretty telling. Are the meaningful or realistic parts of slice of life in the room with us?

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Jun 18

@alliebriggsart.bsky.social :D I've had Allie create some cover art and used some sketches for interior art, but I'd vibe so hard to tackle an entire book with Allie's style. Such a perfect eye for contrast and light. *flips table* and Allie's sketches are SO LEGIT, AHHHHH

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Jun 17

Volcano Grille is a restaurant here in Vegas that does meal bowls - you pick one or two protein, one or two vegetables, and one or two carbs in whatever configuration you like. Chicken katsu, broiled broccoli, lo mien noodles x2. Grilled steak x2, grilled vegetables, jasmine rice. etcetera.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· May 19

4. I cannot overstate the power of realizing the musician is sworn evocatus of the 10th legion and terror of Gaul; the person washing the bishop's feet is an undefeated duelist and veteran company commander; the teenage boy serving pastries is the king's adopted brother and Marshal of France...

Roman soldiers, led by an Eovcati (an enlisted veteran soldier). Each soldier wears banded metal armor that covers their torso, long red shields, and readies to throw a javelin called a pilum (a long dart-like metal tip affixed to a heavy wooden shaft).

DropTheDie@dropthedie· May 19

Example: 1440s, the French sovereign Charles VII demanded extra physical security against constant English invasions. He created the Gardes du Corps du Roi (King's Bodyguards) made entirely of SCOTTISH cavalry that fought with the French against the English for over 20 years - mounted shock troops.

Knights in either blue, orange, or green attire, riding atop white and brown horses, wielding polaxes and lances. Standards (flags) wave the blue field with gold fleur de lis beneath a white cross and another shows a red cross atop a white field with black fleur de lis.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· May 19

Example: In the 1060s, William I of England had a knight/personal secretary (basically) named Count Alan Rufus. Rufus alone had ~20 loyal subordinates at the head of almost EVERY barony in England. Those 20 had 300-500+ men at arms. They had loyalists, too - offering THOUSANDS of eyes for the King

A red-haired knight in blue with a coat of blue-checkerboard and crosses on a field of white, kneels at the feet of the king. The king has his sword blade held aloft over one shoulder and has a stately crown and plate armor. His coat is red with white lions.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· May 19

Example: Zhuge Liang (200 AD) had a MYTHOLOGICAL archer and deeply trusted general named Huo Jun join his personal retinue as Personal Secretary and even sleep in the same room as Liang and his young son - perhaps for carnal exchanges, but that'd make him fight HARDER for their safety.

A yellow background. Chinese figures in various colors and style of robe surround a central figure in white robes wielding a feather fan on ine hand.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· May 19

for you #TTRPG fans: In history, great rulers [sometimes] had literal, actual bodyguards that would stand nearby to safeguard them, but they've ALWAYS have had huge retinues (advisors, assistants, servants, etc) that would be capable of immense acts of violence in their name. A perfect deterrent

a medieval painting of various men in blue, orange, and pink clothing looking toward and holding up a smaller figure dressed in pink and blue. The smaller figure is a boy king with a crown atop his head.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· May 9

Practiced Offense also looks really bad in my opinion. Doesn't give me the impression of a djinn/genie, but more of a troll doll? which feels odd. Obviously if this character resonates with people, I'm thrilled - but oofta, woofta it missed the mark for me.

A white magic the gathering card. Pictured are five people. One, a white skinned masculine person with reddish hair. Two, a pale-skinned femme person with pointed ears, short chopped black hair, and blue lipstick. Three, a red-skinned, green-lipped femme with a tube of lime green hair sprouting from the top of her head. Four, a tawny-skinned masculine person with short black hair and pointed ears. Five, a dark-skinned femme person with dense, curly brown hair pulled back in a voluminous ponytail.

A troll doll from the 90s. Short, squat child-looking creature with big bulbous eyes and a huge smile. Atop their head stands an enormous spike of neon-green hair as tall as their body.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· May 1

this cheese stick believes in you

a 2-inch long golden fried cheese stick, the end of which has been dunked in a vibrant red marinara sauce.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Apr 12

I limited myself to using a game only once and "Currently have access to in my office right now." Darkest Dungeon and Metal Gear Solid would probably fill every space otherwise... Its sometimes a problem. lol

List of game perferences. Favorite: Darkest dungeon. Best story: darkwood. Favorite art style: Blasphemous. Biggest Personal Impact: Diablo. Best combat: Cyberpunk 2077. Overhated: Fallout 4. Unerrated: Dune Awakening. Overrated: Blue Prince. Needs a Remake: Caesar 3. Criminally Overlooked: Observation. Favorite Protagonist: Witcher 3. Favorite Antagonist: Bioshock. Best Soundtrack: Halo, Combat Evolved. Best multiplayer: Fallout 76. Not usually my thing but: Mirror's edge. Turn my brain off: Medieval Dynasty. Best with friends: No Rest For The Wicked. Best Retro Game: Dynasty Warriors 3. Nostalgic Childhood Game: Final Fantasy 9. Game Everyone Should Play: X-Com Enemy Unknown.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Mar 31

2/4 Sometimes? A-okay! Constantly? Huge bummer. Example: A level 3 great weapon fighter. 11-15 damage, 16-17 AC, maybe 30-35 HP? A CR 3 knight, a challenge for FOUR level 3 characters, does 20-30 damage, AC 18-20, 52-68 HP. Meanwhile a CR 1 spy. 12 dmg, 12-13 AC, 27-40 HP. MUCH closer in power.

The "stat block" of a spy from Tales of the Valiant. A lightly armed, quick, and reliable NPC.

The "stat block" of a Spy from Dungeons and Dragons 5.5e. A bit weaker, numerically, than Tales of the Valiant, but still a fast, reliable NPC for most occasions.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Mar 31

A #DNDTip (and #ToVTip, too) - when including Non-player characters you intend to accompany the party, remember to divide your party's average level by 3 for a more appropriate stat block. A CR 3 guest NPC will mechanically outshine your level 3 PCs, which may chafe your players quite a bit. 1/4

A gleaming suit of metal armor in front of a gray smokey-colored background. The round knight's helm has four horizontal slits for seeing and breathing, pauldrons on the shoulders have raised lips that prevent attacks from even reaching the knight's neck.

Image borrowed from Battlemerchant's blog. https://www.battlemerchant.com/en/blog/armor-shield-and-adornment-of-knights

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Mar 31

I can tell when my meds are working because my tabs look like they're reaching critical mass whenever i start working on #TTRPG and #Novel stuff... and flipping through them I'm like "no, i can't lose THAT" Do we have an adequate staging area between Bookmark and "Random tab you never close" yet?

just a photo of an UNHEALTHY amount of open tabs in google chrome.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Mar 27

Marshmallow (2025) What? Rating: C- Feels like they may not have realized where the scope of their movie should have been. Move the front about 25 minutes forward, cut half the middle out, and give me 30 more minutes at the end and it may be a weird, cult classic horror flick.

A boy in blue night clothes looks scared. Standing in front of a silhouette of a scientist? With a light coming out of their head

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Mar 9

Dear #TTRPG friends, I'm looking for more work! I've filled every role in the industry. Recent work has been designer/writer/editor, Tales of the Valiant by Kobold Press: Players' Guide 1, PG2, Monster Vault, Night Hunters, Labyrinth Worldbook (nearing a quarter million words submitted thus far).

The header image for DropTheDie that is a wooden plank background that gradients from purple to yellow, while a central d20 outline in the center gradients the opposite (yellow at the bottom, purple at the top). It reads "Tabletop Gaming. Supplements. Reviews. Advice."

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Mar 6

There's a reason you could not tell a story like The Modern Prometheus/Frankenstein if you replaced Victor with Duke Nukem, is all I'm saying. No matter what the creature did, the horror would not survive.

Standing atop a pile of cybernetic bestial corpses, posed in front of a nuclear explosion consuming the background, a muscled commando-type with a blond flat-top haircut and wrap-around shades fires what looks to be a laser shotgun down into unseen enemies. His red tank top and bandolier of explosive munitions strapped across each shoulder and waist do not project an air of subtlety, nor does his blood-stained a-frame tank top.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Mar 5

Question for my #TTRPG folks. Do you use Henchmen / Hirelings / Personnel in your games to work with/against your PCs? I seem obsessed with turning TTRPGs into "employee management simulator" and i'm curious if anyone else enjoys that stuff? The REAL fantasy is loyal competent employees paid well

Daario Naharis from Game of Thrones, as played by Ed Skrien. a man with a uniquely-proportioned, handsome face, long sandy-brown hand, and a wicked smirk. He wears overlapping sheaths of dark padded armor.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Mar 5

Blender Pitch: Put The White Claw, Memoires of a Geisha, and Black Swan in a blender, you get Kokuho.

A beautiful japanese man in black and white clothing holds a yellow fan. His expression is determined and forceful.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Mar 5

I found the opening hour and a half of Kokuho (2026) to be fantastic - full of drama and artistry. The next hour of the movie watching artists suffer shitty pointless lives of misery and abuse is expected, unwanted, and exhausting. The last half hour is sorrowful and beautiful. 8/10 for me, too.

A kabuki theater performance set before scenery of rolling hill and cherry-trees. An orchestra sits before the scenery. In the foreground, two actors dressed as identical geisha have thrown themselves onto the floor, facing in opposite directions. Each are wearing pale yellow kimonos with wide, black sashes and blood red accents.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Mar 4

I found Orbital Blues to really nail the tone of what the game was trying to execute.

THIS IS THE ROCK AND ROLL FUTURE OF YESTERYEAR THAT NEVER WAS -AND NOBODY WANTED.

It is 'an intergalactic age of cowboys, outlaws and bandits
playing on an interstellar stage. It is a time of hyper-capitalism
and a cut-throat gig economy. Unreliable trash-heaps carry
scrappy underdogs to their next gig, and corporation freighters
lumber across the horizon laden with an empire's bounty.

The backstreets of every terraformed metropolis brim with a
thousand lonely hearts and a thousand more venal vendettas.
The burnt-out wastelands between bright lights are lawless bat
countries-anachronistic Americana languishing beneath
multiple moons. Madness in every direction at every solar hour.

These are the music-fueled, moonage daydreams of a rebel
space age.

These are your ORBITAL BLUES.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Feb 27

It does look pretty flat, even for digital. Its odd that independent movies like Sword of God (~8? mil budget) or Valhalla Rising (6 mil budget) can completely slam dunk this kind of cinematography to look natural, but streaming services REALLY struggle with it.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Feb 27

Having said that, just remember - the next time you see 10-30ft squares on a fantasy map, particularly from me, its not hate toward the 5ft rule, it's because stuff is pretty big, y'all, and we can't change the past. with love. JB, your weirdly emphatic about weights and measures TTRPG pal

The same castle pictured in the previous post, but this time a white gridded outline has been put where the courtyard was and a gray gridded outline has been put where the battlements are. Each tower has 50+ squares representing a 5-foot by 5-foot space. Without zooming in on the image, the graph-paper quality is almost unusably small.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Feb 27

There are SEVERAL examples of castles in our history that are quite small, by today's standards. Like Bodiam castle, measuring only 185ish feet on each side. Even THAT is difficult to picture for most TTRPG groups, as you can park about 45 city busses in the courtyard alone....

Green trees surround a gray-green moat. In the center, the most stereotypical castle stands with a single road leading out of the moat. One side of the satellite image measures 184 feet from tower battlement to tower battlement. A red dot, marked "Fireball" covers the top of one such battlement, while a dark bug-like shape lies in the central grassy courtyard - a Frost Giant lying down on its back, marked in blue since it's easy to miss.

DropTheDie@dropthedie· Feb 27

I get frustrated making fantasy maps for #TTRPGs because I have a weird fascination with distances/measurements. When I translate an AVERAGE medieval structure onto a D&D style 5-foot grid, it's so enormous the squares vanish... MOST fantasy maps are half the size of a Walmart to prevent headache.