iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 12/09/2026

I’m going to write a second adventure for the Grim Hollow organized play campaign. I got a kick out of running my first at Gen Con. I’ll be running the second at Winter Fantasy

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Reposted by DM David Hartlage

d20play @d20play.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

CROWS. This is fine.

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 03/09/2026

So close to being the D&D tie-in that unseats bologna

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 29/08/2026

During wilderness travel in Crows, our ref @d20play.bsky.social rolls a random encounter and gets a curious elephant. It grabs a random item from a party member. The die chooses a rage potion and the beast samples it. Now we have a raging elephant problem. I like when the dice create a story

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 20/08/2026

Witnessed yesterday: For some reason, a Camry driver enraged the driver in the next lane. He started pitching rubbish out at the Camry. While moving, he sticks BOTH hands out his window to do some lengthy, bird-flipping theatre with maximum flourish. Painted on his car: Responsible Driving School

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 14/08/2026

Real, preserved armor that looks like D&D splint in the Golubac Fortress in Serbia.

In a museum case, aged and pocked metal plates arranged on a torso mannequin

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 12/08/2026

When I realized that my reaction to the D&D announcement would be ready so late, I considered scrapping the post. But in my biased opinion, I had some interesting and slightly controversial things to say. dmdavid.com/tag/wizards-...

dmdavid.com

Wizards of the Coast Announces More D&D for Everyone, but Not All of It’s for You

At Gen Con, Dungeons & Dragons franchise head Dan Ayob joined various D&D team members and stars connected with D&D to reveal future plans for the game and franchise. They announced mor…

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 03/08/2026

I just checked the ticket situation at the one Chicagoland theater showing The Odyssey in 70mm IMAX. Even the 2:30am week day showings are sold out deep into September. I suppose I can wait until October.

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 31/07/2026

As cool as the show was, my favorite announcement was improved search on D&D beyond I hope I can search for tiny hut without finding 10 adventures with huts at the top of search

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 30/07/2026

The D&D team spent big on this spectacle and it shows! I hope Hazbro’s ROI guys never find out

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 30/07/2026

A sun appears on the video screen at the D&D keynote. Dark?

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 30/07/2026

I remember the 3e and 4e announcements. Just a big room with chairs. Now we have a spectacle with a soundtrack, a set and stars! Of course 3e had t-shirts and a Gary Gygax appearance, so that was fun

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 30/07/2026

Security is tight at the D&D keynote. D&D hasn’t felt so dangerous since the 80s

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 30/07/2026

The field of play at Lucas Oil Stadium, Gen Con

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 30/07/2026

Here for the big game. You know, D&D and so on

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 26/07/2026

I’m gathering miniatures for the games I’m DMing at Gen Con. Here are 4 aspects of Venin, Grim Hollow’s Arch Daemon of Deception. Which is real?

4 miniature figures of women in blue dresses

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 21/07/2026

Empire of the Petal Throne, TSR's 1975 D&D successor, has players reroll all their PC's hit dice at every level. When playing OSR games, I hate fragile PCs saddled with low hp through their career based on bad, early hp rolls, so I like this improvement. The vague OD&D rules even allow the method.

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 09/07/2026

Just got my Gen Con judge schedule. I’m running Spies in the House of Many Eyes, the Grim Hollow adventure that I wrote, Fri, Sat, and Sun morning. Plus I have GH 2-2: Worse than the Disease on Sat afternoon. I prepped that for GameHole, but didn’t get to run it. I’m very happy with this line up!

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Dyson Logos @dysonlogos.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

I took the classic S1 Tomb of Horrors adventure and completely rebuilt the map. The structure is actually the same, but the topology of the map has been completely changed. dysonlogos.blog/2026/06/28/d...

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Reposted by DM David Hartlage

d20play @d20play.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

I hope to see you all there on Tuesday! youtube.com/live/pA3U84l...

youtube.com

DnD ENCOUNTERS with Shawn Merwin - d20play Live 104

YouTube video by d20play

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 28/06/2026

A while back I thought about getting a phoenix mini for an adventure, so I shopped the Elder Elemental Phoenix figure. At $179, I skipped it. Now that WizKids put it on sale for $54, I splurged. I totally failed to appreciate its massive size. I’m going to need a bigger adventure.

Phoenix miniature towers over ogre and summoner figures

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 25/06/2026

Pulling out some old maps, I came across this one of Dengor’s Palace from DDEX315 Szith Morcane Unbound. Opal the cat found it inviting

A cat walks on a hand-drawn, gridded D&D battle map of a cavern

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 24/06/2026

Has anyone run or played The Whispering Cairn from Dungeon magazine? I know it’s very well regarded.

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 13/06/2026

As I write an adventure for organized play, I have a question for DMs: The party faces 3-4 monsters with the ability to cast fear 3 times each. Are you spamming fear because that's the way to "win," or are you using it more sparingly, say once per turn.

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MechTexas @mechtexas.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

Is DnD 5e too lenient? Almost boring? Usually yes. But these Sithicus Ashes of the Black Rose adventures are HUMBLING me. Watch me and @dmdavid.com run from DM @d20play.bsky.social and try to survive!

youtu.be

DnD Actual Play ASHES OF THE BLACK ROSE Curse of Strahd and Confession and Consolation

YouTube video by d20play

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 30/05/2026

How our Crows game with @d20play.bsky.social went: Check out our tokens after just travelling to the dungeon. Those skulls mean everyone is either boned or double boned. Later: Many dead PCs Crows is brutal and fun

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 26/05/2026

Down into the dungeon Not sure where to stow my 10-foot pole

A narrow spiral staircase constructed of timeworn stone descends into darkness

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 25/05/2026

Anecdote from Bulgarian tour guide: My son, he says to me, “We don’t get old anymore; we just level up.” I know that’s via video games, but it still has me thinking about the reach of Dave & Gary’s creation.

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 25/05/2026

Belogradchik Fortress in Bulgaria dates back to the Romans and substitutes natural rock formations for some walls. Real world D&D inspiration

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 16/05/2026

Today, playing a Druid, I turned into a horse and attempted a test of strength by saying, “I will pull the woman from her wax prison using horsepower!” That’s living the dream

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Reposted by DM David Hartlage

d20play @d20play.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

Here are our planning notes for the 2012 D&D championship GEN CON. I had so much fun with the opens and championships. We took that shit serious!

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 09/05/2026

I saved 4 characters from the 2012 D&D championship at Gen Con. Here’s a shot of the final showdown. I love that the DM came equipped with at least 2 Balors!

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 04/05/2026

In 1977, kids grew up seeing few movies. Most cities had 3 or 4 channels. Video stores were years away. Only Disney made much for kids and the studio was mired in a 2-decade slump. Star Wars had yet to plant the idea of making special-effects movies for kids on summer break.

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 04/05/2026

I’m shopping monster books for foes. Stalking, nightmare creatures that do things like tap on windows at night and cause people to disappear seem compelling to me, but they’re never legendary, so I know the adventure’s last scene would be an anti-climactic 5-to-1 ass kicking.

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 29/04/2026

Today for an adventure, I need to decide how a low-level warlock could murder someone and leave a body that clearly and creepily suggests that a warlock did this. I mean, what does the aftermath of murder by toll the dead even look like?

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 11/04/2026

This Sunday I’m playing Village of Hommlet with @d20play.bsky.social in the DM chair. I’m excited for my first visit. All I know is Gary dutifully stashed coins in every home like the village was a goddam dungeon for murderhobos. 🤣

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Reposted by DM David Hartlage

Simon Burley @squadronuk.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Fascinating read. I never realised the Mike Mearls and I were in agreement about a 5thEd (2014) design goal and am sad to see something I didn’t know existed disappear.

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 01/04/2026

After Mike Mearls left the D&D design team, the group stopped focusing on speed of play in their design. In an essential new post on playtesting, he talks about speed of play.

I am a huge fan of mechanics that fade into the background, ones that become part of the routine of play in a way that merges with the flow. If a mechanic is big and messy, I want it to come online in a dramatic way (I rage!). If it's a routine effect, I want players to manage it themselves without needing to bring the game to a halt.

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 31/03/2026

You may have seen videos of North Korean defectors setting foot in western grocery stores for the first time. Those folks were less over-stimulated than me walking into a Japanese Mega Don Quijote store for the first time

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 28/03/2026

This life-sized unicorn Gundam statue proved way cooler than I expected

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Reposted by DM David Hartlage

d20play @d20play.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Today I get to talk about adventure design and testing with @alphastream.bsky.social @shawnmerwin.bsky.social and @dmdavid.com! Lots of great topics to cover including this nugget from @mattcolville.bsky.social. I hope you can join us in the chat on the d20play YouTube! 7pm EDT.

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 13/03/2026

2024 monsters reevaluated based on adventure I just ran: Assassin - brutal Kraken - rough Bone devil - good match for cr Evoker wizard - also just right Chain devil - weak and sad

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 11/03/2026

In the early days of D&D, players liked saying, “I ready my sword” or “I nock an arrow.” I witnessed it all the time. This helped counter DMs who might otherwise insist players spend a turn drawing a sword or preparing an arrow.

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 01/03/2026

The @slyflourish.com trick of improvising the reveals of secrets & clues during play keeps gaining my favor. The technique helped me remix an adventure that would have run well short of my 4-hour con slot. I gave leads to the mod's written encounters until time came to reveal how to finish the quest

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 01/03/2026

I’m one of those who loved playing Fall of Blackbottom because of a real sense of peril and choices that made the difference between success and failure. Plus the villains did bad things so I loved taken down.

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 24/02/2026

Gateway error Service unavailable Dndbeyond is having a night Guess I’ll have to reference books like a caveman

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Reposted by DM David Hartlage

d20play @d20play.bsky.social · 14/02/2026

Bitter Sweet Draw Steel game today. Only 2 of 5 heroes made it to the safehouse. But, they saved 8 other souls. Real. Hard. Choices.

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Marcello the Valiant DM🔜Nuke-Con @mdvaliant573.bsky.social · 08/02/2026

Your action pose! Tks for bringing @ghostfiregaming.bsky.social s The Grim Hunt to life for all your players.

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DM David Hartlage @dmdavid.com · 04/02/2026

I’m counting down hours until I get in the car and drive to Fort Wayne to the Winter Fantasy convention!

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