LitRPG Reads: RPG + DnD + Books = LitRPG

Building a Balanced D&D Party: How to Create a Well-Rounded Team for Any Adventure

Three fantasy adventurers stand in a dark forest. One wields a flaming sword, another crosses their arms, and the third, with blue skin, levitates a glowing die. A castle looms under a twilight sky—a scene straight from a Pathfinder RPG session.

Ah, Dungeons & Dragons. This age-old game is not just about rolling dice and fighting dragons. No, it’s about crafting epic adventures with a band of characters as diverse as the sentences in a bestselling novel. You might think, “Hey, let’s just …

D&D Etiquette: 8 Unwritten Rules Every Player Should Follow for a Better Game

by Ana Libanski

A determined fantasy warrior with a sword stands ready in a vibrant medieval village, reminiscent of a Dungeons & Dragons setting. Hes surrounded by snarling goblins, with detailed wooden buildings and tattered banners in the backdrop. The scene is set in dramatic, illustrated style.

Imagine entering a world where dragons soar above and magic is as real as the air you breathe—welcome to Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), a realm of endless adventures. But here’s the thing: while this imaginative game boasts a vast array of rules …

Top 5 D&D Modules for Beginners: Perfect Adventures to Start Your Campaign

by Amir Barakat

Illustration of a fantasy elf with braided hair, wearing armor and a cloak, standing in a dimly-lit cave. The scene evokes the mystical atmosphere of a Pathfinder RPG adventure, with wooden chests and torches lining the rocky passage.

Entering the ancient realms of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) for the first time can be a thrilling yet daunting experience. The clatter of dice, the richness of imaginative storytelling, and the camaraderie around the table make it incredibly appealing. Yet, without the …

D&D Jargon and Terms Explained: A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding the Game

by Ajay Patel

Illustration of a woman with red hair in a bun, wearing a hoodie and jacket, sitting at a desk with an open book and colorful dice. Shes in a room with gaming sheets and a DM chair, deep in the world of DND as an imaginative Dungeon Master.

Dungeons & Dragons, or D&D as the cool kids call it, is a game that whisks players away on fantastical adventures filled with magic, mystery, and a mountain of strange words and abbreviations. Step into a game session, and it might feel …

Meta-Gaming vs. Roleplaying: How to Keep D&D Players From Breaking Immersion

by Paul Bellow

A fantasy elf warrior, steeped in the world of tabletop RPGs, holds a glowing book titled Secrets the DM Doesnt Want You to Know. He stands in a dungeon with arched ceilings, skeletal statues, and a treasure chest. A speech bubble echoes the books title: DND secrets revealed.

As Dungeon Masters (DMs), we strive to craft enthralling tales and create immersive worlds where D&D adventurers can delve into mysterious dungeons, battle fearsome foes, and uncover hidden treasures. Yet, there’s a lurking specter in the realm of tabletop gaming that threatens …

Unraveling the False Hydra: A Step-by-Step Guide to Running This Mind-Bending D&D Horror

by Amir Barakat

A warrior stands in a swamp, sword in hand, facing a multi-headed serpent monster reminiscent of a Dungeons & Dragons quest. The creatures heads loom menacingly before a full moon, while swamp trees and fog weave an ominous atmosphere.

Imagine being part of a world where your friends, family, or even you, could vanish without a trace, yet no one remembers they ever existed. That’s the eerie and terrifying nature of the False Hydra, a monstrous entity in Dungeons and Dragons …

Why Smart DMs Steal Player Ideas: Lessons from a Grumpy Old-School DM

by Kenny Kings

A bearded man sits in an armchair in a dimly lit, cluttered room, engrossed in the Monster Manual from Dungeons & Dragons. Clad in a fur-collared coat, hes surrounded by bookshelves and an eerie atmosphere, embodying the essence of ttrpg storytelling.

Meet Dave the DM. Imagine an old warrior from a forgotten realm of tabletop gaming. With more years behind the screen than most of us have been alive, Dave is a legend in his own right—a Dungeon Master with an iron grip …

How to Be a Better D&D Player: Helping Your DM Without Driving Them Crazy

by Kiera Mensah

A man and woman sit at a table with DND materials. The woman gestures with a speech bubble showing a heart, while the man replies with a warrior silhouette. Various dice and papers are scattered on the table. Shelves and game art are in the background, capturing the essence of tabletop RPG magic.

Imagine sitting at a table surrounded by dice, character sheets, and a map sprawled with tiny figurines. At the helm sits the Dungeon Master, or DM, weaving a rich tapestry of adventure that brings the fantasy world to life. The DM is …

What is LitRPG Reads?

Simply put, LitRPG stories take place in a game (or gamelike) world with rpg-style progression. Basically, an RPG in narrative format. RPG + Books = LitRPG! The term LitRPG was originally coined by three Russian authors back around 2010. I cover a lot of Dungeons & Dragons and Tabletop RPG content here too!

About LitRPG Reads

Paul Bellow is a LitRPG author, decades-long gamer, RPG game developer, and publisher of several online communities. In other words, an old school webmaster.

He also developed and runs LitRPG Adventures, a set of advanced RPG generators powered by GPT-3 AI. Here at LitRPG Reads, he publishes articles about LitRPG books, tabletop RPG books, and all sorts of DND content that's free to use in your personal tabletop campaign - i.e. non-commercial use.

Enjoy your stay and reach out on Twitter or Discord if you want to make contact.