The Black Notebook Podcast

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Welcome to the Black Notebook. A working DM’s notebook. D&D prep, campaign notes, rules breakdowns, and media worth stealing from for Old School Gamers!

  1. Hook Horrors: The Monster You Hear Before You See

    vor 4 Tagen

    Hook Horrors: The Monster You Hear Before You See

    In this episode of The Black Notebook Podcast, we explore one of the oldest tricks in AD&D, using sound to build tension. From scratching behind a stone wall, to distant footsteps, strange whispers, and something breathing just beyond the torchlight, sound can create fear long before initiative is rolled.

    11 Min.
  2. Save or Die: Was Classic D&D Too Brutal?

    vor 6 Tagen

    Save or Die: Was Classic D&D Too Brutal?

    In this episode of The Black Notebook Podcast, we’re talking about one of the most debated mechanics in D&D, Save or Die. Was it unfair? Was it bad game design? Or was it an important part of what made old school play so tense? Let me know what you think in the comments or jump on over to Youtube and comment there.

    16 Min.
  3. Tucker’s Kobolds, Why Weak Monsters Still Scare Players

    25. Juni

    Tucker’s Kobolds, Why Weak Monsters Still Scare Players

    In this episode of The Black Notebook Podcast, I look at Tucker’s Kobolds, one of the most famous old school D&D stories ever printed in Dragon Magazine. These were ordinary kobolds, weak on paper, but deadly in play because the DM used terrain, tunnels, fire, murder holes, traps, and panic to turn them into a nightmare.

    25 Min.
  4. Orcs were terrifying, here's why..

    18. Juni

    Orcs were terrifying, here's why..

    In this episode of The Black Notebook Podcast, I take a look at why orcs were genuinely feared in early AD&D, how they were presented in the rulebooks, and what made them such a serious threat to player characters. If you’ve ever wondered why old school players didn’t charge blindly into every fight, the answer may be waiting in an orc lair. https://theevildm.com https://blacknotebook.org

    17 Min.
  5. Why D&D Monsters Didn’t Fight to the Death

    11. Juni

    Why D&D Monsters Didn’t Fight to the Death

    Ever wonder why monsters in old school D&D didn’t always fight to the bitter end? The answer is monster morale, one of the most overlooked rules in the game. In early D&D and AD&D, monsters weren’t expected to stand their ground until the last hit point. Goblins fled. Orcs surrendered. Bandits broke and ran. Even intelligent villains often chose survival over a hopeless fight. In this episode of The Black Notebook Podcast, I take a look at monster morale, why it existed, how it made dungeons feel more alive, and why it created better adventures. Sometimes the most interesting monster in the dungeon is the one that survives the encounter.

    17 Min.
  6. Why Wandering Monsters Mattered

    4. Juni

    Why Wandering Monsters Mattered

    In this episode of The Black Notebook Podcast, I talk about why wandering monsters mattered so much in old school AD&D, how they changed player behavior, and why modern games often lost that tension. Because once time mattered, every decision mattered too. https://TheEvilDM.com https://blacknotebook.org

    13 Min.
  7. Hopeless Characters, Aren't Hopeless..

    1. Juni

    Hopeless Characters, Aren't Hopeless..

    Can a character with bad stats still matter in D&D?In this episode, I talk about “Hopeless Characters” in old school D&D, using the Holmes Basic blurb and AD&D as the starting point. Bad ability scores do not always mean a bad character. Sometimes the weak fighter, the fragile magic-user, or the average nobody becomes the one everyone remembers.This is about 3d6 character creation, survival, risk, and why old school D&D did not need every character to start as a hero.

    17 Min.
  8. Dragons Were Meant To Be Avoided

    28. Mai

    Dragons Were Meant To Be Avoided

    Dragons were never meant to be balanced encounters. They were ancient, intelligent, terrifying creatures that could wipe out careless adventurers in minutes. Somewhere along the way, dragons became treated like another monster to fight for treasure and XP. In this episode, I talk about how AD&D 1st Edition handled dragons, why fear and caution mattered, and why avoiding a dragon was often the smartest move a party could make. We’ll look at morale, reaction rolls, negotiation, overwhelming power, and the old-school mindset that made dragons feel legendary instead of disposable boss fights. If your players charge every dragon head-on, this episode might change how you see these monsters forever.

    19 Min.
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Welcome to the Black Notebook. A working DM’s notebook. D&D prep, campaign notes, rules breakdowns, and media worth stealing from for Old School Gamers!

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