Ben Riggs
@benriggs.bsky.social
Friend to mortal, beast, and undead alike, Ben Riggs is a writer, teacher, and podcaster. Author of Slaying the Dragon: A Secret History of Dungeons & Dragons and co-mastermind of the Plot Points podcast.
Shamelessly, 30 minutes into this interview with Cam Banks & Fred Hicks, I share leaked D&D sales data. youtu.be/BJsGXTwujA4
October 27, 2025 at 2:26 AM
Shamelessly, 30 minutes into this interview with Cam Banks & Fred Hicks, I share leaked D&D sales data. youtu.be/BJsGXTwujA4
The American Constitution died in the past six months, so we are going to need a new one.
You may say that’s an exaggeration. I would ask then that you look at our constitutional system of checks and balances, ‘cause right now the checks don’t balance.
You may say that’s an exaggeration. I would ask then that you look at our constitutional system of checks and balances, ‘cause right now the checks don’t balance.
July 16, 2025 at 1:58 PM
The American Constitution died in the past six months, so we are going to need a new one.
You may say that’s an exaggeration. I would ask then that you look at our constitutional system of checks and balances, ‘cause right now the checks don’t balance.
You may say that’s an exaggeration. I would ask then that you look at our constitutional system of checks and balances, ‘cause right now the checks don’t balance.
The voice of male Commander Shephard, Mark Meer, conversates with Ravenloft co-creator Bruce Nesmith and Ravenloft author James Lowder. Click here! youtu.be/sEGxpb4iMbA
June 16, 2025 at 4:23 PM
The voice of male Commander Shephard, Mark Meer, conversates with Ravenloft co-creator Bruce Nesmith and Ravenloft author James Lowder. Click here! youtu.be/sEGxpb4iMbA
Are hexcrawls the adventure's final form?
We discuss that very question with two of the premier purveyors of the hexcrawl format in the 21st century: Jacob Hurst & WF Smith, aka Prismatic Wasteland.
We discuss that very question with two of the premier purveyors of the hexcrawl format in the 21st century: Jacob Hurst & WF Smith, aka Prismatic Wasteland.
June 9, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Are hexcrawls the adventure's final form?
We discuss that very question with two of the premier purveyors of the hexcrawl format in the 21st century: Jacob Hurst & WF Smith, aka Prismatic Wasteland.
We discuss that very question with two of the premier purveyors of the hexcrawl format in the 21st century: Jacob Hurst & WF Smith, aka Prismatic Wasteland.
I have interviewed bestselling authors, Ivy League professors, and comic creators whose work has gone on to generate billions at the box office.
But as a class, TTRPG professionals seem to be the smartest people I regularly talk to.
But as a class, TTRPG professionals seem to be the smartest people I regularly talk to.
June 4, 2025 at 8:01 PM
I have interviewed bestselling authors, Ivy League professors, and comic creators whose work has gone on to generate billions at the box office.
But as a class, TTRPG professionals seem to be the smartest people I regularly talk to.
But as a class, TTRPG professionals seem to be the smartest people I regularly talk to.
Kevin Kulp & Jeff Grubb have, between them, created entire cosmologies and entire timelines. Kulp is the award-winning creator of Timewatch and the investigative fantasy game, Swords of the Serpentine.
May 27, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Kevin Kulp & Jeff Grubb have, between them, created entire cosmologies and entire timelines. Kulp is the award-winning creator of Timewatch and the investigative fantasy game, Swords of the Serpentine.
hannon Appelcline is a TTRPG historian par excellence. His Designers & Dragons set a high bar for the field and I cannot recommend it too highly. HIs recent Traveller history, This is Free Trader Beowulf, is similarly excellent.
May 21, 2025 at 7:36 PM
hannon Appelcline is a TTRPG historian par excellence. His Designers & Dragons set a high bar for the field and I cannot recommend it too highly. HIs recent Traveller history, This is Free Trader Beowulf, is similarly excellent.
Ask a round of nerds what the first RPG was, and you'll likely get D&D as your answer. Some might shout out Blackmoor. A few may say Braunstein. But what if the answer was... something else? A long talk with the Thucydides of RPG history, Jon Peterson! Link below:
May 19, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Ask a round of nerds what the first RPG was, and you'll likely get D&D as your answer. Some might shout out Blackmoor. A few may say Braunstein. But what if the answer was... something else? A long talk with the Thucydides of RPG history, Jon Peterson! Link below:
Pirate Borg designer Luke Stratton is a true polymath. Not only did he make the setting and the rules for his brutal, fast, and fun pirate RPG, but he also did the art! Additionally, he is a famous lighting designer who traveled the world lighting grunge gods, the Smashing Pumpkins!
Link below!
Link below!
February 24, 2025 at 3:51 AM
Pirate Borg designer Luke Stratton is a true polymath. Not only did he make the setting and the rules for his brutal, fast, and fun pirate RPG, but he also did the art! Additionally, he is a famous lighting designer who traveled the world lighting grunge gods, the Smashing Pumpkins!
Link below!
Link below!
Let’s imagine the next American Constitution!
I would still start with the classics, although somewhat updated:
“We, the People of the United States of America, hold these truths to be self-evident, that everyone is created equal, that we are endowed with certain unalienable rights...
I would still start with the classics, although somewhat updated:
“We, the People of the United States of America, hold these truths to be self-evident, that everyone is created equal, that we are endowed with certain unalienable rights...
February 10, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Let’s imagine the next American Constitution!
I would still start with the classics, although somewhat updated:
“We, the People of the United States of America, hold these truths to be self-evident, that everyone is created equal, that we are endowed with certain unalienable rights...
I would still start with the classics, although somewhat updated:
“We, the People of the United States of America, hold these truths to be self-evident, that everyone is created equal, that we are endowed with certain unalienable rights...
I ran I6: Ravenloft using SHADOWDARK three times in the autumn of 2024. The system and the adventure made beautiful music together. It was fast, dangerous, chaotic, brooding, mysterious and fun as hell.
January 22, 2025 at 3:02 PM
I ran I6: Ravenloft using SHADOWDARK three times in the autumn of 2024. The system and the adventure made beautiful music together. It was fast, dangerous, chaotic, brooding, mysterious and fun as hell.
Are you aware of the “Harlot Table” from the 1st edition Dungeon Masters’ Guide?
Apparently, Gary Gygax just wanted to let everyone know precisely what kind of prostitutes one might encounter in D&D. No wonder D&D had trouble attracting female players for so long!
Apparently, Gary Gygax just wanted to let everyone know precisely what kind of prostitutes one might encounter in D&D. No wonder D&D had trouble attracting female players for so long!
January 17, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Are you aware of the “Harlot Table” from the 1st edition Dungeon Masters’ Guide?
Apparently, Gary Gygax just wanted to let everyone know precisely what kind of prostitutes one might encounter in D&D. No wonder D&D had trouble attracting female players for so long!
Apparently, Gary Gygax just wanted to let everyone know precisely what kind of prostitutes one might encounter in D&D. No wonder D&D had trouble attracting female players for so long!
Ever notice how Lolth, the chaotic evil queen of the spiders, goddess to the all-evil “black” elves, looks African-American on the cover of 1986’s Queen of the Spiders?
Again, D&D links dark skin/African features to evil.
So the changes in 2024 D&D were very much needed.
Again, D&D links dark skin/African features to evil.
So the changes in 2024 D&D were very much needed.
January 16, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Ever notice how Lolth, the chaotic evil queen of the spiders, goddess to the all-evil “black” elves, looks African-American on the cover of 1986’s Queen of the Spiders?
Again, D&D links dark skin/African features to evil.
So the changes in 2024 D&D were very much needed.
Again, D&D links dark skin/African features to evil.
So the changes in 2024 D&D were very much needed.
Yesterday in Polygon, Charlie Hall wrote about the remarkably thin release schedule for D&D in the next year, and the opportunity this represents for indie games. He is absolutely right, and there is historical evidence for it.
January 15, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Yesterday in Polygon, Charlie Hall wrote about the remarkably thin release schedule for D&D in the next year, and the opportunity this represents for indie games. He is absolutely right, and there is historical evidence for it.
Here's the Drow entry in the 1st ed Monster Manual:
“Drow: The “Black Elves,” or drow, are only legend. They purportedly dwell deep beneath the surface in a strange subterranean realm. The drow are said to be as dark as faeries are bright and as evil as the latter are good..”
“Drow: The “Black Elves,” or drow, are only legend. They purportedly dwell deep beneath the surface in a strange subterranean realm. The drow are said to be as dark as faeries are bright and as evil as the latter are good..”
January 15, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Here's the Drow entry in the 1st ed Monster Manual:
“Drow: The “Black Elves,” or drow, are only legend. They purportedly dwell deep beneath the surface in a strange subterranean realm. The drow are said to be as dark as faeries are bright and as evil as the latter are good..”
“Drow: The “Black Elves,” or drow, are only legend. They purportedly dwell deep beneath the surface in a strange subterranean realm. The drow are said to be as dark as faeries are bright and as evil as the latter are good..”
D&D is popular and important because it lets us tell stories to make meaning in our lives.
It's good to remove racist/sexist tropes from D&D to make everyone welcome at the table.
So I generally support the changes 2024 D&D made to this end.
It's good to remove racist/sexist tropes from D&D to make everyone welcome at the table.
So I generally support the changes 2024 D&D made to this end.
January 13, 2025 at 12:18 PM
D&D is popular and important because it lets us tell stories to make meaning in our lives.
It's good to remove racist/sexist tropes from D&D to make everyone welcome at the table.
So I generally support the changes 2024 D&D made to this end.
It's good to remove racist/sexist tropes from D&D to make everyone welcome at the table.
So I generally support the changes 2024 D&D made to this end.
I want to make sure I'm understanding the 2024 rules correctly.
Ability bonuses in character creation have moved from species/race to background, so a Charlatan would get to improve their DEX, CON, and CHA.
I am understanding this correctly, right?
Ability bonuses in character creation have moved from species/race to background, so a Charlatan would get to improve their DEX, CON, and CHA.
I am understanding this correctly, right?
January 10, 2025 at 3:04 PM
I want to make sure I'm understanding the 2024 rules correctly.
Ability bonuses in character creation have moved from species/race to background, so a Charlatan would get to improve their DEX, CON, and CHA.
I am understanding this correctly, right?
Ability bonuses in character creation have moved from species/race to background, so a Charlatan would get to improve their DEX, CON, and CHA.
I am understanding this correctly, right?
Wish is a spell that is ridiculously powerful, ridiculously fun, and (perhaps) ridiculously broken! We're going to do a deep dive and look at the spell across editions. Helping us look at the spell in 2nd and 3rd edition D&D are designer Skip Williams and show stalwart, Eliza Lambert!
Link below!
Link below!
December 9, 2024 at 2:19 AM
Wish is a spell that is ridiculously powerful, ridiculously fun, and (perhaps) ridiculously broken! We're going to do a deep dive and look at the spell across editions. Helping us look at the spell in 2nd and 3rd edition D&D are designer Skip Williams and show stalwart, Eliza Lambert!
Link below!
Link below!
He explained it in the text, writing, "Women's lib may make whatever they wish of the foregoing." So...
1) He is writing misogyny right into the text, by arguing women are chaotic.
2) He is obviously commenting on politics in the text of D&D.
So Daniel, if you're still reading this...
1) He is writing misogyny right into the text, by arguing women are chaotic.
2) He is obviously commenting on politics in the text of D&D.
So Daniel, if you're still reading this...
December 2, 2024 at 4:35 PM
He explained it in the text, writing, "Women's lib may make whatever they wish of the foregoing." So...
1) He is writing misogyny right into the text, by arguing women are chaotic.
2) He is obviously commenting on politics in the text of D&D.
So Daniel, if you're still reading this...
1) He is writing misogyny right into the text, by arguing women are chaotic.
2) He is obviously commenting on politics in the text of D&D.
So Daniel, if you're still reading this...
DCC designer Joseph Goodman set out to make a TTRPG that would recreate the wonders of fantasy and sci-fi literature as laid out by Gary Gygax in Appendix N. In Appendix N of DCC, Goodman explains what he learned from Gygax's Appendix N, and how DCC is a response to it.
Link in the comments!
Link in the comments!
November 25, 2024 at 2:30 AM
DCC designer Joseph Goodman set out to make a TTRPG that would recreate the wonders of fantasy and sci-fi literature as laid out by Gary Gygax in Appendix N. In Appendix N of DCC, Goodman explains what he learned from Gygax's Appendix N, and how DCC is a response to it.
Link in the comments!
Link in the comments!
“Damn right I am a sexist. It doesn’t matter to me if women get paid as much as men… They can jolly well stay away from wargaming in droves for all I care.”
-D&D co-creator Gary Gygax, EUROPA 10/11 August-September 1975
Since Musk is talking about it, here's my article on all this from earlier:
-D&D co-creator Gary Gygax, EUROPA 10/11 August-September 1975
Since Musk is talking about it, here's my article on all this from earlier:
November 22, 2024 at 8:15 PM
“Damn right I am a sexist. It doesn’t matter to me if women get paid as much as men… They can jolly well stay away from wargaming in droves for all I care.”
-D&D co-creator Gary Gygax, EUROPA 10/11 August-September 1975
Since Musk is talking about it, here's my article on all this from earlier:
-D&D co-creator Gary Gygax, EUROPA 10/11 August-September 1975
Since Musk is talking about it, here's my article on all this from earlier:
I think I'm plotting a One Ring campaign...
September 26, 2023 at 12:55 PM
I think I'm plotting a One Ring campaign...