You know it’s the place to go when you need a new adventure, but did you know the Dungeon Masters Guild is also a thriving fan community? Not only will you find the next great story to tell your players, you’ll also meet the future stars of Dungeons & Dragons narrative design supported by the one-of-a-kind creative community.
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“Dungeon Masters Guild is more than a marketplace,” says DMs Guild Brand Manager Lysa Penrose. “It’s very much a creator community, and these creators represent some of the best of the community – fun, fresh, innovative ideas combined with a collaborative spirit. I know I can’t be the only person in the industry who’s made note of the waves they’re making in D&D design.”
Designers have gone on from the Dungeons Masters Guild to become part of the Guild Adept program and working officially at Wizards of the Coast. James Introcaso, James Haeck, and M.T. Black, names you might recognize from their work on books like Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus, all got their start on the DMs Guild. You might also know Ashley Warren from the incredibly successful Uncaged anthology, Celeste Conowitch from “D&D Communitea” on the official D&D Twitch channel, and TK Johnston, the Dungeon Master for Tales From the Mists. All of these talented designers got their start on the Dungeon Masters Guild—and you can start playing their compelling adventures with just a click of the mouse.
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Uncaged: Ashley Warren
And just as exciting, there are always more names and faces to keep an eye on if you love dynamic content. Not only are some of their phenomenal adventures already on the Dungeon Masters Guild, they all have futures so bright you’ll need to make a constitution saving throw.
Justice Arman, writer of Devil’s Advocate: A Guide to Infernal Contracts, started designing adventures just for his home game. “My players and I were still getting the hang of the rules, abilities, and honestly the social component of Dungeons & Dragons,” Justice tells Geek & Sundry, “so I decided to slow down the progression by writing a short adventure in a canyon called Murdock’s Pass. I found myself writing more and more over the next couple of years.”
Justice eventually submitted a short Halloween-themed adventure to the DMs Guild, and forgot about it until he logged into the website one day—and found that it had sold a significant number of copies. “I was humbled that there were people out there who had actually paid me for my writing,” he recalls. “That experience lit a fire in me. Suddenly, I had all these ideas, and I just sort of ran with them.”
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Devil’s Advocate: Justice Arman
Like most designers that share their work through the website, Justice is keeping an eye on the future. “DMs Guild is the only place that you can earn money by writing with official Dungeons & Dragons intellectual property,” he says. “I absolutely love D&D, whether it’s Forgotten Realms lore, unique creatures such as beholders and owlbears, or famous characters like Mordenkainen and Volo. On top of that, it’s a dream of mine to write for Wizards of the Coast one day, and there’s no better place to start than the DMs Guild. I’d be crazy to not to take advantage of this opportunity!”
If you’re looking for your next great adventure or game supplement, take a look at more standout titles like:
- The Half-Race Handbook by Lydia Van Hoy
- Step Right Up by Justice Arman
- The Book of House by Willy Abeel and Leon Barillaro
“The DMs Guild is full of passionate, friendly people who are eager to collaborate with one another and share valuable knowledge in the process,” says Justice. “Every week, I learn something new from a fellow creator on the guild. These days, there are so many talented creators publishing regularly, each one of them bringing new perspectives to incredible products. The community is also supportive on social media; you’ll frequently see DMs Guild regulars sharing each other’s work with a smile. It really is a unique place.”
Which DMs Guild designer do you think deserves the spotlight? Tell us about them in the comments.
All Images: The DMs Guild
Featured Image: The DMs Guild / Lydia Van Hoy, Justice Arman, and Willy Abeel and Leon Barillaro