The Nat20 Tabletop Blog
Master the craft of running tabletop RPGs — guides, tactics, and tool comparisons. Everything you need to plan your campaign, build your world, and keep your table coming back.
Featured Articles
Pathfinder 2e Comes to Nat20: Ancestries, Backgrounds & Classes
The Pathfinder Second Edition ruleset is now live on Nat20 — 50 ancestries, 337 backgrounds, and all 27 classes, in English and Spanish. Here is what shipped and what is coming next.
How to Organize a D&D Campaign: A Complete Guide for New Dungeon Masters
A repeatable structure for planning a D&D campaign that survives contact with real players — premises over plots, three layers of prep, and one source of truth.
Session Zero Checklist: Everything to Cover Before Your First Session
The one-hour meeting that saves your campaign. Tone, safety tools, schedule, house rules, and character creation — everything to align on before the dice come out.
All Articles
How to Speed Up D&D Combat: 9 Fixes That Actually Work
A session that fits one fight is a bookkeeping problem, not a rules problem. Nine changes that cut combat length without touching a single rule.
Pathfinder 2e Comes to Nat20: Ancestries, Backgrounds & Classes
The Pathfinder Second Edition ruleset is now live on Nat20 — 50 ancestries, 337 backgrounds, and all 27 classes, in English and Spanish. Here is what shipped and what is coming next.
Grimslate: A Free Warhammer 40,000 Army Builder for 11th Edition
Grimslate is a free, no-account army builder for Warhammer 40K — 25+ factions, full 11th-edition datasheets, and live battle tracking. Why our sister project is worth a look.
How to Run a D&D Session Online for Free — Complete Setup Guide
From zero to everyone connected and rolling dice, for free. The complete walkthrough for running D&D online — platform, voice chat, session setup, and common problems solved.
How to Use a Battle Map on Your Tablet as DM — A Practical Guide
A tablet on the table changes how you run sessions. Monster stat blocks, initiative, maps — all on one screen with no laptop wall between you and your players. Here's the setup that works.
Free vs Paid Virtual Tabletop — What You Actually Get in 2026
An honest breakdown of what the free tier gives you on Roll20, Foundry VTT, Owlbear Rodeo, and Nat20 — and where the paywalls hit. No marketing, just the comparison.
The Best Free Roll20 Alternatives in 2026 (No Subscription Required)
Roll20 is the default, but it hides its best features behind a paywall. Here are the best genuinely free alternatives for running D&D and TTRPG sessions online in 2026.
How to Organize a D&D Campaign: A Complete Guide for New Dungeon Masters
A repeatable structure for planning a D&D campaign that survives contact with real players — premises over plots, three layers of prep, and one source of truth.
Session Zero Checklist: Everything to Cover Before Your First Session
The one-hour meeting that saves your campaign. Tone, safety tools, schedule, house rules, and character creation — everything to align on before the dice come out.
The Best Free Tools for Running D&D Campaigns in 2026
Plan, play, and archive an entire campaign without a subscription. A completely free toolkit for 2026, organized by the job each tool does.
Worldbuilding for Tabletop RPGs: 7 Techniques to Make Your Setting Unforgettable
A memorable setting feels alive at the table, not impressive on paper. Seven techniques for building a world your players actually want to explore.
Homebrew vs Official Rulesets: When to Bend the Rules in Your TTRPG
House rules are a joy — and a trap. When to homebrew, when to leave the rules alone, and how to do it without waking up inside a rules argument.
How to Track Characters, Items, and Loot Across a Long Campaign
Long campaigns accumulate people, items, and gold. A light system for tracking all three so nothing important slips through the cracks.
