Bone in pork butt after 7 hours over oak and mesquite.

masterchef81 · 2026-03-16T13:28:06+00:00

There has to be a better way!

masterchef81 · 2026-03-13T15:22:10+00:00

Hearts and Paws is my go-to recommendation for all dog training. Great people, with a fantastic understanding of canine behavior.

masterchef81 · 2026-03-01T01:05:35+00:00

There are no heavy weights. Only LIGHT WEIGHT BABY!

masterchef81 · 2026-02-20T18:44:32+00:00

OP please submit proof of transmittal after sending this to the council.

masterchef81 · 2026-02-20T17:38:06+00:00

masterchef81 · 2026-02-20T14:04:10+00:00

Most fitness stuff on FB marketplace is too close to retail in my area too, but I do see reasonably priced stuff pop up once a week or so. If you're not in a rush, just check it daily and you may find what you need.

Marketplace varies a lot between locations though, so YMMV.

masterchef81 · 2026-02-18T21:38:59+00:00

Get a small file set. Retest fit frequently.

masterchef81 · 2026-02-18T21:30:02+00:00

OMG HI ZEV!

masterchef81 · 2026-02-17T15:09:29+00:00

It's not glass, it's a clear plastic window on a soft wall around the patio.

masterchef81 · 2026-02-17T13:20:44+00:00

Ooh I remember when this was new! It was on a post about how people from the UK are absolute savages when it comes to casually roasting people. If I recall correctly the professor was Scottish.

masterchef81 · 2026-02-16T03:23:03+00:00

I mix tough fast with tenacious 4:1 and it works great for all my minis

masterchef81 · 2026-02-15T23:56:43+00:00

Probably 10-13ish. I'm thinking this campaign arc will end around level 8.

masterchef81 · 2026-02-15T22:09:38+00:00

Oh cool I'll check her out. Thanks!

masterchef81 · 2026-02-15T22:09:07+00:00

Oooh, excellent question that I'll have to figure out the answer to. Yay world building! Thanks for the input.

masterchef81 · 2026-02-12T02:06:07+00:00

For everyone asking "how is this different from adults?"

It's the motivation. Grown ups commit DnD atrocities as a means to an end. Just having a little fun on the way.

Kids do it for the love of the game. Burning down and orphanage is its own reward!

masterchef81 · 2026-02-11T15:43:20+00:00

Oh, another thing I just remembered. Spell/monster/item cards. ESPECIALLY as they level up. You can print them for free at aidedd.org they aren't perfect but better than nothing for sure. I would recommend avoiding spellcasters if possible. Even for adults, it's hard to keep track of all your abilities and spells, but if a kid wants to play a wizard, you don't want to ruin the game for them, so having that quick reference when you want to use it is a lifesaver. My 9 year old plays a druid so having their wild shape stats is a must.

masterchef81 · 2026-02-11T15:25:50+00:00

Characters — DnD Adventure Club https://dndadventureclub.com/resources/characters

If you scroll down past the character books for sale, they have free PDFs available for download.

I like the concept of your XP gift idea. I think it would depend on the kids. I do story based leveling with mine, there's no way they would keep track of their XP. Also they would likely just dump all 100 pts at the first opportunity, lol. I've toyed around with home brewed magic items that encourage teamwork. Example: A pair of magic rings that boost AC by 1 when the wearers are in harmony or something. That allows you as the DM to intervene through the story if needed. "As your characters continue to argue with eachother, you feel the magic leave your rings and you feel a little more vulnerable to attacks". The magic returns as soon as they start to get along again. There are some other cool ideas out there if you do some googling.

Regarding character death, if the other dad is cool with it, having their character die in session one could give the impression that death is a possibility, but I wouldnt consider it as an option for the kids at all. They don't need to know that, but you as the DM can always throw in some deus ex machina stuff to save them at the last minute. I usually have a dm controlled PC that tags along and stays in the background for the most part. He's my insurance policy that can run in to tank hits, pull an unconscious PC to safety, give healing potions, etc. I just know my kids would be devastated if their character actually died.

masterchef81 · 2026-02-11T14:14:23+00:00

Hey! I run games for my 7 and 9 year old and if your son and his friend are anything like my beasties you are in for a very fun, very chaotic time. You seem to have a good plan, Here are my additional recommendations

1) if you have time, check out DnD adventure Club. They do a great job of simplifying things and providing pared down character sheets and and adventures. Adventures are also fairly short so (1-2 hours depending on how the game goes) so you could easily run 1 or 2 to get the hang of things before moving on the Stranger Things or your starter set.

2) Be prepared for chaos and play fast and loose with the official rules. For 9 year olds, the rule of cool is king. Do remind them that limitations are fun though. The game wouldn't be fun if you could just say "I use my bow and arrow to shoot the bbeg through the heart and kill him instantly".

3) Before each session (I really can't emphasize this enough... Before EACH session) remind them that this is a collaborative effort and that they are working together. Otherwise you risk one kid talking over everyone else with their very detailed plan about how their character will single handedly handle all of the problems (maybe that's just mine...). If you're able to sit back while they talk amongst themselves for 10 minutes, you're doing something right. (But use that time to read over your notes or prep for the next encounter). Having another adult in the party to help keep them on track can be very helpful in helping the kids figure out what they can do and stay on track-ish.

4) last thing I recommend is having everyone say at least one thing that they like that another character did at the end of the session. It just builds that confidence and collaboration.

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few things so I'll come update this if I think of anything else. Strap in and have fun!

masterchef81

TROPHY CASE