Recent Blog Posts
Meet Your Makers: Hexwood Creations
Greetings weary internet travelers and explorers! We’ve been doing some dungeon-delving for new content offerings, but wanted to share another segment of our Meet Your Makers series, this time featuring the incredibly talented woodworker and creator Art over at Hexwood Creations. After catching up on our Q+A be sure to head over to his TikTok
History In TTRPGs
If you have been hanging around the Variant Ventures page for a while, you will know I am the history guy. I like history, I write about it frequently, and I talk about ways to implement historical factors and events in your game. Today, however, I want to make a statement – most TTRPGs are
World Building: Player Backstory
How much backstory is too much backstory for a TTRPG character? To be frank, I am not sure if there is a clear line to draw, but let me spell out my opinions on getting player backstory as a DM, and how I create it as a player. Usually, I do not write out my
Share Your Passion With These 15 TTRPG Themed Items
There is something magical about meeting a fellow TTRPG fan out in the wild! Getting to share stories from your adventures, finding common interests, and
Meet Your Makers – 2021 Recap
The biggest joy I have received since beginning with Variant Ventures has been connecting with the community. Many big name things are accessible in the
New Year, New Plans
Welcome to the new year, Variants! Variant Ventures had some amazing things go on in 2021, as Variant Kait covered in her year in review
Port of Entry 2021 Recap
At the heart of Variant Ventures is the desire to “break down the gates that bar entry to the TTRPG hobby.” From this goal, Port
National Card Playing Day – December 28
Poker. Gin Rummy. Crazy 8s. So many of the games of my childhood can all be traced back to a single deck of cards. No
Variant Ventures 2021 Year in Review
Hello Variants, and Happy Holidays! We hope you’ve had a joyous season of fun and love! As we enter into the new year, we wanted
Saftey At The Table
Session 0: Expectations Matter
Variant Berry writes about Session 0 and implores its liberal use at the start of a new Adventuring Table or Campaign.
TTRPG Safety ToolKit
Variant Berry discusses the TTRPG Safety Toolkit, designed to ensure that player and GM alike enjoy their adventures.
Trauma at the Table
Variant J writes about a traumatic table experience, and the best ways to prevent or manage such an occurrence.
Game Reviews
Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
Berry Reviews Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything The Content I’ve Been Waiting For (Mostly) If you don’t know my story of coming to TTRPGs, let me give you the Cliff’s notes version: in high school I was told that Magic the Gathering wasn’t for girls like me and in college I was told a Pathfinder campaign
Mandala Stones Game Review
Previous Next Mandala Stones Mandala Stones is a tile placement game for 2 to 4 players aged and up, and plays in about 30 minutes. I was initially drawn to the game due the bright colors of the tiles and my love for Azul. This looked like a natural fit for some relaxed game play
Everdell Game Review
If you follow me on social media, you know that I am a sucker for good Crowdfunding. Years ago, a friend of mine told me his favorite place to buy board games was Kickstarter. I didn’t fully understand how he could buy a game that no one had reviewed yet, but I loved his game
Enchanted Plumes: Game Review
Variant Berry reviews Enchanted Plumes, a colorful card game from Calliope Games!
Business & Finance
Why Every Creative Should Be on Patreon (And How to Get Started)
Variant Izzie takes a moment to discuss why you (yes, you!) should have a Patreon, and some ideas of what to offer.
Passive Income for Creatives
Variant Izzie discusses the importance of Passive Income, and provides several ideas to help you get started.
Real Talk: 401(k)/403(b) Knowledge Unlocked
Variant Liz provides an overview of 401(k) and 403(b) plans offered by employers so you can decide if you’re ready to plan for retirement.
Real Talk: You Can Still Sell on Etsy Close To The Holiday!
Variant Liz assures us that you (yes, you) can process sales on Etsy during the final days before a major holiday.