Happy New Year everybody! And what a year it has been! A lot has happened this year, making it fly by. More importantly, I’ve been planning a lot for the upcoming year, and I’ll share some of those plans with you here as well. But first, let’s take a look back at what happened this year. For only when we understand our past, can we understand our future.

I started off last year by trying something new: learning to paint minis. I actually learned a lot in the couple months I focused on it. I learned several techniques such as washing and drybrushing. Due to life getting busy I had to shelf it, but I still pull out the occasional mini to paint when I get a break. I still have a lot to learn, and I’d like to take what I have learned and apply it to more advanced projects, like terrain.

This year I also started my first campaign that I’ve ran in a long while. It was relatively short, as we finished up a couple of months ago. But it was great fun! I learned a few lessons during that campaign, mostly about pacing the story and when to focus on the characters. We’ve already started our new campaign, so I’m ready to utilize what I’ve learned. Perhaps you’ll see me use that knowledge if I stream our game?

And the arbitrary reward for post of the year goes to… my speedy sniper tabaxi character concept. You guys seemed to love this one more than any other post this year. Perhaps I’ll make more characters that break the game. I already have an idea for one or two.

The last post I want to look back on in the most important. It is the post about my story, the story of how I found D&D and how it saved me from depression. This one has been a long time coming, but it wasn’t until recently that I felt ready to share it. But it’s important for you to know why I’m here, and why I’m doing BravoBard. The amount of support I’ve gotten concerning this is overwhelming, and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

And that’s it for this year! Let’s look on to the next. For this upcoming year I plan on going in hard. I want to post more frequently and regularly. I’m also going to be trying new things. The two big things are Twitch and Youtube.

For Youtube I’m aiming for more short format guides. Stuff that can help new players and veterans alike in easily digestible sized times. The first videos will probably be rehashes of my more useful posts here, but I’m open to any suggestions! The other format of video I’m going to pursue is Twitch. This includes running games, whether it be my own personal game or one with viewers. It will also include, more often than the other option, prep sessions where you can get an insight into my preparation process. I may even have a surprise event or two up my sleeve…

The other big step I’m planning is to be more ingrained in the community. This includes collaborations with other content creators, discussions with the community, and the like. This one is a little difficult for my introverted self, so once again I’m looking for suggestions.

Overall 2018 was a great year full of happiness and growth. 2019 is looking to double down on that. I can’t wait to see you all on the other side, rolling those dice high!