One of the most popular GM prep books out there is Sly Floorish’s Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master. It has had a great effect on how I prep my games. However, as good as the book is it never really explains how to use your note in game. I hope to explain how I use my notes at the table, the key takeaway from Lazy GM prep that we can apply to reduce our prep and some pros and cons of the style.
Inspired by a recent video I watched I thought I might talk a little about styles of play in TTRPGs. Different tables run games differently. No table will play exactly the same. In the video above, the commentator talks about 8 different play styles. I will be simplifying these down to 3 broad styles. I will talk about how these styles of game tend to be run, how we can prep to run a game in this style, and some pros and cons of the style as well.
5e has always been the titan of the ttrpg space. For years and years, it was synonymous with ttrpgs. Despite this, I had never really looked into the system. I knew about it only in the periphery. Second hand accounts from others who had played the system for years. The first game I actually got to play was Pf2. I never read about 5e let alone played it… Till now.
The Cypher System is a game system created by the folks over at Monte Cook Games. The system is less full game and more of toolbox for GMs to take and use to create their own games.
Less D&D, more GURPS.
My experience running the system is limited to a mini 3 shot campaign and some solo sessions. Despite this, the system has stayed in my mind due to its unique nature and elegance.
Chris McDowall is the creator of Into the Odd, Electric Bastionland and most recently Mythic Bastionland. These games serve as the basis for many other popular games, including Cairn 1/2e and many others.
While a deep dive into what makes these “Mark of the Odd” games tick is certainly in the cards, what I want to talk about today is the advice that Chris gives to game masters in his books. Especially how this advice can make social encounters more fun.
I read and listen to a lot of GM tips and methods from all over the internet. Some of these tips cover adventure writing and how to go about creating adventures.
While I generally don’t recommend approaching adventure writing like story writing, I do recognize that both types of writing have similarities. The youtube algorithm seems to agree. It introduced me to a new concept I had never heard of before: the Story Circle.
I have recently concluded a short campaign using the specialty rules system called GorgeWorld. Its really a testament to TTRPGs that such a system even exists considering how niche this type of material is. Regardless, it exists, I used it, I liked it, and I hope to talk about it for a little bit!
The system is a very simple attribute based system. You have 4 main attributes: Force Learning Agility and Beauty. Your FLAB. With a secret 5th attribute known as Glut! Rolls are done using Fudge Dice (more commonly known as Fate Dice) or D6s. 1-2 are negatives, 3-4 are blanks and 5-6 are successes.
Prompted by my Youtube recommended list, I have recently had another look over at the Pf2e exploration rules.
These rules are fairly free form but at the same time allow for PCs to show off their skills and shine. They also could have a impact in how you prepare your game as a GM if you choose to use them.
Today I wanted to go over two videos made by Best Laid Plans GM Prep. The first one is short and sweet and gives a good overview of his interpretation of the system. The second one is more GM facing and shows how he would go about preparing for a pre written scenario with exploration rules in mind.
In TTRPGs there is a wide variety of play styles. Two seemingly opposed play styles are those that like mechanics and dice rolls and those that like a more narrative focus. In this post I am here to say that this seemly stark divide does not actually exist.
I hope to show more narrative minded players how to have fun in a more mechanical system. I also hope to show mechanical players how to make dry dice rolls into interesting story beats.
Death in Space is a sci fi rpg with a unique setting and a highly streamlined rules set. It is a combination of mork borg (another rpg from the same people) and free league’s Year Zero engine.
I have not played in a group yet, however I have played some solo sessions and have read and re read the book several times.
At its core, this is a sci fi game with some horror elements. I would not call it a pure horror game like call of cthulu. The base setting of the game is something that I think could be called “Nasa Punk”.