You are on the Blogdex main page Go To the hand-curated best articles at Campaign Mastery. Currently listed: 2008-2014, more to come.
Go To the Genre Overviews page. Topics include Pulp, Sci-Fi, Historical Accuracy in FRP, and more. Go To the Campaign Creation page. Topics include Concepts, Backgrounds, Theology, Magic, and more. Go To the Campaign Plotting page. Topics include Plot Sequencing, Subplots, Problem-Solving, and more. Go To the Rules & Mechanics page. Topics include. Rules Problems, Importing Rules, & more. See also Metagame.
Go To the Metagame page. Topics include Metagaming, RPG Theory, Game Physics, and more. Go To the Players page. Topics include New Pl, Missing Pl, Spotlight Time, Problem Players, and more. Go To the Names page. Topics include Character Names, Place Names, and Adventure & Campaign Names. Go To the Characters page. Topics include Characterization, PCs, Villains, Other NPCs, and Playing Characters.
Go To the Places page. Topics include Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Real Locations, Climate, Choosing Locations, and more. Go To the Campaigns page. Topics include Prep Scheduling, Fantasy Campaign Ideas, and more. Go To the Adventures page. Topics include Locations, Maps, Minis, Encounters, Ad-hoc Adventures, and more. Go To the GMing page. Topics include Feedback, Conventions, Mistakes, Problem-Solving, GM Improv, and more.
Go To the Fiction & Writing page. Topics include Writer’s Block, Burnout, Descriptions, Narrative, and more. Go To the Publishing & Reviews page. Topics include Pricing, Product Reviews, Dice Sets and more. Go To the Assassin's Amulet page. Topics include Assassin's Amulet Announcements, Excerpts, Legacy Items. Go To the Miscellania page. Topics include Sources Of Inspiration, Art, Philosophy & Opinion, and more.

Blogdex Home – This page

 
The Best –

  • The hand-curated best articles at Campaign Mastery. Currently listed: 2008-2014, more to come.

 
Genre Overviews –

  • Genre In General
    • The “Touchstones Of Unification” series
  • Pulp,
    • The “Reinventing Pulp for Roleplaying” series
  • Sci-Fi,
    • The “Putting The SF into SciFi” series
  • Time Travel,
    • The “Time Travel In RPGs” series
  • Espionage/Spy Games,
  • Historical Accuracy in FRP, and
  • Online Gaming

 
Campaign Creation –

  • Campaign Concepts,
  • Campaign Creation & Development,
    • The “Basics For Beginners” series
    • The “Lessons From The West Wing” series, Article 1 (Posts 1-5)
    • The “New Beginnings” series
    • Johnn’s Riddleport Campaign Development
    • Mike’s Zener Gate Campaign Development
  • Campaign Philosophy,
  • Campaign Themes,
  • Campaign Tone,
  • Campaign Backgrounds,
    • Mike’s Fumanor Campaigns
    • Mike’s Zenith-3 / Earth Regency Campaign
  • Campaign Synopses,
    • Johnn’s Carnus Campaign
    • Mike’s Family AD&D Campaign
    • Mike’s Original AD&D Campaign
    • Mike’s Champions Campaign
    • Mike’s Nebula Campaign
    • Mike’s Project: Vanguard Campaign
    • Mike’s Project: Vigilant Campaign
    • Mike’s Team Neon Phi Campaign (Agents Of UNTIL)
    • Mike’s TORG: The Improbability Invasion Campaign
    • Mike’s Zenith-3 / Earth Halo Campaign
    • Mike’s Fumanor: The Last Deity I & II Campaigns
    • Mike’s Rings Of Time Campaign
    • Mike’s Warcry Campaign
    • Mike’s Shards Of Divinity Campaign
    • Mike & Blair’s The Adventurer’s Club Campaign
    • Mike’s Fumanor: One Faith Campaign
    • Mike’s Fumanor: Seeds Of Empire Campaign
    • Mike’s Tree Of Life Campaign
    • Mike’s Zenith-3 / Earth Regency Campaign
    • Mike’s Dr Who: Lovecraft’s Legacies Campaign
    • Mike’s Zener Gate Campaign
  • Divine Power, Religion, & Theology,
  • Magic, Sorcery, & The Arcane,
    • The “Ask The GMs: Some Arcane Assembly Required” series
    • The “Portals To Celestial Morphology” series
  • Money & Wealth,
  • Cities & Architecture,
    • The “Mike’s Fantasy Tavern Generator” series
  • Politics,
    • The “City Government Power Bases” series
  • Societies & Nations,
  • Races,
    • Races in Mike’s Fumanor Campaigns
    • Races in Mike’s Shards Of Divinity Campaign
  • Languages,
    • Languages in Mike’s Shards Of Divinity Campaign
  • Character Classes & Archetypes,
    • The “Casual Opportunities For Priests” series, and
  • Organizations.

NB: See also the Places page.

 
Campaign Plotting –

  • General Articles
  • Plot Sequencing,
    • Campaign Pacing
    • The “Swell and Lull – Emotional Pacing in RPGs” series
    • The “Further Thoughts On Pacing” series
    • Other Related Articles
  • Plot Ideas,
    • The “Character Hooks” series
  • Subplots,
  • Writing,
  • Plot Problem-Solving,
  • Prophecies & Dreams, and
  • Big Finishes.

 
Rules & Mechanics (see also the Metagame Contents)

  • General Articles About Rules,
  • Learning game rules,
    • The Rules Mastery For Dummies & Busy GMs series
  • Actual House Rules,
    (refer the Metagame page for House Rules Theory)

    • This Means WAR! Series
    • The All Wounds Are Not Alike series (Alternative Healing & Damage Rules for D&D)
    • Other Alternative Healing & Combat Rules
    • The “Cinematic Combat” series
  • Solving Rule Problems,
  • Efficiency Of Mechanics,
  • Importing Rules from other games,
  • Fixing Broken Rules, and
  • Rules Theory & Analysis

Metagame –

  • Metagaming,
  • GM Screens,
  • Props & Handouts,
  • RPG Theory,
  • House-Rules Theory, and
  • Game Physics
    • The “Plunging Into Game Physics” series
    • The “Examining Psionics” series

 
Players –

  • The Role Of Players,
  • Player Types,
  • New Players,
  • Playing With Family,
  • Missing Players,
  • Lost Players,
  • Engagement,
  • Spotlight Time,
  • Player Agency,
  • Player Problems,
  • Problem Players, and
  • Player Mistakes (see also the “Mistakes, Problem Solving, & Emergencies” section of the “Game Mastering” page).

 
Names –

  • General Articles,
    • The “A Good Name Is Hard To Find” series
  • Character Names,
  • Place Names
  • Adventure & Campaign Names, and
  • Vehicle Names

 
Characters –

  • Characters In General,
  • Characterization,
    • The “Focussing On Alignment” series,
    • The “Characterization Puzzle” series,
    • The “We All Have Our Roles To Play” series,
    • The “Stat Vs Stat” series,
  • PCs,
  • Actual PC Examples,
    • Mike’s Champions Campaign: Backlash, Behemoth, Hellcat, Phoenix, Nebula, Tempest, Ichigo, Ivar, Aleph Prime, Harmonic
    • Mike’s Project: Vanguard Campaign: Psiber, Ramjet, Thistle, Titan
    • Mike’s Project: Vigilant Campaign: none current
    • Mike’s Team Neon Phi Campaign (Agents Of UNTIL): none current
    • Mike’s TORG: The Improbability Invasion Campaign: Fenwicke, Tetsura
    • Mike’s Zenith-3 / Earth Halo Campaign: Glory, Mist, Dragon’s Claw, Oracle, Karma, Widget, Ravenscroft
    • Mike’s Fumanor: The Last Deity I & II Campaigns: Auralla, Rocky, Ceriseth, Serenity
    • Mike’s Warcry Campaign: Warcry
    • Mike’s Shards Of Divinity Campaign:
    • Mike & Blair’s The Adventurer’s Club Campaign: Tommy Adkins, Captain ‘Blackjack’ Ferguson, Father Justin O’Malley, Dr Matthew Hawke, Steffan Bednarczyk, Eliza Black, Agent Paper, Alberto Mediteraneo, John “Mack” Mackenhay, Paulo Lumierre
    • Mike’s Fumanor: One Faith Campaign: Gallas, Sebastian, Arazal
    • Mike’s Fumanor: Seeds Of Empire Campaign: Tajik, Eubani, Chrin, Verde, Leif, Julia Sureblade, Ziorbe, Arron
    • Mike’s Zenith-3 / Earth Regency Campaign: St Barbara, Runeweaver, Blackwing, Vala
    • Mike’s Dr Who: Lovecraft’s Legacies Campaign: The Doctor
    • Other: Binary
  • Villains,
  • Actual Villain Examples:
    Syzzinar The Schemer, Baron Winthor (aka “Captain Winter”), Mister Whisper & Jamison Riddle, Torquemada, Cyrene, Ullar-Halo (aka “Ullar-Omega”), Inchon, Lon Than, Kali & Kalifa, Mortus, Énorme Force, Maxima & Minima, Mictlan-tecuhtli, Miscellenious;
  • Other NPCs, and
  • Playing Characters

 
Places –

  • Fantasy Locations,
  • Sci-Fi Locations,
  • Real Locations,
  • Climate & Weather,
    • The “Diversity Of Seasons” series
  • Choosing Locations,
  • Creating Locations, and
  • Using Locations

 
Campaigns –

  • General Articles,
  • Organization,
  • Prep Management,
  • Fantasy Campaign Ideas,
  • Sci-FI Campaign Ideas, and
  • Other Campaign Ideas

 
Adventures –

  • General Posts about Adventures,
  • Structure & Format,
  • In-Adventure Locations,
  • Maps & Dungeon Tiles,
  • Miniatures,
  • Encounters,
    • Creating Ecology-based Random Encounters
  • Puzzles & Mysteries,
  • Combat & In-Game Environment,
    • The “Hazards Of Combat” series
  • Rewards,
  • Adventure Plot Ideas,
  • Seasonal Adventures,
  • Complete Adventures, and
  • Ad-hoc Adventures

 
Game Mastering –

  • General Articles & How-To’s,
    • The “One Player Is Enough” series
    • The (ongoing) “Tales From The Front-Line” series
  • Feedback,
  • At Conventions,
  • Mistakes, Problem Solving, & Emergencies,
  • Stress & Exhaustion, and
  • GM Improv

 
Fiction & Writing –

  • Research,
  • Writer’s Block,
  • Burnout,
  • Descriptions,
  • Writing Narrative, and
  • Writing Oratory & Dialogue

 
Publishing & Reviews –

  • Getting Reviewed by Campaign Mastery,
  • Product Ideas,
  • Publishing,
  • Copyright,
  • Pricing,
  • Achieving Kickstarter Success,
  • Product & Tool Reviews & Previews,
  • Dice Sets & Props Reviews,
  • Online Tools & Software Reviews, and
  • App Reviews

 
Assassin’s Amulet –

  • Announcements,
  • Excerpts,
  • Legacy Items

 
Miscellania –

  • Leftovers?,
  • Sources Of Inspiration,
  • Artwork & Illustration,
  • Philosophy & Opinion,
  • Site Milestones & Announcements,
  • Contests & Special Offers,
  • General Seasonal Articles, and
  • About Mike.