Campaign Mastery

Lots of die configurations can substitute for a d20, or for 3d6. This article looks at some of the more unusual. Part 2 of 3. Progress on writing this post has been a lot slower per word than I was expecting. That’s partly down to the attention to detail, partly it’s the complexity of the […]

There are lots of dice configurations that can substitute for a d20, or sometimes for a 3d6. This 2-part article looks deeply at some. Not all RPG players and GMs are Geeks, it has to be said, but many of us can spend hours noodling over dice and probability curves and other Geeky dice-related subjects, […]

Iteration is one of the most useful campaign planning tools I can think of. This article demonstrates the technique and why it should be your favorite, too. It’s been a while since I wrote about iteration and how to use it – in fact, the last time it was the focus of attention was, (I […]

A rant about Auto-updating software leads into a discussion about how updates to source material and game systems impacts RPGs at various levels. I hate Auto-update I hate auto-update. There, I’ve said it. The reasons are many, and I’ll look into them individually below, but for me, it’s a colossal pain in the backside with […]

A quick post today about GMs seeking validation plus one or more bonus topics, number depending on time. 1. Keep Your Ace Up Your Sleeve What’s the biggest metagaming mistake you’ve ever made outside of anything approaching a plot train? Let me tell you mine. The scenario was over, and it hadn’t gone according to […]

The career of Formula One legend Michael Schumacher holds some important lessons for RPG GMs. Backstory A video on the achievements of legendary F1 driver Michael Schumacher inspired this article when I connected a couple of stray thoughts together. Having roughed out the content in my head, I decided not to write it, to do […]

An observed pattern sheds surprising light on how RPG styles differ from one nation to another. This is the latest in my series of time-out posts in between the Trade In Fantasy series. The YouTube viewer that I use most often displays, at the end of a video, thumbnails of other videos that you might […]

Today I’m going to walk you through the design of a divided die roll, one of my favorite RPG tools. Dividing one die roll by another creates a large low-result probability and a long tail of low-probability high results. I’ve written about them before in The Physics Of Uncertainty, and used them in Oddities Of […]

Starting and Running a campaign is a lot easier if there’s a clearly understood process that maximizes the opportunities for success and avoids the largest traps and pitfalls. As usual, I worked on the next part of Trade In Fantasy until it became clear that it wasn’t quite going to be ready in time, then […]

Landscapes are wonderful things, more significant & useful than many GMs realize. This post focuses on using Landscapes, both literal and metaphoric, using the lessons from the first part of the article. This is Part t 2 of 2. This is the 4th of my time-out posts in between the Trade In Fantasy series, which […]

Before you can use a landscape, you have to understand them. Have no fear, this post will equip you with everything you need to know. Pt 1 of 2. This is the third of my time-out posts in between the Trade In Fantasy series. I made the time-out logo from two images in combination: The […]

Gamemasters are human, and just like everyone else, vulnerable to mental health problems. It’s entirely possible that the active participation in an immersive hobby like TTRPGs provides a measure of relief from, and insulation from, such problems, but reducing them in frequency and/or severity does not mean that they are eliminated. My evidence for the […]