Gnome Stew

https://polygamero.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GC_200_Whywedothis_final.mp3 Join us for our 200th episode of the Gnomecast, as we talk about why we do this. What’s this? Giving gaming advice on Gnome Stew and this podcast. And who’s we? A bunch of gnomes who could take a little time...

Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game X-Men Expansion Review

by Jared Rascher | Nov 4, 2024 | Reviews

When I first started collecting comics seriously (seriously meaning I wasn’t pointing at whatever the grocery store was and asking my mom to buy it for me), the X-Men weren’t even on my radar. I was focused on Batman and Spider-Man and branching out from there. Then came Secret Wars. In context...

Adventure Design: Thematic Mooks

by J.T. Evans | Oct 30, 2024 | Game Making, Game Mastering, GMing Advice

Last month, I covered thematic bosses and how they can support the style, theme, and tone of your adventure. This month, I’m moving on to those people/creatures that work for the boss. In this case, I’m shifting a bit away from directly supporting your adventure’s concepts to...

Gamers4Harris and Gnome Stew

by Jared Rascher | Oct 28, 2024 | General

Gamers 4 Harris consists of gaming professionals from video games, board games, and tabletop games. They represent the creators behind the puzzles, board games, card games, roleplaying games, and video games we love, as well as game journalists and reviewers. They are artists who bring imagination...

Give Yourself Some Time To Think

by Phil Vecchione | Oct 25, 2024 | Game Mastering, GMing Advice

A few months ago, I restructured my evenings to prioritize some new activities over others. One of those activities was to have time to think creatively. Several times a week, I take 30 minutes to sit and think creatively about a topic. Most evenings the topic I am thinking about is RPGs, either...

Gnomecast 199 – RPGs for the Spooky Season

by Poddy Gnomington | Oct 23, 2024 | Gnomecast

https://polygamero.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/GC_199_Spookygames_Final.mp3 Join Ang along with Jared and JT as they talk about how to bring the spooky to your table as we get deep into the Halloween season. Links: The Carnival’s Children Veiled Fate Shard’s Halloween Sale The...

Call of Cthulhu – No Time to Scream Review

by Jared Rascher | Oct 21, 2024 | Reviews

Every October, for the last few years, I’ve been trying to watch 31 horror movies that I haven’t seen before. Some of the most consistently enjoyable horror movies that I’ve seen since I’ve been doing this have been horror anthologies. Creepshow, Trick ‘r Treat, the original V/H/S, and the...

Worry About Failure

by Josh Storey | Oct 11, 2024 | Game Mastering, GMing Advice

“Only make them roll when its interesting” is solid GMing advice, but it can be hard to figure out which rolls will be interesting. At least, it’s something I struggled with until just a few weeks ago. Here’s what I discovered about how knowing the stakes of the scene will help you know when to call for rolls from your players.

Shard Tabletop VTT Impressions

by Jared Rascher | Oct 7, 2024 | Reviews

If you give me the ability to customize something, whether its fonts, colors, formatting, whatever, I’m going to end up spending way too much time playing with those options. Even when I know this is the case, it doesn’t stop me. The best thing I can do is to find a tool that lets me spend all...

Earning Their Trust: The Rules

by Josh Storey | Oct 2, 2024 | Game Mastering, GMing Advice

“I’m just following the rules” is often the GM’s version of “I’m just doing what my character would do.” The rules of your game are not objective or unbiased, so you can’t be either of those things when arbitrating RAW. In the latest installment of Earning Their Trust, we’ll look at how you can be unbiased yet fair and work with your players to create an unforgettable game.

Not All Rolls Are Created Equally

by Phil Vecchione | Sep 30, 2024 | Game Mastering, GMing Advice

At my table, a few weeks ago, the characters were outside the lair of a nefarious being, preparing to breach and assault. Before they did, one of the players announced that they wanted their character to do a quick recon, a very prudent idea. I was just about to request a Sneak check when I paused...

Gnomecast 198 – How Do You Like Your Stakes?

by Poddy Gnomington | Sep 25, 2024 | Gnomecast

Join Ang, Josh and Carl Lehman as they talk about setting stakes for your games and how to keep your players and their characters invested and involved.

Adventure Design: Thematic Bosses

by J.T. Evans | Sep 18, 2024 | Game Making, Game Mastering, GMing Advice

While it’s sometimes fun to flip open a bestiary or monster manual to find a random monster to throw at the PCs, when you’re planning a boss for your party to face, it’s best to put some thought and care into the selection. You might even go so far as to make the boss of the...

Star Trek Adventures: The Roleplaying Game Second Edition Core Rulebook Review

by Jared Rascher | Sep 16, 2024 | Reviews

Seven years ago, the original edition of Star Trek Adventures was released. That was before so many major developments with the franchise. Multiple series debuted, new eras were visited, and the two corporate entities that split the rights to Star Trek between movies and television series...

Gnomecast 197 – Brand New Players

by Poddy Gnomington | Sep 11, 2024 | Gnomecast

https://polygamero.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GC_197_Brandnewplayers.mp3 Join Ang, Tomas and Walt as they talk about bringing brand new players into the hobbies. Tips, tricks, and things to keep in mind as you introduce the hobby to someone for the first time. LINKS: Magnolia: City of Marvels...

Read Older Articles >>

It Came From The Stew Pot

Join our awesome patrons and help
Gnome Stew do awesome things for everyone!

What Are People Saying?

What are people saying?

“We get asked a great many ‘how to’ questions about GMing at Origins and one of the best sites we have found for information is Gnome Stew!”

Game Manufacturer’s Association (GAMA)

Our Products

Our Books for GMs

Through our partner Engine Publishing, we've published six system-neutral books for GMs, with over 28,000 copies sold. Available in print and PDF.

Focal Point
The Complete Game Master's Guide to Running Extraordinary Sessions
Click To Find Out More

Unframed
The Art of Improvisation for Game Masters
Click To Find Out More

Odyssey
The Complete Game Master's Guide to Campaign Management
Click To Find Out More

Never Unprepared
The Complete Game Master's Guide to Session Prep
Click To Find Out More

Masks
1,000 Memorable NPCs for Any Roleplaying Game
Click To Find Out More

Eureka
501 Adventure Plots to Inspire Game Masters
Click To Find Out More

Through Encoded Designs

Through our partnership in the G.E.M. collective, many of the Gnomes are affiliated with creating products through Encoded Designs. Available in print and PDF.