Any given game that you pick up off a shelf (or grab from itch.io) is an experience, geared toward creating a specific type of story: a fantasy skirmish simulator, a Jane-Austenesque adventure in manners, or living life as a cozy lesbian snake to name just a few. But sometimes you want to mix and...
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Lots of tabletop RPGs spin tales of fantasy, bravery, might and magic. The game leads players’ characters through riveting stories where everything may be possible. However, you could argue that the real magic at the table happens between players. It happens when the players’...
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How do you run better games? You deliver more immersive stories. The Recipe Rising Tension Invoking a Variety of the Five Senses A Risk Worth Putting It All on the Line For Delegating to the Dice In the time honored tradition of tabletop role-playing games, the outcomes of...
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A party at the palace. A meeting of the ruling council of a secret cabal. A tense negotiation between leaders. There are many situations in which game masters can find themselves having to play multiple NPCs during the same scene. These scenes can often prove challenging as the GM has to switch...
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Recently, WizKids has released several sets of interlocking three-dimensional tiles (called WarLock) that can be used to physically build encounter locations. This is clearly their answer to Dwarven Forge tile sets, and while it isn’t cheap by any stretch of the imagination, it is also very,...
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Oftentimes, it’s the journey that makes the adventure. At least, that is the case with most tabletop RPGs. It’s about the friends you make and the struggles you encounter and work together to solve. When it comes to finding a way to play with others, the struggle can be a frustrating...
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It is now March 127th; in the meaningless blur of time that 2020 has become, I’ve picked up a new hobby that I will continue to inflict on all of you: making frankly unnecessary amounts of tabletop terrain. Since I’ve started, I’ve noticed a trend: nearly all of the...
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If you’re just here for the links, here they are. These are all available through DriveThruRPG because I’m lazy, and it’s really easy to find free models on there. If you click on any of these products, you’ll also see a bunch of free “customers who bought this title also purchased” options at the...
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I believe anyone would agree that the right kind of music can improve any given situation. However I find that it’s done too similarly to video games; scenes and situations are given one song to codify them. That sort is often insufficient and distracting in tabletops as is, but scenes are...
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“Are you sure?” “It’s going to be a high DC.” *Rolls dice behind the screen* If you’ve played tabletops to any degree you’re aware of these /things/ that gamemasters do. Some refer to them as ‘GM moves’ or just ‘things GMs do’ but,...
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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
Unframed
Odyssey
Never Unprepared
Masks
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Misdirected Mark Productions
Rockerboys and Vending Machines
Character Cache
Hydro Hacker Operatives