Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA) games have changed the landscape in a lot of very positive ways, but the one that has resonated most at my table – even feeding into other games – is the idea of “failing forward.” That is, creating a partial failure that moves the plot, or at minimum...
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Your recurring villain appeared right on schedule, but through a string of lucky crits, they’re now on the ground bleeding out. The players completed the dungeon, but in the process destroyed the McGuffin that you had planned to have aid them on their quest. In their defense, they thought it was...
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In the world of tabletop RPGs, few practices are as divisive as the fudging of dice rolls. Most people have strong opinions on the subject either way, and it’s often difficult to find a middle ground. This article attempts to take a balanced, neutral approach to fudging. While at times, it...
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Please consider the following content warnings before proceeding forward with the article. I will touch upon real-life trauma and tragedy as I explore “the line” in horror gaming. In this think piece, I’ll be exploring “the line.” What’s the line? You know the line. That line in horror...
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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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Hey you. Yeah, you. Do you know about Gnomecast 21? Why isn’t it in the archives? What are they hiding? If you value your safety… don’t go searching for Gnomecast 21…
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