Category: GMing Advice

Campaign Management in Obsidian

Posted by Phil Vecchione | May 29, 2026 | Game Mastering, GMing Advice

I feel like I may be a latecomer to Obsidian,...

GM/Player Interactions, Part 2

Posted by J.T. Evans | May 22, 2026 | Game Mastering, GMing Advice, Player Advice

Last month, I introduced some aspects of...

GM/Player Interactions, Part 1

Posted by J.T. Evans | Apr 29, 2026 | Game Mastering, GMing Advice, Player Advice

The tabletop role playing experience is a...

Give ’em A Little Free Play

Posted by Phil Vecchione | Mar 27, 2026 | Game Mastering, GMing Advice

My Blades in the Dark campaign is due for some...

Prep is Aspirational

Posted by Phil Vecchione | Feb 27, 2026 | Game Mastering, GMing Advice

Last month, I talked about When Play Does Not Go...

Flirting With the Homies

Posted by Josh Storey | Feb 13, 2026 | GMing Advice

This Valentine’s Day, if you want to add a little romance to your games, you should be armed with the knowledge of what goes into creating a satisfying romance arc. The ingredients and…techniques…required to bring two (or more) characters to their…narrative climax. So sit down. It’s time we have The Talk.

Giants Deserve Better

Posted by Drew Bassett | Feb 2, 2026 | Game Mastering, General, GMing Advice

In many TTRPGs, giants have become a simple, escalating challenge: bigger and bigger versions of essentially the same thing, to encounter in tactical fights as your characters progress. A scalable threat, with a side serving of elemental power.

When Play does not go to Prep

Posted by Phil Vecchione | Jan 30, 2026 | Game Mastering, GMing Advice

A few weeks ago, I was running my Blades in the...

What Is a Situation in an RPG? How to Create Dynamic Play.

Posted by Chris Sniezak | Jan 19, 2026 | Game Mastering, GMing Advice, Tools for GMs

There’s an idea that adventures are like trains....

Fresh Starts

Posted by J.T. Evans | Jan 12, 2026 | Game Mastering, GMing Advice

It’s a new year! Time for resolutions (I...

Why this game?

Posted by Phil Vecchione | Dec 19, 2025 | Game Mastering, General, GMing Advice

For the most part, I pick the games I am going...

Background Events

Posted by Phil Vecchione | Nov 26, 2025 | Game Mastering, GMing Advice

One of the things I love about Blades in the...

Make It Personal

Posted by J.T. Evans | Nov 14, 2025 | Game Mastering, GMing Advice, Player Advice

Session zero is packed. Like, really packed,...

Preludes

Posted by Phil Vecchione | Oct 29, 2025 | Game Mastering, GMing Advice

In my current Blades in the Dark game, I started...

It Came From The Stew Pot

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…

What Are People Saying?

What are people saying?

“If you aren’t reading Gnome Stew, you’re missing out.”

Wolfgang Baur, Kobold Press

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The Art of Improvisation for Game Masters
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The Complete Game Master's Guide to Campaign Management
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The Complete Game Master's Guide to Session Prep
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1,000 Memorable NPCs for Any Roleplaying Game
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