GM: “From your vantage point you see two trolls cooking something over a fire pit. Both wear what looks like leather armor and carry large two-handed weapons. Two cave entrances behind them are dark but you can hear occasional noise coming from inside. What are you guys doing?” Player 1: “Those trolls look pretty tough, maybe we should find a way to get around them.” [Read more...]
Over the years my approach to running games has changed and evolved. I used to spend the game session scribbling notes, rolling dice, consulting charts, and frantically trying to anticipate my players’ actions, and keep them on track. Oftentimes, the players would throw me off by wanting to go somewhere that I hadn’t planned on, or by interacting with an NPC that I hadn’t fleshed-out, [Read more...]
This time, the Gamecraft 25 is going to take a look at plot complications for your adventures. All of these are designed to add an interesting set of circumstances to challenge your heroes in different ways. Most of these ideas will make an adventure more difficult, so keep that in mind when using them. The party has a “tag-along.” This could be a bard looking [Read more...]
Once again welcome back to the Gamecraft 25, the ongoing lists of inspiration and ideas for your roleplaying games. NPCs are one of the most important features of any roleplaying game. They are a key element in bringing the setting to life, and help the players immerse themselves in the world. I like to use NPCs for a myriad of purposes as gamemaster, but I [Read more...]
Last week, one of Stuffer Shack’s premier writers, Dixon Trimline, asked for a list of encounters that take place On the Road. I was instantly inspired – recalling several of my most memorable gaming sessions that featured interesting events taking place while the heroes were en route between locations. So, without further ado, here’s this week’s Gamecraft 25. The heroes pass through a (seemingly) abandoned [Read more...]
Last week’s Gamecraft 25 focused on interesting and distinctive locations for your adventures, this week we’re going to take a look at events as backdrops. I created this list with the intention of using these as “window-dressing” for the scenario at hand; events that may help, hinder, or just add color and complication to the adventure. As I looked at the list it became obvious [Read more...]
I’m a list guy. I have shopping lists, to-do lists, and even gaming lists. One of the resources I use most as a GM however is my list of adventure ideas and components. Currently the list is about 15 pages long and divided into multiple categories such as Plot Twists, Memorable NPC’s, and Unusual Circumstances. I thought I’d share parts of the list for you [Read more...]
![Class-Based Character Backgrounds [part 1]](http://stuffershack.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/dungeons-dragons-tactics-20061220024839010_640w-150x150.jpg)
In my last article, Character Connection = Player Satisfaction, I talked about hooks that connect the character and the player to the campaign. One of the three fundamental questions I suggested readers to ask themselves was, “Why did my character choose his class?” The answer to that question helps connect your character to the setting. Connection to setting, along with connection to story and group, form [Read more...]
I don’t think I’m being overly presumptuous when I say that most, if not all gamers want to play a great character. I’m not necessarily talking about playing some super powerful, mega bad-ass; I’m talking about a character that is something more than just a collection of stats and abilities running around doing stuff. I’m referring to a character brought to life for everyone at [Read more...]
Recent Comments