Ask The GMs: Penetrating the veil of mystery

Why are mysteries so hard? Campaign Mastery was asked, I’m making a Hero System 5.5 campaign for some of my friends. I wanted to do a non-power game that was mystery based. First session went off fine, and I [...]
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The Characterisation Puzzle: The Thumbnail Method

This is technique number 1 for getting inside your character’s heads. It’s something I was taught in a Graphic Design course that I completed back in 1992 – so here we are 18 years later, and it’[...]
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Ask The GMs: Essential Game Master Skills

What are the essential skills of a GM? Loz is a frequent contributor to the comments here at CM. So when he submitted a question to Ask The GMs, we were inclined to pay close attention. Here’s what he had to [...]
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The Characterisation Puzzle: When personalities are hard to find

Developing a characterisation is like a jigsaw puzzle. You solve the bit around the edges first – the most obvious characteristics – and then try and fill in the middle a bit at a time until the whole pictur[...]
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Some observations on Dogs in the Vineyard

I have up to this point game mastered three, I think, sessions proper of Dogs (hereafter DitV) plus one character generation session. There is a pool of six players (plus me as the GM) and we handwave why the cast of cha[...]
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Scenario Sequencing: Structuring Campaign Flow

In a previous blog, I’ve written about my Superhero campaign currently facing a big finish (A Grand Conclusion: thinking about a big finish). This post will be a sequel of sorts, because any big finish naturally in[...]
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You can’t do that in a RPG… at least not anymore

I’m a father now, have been for a few years so this isn’t an immediate adjustment, but something has definitely changed in me over the course of having kids of my own. Namely, there are things that now break[...]
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Relatively Uncertain: Taking Control of Game Physics

Every campaign needs a game physics, whether the GM knows it or not. And, in fact, they all have one, whether it’s specified or not, and whether the GM knows that or not, as well. Boy, that was a short article! Now[...]
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Roleplaying Nirvana

Over the years I’ve played with many different groups, used numerous systems, and gamed with more players than I can remember.  With very few exceptions I’ve enjoyed my gaming experiences, although in all honesty Iâ[...]
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Vocabulary Hijinx: Using random word pairings for inspiration

We all have problems with our imaginations freezing up on us every now and again. While there are a number of things that you can do to kick-start your creativity when this happens, I have always found that it’s a [...]
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Downsize Your Disasters: GMing catastrophes in your RPG

We hesitated before running this piece, which was written prior to the disaster on Haiti. It is certainly not our intent to trivialise what has occurred or in any way to be insensitive to the ongoing emergency there. Ul[...]
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AI and Tactics for Team NPCs

Preparing for my second Dragon Age game, I have decided to add in some tactics for NPCs, and allowing the players to discern those with a few Cunning rolls. The reason? To personalize and to add color to what otherwise w[...]
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Paint On A Canvas: A Personality Metaphor

Tony Scott, in the interviews that accompany “Beverly Hills Cop II” states (while discussing the casting of Brigitte Nielson for that movie) that his background is in painting, and that casting is like putti[...]
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Melodramatic Licence: Drama in RPGs

I thought I’d talk a bit about Drama vs Melodrama and how the two function in an RPG. This subject came to mind when reading “Hooked” by Les Edgerton, a book which I would not recommend for most aspiri[...]
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Setting an AI for your NPC in Combat

I recall chatting with a fellow GM who was running D&D 3.5. “My magic-using PCs keep dying like flies,” he was musing. “It could be because I always target them first with all available ranged attac[...]
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Bringing on the next generation, Part Two: Gamemaster Mentors

In many respects, it’s easier being a player than a GM. Since the player determines the personality of the character, as well as what the character says and does, there is in fact no ‘right way’ or [...]
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Swords for the Dragon Age PnP RPG

The official Green Ronin’s GM guide to Dragon Age came with a few items; In preparing for my first game, I’ve decided to give the PCs some more items to play with, and have the idea of using existing items fr[...]
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Navigating caves

As if he had been reading my mind, Chgowiz posted about describing caves this Friday. I've been thinking of that subject since I once again started to look closer at dungeons as environments for adventure. Just like city[...]
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Adding Style to Mobs with Descriptive Labels

There is always one challenge when it come to combats with multiple opponents who are of the same type – goblins, wolves, zombies and what have you. It sometimes spoil immersion if you say, “Right, Goblin B i[...]
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Instant Gratification: Starting the Game

Campaign starts can be difficult. Players are looking for a quick start to get involved with the characters and be transported into the magical new setting. Game masters are trying to get the players involved in the stor[...]
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Spotlight and Focus: a new tactic

This post is another addition spawned from the phone conversation between myself and Mark. There was a lot of good material discussed on that call, and here’s another of what I think was a gem of a realization. [...]
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Poisons for Dragon Age PnP RPG

Green Ronin has released their Dragon Age pen and paper RPG, and one thing that has been pointed out is that there are some elements from the CRPG missing. As I was preparing for my first session of the game, I asked a r[...]
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Can I do X?

We’ve been given a clue, Watson! Let us examine this new article of knowledge in earnest to determine what it might tell us about the situation, shall we? – Holmes This post is a spinoff of a phone conversa[...]
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The Perils Of Prophecy: Avoiding the Plot Locomotive

Prophecies and prophetic visions are a staple of just about every game genre (even in Western Campaigns, the Indian Medicine Men might have them). GMs like using prophecies for a number of reasons: They impart a sense o[...]
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Waking the Dead: Lessons in the Peter Principle from beyond the grave

The quest was impossible; a TPK of a royal nature. We knew we were doomed as soon as we accepted it, but the glory-hounds in us all clouded our better judgment as we told lies to ourselves and we acted as if we were [...]
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A Grand Conclusion: Thinking about a big finish

I know I’ve written about this before (An Epic Confusion, Or How To Stage A Blockbuster Finish), but I’ve been thinking some more about big finishes to campaigns, prompted by the fact that my superhero campai[...]
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Two ways to play: Roleplaying and Rollplaying

This is always a controversial subject, and one that I was already contemplating a blog post discussing, when Johnn added the following to last week’s Roleplaying Tips: RPT reader Brock writes: I enjoy good role-p[...]
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Create the Perfect Turn and Results Will Take Care of Themselves

I like games and I enjoy competing. Years ago, after getting riled up during one too many board games, I realized my competitive emotions were ruining the fun for me and others at the game table. I reflected for quite aw[...]
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Inspirational Sights: Slovenia [Locations]

Whatever RPG rules you choose, it’s really all about the dungeons and the dragons, isn’t it? In 2007 we visited Slovenia and got a full dose of both. Slovenia is just south of Austria, across the Alps. The alpine sce[...]
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I end poorly

Yep, that’s right. I end poorly. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from the Convergence games it’s this: I can’t ever figure out how and when to end a game. And after a discussion last night[...]
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Flavours Of Neutral – Focussing On Alignment, Part 4 of 5

In part one of this 5-part examination, we presented a guest article by Garry Stahl, The Conundrum Of Alignment. In Part two, I discussed the justification for alignment being part of the rules, looked at the arguement a[...]
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An Unneccessary Evil? – Focussing On Alignment, Part 3 of 5

In part one of this 5-part examination, we presented a guest article by Garry Stahl, The Conundrum Of Alignment. In Part two, “A Neccessary Evil?”, I discussed the justification for alignment being part of th[...]
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There’s Fun in Table Chatter too

Mouse Guard is a lot of things, and isn’t a lot of things…one thing for sure is that it has taught me how to appreciate RPGs in ways I didn’t notice. I always was worried about in-character presentation[...]
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Game Master Mistakes Carnival Roundup

September’s blog carnival was about about GM errors: Mistakes – ones you’ve made in the past and how you got past them, one’s you’re making now and don’t know how to solve. Thanks to everyone who contri[...]
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Inspirational Sights: Portugal [Locations]

My wife and I first visited Portugal about fifteen years ago. The visit was tagged onto a trip to Spain. Ironically, it turned out to be the highlight of the trip. This past August, we finally made it back to Portugal f[...]
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Ask The GMs: PC Choices and Consequences

How can you make the players feel like their actions have an impact on the world? Sometimes, the simplest questions have the most complicated or profound answers. So it was with some trepidation that we’ve ap[...]
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Legendary Achievements: Colouring Your Campaign with Anecdote and Legend

A few years ago, one of my players asked me why I had the Guinness Book Of Records amongst my RPG referance materials, and I told him that it was an essential source of colour for my campaigns. This puzzled him somewhat,[...]
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Reversed Spells for Dragon Warriors

The grimore of Dragon Warriors is not as thick as in other fantasy role-playing games. Sorcerers, Warlocks and Mystics get access to five (or four for the Mystic) new spells per level. The good thing is that you get all [...]
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Inspirational Sights: Athens [Locations]

I’ve been fortunate enough over the last twenty years to indulge some of my interest in things medieval through travel in Europe. Visiting castles, ruins, ancient sites, and festivals has really enhanced my gaming expe[...]
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Can You Say Yes Too Often? [Questions]

Last night our party faced a god. This was the whole goal of the current adventure, something everyone knew was coming for several weeks and was looking forward to last night. Well, I thought everyone was looking forward[...]
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The Language of RPGs [Simplified Rules]

The core vocabulary of RPG rules, both tabletop and computer-based, revolves around some basic concepts that are understood across rule systems and genres. In creating my homebrewed rule system, I was not interested in t[...]
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Ask The GMs: Giving Players The Power To Choose Their Own Adventures

How do you create a campaign that gives the players absolute freedom but still leaves the GM in control? Recently, Campaign Mastery was asked, Is it possible to create a truly player-choice driven campaign (within [...]
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The Anarchist Gamemaster Cookbook

Peer into Nicolas Logue?s demented mind and taste his darkest sanity-shattering gamemaster tricks from a decade teaching theater in NYC, China and London. These forbidden fruits come screaming through the interwebs strai[...]
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Leaving Questions To Answer [Backgrounds]

Getting your players involved in your setting can take work but an effective rule of thumb is, don’t answer all their questions. If you leave holes in the setting, players are going to ask questions about it. Don&#[...]
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An RPG Without Class [Simplified Rules]

A new contributor here at Bard of Valiant, Anarkeith is a fellow Steven Brust fan from Seattle, WA. This post is in response to Lord Oz’ discussion on an a la carte system for 4E. Anarkeith has an Obsidian Portal [...]
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The Literary GM: Expanding your resources for a better game

Some GMs read nothing but official gaming product. Others expand their horizons to include Game Supplements from other sources, both officially-sanctioned and homebrew. A few go further, and seek out genre-related works [...]
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Elements Of A Good Treasure Map [Advice]

I was reading this post on RPG Athenaeum about why introducing a treasure map in your game can lead to fun and profit. this got me to thinking about how to make one and what the elements are of a good treasure map. Who[...]
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The DM’s Call: My Creative Process

I spent a few hours today cleaning up my gaming area.  In addition to some dusting and book restacking I sorted through three file boxes of old campaign materials dating back from the mid 90’s.  Among the treasures I[...]
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Zachary Houghton on Modding Adventures [Guest]

Zach was the runner-up in the Bard’s contest about modifying adventures. It was a terrific entry and the choice was difficult. You can read the winner’s post here. Having gamed with some of the people in my e[...]
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Working To Build a Great Campaign

The posts have gotten a little quiet here at Roleplaying Pro, but behind the scenes things are really kicking up. I’ve been working on a new layout for the site that I have planned to have out in November for the one [...]
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