#gming — Public Fediverse posts

Today on my #RPG #podcast I discuss Daggerheart’s GM Best Practices. These will help you be a better GM, no matter what game you’re playing or which system you’re using.

https://lexstarwalker.com/gamemastersjourney/338

#Daggerheart #TTRPG #GM #GMing

#TTRPG #GMing #advice #facilitator #GMless

Stop being the "dancing monkey" for your RPG group and discover how GM-less systems and decentralized play can turn a burnt-out Forever GM into a lifelong Player of Games.

https://grimtokens.garden/Thoughts/The+Forever+GM

Gamemastering a tabletop roleplaying campaign is a lot like being a TV showrunner, I suspect - or at least, GMing the kind of campaigns that I run. I find myself recognizing plot arcs and twists in shows, and coming up with alternative or better options as I watch.

It comes from years of handling long-term story arcs and overlapping shorter-term stories with continuing characters. After a while finding new plot twists and arcs becomes second nature. I've been doing it so long that I do it in my dreams!

It's a little frustrating, because I have the skill...but I'll never have the option to make use of it outside of a roleplaying campaign.

#TTRPG #GMing #DMing #roleplaying #Gaming

The No-Prep Gamemaster. a good book for GMs, an even better book for *non* GMs.
if you're in doubt whether you can run a game — this book is for you.
while the author claims the middle section is the core of the book, i actually think the extended preamble about what being a GM means is the true gem this book offers.
if you're debating GMing but think you aren't ready: read this book. you won't regret it.
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/524180/the-no-prep-gamemaster-train-your-brain-to-run-tabletop-roleplaying-games

#ttrpg #ttrpgs #GameMaster #GM #GMing #RolePlaying #RPG

@tabcreations.com Heh, this reminds me of the ski resort murder mystery I ran once...

#ttrpg #GMing

Früher waren wir manchmal echt grosse D&D-Gruppen, 6 oder mehr. Da konnte man als Spielleitung manchmal nur schwer durchdringen. Für das Weihnachtsgame habe ich im 2017 diese Schilder mit Kranz-Optik vorbereitet. Dieses Jahr werden es wohl "nur" 6 Spielies sein, aber das reicht für ganz, ganz grosses Chaos.

#xmasgame #xmas2025 #dnd #pnpde #ttrpg #GMing #DungeonMaster #itsASign

Früher waren wir manchmal echt grosse D&D-Gruppen, 6 oder mehr. Da konnte man als Spielleitung manchmal nur schwer durchdringen. Für das Weihnachtsgame habe ich im 2017 diese Schilder mit Kranz-Optik vorbereitet. Dieses Jahr werden es wohl "nur" 6 Spielies sein, aber das reicht für ganz, ganz grosses Chaos.

#xmasgame #xmas2025 #dnd #pnpde #ttrpg #GMing #DungeonMaster #itsASign

Früher waren wir manchmal echt grosse D&D-Gruppen, 6 oder mehr. Da konnte man als Spielleitung manchmal nur schwer durchdringen. Für das Weihnachtsgame habe ich im 2017 diese Schilder mit Kranz-Optik vorbereitet. Dieses Jahr werden es wohl "nur" 6 Spielies sein, aber das reicht für ganz, ganz grosses Chaos.

#xmasgame #xmas2025 #dnd #pnpde #ttrpg #GMing #DungeonMaster #itsASign

David and I have talked about this before, but it's funny how - in real-world games - I always sketch out my battle maps. I rarely use canned ones, or maps I created in Inkarnate.

But online? I feel ... obligated? compelled? ... to have nicer battle maps. #GMing #MapMaking #RPGProps

David and I have talked about this before, but it's funny how - in real-world games - I always sketch out my battle maps. I rarely use canned ones, or maps I created in Inkarnate.

But online? I feel ... obligated? compelled? ... to have nicer battle maps. #GMing #MapMaking #RPGProps

David and I have talked about this before, but it's funny how - in real-world games - I always sketch out my battle maps. I rarely use canned ones, or maps I created in Inkarnate.

But online? I feel ... obligated? compelled? ... to have nicer battle maps. #GMing #MapMaking #RPGProps

David and I have talked about this before, but it's funny how - in real-world games - I always sketch out my battle maps. I rarely use canned ones, or maps I created in Inkarnate.

But online? I feel ... obligated? compelled? ... to have nicer battle maps. #GMing #MapMaking #RPGProps

David and I have talked about this before, but it's funny how - in real-world games - I always sketch out my battle maps. I rarely use canned ones, or maps I created in Inkarnate.

But online? I feel ... obligated? compelled? ... to have nicer battle maps. #GMing #MapMaking #RPGProps

Got to run a shop game tonight for an entire table of RPG newbies and I'm on that heady post-newbie-session buzz. So nice. 🥰

#TTRPG #GMing

The Ultimate Guide To Tabletop RPGS, Worldbuilding, and Folklore - Book Bundle

A very interesting mix of system agnostic RPG and mythology books.

#ad https://humblebundleinc.sjv.io/4GYQvr

#RPGs #TTRPGs #Worldbuilding #GMing #GMTips #RPGresources

I've missed my vampire, what can I say? 🦇

#GamingSetup #GamingCommunity #Gming #Gamer #BG3 #Astarion #AstarionAncunin #BaldursGate3

I've missed my vampire, what can I say? 🦇

#GamingSetup #GamingCommunity #Gming #Gamer #BG3 #Astarion #AstarionAncunin #BaldursGate3

I've missed my vampire, what can I say? 🦇

#GamingSetup #GamingCommunity #Gming #Gamer #BG3 #Astarion #AstarionAncunin #BaldursGate3

I've missed my vampire, what can I say? 🦇

#GamingSetup #GamingCommunity #Gming #Gamer #BG3 #Astarion #AstarionAncunin #BaldursGate3

I've missed my vampire, what can I say? 🦇

#GamingSetup #GamingCommunity #Gming #Gamer #BG3 #Astarion #AstarionAncunin #BaldursGate3

#TTRPG #GMing #advice

Can you believe that some people charge $1,500 for a workshop on how new GMs should run their games? Harmony Ginger has some pretty decent advice that fits into a single tweet. I'm not quite so short-winded. I have a few words.

https://grimtokens.garden/Thoughts/Just+Play+the+Game+-+A+New+GM+Workshop+For+Free

Free Your Game—Run Cypher System

One of my favorite systems to run is Monte Cook Games’ Cypher System. Cypher powers two of my current campaigns, Numenera and Super Heroes. Today I want to share some of the reasons I love running the game, as well as one aspect of the system which I think could be a roadblock for new players. And, while I did receive a small grant to product some content for Monte Cook’s realm over on Moonbeam, I have received nothing from the company to write this post. I just like the system.

What I Love

There is a lot to love about GMing a Cypher System game. And these three are my favorite.

The Levels

Everything in Cypher System has a level, and I mean everything. These range from 0-10 in most cases, and the d20 target number for any check is the level multiplied by three. Astute mathematicians have already figured out the problem with this set up, because levels 7-10 are actually impossible to roll on a d20. How’s this work, then?

It works because before the roll is made the player is able to manipulate the level. If the character has an applicable skill, they can reduce the level by one or two. If they are using a beneficial tool they may lower the level by one, it’s called an asset. If they are attacking with a light weapon they can lower the level by one since they aren’t as difficult to maneuver. If they decide they want to try extra hard at the task they can spend some ability points to put effort into an attempt. Each level of effort applied lowers the level by one, and the amount of effort you may apply is capped by the character’s tier. A character may assist in an action, even if that’s only to hold their flashlight up while someone picks a lock or reads a book, and that’s another asset which lowers the level by one. And characters can use terrain to their advantage to lower the level by grabbing the high ground or taking cover. By manipulating the level in these ways the target number can be dropped into a possible, or even likely, success.

This may sound complicated, but I’ve not found it to be so. Any time I’ve run Cypher System things have worked fast. And they only accelerate the more comfortable people get with the game.

Intrusions

In Cypher System games the GM makes no rolls, which can be a bummer. On the other hand, a game master is able to alter the world by intruding on the narrative. These intrusions can occur out of the blue, or than can be a direct consequence of player actions (characters who throw their muscle around a settlement may encounter a patrol of guards who didn’t exist before that moment, for example). GM intrusions aren’t always by GM fiat, however, any roll that comes up a 1 triggers a GM intrusion which function much like a fumble in other system. When the GM does introduce an intrusion on their own, however, there is a reward to soften the blow. When triggering an intrusion the GM gives out an experience point to the player whose character will be impacted by it, and that player awards a second experience point to another player at the table.

Experience points in Cypher System are a valuable meta-currency which have uses beyond advancing the character. An XP may be spent to refuse a GM intrusion. Experience may also be spent to trigger a re-roll on any roll except a 1. Finally, an experience point can be spent to introduce a player intrusion into the world which offers the party a benefit. This last is up to GM discretion, and can be refused if the proposed intrusion is overpowered or doesn’t make sense, but the option is fun because it makes the players part of the world building.

In one game I ran I had a player action start a fire in an apartment building, which they needed to address. This led to some amazing antics. In another session two of the PCs stood near a standing stone I’d already described as being targeted by lightning. The two players made a poor assumption that the lightning had struck because the group had been messing with something and when I asked a player, “So, who do you want to give an experience point to?” He responded with, “Oops” just before seeing his character launched twenty yards as the next bolt hit.

My players have used intrusions on me, as well. During the fire I mentioned above one player created an “aqueduct” (it was in the lowest part of the city so it was actually grey water management) to help put out the fire. In one of the few fantasy sessions I’ve run using Cypher System one player used an intrusion to establish a prior relationship between their character and a goblin who was trying to get them to pay a toll.

Intrusions take the in-game narrative in all sorts of interesting directions. The guard the group was sneaking past can turn at just the right moment to discover a sneak and sound the alarm. A character can remember a contact they had in a settlement who might be able to provide information. Or a trap might be sprung on an over-cautious party. That’s only the start. Intrusions are a blast.

Reduced Prep Time

Running Cypher System doesn’t require a great deal of time copying out stat blocks or jotting down damage from traps. A dangerous area, or a dungeon crawl, can be as simple as mapping out the general locations out and then populating it with obstacles of specific levels. Level 2 kobolds,  for example, may block the entrance to their settlement with level 5 traps.

Dealing with the traps is straightforward. If the players want to detect or disable the trap they will have default target number of 15 before any pre-roll modifications to the level. Since the trap is level 5, it does a base 5 points of damage.

Dealing with the kobolds doesn’t require much more work, and a GM never even needs to look at a stat block. They’ve been given level, so the target number to hit the creatures is 6. They also, by default, have 6 points of health since that’s their target number. They are smaller creatures and probably use their claws or light weapons, which means their attacks are faster, so defending against them is a level 3 check. Light weapons do two points of damage. At that point the kobolds in the crawl are basically done but, because they are communal beings, they tend to attack in packs when their traps fail. So four of the creatures may be combined as a single entity for combat. This gives them a base level of 3, or level 4 when attacking, and their combined attacks do medium weapon damage—4 points. They’ll also get  health bonus based of their combined level, yielding 9 health. This is cool because a if a GM decides to throw 20 kobolds at the party, which could become cumbersome, they only show up as 5 distinct groups in the combat. Encounters can feel massive, while remaining mechanically simple.

Once a GM gets used to assigning levels to NPCs, and inventing creatures on the fly, session prep for Cypher System is reduced to creating a compelling hook and a specific goal. More can be built in advance, but it isn’t needed if a GM is comitted to riffing off the player’s actions. Now, I love using pre-existing adversaries for both stock Cypher System and Numenera because they’re designed well and the artwork is terrific, but not using them doesn’t slow me down even a little bit.

Potential Roadblock

As much as I love running Cypher System, and Numenera in particular, the game’s biggest roadblock is positioned at its on-ramp.

Character Creation

Cypher System characters are formed from a sentence, “I am an [adjective] [noun] who [verbs].”

The noun, or “type,” is the simplest of the three aspects—because there are only a few from which to choose. Numenera, which is a separate game powered by the system, has six types when using the two books from the box set, while stock Cypher System has four. These types cover typical archetypes like a mighty warrior, sneaky scout, enigmatic wizard, or charismatic bard. It’s straightforward, but then come the options.

There are fifty adjectives, or “descriptors,” in the Cypher System rulebook. These reveal a bit about the character’s background, and grant a character some one-time benefits. These can boosts to stat pools, skills, or a combination of the two—and sometimes the benefits are offset by personality quirks and hinderances. Numenera has nearly as many descriptors, but they are split over two books, so searching through them to fit an envisioned character takes a bit of work.

The verb, or “focus,” is even more overwhelming. A focus is a guide to what type of actions a character is driven toward, and they grant new benefits each time a character increases their tier. By my hand count there are just over 90 foci in the Cypher System rulebook. GMs are encouraged to whittle down the number of available foci to those which best fit their campaign, but even still the sheer amount of information is a lot. By contrast Numenera has only fifty-eight but, again, these are split between two hefty books.

It’s a lot of data, and as players try to figure out what options they’d like to consider they will find themselves flipping back and forth between many pages. The potential to be paralyzed by the sheer number of options, or become lost while flipping between chapters, is significant. That’s not to say the character creation process is difficult, it is not, it’s just a lot.

Having said all that there is a huge but coming up.

First, Monte Cook Games has addressed the character creation data flood with an excellent character creation tool on their web site. The tool is not a starter option, nor is it pay-walled. It is everything that’s in the core rulebook plus all the options which are added through their “white spine” genre books. And Monte Cook Games does this because the entirety of their game and genre supplements is in the system reference document they make available for free. Creating characters using the creation tool is fast, fun, and clear. There is no page turning and GMs can ensure characters fit their campaign by inviting players to a group and limiting the options which can be used during the build process. But it gets better. After a character is built, players may use the flexible web interface as their character-sheet. Or they can export out their created characters to a PDF. Or they can be exported as a JSON file and imported into FoundryVTT. It’s well-done.

At present you cannot build characters for other Monte Cook Games which use their IP, such as Numenera. Sort of. There is, after all, a great deal of overlap between the types, descriptors, and foci between Numenera and base Cypher System. If you are careful with the options you select you could probably get to a character who is very close to a Numenera equivalent—any differences can be fixed using the web-ui after the standard process is completed. Monte Cook Games is also hoping to bring their separate IPs to the character builder in the future. The additions will be behind a paywall, but the convenience might be worth it. At any rate, check out the Monte Cook Games’ character creation tool, it’s amazing.

Second, Monte Cook Games has announced that they are revising Cypher System in a way which keeps folks’ current books usable but makes character creation easier. Now, people in the Cypher community are a tad anxious about this announcement because MCG fans tend to buy many MCG books for their shelves. For my part, and I have no inside knowledge regarding the upcoming shift1, I’m kinda of excited. I know how dedicated Monte Cook Games is to their community and screwing over their player base just isn’t their MO.

Third, I have enjoyed the in person experience I’ve had helping my Numenera group build their characters. They loved using the prompts to see how their characters were linked, and the fiction they created during the build process has had a huge impact on how our campaign has evolved. So while the creation process is a lot, it’s also fun. And that’s cool.

Conclusion

Cypher System is my second favorite game to run right now, second only to Dragonbane. And, to be honest, the difference between the two is a coin flip. I love how fast it is to create challenges for players, I think intrusions are fantastic, and the level system is fast and intuitive. If you have not checked out Cypher System or Numenera it’s very much worth a look. You can pick it up over at Monte Cook Game’s website. The books aren’t cheap. The Cypher System Rulebook is $76.99 for a book/pdf combo, and the two-book box set for Numenera is $129.99 for the same. But, Monte Cook’s SRD is available for free, and there are some excellent starter kits for both base Cypher and Numenera which are under $30. Check this one out.

1. Since writing this, I was given a very small amount of information from Monte Cook Games, since I cover the system. I can’t go into specifics, beyond what has been revealed by MCG already, but I’m even more excited. ↩︎

#DMing #DnD #dungeonsAndDragons #games #gaming #GMing #MonteCookGames #RolePlayingGame #RPG #TTRPG

My Favorite Games (2025 Update)

My best-performing video over the past year has been My Favorite Games. Well, I’ve played a number of new games since I posted that video, so I thought it was time for an update.

Introduction

The games included in this list are ones I have played over the past year since my previous “favorite games” video and they have to be available to pick up as physical copies. So, while I have played a session of a game called Nuts, by Skrat from the A Squirrel Plays channel, it’s not eligible. I also haven’t played a session of one of my favorite games over the past year because I’ve been running other things, so Basic Fantasy RPG doesn’t appear on it. Go check out those games, though, folks, they are way fun—and Basic Fantasy RPG has one of the best communities in the hobby.

10. Monty Python’s Cocurricular Mediaeval Reenactment Programme

I was given a review copy of this game by Exalted Funeral, but was so impressed by it I went out and purchased the Head of Light Entertainment Screen for myself. I’ll also be purchasing another set of their odd dice.

What can you expect in The Programme? You can expect Monty Python. The world is dangerous, the denizens will drive characters loony, and the mechanics are simple. But, the GM will play different personas, which impacts game play, and beshrewments can send the entire table into something completely different. Watch those demerits, and get ready for a good time! You can pick up The Programme at Exalted Funeral for $50, but I recommend also picking up the HoLE screen for $33, as  well as a set of their peculiar dice for $25.

9. Land of Eem

The Land of Eem has mechanics which bear a kinship to Powered by the Apocalypse games, with narrative twists and fail forward obstacles so the game is always moving. The world looks like someone combined the Muppets and Lord of the Rings, and it’s as subversive as you’d expect from The Muppets. If you’d like a game that’s light hearted and fast, but still has a good amount of depth, give Land of Eem a try.

There is a free QuickStart guide, but the beautiful Core Rulebook will set you back $40. I’d recommend going for the Deluxe Box Set—which includes a GM screen, a map, a terrific bestiary, and a mind-blowing setting book. That runs for $150.

8. Forbidden Lands

Forbidden Lands has wild lore, robust exploration, fun stronghold building, and a meta-narrative that’s there if a group wants to use it. The game also runs off of Free League’s excellent Year Zero dice pool engine, so game play is fast and dangerous. I ran a crawl of this a few months back because we had an off week and I wanted to toss something from Forbidden Land’s “Book of Beasts” at the group to see what they’d do. One character came out alive, mostly due to poor life-choices, but we had a blast getting to the end. This is a game I have not played enough.

If you want to pick up Forbidden Lands, you can pick up its beautiful box set for about $65. This set comes with a Player’s Handbook, a Gamemaster’s Guide, and a frame-worthy map. I’d have loved to have dice included in the box set but the two A5 books are hardbound stitched binding, have faux leather covers with gold foil imprints, and book ribbons. My only complaint about the game is I want to show off both the box and the books on my shelf.

Check this game out if you enjoy some grit that is challenging and fun. Oh, and it also has a fantastic FoundryVTT system.

7. Tales of Argosa

I just reviewed Low Fantasy Gaming’s successor, Tales of Argosa, on my channel. “Wow.” It carries over the low magic setting of its predecessor, while also incorporating a number of improvements to the system which were made in Pickpocket Press’ second game, Lowlife 20290.

Argosa uses a roll-under check system, which is my favorite way to play a game, but it’s combat system is the same d20 roll high many TTRPG players will find familiar. Despite the familiarity, Tales of Argosa stands out through a phenomenal exploit mechanic that is what 5e bonus actions should have been.

Tales of Argosa is very much an old school game but it’s not a retro-clone. Nor is it simple a distillation of modern mechanics which has old-school potency brought to the fore. It’s familiar, while being its own thing, and I love it. Check out Tales of Argosa if you’re looking for a game that’s fast and dangerous, but where the characters also aren’t overly squishy. You can pick it up at DriveThruRPG, a hard back copy costs about $45.

6. Shadowdark

Shadowdark is, at its core, a distillation of modern mechanics with some twists blended in to give it an old school feel. And the combination is brilliant. Torches run in real-time, so players can’t sit around dithering. Magic is roll-to-cast so a player has to question the wisdom of unleashing a spell in a particular moment. Sheets are spartan, so players need to spend more time interacting with the world instead of paging through their copious abilities. And initiative is always on, so attention seekers have to share the spotlight. I ran a Shadowdark gauntlet of zero-level characters last fall and it was amazing.

Shadowdark is an excellent bridge between old school and new school play. It’s terse presentation is clear and engaging, the artwork is a perfect vibe, and everything you need is in one book. Check this game out if you want to introduce folks who have only ever played Dungeons & Dragons 5e to some old school tropes. You can pick it up from The Arcane Library for $59.00. And if you’re worried about the game being supported, not only is Kelsey Dionne creating additional content, several other creators are following suit. There are new classes, the game’s been shifted to space, and monsters abound. This game is both good and popular. And it’s well deserved. Kelsey Dionne is an amazing person. Had I run Shadowdark more this past year I may have swapped it with the next entry on this list.

5. Into the Odd

When I first read Into the Odd I didn’t get it. It didn’t seem there was enough to it to function as a fun game! But I returned to it later and found I was more ready to comprehend how it’s designed.

The rules are so lite they can be missed with a blink! There are no to hit rolls, HP replenishes in each room, but the strength score drops when any damage taken exceeds HP and that remains. Movement is abstract. Keeping track of time is abstract. Wandering encounters help build an adventure’s fiction. And characters die, a lot. Into the Odd is a game where running and hiding from, tricking, or avoiding danger rewards a party with more dangerous spaces to investigate. Now, it’s not limited to dungeon or wilderness crawling, there are some lite rules for running a business or managing detachments of soldiers, so Into the Odd anticipates a widening experience as play continues. But it starts with crawling. And the lucky ones survive to delve a second time.

Into the Odd has become a favorite one shot game because I can have players roll their characters up at the table and be off and running in minutes. If you’re looking to try out a dungeon crawler, or looking or for some excellent tables to flesh out a world, check this game out. It’s a ton of fun and a nice change of pace. You can pick it up through Free League for around $45.

4. Sentinel Comics RPG

I first picked up Sentinel Comics RPG when it showed up in a Prime Day sale list for a ridiculous price in 2024. Since then it’s been listed for various sale prices, even as low as $9.99. This caused me to fear the system was going to be orphaned, which proved to be true. The game’s publisher, Greater Than Games, was recently shuttered in response to the tariff crisis. This is a shame because the game is phenomenal.

Sentinel comics is the first super hero game I played which felt like a comic book since the old TSR Marvel Game back in the 80s. Everything is narrative. If a player has a teleportation power and wants to use it for an attack they narrate how they do that. They don’t need a feat, there are no power points to spend, and there’s no formulas to tell people how much of an effect they can have. Instead, the player describes how they want to use their teleportation power, connects it to a quality the character has, and then adds in their current status. Each of these elements has a die assigned to them and, if a character does a “basic action” they use the middle value as the result. If they use one of their abilities, which are ways characters may use powers which have a bit of guidance, they use the dice that ability indicates. It really fast.

But what makes Sentinel Comics RPG shine is how barriers to success are dealt with. If a character is faced with any obstacle—a forcefield, a hostage being held, some bystanders standing under a falling building—they must be dealt with through an Overcome action. To deal with the obstacle the collected dice are rolled, and the result is read. But the way the results are designed means players will often have to accept a twist to be successful in the attempted action. A character might teleport through a forcefield, for example, not knowing that it was keyed to their dimensional signature. The character succeeds passing through barrier but it shocks them as they pass through and now they are hindered for a turn or two. The Overcome action is the heart of Sentinel Comics RPG.

If you enjoy Super Hero RPGs pick up Sentinel Comics RGP while you still can! As of this writing it’s on a fire sale for $20 at Greater than Games. Amazon also still has the excellent GM kit on sale for $25. The GM screen alone is worth it.

3. EZD6

EZD6 is a game of gonzo fun, present danger, and ridiculous moments. DM Scotty, who is the brains behind the game, designed it because he wanted a game that didn’t need math. It really is easy, I can have people versed in the rules in a few minutes, and if we forget anything during the briefing we can just tackle it when the situation arises.

For all its simplicity, however, character creation is fun. Different inclinations give the character a leg up in certain situations, hero paths grants some boons and abilities, and character aspects help flesh out their personality. Scotty has also created some additions to the system, including a full post-apocalyptic version, which extends the core ideas while keeping the simplicity intact. He’s currently working on a horror version, which I was able to play in, and it’s awesome.

If you want a game that is “grab and go” and sets the players imaginations free, EZD6 is a game I recommend. I love it. You can pick up a hardback/pdf combo at DriveThruRPG for around $25.

2. Cypher System/Numenera

Imagine a game where all the crunch was done before the roll. Everything in the game has a level, to make the level beatable players apply skills, spend points from their pools to give extra effort, or utilize a tool they have at their disposal. Once the final number is reached, it’s multiplied by 3, and that’s the target on a d20. Oh, and it can be played with any genre and in any setting, with minimal tweaks to the core system.

That’s Cypher System, and it’s amazing. Right now I’m using it to run a lunchtime super hero campaign once a month and have run a couple fantasy-themed one shots as well. I’m also looking forward to testing out more genres using Cypher System in the near future.

The Cypher System Reference Document contains all the mechanical information you need to run the game, and that includes their “white spine” genre books. So you can dive in to Cypher without having to lay down any cash if you want (but the books are beautiful, and look wonderful on a shelf). 

Cypher’s publisher, Monte Cook Games, also has some distinct IPs which are not found in the reference document. The best known of these set a billion years in the future in the Ninth World. Numenera is science fantasy at its finest. The world is a weird mix of high technology and mediaeval fantasy. The game is set just as civilization is growing back from whatever caused the last world to collapse, an unknown number of years ago, and there are hints everywhere that the current batch of humans haven’t been around on the planet all that long. My campaign’s been going on for just about two years and I love the weird things the party encounters.

If you want a flexible system with fast mechanics that’s designed to be narrative forward, check out Cypher System. The core rulebook is about $77 for the hardback and PDF. For Numenera I recommend the two book box set, which costs about $130 for the book/PDF combo. There are also some starter sets for both systems, which can be found on Monte Cook Games’ web site. These cost around $30.

1. Dragonbane

Dragonbane is one of the first products Free League sent me as a review copy, but that’s not why it’s on the top spot of this list. It’s in the top spot because Dragonbane is amazing. In fact, I love this game so much I’ve picked up a copy of the box set to give to one my friends.

Sometimes people will call the Dragonbane box set a “starter set,” because that’s what most box sets are these days, but that’s a misnomer. The Dragonbane box set is the entire game. It includes the full rulebook, blank character sheets, creature and character standees, some pre-generated characters so a group can dive right in, a full adventure book, a reversible battle map on which terrain can be placed (but it is paper, don’t draw on it), and a set of lovely emerald-green translucent dice. And how much does this cornucopia of TTRPG goodness cost? The core set can be purchased for about $56!

Why do I love Dragonbane? Well, it’s a skill based system with roll-under mechanics. Magic is rare, but powerful, and combat is fast and dangerous. The game is fair, but it’s unforgiving if players don’t learn to make good choices. Also, monsters are both unpredictable and deadly. All this combines to create a game where negotiation needs to be on the table whenever possible, and retreat needs to be an option. That might not sound fun to folks who are used to a “clear the room” mentality, but I have so much fun seeing what my group gets into. They’ve befriended a troll, gotten swept up into an ancient conflict, and have forgotten that they are just a bunch of armed people and have no actual authority to do any of the things they do.

They’re even beginning to learn how to keep their party alive, well…most of them.

If you want to try something that scratches a fantasy itch, has players roll the familiar d20, but which also breaks away from concepts like armor class or hit point bloat Dragonbane is a terrific go to. My group has been playing it ever since our Basic Fantasy RPG campaign wrapped up and it’s a ton of fun.

#DMing #DnD #DungeonsDragons #dungeonsAndDragons #fantasy #gaming #GMing #Review #RolePlayingGame #RPG #TTRPG

We Play Different Games

This is random TTRPG Thoughts #80
Written July 3, 2025

I am three days away from Sabbatical, tomorrow is July 4th, and Senator Murkowski of Alaska voted for a bill she knows will hurt Americans across the country but because she got some treats for Alaska its fine if the rest of the country burns. I’ve got a headache and the “stop shoving your politics down my throat” folks are already complaining. But I’ve got coffee and my brain is sparking into gear. These are random TTRPG thoughts.

1. Reading The Elusive Shift is becoming more and more fascinating. It also makes me even less interested in all the arguments about dice fudging, theater kid slurs, grognard insults, and the “proper way” a campaign should be run. Why? Because it seems like no one has said anything new about any of these topics since the 70s. I’ll still end up participating in this endless cycle of pontification, I’m sure. I’m human and that’s apparently what we do. But I’ll only end up boring myself.
2. Cypher System is going to have a revision that will be released in the middle of next year. I’m rather interested in what will be revised, and they have promised current books will still be usable, but a lot of folks in the cypher community are biting their metaphorical nails. I empathize with them. I mean, I’ve been back in the hobby only since 2020 and haven’t had to deal with an edition change (I don’t run 5e so the 2025 edition isn’t something with which I have experience). I don’t think the new Cypher System book will be an entire new edition, but past scars are difficult to forget. I mean, I’m a Philly sports fan, I get that.
3. I was able to interview Land of Eem’s Ben Costa and James Parks the other week and it was a wonderful conversation. Ben and James are great guys, and they have a new crowd funding campaign under way which touts a simplified version of the game for kids and the game’s first expansion! Check it out!
4. I try to not be binary about the vast majority of existence, but there are two types of people in the world. Those who understand that building a concentration camp in a swamp makes you the bad guys, and those who are wrong.
5. Free League’s Summer sale has started! Go check it out because they put out some amazing stuff and their discounts are steep.
6. Over the last week I’ve had several folks bring up the idea that role-playing games are “escapist.” They didn’t mean anything bad by it, they were just pointing out that when life seems bleak it’s good to have a space to go and forget about it for a while with friends. And, you know, that is not a bad thing and I both appreciate how needed those spaces are and that TTRPGs can fill it. But I also don’t think RPGs aren’t quite as escapist as some folks think they. Why is that? Well, the game emerges from our own personalities. There’s always a small bit of ourselves in the characters we play (which is true even for GMs and their NPCs)—and that’s true for everyone from story-minded role-players to the most meticulous of min-maxers. We can never escape from ourselves but we can, either by deliberate action or instinct, explore who we are. Just remember, I’m an introvert so I get excited by weird stuff like that.
7. As I was reading The Elusive Shift last night a thought emerged in my brain which I’d understood for a while but never articulated. Folks in this hobby do not play the same game, even if we’re using the same system. That’s because the game emerges from the group’s engagement with the world, and what exists in the world is a function of the GMs focus and tendencies. So, we can play a game of Shadowdark, Numenera, EZD6, or Dragonbane—but we never play |Shadowdark|, |Numenera|, |EZD6|, or |Dragonbane|. Now, there’s overlap between our games, it’s why we can play at open tables or conventions and people can have a good time, but we do not play the same games. I find that both liberating and humbling.
8. Have you ever had a week where you want to run a game, but you’re kinda fried and can’t even consider running your on-going campaign? That’s where I am this week. I don’t have the energy to prep for my regular Dragonbane campaign so I’m offering to run a simple pick up and play game, instead. I find running new systems invigorates me and helps motivate me to get back to my long-form campaigns.
9. The alternative for tonight is to play Dave Ward’s Plaguebound, where I get to play my imp-like character who is not a barbarian, but acts like one. This is also a compelling option because that character is an absolute blast to play. He’s pissed at the titular plague, which destroyed his home, and attacks it with relish. Looking back at my comment about not being able to escape ourselves, this character also makes me go, “hmmmm.”
10. I have had some of the most wonderful comments from people on my videos lately. Folks have suggested games, offered kind words, shared their own insights, and have been kind. I do not do DM Tales for validation, because I don’t need that sort of soul-crushing pressure on my life, but experiencing kindness and appreciation from folks is a good thing. I’m also gratified that the majority of folks who pop up on DM Tales are insightful, kind, and share their joy. Because that’s the type of audience I want to attract.

#DMing #DnD #DungeonsDragons #dungeonsAndDragons #fantasy #gaming #GMing #RolePlayingGame #RPG #TTRPG

#TTRPG #GMing

Once again, social media inspires a relatively lengthy response. The traditional concepts of the role of DM/GM are referee versus storyteller. But what if I told you, you don't have to pick one of those?

https://grimtokens.garden/Thoughts/GM-as-adjudicator+or+GM-as-storyteller+-+Or+Is+There+a+Third+Way

Many Dice Were Rolled

Random TTRPG Thoughts 75

It’s Memorial Day in the US, I’ve had multiple events going on the past couple of days, and I’ve not been sleeping great. Between feeling drowsy and the full schedule I’m rather grumpy, but I have coffee and so my brain is waking up anyway. These are random TTRPG thoughts.

1. DM Scotty, the creator of EZD6, is creating a new horror play set for the system with two different modes of play. I got to play one of these on Saturday night, where we played survivors. My character didn’t survive, but the system is so much fun!
2. I got to run a session of Land of Eem last week. It’s an interesting system with a lot of flavor. I need to get more skilled with adding the different twists, and it works better if you have a table of folks who will engage with the NPCs. And, yes, I’ll run it again.
3. My review of Monty Python’s Cocurricular Mediaeval Reenactment Programme is written! Now I just need to find time to record and edit it for my channel. Can’t wait to run this one!
4. I’ve got two slots open for my Sentinel Comics RPG session at CRIT. Anyone want to play? June 25, starting at 8:30 PM Eastern.
5. Last week I met some folks who had zero interest in playing anything other than 5e. It seems odd to me, but since there were four 5e tables they could jump in on I suppose there was little reason to play anything else. I ended up with four players for my Into the Odd adventure and had a good time. There was a character named Gary.
6. I haven’t had as many entries for my 4000 subscriber give-away as I was expecting. Go watch the video to find out how to enter!
7. Tales of Argosa has an exploit mechanic which flavors combat quite a bit. As I was playing I couldn’t help but think how its free-form setup is what bonus actions should have been in 5e. I can see how the exploits could bog down if you get a person dithering over their sheet for what they’re “allowed” to do, but we ended up being pretty fast. I love how you can set up the next person to take their turn by stunning or distracting an opponent. It’s a game worth checking out.
8. I’m almost finished reading Theology, Religion, and Dungeons & Dragons. It’s a pricey academic book, but rather engaging. A couple of the essays didn’t resonate, and there one whose premise with which I just plain disagree, but it’s a nice read to complete before my sabbatical begins.
9. Jacob, from Avenue Studios, has been my GM for two different horror games. My character almost got to the end in both…almost. Also, I had an absolute blast in both and horror is not my typical jam.
10. I need to set up a time for the next Open Adventure session at Brewery Thirty-Three!

#DMing #EZd6 #GMing #LandOfEem #MontyPython #RolePlayingGame #RPG #TalesOfArgosa #TTRPG

My roleplaying GM-ing have been on the pause for over half a year. Had plans to start something last fall but my fitness org. had started grabbing onto me. By mid fall I was convincing myself that I should at least look into becoming a class leader. By this fall that journey should be over with me being a leader. After today's leader meet the last steps and timetable have been more or less set.

So I've started digging up my "old" campaign seeds...

#rpg #gming #ttrpg #fitness #friskis

GM Note for Echoes of Invasion:

This week's episode uses the chase rules we developed for #SWRPG and #Genesys. If you're interested in taking a look at those, you can find them here:

https://diceystories.com/running-a-chase/

#GMing #ttrpg

2/3

@irgndsondepp We keep the Mythic subject/action tables on hand to use as idea prompts during our Genesys games. Sometimes you just need a couple words to point you in a direction.

#GMing #ttrpg #MythicGMEmulator

@irgndsondepp We keep the Mythic subject/action tables on hand to use as idea prompts during our Genesys games. Sometimes you just need a couple words to point you in a direction.

#GMing #ttrpg #MythicGMEmulator

@irgndsondepp We keep the Mythic subject/action tables on hand to use as idea prompts during our Genesys games. Sometimes you just need a couple words to point you in a direction.

#GMing #ttrpg #MythicGMEmulator

@irgndsondepp We keep the Mythic subject/action tables on hand to use as idea prompts during our Genesys games. Sometimes you just need a couple words to point you in a direction.

#GMing #ttrpg #MythicGMEmulator

@irgndsondepp We keep the Mythic subject/action tables on hand to use as idea prompts during our Genesys games. Sometimes you just need a couple words to point you in a direction.

#GMing #ttrpg #MythicGMEmulator

GM Note for Echoes of Invasion:

The #BattleForWesnoth video game has a take on orcs and goblins that I hadn’t seen before. They’re the same species, as are half-orcs. The different designators arise from the physical capabilities of individuals. Orcs are the strongest, half-orcs are less muscular, and goblins are considered runts. This then sets their social standing. This doesn’t come up much in any of the mainline campaigns, but I used it to inform how I portrayed my #ttrpg NPCs.

#GMing 3/4

Having to delay playtesting on my game

https://canageek.wordpress.com/2025/02/19/having-to-delay-playtesting-on-my-game/

The Electric State RPG

When I first saw Simon Stålenhag’s artwork for The Electric State I was captivated. His pieces bear a haunting familiarity which becomes unnerving as you take in the details. So, when I saw that Free League was crowdfunding an RPG based on The Electric State it was a no-brainer to back it. And when I was able to read it, this game left me thinking.

Introduction

The Electric State RPG is not about gaining treasure or saving the world. It’s about journeying through this world and provokes players to discover how their characters are changed by it. It’s wild.

Setting

The game takes place in an alternate reality 1990s, where many of the cultural cornerstones from our world also exist. Grunge is a thing, vehicles have a 90s aesthetic, and much of the technology is identical to our world. But there is one aspect of The Electric State which takes our 90s and twists it off angle enough that it becomes an alien landscape.

Neuronics broke the world.

In The Electric State RPG the human brain was not only charted, it was both mapped and replicated. This created the opportunity for humans to connect their minds to “neuroscapes” which allowed people to control remote drones and pilot them as though they were wearing the vehicles as skin. It opened up the door to have new neural networks created, giving the rise to robotics our world can only imagine.

The technological leap, combined with social and economic pressures, triggered a US Civil War which broke the county into several nations. The key nation in the game, Pacifica, consists of what used to be the State of California. It claims to be a democracy, but it’s dominated by Sentre, the corporation which created neuronics. Pacifica is in decline. While the densest population centers still feel “normal,” the further one travels from the big cities the more Pacifica’s decay is on display. It’s a society on the verge of collapse, but most folks are too tuned into their neurocasters to take note or care.

It’s a depressing setup, to say the least, but it gets worse. Ever since Sentre pushed out its latest update, Mode 6, neuro addiction has been on the rise. More and more people are being found dead, through either starvation or dehydration, wearing their neurocasters—blissfully connected to the neuroscape and ignoring reality until their very end. Even stranger, Mode 6 seems to have coincided with the growth of “Intercerebral Intelligences.” These entities have emerged from the neuroscapes, and there are rumors some of them have escaped into the physical world and created physical forms for themselves out of the drone wreckage which dots the landscape. Even more odd, cults are arising which treat these intelligences as gods.

As I read the book I tried to come up with a genre for the game. Alternate History, Science Fiction, or Post-Apocalyptic didn’t quite cover things, though there are elements of these in the game. I finally settled on describing The Electric State RPG as psychological horror.

Character Creation

Characters in The Electric State work off of ten archetypes which designate their key attribute, starting talent and money, as well as their basic equipment.

Characters also each have a Dream and a Flaw. These have no mechanical impact on the game but do serve as an excellent skeleton from which a character’s personality can develop.

Each traveler has four Attributes: Strength, Agility, Wits, and Empathy. Starting values range from 2-6 and are determined by rolling 4d6. Players roll the dice, and will re-roll until every die shows a value of 2 or higher. The values on the four dice are then are assigned to the Attributes as the player wishes. If players would rather use point buy for their attributes, they may. They are given 16 points to assign, but no value can be lower than 2 or greater than 6.

Two other derived attributes, Health and Hope, represent a characters physical and emotional well-being. Health is (Strength + Agility)/2 and Hope is  (Wits + Empathy)/2. Both results are rounded up.

The last tracked value, Bliss, denotes the pull Neuronics has on the character. More on that in a bit.

Advancement

Travelers who follow their Dream or role-play their Flaw are rewarded with Improvement Rolls after each session. For each role granted a player is able to chose one of their four attributes and roll a d6. If they roll over their current score, that attribute increases by 1. These roles aren’t just “succeed” or “fail,” however, if a character fails their roll they gain a new skill instead. It’s an interesting way to show how characters are changing during their journey through their collapsing world.

Core Mechanics

The Rolls

The Electric State uses a streamlined version of Free League’s Year Zero Engine. For an attempt a player rolls a number of d6s equal to the attribute score most appropriate for the task. The number of dice rolled may be modified by a traveller’s gear, skills, or hinderances affecting them.

Any 6s mean the character has achieved a success, and multiple 6s mean the character’s success is “extra”—like succeeding while being so quiet no one hears the traveler’s actions.

If no 6s are rolled, or if a player wants to go for higher level of success, they may push their roll. To do this the player sets aside any dice showing a 1 or a 6 and re-rolls the rest. At this point 1s become active. Any 1s on a die rolled from a character’s attributes, or added through skills, reduce a character’s Hope—pushing them further to the brink of having a breakdown and perhaps suffering mental trauma. Any 1s on dice added through gear reduce the gear’s bonus. When a gear’s bonus hits zero it becomes busted and cannot be used. To keep gear dice separate players should roll two different color dice for attempts.

Opposed rolls in The Electric State are a competition for the most 6s between all opponents. Whoever rolls fewer 6s loses.

This streamlined version of the Year Zero Engine (YZE) makes setting up their dice pools, and reading results, a bit easier on the players. At the same time, it also makes pushing rolls a bit more risky because dice added through skills can trigger a loss of Hope. In other YZE games like Forbidden Lands, for example, skills never have a negative impact on the character when a roll is pushed. I like the added risk!

Combat

Combat in The Electric State RPG is designed for theater of the mind. Ranges are abstracted and are differentiated by zones. Zones can be differentiated by any natural separation between combatants—a hedgerow, a stream, or even a locked door or barricade can create zones in combat.

There are five ranges in the game. Engaged is anyone who is at “in your face” distance. Short is anything in the same zone. Medium is anything in an adjacent zone. Long is up to 4 zones away. Extreme is anything over 4 zones away.

Initiative is narrative-driven. If combat happens, and this is a game where combat should be a last resort, the character who triggers the combat will go first. They will be followed by all allied combatants, and then opponents. If there is a combat where the narrative says who goes first is a toss up, both sides roll a d6 and add the highest Wits value from an allied combatant. I’m a big fan of narrative-driven initiative, and making it side-based speeds things up at the table.

On a turn a combatant gets one move and one action, or two moves. Minor actions, like ducking for cover or interacting with an object, are considered free actions. How many free actions a character gets is determined by narrative. Shouting a warning, ducking for cover, and then reloading a gun makes narrative sense—though perhaps the reloading could be pushed to a subsequent turn or take up the Traveler’s move. Shouting a warning, typing in a computer password, reloading a gun, and rummaging for a sandwich in a single turn is narrative absurdity. Players and GMs need to work together to keep the in-game fiction working with some sort of logic.

Close combat attacks are made against anyone in Engaged distance and use a character’s Strength attribute as base dice. Ranged attacks are made against any target short range or greater, and use a character’s Agility attribute as base dice. Attacks will also add skill and weapon bonus dice to an attack roll.

Each weapon in the game has a set amount of damage inflicted through a hit and each 6, beyond the first, rolled in an attack inflicts an additional point of damage against the target. The desire to deliver a heavy blow is a wonderful way to entice players to push rolls!

When attacks hit The Electric State RPG includes a few ways to make an active defense.

When struck by a close attack a character may decide to Fight Back. This turns an attack attempt into an opposed roll, giving the target a chance to avoid taking damage or even hitting back. Any character who takes this reaction, however, forfeits their next turn—both movement and action. If a character had already acted in the current round they forfeit their turn in the subsequent round, instead.

Characters targeted by ranged attacks may seek cover, which reduces the number of dice rolled against them, or they be attempt to Dodge the incoming attack. Similar to Fighting Back, when a character dodges they forfeit their next turn—either in the current or subsequent round.

Armor can also be used to mitigate damage. Each armor type has an Armor Level which indicated how many dice should be rolled against damage. Any 6s on the armor roll reduce incoming damage by 1 point.

Damage from attacks reduces a character’s Health. When their Health score reaches zero the character is incapacitated and must make Death Rolls. To make this roll a player rolls four dice and notes the number of 6s rolled. Player gets three Death Rolls to try and get three 6s. If they do, the character stabilizes. If not, the character is dead.

An incapacitated character may be Rallied. Any player attempting to rally a downed traveler rolls Empathy. On a successful roll the incapacitated character rejoins the fight with Health equal to the number of 6s rolled, but they are not stabilized. Rallied characters still need to make death saves and can perish even while continuing to fight. I love a good rallying mechanic in games, and this sounds terrific.

Using Neuronics

The most fascinating aspect of the game is the ability to enter a neuroscape to search for information, interact with attached entities, or hack the system. In The Electric State neuroscapes are powered by massive towers which dominate the landscape. Many are connected to a global network, much like our internet, while some are limited to local access only.

Accessing a neuroscape requires the use of a neurocaster, and each character is equipped with one at the start of play. Not all neurocasters are created equal. The different models have gear bonuses for Processor, Network, and Grapics which are applied for different tasks inside the neuroscape. While neurocasters can connect wirelessly, they are more effective when connected via a hardwire and get +2 dice to all attempts inside the virtual world.

Finding information in, or hacking, the network are each given a difficulty rating of 1-3, commensurate with the attempt’s difficulty. This rating indicates the number of successful Wits rolls the player needs to make in order to achieve their goal—though there are certain talents which increase the number of dice for neurocasting attempts. Each attempt takes one stretch of time (about 5-10 minutes), though if any attempt fails subsequent rolls extend to a shift of time (about 5-10 hours).

Combat inside a neuroscape is possible, and will be flavored like whatever world is being emulated. Because the physics of a neuroscape are virtual, however, all combat is treated like close combat—using Wits instead of Strength. Just as in the real world, an attacked entity may fight back which may cause an attack to fail.

But there’s a twist.

Accessing the neuroscape, is not without risks. When connected to a neuroscape every failed roll increases a traveller’s Bliss by one. Failed attempts can be pushed, just as in the physical world, with the typical risk of losing Hope while doing so. Any traveller whose Bliss becomes greater than their current Hope is lost to The Electric State and cannot will themselves to disconnect from the network (though they may still take actions inside the virtual world to aid the group). Stranded players can be forcibly disconnected, but this will result in their Hope being reduced to zero and will trigger a mental trauma (if that rule is being used by the table).

The risk vs. reward aspect of Neuronics is one of the most fascinating aspects of play for me. Great things can be accomplished, and players may have both skills and equipment which will entice them to attempt such tasks, but in the end the Neuroscape may become a trap from which they cannot escape. It’s pretty cool.

Journeys

The Electric State RPG is not designed for long term campaign play. The characters aren’t heroes, but travelers, and their journey has a specific destination. A typical set up is for the GM and players to gather and select both the destination and the route the group will take to get there. The GM will then create Stops along the way which create both tension and danger for the group as they pass through a society in the midst of collapse. This flies in the face of more “sandbox” style play, where players take their characters wherever they want and the GM sets up situations in response to their actions. At the same time, given the nature of the game, an “on rails” journey does make some sense.

For tables which would like a more free-form trip to reach their destination, they may decide to forego a planned route and choose their direction based on whatever they feel drives the group. In this case, a GM will either move stops to match the route, or improvise a stop to trigger the story—with or without using the excellent tools in the core rulebook.

Why are the travelers on their journey? That’s up to the players. The simplest way to tie the destination to a traveller’s goal is to link it to their Dream. Something about the destination is linked to whatever they’re holding on to for hope in The Electric State RPG’s dystopian world. Travelers may also share goals if the players decide their stories are intertwined.

Travelers will also each have a personal threat, which will create urgency on the journey. Each of these threats will have a counter. Each time they appear the danger the threat represents will increase until they reach a final confrontation with the traveller. As with goals, threats may be shared between travelers if the players decide it makes sense.

Threats in this world aren’t just tied to the travelers. Each stop on the journey also has its own threats and counters, compounding the dystopian feel of the world.

There are tools in chapter 5 which help GMs work with the players to set up a journey and create stops. The advice here is well-done, with ample examples to spark ideas.

The Product

Physical Book

The Electric State is a “full-sized” book clocking in at 230 pages. The cover bears one of Simon Stålenhag’s pieces from the art book, which is stunning. The cover art isn’t borderless, though. Instead, there is a white bevel around the image which feels like an older style design language—like it comes from the 90s. The rear cover displays another piece of art from The Electric State, along with a blurb describing the game’s core concepts. The interior cover pages show a map of Pacifica, the game’s default location, and stuffed in the back is a fold out map which is stunning. It’s not as large as some other posters included in Free League products, but it’s the perfect size to be used at the table. I like it.

My only knocks on the physical book are there are no book ribbons and it’s printed on glossy paper. But the glossy paper didn’t bother me as much as it normally does because the interior layout is so high contrast.

Internal Layout

The design language for The Electric State is minimalist, and is a perfect fit for the game. Borders around call outs and tables are a thick black line. And these are “taped” to the page with scotch, or even duct, tape—as though the book was from the early days of desktop publishing and what we’re reading is a pre-print mock-up. The heading font is an attractive sans serif, and second level headings are preceded by the in-game “Sentre” logo which helps them stand out. Third level headings use the body’s serif font with a bold face and are indented.

Blockquotes, which I assume come from the original art book, are strewn through out The Electric State RPG. These are separated from the rest of the text with a large quotation mark above and a thick black line below and are presented in an italicized sans serif font. Very nice-looking.

Lists use a light-weight Sentre logo for bullet points, which is a stunning design choice. Tables utilize a lightweight sans serif font for the body cells, and a bold sans serif font for heading cells—table rows are separated by a thin line.

Chapter title pages display a full spread image from Simon Stålenhag’s artwork, with the chapter title on one of the spread’s pages in a large sans serif font, a blockquote below the title lays out the feeling for what is to come.

Everything in the layout is stark, and yet easy on the eyes. I never tired reading it.

The Electric State RPG’s core rulebook is filled with Simon Stålenhag’s art, to the point where finding a spread without a piece of art on it feels unusual. It is a visual feast, and the artwork never looses its haunting and provocative power. It’s amazing. I now want to purchase Simon Stålenhag’s books so I can experience it more.

Conclusion

This game has me drooling to run it. It’s “almost normal” world, tweaked to the point where even the familiar feels alien, draws me in. It’s a game which guides players to learn something about the nature of journey and hope in the midst of a slow moving crisis. It can be used to tell amazing stories, but it can also help players experience some deep introspection—just like Simon Stålenhag’s artwork.

You can pick up The Electric State RPG from Free League’s web site. A Hardback book, which includes a PDF with purchase, costs about $51.35. The PDF alone can be purchased through DriveThruRPG (Affiliate Link) for $24.99.

I don’t often suggest anything beyond, “If you like this sort of thing, maybe check this out.” For The Electric State RPG I will say if you found any part of this review appealing get this book. This game is wild.

#DMing #FreeLeague #gaming #GMing #Review #Reviews #RPG #TTRPG

Turning the PAGE

This past week I was able to attend the Philadelphia Area Gaming Expo in Oaks, PA. The convention was a ton of fun, and I’ve got some reflections on my experience.

First. Kelsey Dionne is as kind and wonderdul in person as she is online. I arrived Thursday afternoon for the kickoff Cheesesteak Dinner. When she made eye contact with me Kelsey exclaimed, “Wes!” and stood up with a huge smile to welcome me. Kelsey had promised to donate a signed copy of Shadowdark for the Ecclesicon auction and she delivered right away, pulling out a box of books and adding her inscription. We chatted for a bit and she told me how sorry she was a sabbatical grant proposal I’d submitted hadn’t been accepted. The proposal was to write a game to help with some introspective spiritual development and Kelsey had agreed to help me out as a sounding board during the process. The fact she had remembered that it was me who had asked her, and not some random generic YouTuber, meant a lot. She also encouraged me to keep trying and not be discouraged. The whole weekend could have ended there because that short conversation was worth the drive by itself.

Second. I’ve learned that I need to not fill up my convention schedule with games. This is difficult to do because I’m the GM more times than not—a convention is sometimes the only time I get to play another role. It’s also difficult because conventions afford me opportunities to play games I may not have elsewhere. It is, however, a lesson I need to develop into a habit.

I’m good for two games a day, after that my energy level drops and I begin to seek the exit. On Friday I played Crown & Skull in the Morning, Savage Worlds in the afternoon, and Shadowdark at night. It left me with too little time to get interviews, no time to watch seminars, and less than zero time to sit down with folks and catch up. By the middle portion of Shadowdark, which is a system I love, I was ready to crash at the table!

My plan, moving forward, is to play one game in the morning or afternoon and a second game at night. That will leave me with a block of time where I can wander the expo hall, chat with friends, or sit in on a talk or two. It might seem unintuitive, but I think playing fewer games would help give me a more full convention experience.

Third. I was surprised by some of the games I played.

I expected to enjoy Crown & Skull because it’s the type of rules-lite game I’ve been into as of late. I did, indeed, find that game interesting—the attrition mechanics are very cool.

I was also, however, expecting to be smitten by Savage Worlds, because the system’s exploding dice and simple resolution seem so fun. But this might have been my least favorite system (though it was my second-favorite adventure) I played at PAGE.

Don’t get me wrong. I think Savage Worlds is a lot of fun, but there are so many rolls. In the end the number of rolls, combined with the exploding dice mechanic, creates a bit of a choke point during action scenes. During our session my character may have triggered a TPK (who knows how these things actually work), and it was clear early on that we were overmatched and there was no escape. Even so, it took the better part of 45 minutes for us all to all go down. It felt like it took too long.

I will play this game again in a heartbeat, and I would like to try to run it at some point, but my experience was not what I was expecting. The mechanics of Savage Worlds are simple, but the game is sneaky crunchy.

Shadowdark is a game I love, so having fun with that was not a shock. What was shocking, however, is how much I enjoyed playing Pathfinder 2e. Pretty much everything about Pathfinder is the opposite of what I’m looking for in a game at the moment. It boasts high modifiers, a lengthy skill list for checks, and lots of big rolls.

The Avenue Studios folks, however, made the game fun by alternating play styles during the session. The sixteen player group was split in two—half the group scouted the island we would need to raid later one, while the other half stayed in town a procured supplies, recruits, and information. After a time, the groups switched roles. We did this twice, and as we accumulated resources we were given the choice to use them during our scouting or save them for the main raid. Once we each had our turns with the setup we all joined together for a massive combat. Even with sixteen players, this was amazing.

I’m going to have to play Pathfinder 2e again so I can see if I really do enjoy the system’s setup, or if I was impressed with an excellent GMing team. At any rate, I suppose I’ll have to pick up the Pathfinder 2e books.

Fourth. EZd6 remains my favorite system for running one shots. A minor struggle I have with convention games and one shots is how they tend to be combat-focused. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of time to role-play because the action needs to proceed to the climatic battle.

EZd6, on the other hand, is such a fast system I have no qualms spend a half hour role-playing folks coming together before proceeding to the action. I’ve found this gives players space to figure out their take on the characters, and the players at my PAGE table seized this opportunity with a vengeance. I loved the takes they had the characters! The down and out hero returning to their podunk small town, for example, showed up hung over and crying for their mother. That was new!

Fifth, and final. I’ve come to enjoy going to conventions because I get to see people who have become friends. I don’t see them enough because I tend to over-book myself, but I do get to see them! The more conventions I attend, the more this privilege grows. New faces become familiar faces. Familiar faces become friendly faces. Friendly faces become friends. And it all happens because we like to sit around a table, make believe together, and roll dice to discover our characters’ fates. It’s an amazing experience. To my con friends, new and…less new (I’ve been attending conventions for about three years), thanks. I wish I could see you more!

#CrownSkull #DnD #DungeonsDragons #dungeonsAndDragons #EZd6 #gaming #GMing #PF2E #Review #RolePlayingGame #RPG #SavageWorlds #ShadowDark #TTRPG

Reminder: New Gamemaster Month is live! 🎲 Whether you’ve always wanted to run a game or need a little guidance, join us for expert tips and support throughout January. By February, you’ll be ready to run your first RPG session! Sign up today! #TTRPG #GMing #NewGamemasterMonth
https://bit.ly/3ZUQP82

Random TTRPG thoughts #55

It’s two days after Christmas, the little brought a cold home school so we feel a tad crummy but are otherwise functional, and it feels like the break is already over. But, I’ve got new games to read, and the coffee is brewed. These are random TTRPG thoughts!

1. I set up a Christmas-themed one shot for Cypher System yesterday, which we ran instead of Dragonbane since we didn’t know who could play. It was weird, fun, and the players rolled HORRIBLY. But in the end all we well.
2. I really want to play Sentinel Comics RPG before New Year’s Eve. I’ve got a GM Kit to break in!
3. The wonderful thing about getting new games is I have more books to read. The horrible thing about getting new games is I have to figure out where to slot them in the queue.
4. My Christmas-themed one shot was, according to one player, the basic plot of Red One. I’ve not seen the movie, but I have seen the trailers so I can’t say I wasn’t influenced.
5. I do enjoy teaching new games to people. It’s a fun part of being a GM.
6. I am ecstatic when a player stops looking at their sheet to see what they can do, and begins to tell me what they want to do. Those are great moments.
7. Alas, the giant candy cane spear never did hit its mark.
8. The Monte Cook Games character builder is pretty cool. I can’t wait until they add their custom IP to it!
9. Another fun thing about GMing is when players take it upon themselves to explain their actions, both successes and failures. Last night one player rolled a 1 on an action, triggering a GM intrusion. Instead of waiting to see what I said he asked, “Can I describe what happens?” I replied, “Sure!”  He’d been trying to toss a gravity cypher at the big bad, and described it being wrapped like a present. His character pulled the bow to activate it but, instead of tossing the device, he threw the bow. The cypher activated and he ended up stuck to the ground with glitter in his face. Amazing.
10. What games are you playing over the holidays?

#dd #DMing #DnD #DungeonsDragons #dungeonsAndDragons #gaming #GMing #RolePlayingGame #RPG #TTRPG

Prepping for a Shadow of the Demon Lord campaign I've read a few official adventures.
Rather simple affairs that come off as vaguely disappointing. Nontheless I think stuff should be tried out before a final judgment, so I'll start things using Tales of the Demon Lord, though I may end up ignoring the campaign (I'm surprised how much of the important stuff happens behind the curtains without any actual player involvment) and just use Crossings as the PC's base.
#sotdl #ttrpg #gming

Prepping for a Shadow of the Demon Lord campaign I've read a few official adventures.
Rather simple affairs that come off as vaguely disappointing. Nontheless I think stuff should be tried out before a final judgment, so I'll start things using Tales of the Demon Lord, though I may end up ignoring the campaign (I'm surprised how much of the important stuff happens behind the curtains without any actual player involvment) and just use Crossings as the PC's base.
#sotdl #ttrpg #gming

Prepping for a Shadow of the Demon Lord campaign I've read a few official adventures.
Rather simple affairs that come off as vaguely disappointing. Nontheless I think stuff should be tried out before a final judgment, so I'll start things using Tales of the Demon Lord, though I may end up ignoring the campaign (I'm surprised how much of the important stuff happens behind the curtains without any actual player involvment) and just use Crossings as the PC's base.
#sotdl #ttrpg #gming

Prepping for a Shadow of the Demon Lord campaign I've read a few official adventures.
Rather simple affairs that come off as vaguely disappointing. Nontheless I think stuff should be tried out before a final judgment, so I'll start things using Tales of the Demon Lord, though I may end up ignoring the campaign (I'm surprised how much of the important stuff happens behind the curtains without any actual player involvment) and just use Crossings as the PC's base.
#sotdl #ttrpg #gming

Prepping for a Shadow of the Demon Lord campaign I've read a few official adventures.
Rather simple affairs that come off as vaguely disappointing. Nontheless I think stuff should be tried out before a final judgment, so I'll start things using Tales of the Demon Lord, though I may end up ignoring the campaign (I'm surprised how much of the important stuff happens behind the curtains without any actual player involvment) and just use Crossings as the PC's base.
#sotdl #ttrpg #gming

Hey everyone I'm trying to do a paid GMing thing and I've got 5 games up atm. 2 Thirsty Sword Lesbian settings, one Monsterhearts 2, The Between, and Public Access games.

https://startplaying.games/gm/greatktulu

If you've played with me as a GM before it'd also be super helpful if you left me a nice review (assuming you had fun) here: https://startplaying.games/gm/greatktulu/review

#startplaying #pbta #cfb #gming

It’s the first day of my work week, I woke up late, the coffee is still brewing, and I’ve been staying up way too late this Summer. These are random TTRPG thoughts.

1. There are few better feelings as a GM than when you finish a session and the players say, “That was fun.”
2. I’m fortunate that the players at my two tables enjoy trying lots of systems.
3. Wizards of the Coast is giving YouTube copyright strikes to people who are covering 2024 D&D. The company can’t help but to shoot its own proverbial foot.
4. Congrats to Kelsey Dionne on winning four Ennies for Shadowdark!
5. I had a wonderful chat with Kate Evans and Charles Ryan from Monte Cook Games last week. They were kind enough to chat about their new streaming concept, The Anywhere Door, as their GenCon booth was being set up!
6. One of my greatest joys is helping folks make new connections. The other night I was watching a stream featuring two of my friends from Avenue Studios and my friend Dave from Grimwood Games. They met at Ecclesicon!
7. Congrats to my friends from Two Little Mice for being awarded two Silver Ennies for Outgunned!
8. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to go to GenCon next year!
9. If you’re in the Philly/South Jersey area come on out to Ecclesicon: Day of Adventure on September 28!
10. I really need to run Savage Worlds at some point! I picked up the Super Powers Companion last week and can’t wait to dig in!

https://dmtales.com/2024/08/06/random-ttrpg-thoughts-35/

#dd #DMing #DnD #dungeonsAndDragons #GMing #RandomThoughts #tabletopRolePlayingGame #TTRPG

I was considering how the spell "Stinking Cloud", or its equivalent in my setting, is rather Aeromancy (air magic), Necromancy (death/shadow magic) or Geomancy (earth magic), because of its manipulation of air and aspect of decay or chemical transformation. It's also relevant for which character types will have access to it.

Thus I spent a lot of time pondering the nature of stinking air. ​:neofox_googly:​

#ttrpg #pnp #homebrewrpg #gming

#dnd #5e #dm #gm #dming #gming #rpg #ttrpg

I picked up Into the Odd, Remastered when it was first released by Free League back in 2022. I read it right away but, at the time, I felt the game might be almost too rules lite. But that was a couple years ago and my tastes have changed. So I decided to revisit Into the Odd for Independent Role-Playing Game Month this year. I’m glad I did! Let’s take a look.

Core Mechanics

Into the Odd‘s core mechanic is the save. Players roll a d20 and attempt to roll equal to or under the most appropriate attribute for the check. A 1 is always a success and a 20 is always a failure.

Whenever a situation arises where a normal check isn’t appropriate, such as when a party makes a ruckus in a dangerous area, the Referee can make a luck roll using a d6. High rolls favor the players and low rolls trigger some sort of bad luck determined by the Referee. Checks for wandering encounters are a special form of luck roll. Whenever a party moves from one area to another in a populated region, such as a dungeon or wilderness, the Referee rolls a d6. A 1 triggers a random encounter, while a 2 gives a hint at a potential nearby encounter. I enjoy this mechanic, as it allows the dice to build up tension as a party explores.

Combat in Into the Odd is interesting because every attack hits. When an attack is declared the attacker rolls damage, from which the target subtracts their current armor score. If a character has not rested, or had either food or water, all attacks are impaired and damage is reduced to d4 damage no matter what weapon is being used. The reverse can also happen. When a character uses an attack the target is weak against the attack is enhanced and the damage is increased to a d12.

Hit Points are a character’s first pool of damage, for both PCs and NPCs. Once HP is reduced to 0 further damage is taken from a character’s Strength, and is considered a wound. Whenever a character takes damage to their Strength they must also make a Strength save or suffer Critical Damage. Characters in such a state must take a short rest and be tended to by an ally. If this is not done within one hour the character dies. Some creatures, however, can do horrific things to a PC if they ever suffer critical damage during combat–most of which present “colorful” ways to suffer an instant death. Combat is dangerous, and if it can be avoided, it is a wise option.

About Characters

Into the Odd may have the most simple character creation processes which has ever been devised for a tabletop role-playing game. Each character has three attributes–Strength, Dexterity, and Willpower. These scores are determined by a 3d6 roll, and applied to the attributes in the order listed. Each PC also begins play with 1d6 Hit Points.

Starting equipment is determined by taking a character’s highest attribute score and, using a table found on pages 10-11, comparing it to their starting Hit Points. Players see where the two values converge and write the equipment down on their sheets, adding any relevant information from the equipment list found on pages 12-13, and mark down any identifying characteristics which appear in the kit description. That’s it. If players would like, they can use the “Oddpendium” tables found in the back of the book to generate a character name, profession, and key capability. But it’s not necessary.

Characters advance by meeting one of the milestones listed on page 37. When a milestone is reached the player rolls a d20 for each attribute. If the result is greater than the current score, that attribute increases by one. Advancing characters also gain d6 hit points.

About Arcanum

Arcanum are the most sought-after items in the game, and are often the catalyst for any expeditions into the unknown. There are three levels of arcanum–normal, greater, and legendary–and both the powers and hazards associated with the arcanum increase with level. Some arcanum can be carried, while some legendary arcanum can be the size of a room.

These are also not simple “magic swords.” The abilities arcanum possess are unique, and are meant to be weird. There’s a list of arcana inside the book, but the “Oddpedia” includes two d100 tables for generating new arcanum on pages 134 and 135.

I like this design. It makes special items both weird and ripe with potential danger, and that is excellent flavor.

Beyond Delving

Into the Odd excels at exploration and dungeon crawling, but it also has some rules for what characters can do in-between expeditions.

As the characters advance their reputations will also increase, which will cause NPCs to treat them as “known figures”–though the type of treatment the PCs receive will depend on both their actions and the faction with which they’re interacting. If the party snatched a rare arcana from the grasp of a well-financed organization, for example, their “known” status may create enemies with which they’ll need to deal. A character’s reputation may also draw people who desire to apprentice with them. These are NPCs who are rolled up as characters and advance just like a PC does. In worst case scenarios, the apprentice becomes a nice back up PC if a player’s main character meets their demise. Depending how the main character perishes, it can also give the apprentice some motivations a player can use as role-playing fodder!

In addition to their reputation, characters may also invest money to start a new enterprise which can earn them profit. Enterprises cost 10 Guilders to establish and generate 1d4 Guilders income per month 1. The income is not automatic, however, as an enterprise will also suffer a threat which inflicts a 1d4 Guilder loss on the business if it’s not dealt with. If the loss is ever greater then an enterprise’s profit the business collapses, along with whatever money was invested in it. The nature of these threats isn’t specified in the rulebook, which gives a Referee a wide open space to create urban adventures as characters struggle to deal with whatever is threatening their business. Enterprises can also grow. Each month a business makes a profit their die type for both profit and loss increases one step–up to a d12. Threats to an enterprise can make for some wonderful adventure hooks!

If a party doesn’t want to be limit themselves to being small-business owners, they can further extend their influence by establishing detachments. Like enterprises, these cost 10 Guilders to establish, as well as 1d6 Guilders in upkeep each month. A detachment is treated as a single entity, and their base numbers can be increased by spending money on weapons and armor–for twenty times the listed equipment cost. Detachment attacks on individual targets are enhanced, doing d12 damage to their target, and they are immune to individual attacks unless they are explosive or “suitably large scale.” The rules for detachments are interesting, but could use a bit more fleshing out. Not much, as that would undermine the simplicity of the game’s design, but an example of play on how one might use detachments would be helpful.

Referee Stuff

Page 42 of Into the Odd is filled with materials for the Referee, what the game calls the Game Master. It begins with simple advice for running the game, including the basic duties of a Referee and how the save mechanic is meant to be used. It also includes advice for treasure, hazards, and designing encounters.

There’s also some bare bones advice on how to create creatures, followed by a few example monsters. When I first read the book I was a bit confused by the lack of a bestiary, but the more I have pondered the game the more I appreciate the design decision. Into the Odd is meant to be… odd…and providing too many typical tropes would have constrained the Referee from leaning into the oddness. Creating creatures is a simple process, and the example monsters serve as useful tutorials. They are more than enough to get started.

After the general advice Into the Odd has several pages on the game world, all described with its signature terse style. Each region in the world, including the main city of Bastion, is described much like an NPC. The flavor of the place is what matters, not the exact locations which can be found in each. This helps give some scaffolding for Referees to build their campaign, while also keeping the world open for them to develop as a result of play.

The final section in the book is the “Oddpedia,” which contains a number of tables a Referee can use to help resolve ways the game world responds to the character’s actions, but the tables are also a great resource for any other game a GM may want to run.

The Adventure

Pages 62-115 contain a sample adventure which functions as both an introduction for players and as an adventure creation tutorial for Referees. The adventure introduces a new town the PCs can spend time in, Hopesend, as well as a nice sized hex crawl which a party may traverse. The Sunken Marsh is a dangerous place, containing a number of mini-dungeons, is ripe with rumors, filled with potential random encounters, and descriptions for each hex.

The final part of the adventure, The Iron Coral, is a three level dungeon with sixty rooms to explore! Not only are the rooms presented using Into the Odd‘s terse style, they also include arrows pointing in the direction of the room’s exits and features. The dungeon’s maps are not a classic grid. Rather, they are presented in a hand-drawn style which indicates some of the basic contents of each room. It’s a beautiful design.

Between the intrigues of Hopesend, the hidden secrets of the Fallen Marsh, and the depths of the Iron Coral Into the Odd presents a wonderful sandbox for a starter campaign. It makes me want to run the system.

Layout

Into the Odd‘s interior design is unusual compared to other TTRPG books I’ve read. Margins are wide, which reduces the amount of text space on each page. This necessitates brevity for the throughout the book, which makes the game’s rules glanceable and allows the game to be easy to pick up and run. The few times this brevity works against the game, as with the rules for detachments, don’t out-weigh the benefits of this design choice.

The body text is a clean serif font while chapter titles are a decorative serif font with glyphs that are both tall and skinny. I’m a fan of the title font, it’s distinct and attractive.

I’m not certain how to describe the book’s artwork as anything other than “odd.” Most images seem to be composites of various elements, including photographs, which have been edited to share a similar color palette. Nothing feels quite “settled,” which is a perfect way to depict the game’s world. The more I examine the book the more I appreciate it.

There is only one heading level inside the book, their presentation contributes to the uniqueness of Into the Odd‘s layout. Headers are a bold san-serif font which are right-justified along the left page margin, and are presented with a significant amount of white space between it and the section above. The body text “below” the header it is set about 1/3 of the way across the page, beginning in-line with its heading, which makes tracking a topic’s beginning and end points easy. It also necessitates making rule descriptions even more terse than was already required due to the increased margin-size. Looking at the page, it seems almost as if the rules are laid out in a borderless table, with headings in one column and the associated text in another. I appreciate the bold design choice, and the skill it took to keep such terse descriptions useable for players and referees alike.

Book Design

Into the Odd is an A5 “digest” size book, weighing in at 146 pages. It’s a stitched binding hardback, so the book is durable. It’s also printed on flat paper and includes a book ribbon. All told, Into the Odd is a well-designed product with a great look and feel.

Conclusion

Is Into the Odd still too rules-lite for me? Not at all. The more I explore rules lite games the more I appreciate the concept. I’m bringing this game to a table as fast as I can because it’s dead simple and flavorful. If you want some old school danger with a fresh take on mechanics Into the Odd, Remastered is a great addition to your shelf!

Into the Odd Remastered can be purchased as a print book/PDF combination from Free League for $41.80 or as a PDF alone for $14.99 from DriveThru RPG. Check this one out.

1. In case you were wondering. 100 Pennies make a Shilling, 100 Shillings make Guilder. A Guilder is a lot of money. ↩

https://dmtales.com/2024/07/03/into-the-odd/

#dd #DMing #DnD #DungeonsDragons #dungeonsAndDragons #GMing #IndieRPGMonth #NSR #OSR #Review #RolePlayingGame #RPG #TTRPG

I ordered "The Game Masters Handbook of Proacive Roleplaying" by Jonah and Tristan Fishel. I am curious to see what I can learn from it.

Has anyone of you read it already?

#ttrpg #gm #gming #storytelling #ProactiveRoleplaying