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I had no plans to be a GM. I like to polish words until they’re exactly how I want them. Stories told through roleplaying don’t let me do that; instead they have these things called players. Not only do players have free will, but I … read more »
It’s been some time since I discussed mistakes common to roleplaying games, and designers have not been idle in my absence. Quite the opposite, they’ve been churning out enough mistakes to make a critic weep with joy.* These mistakes show up across multiple games and cause … read more »
By the Author of Lady Windermere’s Fan is a new story game being kickstarted by Ed Turner. There’s no GM and no dice, just a group of equals sitting down to create a story. The game is heavily inspired by the works of Oscar Wilde, … read more »
A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about why it’s vital for GMs to get the consent and collaboration of their players. By far the most controversial point in that post was the idea that character death shouldn’t be forced, either by GM fiat … read more »
Some settings work really well for roleplaying. Others have elements that make it difficult to run a campaign. That doesn’t mean you should never use them, but you need to be aware of the problems and plan ahead. Let’s look at six of the most common … read more »
Roleplaying games have their roots in wargaming, where each character was little more than a machine for killing goblins and gaining loot. It’s no surprise that many GMs still see their campaigns as a one-way street. The GM says how it’s gonna be, and the players … read more »
Every veteran gamemaster has their own process for planning sessions, but what about those just starting out? If you’ve never worked behind the screen, planning a session can seem daunting. Not only do you need to create fun content, but also you’ve got to contend … read more »
Running a game is hard. A GM has to not only manage the story but also the game’s participants. GMs are asked to guide everyone to a satisfactory ending while making it look like they are hands off. To keep everyone happy and on track, GMs need to … read more »
Blades in the Dark is a new roleplaying game, designed by John Harper and published by Evil Hat Productions. It is a game of desperate criminals in an industrial dystopia, taking heavy inspiration from TV shows like Peaky Blinders, video games like Dishonored, and novels … read more »
A few weeks ago I wrote about flawed mechanics that shouldn’t be in roleplaying games, and a day or so later, Jonny sent me this email: Dear Mythcreants, I loved Oren’s article “Five Roleplaying Mechanics That Must Go.” I couldn’t help but feel, however, that … read more »