Players & Characters Archives

How To GM Knowledge (Local)

Today we talk about playing at a different level than your players to make your adventures more challenging. We begin with RPT Platinum Patron Mark Aston asking a great question about players using a local knowledge type skill: Hi Johnn, I have never really got to grips with how to run the skill Knowledge (Local), […]

When Characters Overlap Too Much — Three Questions

I’ve got a character problem. Maybe you’ve experienced it too? The rogue in my Barbossa campaign is being subsumed by other PCs and the emerging campaign style: Monk and bard are also good at stealth. The rogue is a halfling. So is the bard. Last session there was no combat. So sneak attacks became null […]

Character Stories — How To Keep Players Highly Engaged

RPT GM Sebastian has seven players and asked me for tips on how to handle large groups. My article Handling Large Groups: Keeping Players Busy has good advice. But I have a different tip for you today. One not shared before. And this tip applies to every party size — especially large groups. We’ve covered […]

Roleplaying Tip: Distinguish Players From Characters

Roleplaying is tough. And sometimes players don’t separate themselves from their characters. This causes problems. RPT Patron Richard Grilley asks: Johnn, How do you help a game table to distinguish players from characters? It is great when the brawny footballer can do a high pitch voice with a twist of Scottish accent for his female […]

67 Questions To Make Your Players Roleplay More

Here’s a great technique to get your players roleplaying more. Have NPCs ask them questions. But not just any questions. Yes/No questions, for example, don’t get players talking or thinking much. Good NPC questions provide another boon: they give you ideas to steal for later use. While the players answer the NPC, you log their […]

Archive

How To GM Knowledge (Local)

When Characters Overlap Too Much — Three Questions

Character Stories — How To Keep Players Highly Engaged

Roleplaying Tip: Distinguish Players From Characters

67 Questions To Make Your Players Roleplay More

What If A PC Was A Living Spell?

When That Player Hogs The Game

How To Bring A Diverse Party Of PCs Together?

The Box You Put Them In Is A Trap

Player Challenge #07: RPG Bingo

Challenge High Level PCs With A Quick Reskin

Roleplaying Tip: Create Ties That Bind