How to Create Situations With 5 Room Dungeons
Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #1153 We want to cue up situations, not outcomes. By that, I mean we don’t dictate the actions of the characters. That’s the players’ job. But as storytellers, we have a job to do too. We need to weave good tales from our setting, adventure plans, and gameplay as it happens. How […]
Continue readingThe Organized Game Room
From Jeffrey G. Table & Shelf This is a picture from the entrance to the gaming room. I use two 2′ 6″ x 6′ tables, and then put a 3′ x 4′ map table 12″ above the tables itself. There is a light underneath the top table along with a circuit breaker for anyone that […]
Continue readingHow To Keep Your Adventure Going At A Breakneck Pace
Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #703 I’m building an adventure series with James Introcaso called The Demonplague Dungeon. It’s going to be four parts long and will take PCs from first level to 20th. There are dozens of sites, ruins, and dungeons filled with factions, secrets, and treasures. There’s a village called Tomar’s Crossing that’s the last […]
Continue readingVillain Secrets And Weaknesses
From Aesma Daeva Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #704 I was recently reading some of Johnn’s articles and other sources about creating villains and realized that, in many gaming tables, little focus is placed on the villain’s secrets, flaws, and weaknesses. Maybe that’s because when we think of villains, the first thing that comes to mind is […]
Continue readingHow To Spend Even Less Time Prepping Dynamic Campaigns
Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0702 A Brief Word From Johnn Paging John Holst John Holst, you purchased Campaign Logger August 8 but your email address seems to be incorrect. Please email me so I can send you your license details. It’s Been A Crazy Summer I can’t believe how fast time went this summer. It’s late […]
Continue readingUtmost Evil: How To Make Strategic Use Of Villain Scenes
From Phil Nicholls Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #701 A Brief Word From Johnn Roleplaying Tips Goes Monthly For Awhile RPT#700 was a huge milestone. 16 years and 3 million words of almost-weekly newsletters. Whew. I decided to pause after that issue, take a step back and relax a bit, and assess things. Because I was getting […]
Continue readingSolve Scheduling Nightmares With The Schrödinger’s Characters Method
Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0698 A Brief Word From Johnn Roleplaying Tips Podcast #2 On-Air Listen to more rambling about adventure design with returning guest James Introcaso. We reveal the official name of the adventure we’re building. And we talk a lot about plots and NPCs and Tomar’s Crossing intrigue. Catch the Roleplaying Tips Podcast #2 […]
Continue readingCrossing Swords With Factions – How To Build Quick Guilds For Your Kingdom
From John Large Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0695 A Brief Word From Johnn If you were a D&D module, which module would you be? Phil Anderson asked this question on G+ and I thought it was a fun one to ponder. I would be Greyhawk Ruins. There’s a scene in there where a chariot run amuck […]
Continue readingTriage 101: Five Ways To Get Players Unstuck
From Anson Brehmer Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0692 A Brief Word From Johnn What’s My Favourite Mega-Dungeon? I love and hate mega-dungeons. I love the idea of them and have bought many over the years. There’s an entire shelf in my bookcase beside me right now dedicated just to my precious mega-dungeons. My pretties. Early in […]
Continue readingThe Card Grid – The Fastest Way To Map Your Kingdom With Adventure Sites
Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0688 A Brief Word From Johnn The Missing RPT#599 Now Available Last issue about creating legends for your games referenced an old edition of the newsletter not available online. That problem has now been fixed! You can read RPT#599 about 3 Line Cultures here. I’m sorry if this caused you some frustration. […]
Continue readingCountdown to the Apocalypse: Six Ways to Raise the Stakes
From Phil Nicholls Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0683 A Brief Word From Johnn Happy New Year! I can’t believe it’s already 2016. Just last year it seemed like it was 2015. How would you rate your gaming in 2015? On a score of 1-10. For me, I’d give it a 7. I should have GM’d more […]
Continue readingCombat Missions for War + Animated Objects + One Unique Thing for NPCs
Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0648 Combat Missions for War + Animated Objects + One Unique Thing for NPCs How to Send the Party on Decisive Missions that Turn the Tide of War From Tony Medeiros Ever struggle with how your PCs can make a difference in war campaigns while the battle rages on all around them? […]
Continue readingCustomizing Common Races – Part 2
From Mike Bourke Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0291 A Brief Word From Johnn Editor Wanted The current awesome e-zine editor, Scot Newbury, is moving onwards and upwards in his career and is unable to edit the e-zine any longer, though he’s letting me continue to ping him for advice and opinions. Congrats, Scot! So, I’m on […]
Continue reading6 More Monstrous Tips
Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0292 A Brief Word From Johnn Roleplaying Tips 6th Anniversary The end of November saw this e-zine enter into its 7th year of assaulting Inboxes around the world. Thanks to everyone for your ongoing support, tips, feedback, and reading! Thanks to my volunteers who keep things going. And thanks to my wife […]
Continue readingTips for Setting Up Pbems & Pbps
From Leslie Holm Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0293 A Brief Word From Johnn Back Issues Available For Download Issues #1-#292 are now available for free download! These are all in original, plain text format. If you’re missing an issue or two, now’s your chance to catch-up and fill the gaps. Merry Christmas! Subscription E-Mail Updater Now […]
Continue readingCustomizing Common Races – Part 3: Tooth & Dagger Rationalizing Orcs
From Mike Bourke Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0294 A Brief Word From Johnn Happy New Year! As reported in this e-zine in previous years, I’m a goal setter and like to theme each calendar year for my GMing. A theme lets me focus on improving one particular aspect of gameplay, and while I don’t neglect other […]
Continue readingFive Tips for Crafting Party Names
From Johnn Four Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0295 A Brief Word From Johnn RPG Advocacy Document Coming Along In late 2005, I requested links and tips for helping parents decide whether RPGs are ok for their children to play. Many of you sent in your tips and links–thank you! Leslie Holm has pieced together all the […]
Continue reading31 Questions to Define a Culture
From Mike Bourke Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0296 A Brief Word From Leslie Going to a GenCon or Origins has long been an unreachable dream for many gamers, but it isn’t necessary to save up and wait any longer – chances are there is a gaming convention in a city near you. These smaller conventions can […]
Continue readingTactical Tips For Over-Resting PCs
Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0297 A Brief Word From Leslie RPGHost Networks has set up some freelancer resource sites for you to use, free of charge. Now you can post classifieds, search for industry jobs, upload your image gallery, and all sorts of stuff. http://www.RPGWriter.comhttp://www.RPGArtist.com Best,Leslie Holm Tactical Tips For Over-Resting PCs These tips hail from […]
Continue readingQ&A With Johnn Four
Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0300 A Brief Word From Johnn A Great TiddlyWiki Campaign Example Here’s the campaign site that first got me interested in TiddlyWikis. With Bruce’s permission, here’s the link: http://www.mythosa.net/CampaignLog.html #300! The introduction in this week’s article covers what I’d say here about this milestone. Hopefully you find the Q&A interesting. Cheers, Johnn […]
Continue reading120 Benign Wilderness Encounters
From Chris Buono Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0301 120 Benign Wilderness Encounters Chris polled members of the GMMastery Yahoo group for benign wilderness encounter ideas and then added a few of his own to come up with this awesome list you might find useful for your own campaigns. Editor Isaac added a few more as well. […]
Continue readingWhy Go Diceless?
Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0302 A Brief Word From Johnn Single Player Campaigns I’m a big fan of single player campaigns. They’re so versatile. With only two people involved, they offer easy scheduling, opportunities for impromptu games, an opportunity to practice and hone GMing and playing skills for larger groups, and short game sessions. You can […]
Continue readingRunning Faster Combats
From Kurt “Telas” Schneider Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0303 A Brief Word From Johnn Speeding Up Combat Some of the tips in this week’s issue appeared in shorter form in #300. http://www.roleplayingtips.com/readissue.php?number=300#R7 Telas had a few more great tips and ideas to add, and since the topic is important, I’m pleased to present this week’s guest […]
Continue readingTake Ten: Balance
From David Newland Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0304 A Brief Word From Johnn Take Ten: Balance Another mid-week issue due to a minor wrench I threw in. Though this article focuses on a D&D skill, I think there should be some value for GMs of other systems as well. David gives us some interesting things to […]
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