Take 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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From Mike Bourke, Sydney, Australia Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0305 A Brief Word From Leslie Basilicus: Free Fiction, World Building, and Games Basilicus is a massive one-stop resource for all your fiction needs. If you read, write, create, world-build, develop games, play games, role play, or create fiction- based artwork or comics, check this site out. […]
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From Dave McKay, Calgary, AB Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0306 A Brief Word From Isaac Rant On Railroading First, thank you all for reading and for contributing to the ‘zine. I’d like to comment on an issue that crops up regularly in our features and tips. Railroading. At its best, forcing players down your rails is […]
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Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0307 A Brief Word From Johnn Website & E-Mail Sketchy This Week I’m in the process of changing web hosts, so the website and my e-mail might be down over the next few days. Then again, it might not. If you do experience e-mail issues, feel free to reach me at: johnnfour […]
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From Mike Bourke, Sydney, Australia Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0308 A Brief Word From Johnn GMail Forwarding An Option Thanks to Gregg for a tip about GMail. For whatever reason, Yahoo continues to filter and block e-zine issues. Gmail seems to be receiving them just fine, and according to Gregg, you can use a GMail account […]
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Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0310 A Brief Word From Johnn Most Important Session? In an RPG blog entry about the Burning Wheel RPG, I read this: The most important session of your game is the character burning session. The players (GM included in that) have to — have to — create their characters together as a […]
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Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0311 A Brief Word From Johnn Eberron Campaign Ends I recently ended my young Eberron campaign due to lack oftime. Roleplaying Tips Weekly, writing on GM Mastery: Holiday Essentials, and a Temple of Elemental Evil campaign squeezed out the bi-weekly campaign, unfortunately. Now folks I game with have started using the “Johnn” […]
Continue readingTake Ten: Bluff
From David Newland Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0312 A Brief Word From Johnn Correction: Chat with Johnn – June 16 Last week I posted the wrong date for my upcoming online chat. D’oh! It will be June 16, Friday evening. Any and all are welcome to swing by to say hi or ask questions. Exact time […]
Continue readingPutting The Gods Back In Their Place
From Tim van der Hout Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0313 A Brief Word From Johnn Salad Anyone? Ike, a friend and co-editor of this e-zine, uses an old, wooden salad bowl for rolling dice in. What a great idea! It makes a cheap dice corral, keeps those pesky dice from rolling off the table, and minimizes […]
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From Garry Stahl Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0314 A Brief Word From Johnn War Tips Request I’ve received a couple of war-themed requests that you might have some tips or ideas about: Have you ever done an issue on military orders? (Requirements, rituals, ranks, organization, hierarchy, etc.?) I’m running a campaign in David Weber’s Oath of […]
Continue readingTired Tavern: 25 Alternatives To Taking The Table In The Corner
From David Rowe Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0315 A Brief Word From Isaac I run a campaign and play in one more, and I can still barely manage to game once a month. The reason? Real life. People have interests and responsibilities that don’t start and stop at the behest of world breaking monsters or random […]
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From Amy Driscoll Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0316 A Brief Word From Johnn Cool Book Generator From Bill Parrott After reading your “Generating Books” issue, I was inspired to make the process a little easier. I created an Excel sheet that uses the tables from the article. I also found online a full list of the […]
Continue readingLessons from the LARP – A Tabletop GM at Intercon F
From Dr.Nik Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0317 A Brief Word From Johnn Newsletter Poll – Plain Text or HTML? I plan on making changes to the e-zine and web site. If my current schedule is an indicator, these changes will take place in the year 2050. But, they will eventually happen. I’d like to streamline some […]
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Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0318 A Brief Word From Isaac A while back we asked you about a couple of items, and the response was impressive. Even with a readership of 13,000 and more, I’m always surprised to see how many of you take the initiative to write in to us. Your efforts are always appreciated, […]
Continue readingHow To Build A Large Character Gallery
From James Patrick Patterson Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0319 A Brief Word From Johnn Plain Text or HTML? Thanks for all the e-mails answering my poll about whether you’d like this e-zine to switch to HTML format! You answered: Keep it Plain Text: 74%Make it HTML: 15%Either is ok: 11% And some of your comments were: […]
Continue readingMaking Magic Items Interesting – Part 1
From Matt Craft Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0320 A Brief Word From Johnn Magic Items Series Begins This issue begins a three part series about making magic items interesting. Way back in 2004 I had requested articles on this topic. Right around then I changed jobs and moved to a new city. As requested, several folks […]
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Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0321 A Brief Word From Johnn Monster Manual IV Controversy Monster Manual IV was recently unleashed on gamers (see the ad I’ve placed for it below). It has stirred up a bit of controversy. For many dungeon masters, it’s a love-it or hate-it product. On the one hand, it’s a different kind […]
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Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0322 A Brief Word From Johnn Next Issue Will Be Mid-August This will be the last issue for a little while. Next issue will hit your Inbox mid-August. Eve Online MMO Is Fun I spent two weeks playing EVE Online, and it’s an amazing, awesome, sci-fi online game. You start by crafting […]
Continue readingHow To Get More From Your Monsters – Part 1
From Andrew H. Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0323 A Brief Word From Johnn Back from Holidays Camping in British Columbia was great, though the weather didn’t always cooperate. Thanks for your patience in waiting for this issue. Hopefully, you’ll find Andrew’s monster tips interesting and useful. Standing Orders – see Issue #316. Got any more ideas? […]
Continue readingHow To Get More From Your Monsters – Part 2
From Andrew H. Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0324 A Brief Word From Johnn The Darkness That Comes Before I read this book, by fellow Canadian Scott Bakker, while on holidays. It’s an excellent read. It doesn’t follow your standard fantasy clichés, but goes in its own direction. There are a few characters you follow through the […]
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From James Patrick Patterson Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0325 A Brief Word From Johnn On With The Tips I _just_ got back from camping and am rushing to get tonight’s issue out to you. So, move along now – nothing to see here. Cheers, Johnn [email protected] Unusual Customs and Festivals In England there are quite a […]
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Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0326 A Brief Word From Johnn Reader Poll: Links or Inline Content? Recently I polled you on your preference of HTML and plain text for e-zine format. Based on your responses, I’ll be sticking with plain text (and still posting an HTML version at the web site). Thanks for the votes and […]
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From Jake Robins Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0327 A Brief Word From Leslie As a GM and a player, I’m always looking at random generators, for names, towns, treasure, or anything else my overworked brain can’t create. Recently, I came across a totally new kind of generator – the wiki generator. The title says: “Abulafia is […]
Continue readingThe NPC Factor – Part 1
From Mike Bourke Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0328 A Brief Word From Johnn You Have Spoken Thanks to everyone who voted and provided feedback in the inline vs. linking reader survey. The results were overwhelmingly in favour of keeping the content of articles and tips in each issue rather than posting them to the website and […]
Continue readingThe NPC Factor – Part 2
From Mike Bourke Roleplaying Tips Newsletter #0329 A Brief Word From Johnn Marathon Session Huge Fun After a week of long hours at work helping to build a new website for my employer’s upcoming sci-fi RPG for the Xbox 360 [ http://masseffect.bioware.com ] I celebrated with a marathon D&D session last night. I’m GMing the […]
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