Roleplaying
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 »
Roleplaying design isn’t easy, as we can see from all the bad mechanics that make their way into our favorite games. Some mechanics aren’t inherently flawed but are merely implemented poorly. Other mechanics have no redeeming qualities and should be dropped completely. It’s that second category we’re talking about today. Designers use … read more »
A lot of GMing advice is applicable across all experience levels. It’s always a good idea to know the rules and eat a meal before you run a game. But some techniques are not meant for beginners because they can ruin your game if handled … read more »
Most GMs understand their responsibility to facilitate a fun story for their players, but there’s another side of the job that isn’t so obvious. In addition to planning a great speech for the main villain, the GM must ensure that their players do not abuse … read more »
What’s “stand and deliver”? I’m glad you asked. Stand-and-deliver combat is the style of combat still used by most RPGs, D&D being the most well known. PCs roll initiative, take an action on their turn,* then repeat. Most of the time, that action will be … read more »
Making your own setting for a campaign is great fun, but sometimes you want to use one that already exists. Perhaps you’re short on worldbuilding time, or there’s one setting you’ve always wanted to run a game in, or the game you have planned is … read more »
Blue Rose is a roleplaying game in the romantic-fantasy genre. What is romantic fantasy you ask? Blue Rose describes it as fantasy with a more optimistic and open-minded outlook than traditional high fantasy or sword and sorcery.* Relationships are very important in this subgenre, though … read more »
Contrary to what you might expect from the title, Dogs in the Vineyard (DitV) is not about playing the puppies of a wine merchant. Instead, it’s a game set in a fantasy version of the Wild West but based off of early Mormon settlements* instead … read more »
Have you ever considered running your campaign upon the deck of a ship, with the players taking on the roles of officers most noble? If so, you’ve probably realized that running a game set on a ship presents both unique opportunities and unique challenges. Read more »
When designing a roleplaying game, many elements are neither wholly good nor wholly bad. Instead, they exist on a long scale, or continuum. Going towards one end or another of that continuum has both advantages and disadvantages. Read more »
