Focus on the thing that players are likely to interact with and what they will care about, and the rest of your worldbuilding can be made up of bullet points, quick sketches and scribbles on index cards.
Category: game mastering advice
Player Character continuity is not a big deal.
Readers of my game reports may notice that characters come and go from session to session. Players in my group can't make every session. We play anyway. My general rule is that if two players can make it, we play. I have a set time every week that I run a game unless I am …
Continue reading Player Character continuity is not a big deal.
Monster Descriptions
The fewer number of visual aids you use for your game, the more important your monster descriptions become. Here is my process for creating impactful monster descriptions.
In Defense of the +1 Sword
There is a line of thought that referees should avoid the plain old +1 sword. The argument is that a+1 sword is not a very engaging treasure item. Some say that every magic weapon that appears in your campaign should have some characteristic that makes it more than a mere modifier to the to hit …
How Many Wizards?
When I'm creating a campaign for Swords & Wizardry one of the first steps in my process are to define the groups that exist in the setting. I start with very broad strokes and ideas. In the beginning...there is swirling Chaos that becomes more clear as I make progress. I start by thinking about the …
How Do Stories Emerge from Game Play?
When you play the game you get a story that is easier to create and probably better than the one you intended.
A Message to 5E DMs: You Only Have One Ass.
Are you going to ride the Story Horse or the Game Horse?
Grumpy Wizard 
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