Elmcat's map of the tabletop RPG blogosphere is an incredible contribution. I am reminded to engage more with other blogs.
Tag: dungeon mastering
Grumpy Wizard Site News October 2025
News about changes to the blog and my other activities on the internets.
Why and How I Connect Adventure Locations To Everything Else In a Sandbox Campaign
The freedom players have in a sandbox campaign creates some challenges for a game master. Players ignore adventure locations you’ve spent hours building. Players can make choices that you don’t expect and don’t have anything prepared to handle. Players who aren't used to sandbox play can be passive. I learned that one way to address …
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Origins 2025 Convention Report
I went to Origins 2025 and had a great time.
Why is Game Mastering Easier Than Storytelling?
Some of the most common, well meaning, and simply wrong advice given to game masters in the last 30 years is "tell a story." Storytelling is hard to do well. Game mastering less difficult and often produces better results if you just let the game do the work.
What is the Essential Experience of Dungeons & Dragons?
I use the word "experience" a lot in my writing. It's one of those words I find useful but troublesome. Like the word "fun", it is vague and full of underlying assumptions. One dictionary definition of experience is "an event or occurrence that leaves an impression on someone." An experience isn't merely an event or …
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Five Lessons About the TTRPG Business From Mike Mearls
Mike Mearls, the chief architect of the Fifth Edition of Dungeons & Dragons, has recently spoken to some podcasters and YouTubers about the current state of 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons and the tabletop role-playing game business. This conversation with Ben of Questing Beast was very revealing. In it, Mike talks about how 5E came …
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