Travis Miller's Blog About Sword & Sorcery Fiction and Classic Fantasy Adventure Gaming
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.
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 …
Continue reading What is the Essential Experience of Dungeons & Dragons?
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 …
Continue reading Five Lessons About the TTRPG Business From Mike Mearls
If you watch my Sandbox Campaign Creation Process videos, you will note that I make a lot of lists. Lists are one of my favorite game mastering tools for creating a campaign, preparing for an individual session, and running the game at the table. I use lists to help with sandbox campaign planning Planning is …
Continue reading Why Lists are My Favorite Sandbox Campaign Tool
A topic that emerges every so often in roleplaying game discussion is the question of what is appropriate to include in a game. What should be allowed?
"Brain rot" is the word of the year for 2024. 1974 offers some ideas for what we might do about it.
Most referees know the rules and how to make rulings for secret doors. Why, when, and where to use them in a dungeon might is also worth considering.
Grumpy Wizard 
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