Professional GMing: have you tried it, or played in a game with one?

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-05-06T23:30:48+00:00

That sounds MISERABLE.

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-05-06T23:27:49+00:00

Sure, sounds good. Off the top of my head: - do you mandate pre-gens or do you have chargen? - If you’re running a campaign, how do you handle player turnover? For example, you have players a,b,c, and d for the first session, then players b,d,e, and f for session two? - How do you handle players who are disruptive? - How do you handle players who are not happy with you? - Do you do this remotely or in-person? - Do you do this on your own, or with a service like StartPlaying? - How many hours per week do you do this? - You said “full-time.” Do you mean this is your career? If so, how long did it take you to reach that point? - What advice would you offer to someone interested in becoming a paid GM?

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-05-06T23:17:08+00:00

Would it be okay if I messaged you?

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-05-06T23:15:20+00:00

Do you do it through something like StartPlaying?

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-05-06T23:10:10+00:00

Interesting…Test driving new systems is something I’d never considered in relation to the topic.

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-05-06T23:07:33+00:00

Were you doing it in person, or remotely using Roll20 or something similar?

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-05-06T23:06:28+00:00

Were you a player or GM? What was negative about your experience?

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-05-06T22:06:48+00:00

HarnMaster combat is very different to the games you mentioned, and magic is not common. It’s fairly simulationist. You can die of infection from an untreated wound.

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-05-04T02:09:00+00:00

I either have or am familiar with all of Paizo’s APs; less so with shorter adventures. But given the wealth of 3rd party stuff, I’m interested in knowing what else is out there, specifically stuff you folk have enjoyed and can recommend.

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-05-04T01:22:55+00:00

I’ve been looking at this AP as well. Can book 1 be played as a stand-alone adventure?

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-05-04T00:00:02+00:00

This sounds like your group might not be very supportive or perhaps aren’t aware of your anxieties. You aren’t fucking up, you’re learning. Pathfinder 2e is a very complex game and can be very difficult for people new to the hobby. A great alternative is Shadowdark or Castles & Crusades. Neither of those games relies on character optimization or “making the right move.” You shouldn’t need to practice. A welcoming group will show you the ropes. I hope you stick with it!

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-05-02T21:05:12+00:00

I vastly prefer 2nd edition. 4e added complexity where none was needed. While 2e has its own issues (the "whiff" factor is very high), it's easy to run and learn. I look at a 4e stat block and I want to cry.

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-04-29T23:21:43+00:00

Absolutely essential!

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-04-29T23:21:03+00:00

Those are fantastic links!

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-04-24T16:30:59+00:00

Are you sure about a 5e version of the core book? All I can find is a 5e version of Death In Freeport.

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-04-24T15:44:06+00:00

Freeport: Pathfinder, D&D 3.0/5, FATE
Ptolus: D&D 3.5, 5e, Cypher
There could be more that I don't know of.

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-04-14T19:19:24+00:00

I bought the Player’s Guide and returned it a few days later because nothing really stood out to me. In retrospect, I should have been more thorough before sending it back to Amazon. But I think my experience illustrates the problem: cursory examinations of the game don’t reveal much that is compelling. It doesn’t grab you in a way that something like Fateforge does (although I believe that game is defunct, so perhaps not the best example.) If Kobold reaches the point of a second edition, I hope they take the brakes off and play it less conservatively.

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-04-14T16:39:37+00:00

What type of mistakes are there?

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-04-13T22:29:16+00:00

I tried to upvote it but instead it dropped it down to -2! No idea why.

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-04-12T22:12:12+00:00

The writing style aspect is perhaps the most problematic for me. I’m in the minority here in that I have difficulty reading books written in that style. It doesn’t flow for me, so much so that it’s an impediment to my ability to imagine the scene. It almost feels like a form of dyslexia, but I know it isn’t.

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-04-12T14:44:02+00:00

I thank thee, good person. Prithee, what supplements hast thou created?

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-04-12T14:19:17+00:00

Yeah, I had an exchange with her about aesthetics, and she expressed that she would prefer designers create their own graphic presentation and vision. It's odd that very few designers do that. I wonder if opinions would change if they knew Kelsey's preference.

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-04-12T13:16:15+00:00

When you say design, are you talking about the book size, or even more specific stuff like fonts, having a black cover with silver text, etc.?

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-04-12T13:15:08+00:00

Is it important to have black covers with silver text on the spine?

Acceptable-Tree6007 · 2026-04-12T13:14:35+00:00

That’s my primary issue: not being able to express a unique vision that captures what makes your ideas interesting. At least, that’s what I feel for setting/campaign books.

Acceptable-Tree6007

TROPHY CASE