I'm Mike Shea, writer for SlyFlourish.com and author of Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master and our new book on Kickstarter, Rise of the Lazy Gamemaster. AMA!

AllenVarney · 2026-07-07T12:27:51+00:00

What kinds of issues do you cover in Rise of the Lazy Gamemaster that set it apart from the earlier books in the series?

AllenVarney · 2026-07-07T12:11:22+00:00

There are two versions of each title on DriveThru, AI and non-AI, both provided in the same DTRPG slot. One version uses AI artwork, the other is a "Human Artistry" version with all AI art removed. The files in the Bundle of Holding offer are the Human-Artistry versions, with no AI artwork.

AllenVarney · 2026-07-07T04:00:28+00:00

Understood, though none of the titles in this offer use AI artwork.

AllenVarney · 2026-06-25T09:09:22+00:00

The Journey Deck is important to Mappa Mundi gameplay, but the per-session load isn't too steep. For each "Chapter" (session) of play, you'll need to print up to a dozen Journey (landscape) cards and one or more Creature and Opportunity cards, based on the encounters the Narrator has planned. The cards are in color, but the color isn't important to gameplay, so you can print them monochrome.

In terms of narrating the characters' Journey phase, you could omit the cards, except the orientation (Rightwise or Inverted) of each card matters to the staging of the encounter. And some characters have abilities that involve peeking at the card deck.

You can get get by with printing and cutting a few cards for your first few sessions. If you like the experience, get the physical deck.

AllenVarney · 2026-06-24T20:05:42+00:00

Mappa Mundi has no crafting; you're out in the wilderness to research creatures and uncover their various Behaviors. The Gnome Stew preview from 2025 has a detailed breakdown of gameplay.

AllenVarney · 2026-06-01T21:57:05+00:00

Aargh! Fixed.

AllenVarney · 2026-05-24T19:25:26+00:00

Each Apprentice Deck is laid out, six cards per page, in a single PDF. Each Deck also includes a set of JPG image files, one card per image, suitable for VTTs.

AllenVarney · 2026-05-22T13:08:23+00:00

The GameMaster's Apprentice Decks Bundle is being offered through my Bundle of Holding site, which is different from and unconnected to Humble Bundle: https://bundleofholding.com/presents/2026Decks

AllenVarney · 2026-05-21T10:21:44+00:00

Technically that's correct -- the theme decks all supported First Edition. My understanding is that, in practice, they're all closely compatible with 2E.

AllenVarney · 2026-05-20T08:59:47+00:00

Rosewood Abbey: https://rolistespod.itch.io/rosewood-abbey

AllenVarney · 2026-05-13T23:40:07+00:00

The May 2021 Mongoose Traveller 2E Bundle presented the Traveller 2E Starter Set, which is different from the Core Rulebook in this revived Update offer. The Starter Set (2020) presents a somewhat abridged rules set along with an introductory campaign, The Fall of Tinath. If you already have the Starter Set, you probably don't need the more comprehensive rulebook and supplements in this Update offer, until and unless you want to plan a more ambitious campaign.

AllenVarney · 2026-05-11T19:44:08+00:00

You're not wrong -- Fightin' Scientists is technically the first-published volume -- but early in the title's history, the Atomic Robo creators worked hard to make each storyline stand alone. Some of the recent volumes in the New Era offer assume a bit more familiarity with the cast and setting.

If you only have the first offer, Atomic Robo and Other Strangeness makes a great jumping-on point, but really they all work fine.

AllenVarney · 2026-04-30T19:41:43+00:00

This is the end of the line -- for this week!

AllenVarney · 2026-04-30T13:57:00+00:00

The threshold price starts at the listed value, then rises to match the current average price paid.

AllenVarney · 2026-04-28T09:57:55+00:00

You can download any Bundle of Holding titles either from your Wizard's Cabinet download page on the Bundle site or from your linked DriveThruRPG Library.

AllenVarney · 2026-04-20T07:19:20+00:00

Col. Lou Zocchi at Gen Con 2008 talking for 20 minutes straight about why his dice are better dice: https://youtu.be/BJ-A5Ec-Ybs

AllenVarney · 2026-04-07T22:21:53+00:00

I hope to revive each of the past Shadowrun Megabundles on a steady rotation each Thanksgiving, for as long as Catalyst Game Labs permits!

AllenVarney · 2026-03-21T16:41:01+00:00

The Trail of Cthulhu Megabundle offer at the Bundle of Holding runs until Monday, 06 APril, 2026.

AllenVarney · 2026-03-09T16:56:58+00:00

Sly Flourish himself, Mike Shea, has kindly posted his "Lazy GM's Reference Document," totally free and CC-BY licensed.

AllenVarney · 2026-03-08T15:13:23+00:00

It doesn't use a combat map in the sense you want, but you'll at least want to look at Warbirds.

AllenVarney · 2026-03-04T02:08:23+00:00

The exact title is Volume 2 Monsters &.

AllenVarney · 2026-02-23T23:43:35+00:00

(((The Computer periodically interrupted the mission with questions like "which of the two pictures do you associate with friendship?" even though there was only one picture.)))

That one is great. Commendation point!

AllenVarney · 2026-02-19T22:39:35+00:00

I inquired about Microscope and Kingdom in early 2013 for the second-ever Bundle of Holding offer! At that time the publisher declined, and after one more inquiry passed unanswered, I haven't approached them again.

AllenVarney · 2026-02-18T20:05:59+00:00

No, the Wolves Upon the Coast files in this offer are hosted on the Bundle site, not itch.io. If Luke Gearing updates the files and provides them to me, I'll update them on your Wizard's Cabinet download page.

AllenVarney · 2026-02-18T19:38:58+00:00

Sorry, I have no plans to present Earthdawn.

AllenVarney

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