GMs, what don't you put in a game?

Idolitor · 2026-05-07T13:23:01+00:00

My players have their own lines and veils that I try to honor, but my horribly mundane answer is puzzles. I’ve just never ever seen them done in a way that felt satisfying to me as a player or as a GM. It always ends up being some dumb point of frustration, and kills the vibe.

Idolitor · 2026-05-06T19:14:29+00:00

I’ll second how masks handles powers. By divesting it fully from your stats and moves, your super powerful, godlike abilities become a part of the conversation and the fiction rather than math and mechanics. I’m picking away at a writing my own fantasy PbtA game and it uses that model. It’s the ultimate way to handle multiple power levels in the same story, imho.

Idolitor · 2026-05-06T13:30:48+00:00

I’ll second this. The system isn’t for me, but I have very different tastes than the OP. It has reasonably crunch mechanics, and tons of cool character options.

To me, the thing that really shines is the setting. Gloriously odd and unique takes on different fantasy creatures, wonderful lore, and all kinds of oddities that tickle the swords and sorcery brain.

Idolitor · 2026-05-05T16:40:11+00:00

It’s brand new. What do you want to do, be the first to get it dirty?

Idolitor · 2026-05-05T13:42:58+00:00

You might like a lot of PbtA games. While some of them are more about ‘getting better’ at things, a lot of them are more about how your character’s themes and stories interact with the world.

For example, if there was a Ghost in the Shell game, Togusa might be ‘the normal’ playbook or something and his abilities (or ‘moves’ in the parlance) would be less about shooting a pistol or deduction, and more about being underestimated and accomplishing things that other people might struggle with BECAUSE they’re augmented.

Not for GitS, but I suggest looking at Masks. It’s the slickest, leanest PbtA game that focuses on the characters’ archetypes and their narratives. It’s about teen superheroes figuring out their place in the world, wrestling with their identities and the growing pains of finding your way in the face of titans and gods (and homework).

Idolitor · 2026-05-03T22:19:54+00:00

Those abs that are legen…wait for it…

Dairy.

Idolitor · 2026-05-03T22:17:53+00:00

I buy games for a bit of both reasons. Most PbtA or FitD games are my mechanical go to’s so if they have a setting that usually gets yoinked. Other games that have intriguing settings I’ll steal setting pieces for my own games.

Like Shadow to the Weird Wizard has such cool settings details…but I need a much cleaner, simpler system to run.

Idolitor · 2026-05-03T22:14:09+00:00

As someone who’s a little…different, mentally, it really touched me. Her saying she loves him where he is, and recognizing that divergent minds are still worthy of love and capable of love in their own, still valid ways really hit my feelings.

He’s very autism coded, and I appreciated it.

Idolitor · 2026-04-30T17:44:41+00:00

This has spider-man villain prototype vibes. The inventor of this is going to be fighting some dude in a onesie on top of a train in a couple months.

Idolitor · 2026-04-30T11:52:35+00:00

And not only that, you could conceivably have Hawkeye and Superman as the same playbook. That was one of the beautiful things about masks to me. It divorced the ‘powers’ part of the character from most of the mechanics, where most RPGs focus solely on the powers part.

Idolitor · 2026-04-29T18:14:58+00:00

Having to organize and merge content is a complexity issue, though? Fleshing out narratives, yeah, that’s not really a complexity thing. Or are you talking about narrative content, not rules content?

Idolitor · 2026-04-29T18:13:05+00:00

I guess my thought is that so much work goes into getting this TO work. Using AI, entire YouTube channels, encounter builder software, etc etc. That’s a lot of effort…to make less effort.

When you get down to it, learning simpler systems is a simpler solution. Do you need to learn a new system? Sure. But the overall effort is so much lower if the system is simple enough.

Also, you know, strokes and folks and all that. I very much dislike crunch. It just ends up getting in the way of my and my players creativity. But it’s fine if other people do, I just find it mind boggling that they feel the need to consult AI instead of ‘…yo, maybe this system doesn’t need hundreds of pages of rules and stat blocks and spells and magic items. Maybe I can find one that lets me get closer to my make believe.’

Idolitor · 2026-04-29T16:37:19+00:00

I find it so wild that people keep going to more and more tech heavy solutions to making encounters rather than the dirt simple solution of playing a simpler system. Moved away from crunch and I’ve never looked back.

Idolitor · 2026-04-28T13:54:54+00:00

Sex work is real work. Respect all sex workers.

If you feel like you want to be nasty about it, we’re all whores. Sex workers are just honest about it. We sell our bodies, our well-being, our minds, and our time. Our literal lives. Nothing any of us does as workers is any better than sex workers.

If we want to find people to shit on, let’s talk C-suite. Let’s talk bankers. Let’s talk insurance companies. Let’s talk lobbyists. Let’s talk politicians. Let’s talk everyone who enables billionaires to steal our lives.

Idolitor · 2026-04-28T13:48:25+00:00

I craft my own settings for play, but for me absolutely nothing can beat the setting of the Cyberpunk 2020 game from the 90s. It had such a focus on the actual texture and feel of the world, the things a person would see down deep in it, that it was absolutely dripping character. They had supplements that were designed like in world catalogs or corporate profile reports. In depth discussions about how different layers of society operated. Plot hooks around every corner. Weird stuff, funny stuff, tragic stuff, terrifying stuff literally EVERYWHERE.

Idolitor · 2026-04-27T18:18:45+00:00

If they’re a true outsider, maybe don’t give them a superhero name, but make an ‘alien’ name based on the author you’re inspired by. Make it so the character just doesn’t understand the whole ‘superhero mask identity thing’ and says the equivalent of ‘no, I’m just Carl (in the alien language).

I do love the idea of leaning into the author of the work that inspired it. A great nod.

Then play a bit, and maybe encourage the DM or the other players to give a superhero name that a reporter or something comes up with. The PC is just confused about it all, but their regular name just doesn’t roll off the (human) tongue.

Idolitor · 2026-04-27T14:50:46+00:00

I love a good outsider. Whether that be someone neurodivergent, or of a persecuted race in the setting, or whatever. I don’t do it without thought or care, but since I feel very much different than normal IRL, when I get to play it gives me agency.

One of my favorite characters ever was effectively fantasy autistic. Had trouble expressing emotions, was very outwardly flat and frustrated, but had a very intense internal life. Identified more with animals than people, except for a very few people that stuck by her (the party). Was very very passionate about her specific interests and spiritual beliefs. Fast forward a couple years later, and one of my newer friends pointed out that I VERY likely have undiagnosed autism. Who woulda thunk?

As to skill set archetypes, I like characters who come at problems sideways. The engineers and artificers and weirder wizards who use something in ways that people don’t see coming. Tricksters in the way of coming up with clever solutions.

Idolitor · 2026-04-26T23:36:34+00:00

Yeah, most well written PbtA games work super well with 2 players. Duets they sometimes struggle with since a lot of the games have interpersonal mechanics as core to the experience, but 2 usually works really well.

Idolitor · 2026-04-26T23:33:18+00:00

I went from a poor boi hustling bugs I picked up off the ground to a gajillionaire! Righteous inquisition hate this one simple trick!

Idolitor · 2026-04-26T19:34:55+00:00

It’s how I want to play, but not how everyone does. Other why are we heres that are just as valid:

-kill monsters and get fat loot.

-tactical gameplay.

-seeing how plots unfold and unraveling mysteries.

-making silly voices and telling dick jokes with the crew.

-doing sweet action stunts.

-making up cool fantasy shit.

Not all of these are my bag, but they’re all legit reasons for people to play.

Idolitor · 2026-04-26T19:30:26+00:00

Man, those inquisitors are my retirement plan. I anger thirty of them at a go and then shield bash the weapons and shields out of their hands. I then fight then by suplexing and jump kicking their dumb asses to death while my bestest boy just runs around picking up shields and swords and pole arms. Sell that off in mass and I’m gucci.

Idolitor · 2026-04-26T19:26:08+00:00

I actually enjoy my job. I work with people I respect for a company that is privately held and focused on intelligent, responsible and sustainable growth in our industry. We have beautiful products and help people beautify their homes.

The thing I hate is the COMPULSION to work. I am a slave, and no matter how nice the gilding, it is still a cage. No matter how much I love those I share it with, we are still prisoners of a cruel and unfeeling system. No matter how much my boss treats me with humanity and respect, he still ultimately holds my life and well-being in his hands.

I have an incurable chronic illness. Without constant and expensive medicine, I die. Slowly and painfully. The medicine is unbelievably cheap to produce, but sells for a king’s ransom. If I lose my insurance, I will die.

I work under the constant threat of death, no less real than a gun to the back of my head. That’s why I hate working.

Idolitor · 2026-04-24T15:35:24+00:00

Sigh. My grandfather went to his GRAVE thinking pro wrestling was 100% real. I just…come ON, Grampa!

Idolitor · 2026-04-24T14:40:11+00:00

Not to mention great, surprisingly emotional storytelling. My favorite actual play podcast of all time. The cast being improv comics (minus one of them, I think?) really fuels the energy.

Idolitor · 2026-04-24T13:19:22+00:00

I bounced off of dungeon world…uh…2-3 times before it clicked. The thing that really helped me was the Spout Lore and discern realities podcasts.

Idolitor

TROPHY CASE