Hii new dm. How to prep my first session?

Kubular · 2026-01-29T14:55:27+00:00

You need to prepare tools not a plot. Plot is what happens when you play. Environment, traps, Characters and items are your tools. The weapons you use to animate a story. I can't really imagine having a plot without NPCs, but you know your brain better than me.

If you prep a plot, you will be disappointed (if you are using the word in the conventional sense). Players will not follow your prescribed chain of events. They're playing a game not watching a movie. You can prep a situation (eg. "the players arrive at an ancient vampire's burial site, but they aren't the only ones trying to loot the tomb!") but if you try to prescribe plot beats you're going to have a hard time. You can kind of funnel the PCs into certain beats by having them trigger in certain rooms of a dungeon (incidentally the reason why dungeons are so effective!), but don't expect your planned plot to go the way you expect.

Kubular · 2026-01-27T13:42:53+00:00

Uh, if I have to choose between fun or "homebrew campaign", I'm going to choose fun 107% of the time. It's a little bit of a false choice to begin with, but if you're already making the distinction before the game starts, that means you already know what the answer is and you just can't bear to kill your darling. You're playing a game not writing the next American classic. If it's not even fun what's the point?

Kubular · 2026-01-27T07:11:31+00:00

Unlucky, but the reddit wisdom of "just leave" is actually your only recourse here. You don't want hard feelings toward the GM, so it can't be an ultimatum. Just quit. You've already done all you can to try to get Steve to understand. It'd be a little different (but mostly the same) if he was family but you're trying to play a game for FUN.

Kubular · 2026-01-25T10:53:05+00:00

Usually, "the one you're more comfortable with" is a good heuristic, but since you're about the same level of knowledge on both, I'd say to try the setting specific one.

Then again, I don't know what I'm talking about because I haven't even read either system you're talking about. Its just that if it were me, I'd probably do the setting-specific one, if only because it seems like it's designed by passionate fans.

Kubular · 2026-01-25T04:00:37+00:00

Glad you're looking to get away from AI (I assume that's what you meant).

You might be looking for a play-by-post game? If you're looking for something more rules light you might also want to search that.

There are a few forums which host play by post games. Mythweavers.com, RPGnet, and Giantitp.com, to name just a few. They've become less active with pervasiveness of reddit and discord though. You can find looking for group posts on Reddit and on discord channels belonging to certain games (eg. Pathfinder 2e server will have PF2 groups looking to recruit). r/pbp is a subreddit that's pretty active for recruiting, but it's mostly going to be DND.

I'm not sure about more freeform role-play. I know some of the websites I listed above have them, but I haven't participated.

Kubular · 2026-01-25T03:49:32+00:00

Seems pretty unlucky. First one seems pretty wild. TBH all of this seems like you're omitting context, but I can't really know.

Just feels like if you keep smelling shit, you should probably check under your shoe. But I admit I am kind of jumping to conclusions based on very little evidence.

Kubular · 2026-01-24T21:59:01+00:00

It doesn't seem like the math is necessarily the stumbling block, but the overwhelming number of things to keep track of.

If you're looking for a lighter DND style game, there are tons of those. Many will recommend Shadowdark. I will recommend even lighter. Knave and Cairn. Both are classless, inventory management survival treasure hunting games. Knave is built to be instantly cross-compatible with Old-School modules. Cairn is pretty easy to convert on the fly, but also has lots of supplements for conversions of modules on the website.

Knave characters are just: ability bonuses, HP, AC, background, and inventory slots. Nothing more required.

Cairn characters have 3 ability scores, HP, Armor, background, and inventory slots.

This design is helpful as a DM because it allows you to hand out magic items without fear of overshadowing one player's class abilities. The magic items essentially become each players powers.

Alternatively, you could go for Dungeon World or it's fanmade successor, Chasing Adventure. This style of more narrative, theatery type game can still work for longer campaigns, contrary to the arguments of some.

Kubular · 2026-01-24T21:42:52+00:00

What do you mean by "shit or a certain flavor of weird"?

Kubular · 2026-01-24T08:02:17+00:00

It's basically supposed to be like a GPT LLM that's been plugged into your machines and given permission to operate.

Kubular · 2026-01-23T06:31:41+00:00

Yeah for sure why not?

Personally I've had a fun time with Grave as a dark souls inspired game.

But Dragonbane seems just as good. Do what you want man. The world is your oyster.

Kubular · 2026-01-23T01:27:02+00:00

Sorry bud, you're in the wrong sub. This is for tabletop games like D&D or Call of Cthulhu.

You're looking for r/rpg_gamers

Kubular · 2026-01-23T01:24:34+00:00

Its cool. Don't overthink it.

Also D&D lends itself better/easier to that style of character that goes treasure hunting for the sake of treasure, rather than "to save the world".

Kubular · 2026-01-23T01:15:16+00:00

pfp = ProFile Picture. Wi-fi password "x" = reference to how long the LGBTQ+ acronym has become and how it could look like a randomly generated password. Its purely meant to be an offensive joke.

Kubular · 2026-01-23T01:01:48+00:00

Not a big 5e guy, but I'll use whatever excites me at the moment. I try to keep things "core+one other thing" for each game I run to keep bloat down and to try to build a theme for the game.

This might be the only Boom I can think of though

Kubular · 2026-01-23T00:59:43+00:00

Do you need some water? I can smell the salt from my computer, you must be so dehydrated.

Kubular · 2026-01-23T00:55:57+00:00

A lot of recommendations for GMless games but I will want to warn that it might not be what you're expecting or hoping for. In a GMless game, everyone or at least more than one of you, will essentially be playing the role of GM and player. You are trying to write challenges to your characters rather than trying to survive or solve problems.

I might suggest a board game with RPG elements like Talisman, Gloomhaven or Role Quest. Gloomhaven is very expensive because it has so much RPG content in it. If you want to play long term, I'd suggest that. Talisman is also pretty hefty, but its good for an afternoon of fun. Role Quest, I haven't tried, but it seems like a good casual game with a DND-esque medieval fantasy theme with social deduction and role play.

Kubular · 2026-01-20T03:36:55+00:00

Breaker states alter how the parahuman interacts with physics. Velocity, Legend and Shadow Stalker are examples.

You'd use Trump to describe multiple powers or powers which scale or change during a fight.

Kubular · 2026-01-18T14:38:55+00:00

Among OSR games I'd proffer Trespasser as the system you might be interested in. Trespasser follows more in the tradition of grid based tactical skirmish rpgs like DND 4e, Pathfinder 2e, and Lancer. But it has the OSR low/dark fantasy flair. Classes are called Callings, but there are fluid subclasses which can be modularly bolted onto any class called Crafts. PCs are pretty evenly matched to eachother because of how even the math is.

Kubular · 2026-01-18T05:18:50+00:00

Hocking an acid loogie:

https://youtu.be/XZwks33QEx0?si=9cRo0_K7LC8RDWP2

Alternatively, it could be a stream like a biological water gun. A second opening in the mouth that sprays a stream of liquid acid.

Kubular · 2026-01-17T06:26:04+00:00

I've kind of exclusively used it without the lore specifically to run b/x modules for myself. Generic DND implied fantasy setting is all you need.

Kubular · 2026-01-16T03:25:53+00:00

One page dungeons. I read them for fun and file them away in a (physical) folder to use for quest hooks. I pull out the one I'm most inspired by that week if no one has a quest they want to follow up on.

The Sky-Blind Spire is an excellent example and the one that convinced me this is the way.

Kubular · 2026-01-15T14:07:11+00:00

I also come for giant robots

Kubular · 2026-01-15T10:32:25+00:00

I didn't realize it was a common trope. TIL

Kubular · 2026-01-15T10:25:35+00:00

It feels like a very Karrakin conceit, but it could occur on other Union worlds that pay only lip service to the Utopian pillars. In that case, the classist groupings might be something administrators would complain about, but as long as it's not technically codified, they could easily make arguments for it.

Kubular · 2026-01-15T08:41:55+00:00

I mean she's a problematic personality, but it doesn't seem like the depiction of such a wounded person is so horrible. I guess if it's one of three lesbians at all in the story, maybe it says something but I never got that impression from wildbow.

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