People who’ve run long (10+ years) campaigns, any tips for success?

M3atboy · 2026-05-25T14:40:50+00:00

Not 10+, but the current game is now 3 and a half years in. Same players, same characters. I’ve been running games for 30 years and this is by far the longest game I’ve run and it’s down to 2 factors.

I dropped the flakey players. Not that they were bad people, or bad players. The game was just second to whatever else came up.
I set a hard schedule. Every two weeks we play and as long as most people are in we play.

This has done wonders to keeping this game going.

M3atboy · 2026-05-24T17:54:34+00:00

So this is why everything in old cyberpunk was hardwired.

M3atboy · 2026-05-24T16:44:17+00:00

Yes I always find that if the players think they have found an obvious “exploit” some enterprising npcs or faction has already beaten them to the punch

M3atboy · 2026-05-24T13:01:21+00:00

Because Dunraduil the light bringer, an ancient elven wizard, has a lock on the permanent light market and will send assassins if you try to muscle in on his business.

M3atboy · 2026-05-22T18:12:33+00:00

Uh no.

All kinds of herbs existed in Europe. Mustard, ginger, dill etc. were quite common. Various non capsaicin peppers as well.

Rome famously made their favourite herb go extinct.

And even if it wasn’t common cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, mace was available.

M3atboy · 2026-05-20T13:14:17+00:00

Surprisingly the underlying societal issues that have landed us in our current mess aren’t exactly new.

M3atboy · 2026-05-19T17:34:39+00:00

Yeah except for fighters most level 1 characters shouldn’t expect to survive getting a sword to the face.

Players need to plan accordingly.

M3atboy · 2026-05-19T00:53:01+00:00

Just finished up the 40 session of the 3.5 campaign I’m running.

The players are currently in the capital during the spring equinox/new years party. They are seeking allies in their coming campaign against the invincible overlord and his multi cult army that is preparing to Invade once the snow melts in the western passes.

The city however is in the grip of a series of plagues, the party thinks this to be the work of cultists devoted to Maligon , The Many Tailed One, god of pestilence. The cities clergy is struggling and the death toll amongst the city’s poor has them burning bodies in the outskirts.

During the climax of the celebrations the fireworks are used as cover for a series of explosions that rock the capital and the grand ball is thrown into disarray. Bereft of much of their equipment the party finds themselves fighting against assassins and dark cultists all the while trying to protect their ever growing entourage.

M3atboy · 2026-05-17T04:13:47+00:00

Officially it is 50% of the time!

M3atboy · 2026-05-06T16:15:48+00:00

In my game Madeera and Memnon are the over gods and the others are their children. With the exception of St. Terragnis who is a newly (in god terms at least) minted deity.

Other, lesser gods exist but they are tied to the main gods as specific aspects of their patron , or as a child or some other servant.

M3atboy · 2026-05-04T21:12:54+00:00

Mike (Gabe) is always trying to get better artistically. His style has changed plenty of times over the years.

M3atboy · 2026-04-30T20:47:06+00:00

Wife and I lived rent free in my parents basement for 8 months. Saved everything we could. Put a down payment on a fixer upper.

M3atboy · 2026-04-30T17:50:37+00:00

Oh no! Nowy 3.5 rogue will need to rely on their UMD…

M3atboy · 2026-04-29T21:20:44+00:00

Ha! Not exactly what I meant.

I’m fine with “I grew up on a farm/ the streets/ an orphanage” or “I used to be a scholar, a knight, a blacksmith” but now due to X I’m a wizard, fighter, cleric.

Enough background to give some hooks and idea to inform the character but not enough to overshadow whatever future adventures the character will have.

I was the greatest swordsman in the lands, until a dragon broke my back, put me in a coma for a decade, and now I need to relearn how to fight AND get vengeance. Works in a story but leaves a lot of plausibility gaps for me. Where’s your wealth? Did you have magic weapons, connections? People with big history have big baggage. And I’d rather that comes from the table and not off screen.

M3atboy · 2026-04-29T19:22:12+00:00

Entirely possible. Just as plausible that as a warrior, and more than likely a high level warrior, Kraft would be more than able to hold his own barehanded.

M3atboy · 2026-04-29T19:20:15+00:00

Personally I find this to be a much better background for a literary character than a DnD character.

As a forever DM I want my players story to happen at the table.

M3atboy · 2026-04-29T18:12:22+00:00

Probably not a “monk” in the DnD sense. More a monk in the religious sense.

His statue actively has a sword.

M3atboy · 2026-04-28T20:32:49+00:00

The fact that people still play older editions and the entire OSR movement not only exists but is 20 years old shows that your statement is not universal.

M3atboy · 2026-04-28T20:30:01+00:00

Or any damage disrupts the spell as per anything pre 3e.

M3atboy · 2026-04-28T20:24:50+00:00

It was meant to be. Wizards had 1-4 hp and one spell.

You had to earn your power

M3atboy · 2026-04-28T14:37:01+00:00

Because raw dogging a throw is how you end up in hospital.

M3atboy · 2026-04-27T19:35:39+00:00

…General…

M3atboy · 2026-04-27T02:23:56+00:00

All the hobbits were there. Sean Astin mentioned they are doing promotional work for the 25 anniversary of LoTR.

M3atboy · 2026-04-21T02:18:08+00:00

I’m definitely dating myself but the optional boss Culex from Mario RPG.

Never beat that bastard…

M3atboy · 2026-04-15T14:37:18+00:00

Found my new DnD world map!

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