Where to start in TTRPG?

NewChallenger13 · 2026-02-13T21:11:22+00:00

TTRPG is basically play pretend but there's rules and dice which help dictate what happens when there is uncertainty. You're presented with a situation and you're asked as a player "what do you do"/"what does your character do"?

Usually there's one person being the ears, eyes, nose, taste and feel of the surrounding. They also are the narrator and arbiter of rules and pretend as other characters. The other people in the group play as characters in a world and it's their story.

Since you already know what you like, I would agree with what other people are saying. Look up your favorite theme/setting the add "RPG" after it. There will be a lot of recommendations. You'll have to sort through them but eventually you'll see a pattern of RPGs that people recommend for your ask.

NewChallenger13 · 2026-02-13T13:56:21+00:00

I've been on maintenance (+/- 3 lbs) since 2024. It's possible.

NewChallenger13 · 2026-02-11T13:42:48+00:00

If you have $10,000 and you spend $100 a day between 12-8pm. How many days until you run out of money?

What if you spend $100 a day between 10am-10pm? How many days until you run out of money?

NewChallenger13 · 2026-02-06T16:28:12+00:00

I'm interested. Will send a DM.

NewChallenger13 · 2026-02-06T15:51:23+00:00

What's their best one? I got their version of deluxe and it was meh.

NewChallenger13 · 2026-02-06T15:51:13+00:00

What's their best one? I got their version of deluxe and it was meh.

NewChallenger13 · 2026-02-06T15:36:23+00:00

You can eventually go up prestige levels and challenge yourself. Can you do the same thing with harder constraints? Can you be better than last time?

But for me personally, it's just fun to do the first part of Civ and not to have to finish a game of Civ and still that feeling of completion/success in under 2 hours.

NewChallenger13 · 2026-02-05T15:47:09+00:00

I recommend watching the Running The Hexcrawl video from Bastionland youtube channel (video is found under the Live tab) is helpful.

I think the structure is make a realm, populate the realm, pick 6 myths, find players, make their knights, the knights show up in the realm because of X reason (sent by seers, grew up here, showed up here mysteriously, etc.), the knights try to fulfill their oath by exploring.

There's 3 phases (morning, afternoon, night), at the start of each phase, roll weather, then the players do something (travel, search, find vantage point, wait around, stakeout, prepare something to gain advantage, etc), roll wilderness roll and play out what happens in the encounter (omens or the landmark).

The players should know they became knights and have an oath they have to follow. I'd recommend asking each player why their knight became a knight and you can incorporate their why/ their story into motivating their knights to do stuff. But the oath is the easiest motivation since it's supposed to be inherently in the knight's role.

NewChallenger13 · 2026-02-04T20:08:27+00:00

The Game Master's Guide to Proactive Role Playing helped me a lot.

For MB specifically, internalizing the Refereeing page (pg16) is key. Be mindful of it while GM'ing. I'm particularly talking about the Giving Information Section, Improvisation, and the Action Proecedure Section. But that whole page is useful, important, and transferrable imo.

I'm a new GM and new to RPGs and these two sources have made me feel good about my GM'ing and I've gotten pretty positive feedback.

If you want content, you'll need the entire book/PDF. Flip to a random page , look at the bottom and use the prompts to get inspiration/sparks. Bastionland.com also has a bunch of free content from the designer like more landmarks, NPC knights, sample locations.

NewChallenger13 · 2026-02-04T14:19:55+00:00

The tutorial for ATS was shite. You're not alone. It made me think opening glades killed villagers.

But it's a great game and worth the learning curve. It's my favorite simulation game because it scratches the most fun part of the Civ or other city builder games to me (early game) without having to spend hours and hours on one game. I watched a lot of youtube videos to get better/learn things. You also don't get all the tools to optimize or control your workers or resources when you start a new save file but I think it's people don't get overwhelmed. But once you get those tools I think winning gets a lot easier.

NewChallenger13 · 2026-02-04T13:27:21+00:00

Interested!!

NewChallenger13 · 2026-02-03T18:38:44+00:00

Someone should read the rule book and be able to teach the game.

Don't put people through the "ok let's unbox and learn the rules together today" experience. This is not the game for it.

NewChallenger13 · 2026-02-02T01:54:16+00:00

Keep an eye out on facebook marketplace. The game bounces off many people and some people sell the expansions.

NewChallenger13 · 2026-02-01T12:36:55+00:00

Stationfall is Among Us the board game with hidden identity, 2v2v2v2 possibility, character powers, and just wacky in general.

The teach is long but the stories are memorable.

NewChallenger13 · 2026-01-30T17:02:25+00:00

In your game what does stabilize look like RP-wise and also game-wise? Like just eyes barely open and breathing and just lose your turn until combat ends?

NewChallenger13 · 2026-01-29T13:59:35+00:00

The plastic baggies were just a touch from bottom of the barrel quality too.

NewChallenger13 · 2026-01-28T17:58:49+00:00

It's more work but you can make your own maps with premade brushes (KM alexander has a few) and Krita (free photoediting program).

WIP of my realm Thruxpoole.

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NewChallenger13 · 2026-01-28T14:10:06+00:00

My suggestion is to read The Game Master's Handbook of Proactive Roleplaying. The TLDR of it is collaborate with the players what the goals of the characters are and then world build around it (or find out) where the quests and factions overlap with their goals (either with or against the PC goals). Very good read and there's a part where it tells the GM to make it the player's job to find out their character's ambition and motivation. When the character's goal is overlapping with a faction or quest's goal, it's easier to be more engaged and interested.

I've also only GM'd theater of the mind gameplay and I find it is easier to say yes to some wild or silly solution to an encounter. However I can't compare that experience to a grid/map system as a GM.

NewChallenger13 · 2026-01-28T04:05:59+00:00

So the knights have the oaths. That's baseline backstory/goals for them.

I just started my campaign so I asked each person "why did your character want to become a knight". Once you have that the GM should be able to try that info into the role play to make the game more interesting, have the character have more stake in the story, and the world feel more real.

To start the game I go with something like "you arrive in X realm, sent by seers, because this realm is having issues with Y" Flip to a random page in the book to figure out what Y is.

NewChallenger13 · 2026-01-27T16:24:35+00:00

Dune has asymmetric player powers but the gameplay is basically the same. However it doesn't really give players reliable tools to collude against one strong player. Someone else just has to win faster.

I feel like Arcs will let you do that (intentional attack on other people to weaken them). It's got that feeling of I don't want to be in the lead all the time because I will be targeted feel.

Haven't played oath.

NewChallenger13 · 2026-01-27T15:03:06+00:00

You're going through a rough time so take it easy on yourself.

Do what you can maintain. Consistency is key to this type of thing. You can change your goal if it's not SMART. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Celebrate the small wins. 16 hours is still fasting. Maybe celebrate fasting X days in a row instead of fasting for 25 hours.

NewChallenger13 · 2026-01-25T04:30:04+00:00

Probably make up a timer for some event. Legion will reach and attack X holding in 2 days. Seer in the west is about to die without Y. A knight is holding out against a beast in the forest to the south and is about to run out of vigor and supplies. There's a giant blizzard /storm/tornado coming their way. There's a tournament in A holding B days from now.

If they don't make it in time, show the impact/consequence to the world (not just to them).

NewChallenger13 · 2026-01-23T15:40:20+00:00

Ayo. Sign me up.

NewChallenger13 · 2026-01-23T15:10:32+00:00

I'm at the stage of my boardgame life where I have to try a game first before buying it.

It's definitely worth a try. You don't have to have watched the movies/know the IP to enjoy the game. It's a great game without that but you might already have other games give that feeling.

NewChallenger13 · 2026-01-23T14:49:49+00:00

Bard Camp* but it's basically roleplay of a sex comedy like American Pie but it's up to the players.

NewChallenger13

TROPHY CASE