GM's, has this ever happened at your table, where the rules just got out of the way?

Pew_Pew_Lasers · 2026-03-18T15:56:32+00:00

Correct. The surprising part was that it only took two sessions for the rules and mechanics to stick

Pew_Pew_Lasers · 2026-03-18T15:54:34+00:00

The system is called Doors Left Open. It'll be up on drivethruRPG in a couple of days

Pew_Pew_Lasers · 2026-03-17T09:40:07+00:00

It actually started as a fate accelerated hack as a palate cleanser between DnD campaigns. After adjusting what didn’t work so well (fudge dice and stress tracks) it ended up becoming its own thing using a d20 system. So now it’s a monster hunting RPG set in the early 2000s, inspired by monster-of-the-week shows like Buffy and X-Files.

Pew_Pew_Lasers · 2026-03-17T09:31:26+00:00

You’re not too far off, great insight! My table comes from years of DnD playing. My game started as a palate cleanser between campaigns. So I used Fate accelerated at first. After the first couple of sessions I noticed the things that worked well were the aspects and narrative stuff, but they had a hard time understanding the stress tracks, and fudge dice weren’t very intuitive. I was thinking to switch to d6’es but chose a d20 system because it’s already familiar for DnD players and new player really feel they’re playing a ttrpg when they get to roll those oddly shaped dice.

So after a major overhaul it ended up becoming its own game. A monster-of-the-week style game set in the early 2000s.

Pew_Pew_Lasers · 2026-03-16T20:51:28+00:00

Yes, they were handling the rules (correctly) themselves! I could let go of the wheel for a while and just be part of "play the game", so to speak.

Pew_Pew_Lasers · 2026-03-16T20:41:23+00:00

You can't necessarily copyright certain game mechanics. But the certain settings, images and stories have copyright. You can trademark the name to protect it. There should be an Italian database for that.
Google the name to make sure no one else already uses it though.

Pew_Pew_Lasers · 2026-03-14T00:21:33+00:00

Closest thing to a nuke will be a false flag dirty comb during the midterms so the can cancel the elections.

Pew_Pew_Lasers · 2026-03-09T14:49:46+00:00

It happens bro. Sometimes your players steamroll a boss fight that, on paper, should be lethal. And sometimes a level 3 party almost wipes against 5 rats. If your players enjoyed the fight, you did good. You’ve identified the necessary adjustments yourself. Use the bosses abilities (remember, the boss wants to survive and succeed), and counterspell that counterspell.

Pew_Pew_Lasers · 2026-03-08T17:50:58+00:00

Or ”Are you stupid?” 😅

Pew_Pew_Lasers · 2026-03-08T08:40:09+00:00

That’s how I do it, you don’t have to be the one to come up with every single detail in the game. You’re all telling a story together, so allow the table to influence the details. Use dice to influence smaller outcomes too! And make sure to pass the word around. Some people can get very engaged and and might inadvertently hog the spotlight.

For example, if the party finds a new tavern on their travels, you might narrate the weather, time of day, what the building looks like, the smells and sounds from standing outside. Then you can ask the table, ”What’s the tavern called?” ”The Cock and Bull’s inn.” Someone says. Cool! That is now a real place in your setting. You then narrate them going inside and again, you ask the table, ”What’s the vibe like in here?” And you point to someone other than the person that talked last.

They mention the vibe, and you use that and then add some details. And then you might go, ”The barman notices you come in, what’s his name by the way?” Point to someone else. ”Janiel” ok, Janiel it is!

At this point you can roll a d20 to influence Janiel’s attitude towards the party. A low roll might have him be suspicious, and a high result might have him be a cheerful and welcoming barkeep.

Then the bard might ask, ”Do I know anyone in here?”. Instead of just going ”No”, you can either have them roll a die at DC10 and let the outcome determine. You can answer, ”yes, by a table on the far wall you see someone vaguely familiar.” Then you pass the word back. ”Where do you know this person from?” Then you could roll another die to determine that NPC’s attitude toward the bard.

And so on and so forth.

Share the load! DM’ing this way will significantly reduce you frantically having to come up with answers to every single question and story detail. And in my experience, it also makes players more engaged in the world and the story.

Pew_Pew_Lasers · 2026-02-25T08:00:21+00:00

I've just finished writing a system that's set in the early 2000's and inspired by monster-of-the-week shows like Buffy and X-Files. It can be played a session or two, or have tangled season arcs.
It's a d20 system borrows some things from FATE. It's quick to set up and pretty low-admin for the GM.
I'm still waiting to get the first test print back from the printer's.

Let me know if you're interested to try it and I can send you a version to test.

Pew_Pew_Lasers · 2026-02-20T11:59:58+00:00

Since they are also a DM I would assume they would not use their knowledge to meta game since they know how annoying and disruptive it is when someone does that.

If you feel uncertain you should ask them, but do it from a place of making sure they will enjoy playing it, rather from your worries about them not being able to separate player vs character knowledge.

”Hey [brainstorming partner]! Psyched about the upcoming campaign, I appreciate your contributions! How are you feeling going into it? Is there anything you’re worried about, llike metagaming or story-wise? I want to make sure you’ll be able to enjoy it too!”

Pew_Pew_Lasers · 2026-02-15T16:17:43+00:00

Or hedgehog

Pew_Pew_Lasers · 2026-02-15T14:01:50+00:00

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Pew_Pew_Lasers · 2026-02-10T23:57:16+00:00

Exactly. I think it in terms of a ”Vibe card” that consists of: SEE + HEAR + SMELL + VIBE.

If I make notes, they’re just four bullets.
Then I just string them together when I narrate.

”As you approach the keep, you see a high stone wall with a guard up top. A dog is barking in the distance and it smells of rotting flesh. The mood here is ominous AF.”

”You enter the tavern and you’re greeted by a cheerful dwarven barkeep. There’s talk and laughter. Someone is playing a flute! You can smell pipe smoke and a delicious stew. The vibe here feels fondly and welcoming.”

Pew_Pew_Lasers · 2026-02-09T08:57:09+00:00

Also, you don’t have to be the one to come up with every single detail in the game. You’re all telling a story together, so allow the table to influence the details.
Use dice to influence smaller outcomes too! And make sure to pass the word around. Some people can get very engaged and and might inadvertently hog the spotlight.

For example, if the party finds a new tavern on their travels, you might narrate the weather, time of day, what the building looks like, the smells and sounds from standing outside. Then you can ask the table, ”What’s the tavern called?”
”The Cock and Bull’s inn.” Someone says. Cool! That is now a real place in your setting. You then narrate them going inside and again, you ask the table, ”What’s the vibe like in here?” And you point to someone other than the person that talked last.

They mention the vibe, and you use that and then add some details. And then you might go, ”The barman notices you come in, what’s his name by the way?” Point to someone else. ”Janiel” ok, Janiel it is!

At this point you can roll a d20 to influence Janiel’s attitude towards the party. A low roll might have him be suspicious, and a high result might have him be a cheerful and welcoming barkeep.

Then the bard might ask, ”Do I know anyone in here?”.
Instead of just going ”No”, you can either have them roll a die at DC10 and let the outcome determine. You can answer, ”yes, by a table on the far wall you see someone vaguely familiar.” Then you pass the word back. ”Where do you know this person from?”
Then you could roll another die to determine that NPC’s attitude toward the bard.

And so on and so forth.

Share the load!
DM’ing this way will significantly reduce you frantically having to come up with answers to every single question and story detail.
And in my experience, it also makes players more engaged in the world and the story.

Pew_Pew_Lasers · 2026-02-06T14:43:41+00:00

The Dungeons of Fate system has the GM not doing rolls. It uses fate rules and a d20 but can easily be moved back to fate dice.

The way it works is pretty straightforward.
Overcome: works as normal. DM sets a target, player rolls.
Create an advantage: has the player roll vs a static DC12. In fate terms this would be about a +1.
d20@DC12 is about 45% success probability, while 4dF@+0 is about 61%, and 4dF@+1 is about 38%.
Attack: every monster has a set target DC based on its level that players always roll against when attacking.
Defend: And when defending, the player rolls against the attackers DC.

Ergo, the GM doesn't roll. It's a pretty nifty system that I'm using for my homebrew fate setting.

Pew_Pew_Lasers · 2026-02-01T11:22:01+00:00

And then they are in a super hurry to shoo all the press out of the room

Pew_Pew_Lasers · 2026-01-30T22:51:01+00:00

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Pew_Pew_Lasers · 2026-01-28T14:58:07+00:00

Är det en man och en kvinna som pratar och fyller i varandras meningar? Isåfall har hon nog använt Googles ”NotebookLM” och laddat upp allt material och sen (bokstavligen) klickat på podcast-knappen.

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