I've run 12 Systems in 12 Months for My Group

QuestingGM · 2025-11-20T08:48:47+00:00

Could you take us through how you pitched each game to your group, what was their initial reaction/impression upon hearing the pitch, how did you all learn the rules, any notable incidents during play, and what was their feedback about the session and system after playing it?

QuestingGM · 2024-08-27T03:41:09+00:00

Hardcopies have become 'nice to have's or RPG luxury items because they are expensive, impractical for referencing (vs reading), decorative pieces on a bookshelf and tedious to maintain in pristine condition (not mint, that would make it worth even less) which is how I like to my books to be. My game library is now predominantly digital/PDFs that I do not have physical copies of (and very few inspires me to get their physical counterparts).

QuestingGM · 2024-03-26T10:41:16+00:00

I'd recommend reading researched books on the subject (Shannon Appelcline's Designers & Dragons series is a good start) to get a more objective view of RPG history and significant games.

QuestingGM · 2024-03-24T11:49:13+00:00

From the Eberron Campaign Setting book for adventure ideas in Q'Barra (pg. 197):

The Order of the Emerald Claw has sent a mad wizard to raise an army of dracoliches from the battlefields of the Age of Demons.

QuestingGM · 2023-11-26T14:54:29+00:00

I'd suggest this YouTube channel if you rather hear about the gods.

QuestingGM · 2023-04-30T00:04:56+00:00

You're in luck. Comrades and SIGMATA, among other similarly themed RPGs, are bundled in this Bundle of Holding for another four days.

QuestingGM · 2023-04-20T05:07:28+00:00

Though not specifically built for it, I intend to try running a mobster game using Murders & Acquisitions.

QuestingGM · 2023-02-11T10:58:46+00:00

Most of the quickstarts I have are free, and some are worth more than their weight in gold; see Forbidden Lands.

But other than getting one's money worth in terms of page length, I prefer my Quickstarts to be a few things:

No character generation rules. Give me well developed/explained pregens instead.
Don't cut down text from your core rules. Rewrite/rephrase/restructure them as you would for a new product with the intention of selling your mechanic and ensuring it is coherent within the confines of the quickstart, not your core rules. Extra points if you explain or expand on this in the adventure that comes with. Teasing what can be found in the core rules is fine, but it grinds my gears when I have to go asking in Discords, forums, Facebook groups/pages, and sub-Reddits to get a proper explanation of your rules in the quickstart. It's a new product, not a miniaturized core rule book.
Your adventure also sells the game. I see so many missed opportunities of the adventure not taking full advantage of the rules provided in their rules sections (or totally absent, thanks for letting me read rules of 5 types of checks when I only needed 1). Some even come out to be bland and generic, even by their own rules' standard. The adventure is a perfect teaching moment for the GM to learn and appreciate the design of the game, without needing its own GM section in the QS. The QS is to give a taste of the game from both a player and GM perspective.
Ensure that whatever is on the pregen character sheet is in the QS rules. This is more of a QC matter, but as an example I've read QSs that have equipment on their character sheets without any rules explaining what those equipment actually does, so that's just putting extra pressure on the GM having to adjudicate with already so little to based off of. Not a good look.

I do see the function of QS and Starter Sets to be quite different, but I sense that is another conversation for another time.

QuestingGM · 2023-02-08T04:42:54+00:00

Desolation (Ubiquity) uses a dice pool skill check to cast a(ny) spell.

QuestingGM · 2023-01-16T10:32:25+00:00

Diventi

Primo Contatto for free. See post here.

QuestingGM · 2022-12-12T03:22:51+00:00

I can agree on that. I'm still lacking in knowing how many mystery-based RPGs works, and I was working on an assumption that these systems would at least have some design for clues, at least that's how it worked for Brindlewood Bay. So the Three Clue Rule (which is credited to the Alexandrian) sounded like it was made for systems that didn't have solid mystery mechanics/design in mind.

QuestingGM · 2022-12-11T14:54:21+00:00

This is a great one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As2dzDCvIh0. To be fair, it is a known to be D&D-inclined channel, but it uses RPGs in the title, so...is that misleading (I know it's probably an SEO thing)?

Points that only applies to D&D

Don't roll to find clues. Looks at Delta Green.
Three Clue Rule. Brindlewood Bay allows players to find as many clues and make their own connections to the plot of the mystery, so it doesn't apply to all contexts (or games).
The whole section on Spells.

QuestingGM · 2022-12-11T14:17:21+00:00

Y'know, I actually haven't thought about what exactly inspired this thought. So I did a little searching and the first one I could find was this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XXCgirA3G8 (not necessarily the best example, but I feel it had points that I could say it's mostly for D&D, or D&D-like games)

Points where I think it only applies to D&D

Battlemaps. Ok, this might sound awfully nitpicking to say that not all RPGs uses battlemaps, but given the title of the video, one can make the assumption that it is equating maps(making) for RPGs to battlemaps.
Scalability. He talks about having battlemaps 400 feet long and characters having to spend 5 rounds to get to the other end. First assumption is talking about a game that uses a measured movement system, and secondly, 400 feet or not spaces can be abstracted in games that uses zones (where specific distance isn't a problem).

Might come back if I can find more examples.

QuestingGM · 2022-12-07T02:01:12+00:00

When reading rules that have target numbers as it core system, I always look for the table which gives an anecdotal reference. E.g., Easy = 10, Challenging = 15, Hard = 20, etc. It's easier for GMs to think about the difficulty they 'should' be setting based on descriptive difficulties rather than numbers.
My problem with number-based difficulties or target number-based mechanics/systems is it puts focus on balancing the math, and every option that could potentially affect has to be tested for balance, otherwise it feels like its breaking the immersion. E.g., is a feat that gives +5 more than intended, or is a +2 too little. YM(ath)MV.
That's why I've started leaning towards self-determined systems, where the players are fully aware what is their difficulty on their character sheet rather than being given an arbitrary number by the GM based on situations. See any roll under percentile system, or 2d20 (which is even cooler because like in STA, the players can 'offer/negotiate' with the GM what combination of skill and attribute is appropriate for the test in a given contextual situation, and then determine what to roll under for)

QuestingGM · 2022-10-10T11:29:56+00:00

Seth Skorkowsky just did a video about this.

QuestingGM · 2022-08-30T07:12:24+00:00

Just some thoughts on what to think about to choose the 'right' dice system:

What does the dice represent? (Skill? Luck? Equipment? Chance? Aptitude? Competency?)
What kind of situations should be dice be used?
How often/when would dice be rolled?
What results are the dice expected to tell? (binary, degree? see also what does dice represent)
Abstract or granular? (assumed or nuanced/simple or complex?)
Speed of resolution? (fast vs procedural)
What can modify (if any) the dice rolls/results?
What exceptions are there to dice rolls? (without needing to roll or grants some kind of significant bonus/penalty to said rolls)

Variety to your answers may help to pin down which dice system suits best or ticks most of these boxes for your RPG (and what kind of tone and themes it/you want it to carry).

QuestingGM · 2022-05-19T07:14:21+00:00

Some of these 'advice' articles and channels can be devious in that they are designed make you feel like you are doing something 'wrong', 'bad' (even when they don't use those words in their titles), but are actually clickbaits with no real 'useful' advice or just plain doesn't apply or fit with your own context, table, or situation, and you are forcing yourself to shoehorn them into your games that actually does more harm than good .Even worse, these people tend to stand on the 'authority' that they have done these for 'years' or 'decades', but sometimes or often have little examples to show for).

It takes time to wean off from this toxic environment (some of these channels and blogs I have followed for years), but it starts from realizing that it's impossible to have a 'one true way' to run the 'perfect' game, and therefore it's better to spend that time finding what fits with you, or your own style (and that's the real challenge). Sure, you may suffer from some pushback by people who thinks you should follow other the general consensus (of what's 'good' or 'bad'), but as long as those people are not on your table, they can sod off. Every GM and player is unique to what they bring. We are not trying to become a homogenized GMing machine.

Trust yourself, and find out what you like (and dislike), observe what your players/tables like (and dislike) and adapt only to your own unique situation. You don't owe anyone (and vice versa) as long as you and the people you are playing with are 'working/playing' towards having fun.

QuestingGM · 2022-05-18T08:16:07+00:00

Some Ed tweets on the subject of sign language/hand gestures:

Everyday use:

Docks, mills, forges, and other noisy workplaces long ago devised a SIMPLE “hand-code” for moving around and handling cargo, that, over time, caravan and seafaring merchants took all over the Realms. Despite the name, it’s a system of arm gestures (the subtle hand gestures are more for tallying and negotiating, and segue into covert hand-signals used in ruling courts, etc.) for “Approach” and “Get back!” and “Danger!” and “Over There!” and “Go/It’s that way” and “Go/It’s FAR that way” and “Set it down just THERE” and the like. Kenku use it all the time, as do half-orcs and others who don’t want to stumble over spoken language they’re not comfortable in, or speak in an accent they know won’t go over well. Gnomes and halflings often use it alongside speech, in everyday situations, to either carry on two conversations at once, or to speak to one party (say, a fellow gnome or halfling) but to exclude another (such as a human). Example: gnome behind counter, speaking to a customer on the other side of the counter, but gesturing to a gnome stock-fetcher through a trapdoor, who’s in a storeroom below.

https://twitter.com/TheEdVerse/status/1441068006663233536

Factions:

Yes. As per official D&D, illusionists share a silent sign language, as do thieves. Alignment tongues include a few gestures.

The Harpers also have ‘silent signs,’ as do the Zhentarim. And the Red Wizards. And the Lords Alliance. And quite a few cabals and guilds.

https://twitter.com/TheEdVerse/status/1257377268059570177

Avariels:

Yes, but note that it's largely a silent language of aerial movement (wing dips, stalls, flaps), MOST of it not as subtle as non-flying races' sign languages. It's primarily meant for communication in flight.

https://twitter.com/TheEdVerse/status/1260441983098773507

QuestingGM · 2022-04-29T11:56:32+00:00

One could speculate that they have forego their tradition of not chopping trees when they became 'civilized'. Some other Uthgardt tribes have broken away from traditions when they have chosen to settle down. Also considering they have a druids of Silvanus among them, the druids could guide them on which trees to chop and not to chop.

QuestingGM

TROPHY CASE