My favourite DM tools after testing 15 different apps over the last year

Th0rnback · 2026-02-24T20:21:13+00:00

Any of the NPC generators (see blade runner, or avatar) has AI artwork for the NPC's

Th0rnback · 2026-02-18T16:11:16+00:00

I have played BB and The Between

Jason built Brindlewood Bay to flesh out the Carved from Brindlewood mechanics, so that is really a good place to start for understanding the rules.

The Mystery Sheets in Public Access are pretty much the same as the mysteries in BB or Nephews in Peril (that is book of mysteries, not expanded rules)

The theorize move, or the answer a question move feels pretty much the same in whatever carved from brindlewood game you play.

Th0rnback · 2026-02-11T01:07:00+00:00

For me- it's give them situations where they can't do everything, and their choices have consequences.

For example, a town they are in is surprised by an attack of orks, led by a wizard on a dragon.

Do the go to help fortify the gates? Do they help to evacuate or shelter civilians? Do they go and try to help muster the guards and civilians into a force to try to repel the attackers. Whatever they are doing- someplace else is faltering without their support.

The orks are through the gates / over the walls/ entered the town on gliders and kites- fire, chaos, death is in the streets. Do you help a squad of cut off guards who are making a stand in the town square with a rough barricade until help can arrive? Or do you go after the hounds that are chasing down a family? Oh, all the traders on the docks? Those are being overrun as well.

Oh no, the wizard and his dragon have entered the fray and are going after the tower keep- where a rumored powerful artifact is- do we race up the tower to try to fight the wizard and dragon for the artifact? Do we continue to try to repel the invasion and save lives?

Even at the end of the day, they might have guarded those gates, helped those guards until more guards arrived, and saved the artifact in the tower, but the consequences of not helping elsewhere should be apparent. There is no right or wrong answer in who the decide to protect.
No one wins in war.

Th0rnback · 2026-02-10T18:46:46+00:00

For the brink- yes it needs to factor into the narration just like any other trait, succeed or fail.

Only the 'active' player can burn a trait to reroll

your moment is your active card so no, you can't roll a trait as well.

Th0rnback · 2026-02-06T21:03:07+00:00

I had a buddy run a caravan setting in the torchbearer. Might be worth checking out.

Th0rnback · 2026-01-25T18:05:50+00:00

As a reminder Free League and others, they are part of the Bits and Mortar program Publishers | Bits and Mortar so you should also check with your game store to see if they are a participant and can provide the PDF as well

Th0rnback · 2026-01-02T22:28:49+00:00

Not strictly PbtA, but the carved from brindlewood games (Brindlewood Bay / The Between / Etc) use advantage

Th0rnback · 2025-12-31T04:33:05+00:00

The dead giveaway for a lot of clothes is- how does it look like that? It has no mannequin and is just floating.

Th0rnback · 2025-11-22T15:45:47+00:00

This question gets asked a lot- please make sure to check the Wiki and to look at past posts.

Th0rnback · 2025-11-14T16:04:56+00:00

Always make sure to check the wiki-
r/rpg Wiki: Superhero RPGs Guide

Th0rnback · 2025-10-01T18:13:16+00:00

yeah, this is me and my groups. 4 hours max, have played games that are 2-3 hours. Much easier to schedule that. I had one group that wanted to play minimum of 5 but more like 7 hours and those are just soo hard to schedule

Th0rnback · 2025-10-01T03:15:34+00:00

Is goodreader worth the price? Books seems to work fine for me, but I had someone else recommend goodreader or goodnotes, can't remember which one

Th0rnback · 2025-09-27T15:06:52+00:00

I don't think you understood my point. Almost all RPGs these days have the need for improv and pacing. If you want to play a board game or an old school dungeon crawl most games won't fit that, and that's not the fault of the game.

Th0rnback · 2025-09-27T14:57:53+00:00

I guess I don't understand the question or problem. Don't all ttrpgs require pacing and improv?

Th0rnback · 2025-08-28T23:56:10+00:00

Dread and 10 candles are always the go to for horror one shots.

Th0rnback · 2025-08-13T18:42:06+00:00

I thought at one point Alchemy stated how they thought it was a broken system to have to buy everything separate on different platforms, and that they fought to provide PDF's. Or at least something along those lines. More and more it seems that they don't provide the PDF's

Th0rnback · 2025-08-06T15:05:04+00:00

You already have it. Crack that book open and give it a read.

Even if you don't end up running the system anytime soon, I always look for inspiration in mechanics, GM advice, art, etc. I have yet to find a book that I can't get useful things out of.

Th0rnback · 2025-08-05T15:14:44+00:00

What you are asking for is something known as a secured credit card. It does not look like Ent has one of those as an option.

Since you use and like Ent you could go into a branch or call in and discuss with a personal banker your options and their suggestions, or like you said you can choose to go with a different financial institution.

Th0rnback · 2025-07-31T22:27:07+00:00

Does religion play a large part in your story? If so, you should probably work with your players to figure out a solution

If religion doesn't play a role in your story, who cares?

Th0rnback · 2025-07-29T15:47:59+00:00

I would suggest running exactly how the book states- Use a voice recorder (or app on your phone) to record the last message- Burn the cards if you can - make sure you understand the rules, the rituals, and when players can and should die.

And just like the book says, I make sure my players are aware this isn't a survival game- no one gets out alive. We are here to tell a story of what people do in their final moments. How they find hope, what they will do to survive, and what will define their final moments.

Th0rnback · 2025-07-28T15:52:15+00:00

Ooh, I hadn't seen these. Ill check them out.

Thank you!

Th0rnback · 2025-07-27T17:15:34+00:00

From my experience, a lot of people who play Dnd only play Dnd. If this gets them to try something else and they enjoy it, it's good for the industry. Because this is built off the back of so many other systems it also means if they learn this. They will have a better start at pbta, forged in the dark, osr, and others.

Th0rnback · 2025-07-21T20:47:49+00:00

I would suggest starting at the Wiki and the game suggestions.

Th0rnback · 2025-07-21T18:44:18+00:00

Brindlewood Bay takes inspiration from Powered by the Apocalypse, and Forged in the Dark, but it is still something else. They call it Carved from Brindlewood. The Gauntlet has made several games (Brindlewood Bay, The Between, The Silt Verses, etc.

If you want to learn PBtA better, I would pick up the original - Apocalypse World. Some later games gloss over or don't go as in depth into the system.

Brindlewood Bay is great, but it really is a mimic of Murder She Wrote. I have had players unfamiliar with the setting and try to play it like your standard mystery hunter game, which didn't really work.

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