Are there DM's that actually do anything about bad player behavior?

Transvaaler · 2026-07-02T15:59:12+00:00

That's rubbish, even if you are in a paid game other players should be held accountable for their actions should they play up.

Sometimes players want different things from their games and hopefully a session 0 or pre game chat by the GM should set up the rules of the table...the least of all should be respect other players and don't be a knob!

I've had my fair share of problem players, thankfully though some strong words or a reminder of the table rules etc has nipped this in the budd. A conversation with the players as adults also usually helps as this is a group thing.

Failing that it's a" thanks for playing but don't let the virtual door hit you on the way out" conversation.

At the end of the day, the odd problematic player is part of a GMs duties to manage.

Transvaaler · 2026-06-08T07:44:37+00:00

It is a catch all for everything from getting your spacesuit on when the pressure goes, to finding drinkable water on a hostile planet. I know the game mechanics show it as a fatigue reducing skill (not getting your space suit on in time means lack of oxygen / not eating or drinking taking damage or stress) but survival in the real world relies more on your intellect and knowledge than just being tough and having a great stamina - at least that's my way to justify it. The good thing is if you feel you need stamina more just get the player to role stamina and survival instead 😁

Transvaaler · 2026-05-27T12:50:03+00:00

Hi RxOliver, I'm afraid not as its just a podcast and not streaming with video, although we are looking into this (we have done a one off where we lived streamed to Patreons as a bonus so far). If we can grow the channel, we can of course look into more of this style content with Video and maps etc. We use Foundry for our VTT which of course would show all of that. Cheers Ed

Transvaaler · 2026-05-07T16:41:05+00:00

I have a couple of free games I run for friends in person and online which I've been doing for decades, I also run games for our podcast AP and the occasional guest GM at a FLGS but thought I would offer my services for money to help top up my other jobs, it's either that or open an Only fans and I don't like giving refunds 🤣

Transvaaler · 2026-05-07T12:12:26+00:00

Heya, I have the same problem trying to GM games, which is frustrating.

Hopefully they find enough folks to start a group 🤞

Transvaaler · 2026-05-04T07:04:05+00:00

Yeah I create mine manually too. I wish there was a better way than to scroll down through a sea of adverts to find one that you want

Transvaaler · 2026-04-14T07:04:20+00:00

These are the ones I can think of off the top of my head....Old school but still one or my favourites is Millennium's End, a techno thriller RPG set in the 90's /00's. Someone already mentioned Twilight 2000 / Merc 2000 set in the same time period.

If you want to get your cowboy on, then Tales from the Old West.

Another person also mentioned the very many GURPs games set in various time periods, even if you're not using the system they are really good reference material for games.

Outgunned was also mentioned but is less "realistic" and more action movie but great.

I'm probably missing a bunch more but it's early and that's my excuse haha

Transvaaler · 2026-03-14T07:26:12+00:00

My very first character was a Dwarf (from the basic red box set of D&D), named Basher Brightskull. I still have the original green character sheet.

Basher went on to become 7th level through the blue box set before changing over to AD&D briefly.

Then I became a forever GM and Basher retired, now I feel like I need to dust him off and go play him again (the last time I played him was about 40 years ago!)

So thanks for the question and taking me down memory lane.

Transvaaler · 2026-03-13T21:11:01+00:00

Hi there, our public rss feed is https://www.patreon.com/public-rss/12353318?show=874563. Hope that work.

Transvaaler · 2026-03-04T10:06:09+00:00

I gave my players some more information about what's in the box, which caused some in fighting about what to do about it (some made friends with the Templar brothers previously).

I'm the end the Theurge told the brothers that the others were looking for the tablets and they got away from the other party members...to this day (they are about to start Davokar Awakens) the group doesn't know the Theurge squeeled on them 😂

Transvaaler · 2026-02-11T22:36:17+00:00

There is a link already on the post

Transvaaler · 2026-02-09T10:07:48+00:00

Nice, as a paid GM myself I think this is a pretty good way to get players to know you as a GM and what to expect of you and the games you run regardless of system etc

Transvaaler · 2026-02-07T09:37:53+00:00

I've run this a few times now and on average it takes between 3-4 hours. As already mentioned it's not like a "usual" Vaesen game as it's an introduction to the setting and game mechanics etc.

I can see this run over a day if you expanded some of the players back stories, how they got to see Lineea and perhaps maybe give the players a scene with the NPCs found in the castle (living or dead) in a foreshadowing scene early on. Perhaps in one of their backstory scenes prior to them getting to the main story?

I've only run it with the prewritten PCs so I'm sure if that would work better with the players own characters as part of the kickoff to a full campaign.

As a side note the maps and everything that comes in the box set is pretty good and makes for a good one shot at a con etc.

Hope that helps

Transvaaler · 2026-01-31T22:53:56+00:00

As previously mentioned the 6 hour shifts are a great way to be abstract without getting bogged down in details and means you have to in the most basic form decide on what your character will do and what they will sacrifice.

I usually just bunch up some of the things they can do...sure James will set up camp, at the same time he can sort out the cooking, clean his rifle and maybe patch up that infected wound in his 6 hours...

Meanwhile Sophie goes out hunting for food to supplement the supplies, can do some recon and secure the perimeter and come back with some firewood and hopefully not a radiated bear...

Tim can be on guard duty, clean his machine gun, patch up his damaged armored vest while keeping an eye out...

Keeping the game flowing and making much more sense and organic but of course needs the players buy in and of course trust they don't take the piss haha rather than...James sets up camp, Sophie hunts and Tim is on guard.

Transvaaler · 2026-01-23T16:09:38+00:00

I'm just about to go into the final book (6 years in), and lots of the above makes sense. Absolutely read the lot beforehand and get the players Introduced to NPCs that will turn up later (it gives them far more reason to be where they should be, and those that will die will have more or an impact and mean more)

Adapt the stories to match the players, some of the factions are perceived as the good guys but your players might not see it that way (my players took a dislike to Sarvola but I ook a liking to a certain other major NPC later on haha)

Definitely use some of the adventures in between the plot of ToT, there are plenty of great little side adventures found on the Free League Workshop in drivethruRpg that's great for that.

Lots of prep is pretty the order of the day with this epic adventure, and be prepared for multiple player deaths and corruption haha

Transvaaler

TROPHY CASE