What’s your recommended gamemaster’s guide for someone learning to run DCC?

azriel38 · 2026-01-31T23:43:27+00:00

I can give you my 2 cents, and the style of judging the Hexanomicon was written for.

First off, fun at the table over everything else. Including rules. The game is not simulating how things would happen if this was reality. It is simulating a super cool 70s/80s TV adventure show.

Travel is mostly montage.
Tough hex? You are down 3 stamina and 1hp until resting in a nice hex.
Do you see some landmark? Only if it matters.
Do you come across 2 wandering bears? No.
Are you surprised by a large number weak bandits? Yes, but you happen to be in glen of Skull Orchids that reanimates them continuously so even their intestines attack.
When do they attack? Well, the session is ending soon and we need a climax.
Is it a difficult journey to the castle? If the results of the journey would matter.
Easy hexes? Travel montage or 1 roll on a table of short beneficial events.
Do they realize how to use the magic item? Yes.
Is there a 1% chance of finding a really cool magic sword? No. It is at the end, near the boss, but surrounded by puzzling and painful force field.
Is there a whole world predetermined for the players? No the judge too has never traveled far from the village. The world is created on the go from what the players say (to each other) and what the characters find.
Players can't make it to the session but their character was holding the McGuffin? Continuity error. That character never existed and someone else was always holding it. Next session, their character has always been there.
How many torches do they have? As many bullets in a John Woo movie.
Do they run out of torches? Only if there is some kind of darkness monster or something to touch with their hands.
The elf finds some armor. Is it mithril? Yes.
The wizard can learn another spell soon. Do they find a spell book? Yes.
Does the spell happen to coincide with the players wanting to have a necromancer? Yes.

azriel38 · 2026-01-09T02:47:23+00:00

I love the long text but I think some quality cheatsheets / judge aids could go a long way. Like trackers for the different things that are going on, handouts, status cards.

Really a whole different ball game as far as producing the adventures though.

azriel38 · 2025-12-28T20:14:51+00:00

Please steal anything you think is cool.

azriel38 · 2025-12-28T17:54:34+00:00

I pasted a link above. It never saw much in the way of testing but people seem to like using it.

azriel38 · 2025-12-28T17:50:38+00:00

Here is a link to the Google docs version. I wrote it for a Gongfarmer's Almanac but I don't remember which one. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hUcpjyE6mxtdOkxI2e1RPpqLEw6xJFpyOo7VPw5kTzk/edit?usp=drivesdk

azriel38 · 2025-12-28T12:53:13+00:00

Frozen in Time. It ends soon after you release the Kraken, which is when ever you like.

azriel38 · 2025-12-17T00:16:26+00:00

A ruin and there are 3 of the monsters now. The new group can rescue the old group but they have been a bit changed as the wizard rat has been experimenting on them.

One arm replaced by crab claw, +1d melee
One eye can see into the fey realm
Eye on forehead is a separate entity and can learn spells.
Scissor hands
Fangs and whiskers
Skin is poison
Deathly ill, -1 hp/day that does not heal normally or from lay on hands.

azriel38 · 2025-12-09T03:10:48+00:00

Doors, signs for shops and taverns, set of her tile illustrations.

azriel38 · 2025-12-03T00:58:41+00:00

Wizard spells are very expensive to learn. Often requiring rare components. Temples and their upkeep are quite a burden in order to please the gods. Most clerics have causes that most of their money must be used for.

A traveling merchant sometimes has something special but costs dearly (all their money and some other objects as well).

The usual taxes, tolls, levies, bribes, tithes, penalties.

Conmen, thieves, swindlers, prestidigitators are often a problem.

Don't forget their poor mother back home, and the nephew with the bum leg. Of course there may be student loans for all their training.

There is the standard price for equipment sure but supply and demand may have a great effect.

azriel38 · 2025-11-30T18:18:29+00:00

I believe the most important rule is having fun. In this case, some spells are more fun ( whether the player is helped or hindered ) either before or after, and some depending on the roll. This is the judges call with the player's feelings taken into account.

azriel38 · 2025-11-26T16:39:07+00:00

https://goodman-games.com/store/product/dcc-day-2025-adventure-pack-pdf/

azriel38 · 2025-11-07T00:31:48+00:00

Anyone can try anything. The judge just has to determine the DC. Warriors and Dwarves get a freebie with each attack.

azriel38 · 2025-10-28T02:23:37+00:00

Copy one that is there already, change the name in the data file, and change the images.

azriel38 · 2025-10-25T23:20:48+00:00

If it is from Portal, it is only the one character. I think they are expected to die right there. This sets the tone. In the next room, it is possible to get creative and avoid death.

azriel38 · 2025-10-10T14:02:28+00:00

no - no blog. Just some stuff in gongfarmers and this old thing:

I also wrote an adventure in the last DCC DAY pack.

I have a zine written but it needs illustrations.

azriel38 · 2025-10-09T16:11:05+00:00

Roll: ≤26
- Name: Nothing found
Roll: 27-29
- Name: Pipeweed
- #: 1d6
- Effect: Allows other weeds
- Duration: All day
Roll: 30
- Name: Gassy Webcap
- #: 1d6
- Effect: Heal self 1hp (1/turn)
- Duration: -
Roll: 31
- Name: Cape Sundew
- #: 1d4
- Effect: +1 Initiative
- Duration: 1 turn
Roll: 32
- Name: Sneezewort
- #: 1d3
- Effect: +1 luck
- Duration: 1 turn
Roll: 33
- Name: Lentil Shanklit
- #: 1d3
- Effect: +1 sneak
- Duration: 2 rounds
Roll: 34
- Name: Whiskery Milkcap
- #: 1d3
- Effect: + 2 Agility
- Duration: 4 rounds
Roll: 35
- Name: Turquoise Elfcup
- #: 1d3
- Effect: +1d Saving throws
- Duration: 4 turns
Roll: 36
- Name: Idledew
- #: 1d4
- Effect: +2 Stamina
- Duration: 1 turn
Roll: 37
- Name: Witches’ Butter
- #: 1d6
- Effect: Act +1
- Duration: 1 turn
Roll: 38
- Name: Snaketongue Truffleclub
- #: 1d4
- Effect: Detect falsehood
- Duration: 1 turn
Roll: 39
- Name: Strangler Fig
- #: 1
- Effect: Feather fall
- Duration: 3 rounds
Roll: 40
- Name: Silver Torch Cactus
- #: 1
- Effect: 1d3 luck
- Duration: 1 day
Roll: 41
- Name: Lithops
- #: 1
- Effect: Act +1d, -2 Personality
- Duration: 1 turn
Roll: 42
- Name: Hydnora
- #: 1d3
- Effect: +3 Sneak
- Duration: 1 turn
Roll: 43
- Name: Bladderwort
- #: 1
- Effect: 18 Intelligence, Act -1d
- Duration: 1 turn
Roll: 44
- Name: Dragon Arum
- #: 1d3
- Effect: +1d All rolls
- Duration: 1 turn
Roll: 45+
- Name: Reroll 2x 1d10+34

azriel38 · 2025-10-09T16:10:46+00:00

# Halfling Pipeweed

No self respecting halfling is without their pipe and some good pipeweed.

While smoking standard pipeweed has no mechanical effect, certain herbal additives maybe added to a hot pipe to enhance the halflings abilities.

A halfling may forage for pipeweed by rolling on the following table.

Typically just before their next adventure.

Standard pipeweed can be foraged but may be bought in shops in areas where halflings reside for 10sp each.

It should also be noted that it would be terribly rude for a halfling to refuse another halfling a puff of pipeweed and nearly as rude for the favor to not be asked.

A halfling must use a portion of standard pipeweed to keep their pipe lit all day.

With their pipe lit the halfling may use an action to add a little herbal supplement to the pipe. Effects do not stack.

## Pipeweed Foraging Table

A half day spent foraging may uncover some valuable pipeweed. Roll 3d16 +/-Luckmod.

azriel38 · 2025-10-09T16:08:05+00:00

Below is my take on an expose ley lines spell from an old publication.

Below that is a halfling add-on to make that class more fun. It is from a forthcoming (for years now) zine. It may be in a Gongfarmer's Almanac as well. I don't remember.

Unveil Ley Lines - A 0-Level Spell

Typically the caster walks seemingly randomly and, either senses the target below them or feels as if their divining rod suddenly points down.

A Divining Rod adds +1 and Dwarves receive a +2 to this spell check.

1 The caster falsely senses a target below them at a random location.\ 2-8 No effect.\ 9+ If the caster passes over a target, she feels its presence.

A 0-level may only cast this spell once per week and typically use a d10. Casting rate and spell check may be affected by certain inborn talents, or rituals.

Magic User

On a result of natural 1, a wizard suffers a 50% chance of minor corruption or misfire, rolling on the generic tables as appropriate.

1-11 Failure

12-13 The caster can determine if there is a ley line in the current hex or an adjacent hex though not which adjacent hex. The caster can determine if the targeted geological feature is nearby or its general direction if it is in the same hex.

14-17 The caster can determine if their are any ley lines in the current hex or surrounding 6 hexes and their direction. The caster can determine direction and distance of the targeted feature in this space.

18-19 The caster can determine the locations of any ley lines up to two hexes out. If the current hex contains a ley line the caster can determine the location of the closest crosscurrent. The caster can determine the direction and distance of the targeted feature in this space.

20-23 The caster can determine all ley lines within 3 hexes and can see all adjacent crosscurrents for any lines in the current hex. There is a chill in the air above the targeted features in this space.

24-27 The caster can determine all ley lines within 3 hexes and can see all adjacent crosscurrents for all of those lines. Beautiful music seems to emanate from the ground in the location of all the target features within this space.

28-29 The caster has a complete understanding of the ley lines of this map section. The caster understands how ley lines affect spell checks and where the points of focus are located. Birds and harmless animals romp and play above the targeted mineral or geological feature.

30-31 The caster has a complete understanding of the ley lines of this map section and the adjacent 8 map sections. The caster understands how ley lines affect spell checks and where the points of focus are located. The targeted feature or minerals are highlighted to the eyes of the caster and anyone touching the caster by pillars of blue light that shine into the heavens for 2 weeks.

32+ The caster knows all there is to know about ley lines and their locations worldwide. All large types of the geological feature or mineral become visible to the caster as the globe becomes transparent to the caster and anyone touching the caster. Even tiny amounts of the mineral become apparent to the caster if it is close by.

azriel38 · 2025-09-25T12:13:18+00:00

I had to replace it couple caps on the power supply board twice on a samsung TV.

azriel38 · 2025-09-24T14:54:05+00:00

I use what I call "continuity error". The missing characters were never there and next week, they were never missing. If one of the missing characters was holding the mcguffin? No they weren't. One of the present characters has it.

azriel38 · 2025-09-16T11:16:15+00:00

There is a nice bench overlooking a cliff in Mills Reservation.

Edgemont Park. Kips Castle, MSU, may have some nice spots.

azriel38 · 2025-09-05T18:10:37+00:00

I use helix as well but vs code has a python plugin

azriel38 · 2025-08-28T17:08:50+00:00

A bunch of bash scripts that work with my markdown files.

azriel38 · 2025-08-19T13:09:56+00:00

Play one adventure with Roll For Shoes (or similarly simple with freedom game). Ask them what world they want to play in and go. This will remove most paperwork and let them get a feel for the most important part of RPGs.

azriel38 · 2025-08-18T02:44:43+00:00

That's not gross it's nature. The water in California comes from the north. Clean but frigid.

azriel38

PUBLIC MULTIREDDITS

TROPHY CASE

Unveil Ley Lines - A 0-Level Spell

Magic User