Storytellers need to remind themselves that player agency matters in all facets of the game, not just at the table. They should also be eager to court any source of player “buy in” and enthusiasm, which certainly should encompass the campaign’s theme and narrative, but it can also include game mechanics. If a player organically chooses to change their planned build, and instead focuses on the use of an overpowered magic item the Storyteller gives them, that isn’t agency, that’s the Storyteller dictating a character’s build for them, in essence. So long as reasonable guardrails are in place, the character-building game adds value to TTRPGs. 

Metaplot in tabletop RPGs has proven to be among the most strangely divisive features any game line can offer. For a brief definition, in the context of RPGs Metaplot generally refers to a set of canon events that slowly reshape a fictional setting over time. Traditionally Metaplot was offered through a slow drip feed of information in supplemental books, though it was sometimes also updated in large chunks in new editions of core books. While Metaplot bore a poor reputation as of the mid 2000s, I think we need to reassess its role in the hobby. Honestly, I miss it.

Guest Writer Chris Vicari deep dives into the process of becoming a Storyteller for your TTRPG projects. Start Here!

Worldbuilding. Arguably the hardest part of any form of writing, not just in table-top role-playing games. Your world is the setting of your entire campaign, and if there’s one guarantee throughout entertainment, your viewers/ players will do everything in their power to poke a hole in your hard work.

Trust me, I know. I’ve only gained my skills in worldbuilding by having one particular member of my table incessantly pick apart the details.

Azara’s Fist is a new actual play from Amateurish Productions.

We’ll start this first article with the basics of plotting an adventure. Now, there are two ways to go about writing in general, not just for TTRPGs, outlining and pantsing. This is a blog about writing for TTRPG, but the foundations are fundamentally fantasy and sci-fi writing, and I recommend the lecture series by Brandon Sanderson I watched when I first learned how to write fantasy (Or at least, a more recent version of it.)

A one-shot is a small adventure designed to be played in a single sitting. Depending on your group, the size, and the length of your sessions, that could change the dynamics of what you’ll be able to do. A four-person 4 hour session will be able to get through a slightly more complex story than a six-person 3 hour session. You will also want to tailor your one-shot to the playstyle preferences of your party. One of my parties are fans of action, so the one-shots I write for them tend to be heavy on combat. Another one-shot I ran for a group of young teenagers was simplified in scope and complexity to be more accessible to their age group. These minor adjustments will make all the difference in a smooth game day.

Pat is joined by Don Marshall, the "Obscure Lord of the Rings Facts Guy" himself, to discuss his new book: JRR Tolkien the Father of Modern Fantasy.

A one-shot is a small adventure designed to be played in a single sitting. Depending on your group, the size, and the length of your sessions, that could change the dynamics of what you’ll be able to do. A four-person 4 hour session will be able to get through a slightly more complex story than a six-person 3 hour session. You will also want to tailor your one-shot to the playstyle preferences of your party. One of my parties are fans of action, so the one-shots I write for them tend to be heavy on combat. Another one-shot I ran for a group of young teenagers was simplified in scope and complexity to be more accessible to their age group. These minor adjustments will make all the difference in a smooth game day.

In our 13th episode, James D’Amato returns to showcase Cosmic Century Knights

In this article, we go over ‘TTRPG Overhead.’ These are the broad real-world considerations to take to follow that will help you run a successful campaign with stories told around a campfire for decades to come.

In our 12th episode, Pat talks with Peter Chiykowski and Miroki Tong from The Story Engine

The Crit Awards nominees are up, and low and behold, we are nominated for Best Setting! Let’s take a look at the compe… er… our friends who are also nominated!

In our 11th episode, Pat & Case chat with James D’Amato

In our 10th episode, Pat acts as the Storyteller for a charity one shot on Geekly, Inc.

In our 9th episode, Pat is joined by Jef Aldrich & Jon Taylor to discuss the latest in the Dungeonmeister series: The RPG Sticker Book.

In our 8th episode, Pat is joined again by Case Aiken to discuss The Exorcist’s Codex

In this 7th episode, Pat is joined by Case Aiken to discuss the pirate themed TTRPG: The Ghosts of Wrath

In this 6th episode, Pat sits down with author, podcaster, and DM, Jeff Stormer

Rob Wieland is back to talk about a role playing game that's currently crowdfunding. Vileborn lets you play teenage monsters fighting in a world that hates and fears them.