GM Advice: 5 Characteristics of Terrible GMs

While it’s true that almost anyone can run a game, it’s also true there are some staggeringly bad GMs out there. In my experience, most terrible GMs have five main characteristics in common.

By William McAusland (Outland Arts)
By William McAusland (Outland Arts)

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GM Advice: What’s Your Villain’s Motivation?

How many times have your PCs cut down an utterly forgettable one-dimensional villain? Giving a villain a decent, believable motivation is so much better than having them enact their terrible schemes simply because “they are evil.”

By V Shane
By V Shane

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GM Advice: 10 Awesome Plot Hooks to Start Your Adventure (or Campaign)

You are sitting in a tavern drinking ale when a mysterious stranger approaches your table. He speaks, “I am in need of brave adventurers to complete a dangerous quest; I’ll pay handsomely for your services…”

By William McAusland (Outland Arts)
By William McAusland (Outland Arts)

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Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands Encounter Design Case Study

In my last post about Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands’s design I wanted to talk a bit about my general philosophy behind individual encounter design. But to set the scene, sadly I must first rant.

By Marc Radle
By Marc Radle

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