Category: Gamemastering

• Supporting other GMs: Be the “training wheels”

  You can share in some of the GMing duties to make it easier on other GMs–but be careful you don’t overstep your bounds.

  By

  Dylan Wolf

• Run and play mock encounters

  If you’re not sure how a particular game mechanic works, take the pressure off by practicing it outside of your normal session.

  By

  Dylan Wolf

• Supporting other GMs: Read the book and write references

  Nothing shows buy-in to a new campaign than buying and (more importantly) reading the core rulebook. And writing quick references helps both you and the rest of the table.

  By

  Dylan Wolf

• Supporting other GMs: Be enthusiastic (or at least engaged)

  Sometimes, supporting another GM’s game can be as simple as making some choices when analysis paralysis sets in at the table.

  By

  Dylan Wolf

• Supporting other Gamemasters (as a GM)

  The cure to being the “forever DM” is letting other people run games in their own voice and style. How do we help encourage that?

  By

  Dylan Wolf

• Building trophy cases

  When you start burning out on a hobby, it’s important to recognize and step away, even though that feels like bad advice.

  By

  Dylan Wolf

• Working through “Blank Page Syndrome”

  To help with blank page syndrome, keep a variety of tools that help you avoid starting from a blank page.

  By

  Dylan Wolf

• Ryuutama taught me to run better downtime

  Ryuutama’s mechanics highlight travel and camping, creating a rhythm to each in-game day.

  By

  Dylan Wolf

• Momentum: Make-or-break factors

  Pay attention to the factors that can bog down a game night, and switch course when you see them.

  By

  Dylan Wolf

• Momentum: Making a regular game night happen

  Regular game nights aren’t built from infinite free time, they’re built when people get used to showing up.

  By

  Dylan Wolf