fbpx

Campaign Design

How to End Your Campaign the Right Way

by

Every story needs a proper ending, especially if it’s one of epic proportions. And few tales are as epic as an RPG campaign that reaches the end of its final story arc. Unfortunately, some endings are like The Sopranos, which left the audience thinking “WTF?!” for all the wrong reasons. Others feel rushed, forced or downright unsatisfying. After being on both sides of this equation, I would like to share some tips to prevent your story from tanking in the 11th hour and leave everyone glad they showed up for the final game.

How to Move a Stalled RPG Campaign Forward

by

At some point, every DM sees their campaign get lost in the weeds. How do you get the PCs back on track and involved with the big, bad plotline?

3 Tips for RPG Villains Your Players Will Love to Hate

by

Heroes are defined by their villains. But what really makes a villain worthy of such greatness? Here are 3 tips to help knock your villains out of the park! (Before your players literally knock them out of the park.)

7 RPG Improv Tips for DMing Open-World Campaigns

by

Some DMs are right at home improving from the first time they open a Monster Manual, while others are never comfortable without a rock-solid module to run for the night. If you want to improv more, or just do it better when you have to, here are seven tips for making it up on the fly.

3 Ways to Design RPG Campaigns: Railroad vs. Open World vs. Dave

by

Is it better to put players on the train through your tight, entertaining story, or create a reactive world for them wander around at their leisure? In this episode, Thorin, Tony and Dave talk about how they build their campaigns, from what they want to accomplish to how they prepare week to week. Along they’ll way, we’ll look at how the different styles affect the players and their game experience. And we’ll discuss whether or not, in the end, they’re really all that different?

3 Ways to Tell RPG Stories: Tips for Designing Campaigns and Long-Form Storytelling

by

Whether you have an epic story to tell or just hope your new campaign survives week-to-week, mastering long-form storytelling is an essential part of being a Dungeon Master or game master in any game system. And it’s not easy. Listen to this week’s episode to hear how Thorin, Tony and Dave try (and sometimes fail) to tell stories that players remember in their different styles of games.