Worldbuilding Spreads

Tarot is a most under appreciated tool in roleplaying games. If you need inspiration in a flash a quick tarot spread and give you tons of world building possibilities, devious plot twists or hidden clues. Here are some world-building tarot spreads from the most recent version of my Martian Muckraker RPG book followed by an […]

Playtesting and Other Extreme Sports

So the first Martian Muckraker playtest was a little rough. Maybe more than a little rough. A lot rough. It was rough. Solidly rough. So the first part of this post is to state that when you are designing a game: PLAY TEST PLAY TEST PLAY TEST. And be not discouraged. The chief areas of […]

Facing Fate Core

Many RPGs are known for their tomes and tomes of rules. The recent Pathfinder Player’s Handbook runs 600 pages (and I can’t wait to dive into my copy!) This allows the game designers to craft and simulate a detailed and fascinating world, and provide lots of meat for players to strategize with. There is a […]

Micro RPGs

Many people think of tabletop roleplaying games as requiring books and books of rules. However in recent years, there has been interest in rules-light systems. The limit case of this is the Micro-RPG or One-Page RPG. A Micro-RPG can cover its rules in four-pages or less and is designed when players want a quick-and-easy game […]

The Introverts Will Be Their (Dungeon) Masters

The best place for an introvert at an RPG table is . . . as the Dungeon Master (or Game Master or Master of Ceremonies). It may seem like a bold statement given the amount of responsibilities the Game Master (we will use this as a catch-all) has. Doesn’t being the GM require leading others […]

Roleplaying Games Besides Dungeons And Dragons . . .

Dungeons and Dragons is to roleplaying, what Kleenex is to tissues. Some people think that ALL roleplaying is Dungeons and Dragons. Dungeons and Dragons was the first tabletop RPG and the 5th Edition is one of the best designed tabletop RPGs out there. It’s incredibly easy for new players to learn, but still has enough […]