Game Master's Journey

For a show about game mastering, there are precious few episodes about how to BE a game master. That ends now. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to answer the question, “How do I become a game master?” In this first of my series of GM 101 episodes, I will do my best to share what I’ve learned in my over 20 years of experience as a game master.

John Marvin of Dread Unicorn Games joins me on the show today to discuss the art of game mastering. We discuss his recent series of blog post articles in which he unpacks the instant adventure format for designing and running adventures. We also talk about third party publishing in RPGs and John’s upcoming 13th Age supplement, Gods and Icons.

John Marvin of Dread Unicorn Games joins me on the show today to discuss the art of game mastering. We discuss his new adventure for Numenera, what he’s learned about running adventures from 13th Age organized play, and how to use montages and fronts to enhance your game.

One of the many things I love about D&D fifth edition is the ease with which you can create balanced encounters. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to create the first encounters in my new D&D campaign, and I take you along for the ride.

One of the many things I love about D&D fifth edition is the ease with which you can create balanced encounters. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to create the first encounters in my new D&D campaign, and I take you along for the ride.

One of the best parts of being a game master is creating your own world. The fifth edition of D&D has inspired me to finally take the plunge. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to discuss my new D&D world, Primordia. I’ll discuss the Adventurers’ Guild in my world, how the portals work, and my first city, Elandria.

One of the best parts of being a game master is creating your own world. The fifth edition of D&D has inspired me to finally take the plunge. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to discuss my new D&D world, Primordia. I’ve begun running a campaign in the world, so I’ll discuss the first session. I’ll also talk about why I think starting small with your worldbuilding is the way to go and some more about my deities.

Wizards of the Coast has recently released our first non-adventure supplement to D&D fifth edition, the Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to discuss this supplement. I’ll tell you exactly what is (and isn’t) in this book and help you decide whether it’s for you.

I've finally chosen a name for my D&D world! I also discuss how cities work in the world, more about the night sky of Primordia, and how the planets and moons relate to the deities. I also talk about how the gods are perceived and how I tightened up my pantheon.

I get a lot of questions from listeners about worldbuilding and adventure and campaign design. There’s also been quite a bit of interest in my new Star Wars campaign. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to continue my discussion of my Edge of the Empire campaign. I talk about the characters the players created, and what I came up with for the first adventure.

Sometimes the best way to learn is by example. I’ve had quite a few requests from listeners to discuss my new Edge of the Empire campaign. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to do just that. In the first of a series of episodes about my new Edge of the Empire campaign, I discuss the inspirations, ideas and thoughts I had going into the campaign. Once I have a clear idea of what I want to accomplish, I’m ready for session zero with the players.

This week I really get under the hood of designing my own D&D setting. I ask myself some tough questions about if and why I want to build my own world and what exactly I want to accomplish with it, and I share the answers to those questions with you.

A good GM should always be prepared. No matter what your RPG of choice is, game preparation is very important. Preparation can make the difference between an excellent GM and a terrible one. Prep can also make the difference between feeling awesome during and after a session versus not so much. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to discuss game preparation with the aid of an excellent GM resource—Never Unprepared by Phil Vecchione.

Published RPG campaigns can be a great resource for GMs with busy lives. However my experiences with them has taught me that they have a lot of drawbacks. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to share my experiences with published campaigns and why I now feel they’re not for me. I also explore my other options in the search for that ever elusive “sweet spot”.

A very important aspect of our hobby that is sometimes overlooked is establishing and maintaining clear communication with your players. In every way from setting player expectations to resolving conflicts among the people at the table, communication is key. Today I set off again on the Obsidian Monolith to address a listener’s problems with power-gaming players and reflect on some insights I’ve gained from my own groups lately.

In the season three finale episode, I revisit some topics from the season with your feedback, including elegance in RPGs, 13th Age, and the Star Wars dice system. 

Mark Garringer returns to the show today with some tips on writing for a company like Paizo. He also shares what it’s like to MC the Pathfinder Special with 1200 players.

Mark Garringer returns to the show to discuss his experiences with Pathfinder Society as a Venture Captain. He also talks about writing monsters and scenarios for Paizo.

Mark Garringer joins me on the show today to discuss his experiences in the RPG hobby, including creating monsters and scenarios published for Pathfinder.

Kevin and Evan from the Loaded Dice podcast network join me to conclude our discussion of Star Wars Edge of the Empire. This is part three of a three part interview.