A prompt a day through August to talk about RPGs
1) PATRON
Who gives the PCs directions or orders to their next adventure? This can very much affect how they feel about it.
I like a big list of adventure hooks.
3) TAVERN
My Vampire games always have nightclubs with Goth nights (unless they're historical where they'll have some earlier creepy vibe) which serve this function.
Can the theme be too extra? History says no.
4) MESSAGE
Does your game have a message? Intended or otherwise?
5) ANCIENT
I have sourcebooks older than some of my players.
6) MOTIVATE
PCs need more motivation in character-heavy games than mission-based ones. "You're adventurers!" doesn't always cut it. But it's also okay to nudge out of character.
7) JOURNEY
I haven't run or played a big travelling quest kind of game in years. Hm.
8 EXPLORE
Maybe we don't explore dungeons, but we explore our reactions to things.
9) INSPIRE
When I'm stuck for inspiration, I look back to what inspired the games as well as the source. Read, watch, listen. Something a bit outside the genre as well. It doesn't always help but it certainly can.
10) ORIGIN
I sometimes go first in character creation but am more likely to go last.
11) FLAVOUR
I hardly ever describe smell or taste in RPGs. Except in Vampire.
12) PATH
Literal way through the woods, or mystical advancement?
13) DARKNESS
If the game has Darkness in the title it'll probably have some darkness in it. (Though not really that Mage game.) Otherwise it may not, as applicable.
14) MYSTERY
Try to have a solution when you present a mystery rather than a mystery box. You can change it if the players come up with something better, but make it clear you're running that kind of game.
15) DECEIVE
Do GMs and players deceive in or out of character? Only IC cuts off some plots, but OOC can start OOC conflicts.
16) OVERCOME
I do like it when PCs and NPCs fighting don't have to fight to the death every time.
17) RENEW
I've never understood edition wars, even when I've preferred an old edition - if I'm angry I'll be angry at the people who made the changes, not the fans of the new stuff.
18 SIGN
A visual signifier can be very helpful at times. Like a gesture if something is OOC, or a picture of a character to keep track of who's who.
19) DESTINY
Some games have things like destiny and doom built in. Usually games with less random character creation and especially less random character death. How to do it without restricting too much player choice though?
20) ENTER
Scary things trying to force their way into our reality are a classic for a reason.
21) UNEXPECTED
An unexpected result can really change a session. I do like systems that have get-outs in case that particular example is unwelcome, but it can often add to the fun.
22) ALLY
How useful are NPC allies, contacts and all? Sometimes the GM needs a reminder. I say this as a GM.
As a player, if I don't take the Big Damn Hero role I try to be a useful ally. Or an amusing one anyway.
23) RECENT
Games most recently played and run, ICONS and Vampire: The Masquerade.
Most recent game played or run, Fear Itself second edition (not having done anything with first).
24) REVEAL
Sometimes it's fun to hold something back for the reveal, but usually when it's something funny and/or horrifying.
25) CHALLENGE
A challenge to the current ruler would generally be a campaign-long arc in a tabletop game, though it seems to be a monthly occurrence in some LARPs.
26) NEMESIS
A big enough game like a LARP or chat can give you another player as a nemesis. Which is cool as long as you're only actually clashing in character.
27) TACTIC
I may never have good tactics but I usually have a decent exit strategy. It might involve diving out of a window.
28 SUSPENSE
Games I run tend to be more "how will they get out of that?" than "will they get out of that?"
29) CONNECT
Hello New Bremen! The official World Of Darkness chat game. And the lifelong friends I made there.
30) EXPERIENCE
I've learned a lot through gaming and knowing gamers. Not sure what level I am as a result though...
31) REWARD
I've gotten a few souvenirs from games run, that's always a nice thing.
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