There’s something about running games for complete strangers at conventions that morphs a seemingly mundane tabletop RPG session into an unpredictable and riveting experience worth writing stories about.
Zen and the Art of Dungeon Mastering #7: Asking Loaded Questions
As I mused on the session during the ensuing weekend, I realized that I might have rediscovered some of the best dirty GMing tricks I’d read in small-press RPGs like Dread. Asking loaded question can indeed steer a player’s action.
Zen and the Art of Dungeon Mastering #6: Smash that Bottleneck
In which Chatty tackles a subject near and dear to his cold black DM heart: avoiding adventure bottlenecks. This multi-parter series starts with the basics: Skill-related bottlenecks.
Zen and the Art of Dungeon Mastering #5: Make it Mean Something!
In which Chatty DM reveals that he’s an impatient player and really really likes to find that each scene he runs or plays in actually meant something in the grand scheme of Adventuring. And no, XPs don’t quite cut it.
Zen and the Art of Dungeon Mastering #4: What is Your Intent with my Dungeon?
Chatty’s series of DMing advice continues. This time he discusses how you can help players focus on what they want to do in their turns by asking a simple question.
Zen and the Art of Dungeon Mastering #3: Mind your Players’ Styles, Part 4 of 4
Chatty concludes his four part sub-series (and hits his 900th post) about helping DMs understand what motivate their players and how to tap into this to make a more satisfying game for all. In this article, chatty discusses Lurking and Instigating play styles and also broaches the subject of selfish players.
Zen and the Art of Dungeon Mastering #3: Mind Your Players’ Styles, Part 3 of 4
Chatty’s series on adapting a DM’s natural style to take into account those of his players continue with three more set of player motivations: Specialty Characters, Method Acting and Storyteling. Don’t miss it!
Zen and the Art of Dungeon Mastering #3: Mind Your Players’ Styles, Part 2 of 4
In which Chatty tackles three well-established playing styles (Power Gaming, Butt Kicking and Tactics) and shares advice to tweak encounters to take them into account.
Zen and the Art of Dungeon Mastering #3: Mind your Players’ Styles, Part 1 of 4
Chatty’s new Back-to-Basics DMing series continues by tackling a cornerstone issue of understanding and catering to what bring (and keeps) players at your gaming table.
Zen and the Art of Dungeon Mastering #2: Know your DMing Style
In which Chatty maintains momentum in his new series aimed at new/returning GMs and explores what motivates Dungeon Masters to run RPGs and how uncannily familiar these motivators will be for some.
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