GM Advice?

Bortas
Bortas

Where do you all go for mastering advice, that you've found really works?

I started watching some Matt Colville's 'Running The Game' series and it really changed the way I look at how to run D&D, for the positive. Then somehow found the 'Angry GM's column with regards to pacing and narration, and... holy crap. I feel like the games I'm running now are WAY better than they were before. We're all stressing less and just having more fun. Matt is very cerebral, addresses topics like writers do (ie: verbose, but the answer is also very thorough). Angry cuts to the chase, spells it all out plainly, simply, and makes some points with some raw humor (very practical EXCELLENT advice, also abrasive)

The Angry's column 'Running Combat Like A Dolphin' has forever simplified combat, and really ratcheted up our fun.

Matt's video on Vecna really provoked a lot of thought on what sort of rules monsters follow for abilities and what not, changed the way I build out my encounters.

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Where do you turn? If you could have one place to go, one thing to read, that you think every GM should see, what would it be?

-bort

Comments

  • weasel0
    weasel0
    Posts: 435

    I've been a fan of Gnome Stew for a long while. Though if you want to get into others heads, (Disclaimer as personal opinions about and I've yet to apply things I've learned-next game in 1.5 weeks) I've been listening to Jordan Peterson's podcast. He a professor and practice holding psychologist. Wether you agree with much of the social things he talks about, the way he talks about things makes you think about what you know or what you think you do and how you think about them.

    Think it'll help my flow as he does a lot of break down of various human imagery that have cropped up in all human societies regardless of religion or other ideologies. Understanding common threads as such can help in communications subtleties that people won't even realize they're paying attention too.

  • UselessTriviaMan
    UselessTriviaMan
    Posts: 546

    I will forever sing the praises of Happy Jack's RPG Podcast. That crew has been slinging excellent gaming advice (and much hilarity) for almost ten years now, and they are specifically the reason why I am now no longer the crappy GM I once was. With a lively round-table discussion and a rotating cast of hosts, they're the Dear Abby of gaming podcasts. Almost all of their content comes from listener emails.

    They're also heavily invested in Actual Plays, in a very broad range of systems: D&D 5e, Vampire, Savage Rifts, multiple Powered by the Apocalypse hacks, Legend of the Five Rings, Star Wars, Savage Worlds, Werewolf, and lots more.

    While I agree that Angry GM does give (mostly) good advice, his "angry" schtick completely ruins it for me. After watching him in action on social media, I won't even click on a link to his page.


    Ptolus, City by the Spire - 2016 Campaign of the Year

    "Please pay attention very carefully, because this is the truest thing a stranger will ever say to you: In the face of such hopelessness as our eventual, unavoidable death, there is little sense in not at least TRYING to accomplish all your wildest dreams in life."  - - Kevin Smith

  • weasel0
    weasel0
    Posts: 435

    That's cool. I have happy jack stuff waiting to be listened too in my podcast list.

  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,006

    There are so many places to find written stuff regarding this.  I find one can usually find stuff in almost any list to mull over.  Even if you have read it before, sometimes just reminding yourself of something can be good.  I have also seen a short excerpt of a live game on video and thought:  "Hey, I must do more of THAT....!"

    smiley

    "I met a traveller from an antique land....."

    CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.

    Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign

    Inner Council Member

  • Omegabase
    Omegabase
    Posts: 41

    I had a similar experience with Colville and Angry GM.  Great stuff.  I backed Colville's Strongholds and Followers kickstarter..the one that got over $2 million.  He's on a roll.  Should be a good book and just in time for my group hitting mid-levels (arcanearth.obsidianportal.com).

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Arcanearth

    Gammaworld 2754

  • Bortas
    Bortas
    Posts: 645

    I also backed that, Angry as well. Every time I read/listen to either of them, you have to get through the filter that makes them ... them... but the core advice is just fantastic.

    -bort

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