GMs, suggest some good "how to GM" books?

thaen
thaen

What "how to GM" books have you found useful?  (If you happen to be the author, or a contributor ... feel free to self-promote.  : )

 

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  • Frak_Lou_Elmo
    Frak_Lou_Elmo
    Posts: 174

    I haven't read any specific third party books on this, I found The Angry GM blog super useful, but as for books I am amazed how often I come across DM's who have not read the Dungeon Masters Guide, which actually has a lot of good advice for questions which frequently come up among DMs.



    Even older dnd editions, while I play 5e now, the 4e DMG has some great advice on looking at your players as player types and crafting your style to accommodate for that. 



    twitter: @Frak_Lou_Elmo

  • thaen
    thaen
    Posts: 1,064

    Thanks for the tip on Angry GM!  Turns out he does have a book:

    https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/280384/Game-Angry-How-to-RPG-The-Angry-Way

    +1 on the 4e DMG ... just knowing about the existence of the "Watcher" player type explained so much of the behavior I was seeing in certain players I played with.

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  • Abersade
    Abersade
    Posts: 417

    I found the Complete Book of Villians for AD&D 2nd Ed. to be very helpful back in the day. https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/16900/DMGR6-The-Complete-Book-of-Villains-2e

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  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,006

    Mainly, i get advice from YouTube channels.  Please don't ask me to list them.

    Being a big fan of Kobold Press, I would imagine that the Guide to World Building, and the Guide to Plots and Campaigns (both won by Nuadaria for his Campaign of the Year) are both excellent books.

    smiley

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  • thaen
    thaen
    Posts: 1,064

    @Abersade, thanks for that recommendation.  I cobbled together a fair collection of those supplemental books for 2nd Edition, but I don't think I ever got this one.

    @twiggyleaf, ha ... good thing you said not to ask!  Those Kobold Press ones are on my list already, so yes, thank you, great suggestions.

    In case anyone is curious, I'm asking for "books", as opposed to YouTube channels or blogs, because a book has a limited amount of space, and the author has to then choose only the "best" of their knowledge to include in the book.  So, the density of useful information is usually higher, and I can get more out of the time I put in.  The authors of books also will often create an overall framework for the knowledge in the book, and (for me at least) having a framework to "hang" new knowledge on makes it stick better in my brain.

     

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  • Keryth987
    Keryth987
    Posts: 1,047

    I learned at the Table, so I can;t recommend any. Theater of the Mind led to trying to emulate the Gold Box Games to using mini's and mats and on.

    Recently I have watched a few YouTube videos, but more out fo curiosity

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