Gamemastering at GenCon can be a blast. It’s a way to introduce people to a game you love, or even a game you’re trying to publish. It can also be a way to play obscure games that just don’t have a big following in your hometown. It’s a lot of work, though, and can be…
There’s a collective sigh of relief and that figurative, though often literal, fist-pump when you’ve hit a milestone creating something you love. That’s how we at ICOSA Entertainment felt when we finally shipped our initial RPG offering, the Pure Steam™ Campaign Setting. But the holiday pounds were already melting away as our feverish brains began…
Hey all! B’omarr Punk (Adam), creator of Pure Steam™ here. This article was intended to be a wrap to our series from last year: “I am become designer, creator of worlds!” Instead, it serves as the new start of a series we like to call, “Behind the Gear-spun Curtain: A Purely Steampunk Look at Game…
Greetings! And welcome back for another installment of One Die Short. The below page depicts the first meeting of the PCs, an important, and sometimes overlooked aspect of building a good campaign. Interaction between PCs is crucial, and can make or break a game. Surprisingly, it’s also something that isn’t often used to its fullest…
We’re proud to present the 1st in a series of monthly articles by Keith Baker. Best known for creating the Eberron Campaign Setting for Dungeons & Dragons and the card game Gloom he’s also worked on at least five games that you’ve never heard of. Yet. Question: My DM has decided to implement a house…
Crack open a book of fairy tales and mythology next time you can’t figure out a new story to embed in your game.
Puzzles and Mazes and Riddles oh my! Puzzles and Mazes can be implemented in so many ways, we’ll start with mazes. A lot of people hear maze and imagine large shrubs and a minotaur hiding somewhere, or a series of stone walls in confusing settings or something similar to the Labyrinth. Remember, a maze can…
Illusions – how you use them and how to use “Disbelieve”. 4E: (Page 68, DM’s guide) “Illusions can mimic any terrain. Creatures that realize that an object is an illusion ignores its effects, while those that do not realize the truth behind the illusion react to it as appropriate. Use Character’s passive insight checks to…
I sit down with Designer Manager James Wyatt and grill him about message board critics, the new ardent class and his old gnoll slaying days.
In the spring of 2007 I did not work. I wrote. A lot! This was before I started writing for Dungeon Mastering. I was writing a novel (which is still just a draft). Writing fiction is tough, but it’s also fun and rewarding. For me it was also a great learning experience. I polished skills…
My stint as an aspiring novelist made me a better writer and a better storyteller. I thought I’d share a few writing techniques that I learned through books, websites, and experience and how I use them to be a better DM.
My stint as an aspiring novelist made me a better writer and a better storyteller. I thought I’d share a few writing techniques that I learned through books, websites, and experience and how I use them to be a better DM.
Story building how-to videos + ramblings on twitter addiction.
Have you ever considered selling or publishing your RPG work?
We provide you with tips to spice up the night’s rest other than a surprise attack during second watch. Check out five ways that a characters dreams can enhance your campaign.
If your players get glassy-eyed when they have to interact with your NPCs, you’re in need of some quick inspiration. Here are five NPC archetypes that will definitely keep your players on their toes.
Whoever said that a straight line is the best way to get from Point A to Point B knew nothing about non-linear campaigns. They’re more than meandering chaos waiting to happen; in fact, they’re a lot of fun for adventurous players. Here’s a handy guide to running an awesome non-linear game you can be proud of.
If you’re looking for ways to add elements of horror to your D&D campaign, use this article as a springboard for your creativity. Here, we explore the terrifying elements of paranoia, ultimate evil, and the vast unknown.
Random plot generators? Just clicking through them can provide at least 1d4 hours of entertainment. If you find a good one, you might even generate a nifty plot hook for your next adventure — but even the bad ones are good for a laugh.
25 questions – that’s all you need to answer to know your inner D&D4E character. And don’t come whining to me if your inner character sucks!
What comes out of a meeting between an uber-villain and a red dragon? A how-to guide!