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This is a really good point! For me, I'm doing my own RPG because I think I have something to contribute to gaming, that I haven't seen before. With this section, I don't want to put it in the game unless it's something I can bring to the table that's interesting. But of course, when you...

That is a really useful question to ask. It seems to me that it depends on what you think the on-ramp is going to be for new DMs. In 5.5E, they didn't think it was going to be a Starter Set, otherwise they would have had one at launch. It seems instead that the new DMG has taken advice that I'd...

I think a good starter set is critical for a game that's trying to reach a large audience. I know I've run the Beginner's Box for PF2 six times at this point. I've played two scenarios with them for 5E. They are a great way to introduce new players to the hobby.

I was never able to actually determine how this worked, but I think it was largely the GM would tell players things and direct them about what was happening. Questions, and back and forth conversation, were discouraged. I ... let's just leave it at that's not how I like to play RPGs, and I never...

Another quick comment: you can see my influences pretty directly when I write about the conversation. That's the main way you play my game. It's honestly how I play almost every RPG both as a player and as a GM. I didn't think this was a controversial point, but I was involved in a thread where...

Some good thoughts here. I am a big fan of John Harper/Vincent Baker, and I have to admit that I bring in elements of his design when playing other games, which is where my idea of "universal" advice takes place. Of course there are different RPG styles but there's a big group of games that are...

I am writing an RPG. Like I suppose a lot of people have attempted over the years. One thing I am dreading writing is the "what is an RPG?" and "how do you play an RPG?" section. You know, the sort of thing that (almost) every RPG has and (almost) no one reads. I had a thought that if there is...

I haven't had the chance to look at the book yet but I understand that a lot of the optional rule mechanics have been removed from the new book. From a rules perspective, I can see the magic items and the Bastion rules. Is there anything else there? Both of the games I'm in are playing with the...

On the Foundry issue, you get a discount on the Foundry module if you own the PDF. On the PF2 Reddit, users have confirmed that you get the discount if you get the Stolen Fate PDF. Frozen Flame does not have a Foundry module, but there is a PDF converter that you can use to import the module to...

I think this is a pretty soft hit piece. In fact, I'd just say it's some advertising. I think WotC will be able to get past this. Especially since they are selling products through D&D Beyond.

I think this very definitely falls into the "more than one thing can be true at once" category. By default, B/X doesn't have a skill system, which makes it a system I'm not interested in these days. At the same time Worlds Without Number and the related games do have a strong skill system that I...

Time for a "back in my day..." story. Back in my day, this actually happened: you had spells that took segments to cast, and if you acted during that time, you could move out of the way or disrupt the spell. I'd say that the game has pretty thoroughly moved away from that. But still, I just...

I'll just say that my experience with the 5E skill system is that it's terrible. It's like a whole chapter of the book describing using and adjudicating skills was just left out of the game. When I think about a game like Blades in the Dark, I'm thinking of a game that handles skills, success...

I hope you feel better and are able to go home soon. I was in the hospital a couple of times this year and you're never so happy as when you get to go home.

This is the key, and the only real answer. Honestly it's the answer for all house rules or different ways to run a game. If your players are having fun (and the DM/GM too) who is it to complain? When I see discussions like this I think about the games I like to run and to play in. And the one's...

I'm another one of those people who say "it's not out yet for me." But, it will have updated magic items. I suppose that will be useful. Can't say as I'm expecting to use anything else from it. I'll probably read the Greyhawk stuff and see what I remember about it. Edited to add: reading the...

I think this is a very telling example. In the case of Mordor, the only people who don't know anything really about Mordor (other than it's a scary place) are the hobbits. Gimli, Legolas, Aragorn, Boromir and Gandalf all know quite a bit about it. It all depends on who your character is and what...

How so? How is asking questions a problem? This genuinely boggles my mind.

I know what that means, but ... what does that mean for you? I could easily explain how I run a session with an example, but I think you're doing something very different. I suppose I should give up as I think we're playing a very different game, which I hope you have fun with.

Ah, many people play RPGs in scenes. It seems you don't. So if I were to listen in on part of your RPG session, what would it sound or look like?